Today is December 31st. The last day of 2012. I usually don't sit down to type "reflective" posts, even though I should do it more often. I try to keep things around here less serious than real life. But then I was thinking today about what a whirlwind 2012 has been, and I thought it might be nice to put my thoughts down on paper.
2012 started with M and I moving into a new house in Crowley... one we picked out together, furnished together, etc. It was a promising start to a new year. At the end of January, I started a new job with Weir. The first half of the year was pretty mild... not much happening, other than work and school, rinse and repeat.
July came with the news of a pending divorce which really shook my world in the beginning. I wasn't heartbroken in the sense that most people are when they are faced with a divorce. I've felt that M and I should have gone our separate ways several times over the past 10 years. Why either of us held on, I'll never know. So I moved out in the middle of the month, and made the 60 mile one way drive from Dallas for about 6 weeks. I'll be forever grateful to my friend, Carie, for letting me crash at her apartment, and essentially take over 1/2 of her space. Without her, I don't know that I would have made it... well, really, without my entire circle of friends and family.
There was tons of drama, but that's a little more than I want to share here.
On August 22nd, I got the keys to my new place and moved in that evening. My mom came down to be here with the movers, help me unpack and get settled in. My brother, his girlfriend, and my parents came back on Saturday to help again, and we went to dinner to celebrate my new found freedom, and the start of my newest journey. I truly have an amazing family. I'll always be grateful for them.
In September, I finally put a name to the face of "hottie neighbor guy (HNG)" as he was referred to for several weeks after numerous conversations about my dog, Chloe. (I'm still laughing at my inability to see that he was interested in me, and not just Chloe). We had our first official date in October, and have been pretty much inseparable ever sense. He's an incredible person, and I'm excited to continue to get to know him, spend time with him, etc.
Work continues to be stressful - but I guess that's the nature of the beast.
It's been a really long time I've been truly excited for the start of a new year, but I'm thrilled to ring in 2013. It'll be a low key NYE around here - but that's okay.
In 2013 - I will run my first half marathon, I will turn 30, I will graduate with my 2nd Master's degree, I will take a vacation with A to Boston, maybe a trip to Vegas to celebrate turning 30, I'd really like to move across the country to pursue a new career in one of the financial hubs of this country but only time will tell if that'll happen. 2013 is truly going to be a fantastic year!!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sour Cream Parmesan Chicken
Here's the main course for tonight's dinner... so yummy! I found this one on Pinterest too, but the link associated with the recipe was broken. This is another recipe that I'd love to be able to give credit where credit is due... so if anyone finds it, PLEASE let me know.
Sour Cream Parmesan Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup parmesan
Italian bread crumbs
Chicken breasts
INSTRUCTIONS FROM PINTEREST
Simply mix 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Spread over chicken breast in a baking dish. Sprinkle Italian bread crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
MY INSTRUCTIONS
I seasoned the chicken on both sides first, using onion powder, garlic powder, Lawry's, salt and pepper. I mixed up the sour cream and the parmesan mixture, and spread it evenly over three chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. I sprinkled the Italian bread crumbs on top of that, and put it in the oven, uncovered, @ 350* for 45 minutes.
Sour Cream Parmesan Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup parmesan
Italian bread crumbs
Chicken breasts
INSTRUCTIONS FROM PINTEREST
Simply mix 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Spread over chicken breast in a baking dish. Sprinkle Italian bread crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
MY INSTRUCTIONS
I seasoned the chicken on both sides first, using onion powder, garlic powder, Lawry's, salt and pepper. I mixed up the sour cream and the parmesan mixture, and spread it evenly over three chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. I sprinkled the Italian bread crumbs on top of that, and put it in the oven, uncovered, @ 350* for 45 minutes.
Creamy Garlic Pasta
When I started this blog - I had no real direction where it would go. I still don't. I just like sharing things, I love writing, and well, this is the love child of those two hobbies. So far, the majority of my posts have been cooking related. For anyone who knows me, and has known me for the past 10+ years, cooking has never been one of my strong talents. I've always struggled in the kitchen. A lot of it, I'm finding out, is due to the lack of confidence and the lovely reminders of "not being able to do it" that I had in my ear.
When Carie (Carie's Cooking Corner) introduced me to the Creamy Garlic Pasta recipe she found online, I just knew I had to try it. (I don't have the link to this recipe - but if anyone finds it online, could you let me know? I definitely want to give credit where credit is due. This recipe is amazing!)
I'm posting two recipes tonight (Creamy Garlic Pasta and Sour Cream Parmesan Chicken) without pictures. I never think about posting the recipes and pictures to this blog until it's too late.
Creamy Garlic Pasta
INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.
Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box's directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.
*** I didn't change anything with this recipe either. It makes a lot of pasta, but I'd much rather have left overs than try to adjust the recipe. I ended up having to leave out the parsley because I forgot it at the store, but I would imagine that adding the parsley would make this dish that much more delicious. I'll definitely be cooking this one again.
When Carie (Carie's Cooking Corner) introduced me to the Creamy Garlic Pasta recipe she found online, I just knew I had to try it. (I don't have the link to this recipe - but if anyone finds it online, could you let me know? I definitely want to give credit where credit is due. This recipe is amazing!)
I'm posting two recipes tonight (Creamy Garlic Pasta and Sour Cream Parmesan Chicken) without pictures. I never think about posting the recipes and pictures to this blog until it's too late.
Creamy Garlic Pasta
INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.
Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box's directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.
*** I didn't change anything with this recipe either. It makes a lot of pasta, but I'd much rather have left overs than try to adjust the recipe. I ended up having to leave out the parsley because I forgot it at the store, but I would imagine that adding the parsley would make this dish that much more delicious. I'll definitely be cooking this one again.
Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
On Wednesday, November 21st, my mom called me to tell me about this cranberry jalapeno dip recipe that her friend Beverly told her about. The recipe is one of those from Pinterest, but it sounded intriguing. So off to the store I went to buy the ingredients...
Here's the recipe from Mel's Kitchen
Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped (alternately, you can do this task by hand). Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl or tupperware and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness.
When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese.
Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
*** I followed this recipe exactly, and I wouldn't change a thing. It was THAT good. I didn't even bother to snap a picture of it. (Honestly, I forgot...) I ended up serving this with Triscuits and Wheat Thins. I liked Triscuits with it the best, but Mom liked the Wheat Thins.
I will definitely be trying this one again!
Here's the recipe from Mel's Kitchen
Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped (alternately, you can do this task by hand). Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl or tupperware and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness.
When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese.
Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
*** I followed this recipe exactly, and I wouldn't change a thing. It was THAT good. I didn't even bother to snap a picture of it. (Honestly, I forgot...) I ended up serving this with Triscuits and Wheat Thins. I liked Triscuits with it the best, but Mom liked the Wheat Thins.
I will definitely be trying this one again!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Vacation
It's awesome to type that word. :-) I'm on vacation! WOO HOO! I haven't taken a long vacation since 2011 when the ex-husband and I went with his family to Colorado. Ahhhh. Vacation.
So I'm not doing anything productive, or anything major. So far, I've done as little as possible. And quite frankly, it's AWESOME. On Friday, I did some house cleaning, but quickly ended that. Hah. At least my bathroom is clean. My task for Monday is to tackle the living room, dining room, kitchen since it's all one big room, and figure out a plan for where I'm going to put my Christmas tree.
Saturday, A and I made the drive to my parent's house, just to chill. We didn't really do much. A helped Frank unload some hay, my mom and I hung out, we went on a hike through their land, then dinner, then home. It was a good day. Low key, no drama, no bullshit, just fun. It was nice.
Today... the grocery store, AT&T, and maybe some baking or candy making. The good news with being home all week is that I really don't have a good excuse NOT to cook.
So who knows what this week will bring for me, other than relaxation, sleeping in, hanging with Chloe and A, and just enjoying not being at work.
I hope you all have a fantastic and wonderful Thanksgiving!
Much love,
C
So I'm not doing anything productive, or anything major. So far, I've done as little as possible. And quite frankly, it's AWESOME. On Friday, I did some house cleaning, but quickly ended that. Hah. At least my bathroom is clean. My task for Monday is to tackle the living room, dining room, kitchen since it's all one big room, and figure out a plan for where I'm going to put my Christmas tree.
Saturday, A and I made the drive to my parent's house, just to chill. We didn't really do much. A helped Frank unload some hay, my mom and I hung out, we went on a hike through their land, then dinner, then home. It was a good day. Low key, no drama, no bullshit, just fun. It was nice.
Today... the grocery store, AT&T, and maybe some baking or candy making. The good news with being home all week is that I really don't have a good excuse NOT to cook.
So who knows what this week will bring for me, other than relaxation, sleeping in, hanging with Chloe and A, and just enjoying not being at work.
I hope you all have a fantastic and wonderful Thanksgiving!
Much love,
C
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Pumpkin Cheesecake
It’s almost funny to me that I’m posting recipes on my new blog. I’ve never been much for cooking and certainly never tried new recipes that someone didn’t teach me how to make first. But, I figure now is as good of time as any – and it’s always helpful when I have someone there to eat it with me aka A. Plus, he likes my cooking… sucker!
I get wild ideas sometimes. Most people start small… not me. I wanted to bake a pumpkin cheesecake, so I did. I found this recipe on Pinterest (surprise, surprise!) and decided to go for it. I ordered a springform pan, bought all of my ingredients, and sat out to tackle this challenge. (It may not be a challenge for anyone else, but for me, CHALLENGE!)
Here’s the recipe…
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp margarine or butter
2 tbsp sugar
Mix the ingredients together and put in the bottom of a spring-foam pan. Tightly wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil to prevent water from leaking into the spring-foam pan and bake in a water bath for 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
Filling
2 – 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
16 oz. solid pack, canned pumpkin
¾ cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
¼ tsp salt
4 large eggs
Beat the cream cheese. Add the remainder of the ingredients except the eggs. After the ingredients are mixed together, add one egg at a time. Do not over beat. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Place the spring-foam pan inside another pan. Add boiling water to the pan until it comes up one inch of the sides of the spring-foam pan. Baker for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center barely jiggles.
Topping
1 cup sour cream
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
After the cheesecake is removed from the water bath, spread the topping on the top of the cheesecake. Bake for another 5 minutes. Place completed cheesecake on wire rack. Loosen the sides of the cheesecake. Refrigerate at least six hours or overnight.
So now that you have the recipe – let’s talk about what happened to me. Hah. I always have to have a story. So I crush up my graham crackers, add the sugar, and butter and put the crush in the bottom of my spring-foam pan. Awesome, right?! I even cover the pan with aluminum foil like I’m supposed to. Apparently, my foil had a leak, because not more than 30 seconds after I sat the crust in the water bath, the pan was full of water. So I called Carie, who gave me some quick instructions on how NOT to do it the second time.
Here’s what I did differently…
I added 1 more tbsp of butter to the crust. I don’t know why. I just did. I probably shouldn’t have, but it turned out okay either way.
Instead of using allspice and cinnamon – I just put 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice into the mixture. It was one less spice I had to buy. I’m cheap.
I did the topping on this cheesecake, but I don’t think it really adds anything to it. Next time, I’ll leave it off.
All in all – my first cheesecake experience was a good one, and holy crap, this cheesecake is good! A and I have already eaten ½ of it. In one day. Because we’re just that AWESOME. J
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Starting Over...
Starting a new blog is never fun. You have to reach out to all the readers you once had, and hope that they'll make the switch to the new blog. I mean - it sounds easy and all, and it's really only about updating their reader account, but still. I had a blog, once upon a time. I deleted it.
I'm starting a new life, a new journey, and I didn't want my soon to be ex husband and his family following me on the blog, and seeing what I'm up to. They don't deserve to know. :-) It's kind of nice, actually.
This blog doesn't have a specific focus... other than me. It's not going to be full of awesome recipes, or new craft projects, or hell, even be updated regularly. But I enjoy writing, and I enjoy having a place to put thoughts to "paper" so here I am.
I'm starting a new life, a new journey, and I didn't want my soon to be ex husband and his family following me on the blog, and seeing what I'm up to. They don't deserve to know. :-) It's kind of nice, actually.
This blog doesn't have a specific focus... other than me. It's not going to be full of awesome recipes, or new craft projects, or hell, even be updated regularly. But I enjoy writing, and I enjoy having a place to put thoughts to "paper" so here I am.
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