Just saying

I found this picture on the web and it is totally how I feel, and I am sure there are a few people in my life that feel like the other guy when I have to let of steam... Sorry friends!

So I just have to vent for a minute. There are some nights that I really just dont care for my job or the people that I work with. Granted this is very far and few between, but tonight is one of those nights. I am sick of some people doing whatever the heck they want when they want and not thinking of their coworkers when they are doing such things.
All I ask is that you Please Please Please be considerate of others that you work with. The rest of us have jobs to do and needs that need to be met. You are not the King of the Castle around here. So stop acting like it!
It doesnt help that I am super PMSing at the moment but I am just fed up with this night and am counting down the mins till its over. No if only I would be able to get a lunch...... if the talking ever stops!

Vacation Time!

So anyone that know us knows that we like to go on vacation, a lot. It doesn't have to be far, or sometimes not even that long. As long as we are away from home for a few days we are satisfied. Every summer since have been together we take a bigger trip, somewhere a little farther from home and more exciting. This year, I wanted to go to a beach. One where I could put my feet in the sand and play in the waves of the ocean. After a lot of looking and planning and researching the best deals, we planned it out. A week and a half of fun in the sun, just the two of us. So off we went to see the sunny sands in California, visit the heat and flashing lights of Vegas, and the sun and small town feel of St George.

Andrew has never been to California so I wanted to make it fun. We were going to go to Disneyland, but we decided to wait until we can take our kids so it would be twice as fun. We stayed in Oceanside, and our hotel was five mins from the beach. It was amazing! On our first night there we went and walked on the pier and then down the beach, dipping our toes in the cold water. We also walked around the shops in downtown Oceanside and found ourselves surrounded by Marines. I guess that happens when we were two miles from Camp Pendelton!! We spent a day in Huntington Beach shopping and playing in the amazing blue water of the beach in Huntington.

On our last day in CA we drove down to San Diego and were able to do a session in the San Diego Temple. It was stunning! Smaller than I expected but it was so pretty. We then went to downtown San Diego and visited the famous Seaport Village.
Seaport village is located in the Bay and is filled with tons of small shops and restaurants bursting with yummy food. I think my favorite part of the village was the $60 that we spent to take a tour around the Sand Diego Bay. The first part of the tour was on the streets of downtown, and then our tour bus turned into a boat and we were out on the water. It was the craziest thing I have ever seen! We were able to see a ton of great things. We were sad to leave the sunny skies of Southern California and warm water of the ocean. We both decided that given the opportunity, we would move to a place near the beach in a heartbeat!

 

We stopped in Vegas to experience The Freemont street spectacular and to visit with some of our good friends. We stayed at the Golden Nugget. It was a decent hotel, and I loved the swimming pool, probably on the best pools in Vegas. In the middle of the swimming pool was a huge fish tank full of giant fish and even sharks! They also had a slide that went right down the middle of the tank with glass so you could see the fish all around you. There was three different pool decks, and the top level was for adults only. we never made it up there but I am sure it would have been great to be at the pool with no little kids running around! We weren't there very long but enough time to see the lights and the glam, get in some swimming time, and some retail therapy as well.
The last four days of our vacation were spent in St George. We were able to get tickets to see the Little Mermaid at Tuachan. The play was supposed to be the highlight of St George but compared to ones in years past, it was mediocore.
Andrew's Grandparents lived in Enterprise, so we decided that one of the days to take a drive up there and see their old house and drive through the town. We also went to the infamous Veyo pool, where Andrew spent many a summers swimming away. We also did yet more shopping and spent almost an entire day at the pool, and yes we did get burned. Needless to say, we decided it would be best to stay out of the sun the rest of the time. As our vacation came to a close, we were having a hard time wanting to go back to reality. As we were driving back from St George we started talking about where we were going to go on our next vacation and how soon we could go! I know we are crazy!

 

We took a TON of pics on the trip and blogger takes way to long to post them all individually. I found a site where you can make collages of your photos and post them to your blog. I put them together but when I post them they seem so small! I will leave them up for now, but I am going to keep researching how to make it better so you can actually see all the pics. For now, if you want to see them, go to facebook, and leave a comment. :D Thanks!

i am now a grown-up of sorts...

So a while back I won a giveaway to get a year subscription to Woman's Day Magazine. I have never been a magazine fan, but lately I have found that I like reading about how to make a better home etc. One day I hope to use the many good ideas on a home of my own. So as I was reading I came across a couple of pages full of quotes that I totally love, and want to put all over my walls when I have the space. So I thought I would put a few up here so I can remember them down the road.

Knowledge is learning something new everyday, Wisdom is letting go of something everyday.

Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving.

Yesterday is a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. today is the only cash you have. So spend it wisely.

A woman is like a Tea Bag, you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.

I've been on a diet for two weeks and all I've lost is 14 days!

Health is like money. We never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.

The Good Lord gave you a Body that can stand most anything. It's your Mind you have to Convince.

Laughter is brightest in the place where food is.

I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.

Kind of random I know, but I am a sucker for good quotes.
Our life is good, we are keeping busy, working alot, and counting down until we get to go on vacation. Only one more week, and we will be on our way here,


Will be eating lots of this:


Seeing a show with this funny guy:


Hopefully getting to see this face:


And getting to spend 11 glorious days with this great man!


I promise to blog about our many adventures soon!

* Pics courtesy of Goggle*

Some people bring out the worst!

I like to say that I dont hate anyone that I know. Hate is a very strong word. But there are a few people that I really really really can not stand, and they bug me so much, that I am almost tempted to use the word Hate towards them. You know that you dont really care for someone when you see them somewhere and you feel an instant feeling of dread come over you and you want to crawl in a hole and not come out until they leave. I have been having this feeling lately with a person that I come in contact with at least once a week, sometimes more. I dread having to deal with them and pray that the time we do have to be in contact will pass oh so quickly so that I will not have this attitude, as I find it makes me mean and not a very nice person to be around. I have talked about these feelings that I have with several people and am surprised that I am not the only one that has these feelings. Its sad that someone can have such strong feelings of dislike for another person that when you see them you want to run and hide or throw something at them and hope they go away.
A good friend gave me some advice, that I have been trying hard to put into practice. She told me that even though it may not be pleasant to be around a person that you really cant stand, since there is nothing I can really do about it, to do my best to ignore them, and not let it effect my work. I am happy to report that I am doing pretty good with this, but there are some days, today being one of them that I just dont have the energy or desire to make it work and to be nice and tolerate this person. If only the next six hours will pass by in a blink of an eye and I can stop being an angry bear to everyone I come in contact with.

Some respect please?!

I love my job, I really do, I promise. But sometimes I really really dont care for some of the people that I work with. I work at a hospital where we see all types of patients and work with all types of people. Most of those people I can handle, but there are some that I would rather jump off a cliff then work with. And then there are those people who dont come to our unit very often, usually only for a short time, a month or two and think they know everything about anything that comes their way. It drives me BONKERS!!!! I want to tell them to get off their high horse and listen to those around them as we know our stuff as well, maybe not as good, but still we know what we are talking about. I was talking to my husband the other day after a bad night at work and told him something that I believe to be so true. When you are a visiting staff memeber on our unit, it would be in ones best interest to not be rude or offend the techs and nurses that you are working with. If you do so, you will regert it for as long as you are on that unit. This is so true. The nurses and techs are the heart of the unit, we do so much and yet at times we are treated like dirt. Eventhough we are the lowest on the food chain, does not mean we are dumb. Have some respect will ya, we are trying just as hard as you to make those that come see us to feel better. It is all about RESPECT people!

*Three posts in one day, its all for you Nat! ;) lol

Cellulite and Tan Lines

So I quite enjoy the season of summer, for alot of reasons. One no longer has to wear pants, long sleeve shirts, sweaters, or shoes that conceal pretty painted toes. But at the same time, summer brings out some crazy attire and a lot of skin that should be kept hidden.

My least fav part of summer, is wanting to enjoy a nice afternoon by the pool, but then you have to stare at this all day:

(Pic found courtesy of Google images)
I tell you what, I am NOT a FAN!

Case in point. We were in Vegas this last weekend enjoying the warm sun and some time to relax. Now I am a people watcher, and Vegas is the perfect place to do just that. We stayed at a hotel to the south of the strip that is a pretty decent hotel for the price we paid in Vegas. As soon as we got there, we checked in and decided to hit the pool. It was busy, but not too bad for a weekend.
As we were getting settled on our chairs at the pool I took an interst in the lady across the way from me. She looked to be in her late 50s possibly eary 60s. Her hair was dyed a dark brown color and she was constantly applying lipstick and checking to make sure her makeup looked ok. As I looked more closely I saw that she had the straps of her swimsuit pulled off her shoulders and tucked under her arms to avoid getting any lines. Now dont get me wrong, I dont like lines either, but from the looks of it, this was not this woman's first trip to the pool this season. Her skin was a dark brown and looked as if it would feel like leather. Between that and the fact that she had a swimsuit on that was two sizes two small made me want to loose my lunch. And she was not the only one, it just kept getting better.

Now I am not saying that I have the perfect body but I am one that is pretty self conscious about that I look like in a bathing suit. But to each their own I guess.
Oh summer, you bring so many intersting things

Springtime is Here!!

So I was talking to an old friend the other day and asking how she was etc and what was new in her life. After we discussed our various things going on she told me that the only way she feels like she can keep up with people is through their blogs, and then she told me that I was slacking in that area. I tried to tell her that nothing really exciting ever happens in my life, but she didnt take that answer very well. So here you are Nat, our life as of late.

In the last month of April and beinning of May we had three birthdays, my dad, my brother, and my hubby. I talked my mom into having an all in one celebration to get it all done at one time. My mom made a great dinner and I was in charge of the cake. I made the cake that I posted about a few months ago but I used strawberry jam and fresh strawberries between the cake layers. It was a HIT. I sure do love spending time with my family. Too bad they all dont live close, I miss my bro in CA. :(
I took a bunch of pics that night but most of them turned out weird, but here a few of my favorites.

The three birthday boys. Of course none of them would be serious for the pic.

All the Arbon girls. Love them to death!

My cute brother and his wife. I sure love these two!

My parents are the best in the world! So surprised that my mom let me take her pic. Doesnt happen very often. I love that they are matching too, makes them look so cute.


May 2nd was Andrew's birthday and we both took the day off to relax and have some fun. There is a new restaurant that opened not far from our apartment so we thought it would be great to try for a birthday breakfast. It is a small little place that is made to look like you are eating inside of a cabin. The service was good and the food even better. When we left we felt like we didnt need to eat again for a week!

We decided to try a new place for Andrew's birthday breakfast and it was a good choice!

We got our food and suddenly realized we had ALOT of food to eat.

Both of our plates were full of tons of food!!

He finished the massive plate of food, and boy was it good!


After out HUGE meal we decided to enjoy the nice weather and go to the Tulip Festival. It never disappoints. I could spend all day there every day just enjoying all of the color. We have went the past couple of years and always take a ton of pics. So I only posted a few of them.

I love flowers. I cant wait to have a house of my own so I can have a huge flower garden!

More flowers

So I really like the pics that photographers take of a couple's rings when they get married. I figured I would try my hand at it since I had the perfect setting, flowers! What do you think?

Here is another ring pic. I think we took about fifty in all with our rings, too bad only about a fourth of them worked out. :(

I found this in one of the shops at the Tulip Festival. It has nothing to do with flowers but I really do LOVE marshmallows. I tried to talk my husband into letting my buy it, but since I could not persuade him, I took a pic instead. One day I will make one of my own.


So my husband really, really, really, really, REALLY loves to eat out. And at times, so do I. I have a friend who lives in downtown and is always trying new places out. So I tend to follow if she gives good reviews. We have not been disappointed. We went to an italian shop/store near Pioneer Park the other day and the sandwiches were massive! As we were leaving we could smell something amazingly good. And then we found this place. We have already been twice.
It is sooo good and we cant wait to go again!


This is what Andrew ordered. It's called the Machine Gun. It is two sausage dogs buried in a bun under a heap of fries and sauce. He devoured it up!


This is my favorite, a crispy belgin waffle covered in chocolate and sugar crystals. Oh it was sooooo good! Even better is the plate with two crispy waffles with chocolate melted in the middle and then drizzled on top. HEAVEN!


For Conference weekend we went down to St Geroge to get out of the cold and just relax. And we just got back yesterday from a weekend there.
We pretty much LOVE going to St George for weekend getaways. On this trip we took a drive out to the new airport that is in the middle of no where. We even found that the highway ended. Crazy!


So that is our life. Nothing too extreme, we like food, flowers, and being in the sun. We both got a decent sunburn this weekend and cant wait to get even more as the summer gets closer. We have a long vacation planned for later this summer and I cant wait! Unitl then, the Hills are signing out!

Thoughts on Grown Ups

Sometimes I wish that I didn't have to do grown up things like go to work every day, pay bills, do laundry, clean, and be responsible. It was so nice when I had parents that did that for me everyday and all I had to worry about was making sure I got my homework done. I was having lunch with a good friend today and we were talking about all of the hard things that we are going through in our lives and the difficult decisions that we have to face everyday. We both decided that we wanted to color in coloring books all day while watching TV and eating good food made by our mom. Oh how I miss it so much! Being a grown up is hard and is frustrating at times too. There are days that I am ready to give up.

But then I think of all of the good things that come with being a grown up and I don't feel so bad. I LOVE being married to the man of my dreams. I like my job (most days...) and helping the sweet little kids and their parents. I like leaving in my own place and doing whatever I want whenever I want.
And most of all, I love to cook in my own kitchen what I want to! It is fabulous. I love collecting recipes and ideas for things to make for me and my husband and one day our kids. Whenever I tell Andrew that I found a new recipe he rolls his eyes and tells me that I have too many recipes already that I don't and do I really need anymore? I stock a TON of food blogs and am always looking for new ways to make so many things. I just bought a new cookbook today and am thrilled to make everything from it. So with that said I want to share tow new recipes today. One sweet and one savory.


The first is one that I found while watching the Food Network during Valentine's weekend. I immediatly knew I needed to make it and searched the web to get the full directions. It is so sweet and so good and Andrew and I devoured it all! A perfect mix of peanut butter and caramel. YUM!!

Peanut Butter-Caramel Pound Cake
by Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network


Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (9.5-ounce) bag soft caramel candies, unwrapped (recommended: Kraft Classic Caramels)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-5-by-3-inch nonstick, metal loaf pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a 14-by-3 1/2-inch piece of parchment paper. Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the sides of the pan with a 14-by-7-inch piece of parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the caramel candies and heavy cream over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the candies have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the eggs and vanilla. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture in batches to form a thick batter. Beat in the peanut butter. Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of the caramel lengthwise along the center of the batter. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the caramel sauce into the batter. Place the remaining batter on top and pour another 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce lengthwise along the center of the batter. Swirl the caramel sauce into the batter. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and peel away the parchment paper. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour (center of cake will fall during cooling). Slice the pound cake and place on a serving platter. Warm the remaining caramel sauce over low heat. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the pound cake slices or serve alongside.



Next a super good super easy way to have pizza. I made this one night when my husband was at work and I was tempted to eat them all before he got home, they were that good! Andrew liked these as well and requested that next time we add some more meat to the mix. I think this is going to be one of my go to recipes!
This recipe came from one of my favorite blogs, I actually just bought their book. You can take a look for yourself right here, www.ourbestbites.com
One look and you will love them! Our Best Bites rocks!



Stuffed Pizza Rolls
Recipe from OurBestBites

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
marinara/pizza sauce (or make your own)
2T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese, diced or grated
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.
Place cheese and desired toppings on each square.
When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).
Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.
Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.
Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

What do you think?

So one other random thing, a couple of weeks ago Andrew and I went to the Ice Castles up in Midway. The price seemed a bit much but it was still fun and we got some good pics and made a day out of it. Here are just a few from the day.

A year and then some

January 22, 2010. The BEST day of my life!!!!
I got to marry this guy:


Here:


Surround by these people:


And got to party the night away in this:


Life could not get much better, or so I thought. It has been a year and life keeps going and is full of surprises. We have had our ups and downs and been mad and happy, but we still love eachother. We took a week off and just spent time with us. We went to Sundance, Vegas, and St George. We had way too much fun, got little sleep, spent time with friends and probably spent a little too much money. But it was well worth it. I love being married and cant believe that it has already been a year. Cant wait for a million more!!!
* I have tons of pics from the trip but I am too lazy to post them all, hopefully one day soon I will get the motivation to do it and write about it. But until then they are all on facebook.

I love this man!!!!

Lovers day

Even though I dont really care a whole ton for Valentines day, I do want to put out there that I do have the BEST Valentine in the WHOLE WORLD!!! He is my everything, I dont know what I would do without him. He makes life so much better and helps me feel as if I can do anything that I want.
Here is to you Lover Boy!



Who would not want this in their life?

Oh please!!

I am not one to vent on the internet, I prefer to keep it in, tell a person or two, be told its all good and move on. But tonight, it just aint happen. I am ready to punch something!
I really do love my job, I promise, but sometimes, I just want to take some parents and knock some sense into them. I know that being a parent can be stressful, and when you have a sick little one it can be even worse, but that does not give you the right to take out your crabbyness out on the staff that are trying to help your child get better. Granted at 3 AM we are all not in top shape and feeling as chipper as when we started 10 hours ago, but we are still helping you and your family. All we ask is for a bit of appreciation for the work that we are doing to help you get home quicker. I don't appreciate being told that I need to have an attitude adjustment when I am not the one throwing a fit over every little thing and yelling at everyone that comes into the room. I am sorry your child is sick and we cant give you the answers that you want to hear this second. I am sorry that you are sick of having a sick child and you are probably tired and just want a break. I am trying to do all I can within my power to make your stay pleasant. If you dont want help, then why the heck did you come at one in the morning if you know we wont do anything?!??! I mean really!

Some people really need to take a step back and see what is really causing the problem before they go yelling and pointing fingers at others. Totally not cool in my book and I do not appreciate it at all! If you dont like the service, go somewhere else!!

*Photo courtesy of goggle*

Soup anyone?

The last day or two I have loved the weather, highs in the 40's and only a light jacket required. But unfortunatly, winter is not over yet. Today it is getting a bit cooler and snow is on the way. What better way to warm up then by having some soup? I will be honest, I am not a big fan of soup, I dont really know why, but I just dont really care for it. I will eat soup out of a bread bowl on occasion but that is about it. I know I know, I am weird, but oh well.
One other food that I dont really care for is steak. Yes you read right, I dont really like steak. My family has been trying to convince me for years to like it, but it just wont happen. When my mom would make steak for dinner she would make either a piece of chicken or a hamburger for me bc I would not eat it. My husband is a lover of steak and I feel bad that I dont cook it for him. Every once in awhile he will buy a steak and eat it when I am not home. Poor guy, depriving him of some good meat apparently. :)
So with not being a fan of soup or steak, one would think I am nuts for trying this soup, but lets be honest, I am 25 and need to start expanding my palate, or so my husband tells me I need too..... Well I decided to take a chance of liking it and made the soup, and it was actually not too bad.

Slow Cooker Steak and Pasta Soup

1 lb boneless beef round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 jar (26 to 28 oz) marinara sauce
2 1/2 cups water
1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix beef, marinara sauce and water.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
Stir in ravioli. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes until ravioli are tender. Sprinkle individual servings with cheese.
Makes 5 servings

**** So I didnt use the marinara sauce like it calls for, I just did a can of spaghetti sauce that had some basil seasonings added to it. I did the full amount of what it called for, and we will have leftovers but not too much that we wont eat.**
I
I am not going to lie, I liked the soup. I added probably more cheese than I should have to my bowl but I do love me some cheese! I think when I eat it again I will have a nice piece of garlic bread to go with it. What do you think?
Enjoy!



I didnt take a picture of mine, it didnt look very pretty so I borrowed a picture again from Betty Crocker.

Dinner and Dessert!!!

Does this not look AMAZING and make you want to eat it all right now?!?!?!?!

So trying to eat healthy can be hard sometimes. One thing that I totally love is fresh hot gooey chocolate chip cookies. The best part is the cookie dough!! So as I am trying to be good I was bound and determined to find a recipe for cookies that were somewhat more healthy than my favorite recipe. I searched the web for a recipe and they were all the same, use sour cream and applesauce. I have used applesauce before and they were not too bad. So after some convincing from my husband, I made them late one night a few days ago. And really, they are not all that bad. They are lacking a little bit of the sweet taste of the cookies that I love, but they do the job. I must say I think that next time I will not use so much of the sour cream, but they totally work and curb my craving for the sweet cookie.
Here is the recipe I used, try it and let me know what you think

Better for you Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 egg whites
12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine applesauce, sour cream, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and egg whites. Then add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place teaspoon sized cookies on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

** These cookies worked for my needs. I cooked mine just about 10 minutes and the edges were crunchy and the centers nice and soft. The recipe suggest adding walnuts and pecans but neither I nor my husband are fans, so I left them out. Not bad for being called low fat!

Here is one more picture to tempt you.........



So for dinner tonight I made another Crock-Pot meal. I tell ya, I am loving it!
This recipe combines some of my favorite things, meat, bread, cheese, and pasta sauce! Perfect for a day when I want something warm and gooey.

Slow Cooker Open-Face Turkey Parmigiana Sandwiches

4 turkey thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds), skin removed
1 can (6 ounces) Italian-style tomato paste
1 can (15 ounces) Italian-style tomato sauce
14 slices frozen Parmesan-flavor Texas toast from two 11.25-ounce packages
2 cups shredded Italian-style cheese blend (8 ounces)

Place turkey in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Top with tomato paste and tomato sauce.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
Remove turkey from cooker; place on cutting board. Remove bones using 2 forks; discard. Pull turkey into large chunks; gently stir into sauce in cooker.
Set oven control to broil. Place Texas toast on broiler pan rack. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. To serve, spoon about 1/2 cup turkey mixture over each toast slice and top with about 2 tablespoons cheese.

Makes 14 sandwiches

**** So a few things that I did a bit differently. I could not find turkey thighs anywhere. When I asked around it seems like I had to buy a whole turkey. So I spent a bit more money and bought some lean turkey breasts. I also didn't use all that they called for since I am only cooking for 2 people. I used just regular spaghetti sauce in place of the marinara.
Even though I only used 4 small turkey breasts and half the marinara sauce called for we still have a TON left over. Good thing it is so delicious!
The recipe also suggests that instead of putting it on bread use it over noodles. I am sure that would be amazing as well, might have to try it with leftovers.****

Here is a pic I took before I totally devoured it! SOOO good!



Dinner recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

What are you having for dinner tonight?

Meals 3 and 4

So I have made two more new things for dinner but have not found the time or the motivation to post either of them. I would rather go to the gym and work out of spend time with my husband than blog. But I am going to be better, I promise! I have at least 4 more recipes that I want to try in the next week or so and I cant wait to share them!
So last night I had an unexpected day off so I decided to try this pasta recipe. I LOVE any kind of pasta. Growing up the favorite thing to eat for Sunday lunch at my house was noodles with butter and a little bit of grated cheese. I still eat this now, sometimes a few times a week. My husband things I am totally weird, but who cares! The top shelf in one of my cupboards is all pasta...... what can I say, I cant live without it! So with that, here is what I made last night.

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato-Cream Sauce


2 2/3 cups uncooked penne pasta (8 oz)
3 oz pancetta or 4 strips bacon, chopped*
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen® organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves

Cook and drain pasta as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Remove pancetta to paper towels to drain. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and mushrooms in oil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream; heat just until hot. Stir in pasta.
Add spinach; toss until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle individual servings with pancetta.
Makes 5 servings of 1 1/3 cups each

*** So I did not use mushrooms, not a huge fan of them or the texture, but if you love them, I am sure it would taste great! I used bacon because it is cheaper and instead of putting it on top I mixed it in with the pasta and sauce. If you want more of the bacon taste, I would use a few more strips of it. I also didnt have any spinach which I was sad about, but it still tasted good. I really like this recipe, it didnt take much time at all to make and we have tons left over for leftovers! Hooray!****

I took a picture of this meal. I know it doesnt look amazing, but I promise, it tastes amazing!!



Growing up my mom loved her crock pot, at least once a week we had a meal from it. It is so easy and I am starting to try more recipes that involve the use of the crockpot.
This recipe was super easy and only took 5 ingredients, a double hooray

Slow Cooker Meatball and Gravy Sandwiches

2 medium onions, sliced
2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen cooked Swedish-style meatballs
2 jars (12 ounces each) beef gravy
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 hoagie buns (about 7 inches long)

Place onions in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Add frozen meatballs and gravy.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
Stir nutmeg into meatball mixture. Cut hoagie buns horizontally almost in half. Place 6 meatballs in each bun. Top with gravy.
Makes 8 sandwiches

** With only having to cook for 2 people I only used one bag of meatballs and I and one and a half jars of the gravy. Make sure to mix all of the ingredients together before you start cooking or your onions will all end up on the bottom and you wont taste them. We found that toasting the buns made the sandwiches a bit easier to eat, and adding a little cheese makes is great! Even though I used half of the meat we still had a ton of left over. We have used the meat and sauce over rice and noodles and it is super yummy.**

I didnt take a pic of this one, so I borrowed the picture that is one the Betty Crocker website.

Cooking day two

So dinner number two turned out pretty well. I invited my friend and her two girls for dinner for this meal and the girls ate it up! I made a huge pan and by the time we were done eating there was only a small portion left over. No leftovers for us! This recipe is easy and so good!

Creamy Chicken and Ham bake


1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 lb chicken breast tenders (not breaded)
1 package (2.5 oz) thinly sliced smoked ham, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix soup and sour cream. Arrange chicken in single layer in baking dish. Top with ham. Spoon soup mixture evenly over the top.
Bake uncovered about 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Sprinkle with parsley

***So the recipe said it serves four, but I think it could feed at least 6 people maybe 7. I used frozen chicken tenders and used a 9x13 pan. I am a cheese lover so after the ham I put some shredded cheese on. I also used deli style ham and just cut it up. On the top of mine I also used some bread crumbs to soak up some of the moisture. It turned out well, I think next time I will use a little bit less sour cream, I found that mine had too much liquid.***

Again I did not take a pic of mine as I was pulling it out of the oven as my guests came to the door so here is a picture for the Betty Crocker website. Try it tonight, you wont be sorry!

Food and the New Year

So we have been married for almost a year now, and man time sure does fly. I was thinking back to our wedding day and I cant believe how many details are still so clear. I wish I could relive that day over and over again. It truely was the best day of my life to date.



I have recently taken a step back in my life and looked at how I have performed as a wife and the head woman in our household. Sure I do the cleaning and the laundry and the grocery shopping, but the area that I seem to lack in is cooking. When we first got married I was excited to be able to cook for more that just one person and to be able to use the many recipes that I have collected over the years. I did good for the first few months, and then it died. I got a job that didn't end at 5 at night Monday through Friday and worked crazy hours. Needless to say my husband ended up eating a lot of whatever he could find on nights when I was working or even when I was home and was too tired to put something together. He has been good to prepare some meals, he makes some killer good fried chicken and pork chops. I am thankful that he is ok with not having a meal on the table when he gets home from work, that he is ok with eating sandwiches and leftovers etc. But beginning a new year I decided that this all needed to change, for the better!
I still work nights and odd hours, but only three days a week. My goal is to have leftovers for those nights when we cant eat together and other good things on hand that we can throw together if necessary. I have spent hours upon hours pouring over blogs and recipe books trying to find recipes that will work for our crazy schedules and my picky palate. The other day I made a massive shopping list, scoured the ads and planned a menu for two weeks of new recipes. We went grocery shopping yesterday and made our first new meal last night. It turned out well and my husband told me it was a keeper recipe. Score one for me!!!
I have had a few requests to post those recipes and to start a food blog. It sounds like a good idea, but lets be honest, I dont know if I can handle two blogs at the moment. So for now I will post the recipes here and see how it goes. My goal is to post the recipe and thoughts the next day for those to see. Hopefully I can stick to that goal. And readers, let me know what you think too! I would love to know who is reading my blog.
Thanks!!!

For dinner last night I made a something that I found of the Betty Crocker website called Super-Easy Chicken Manicotti. I didnt take a picture of my finished product so I found a picture of it on their website. It looks soo good!



Super-Easy Chicken Manicotti

1 jar (25.5 oz) Muir Glen organic pasta sauce (any variety)
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 lb uncooked chicken breast tenders (not breaded)
14 uncooked manicotti shells (8 oz)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
Chopped fresh basil leaves, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix pasta sauce and water. Spread about 1/3 of the pasta sauce mixture in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish.
Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken. Insert chicken into uncooked manicotti shells, stuffing from each end of shell to fill if necessary. Place shells on pasta sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce evenly over shells, covering completely. Cover with foil.
Bake about 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink in center and shells are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil.
Makes 7 servings

*** So a few side notes, I only made half this recipe since it me and my husband wont eat it all.
I did not use the pasta sauce that they used, I just used a simple Hunt's Spaghetti sauce with Garlic, and it turned out great!
I started out with my chicken frozen and by the time I made the dish it was mostly thawed, but I had a hard time fitting it in those little shells. I ended up cutting the chicken into pieces and putting them in that way, and it still turns out just fine. Make sure to really coat the chicken as well as it will give it more flavoring.
Overall I give this dish a 8 out of 10. It could use some more flavor, but that is something I plan to do next time. A good weekday meal for busy people!

Now onto dessert! My favorite all time thing to make! I can not tell you how many blogs I follow on baking and how much time is spent drooling over the things that are posted and then bookmarked to make one day. The one that I made last night was super easy, and incorporated two of my husband's favorite things, brownies and Oreos. So I decided to give it a try. *** Even if you dont think you can bake, you can totally do this one!**

I found this recipe on a blog called Picky Palate. A perfect site for me, since I am super picky sometimes! The actual link is this: http://picky-palate.com/ You should totally check it out!

Brownie Covered Oreos

1 Brownie mix (or use your own brownie recipe)
1 package Oreos
White chocolate, melted for drizzle, or Wilton White frosting pen works great
White nonpariels Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Leave in mixing bowl. 3. Dip Oreos in brownie batter then place in bottom of cupcake tins that have been generously sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until brownies are cooked through (doesn’t take long).
5. As soon as you remove, take a plastic knife and run along edges, (this is VERY important so you get the cookie out with brownies not stuck to pan
6. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove drizzle with melted white chocolate or the Wilton White icing pen, sprinkle with nonpariels and EAT! Enjoy

Makes entire package of Oreos

*** On the original blog she posted what pan she used and hers look more like little cookies, mine they turned out like flat muffins, but I am not complaining. I just used a regular sized muffin tin. Make sure to WELL grease the pan each time, they do stick. I also was cheap and did not buy the sprinkles of the white chocolate to drizzle. We had some cream cheese frosting that we just spread on top to add some more flavor. I am also too cheap to buy the name brand Oreos, so I made mine with the off brand, Duos, and they worked just as well.

I give this recipe and 10 out of 10. It does take some time as you can only cook 12 at a time, but it is totally worth it. When I make them again I want to try another flavor of Oreos. one with mint or something.

Again I didnt not take a picture of mine, but I think her's look better anyway, so I borrowed a picture from her blog.


Try these and let me know what you think
From our family to yours,


** Image found on Google