Wrapping Up September: 2016

Is it really October? This cannot be!! I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by. September was yet another whirlwind month. In September...

Backyard Update!

Yesterday I shared some pictures on my personal FaceBook page showing the backyard update, so now it's time to share the pictures with the rest of the blogosphere! We (and by we, I mean the hubby) have worked our butts off on the yard, and it has paid off. I am so incredibly pleased with the yard. 

So, for a reminder, here's what the backyard looked like in December of 2012:

January in Review: 2016

Did January fly by... or did January fly by?

I cannot believe the first month of 2016 is already gone. It's going to be another one of those years, I can feel it. It'll be gone before we know it. Now, I know I was a very bad blogger and I started my monthly wrap-up's again in November. Then I skipped December. Me oh my. 

I'm just going to pick right up where I left off. Let's talk about January!

We started off the year with Oregon vs TCU in the Alamo Bowl. The hubby and I were on point with our spread-

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

Time for my favorite cookie of the year!

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies are so darn yummy. Seriously. Both sides are soft and chewy, studded throughout with chocolate chips. The chocolate side is decidedly chocolatey, while the peanut butter side is perfectly subtle. It tastes like peanut butter without being dry and mealy. Always a good thing when you are talking about cookies! And while these cookies do require chilling (keep that in mind when you go to make them. Believe me!), they really aren't too much work. I loved the technique of rolling the two doughs together, so creative. More on that later. In the meantime, let's go over how to make these delicious drops of heaven!

Autumn in Kentucky: October 2015

Hola! I'm here with a Saturday post to show you some beautiful October leaves here in Kentucky.

This (above) was the view of the road right after leaving my house. That is, until the leftovers of Hurricane Patricia went through the area, viciously taking down those oh-so-gorgeous October leaves we had going on. Well, boo to you Hurricane Patricia. We were having the most beautiful fall that I can remember around here. 

That could be because 2 years ago, we spent October in Oregon and last year we spent the last 2 weeks of October in Mexico... Hmmm...

At any rate, the hillsides have been awash of gold and red, with the occasional evergreen poking out here and there. If I were to go back and take pictures today (these were taken last weekend), everything would look vastly different. Plus, they would all be gloomy and gray and who wants to look at those right??

Lately: Fall 2015

Oh my gosh y'all. It's been forever, 2 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days since I did a Sunday post. In fact, my last "Lately" post was February 1st. Holy Superbowl Sunday Batman! I've got lots of pictures to share, you know, cause I haven't in a million years. Let's dive right in-

Oh, and if you don't like pictures of things like puppies and Chihuahuas, you may want to skip this post :)

Master Bedroom Update

It's done, it's finally done!

A funny thing happens to those who like to take pictures, and take them often. You start to lose any patience with bad pictures. You start to become a little bit of a perfectionist, not wanting to share any pictures that are less than perfect. That's exactly how I've been with this project. Taking and re-taking. Re-taking and taking more pictures. Moaning over shadows and light and angles, and a million other things that I'm sure I'm the only one who cares about.

I'm done. I've decided that the layout of the master bedroom and the location, size, etc. of the windows in the room are always going to produce lighting and angles that are not pleasing to me. Enough is enough, and it's time to share the update.

Strawberry Chocolate Popsicles

Ok, foodbloggers. Has this situation ever happened to anyone else?

You think of a quick little project that might make a good post. Say something simple, like popsicles. After you've dreamed up the concept, you then guesstimate that the project will take 10 minutes to complete. Then, smack in the middle of said "quick" project, everything goes south. Instead of taking 10 minutes, it's taking 40 minutes and you're late for another event because the darn project was not supposed to take that long?

Yeah. That was these popsicles. 

Introducing Mariota!

Hello friends! Happy Sunday!

Well, I had quite the unexpected blogging break here. I normally aim to post 3 recipes a week, and this week I only got one in. And it wasn't even a recipe. It was a round-up. Needless to say, little Mariota is keeping me quite busy. And I'm not complaining :)

Snowpocalypse 2015

I'm sure (if you follow the national news) you are aware of the winter weather activity in the Kentucky area. Earlier in the week, the governor declared a state of emergency. In our little northeast nook of the state, we received 16 inches Wednesday and Thursday. 

Chicken Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles

Cabin fever has set in.

This snow is driving the dogs and me batty. My normally calm, 8-year old Haloti has taken to running through the house, scooping up any old toy, and running through the house growling and snorting at it like a puppy.

Blueberry Breakfast Bars

Happy Wednesday!

I'm going on my 3rd day of not leaving the house. We are currently buried under 6-7 inches of snow. The roads are snow-covered and icy, and the hubby hasn't even been driving his car. His car has been parked at his office all week, because thankfully, his boss gave him a huge 4-wheel drive truck to tackle the weather with.

Deep Dish Butterscotch Pecan Cookie

 

Question: What better way to celebrate the beginning of your weekend than with a deep dish cookie perfectly proportioned for one?

Answer: There is none. 

I'm getting to be somewhat of an expert in single-serving desserts. What can I say? Late at night, when the hubby is away at work, the cravings for cookies start.

Lately: January 2015

Happy Superbowl Sunday everyone!

Oh, how I love Superbowl Sunday. It truly is a holiday for me and the hubby. We make hot wings, drink beer, snack on chips and salsa, and oh yeah, watch some football. Our holiday is going to be cut short this year, as the hubby has to work, but we are still making wings. I can't wait.

Lately: November 2014

Happy Sunday from two warm and cuddly Chihuahuas! This is truly how these guys like to enjoy the weekends. Curled up in their favorite spots. Happy as little furry clams :)

I thought I would squeeze in a little weekend post here. I've been overflowing with food ideas lately, and haven't been thinking much about the in-between. But I do have a life outside that wonderful kitchen of mine. I read books in between batches of cookies. Scatter bird seed while concoctions are chilling. Or roasting. Or cooling. I run to get my creative juices flowing. I kind of wish there was an invention to dictate what goes on in my brain while I'm running, because I write some of my best stuff as my feet pound the pavement. A new techie idea perhaps? C'mon, doesn't anyone from Apple read my blog? Hehe. 

Anyhoo, it's been a great weekend thus far. The hubby actually had a 3 day weekend of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We don't get these traditional weekends very often! We took full advantage last night by getting together with one of our couple friends. We watched the first half of the Oregon game (Go Ducks!) and sipped margaritas before heading out for Mexican food. There may have been a tad too much tequila last night, but eh, life is short. I'm currently hard at work on pie crust, my first batch yesterday having been a dud. Rest assured, by the time this pie is completed, I'll have lots of "don't's"! I made a new batch of dough that chilled overnight, so I'm soldiering forward today. Fingers crossed. 

I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend so far. I've got a few pictures to share of what we've been up to lately-

Haloti curled up in the hubby's sweatshirt. If you leave clothing on the furniture, the Chihuahuas will find it. 

The affair continues. It's been going on for almost 4 years now. We are venturing into common-law marriage territory at this point. 

My beautiful new FoodSaver! It arrived last week and I am so thankful! I literally squealed with joy when the UPS guy left it at my house. Thank you Mom and Dad! There was no hesitation- Out went the old FoodSaver, and in its place went the new. Immediately after getting the new machine set up, I sat down to write my totally overdue big-box store grocery list. 

Ah, the fruits of my labor. I picked up loads of chicken, ciabatta rolls, and bacon in bulk to freeze at aforementioned big-box store. And what did I do as soon as I got home? Vacuumed-sealed it into 2-person portions. I cannot say it enough, I LOVE that machine. I cannot live without it. Love it. 

So, I've been using FoodSavers for 8 years now. I do have a common-law marriage with my FoodSaver! :)

I think this poor little dude flew into either the side of the house, or the living room window. I heard a soft thud, but not the hard thud that usually kills these kids. I went outside and looked on the ground, and didn't find anything. However, when I went to empty my compost buckets, I found him sitting on our large composters. And he didn't move. He did let me pick him up, though. I was having the hubby set up a nesting box on the front porch for him to recover in when he decided he'd rested enough, and he took off. 

I'm just glad he ended up being ok :)

The snow everyone was so worried about getting around our parts. Can you even see this dusting? Not especially. 

Contrary to popular belief, not everything I cook winds up on the blog. Sometimes the recipes are too awful. Sometimes, the recipes are too good, like this Garlic, Lemon, and Fresh Herb Stuffed Chicken.  This bird never made it onto the blog because the hubby and I devoured it. I mean, we really scarfed this one down. All before I took an after photograph. Oh well. A similar recipe may make it onto the blog someday. That is, if I can keep my hands off of it long enough. 

Cheese enchiladas that never made it on the blog. I'm still playing with my chile gravy recipe, and I don't get to play very often. The gravy on these ended up being too heavy, too thick, and too salty. The hubby is not the biggest enchilada lover, so I only get a shot at this one every couple of months. I hope I perfect this recipe in 2015, though. That will be one of my New Year's resolutions.

Asian Roasted Asparagus. What can I say? Also scarfed down without many pictures.

Broccoli and Chard Garlic Spaghetti. This recipe may still make it onto the blog, however I wasn't 100% satisfied with the pictures. It was delicious, don't get me wrong. It might take a repeat making with new pictures for me to publish it, though.

The hubby and I's favorite tequila we brought back from Mexico. I love this stuff! We broke it open last night for Oregon's last home game of the season. It must have been a good luck charm, because the Duck's pulled out the win! The hubby and I were happy campers. We were told by an employee at duty-free in the Cancun Airport that they only sell this tequila in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. He tried to talk us into buying a more expensive tequila that they only sell in Mexico, but we quickly informed him we didn't live anywhere near any big city and this was the bottle we wanted. I highly recommend trying this tequila if you ever see it anywhere. It makes the BEST margaritas.

Cue to the internet razing. Nickelback snuck a brand-new album out on Monday with absolutely no publicity. I had no idea they were even working on a new album. Some fan I am, right? Anyway, once I discovered their new album, I snapped it up. I've been listening to it on repeat. For days. Multiple times a day. I love running to this album. Most of the album has a really funky beat running though it and combined with Chad's voice, well, I've been tearing down miles. Well maybe not tearing them down, I did take a month off running. And lost a ton during that month. I really don't care that everyone hates Nickelback, I'm definitely not a person who follows the crowd anymore. That's one thing I love about getting older- the sheer inability to really care what other people think of your Nickelback addiction :) #iamunashamed

Here's my lazy morning. Finishing off one of my library books while loving my morning coffee. And pretty soon, I'll be rolling out my 2nd batch of pie crust dough. Oh man, oh man, I hope it's not crumbly!

I hope you all are having a lovely weekend! Ciao!

Everyone Gets Homesick...

A funny thing happened. I was editing photos for this week's recipes in iPhoto. I had just finished up the work I wanted to do that day, when an older photo album caught my eye. Actually, it was the first photo album the hubby and I have on iPhoto. I'm not sure why, but I felt compelled to browse through the photos. That album happened to be the first trip the hubby and I ever took to Hawaii. Looking at that album inevitably led me to looking at quite a few other albums. Which led me to feeling a touch homesick. I've been here for 3 1/2 years, but I still get pangs of homesickness that are as strong as they ever were. It's hard living so far away from everything you grew up around. Don't get me wrong, I love living in Kentucky. I love the weather, the wide open spaces, the old-fashioned politeness people still have around here. But, I love everyone and everything I left behind too. Well, maybe not the weather, but you know what I mean! I'll be back with recipes tomorrow, but here's what's on my mind today:

Well,  duh. The main reason I always get homesick. My parents and little brother. Yes, I said little brother :)

Boating with friends at Fall Creek Reservoir.

Grilling out at my parents house.

Autzen Stadium!!!

Oregon football. It's tough watching games out here on the East Coast. First of all, you're lucky if the game is on a channel you have. Second, you're lucky if the game starts before 11 pm. Damn prime time!

Multnomah Falls.

Haloti loves the falls :)

Going to the coast whenever you feel like it. Heck, having fresh seafood whenever you feel like it!

Being so close to California. I was only a {long} day's drive away from San Francisco.

Camping at Detroit Lake.

Fresh crawfish from Detroit Lake. I didn't eat them, but the boys sure gobbled them off. Could be all the cocktails they downed with them... :)

I miss all the evergreens! Taken from a bridge that my brother jumped off. Yep, the hubby and I watched the little brother bungee jump from here. I stayed up high with my feet safely on the bridge.

Dog parks. Actually, I think both Haloti and I miss the dog parks.

Uh, my friends. Another duh :)

So many gorgeous parks. This park was near the hubby and I's last house in Beaverton. 

One of the last sight's the hubby and I saw as we were leaving Oregon in December 2010. 

Annnnnnnd, I think it's time to book my trip home this year!  

Happy Monday everyone!

Frozen Peach Smoothies

Smoothie Week forges on!

Mmmm, peaches. I just love peaches. Peaches and summer go hand in hand for me. I look forward to peach season every year, they're one of my favorite summer fruits. You know, along with raspberries. In fact, peach and raspberry will forever be one of my favorite combinations. A perfect marriage, in my opinion. There are a zillion things I like to do with peaches. One of my favorite peach recipes is this quesadilla recipe. You haven't lived till you've had peach in a quesadilla. So. Good. I also like to put peaches in cobblers, muffins, salads, sandwiches, and of course, on their own. 

I'll admit, fresh peaches are definitely preferred the majority of the time. However, I used frozen peaches for this smoothie because I didn't want to use ice. For a smoothie, frozen peaches are really the way to go. Their frozen texture provides the perfect velvety consistency for a smoothie. I'm in love with this incredibly simple frozen concoction. There are only 3 ingredients, it doesn't get any easier. Or more delicious.

When I was in college, I had several experiences making smoothies. My first job in college was at the sandwich shop, Blimpies. Does Blimpies even exist anymore? I'm not sure. Anyways... Blimpies made smoothies. Or rather, I made the smoothies. They weren't healthy, and they actually contained shockingly little fruit. It was mostly frozen yogurt, heavy syrup, ice, and a smattering of fruit. I wasn't fond of those smoothies. They had a peach smoothie that tasted more like artificial peach than real peach. That's one of my biggest pet peeves. I'm not fond of the artificial flavors of most fruits, peach being near the top (although, strawberry takes the cake on that one!). I later worked at Baskin Robbins, which of course serves smoothies. Again, these smoothies were unpleasantly similar to Blimpies smoothies. Hardly any fruit, and mostly the unhealthy stuff. Ugh. Give me the real thing!

I must add (for humor's sake) that I, more than once, brought home smoothies to the sorority house with the intention of adding alcohol. Now that was a smoothie! :) The best combination? Mixed berry made with raspberry sherbet and tequila. Holy yum.

Kids, if you work at Baskin Robbins, do not do that :)

I'm a little distracted today. The driveway is getting poured today, so we've got workers outside the house. Gizmo is feeling positively nutty. He's roving from room to room, alternatively growling and barking. Haloti has been sitting in the window watching them, but hasn't made a sound. Gizmo, this dog that the hubby was convinced would be a mute, will not be silenced. The goofiest dog ever. I'm so excited to be getting the driveway! I definitely plan on taking lots of pictures when the project is done later today, which I'll probably get around to showing next week. Or maybe Saturday. I've got one more smoothie this week (tomorrow, obviously), and then Smoothie Week is over! This week has flown by, it's been absolutely crazy.

Speaking of which, today is going to be crazy.

I should probably get going.

Sigh.

One more day till the weekend friends! Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (makes 2 smoothies):

3 cups frozen peaches

1 (8 oz) cup Greek yogurt, peach flavored (I used Chobani)

1 cup orange juice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add more orange juice to achieve a thinner consistency, blend until combined. Distribute between 2 glasses, serve immediately.