Snack Time

I am really, REALLY trying to be healthier with my eating habits. I am attempting to eat WAY less processed foods and more whole foods that make me eat clean. My start is adding more fruits and veggies, then I will attempt to lower the meat consumption.

Wednesday night I turned into Martha Stuart (you know the cooking and baking side...no illegal actions done here), and made a couple snacks. My food processor was a busy little guy.

The first thing I made was kale pesto. I'm learning what a super-food kale is for you. Did you know that kale is one of the healthiest veggies on the planet? It can protect from cancer, lower cholesterol, it is high in antioxidants. It is a good source of Vitamins A, C, and K and contains a source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

 Kale Pesto:
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale (about 12 ounces) washed
2 cloves raw garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt
black pepper, a few grinds.

Instructions
1. place all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until pasty and well combined, 30-60 seconds.
2. scrape into a lidded container and store in refrigerator until use.

*Washing the kale
especially if you have picked it from your back yard, where aphids hang out, wash the kale under very hot water to dislodge critters. This will begin to soften it slightly, and it will turn bright-dark green.

I eat mine with multigrain chips and the above a delish...they are gluten free and all ingredients are easily pronounced!

I found this recipe on pinterest from Shockingly Delicious


My next snack of the evening was vanilla cinnamon almond butter, and it is yummy. It adds just the sweetness and flavor to my apples that I'm looking for. Plus it adds protein and good fat, I say that's a win- win.

Ingredients
2 cups roasted almonds
1/2 Tbs. vanilla
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. olive oil

Instructions
1. place almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground.
2. add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a few minutes at a time, making sure to scrape the sides of the food processor bowl frequently (if mixture sticks).
3. process for about 5-7 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
4. store in a closed jar or container.

I found this sweet treat on pinterest as well from greatist{dot}com

I hope you enjoy these tasty super-food snacks!

Meat and Sweets with the Gardners

This summer Drew and I are beginning a Gardner family summer tradition! Throughout the summer we want to host a BBQ with friends and family and for each BBQ we will be grilling a new meat and method (not just burgers and dogs) and baking a new dessert that I've never made. A couple of weeks ago we had round one of meats and sweets with the Gardners, we had a great time with wonderful fellowship.

Mindy, Mike, Ryan, and Brandon enjoying dinner...after dinner came a heated game of cherades, (I think the boys cheated).

Tim and Ashlyn enjoying some pool time, the pool was a great refresher to the warm weather.

Sebastian having fun in the sand table

The girls chatting and hanging out, and Cassie enjoying her chicken.

Drew and JP hanging out

It felt great that evening when the sun set...Mindy, Kara, and Mike enjoying eachothers company

Ryan being cool and trying on Ashlyn's floaties

Cute couple...Ben and Mikaela

Drew and me

Of course the cute kiddos



For our first ever meat and sweets we grilled chicken, here is the recipe and for dessert we made smores, the kids and adults loved them!

Honey Mustard Chicken:

12 chicken drum sticks

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup country dijon-style mustard

2 teaspoons shredded lemon peel

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons onlive oil

4 garlic cloved minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a small bowl stir  together honey, mustard, lemon peel, lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Turn to coat chicken. Marinate in fridge for 4 hours turning occasionally.

2. Drain chicken; place any remaining marinade in a sauce pan. Bring marinade to boil. Preheat grill, reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect cooking. Place chicken pieces on grill rack over burner that is turned off. Cover and grill for 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (180*F), brushing occasionally with the sauce during the last 5 minutes of grilling.

Makes 6 servings

Pinterest Finds

I have FINALLY started making things that I have found on Pinterest. Now they are all food related, and hopefully this summer some of the decorating inspiration will come into play when I have more time. Here are some of the great recipes I've found on Pinterest.

Salmon in spicy garlic tomato sauce

Crock pot buffalo chicken sliders

Cookie dough bites

Smores treat

Lemon blueberry cheesecake cookies

Sweet and spicy honey grilled shrimp

Mini corn dog muffins

Turkey cranberry monte cristo

Pepperoni pizza monkey bread

No bake Oreo dessert

Ginger cilantro tilapia

Lots of the recipes were used in making Superbowl Sunday a success and many became life group treats!

Chili Night

It has finally gotten cold enough where I can justify a chili night. Chili just doesn't sound good to me on a warm night. So I (I mean Drew) cooked up a pot of chili and we had our GREAT friends over! We enjoyed a time of eating, fellowship, and games (the boys whooped us in Trivial Pursuit). When you make it through my post, you'll find the recipe at the end :)

The boys...they're silly. We couldn't get one of the girls because a member of the group felt she was not dressed up enough :)
We have Goody (Jason), Drewski (Drew), Ry-Ry, and KiKi (Kain)...Thanks for the nicknames Ry-Ry!

Ry-Ry and Mindy

Ryan's best friend Kendall

Lesly and Kendall playing games and having a blast!

Hamming it up for the camera

Lucy hanging out under the table

Lots of love between the girls

Looking for a good chili recipe? I just so happen to have one (thank you Vaughn).

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion diced
1 large bell pepper diced
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 jalapenos (if you like is spicy, 1 if you like it mild) diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. pepper
1 Tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:
Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain half of drippings, add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapenos saute until veggies soften.

Transfer to a large pot. Add chicken stock, water, tomatoes, sauce, paste, and spices/seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3-4 hours.

Serve with cornbread, potatoes, and cheese.

A Friendly Thanksgiving

We enjoyed the Saturday after Thanksgiving with some friends. Ryan made a delicious turkey, we all brought our leftovers, and stuffed our faces. We played some fun games; Imaginiff and Mexican Train...good times were had by all!

Ally, Kain, and Amber

Ryan and Mindy

Ryan with his super cool dog, Abby

Loaded Potato Soup

Absolutely the best loaded potato soup ever, hands down! Look no further for a great recipe!

Ingredients:
9 baking potatoes
2/3 cup all purpose flower
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup bacon bits, divided
10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup butter
6 cups whole milk (I use milk with less fat)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 green onions chopped
1 8 ounce container sour cream

Directions:
1. Prick potatoes with a fork and cook in the microwave 3 or 4 at a time, and scoop out the flesh while the others are cooking.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk a little at a time, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup bacon bits, 2 tablespoons green onions, and most of cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream and heat through. Serve with remaining bacon, onions, and cheese.

Thank you Allrecipes!

The end of a rivalry? I sure hope not!

Drew and I spent this Thanksgiving down in College Station with his family, my brother, and some of our good friends. Although the outcome of the game was not to our liking, we still had a great time, and I am still PROUD to be an Aggie! Here are some pictures from that day, hopefully not the last pictures I will ever take from an A&M v. t.u. game.

Our tailgate is always AWESOME, this game was above the rest. We were all set for a Thanksgiving feast tables decorated with pumpkins, flowers, and candles. All the pumpkins were painted maroon...no orange flowers here!

Drew and I enjoying the tasty food (this was Thanksgiving #3 for me!)

We brought my brother James to the game, he had a good time. I wish we won because I don't know if he will see a t.u. game when he attends A&M in a couple years.

Devin and Nikki, unfortunately I did not get a picture of the Mueller's.

The Gardner family

The senior line...I'm going to miss some of those guys!

The 12th man proudly flying their towels...it looked really cool, but my camera didn't capture it quite right.

Drew and I saying, "so long to the orange and white..."

24 Days of Thanksgiving

This November I decided to come up with something I am thankful for every day from November 1st through November 24th. I hope to continue this every year at Thanksgiving and when we have kids I hope to involve them and create a thankful tree in our living room. I'm thinking great family dinner conversations. Here is my thankful list:

1. I am thankful for my amazing husband who did the dishes for me tonight!
2. I am thankful for our amazing life group, we have great friends to walk through life with, hold us accountable, and help encourage our marriage to grow stronger!
3. I am thankful for wonderful cool fall weather and a warm cup of tea!
4. I am thankful for a great school and work environment, I have some great coworkers!
5. I am thankful for afternoons with family.
6. I am thankful for financial peace, God has been faithful during our time to become debt free, even with the uncertainty of jobs on my end!
7. I am thankful for new challenges and new opportunities.
8. I am thankful for my sweet Buttercup, she is a great cuddle buddy!
9. I am thankful for a wonderful group of ladies who encourage me to be a more Godly wife and a stronger woman of God, I love my life group bible study!!
10. I am thankful for my great friend Megan and our girls nights!
11. I am thankful for the brave men and woman who fight for my freedom!
12. I am thankful for pedis and girl days with my mom and sister.
13. I am thankful for Chick-Fil-A, where I first met Drew, and it's yummy!
14. I am thankful that tomatoes, garlic, basil, mozzarella, and olive oil blend so well with red wine to create a delightful little girls night in!
15. I am thankful for sweet kiddos that I get to work with everyday.
16. I am thankful for the cold weather that came in today, and for a thanksgiving feast with the life group...yum!
17. I am thankful for soy chai lattes, it's fall in a cup!
18. I am thankful to be an Aggie, and for great Aggie traditions like bonfire, I will never forget!
19. I am thankful for game days at Kyle Field, and BTHO KU!
20. I am thankful for great times with family, yummy thanksgiving food, and an early Christmas with my sister!
21. I am thankful for a much needed week off, to rest and be a little lazy, and to get the house clean!
22. I am thankful for a warm house and God's blessings to provide everything I need.
23. I am thankful for Drew's job, he is such a great provider, and he loves his job!
24. I am thankful for a day that we can share our blessings with friends and family, and share a tasty meal with. Now let's go BTHO t.u.! Gig 'em Ags!

Getting it right!

Drew and I are finally getting it right and eating HEALTHY!! The other night I made this delicious meal. Salmon. Brown rice. Green beans. YUM.

Roasted rosemary garlic salmon
1/2 lb. salmon
1 tsp. olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig of rosemary chopped and pressed into salmon
1 clove of garlic minced and pressed into salmon

Place salmon in baking dish, brush olive poil over salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop rosemary and garlic and press into salmon. Bake salmon at 375 degrees for ten minutes and enjoy!

Delicious birthday dinner

For Drew's birthday dinner, I made PW's chicken fried steak and creamy mashed potatoes

Making chicken fried steak is messy, not just breading it but man the oil got EVERYWHERE!

For dinner I made chicken fried steak, creamy mashed potatoes, and fried okra...Drew LOVED it!

For dessert I made Mikey's creamy peanut butter pie recipe
I did just as Jennie said, "make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on."
I doesn't look very pretty, but it tasted yummy...I tried to melt peanut butter chips to put on top, but they don't melt like chocolate does.
Drew LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the peanut butter pie...anything with peanut butter in it is his favorite.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Tonight for dinner, I made poppy seed chicken...it is probably Drew's favorite meal and it brings me back to the days of Sound Invention (my high school show choir). I thought I would share the yummy goodness with you, keep in mind that this is comfort food there is nothing healthy about this meal.


Poppy Seed Chicken

Ingredients
6 skinless chicken breast
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 rolls of ritz crackers crushed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
3 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 stick of butter melted

Cook chick and shred, arrange in casserole dish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir together soup and water in sauce pan over medium heat to remove lumps. Remove from heat and add sour cream, stir in cheese and 1/2 of poppy seeds, pour over chicken. Mix remaining poppy seeds and crushed ritz crackers with butter. Sprinkle over chicken. Bake 30 minutes at 350*F. Sauce will thicken upon standing.
Serves 6-8

I halved the recipe for Drew and I, this meal is so tasty I'm sure you'll love it!

What is your favorite comfort food to make?

Chinese Chicken Salad

Last week I made this Chinese chicken salad when my friend Megan came over. I just had to share it with you, because it was delicious!

Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken breast (or rotisserie chicken) bake or boil, cool and shred.
1 package of romen noodle soup

Chop and toss:
1/2 head of cabbage
1 pk of 3 heads of romaine lettuce
1/2 bunch of cilantro
6 green unions

Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all greens and chicken and add 1 package of crumbled ramen noodles (just the noodles not the flavoring).