Christmas Party for the G~i~R~l~S

I have been labeled as the person who always initiates girls nights for a particular group of friends in Nacogdoches...you always need that person in every group, right?  When I lived there, I was usually the one inviting all the girls over for dinner/wine, or getting the group together at our favorite sushi restaurant, etc.  I love themes though....and Christmas has to be my favorite.  This year, I have looked forward to Christmas for so many reasons...we are in our new house, we will have my step-son, Noah, this year, and it's our first Christmas as a married couple.  I can remember my first Christmas with Justin as a couple...we had been together for a long while before that Christmas, but it was the first time we actually spent it together.  We were opening gifts with his family and I got a little bitty box....my heart was racing.  I thought, "This is WAY too soon to be getting engaged!!"  But we girls know that feeling when you get the little bitty box!!!! Anyway, he obviously thought it was WAY too soon too because it was a beautiful, sparkly pair of diamond studs...which I still wear everyday.  Finally, several YEARS later, he surprised me on a random Wednesday in October with those 4 little words and a bling, bling diamond RING!!! I was overjoyed!!  We married in May and I have been looking so forward to the holidays in our home and with our traditions.
Just because I moved away from my Nac-girls, I still wanted to host a Christmas party for them and invite them to our home.  As much as I love to cook and entertain, I decided to cheat a little and I ordered a couple of items  from restaurants....I'm glad I did though because I ended up spending the entire day on cooking, cleaning, and last minute details.  In Marshall, we have an awesome little deli called Central Perks that has the BEST chicken salad EVER!!!  If you are ever in the area, look it up and order the chicken salad....you won't be disappointed!  I also ordered spinach artichoke dip from Chilis....it's just a favorite of mine, so I thought, "why screw it up?"  I did make my mom's famous truffles:

These are simple in a tedious kind of way...I only say a handful of cuss words while making these.  All you do is bake a box cake (any flavor you want...I used chocolate).  While the cake is still hot, you stir in a can of icing (any flavor you want...I used chocolate again). Stir until the icing is mixed all througout the cake.  Then, you ball up the cake/icing mixture and put in the refrigerator to cool.  Once cooled, you melt a package of almond bark....again, i used chocolate and use a toothpick to dip the balls into the melted almond bark.  Let those stand long enough to harden, then take out the toothpicks.  Then melt the white almond bark and put into a ziploc baggie and cut a small corner of the baggie to drizzle the white almond bark over the balls.  Of course, you can do the white on bottom and the chocolate on top...and you could always add food coloring to the white bark, but that takes even more patience and these little suckers already make me cuss!

I saw peppermint almond bark in the Williams Sonoma magazine the other day and I thought it looked so beautiful....and of course, I thought, "I can make that!" So I just melted chocolate almond bark first and spread it over a cookie sheet and let it cool in the fridge, then did the same with the white.  Then I sprinkled crushed peppermints over the hot, white almond bark so it would stick.  Cooled in fridge.  The hard part was breaking this stuff up!!!

Here's the famous chicken salad!!

My friends, Karen and her baby Harper, Chelsey, me, and Melody.

Karen and Harper, Chelsey, me and Melissa.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

If you're from the East Texas area, then you know what Canton is!!  For those of you that aren't from around here, Canton is a trade days, "flea market", type event that takes place the weekend of the first Monday every month in Canton, Texas.  Don't let "flea market" fool you...Canton is acres of many, many, many stores, boutiques, and individuals coming together to sell their goods and creations.  Much of it is homemade. You will walk up and have no idea where to begin, it can be quite overwhelming!!
Now, a little bit more about me....if I see something that I think I can make instead of buy, I will certainly try to.  I always figure that you can make things cheaper than buying it from a store or boutique, right??  Well, when Mom and I went to Canton in October I saw a Christmas tree made completely of Christmas ball ornaments and they wanted $80 for it...and while I debated on buying it, the frugalness came out it me and I decided I could make it myself for so much less!  So to Hobby Lobby I went (I believe I've said that before)!!  I bought a metal topiary for the base, and wire, and bunches of Christmas balls.  When I got home, I figured out that I had bought the wrong kind of wire...it had NO structure to it!  UGH!!  So, my wonderful, smart hubby found some wire in the garage and had to spin the wire using his drill to make it thick enough...it worked great....but that's not all he did.  He also wrapped more wire around the topiary because it didn't have enough surface area to attach the balls to.  So, once we had all that done, I got to attaching the balls.  Of course, I didn't buy enough, so I had to go back to Hob Lob the next week....attached those balls and STILL didn't have enough....went back to Hob Lob another day and finally got the exact amount that I needed!!! So, this "simple" project took about 2 months to finish as I grew tired of it quickly!  However, I am so thrilled with the result....although, the final cost was around $125!!!  I guess I should have stuck with the one at Canton, but now I get to enjoy my own creation....plus Justin even feels a sense of pride when looking at it since he helped.  I didn't guess that he would care so much, but he compliments the tree every time he sees it! :)

Christmas Cards

I have been so excited about Christmas this year since we will be in our new house and newly married...it's time for our family to start our own traditions.  My step-son, Noah, will be with us this year for Christmas and it's finally my turn to play Santa...I do have to admit that I'm going to miss Santa coming to see ME this year...he was still coming even last year!! Maybe he'll slip something in for me :)
Last year our Christmas cards featured our precious Boston Terrier, Molly, who has since been adopted by my parents.  This year, now that we're married,  I'm excited to have Christmas cards with our new family on them. I love the personalization of having your picture on a Christmas card.  Some family and friends live too far to see often, so it's a great way to keep up while wishing your loved ones a Merry Christmas!
Shutterfly is doing an awesome promotion!!! They are giving away 50 free Christmas cards to bloggers that blog about the promotion.  I think this is such a neat idea.  If you want to participate in the Shutterfly promotion, go here.  They have some great holiday cards and Christmas photo cards to choose from!

Mom's Birthday Dinner

My mom's birthday was last week, so she and my dad came over last night for dinner.  It was so good to see them.  Dad hung out with Justin in the garage while Justin was re-painting his duck decoys...this has been a big project for him and he swears it's really gonna fool the ducks into flying straight to him.  I sure hope he's right because I can't wait for some Bacon-wrapped Duck Breasts!!!  I'll share that recipe later when he brings home the goods!  Mom and I hung out in the kitchen and caught up on some cussin' and discussin' (that's a term I stole from Anna's dad, Danny Paul)!  For an appetizer, I made a sausage bread loaf...this is similar to the one I ate at Anna's house last weekend and haven't been able to stop thinking about it!  YUM!!  So, what I did was chop up 1 small onion and 1 green bell pepper and throw it into the pan with 1 pound of hot breakfast sausage and scramble it all up until cooked through.  Next, I rolled out a Pilsbury French Bread loaf from the biscuit section at the grocery store.  Then, i spread cream cheese over the bread dough, sprinkled the sausage/onion/bell pepper mixture over that, then topped with shredded cheddar cheese.  Pull the dough up on all four sides and press together to make a pocket.  Then bake as directed on the bread can.   I think it would also be delicious with some pickled jalapenos inside!  Anyway, I'm still getting used to blogging, so I forgot to take pics of the final product until we only had one piece left!!!

For the main course, we grilled some awesome steaks and I made Homemade Fried Rice because they had not tried it yet.  It was a HIT!!  I used the same recipe as before, but this time I added fresh broccoli and fresh mushrooms...mmm mm mmm!


Although everyone enjoyed the appetizer and main course, the dessert was everyone's FAVORITE!!! This is the link for the recipe for the Great Pumpkin Cake.

Bowfishing

Bowfishing is one of my husband's favorite things to do...next to duck hunting, of course.  I LOVE being on the water, so when he asked if I would bowfish with him if he bought me a bow, I was game!  His parents live on a lake that's great for fishing for carp and gar.  I went on several fishing trips with him before I ever shot my first one!!  We went bowfishing one evening  in March after my wedding shower.  The carp were spawning and I got 8 that night!!!  So, I went from never shooting any to shooting 8 in one night!!  Everyone on the boat got at least 6 that night.  It was an awesome experience...so much fun, adrenaline, and excitement!  It's a fun sport that I'm glad I've entered into with the hubs ;)

This was my first carp to ever shoot.

 

This is my brother-in-law on left and husband on right.

This is from another trip during the day that we came out with 0 fish!

Homemade Fried Rice

Homemade Fried Rice

My bestie, Anna, from We the Gingers stayed with me Thursday and we decided to make our own sushi and fried rice.  She blogged about the sushi and wanted me to blog about the fried rice...so here ya go!!  Check out her blog to see our beautiful, yummy sushi :)

My husband is a GREAT cook, but since I enjoy cooking and he likes my cooking, he doesn't get in there and whip up many meals.  However, he got on this Chinese food kick a while back and he was cooking some kind of Chinese cuisine about once a week, so I was pumped and went out and bought him a $100 wok from Bed, Bath, & Beyond (thanks to a gift certificate left over from the wedding).  By the way, if you're in need of some nice pots/pans, I LOVE the Calphalon non-stick pots from BB&B!!  Anyway, I learned how to make Homemade Fried Rice from him, but of course added my own touch.  Here's how to get it:
Cook 2 cups of white Minute Rice and set aside.  Saute 1 small onion and about 6 cloves of garlic in  about 2 tbsp of oil (I use Canola oil).  Once onions and garlic are tender, set aside in a bowl.  In the same pot or wok, add about 2 tbsp of oil and the veggies.  I used baby corns, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and frozen mixed veggies (carrots, corn, green beans, green peas---you can use whatever mixed veggies you prefer).  Once heated and softened, put aside with the onions and garlic.  Next, crack 1 egg into pot/wok and cook all the way through.  Once egg is done, add the rice, veggies, onion/garlic.  Mix thoroughly with soy sauce...I didn't measure how much I used, but it's up to you how much soy you use.  I like alot and probably used about 1/4 or 1/3 cup, I guess. 
The great thing about fried rice is that you can make it your own and add your favorites!!  Chicken, shrimp, pork, grilled steak, broccoli, mushrooms, etc!!!!

Yummy Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo

Tonight, I came home to a hungry husband, so I decided to make one of our favorite dishes because it's pretty quick and easy.  I hope you decide to try this too...I've made it for friends and family before and they all raved about how tasty it was!!  I've tried using those jarred alfredo sauces before, and they shouldn't even be put into the same category as this easy, tasty homemade sauce!!  When I'm in a hurry, I love to use this frozen blend of chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper....saves so much time and is great to keep on hand when you may not have all the ingredients:

 

Saute the chopped onions, bell pepper, and celery....you can chop it yourself if you choose or use the seasoning blend above.

Once the veggies are tender, you add 1 8oz block of cream cheese and about 1/2 cup of milk.

Stir around until melted.  Add more milk if needed...depends on your preference for thickness.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Stir in the raw, thawed shrimp until pink and cooked through.  Then add parmesan cheese...the more parm you use, the richer the taste.  Continue to stir until parmesan cheese is dissolved/melted.  Serve over fettuccini noodles!!! 

   

ENJOY!!!

Let's get physical!!!!

I have a confession to make.....I'M LAZY when it comes to physical activity!!!  I really wish I could get into a routine of exercise!  Currently my routine consists of working 10 hours/day (7am-5pm) and then coming home to start dinner and take a break, then eat dinner, clean up the kitchen, get a bath, and get ready for bed and do it all over again.  Before our wedding in May, I was working out about 5 days/week...mainly doing videos at home and sometimes walking/jogging.  I had motivation then...I was trying to look good for the wedding and honeymoon, but now I'm having a hard time mustering up the energy, motivation, and self-control.  Plus my job allows me to sit on my booty most of the day, so I'm not getting any activity throughout the day.  I'm a dietitian, so I know all of the benefits of physical activity, but if you have any ideas, tricks, or recommendations I will be happy to listen!!

Trick~or~Treat

I haven't cooked much this week...this is not typical for me and I can't really figure out why the week was so out of the ordinary, but oh well.  I plan to get back into my routine this coming week.  Monday night I baked a whole chicken in the oven.  My husband isn't really a chicken-lover...he prefers beef, pork, and seafood.  He wasn't thrilled that I was cooking chicken, but I was so happy to hear him say that night that it was the BEST chicken he had EVER eaten!!  Now, those words are music to my ears, but my hubby seems to get a little dramatic when he is sitting over a plate of delicious food.  Anyway, here's what I did (sorry for no pics, just imagine it and your mouth will water!)---by the way, this recipe came from Anna!
-take out all the "stuff" inside the bird
-stuff the bird with whole garlic cloves, chopped onion, rosemary, and sliced lemons
-oil the chicken down...I used canola oil
-then season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Tony's...whatever you like
-cook in oven at 450 for about an hour and 15 minutes
I served this with some mashed potatoes that I had leftover and I added to them: Ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream...oh and a little extra butter!  They were FAB!

Today I was feeling a little crafty and my step-son, Noah, had mentioned that he didn't have a bag to carry his candy in for Halloween.  To Hobby Lobby I went!!!  Here's what we ended up with.  I think he likes it, but as with any other male, he's not very vocal about it ;)

I'm new to all this blogin' business!

I'm new to the blogging world, but I do love to follow my friend, Anna's, blog regularly and she has been telling me that it's time that I start a blog!  I'm not sure my life is interesting enough to follow, but something Anna and I have in common is our love of food and cooking and we're not afraid to try new recipes or new foods, so that will probably be the subject of most posts.  One of my pet peeves is when someone will not try a new food!!!  Or if they do, they just barely touch their tongue to it.  Now, I'm not talking about some weird, ridiculous food like pig ears  (which, I know some people eat those around here), but I just mean something outside of their comfort zone....and my husband is one of those "pets" I'm talking about!!  ;)   Anyway, that's for another blog.  My husband likes to tell people that he married me for my cooking and to his advantage, I LOVE to cook and eat!  Hey, I majored in FOOD in college (twice!) ...literally got 2 degrees in FOOD!!  This morning we were watching Man V. Food and a restaurant is making bacon wrapped tater tots & jalapenos fried and covered in cheese!!!  This sounded right up our alley...now, I may be a Dietitian, but that doesn't mean I can't eat something YUMMY once in a while!!!  We Texans love us some fried food....especially if it's wrapped in bacon!!  So, I had to make a mad dash to the store and grab some tater tots and fry up some of these babies.  Ohhhh, they were delicious!  I call them, "Redneck Sushi Rolls!"  Try them out sometime...great for an appetizer or a game day snack!  If you really want to add on a few more calories and goodness, dip them in Ranch dressing. 
Use the thick cut bacon and cut them in half
Pickled, sliced jalapenos
Frozen tater tots---let them thaw out a little bit
Canola Oil
Shredded cheddar cheese
Just lay out the bacon and roll up the tater tot and jalapeno in the bacon and stick a toothpick in it, heat up the oil and deep fry until the bacon is golden brown, remove from oil and add cheese.  Let cool, ENJOY!