Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
ONE year
Mike and I celebrated our one year anniversary this weekend. The past year has gone by so quickly!
We were both able to take off to spend a long, 4-day weekend together. Part of that time was spent taking care of our little patient after she had her lady-surgery done last Thursday (she also had some baby teeth pulled... bad day for Daisy!).
Thankfully she behaved as if nothing had even happened... she didn't even come home with a "cone of shame" which was sad for me and Mike. We were looking forward to taking funny pictures.
(cone of shame)
We spent our weekend doing a lot of relaxing, movie watching, eating and just spending some downtime with each other... our schedules usually don't permit it. Friday we slept in since Daisy had to spend the night at the vet, yay! Some quick weekend highlights - strawberry glazed donuts (my fave) for breakfast, burgers at LoveShack, quirky bottled sodas in Bishops Arts District, massages at Pure, sushi at Roy's Hawaiian, and finally, fried food and people watching at the State Fair.
they decorated the table with star confetti and a "happy anniversary" sign :)
the restaurant also takes a commemorative picture and frames it for you haha!
We were both able to take off to spend a long, 4-day weekend together. Part of that time was spent taking care of our little patient after she had her lady-surgery done last Thursday (she also had some baby teeth pulled... bad day for Daisy!).
Thankfully she behaved as if nothing had even happened... she didn't even come home with a "cone of shame" which was sad for me and Mike. We were looking forward to taking funny pictures.
(cone of shame)We spent our weekend doing a lot of relaxing, movie watching, eating and just spending some downtime with each other... our schedules usually don't permit it. Friday we slept in since Daisy had to spend the night at the vet, yay! Some quick weekend highlights - strawberry glazed donuts (my fave) for breakfast, burgers at LoveShack, quirky bottled sodas in Bishops Arts District, massages at Pure, sushi at Roy's Hawaiian, and finally, fried food and people watching at the State Fair.
they decorated the table with star confetti and a "happy anniversary" sign :)
the restaurant also takes a commemorative picture and frames it for you haha!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Hospital Survival Gift (plus Sea Salt Caramel Corn)
My cousin Stephanie is having her second baby today! Joel should arrive sometime today. Paige, Laura, Stephanie and I grew up together so the girls and I put together this care package for Stephanie's hospital stay.
We included... an outfit and two onesies for Joel; a book, snack and "big sister" badge for Grace; a magazine and chocolates for Stephanie; and homemade sea salt caramel popcorn for Stephanie and her husband Shane.
I made the badge for Grace as well as the caramel popcorn. Get the recipe here. I didn't add the M&Ms this time but I am thinking of doing red & green ones and giving it away with Christmas gifts during the holidays.
We included... an outfit and two onesies for Joel; a book, snack and "big sister" badge for Grace; a magazine and chocolates for Stephanie; and homemade sea salt caramel popcorn for Stephanie and her husband Shane.
I made the badge for Grace as well as the caramel popcorn. Get the recipe here. I didn't add the M&Ms this time but I am thinking of doing red & green ones and giving it away with Christmas gifts during the holidays.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Magical Peanut Butter Cookies
My grandmother (known to everyone as Pat) is diabetic. For her upcoming birthday, I made these diabetic friendly magical peanut butter cookies from Paula Deen.
(pic from food network)
SUPER SIMPLE to make. 4 ingredients. 12 minutes for baking. Done.
(pic from food network)SUPER SIMPLE to make. 4 ingredients. 12 minutes for baking. Done.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Daisy Sleeps
We've learned several things since getting Daisy... she's clearly adorable, too smart for her own good, is able to sleep all night with no accidents, makes friends with other dogs, doesn't like the doorbell... this list could go on and on. BUT one of the funniest things we've learned is that she does not just curl up in a ball and go to sleep. She has several sleeping positions that range from comfortable looking to well, not comfortable looking.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Mother's Day (Early!)
Mother's Day is Sunday! While Mike and I won't be seeing our moms this weekend, we still hope they have a great day!
Happy Mother's Day MOMS! We love you both!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Cookies & Cream Bark
I made my sister this cookies & cream bark as part of her birthday gift. Its a really easy treat to make!
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine:
about 1 lb. total your choice of chocolates (I used 2/3 semi-sweet and 1/3 white)
12-15 oreos, mixed use
Cover a 9 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
Crush about 2/3 of the oreos. Set aside. Break the remaining oreos in half/quarters. Set aside.
Melt the chocolates (separate bowls if using different types). I used the microwave method - cut chocolate into pieces and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until melted. Pour the crushed oreos into bowl/bowls of melted chocolate and stir well. Spoon chocolates onto baking sheet (alternate flavors) and swirl to make a marbled pattern. (Smooth the mixture out as thin as you prefer.) Drop remaining oreos on top. Place baking sheet into refrigerator until hard. Crack into pieces and serve.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine:
about 1 lb. total your choice of chocolates (I used 2/3 semi-sweet and 1/3 white)
12-15 oreos, mixed use
Cover a 9 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
Crush about 2/3 of the oreos. Set aside. Break the remaining oreos in half/quarters. Set aside.
Melt the chocolates (separate bowls if using different types). I used the microwave method - cut chocolate into pieces and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until melted. Pour the crushed oreos into bowl/bowls of melted chocolate and stir well. Spoon chocolates onto baking sheet (alternate flavors) and swirl to make a marbled pattern. (Smooth the mixture out as thin as you prefer.) Drop remaining oreos on top. Place baking sheet into refrigerator until hard. Crack into pieces and serve.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Weekend in Orange
Most of the reason I spend so much time in the kitchen now is because I spent a lot of time in it growing up watching my parents cook and then learning to do it myself. Case in point... I spent the weekend in Orange with the family and spent the large majority of it in the kitchen (and the rest enjoying the 80 degree weather on the porch).
we didn't make these but my dad, sister and i love to get chili dogs. its not james coney island but its a good second place chili-dog from weinerschnitzel
saturday i taught my sister how to make cake balls. they aren't very pretty... the humidity was killing me. we made two flavors, german chocolate for my mom and her sisters and chocolate-strawberry for everyone else.
i also taught megan and her boyfriend how to make pasta carbonara with baby spinach and surprised my parents with a homemade dinner saturday night.
we cook breakfast every saturday and sunday morning. sunday's was mom's french toast, eggs & bacon.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thanksgiving 2010 - Gumbo
Mike and I had my parents, sister, her boyfriend and Kozmo in town for Thanksgiving. We went non-traditional again this year and had chicken and sausage gumbo for our Thanksgiving meal.
Ingredients
Oil & Flour (enough to cover bottom of pot - a few heaping tablespoons usually)
Onion (1/3 cup small chop)
Bell Pepper (1/3 cup small chop)
Garlic (4-5 cloves minced)
Celery (3 stalks small chop)
Green Onions (3 small chop)
Water (6 cups)
Black Pepper ( 1 tsp.)
Gumbo File (1 tsp.)
Cayenne Pepper (1/2 tsp.)
Salt (2 tsp.)
Chicken Bouillon Cubes (4)
3 lbs. mixed white and dark meat chicken (leaving the bones in while cooking gives the gumbo more flavor... my dad does this and then removes near the end of cooking while I skip this part and use boneless)
8 links Zummo brand sausage links (boiling the sausage links before adding to gumbo will help to remove some of their grease)
Directions
Chop vegetables and slice sausage. Turn burner to medium/medium-high.
Cover the bottom of a pot in oil and sprinkle flour to soak up the liquid. Stir frequently and cook roux over medium-high heat until dark brown.
Mix in onion, bell pepper, garlic and celery and make sure to scrape up all of the roux mixture from the bottom of the pot.
Fill pot with water and stir in spices. Add chicken.
Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low. Cover and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Add sausage or shrimp and green onions when 30 to 45 minutes remain.
Serve over rice. I like mine with a good mix of liquid to rice while Mike eats his with mostly rice and a little liquid, more like stew over rice, and my parents eat mostly liquid with only a little rice so its totally up to you! We always have ours with my grandmother's potato salad recipe and oven-crisped french bread slices for dipping.
Ingredients
Oil & Flour (enough to cover bottom of pot - a few heaping tablespoons usually)
Onion (1/3 cup small chop)
Bell Pepper (1/3 cup small chop)
Garlic (4-5 cloves minced)
Celery (3 stalks small chop)
Green Onions (3 small chop)
Water (6 cups)
Black Pepper ( 1 tsp.)
Gumbo File (1 tsp.)
Cayenne Pepper (1/2 tsp.)
Salt (2 tsp.)
Chicken Bouillon Cubes (4)
3 lbs. mixed white and dark meat chicken (leaving the bones in while cooking gives the gumbo more flavor... my dad does this and then removes near the end of cooking while I skip this part and use boneless)
8 links Zummo brand sausage links (boiling the sausage links before adding to gumbo will help to remove some of their grease)
Directions
Chop vegetables and slice sausage. Turn burner to medium/medium-high.
Cover the bottom of a pot in oil and sprinkle flour to soak up the liquid. Stir frequently and cook roux over medium-high heat until dark brown.
Mix in onion, bell pepper, garlic and celery and make sure to scrape up all of the roux mixture from the bottom of the pot.
Fill pot with water and stir in spices. Add chicken.
Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low. Cover and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Add sausage or shrimp and green onions when 30 to 45 minutes remain.
Serve over rice. I like mine with a good mix of liquid to rice while Mike eats his with mostly rice and a little liquid, more like stew over rice, and my parents eat mostly liquid with only a little rice so its totally up to you! We always have ours with my grandmother's potato salad recipe and oven-crisped french bread slices for dipping.
Kozmo waiting under our table - the little Thanksgiving scavenger
Monday, August 16, 2010
Bishops Arts District Play Day
Friday, August 13, 2010
Couples Shower - Luau!
Our ever-fantastic friends threw us a couples shower with a luau theme! The backyard was filled with tiki torches, orchid leis from Hawaii, paper umbrellas, pineapples... you get the idea. We also had lots of family join us from Texas, Hawaii, and California. Mike and I had such a great time! We couldn't ask for better people to celebrate with us!
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