Pinterest Part Two: The Test Tube Spice Bin

Random shapes and sizes make it hard to organize.

My spices in the pantry were a mess.  I hate spice racks because they never include all of the spices you use, plus they include spices you may never use!  I found this idea on Pinterest (you know, the new crack for women) and decided to try it out. 

I went to Etsy and purchased test tubes and corks.  They were at my door step within a few days.  If you were smart you would use a funnel, but I did not.  Got a little more on my table on a few spices, and I've been sneezing like crazy.

I filled the tubes with the spices I had on hand.  Some of them required two tubes.  I was also glad I did this because I found some spices that were expired and should have been thrown out like five years ago.  I wish I was joking.   





Miss Kia is quite the assistant. 

I used a fine print Sharpie to label the spice on the corks.




Coolness....I'm done!  I used a little basket that I've had for years.  This project cost less than $30...$21 for the test tubes and corks, $8 for shipping.  There were cheaper tubes, but I really liked the look of the cork tops.  This was well worth the time and money because there is more room in my pantry and all of my spices are accessible with out taking up counter space. 





I decided to leave my salt and pepper in its shakers.  Maybe some day I'll get big girl shakers, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?    ;)



Bleu Cheese Burgers

I'm a sucker for curley fries.....

I love bleu cheese.  Love it.  I eat it with salads, wings, and will evem dip veggies in it.  Who knew rotting cheese could taste so good. 

Mr. Whoa and I live down the street from a tasty sports bar (hell, we love it so much our rehearsal dinner was there).  Eight times out of ten when we dine there, I order the black and bleu burger.  I've been hungry for one, but Mr. Whoa and I went out to lunch yesterday, so I wanted to try and make it myself.  Plus the sportsbar burger can be a little too spicy or salty, so I was hoping I could fix that. 

What you need:
1/2 pound of bacon
1 pound of ground beef
4 oz of crumbled bleu cheese
1 TB of hot mustard
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper


What to do:
Fry bacon in a frying pan.  When finished, cover in paper towels and set aside.
In mixing bowl add ground beef, bleu cheese, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Mix together and form into four patties.  Heat in frying pan about 5-7 minutes each side. 

I served on an onion bun and broke a slice of bacon in half to put on the sammy.  Since the bleu cheese was in a 5oz container, I sprinked a little on the top of the burger. 

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺☺☺

Hot damn these were good.  The flavor was perfect. 

Any other "stuffed" burgers you think are TDF?

My first Pinterest project: The Chalkboard Menu

So I've pinned a gang of cute ideas to do the chalkboard menu, but I don't have a lot of wall space to do anything big.  As I was about to leave the craft store last night, I walked by the spring clearance (Clearance before spring?) and found this little flower pot chalk board. 



before

 I snatched it and grabbed some paint, because I finally had an idea of what to do.  When I got home, I removed the flower and the vine.  I painted around the pot a cream color, and then attempted to paint leopard print.  I added a bow in the corner and attached my chalk.  Glued some old magnents on the back and voila!

after

Since I had NOTHING (no paint, brushes, etc) it was probably pricier than I wanted to spend, but it ended up only being about $20 or so.  Not too shabby!  It took a long time, but it was fun.

Ranchy Chops

Every day, the group of girls I email with share their menu for the day to hold each other accountable.  I don't normally participate because I mostly just eat supper, but once in awhile I will skim through the thread.

Nicole posted her menu and for lunch she wrote she was having ranch pork chop leftovers, even followed by an "OMG," so a few of us were intrigued.

Jesus H, was this as simple as ever, and pretty effing tasty too.

What you need:
Canola Oil
4 Boneless Pork Chops
2 Ranch dressing packets 



What to do:
1.  Pour canola oil in the bottom of the frying pan.
2.  Pour ranch packets on a plate, cover the chops by rubbing both sides into dressing.
3.  Fry chops in the pan.  When flipping over the chops, sprinkle some more ranch seasoning on top. 

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺☺☺
He loves pork chops, but we never seem to have them.  He said the ranch wasn't overpowering, but it gave it a nice little kick.  He said they were nice and juicy, and hopes we have them again.

Thanks Nicole.  :-D

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Its finally cold and snowy here in good ol' Iowa, so I've been craving some comfort food!  I had four boneless skinless chicken breasts to use up, so I searched for some new crockpot recipes on Allrecipes.com. 

I love chicken cordon bleu, but I never want to take the time to cut and stuff the chicken breasts, so this was an easy way to get the taste with out having to do all the work. 

What you'll need:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

4 ounces sliced ham

4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

What to do:

1. Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce.
2. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese.
3. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing.
4. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

I went to the deli and asked for 1/4 pound of ham, and it was just enough pieces to cover the chicken.  The deli ham was a little more pricey than the others found in the meat and cheese section, but I think its tastier, and this way none of it went to waste.  I also used shredded cheese, which I will add more next time as I really couldn't taste the swiss. 

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺☺

If stuffing is involved, Mr. Whoa digs it.  He even offered to do the dishes.  ;)

Cheeseburger Cupcakes

Ohhhh, Emily Bites, how I love thee.  Another recipe in the books that was super tasty, and the leftovers were awesome. 

I was kind of weirded out with the whole cupcake thing, but it tasted like an awesome maidrite eggroll.  As you can see from the picture, mine were a little crispy, but they didn't taste burnt.  These too were super easy and delicious.  Sister Whoa was up for dinner last night and all but one cupcake was gone (and I made an extra one).

What you need:

¼ c onion, finely chopped

½ lb 95% lean ground beef

1 T McCormick Hamburger Seasoning

4 Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle wedges, chopped

3 T ketchup

1 T mustard

16 wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)

4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat 2% shredded cheddar cheese

What to do:

1.    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

2.    Mist a large skillet with cooking spray and bring to medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until cooked. Add ground beef and Hamburger seasoning and cook until meat is browned. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until mushrooms are browned as well.

3.    In a microwavable bowl, combine meat/mushroom mixture, cheese wedges, ketchup and mustard and stir. Microwave for one minute on high. Stir to combine until meat mixture is fully coated.

4.    Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Using about half of the meat mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle about half the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

5.    Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

This recipe yields about 8 cupcakes, but I had enough for 9.  I also omitted the mushrooms since Mr. Whoa is a brat, and I used the garlic and herd laughing cow because I didn't have the queso kind.  I am sketchballs on buying LC cheese that I've never tried, since my disappointment with the Sun Dried Tomato, and it also being expensive as hell. 

Mr. Whoa rating:

☺☺☺☺☺

He snarfed four of the cupcakes down.  He liked the crunchiness of the wonton wrapper.  Sister Whoa asked for a copy of the recipe.  Easy to make and little clean up?  You bet your ass.  I think these would be a lot of fun for a football party or poker night. 

Cheesy Taco Pasta

I have made not one, not two, but three new recipes this week!  I think Mr. Whoa is liking me only working three days a week, because he has a hot dinner on the table every night.  I am having a lot of fun trying new recipes and just overall being more domesticated. 

I found this number on my girl, Emily Bites blog, and decided to cook it up.  We love tacos, we love casseroles, and it was super easy.  If you haven't checked out her blog yet, do it now and thank me later.




What you'll need:

8 oz wheat pasta (I used Barilla medium shells)

1 lb 95% lean ground beef

1 oz packet reduced sodium taco seasoning

1 ½ c chunky salsa

½ c water

¼ c fat free sour cream

¾ c shredded 2 % reduced fat cheddar cheese  (I used the Mexican cheese)

¾ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used extra sharp)

Salt & pepper to taste

What to do:

1.    Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2.    While pasta is cooking, place ground beef in a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef as it cooks. When the beef is cooked, drain any grease from pan. Add the taco seasoning, salsa and water and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until pasta is done cooking.

3.    Once pasta is done, drain pasta and add it to the beef mixture. Add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cheese will melt when thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Mr. Whoa rating:

☺☺☺☺  

I think if we would have used white pasta instead of wheat, it would have been five smilies.  Mr. Whoa is okay with wheat pasta, but it always tastes undercooked to me.  I know some boardies were concerned about tasting the sour cream, and honestly, you can't.  Leftovers were great...will def add this in the rotation!

Reuben Pizza



Okay, so I can't slice a pizza evenly.

 So I love reubens.  I also love pizza.  My friend posted on Facebook last week that his better half had made homemade Reuben pizza.  She said it was simple to do, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. 

What you'll need:
Pizza crust (I used a pre-made one, because I was running late for derby).
1/2-1 cup of 1000 Island dressing  (Adjust sauce to your liking).
1 cup of sauerkraut  (rinse and drain)
1 package of corned beef
2 cups of shredded swiss cheese

What to do:
Add 1000 Island dressing to pizza crust.  Add swiss cheese and layer with corned beef.  Put remaining cheese over the corned beef.  Add sauerkraut.  Bake according to crust directions.

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺
He said he really liked it, but I took a smiley away due to my liking.  I used slices of swiss cheese, because it was due to expire in the next week and I HATE to throw out food.  The swiss taste was too strong for me.  I think if I stuck to shredded it would have been a little more mild.

Rollin and burnin

So today is the first time I wore my HRM to roller derby practice.  I worked on a couple drills, but did mostly basic skating to build my skills and endurance since I'm a little more behind then the girls I started with (thanks to work).  Who knew practicing falls and stops would be a good calorie burner?  I had my HRM watch under my wrist guard, so I wasn't sure on what I burned till practice was done.  I unstrapped my guards and BAM: 

Thats right....over 1500 calories.  I was quite excited because I met my bestie for lunch and we split some fried pickles and a burger, so I took care of some of that.  I am super sore, but I am really enjoying myself.  I wouldn't even have this type of burn by running, so its stellar to have an activity that I love and that will make my ass smaller eventually.  With derby being twice a week, I may actually reach my 10,000 calorie a month goal this year!

Monthly burned:  1503

Calories to burn:  8497

Time for a bath.  :)

Grocery shopping in style

I was looking for a new menu planning template this morning and I stumbled across this little number from The Feathered Nest.  I used one before that had the days separated by each meal, but since Mr. Whoa and I fend for ourselves for breakfast and lunch, I felt it wasn't necessary.  Plus I love all the fun colors.  I am also liking the "other" catagory, so I can make my to-do and errand list on the side.

Mr. Whoa really doesn't have much of an opinion what is on the table, so I don't have to worry about making two meals, or leaving things out (except for mushrooms).  He has liked every low-cal or Weight Watcher recipe I've made, and most of the time he is clueless that it is remotely good for you.  Such a sneak I am.

I am really exceited to try some new recipes from fellow WW boardie's blog, Emily Bites.  All of her dishes have had rave reviews, and they are quite simple.  How much fun do cheeseburger cupcakes sound?  Those and the taco pasta bake are the first two on the list to try, and I'm hoping there are leftovers so I can enjoy them longer.  ;-)

I actually love grocery shopping.  Unless its a Saturday morning, its very therapudic for me.  Since I am off all week now, I can shop later morning or early afternoon and its wonderful.  Paying for groceries is not so fun, but I'd rather shell out $100/week for food that will last than a couple meals out on the town. 



Can you tell I dig animal print?

 I haaaaaaaate plastic grocery bags, and since they are naughty to the environment anyway, I bring my own tote bags.  I have another one in pink and a blue zebra bag.  My mama bought these for me probably four years ago, and they are still going strong.  Plus you can fit a lot more groceries in a couple of these bags, compared to twenty plastic ones.  The totes are so much easier to carry.  Muy bueno.

I throw my menu planner/grocery list on my little peacock clipboard that I ordered from Kute Klipboards by Amy.  I would like to throw a couple magnents on the back so I can hang it on my fridge.  Could I have made it myself?  Probably.  I want to get this whole cooking and cleaning thing down before I tackle being the craft master. 

Grocery shopping was taken care of yesterday, so we should be good for about another week.  We got to grill out last night!  50 degrees in January, who would have thought? 


Happy shopping folks!

Cheesy Chicken and Stuffing

For those of you who don't know me, I am a crock pot fanatic.  Since Mr. Whoa and I are on opposite schedules, we can both enjoy a hot dish if its made in the crockpot.  It's so easy just to dump stuff in and walk away.  Plus the liners you can buy are a lifesaver on clean up. 

So this week for my new recipe challenge, I have decided to make Cheesy Chicken and Stuffing in the crockpot. 




Leftovers....yummy!


What you need:
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups of shredded cheese (I used swiss)
1 can of cream of whatever (I used chicken)
1 box (6oz) of stuffing

What to do:
Layer the ingredients in the order listed in a crockpot.
Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Mr. Whoa rating:  ☺☺☺☺☺
Normally when I'm at work I get a "Thanks for dinner" text, but last night he said he loved it and it was very good, followed by several exclaimation points.  So I guess this will be one for the books.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip



Food Network recipe site

 Another recipe I decided to tackle for Chirstmas was Spinach and Artichoke dip.  This is one of Mother-in-Law's favoite things to order when we go out to eat.  I found this recipe off the Food Network Website.  I wanted one that didn't call for mayo or sour cream.  While I love both of them, it seems weird to mix them. 









What you'll need:

Kosher salt

2 10-ounce bags spinach, stems removed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1/2 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped

What to do with it:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the spinach and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water; squeeze out the excess moisture, then finely chop.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan and sour cream.
Return the pot to medium heat. Add the spinach, cheddar and artichokes and stir until the cheese melts and the dip is heated through.

Mr. Whoa rating:  ☺☺☺
It was a little meh, till I added a lot more garlic and a lot more grated parmesan.  Garlic and cheese make everything better, right?  My brother's girlfriend is not a fan of this dip ever, and she said she actually liked this.  I don't know if I'll ever make it again, but I'm glad I tried.  I served this with asiago bread and tortilla chips.

Sausage Balls

I get a phone call the day before Christmas from my Mother-in-Law, asking if I would bring appitizers for Christmas.  Gee...thanks for the notice.  So I hunt around for different recipes and stumbled across this little number.  I had no idea how good it would be, but I love sausage and I love cheese.  The Bisquick is what worried me.  I hauled ass to the grocery store (which was a zoo by the way) and picked up my stuff.

So easy to make and they were pretty tasty!  Mother-in-law is not a huge sausage fan (get your mind out of the gutter) but she loved these.  They would be a great addition to breakfast or brinner. 


What you'll need:
2 pounds of sausage (can mix in a pound of spicy sausage for a little heat)
2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups of Bisquick


What to do:
Brown the sausage, drain, and put into mixing bowl.  Add in the Bisquick and cheese, mixing together.  Once mixed, roll into little balls.  Place on foil on a baking sheet.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Mr. Whoa Rating: ☺☺☺
I made him try this the night before and he liked them okay.  He thought they would be better as a meal, rather than a snack/appitizer.

30 in 30

About two weeks ago I left my 20s and hopped on the 30 train.  I had a horrible year when I was 29 (issues with work, friends, marriage, money, etc,) so I am ready to make 30 my year!  I have compiled a list of things I would like to accomplish while I reign in the Dirty Thirty.  Some are cliche, some may make you think, “Whats the point,” and others you may find so cool, you’ll want to add them to your list.  They are more resolution like than fun, but I’m hoping knocking out this list will make life more simple.  So here goes…wish me luck!

1. Travel somewhere I have never been.  Working six days a week and living in wonky weather can put a damper on traveling plans.  My work schedule is due to change where I’ll work only three days a week, so I will have more time to get out and about. 
2. Make a pie from scratch.  I have made pies before, but I always buy the crust and a can of filling.  I remember being five years old running down to the neighbor’s apple tree to get apples for my Grandma.  I loved that special bonding time with her, and even tho she is no longer with us, I think it would be great to recreate the memory.
3. Run a half marathon.  I’ve been saying I have been wanting to do this for years!  I’ve done several 5Ks, and even a 7 mile race on a few occasions.  One of the Weight Watchers boardies who also resides in good ol’ Iowa who is willing to tackle this with me.  It will be nice to have a buddy to hold me accountable. 
4. Pay off three credit cards.  Living off plastic during college and paying for a lot of wedding stuff with it, has really hurt me down the road.  I am taking control of my spending and getting rid of debt that has been weighing on my shoulders for a long time.
5. Save and maintain at least $1500 in my savings.  It may not sound like a lot, but its a start.  I’ve been very lucky when I’ve come across situations that I may need financial assistance with, but I worry that some day my luck my run out.
6. Try a new recipe a week.  Mr. Whoa and I have pretty opposite work schedules, so its hard to cook for one another.  The main saving grace is the crockpot, but we make generally the same stuff every week.  I’d love to mix it up a little, and have a happy hubby with a full tummy.
7. Skate in a roller derby bout.  I started roller derby this fall and I just love it.  Work has been getting in the way of practice, but with my new work schedule starting next month, I will be able to fully participate. 
8. Finish the downstairs bedroom.  The idiots that lived in the house before us liked to take shortcuts.  The downstairs bedroom doesn’t have much in it besides this God-awful wallpaper.  Well I tried to peel some off to paint and woohoo!  They put the wallpaper right on the drywall.  So now once I get this paper off, we will need to texturize the wall.  So its more work then I thought.
9. Lose 20 pounds.  This is something that should have been done a long ass time ago.
10. Host a holiday party.  Now that we live in a house and have a (GASP) kitchen table, I think it would be great to host Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. 
11. Not buy anything for an entire week.  Its rare that a day goes by that I don’t buy something, so I want to challege myself not to spend anything for a week.  Normally its stuff I don’t need (sodas from the vending machine at work, a new shirt, pizza, nail polish, etc).  This will help me not go over my gas and actually eat the food I have at home.  I am so used to going out to eat almost every day, its hard to break that habit. 
12. Start therapy.  I have a lot of issues that I am batteling and I’m trying to accept the fact I can no longer do this alone.  My insurance fully covers visits, so I would be dumb not to take advantage of that. 
13. Eat at The Melting Pot.  As cheesy (no pun intended) as this sounds, since I’ve emailed with the Weight Watchers girls, I’ve always wanted to try this.  The closest one is around four hours away, but I am dying to try this!  What can be better than melted cheese and chocolate?
14. Hire a cleaning service.  I’ll probably have to do this on the DL, since Mr. Whoa doesn’t like paying for stuff that we can do ourselves.  I would just like the experience of it.  I am tired of taking time away from relaxing and doing other things to clean. 
15. Read six books.  I know, I know, this doesn’t sound like much.  I think the last book I read was one of the Twilight books, so you can see how long its been. 
16. Finish my tattoo.  I have a side piece that I started about two years ago.  Its a tribute to my dad, who has been gone about 20 years.  He was in the Navy and was as Irish as they come, so I have a mixture of symbols on my side.  The idea is like a sleeve since I could never have one at my old job, its just on my side.  I’d like for my artist to shade it in and complete it, just haven’t taken the time to get it done. 
17. Take a spa day.  I’ve had manis, pedis, massages, but never all on the same day.  I’d love to go into a salon and get a make-over and have the works done.  They say when you look better, you feel better!
18. Pay it forward.  Its never happened to me, but I love the idea of buying someone else’s lunch or coffee.  The world has no many negative things going on, its hard to get people to smile anymore.  Free food would always makes me happy. 
19. Take a cooking class.  I am aiming to be more domesticated this year.  I mean anyone can open jars and throw some shit together, but I want to make stuff with good flavor and from scratch.  I want to be educated on what spices go good in certain dishes, since now I always add cheese and garlic to make things tastier. 
20. Burn 10,000 calories in a month.  In my previous blog, this is something I would strive for, but I never obtained this goal.  This is less than 350 calories a day, so with roller derby and half marathon training, its something I should totally be able to do.
21. Participate in the home delivered meal program.  The agency I used to work for has the HDM program (better known as Meals on Wheels) and I used to love to fill in.  Its so fun seeing their faces when you bring them a meal, especially in a lot of cases you are the only person they see that day.  Sad, but true. 
22. Take care of me, medically.  I have been blessed with top-notch insurace that I don’t have to pay for, so I need to take advantage of it.  I touched on therapy before, but I also need to go in for regular check ups, get my tummy issues figured out, and hit up the dermatologist to get my acne under control. 
23. Have a make-up lesson.  I have never had a real make-up lesson, and it would ne nice to know how to properly apply it, and not look like a 15 year old who did it quick in the bathroom at school.  I usually wear foundation, bronzer, and mascara, but it would be fun to know how to do eyeshadow and play around with blushes. 
24. Get prettied before I go out of the house, at least twice a week.  Once my work schedule changes, I will only work 3 days a week.  I have a bad habit of going out in yoga pants, my hair like a birds nest, and no make-up.  Not that I am out to impress anyone, but I feel that when you’re up and ready, you’re more productive. 
25. Detox my closet.  I’ve been out of the office world for almost and year and still have all of my clothes!  I did give some to my sister, but I still have aboout three closets full of clothes.  I need to take the time to go through and sell/give away what I no longer use. 
26. Be Mrs. Hallmark.  I NEED to get better about sending cards.  I sent Grandma’s birthday card like two months late this year.  In a world where your mailbox is bombarded with bills, its so nice to get something in the snail mail that isn’t asking for money.  Its a fun and cheap way to put a smile on someone’s face. 
27. Get my 401K rolling.  Since changing jobs, I still haven’t started my 401K.  No lectures please, I know its stupid.  I still have my IPERS which I need to roll over.  This is just me being lazy.  Now I’m putting it in writing.
28. Plant a garden.  I am so excited to have a yard and a place to do this!  My dad had a huge garden growing up, and it will be a huge money saver to have fresh produce right outside our back door.  Hopefully my black thumb wont prevent this. 
29. Go horseback riding.  I grew up around horses as my dad raised them, so doing this would bring back some great memories I had with my dad.
30. Don‘t sweat the small stuff.  As cliche as it sounds, life really is too fucking short.  I am hoping therapy and getting my life on track will help with this.  The dumbest things get to me, and I don’t understand why.  I’ve wasted too much of my life being miserable, its time to be happy.