New Years Entertaining

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. In the few days it will be 2013 meaning 2 things: New Years Eve parties and resolutions. Here are some of the ideas I have for food and décor for a party if you are throwing one (by next year this time I will be in my own place thank God) or even for snacks before you go out on the town from Kraft food and Pinterest.

Open Face Turkey Cheddar Melts



Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites


Mini New Potato Bites

Warm Spinach & Artichoke Cups


Luscious Cream Puffs









Next item is the "Resolution" which many of us break. Until next time, Later...




 

Thoughtful Thursday

Hello peeps,

Given everything that has happened in the last week I though I would do some lighter/funny cards from someecards.com.











Thank goodness its almost the weekend. Laters......

The last couple of days, I have been trying to figure out what route God wants me to go with my life. There has been a lot of soul-searching and "Come to Jesus" meeting with myself. With this blog there has been times that I wonder if anyone is even reading it. I do want to thank two people: Tyler and Ashley for letting me know that there are at least two people who think what I have to say is somewhat interesting. There, I am done with my mine petty party. I know it's a day late and all but here are the quotes for the week:










After all that soul-searching I am officially a "college student" again. Going to school has become my career at this point. When all is said and done though I am going to end up doing something that I am interested in: combining my love of food and health. Anywho, everyone have a good weekend and until next time: Laters.....

Readings for December

I have been reading why more than I did this time last year. Maybe that's because I have too much time on my hands with not having a job and nothing really to do. Anywho, there are a couple of books that I have started to read this month. I just finished The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric and here are some of the new books that I have to read:




















































Everyone enjoy your hump day. Laters.......

What I made: November edition

We are now in the month of December but I finally figured out how to get my pictures I took to actually show up on the blog. So, here are a few of the things that I made for Thanksgiving:    

Three Cheese Corn Casserole:
This was the first time I ever made this but I will be making it again. I am considering adding meat in it next time.


Vegan Stuffing:
My older sister and my brother-in-law came into town from California this year. She has become a hardcore Vegan since last Thanksgiving. I decided to try to make stuffing with no animal byproducts in it. It actually turned out really good and was really moist. I broke two bags of whole wheat rolls, a pan of cornbread (used what in it instead of meal), a box and a half of organic vegetable broth, sage, celery, onion, salt and pepper.


Mini Brie pastries:
I know everyone who has ever been to a dinner party or a wine tasting had had the brie wrapped in the crescent dough or puff pastry. I bought a Président Brie log and two crescent rolls. I rolled out the dough and cut the log into slices, placing the slices on top of the squares that I cut.

I then bake them in the oven at 375 degrees for 8-11 minutes.
I then cut some apple slices and paired the mini brie pastries with the apples (and wine of course).

There was a sweet potato pie I made but, me and the crust were at war and the crust won. I took a picture of it but in all honesty I am to embarrassed to show it to anyone outside my family.

That is was I made over those couple of days. I plan on making a cake and some other things in the next month so until tomorrow, Laters....

Thoughtful Thursday

Happy Thursday, Peeps!!! Its' weird thinking about the fact that this is the last Thursday of November and that in a few days it will be December and then the year will almost be over. Weird. Anywho, here are some thoughts for Thursday:











Everyone have a great day. Laters.....

Mini Ideas

I hope everyone had a good turkey day. I have been in a cooking mode and did a good deal of it this year for the first time. I will be posting some of the items I made later in the week. I can say that I am turked out for a good while. I have been looking to find some new recipes to make. Here are some of the ones that I am dying to make and all of them (except for one) just so happen to be bite sized:


Make-Ahead Cheesy Bacon Mini Meatloaves


Mini Salmon Burgers


Mini Ham & Cheese Frittatas


Easy Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Many of the people that made this said that they like it better with Ranch Dressing than Blue Cheese. I think I'll make it both ways and see which I like better.



Mexican Fiesta Bites

With it being the holidays, I think that I have been drawn to appetizers and dips more than usual.The great thing though is that if you want to make any of these healthier they give options on what to substitute to do that. Anywho, off to run errands. Laters......

Thoughtful Thursday

This Thursday I am going to do something different and talk about website the I like. I like food quite a bit if anyone has noticed. I cook a lot and in all honesty I would rather cook then eat out most of the time. One of  my favorite food sites is kraftrecipes.com (www.kraftrecipes.com). They have a number of not just recipes but entertaining ideas as well. Here are some of my favorite ones:

Pizza Calzones
I personally use biscuits or puff pastry to make theses. Also, I like to food process the toppings together so that it will onto the dough easier.


Cold Veggie Pizza
Usually when I make this I put cheese, broccoli, carrots and some other veggies on top. In the mixture that goes on the crust I put ranch powder in it too for some additional flavor.


BLT Deviled Eggs
Being from the South, you know I love a Deviled Egg. This puts a twist on the regular one with one of my favorite foods EVER:Bacon. I have a very large love of bacon and most things that include Bacon.


Spinach Lasagna
When I make this I usually still add sausage or beef to the mix. I have grown to like spinach over the years and figured out one why to get other people to eat it is to put it in items and cover it or mix it in with food they like (kind like what people do to there kids).

And this is one cake that I want to make at some point.

Tuxedo Cake
It looks pretty easy to make. I make try making this for Thanksgiving or Christmas, to get away from making the same ol' Pumpkin or Sweet Potato pie.

I might make something this weekend (if its' the cake I'll make sure to post it). Well, off to Earth Fare to get my 5 items for $5. If you ever get the chance, sign up for their emails and text messages (if you opt in to them) because every week you will be able to get free food items and they usually have a 5 for $5 where you get certain items for $1 each for a certain number of days. Until then, Laters......

What I am reading:November

HAPPY ELECTION DAY!!!! I hope everyone who is registered to vote gets out and does just that. My motto is this:If you do not vote, then you can not complain about anything (that was also my motto in college being on EC in my sorority when people did not want to be apart/take leadership positions). Anywho, I finished reading most of (actually all of them but one) the books I had a while back. So, this month I am posting about the books that I am about to start reading right after I finish watching the 5 Year Engagement:

God Never Blinks:50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours By Regina Brett


The Best Advice I Ever Got:Lessons from Extraordinary Lives By Katie Couric


My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision...Through His Revision By David Tutera


Somebody is going to die if Lilly Beth doesn't catch that bouquet:The Official Southern Ladies' Guide to Hosting the Perfect Wedding By Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays


The Class of 1861:Custer, Ames, and Their Classmates After West Point by Ralph Kirshner

The reason for the two wedding books is because I am planning my cousin's wedding in May and she hasn't done anything at all (she doesn't even have her dress picked yet).

That's it for now. Happy Tuesdays and Laters......

Fall eats and treats

Happy Halloween!!! This year I did not dress up even though what I was going as this year would have been real funny but I did not get the stuff to make it and the holiday being on the week has kinda made me feel blah. I am a slacker I totally admit that not with just Halloween but my blog too(not like anyone is reading anyway) but I have been busy trying to see what I need to do about finishing my second degree in Nutrition. Speaking of nutrition, the last time I was at the bookstore (yes, I still go to the bookstore and no, I do not own a kindle or iPad) I found this food magazine called Eating well. They have a lot of healthy recipes and also different article about food that are more informative than some I have seen in other magazines. Here are some of the recipes that I am planning on making from the magazine in the next couple of weeks:

Apple Cupcake with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Frosting


Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo


Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie


Rice Pilaf with Shrimp


Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffle


Ravioli and Vegetable Soup


Chocolate-Covered Berry Marshmallows

All of these and more are on www.eatingwell.com. Until next time, Laters....