0 Gobble Gobble

Well, before December gets here I wanted to post about my Thanksgiving. The hubby and I had a great first Thanksgiving together this year. We were so lucky to get to go home and spend the day with BOTH sides of our families. What a gift from God that we can do that. The night before Thanksgiving we got into Louisiana around 8 o'clock and jumped right in with helping my parents with the cooking. Joel  especially loved helping disect the Turkey. He is so used to working on his cadaver in medical school that he just dove right in and pulled everything out. I was completely engrossed and did not watch for long.

See...

Our Thanksgiving day involved lots of talking, laughing, 4-wheeling, golf cart riding, throwing rocks into the lake, and playing with Rayne. It was really so fun to get to hang out with everyone and catch up.

Rayne did not want to leave Louisiana. She loves and misses all the attention and space to run around in.

 Beautiful place setting for our Thanksgiving dinner ! 

On Friday, we went up to LSU for the game and tailgated for the Arkansas game. I never get tired of looking at this beautiful stadium. It's just amazing at how pretty it is inside and out. Thank you LSU for the win! We'll see you in Atlanta!

On Saturday, we wanted to enjoy ourselves some good southern cooking and went up to New Orleans for the day and night. It was a great time to eat great food and spend time with family and friends while we were there.

On the way to Nola, we went through some rough storms, then we noticed a beautiful rainbow behind us. The photo doesn't do it justice. There were almost 5 randbows all behind us. It was so beautiful. I love rainbows.

This has got to be the most delicious meal I have had in a long time. Stuffed Shrimp, Shrimp Pasta, and Fried Shrimp. Just this photo is making me hungry.

That's New Orleans for ya. Gosh I love it there!

0 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Last night I tossed the pumpkins and unloaded the Christmas decorations. I put together an inspiration board of all my ideas for Christmas decorating this year. I love an Earthy feel with berry twigs, real rosemary for garland, and fresh fallen pine cones. The natural aroma's of pine and rosemary are sure to get you in the spirit. I am so excited not to have to worry about candles for awhile because the pine smell of our real Christmas tree has spread through our home already.

After our my October {2010} engagement, I knew that my husband and I would need Christmas decorations for this year. So last year I did all of our Christmas decor shopping the day after Christmas when almost all of the decor was 1/2 off ! Even the weeks following Christmas, the decorations were even 75% off. I highly recommend you to go scrounging through the buckets the days after because I bought $12 ornament for as little as $3, and they are Beautiful ornaments!

Here is my stash from last year...

We aren't finished yet with our decorations around the house, so I won't post pictures till it's all done. But after getting back in town late last night we decided to go ahead and get our tree so we wouldn't have to go out in the snow...yes SNOW over the next couple of days. We are expecting light snow here this week and I cannot even believe it. We are so excited, but nervous. Hopefully we learn quick how to drive in it because neither my husband nor I have any experience with ice and snow. The tree is all decorated and looks so lovely. We had so much fun putting ornaments on the tree last night. It is so neat to now have our own ornaments and traditions for Christmas. Ever since I was a little girl I always watched Miracle on 34th Street on Thanksgiving. This year I was so busy visiting home that I didn't get to watch it. But last night, I baked cookies and we watched it before bed. Joel had not seen it in over 10 years, so he really enjoyed the movie.

Rayne even did very well with the tree. She was curious, but just did a quick sniff and walked away. I am hoping that that's all the curiosity she will have. I will take pictures of our tree soon and post them !

0 Parmesan Turkey Cutlets & Sweet Potatoes

Oh boy are we getting into the Thanksgiving spirit! Not only is this a new recipe, but it is a very seasonal recipe that will be sure to get you in the holiday spirit. I cannot take credit for the recipe, but I did change a few things up to make it taste a bit different. The recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs, Skinny Taste. To be festive, I paired the turkey cutlets with sweet potatoes & green beans. This is definitely one of my favorite recipes that I am most proud of. I am telling you the truth, I had never cooked Turkey before this meal. The hubby really liked it, so a happy hubby makes a happy wife.
                                                                  
                                         Here are the ingredients: 

8 (4 oz) turkey breast cutlets
4 egg whites, beat
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
lemon wedges for serving

Heat oven to 250°.

Directions

Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl. In another bowl beat egg whites. Take individual turkey cutlets and dip them in egg whites, then dip them in the breadcrumb mixture.
Heat up a large nonstick frying pan on medium heat. Add half of the butter and olive oil to pan. After the butter melts, add 4 cutlets and cook a few minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Addremaining butter and oil to frying pan and finishing cooking the remaining cutlets.

You didn't think I'd forget pictures did you? Check them out below ! 

Got all egg white till the last one ! 

Sprinkle the desired amount of salt & pepper 

The batter 

She just sits at the edge of the kitchen & watches. Such a good puppy!

Battered the Cutlets

Time to grill 

Time to Eat! 

& I love hearing what you think, 
let me know you stopped by ! 

0 Grilled Mozzarella Chicken & Roasted Potatoes

Whenever I am at the grocery, for some reason I always include chicken breasts or strips in the grocery list, yet I always seem to fail in the creativity department. So, lately I have been trying to work on that. This spontaneous meal came out great for how little of thought I put into it. I got some inspiration from the chicken florentine I made back in September. I immediately wanted to incorporate cheese in the meal and remembered I still had some Mozzarella cheese sticks in the fridge. Not knowing yet what I would do, I cut the cheese sticks into long skinny strips and layered them over the cooking chicken on the grill. I added oregano, italian seasoning, roasted red peppers,  and some ground pepper. Then added the cheese on top towards the end to melt it. It really came out great for something that was so spur of the moment.

Now... Onto my specialty, Roasted Red Potatoes. Cooking roasted red potatoes is a favorite of mine that I learned how to make from my Dad at a very young age. I would always crave this side dish when I was younger. It's the most simple side dish to make, yet it does take awhile to cook. So, before you even start the main course, go ahead and heat the oven and put those red potatoes in the oven before you begin the other dishes and main course. Preparation is about 15 minutes, and cook time is about 45 minutes. Here's the directions:

First, get a sack of small red potatoes. Always get more because they have a long shelf life. Wash the potatoes and place them on a cutting board. Dice up the potatoes into halves or fours depending on the size. Have an oven safe dish ready to toss the sliced potatoes in. My favorite is the clear glass pyrex so I can see what the seasoning looks like. Add olive oil to the bottom of the pan so potatoes don't stick. After tossing and cutting all potatoes, sprinkle your choice of seasoning on top. My favorites are Canadian Steak seasong, Tony Chacere's, and roasted red peppers (but just a hint of it). When done seasoning, add more olive oil on the tops of all the potatoes and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Stick a fork through the potatoes to make sure they are soft and ready before eating.

                                          & Enjoy

Just some low fat cheese sticks from the grocery. They made a big difference in taste!

Be sure to layer cheese on after most of the chicken is cooked. For best results, use a lid and put chicken on heat on low.

4 Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Sunday night we got out of Church pretty late and decided to get a roasted chicken from Publix. I chose the Mojo chicken, which ended up tasting so good. I paired it with mashed potatoes and gravy and some collared greens. Perfect, simple, and so yummy. If you are not aware of the roasted chickens that most grocery stores offer, they are amazing. The chicken is already made, can feed a lot of people, and you can mostly likely eat of it for the next meal. And that’s exactly what we did. After our meal on Sunday, I peeled every piece of meat off of that chicken and preserved it in the fridge. I decided to make something a little different, BBQ chicken. I was so excited to get to use the slow cooker for the first time too! I put the meat in the slow cooker for about 3.5 hours and let it soak. All I did was add a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, 1 Tsp of Worcestershire Sauce, and (optional) 1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar. Since my chicken was already cooked, I let it only cook for 3.5 hours on low. It really came out great. I put the BBQ chicken on buns and paired it with some cheesy steak fries. Not the healthiest meal, but my gosh it was so good! It was definitely a “Husband Pleaser” meal. He even ate off of it again for lunch. There is something about those messy and saucy meals that make them happy. If you have never had one of those chickens from the grocery, then I highly suggest getting one next time. You will really be surprised at how simple dinner will be when the chicken is already cooked. Here are photos. Hope you ate already, because they are sure to make your mouth water.

If you are looking for the recipe/directions with raw chicken, check below the photos for that recipe! 

The chicken in the slow cooker 

I used mini slider buns 

Sprinkle a little Tony Chachere's on the fries to add more flavor 

If you have chicken breasts that are not yet cooked, here is what to do! 

1. Place 10 boneless skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker

2. Add two bottles of BBQ sauce

3. 2 Tsp of Worcestershire Sauce

4. 1/2 cup of brown sugar (optional) 

5. Put slow cooker on high for 3.5 hours or cook all day on low. 
      * Add one cup of water if you prefer thinner sauce. 

              & Enjoy ! 

0 Oh, Vino.

Ozan Winery & Vineyard

This weekend we had the opportunity of going to our first winery and vineyard, Ozan. A few months back I bought a groupon deal that was to good to pass up. Neither my husband nor I have ever been to a winery before. The wines were very fruity and tasteful. We got to sample about twelve different wines. Our favorite was the Peach-100% Chilton County 2011 Silver. We even bought a bottle to drink later on. Our experience was very relaxing and peaceful. Eating cheese, fruit, and chocolate while sipping the wine was just what we needed for our getaway evening. Next time we go, we will definitely take the train ride through the valley with the catered lunch. We did not know about it till we got there, but doesn't that sound so nice? The weather was perfect and the air was so crisp. We sat on the patio that overlooked the vineyard. The vineyard and grapes were already dried up for the season, but something about it was still so beautiful. The chance to just sit and look at the beautiful trees with orange, red, yellow, and green leaves was just a stunning view. The pictures below do not do it justice. 

Their stash of wines

The tree color is just beautiful 

No matter how dry everything was, it was so beautiful. 

All of the vines were dried out 

0 11-11-11 at 11:11 AM



{via}

 Let's start from the beginning where this little superstition all began with me, high school. It is the craziest thing to believe in, but there sure is something so special about making a wish at 11:11 as often as you can. I know for me, for awhile, I had one particular wish, that came true on July 16, 2011. And it is funny to think about how much I wanted us to be married on 11-11-11, but it really was unrealistic for us. I think this little superstition is always going to be something I look forward to, not matter what the wish is. For some reason, making a wish at 11:11 is just about as powerful as blowing out your birthday candles each year. For me, when I see 11:11, I think that the stars align and shooting stars dash across the sky. Silly right? But why not believe in it if it makes you happy? Some people will call you crazy and think you are weird and judge what you do, but just remember to always do what you want to do and what makes you happy in life.

This year, believe it or not, I do not have a particular wish in mind. I will have two chances to make it, so maybe the PM wish will be a little better. But, if you haven't started thinking, you've got a few hours.

A few pictures below, describe some of my feelings of 11:11.


{via}
This should say "wished" but you get the point. Before July 16th, I wished for him so many times :)




{via}
   Beautifully said.



 Don't Forget to Wish ....!!!

0 The Thankful Tree

{via}

This image is from a pinterest idea. How I love love love Pinterest! It's the cure to boredom and will make anybody feel crafty. I have had the idea for the "Thankful Tree" for quite some time, but have been forgetting to make it. It is such a great idea and how amazing will it be to have so many positive thoughts sitting in your home. Having a constant reminder of things to be thankful for is certain to keep you humble and uplifted. I am going to take the pup on a walk this evening and collect some twigs to make this craft. Look for the new post tonight !

UPDATE ! 

So, I did in fact make the Thankful Tree this evening, and I have pictures! This was one of the most enjoyable crafts I have done. I think it really makes it fun when you know you are doing something great. I know that this tree will bring my husband and I so much peace. 

So I gathered twigs from the local park and  trimmed them all down to be suitable for indoors. Rayne went crazy seeing the twigs and kept stealing them off of the table, so I ended up giving her one to play with. I cut some burlap and wrapped it around a vase to give it a rustic touch. Then I took yellow and orange construction paper and cut out shaped leaves (a little bit different from the picture). I caught up and wrote 10 things I was thankful for on yellow paper, the hubby will be orange. I really had so much fun making this craft, and I hope to inspire others to make one too. Your family can share so many positive feelings from the tree. Here are the pictures, enjoy ! 

 And here are a few of my favorite "Thankful" Leeaves

0 We Are So Lucky In So Many Ways

A brief overview of this weekend in case you haven't heard. LSU WON and beat the tide ! You have no idea how happy my husband and I are with this news. Being huge LSU fans here has been very hard. We got a lot of flack from Bama fans the whole week leading up to this game. We aren't the kind to talk smack, especially since leading up to the game, each team were pretty equal. But now we have bragging rights for a whole year! We are anticipating LSU to go to the SEC champtionship in December, but we have to finish out strong against a few more oponents before I make our travel arrangements to HOTlanta. This past weekend was such a great weekend for the hubby and I. We had 2 cousins and 3 friends come stay with us for the LSU game. We had a full house indeed and enjoyed every moment of it. It really hit me how old I have gotten and how hard it is to stay out late. Being a post grad is hard to get used to. I think the majority of our group thought we could still hang. While in Tuscaloosa for the game, we met up with my husband's fraternity brother whom we hadn't seen since the wedding in July. It was such a great weekend for all, and we were so happy to get to visit with our family and friends. We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family who traveled so long to see us. Cannot express how thankful we are to have them in our lives. How lucky are we to have had LSU win and have our friends and family visit us? Luckier than I think we know.

Here are some pictures from our weekend, and a video with the LSU game highlights !

Paul Bryant Stadium... Where LSU Dominated !!

I had to...

The tailgate we spent time at. The police woul not even let us step on the side walk, that's how crazy it got.

What our neighbors left at our door Sunday morning

We're that good

0 This is Halloween... Halloween Halloween

Yesterday was quite a successful Halloween indeed. It all began with a Fall festival at work. And there was a lot of really great food. I decided to put my cooking skills to work and go up against the veterans who have been making dips, baked goods, and side dishes for much longer than me. I will admit.. I was a bit nervous to put down my taco dip (pictured left) after I saw all the delicious food that had been brought. I am still getting used making dishes for paties for many to eat. I was really suprised, but the "Tombstone Taco Dip" was a hit! And it went pretty fast. YAY. Mission completed! The hubby helped me on Sunday night, so I guess I can't take all of the credit. At the party, we had a cake walk, and I did not win. But I did end up bringing home a spiced pumpkin cake because my generous boss donated his to me! It made my day! But now, I have this huge cake on my hands and don't know what to do with it. Who wants to come over to get some?

This little mask tells another story. A story of last minute hope. After Rayne and I ran a 5K on Sunday, I was just about done for the day. The only energy I had left was put all towards making the taco dip. So, needless to say I forgot about the costume contest at work. This was a last minute effort on my part, that actually turned out pretty cute. When in doubt, make a Mardi Gras mask! I didn't win, but I was happy to blend in with all the others who wore a costume. Now this little mask will be sitting at my desk for quite a bit, and I'll break it out again for Mardi Gras in February.

After the party I was walking around the hospital and to my surprise, I found a jewlery show sale! Me, a newbie, did not know what was going on when all of the sudden I turned a corner and there were booths and tables of scarves, jewlery, and fashion accessories. I just did not know what to do with myself. This event will be here for 3 days, and is called the $5 dollar jewlery show. So, I ran back upstairs, grabbed my wallet, and went "shopping." Since the most important game of the season is this weekend, and I am a HUGE LSU fan, I decided to get purple and gold accessories for my 'get up'. The scarf IS purple, I promise. The color makes it look a little deceiving, but it's the right color. And the jewlery is gold. Quite cute, and I cannot wait to wear them on Saturday! Geaux Tigers !

And last but not least, our little Tiger cub, Rayne! This pup never ceases to amaze us. Every time I put a camera near her face, she just stops, looks at me, and poses. It's amazing how much personality she has for such a young thing. Yesterday when I ran the 5K with her, she wore her costume the entire race. What a trooper! Paws up to Rayne. I was so relieved she left it on and I didn't have to keep tabs of her trying to chew it to pieces. We are a little worried she may out grow this costume, but our hopes are high. When I asked my husband which costume out of three I picked out which she should be, he immediately pointed to the Tiger. No surprise there, for he is an even bigger LSU fan than me. We hope this costume fits her for awhile so she can wear it on gamedays!

I hope everyone had a happy, safe, and sweet Halloween this year! Now, it is already November and on to the next seasonal holiday, Thanksgiving.