Nordstrom

Today, Nordstrom announced they will be closing one of their two locations in Utah. Right now I usually go to the Orem location because it close to work and I hate driving to Salt Lake more than I have to.


I have until February 24th to shop in Orem, and then I will have to drive up north to go shopping...

I am so sad, but understand why they are closing the location. Why keep it open if you aren't making much money?

Laundry Room

Last weekend my mom came to visit Utah and we went to South Towne Expo Center. There was a bunch of cute boutiques there with Christmas stuff, food, jewelry and VINYL!. I bought a bunch of vinyl to make things for friends and around the house...

Today I have been sick so I decided to get one of my vinyl projects done...


I think it turned out cute so far.. I want to add something else in the vase on the left, but I just don't know what yet...maybe flowers?

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken










1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 strips of bacon, diced
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used regular bread crumbs and seasoned them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder)
1/4 cup vegetable oil


1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
2. Stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, and jalapenos in a small bowl.
3. Cut a pocket horizontally through the thickest side of each chicken breast, and fill with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Secure with toothpicks.
4. Roll the chicken breasts in bread crumbs to coat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 8 minutes per side. If your chicken breasts are thick, like mine were, they can be finished in a 350-degree oven.

**I got this recipe from www.cassiecraves.blogspot.com**

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Penne

I have been loving all of the recipes that I have been finding...

here is one that I found at: http://www.annies-eats.net/. It looks so good. I can't wait to try it.

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup roasted red bell pepper (fresh or jarred)
1 cup basil leaves
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. penne pasta
¼ cup heavy cream, optional

Directions:
Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add Parmesan, red pepper, basil leaves, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. With the motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube and process until incorporated. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the pesto to the pasta and stir to combine. Stir in heavy cream if desired for a creamier sauce. Heat until warmed through. Serve immediately.

Pizza Muffins

Rhodes Rolls--defrosted

Brown a pound of ground beef, or ground turkey.

spread your rolls out and then put them into a muffin tin.
Then bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes.

While the rolls are cooking and the meat is done, add some pizza sauce, as much or as little as you like. You could add some pizza seasoning and basil too.

Then when the rolls have baked for 9 minutes, pull them out and use a spoon to press the sides back a little so that you have more room to put your meat.

Fill each muffin with the sauced and seasoned meat.

Added some cheedar or mozzarella cheese and then bake for another 3-5 mintues.
ENJOY!! I can't wait to try them!

I go this recipe from : http://www.acreativemomma.blogspot.com/

They have a lot of fun and easy recipes!

Pigs in Blanket

These are all the ingredients you need to make this meal:
Crescent rolls & hot dogs.

Cut hot dogs in half. Roll dough piece around hot dog and cook.

*tip: Cook the hot dogs in the oven (about 400 degrees) before I roll them in the dough because we like them really cooked. I just do this step while I'm cutting up the dough.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

1 lb. extra lean ground beef (93% lean or or leaner)
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1.25-oz. packet taco seasoning (about 1/4 c.)
3 c. water, divided
2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained

Toppings: Pico de Gallo, light sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips,tortilla strips, guacamole, etc.

Heat a large soup pot over medium. When ready, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 c. water. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 c. water, bring to a medium boil, then, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. Makes 10 12-oz. servings.

Slow Cooker Instructions: After browning the meat, place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.

Freezer Instructions: Because of all the canned goods, you’ll just take up a lot of space in your freezer if you freeze the whole recipe. However, after it’s been cooked, the leftovers freeze extremely well. You can even try freezing individual portions in 12-oz. freezer-safe containers and then reheating them for a quick lunch.

Salsa Chicken

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans corn, drained

1 package taco seasoning

4-5 chicken breasts

1 cup salsa

3/4 cup water

Put beans, corn, taco seasoning, and water in crock pot and mix together until seasoning is dissolved. Place chicken breasts on top and spread salsa on chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours. Shred meat and serve however you want (see explanation above). Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and hot sauce.

This is such an easy freezer meal to make! I just made it with 5 chicken breasts and ate half of it for dinner and froze the other half (in a gallon-sized freezer Ziploc bag) for another night. Make sure you let the food cool before freezing it. On the day that you are ready to eat it, let it thaw and then cook on low in your crock pot for 2-3 hours.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It sounds good so I thought I would share...

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

(Recipe from Team T Adventures)

Ingredients:

• boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks (I used about 4)
• 1/3 cup flour
• olive oil
• 1/2 Tbl. salt
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbl. ketchup
• 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)
• 4 Tbl. brown sugar


In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Pour the flour in a small bowl. Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess.


Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken.
The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.

After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.

Serve over rice and even add veggies if you want a healthier meal.

Salsa Recipe

This Salsa recipe looks so good.. I am gong to try it this week..
1 medium tomato

2 avocados

1 cup of sweet white corn (I get a frozen bag from Costco)

1 Bushel of green onions

1 can of black beans
, drained
Garlic Pepper (I never have this, so I leave it out)

Garlic salt w/ parsley

Tapatio Sauce



Place drained black beans and corn into a large bowl. 
Dice up the tomato and green onions and add them in the bowl.
 Season with the garlic pepper, garlic salt and tapatio sauce to taste. 
Mix everything around and then taste it to check seasoning.

 Add chopped avocado and mix it around one more time (I do the avocado last so the little diced pieces don’t get all mushy in the initial mixing process).

Head band and hair pin holder

With my crafty mood I decided to make this cute beauty for Chloe (my friends newborn)...

It is an easy (and somewhat cheap) craft...

I bought..
-one raw wood frame
-one spool of baby pink and white ribbon
-one small bottle of "baby pink" acrylic paint
-one wooden flower
-one 8 ct. package of cup hooks

It started out looking like this...

And ended up like this..I think it turned out so darling.

Weekend Projects

My fun filled weekend of projects:)

Poinsettia Wreath

Start with a 18 Inch styrofoam form

Wrap satin ribbon around the styrofoam form until fully covered..

Then you make a bunch of the poinsettia flowers out of satin ribbon and pin them into the wreath's form.I added 3 glass pearls to the center of each flower to add that touch:)

Cute Fall Decor...

Ingredients:
Split green beans
Small red beans
Corn Kernels
Fall candle
Vase

cute ideas...

there are so many cute ideas out there to decorate your house...

here are a few more...

So cute for a little girls' room

Fall Rose Wreath

That time of year..

The start of my decoration weekend...







There will be more to show later this weekend... once I get some projects completed:)

More Projects...

Some more projects that seem fun...

Glittered Pumpkins..

**Ryan likes the projects that would last us through fall since we don't have much storage room. I think that a lot of these could be used throughout the holidays.**

P.s...I have gotten all of these ideas on Martha Stewart's website

Fall Festivities

Today I have been in a mood to research fun Fall Crafts...

This is what I have found and I will be working on in the next few days:)

These add so much to the candles and I love them!

The most adorable homemade wreath...

Acorn Mirror...


I am excited to make these crafts and decorate my house:)

Scotchmallow

I have really been eating healthy and working out...but a box full of these just sound delicious today...

Too bad See's is like 20 minutes away and I have homework to do or I would totally make the drive:)

Shoping...

I LOVE to go shopping...but i haven't been able to lately with how busy i am and the fact that we are trying to save...

Today, Grandma and I went to Fashion Place for lunch and shop around...

She talked me into buying some really cute boots from Macy's...



well then we went to Nordstrom on the way out and I just window shopped there... Here are some things that are now on my Nordstrom Wish List...

cute leopard scarf...

(long-enough) cute skirt

My Nordstrom list could go on for days but I would get myself into trouble if I never stopped looking!

Lately...

So When I learned how to blog Ryan started to make fun of how many posts I was doing... but then my lovely sister-in-law informed me that it didn't matter what he thought and that I should BLOG about EVERYTHING :) So I am going to:) (Thanks for the advice Tinster)

Lately..Ryan and I have been so busy with homework and school.. I hate it. I am so glad I am in my last year of school and Ryan is almost done too!

Well I wanted to share my recent homework assignment that I had fun with...

Okay, they really aren't that cool but I am excited that I am learning techniques with my camera! :)


Ryan's homework (and work) looks a little something like this...

** Very confusing and using a computer all day long..**

Well..besides our boring lives of school and work... my family has exciting news...


I am going to be an auntie to the newest addition of our family. Chris and Tina are expecting their baby girl in just about 1 week and I am so excited for them! :)