A "Graceful" Day

My sister in law and mother and father in law came up from NC to stay with us Friday night.  Saturday morning we all drove up to Northern VA to meet our newest family member...Grace Elizabeth.  Grace was born on Tuesday the 24th of January.  She is so tiny and has a full head of beautiful hair!  We had such a wonderful day holding her, staring at her and spending time with Grace's Mom and Dad.  Grace is a beauty and is so blessed to have such wonderful, loving parents.  We had a great day of visiting and it was hard to leave!  I brought them a Cinnamon-Streusel Coffeecake that you must try.  The only changes I made was to substitute greek yogurt for the sour cream.  It was delish!

Coffee Cake

Lots of snuggling was done today :)

Their dog, Brin, checking out her new sister with Aunt Elise

I love this picture!

Grace and her Daddy...in love!

Uncle Dan holding his neice

We love Grace!  

Tee tiny feet :)

Love

It was a "Graceful" day!  Looking forward to seeing her again soon and watching her grow.  We love you Gracie!

Do not...

Always good to hear...

Have a great weekend!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta and a delicious Crockpot Stew

I haven't been into blogging lately, but I have still so much enjoyed reading others blogs. :)  Here are a couple recipes that I have made recently.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta from How Sweet It Is.  Yet again, we were not disappointed with her recipe! This dish was soooooooo good.  Will def. be making it again.

I also made a super easy and delicious recipe that I got from my friend, Lynn's blog.  Lynn has a true talent with photography, but she also dabbles in the kitchen from time to time.  She always makes yummy sounding dishes, but when I saw this crock pot dish, I knew I had to make it ASAP.  Nothing beats coming home after a hard day of work to a warm crock pot meal.  Check out the pictures of her Cuban Style Pork and Sweet Potatoes.  Below is the recipe as well with a couple of my slight changes:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound(s) uncooked sweet potato(es), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I kept the peel on)   

• 1 pound(s) uncooked lean only pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces 

• 14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles   

• 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced   

• 1/4 cup(s) unsweetened orange juice (I used reg. OJ)

• 2 medium uncooked scallion(s), chopped (green parts only)   

• 1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste

• 1/4 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand, or to taste

• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice   

• 2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

**I added the following extra ingredients:  

• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• Large red onion, chopped
• Chili pepper flakes
• Brown rice, prepared in rice cooker

Instructions:

1. Place potatoes, pork, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, scallions, salt, cumin and pepper in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on low setting for 7 hours.
   
2. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; cover slow cooker and cook for 5 minutes more. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving (including some cooking liquid).

*I have today off and I am so happy about it...I love Monday's off!!!!  I hope everyone has a great week :)

23.5 Hours

Hello! I have a few yummy recipes to add here, but have had NO time to do it. I will get on that this weekend. :) In the meantime, I found this video that is amazing. You must take time to watch it...it is SO true and well, I could go on and on. Watch it.

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year, everyone!  Daniel and I aren't huge on going out on New Years, so we enjoyed a nice quiet evening at home in our sweats.  Yeah, we're 30 going on 90, haha. ;)

I wanted to make something special and different for this morning's New Years Day breakfast because we typically eat cereal or homemade waffles on rare occasion (yum!).  I found a recipe for a breakfast casserole and whipped it up last night.  Then, this morning I just had to pop it in the oven and let it bake for an hour.  It was delish!  I paired the casserole with fresh fruit and these delicious Brie and Apple Tarts (found from Pinterest!).  I served our orange juice in wine glasses and we had a fancy little brunch.  It was fun and a great start to the New Year.  (I was getting too into it and cut the napkins into hearts...)

After breakfast we relaxed then took a long walk with the dogs, then sadly put all our Christmas decorations away.  Once this was finished we went to the gym for Body Pump, then to my parents house for a traditional New Years Day meal.  My Mom had ham, greens, black eyed peas and sweet potato biscuits.  For dessert we had rum cake...it was another amazing meal and it was a good day.  Nothing like starting off the New Year feeling fresh and without the slightest hangover!!!

Breakfast Casserole:

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 small onion, diced
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Place the hash brown potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook and stir the sausage and onion until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink; drain. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and pour over the potatoes. Layer with half the Cheddar cheese, the sausage mixture, and the remaining Cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove cover; return casserole to the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Individual Brie and Apple Tarts:

1 box (2 sheets) of puff pastry, thawed
1 green apple
1 Tbsp brown sugar, divided
1 Tbsp butter, divided
1/4 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 medium wedge of brie
1 egg
flour (for rolling)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a good-sized slice of brie and 3 or 4 this slices of apple the middle of each of the 4 squares. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and brown sugar and top with a pat of butter. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.

*The hubs and I thankfully have tomorrow off...one more day of vacation, horray!  Happy, Happy New Year to you.   I hope that this year brings you good health, happiness and bountiful blessings.

Farewell, 2011

January 2011 began with a delicious meal of black eyed peas and greens.  I have to say that this meal started our year on the right foot!  It was a cold, snowy month with not much excitement.  One of my goals for 2011 was to pass a personal trainer's exam.  I began studying this month...little did I know then, that by the end of the year I would have passed not one but TWO personal trainer's exams!  yippe!!!

In February I celebrated 28 years of life.  Where did the time go?  How am I getting this old??  Slow Down!

March began with a fabulous skiing trip to Breckenridge, CO!  The hubs and I stayed at a good friends AMAZING ski lodge.  My Mom joined in on the fun and we all had a fabulous time skiing down the mountains of Colorado for a few days.

Later in March, I ran my first half-marathon.  It was great!  Then the hubs got news his company was downsizing and that meant his job too.  Boo hiss.  A very scary event to happen in this economy but it turned out to be a huge blessing...

April was a VERY busy month filled with two of my good friend's weddings.   They were a week apart and I was a bridesmaid in one and the Maid of Honor in the other!  The first wedding was in Greenville, SC.  It was a college sorority sister's wedding...it was so much fun and had a great time seeing old college friends.

Bridesmaids getting ready

Beautiful bride getting ready

Thankfully, both weddings were in South Carolina.  So after the first wedding and before the second wedding, the hubs and I went to my parents beach house in Pawley's Island, SC for a lovely vacation.  After a few days at the beach it was time for Charlotte's wedding, my best friend.  Her wedding was held at Kiawah Island, SC.  It was a picture PERFECT wedding...we had the time of our lives dancing the night away.  At the end of April, I passed my first Personal Trainer's exam...AFPA.  Yay!!!! :)  Did I mention it was a busy month????

The beautiful couple

Bride and bridemaids!  

May began with the husband getting a job and starting his job!  Hip, hip, horray!!!!!  Other than that, it was a quiet month.

In June, we celebrated our second Anniversary.  We enjoyed a nice dinner out in Raleigh to celebrate.  That weekend we went to another friend's wedding.

July was a very warm month...oh how I LOVE Summer.  We were lucky enough to spend a few days down at Holden Beach, NC with my husband's side of the family.  We had a great and relaxing time...it was very hard to leave!

Well hello my no makeup beach face!  And the hubs was trying to be funny w/his hand on the hip pose....

August was a month spent studying my brains out for my ACE personal trainer's exam.  There was no fun and games around our house during this time as I REALLY wanted to pass this exam!!!!  I also got a new job this month doing Corporate Personal Training.  It's basically my dream job...I love it and am so happy to be in a career that I love.  I could not see myself doing anything different.

In September I took my huge ACE exam and....PASSED!!!!!  It was the best.feeling.EVER.  Phew, no more studyin' for me!  I was one happy, happy lady.  

October brought more travel.  The hubs and I took a trip to Ithaca, NY where my Grandparents live.  We had a very nice visit with them and I enjoyed showing Daniel around Ithaca since it was his first visit there.

In November my Mom had a great surprise 60th Birthday Party for my Dad.  We had SUCH a great time and he was oh so surprised.  I love my Daddy so much.  He is so amazing.  It was also my Mom's birthday this month.  We had a good time celebrating her life as well.  Both of my parents are incredible.  Love, love, love them.

Year old picture, but love my fam :)

For Thanksgiving, we went to Raleigh to celebrate with my husband's side of the family.  We had a great time there filled with lots of love, MANY laughs, great food, and fun for all.  I am so blessed to have such amazing family on both sides!

And last, but not least...December marked 30 grand years of living for my husband.  We celebrated with a breath taking, absolutely picture perfect, trip to Hawaii.  Honestly, we had the time of our lives.  After this incredible trip, we were ready to celebrate Christmas.  We stayed in town to celebrate with my family.  My brother's came into town and so did my Dad's sister and her family.  I think it was one of my most favorite Christmas' yet.  My nephew pictured below, was the highlight of the party.  He is SUCH a cute and sweet boy.  We all enjoyed having a little one around for the holidays.  His Momma is pregnant so the next holiday we will have another baby to snuggle and enjoy!  Shown below are pictures from my parents house.

2011 was a year filled with lots of travel and lots of love.  It was a year filled with happiness and good health.  Here's to seeing what God has in store for us in 2012!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

A Pinterest Dinner

Sunday night we had my parents over for dinner.  I couldn't decide what to make, so went to my Pinterest Cooking/Baking board to give me some ideas.  There are ALWAYS yummy looking things on Pinterest, so I thought I should give some of what I've pinned a try.  Everything turned out wonderful!

Table setting

For the main entree I made Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa ...it was amazing!!!  The recipe served six, so it was perfect for the four of us....then the hubs and I finished it off last night.  I love butternut squash and quinoa...they were so delicious paired together.  I got a large rotisserie chicken at Costco, so I used that to put in the stew...made the recipe so much easier to make.

Not a great picture of the stew, but you get the idea :)

With the stew, I made a spinach salad with fresh pears and toasted pecans.  For the dressing, I made a maple vinaigrette.  I tossed the salad in this before serving...sooo delicious!  The recipe for this vinaigrette comes from this Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chick Peas in a maple vinaigrette, but it was perfect with the salad I made.  Next, I want to try this Quinoa Salad!  I also served banana bread with the meal.  And last, but not least...for dessert I made Christmas Tree brownies.  So easy, delicious, fun and festive!!!!!!

*Are you on Pinterest?  If so, are you following me...or vice-versa?!
**Are you ready for Christmas??  I can't believe it's just around the corner! :)