My current (breakfast) obsession

Whole wheat blueberry Eggo waffles. Granted they are frozen (sometimes you just have to eat frozen food in my situation) but add some pure maple syrup and a little unsalted (the only way to go) butter and mmmm! The perfect quick breakfast.

However, when time allows (like this weekend...DH and I are enjoying a special weekend that I will share more about later this week...don't want to spoil it yet because I can't upload my pictures onto my laptop to share with you) a good homemade Belgian waffle with pure maple syrup, whipped cream and warm peach compote is mighty nice. That's what is for breakfast this morning :) As I said, can't wait to share pictures with you when we return to the home computer where I can upload pictures.

Have a great Saturday!

A few of my favorite things...

1. Yummy brownies.

2. Longaberger pottery (makes the brownies taste better...I swear).

3. My cute snuggly Chloe.

Cooler weather means...

Paula Deen CrockPot Taco Soup...mmm. A favorite in our house...so easy to make and so tasty!

Mmmm...good.

Dear Husband,

Stop reading my blog now. You don't want to read this post. Trust me.

Love,
Your Wife

Everyone else,

This is what pregnancy can do to you.

You are hungry (ravenous) and working the night shift. Any other night shift (non-pregnant) when you get hungry you pop a lean cuisine or smart ones meal in the microwave, grab a turkey sandwich and some baked lays or eat an apple. But when you are PREGNANT on a night shift you decide a nice, hot cafeteria meal would be a good idea at 12:30am (blame it on the hormones). So you wonder downstairs and hit the jackpot. Breakfast food at midnight.

Yeah...not my normal meal AT ALL. But, gosh, it was sooooo gooooood. Apples, potatoes, biscuits and gravy. I know this picture looks pretty gross (blame it on the blackberry - not the best quality photo, right???) but our cafeteria is actually pretty good. DH says that it is just because I am used to all of this cafeteria food...but hey, they make a mean midnight breakfast.

Oh, and husband (because I know you are still reading)...I promise I don't eat like this every night. :)

Where have I been?

My sis and I went to a Carrie Underwood concert over the weekend. These are our steppin' out shoes as we lounge on the grass before we left for the concert. We had a great time! Gosh, that girl can sing!!! (Don't you love my sister's cowboy boots?!?! Now I sooooo want a pair of cowboy boots.)

DH got crafty for Father's Day. He made this caduceus for his dad. DH designed it, carved it out of wood using a knife and his handy Dremel and then painted it. In the end he mounted it on a solid block of wood to serve as a stand and put his dad's name on the base. It was so darn cool. Now, I soooo want him to make me one of these for my office. DH also made a '67 Corvette model for my dad...my dad LOVES corvettes and likes to make models too (in his office he has a whole curio cabinet of model cars) so this was super sweet for my hubby to do this for my dad. We had a great Father's Day - all the family over for a cookout with DH's yummy and famous burgers.

I couldn't resist whipping up a couple of new button hair elastics. With all the hot weather and all the time I have been spending at work lately (it is crazy right now and I always have my hair back at work) I needed a few new hair accessories. It is so satisfying to use up some fabric scraps and complete a project quickly.

I can't get enough of this Strawberry Poppyseed Salad from Panera Bread lately. It is everything summer should be.

With work being crazy as it is right now, the weather being as nice and hot as it is right now and me being the procrastinator that I am right now (I have a BIG presentation next week for work and I haven't even started yet) I will probably be popping in less this week. Perhaps I should do a week in pictures or something so I can still blog but it could be quick to fit in my schedule right now. I'll think about it...

The food group.

This is my favorite meal: pinto beans & cornbread. Put it this way...I will miss any lunch in our department from any catering company or restaurant in town when the hospital cafeteria has pinto beans & cornbread day. That is how much I love this meal. I have been participating in The Food Group flickr photoshare and I have noticed we are not far into June and already I am repeating this meal. Can't help it...I'm sure it will pop up again before the end of June.

Look at these cuties! I just couldn't resist this set of salt & pepper shakers when I was out with my sister this past weekend. But there is a problem...I got them home and realized they don't match anything in my kitchen! Bummer... Plus, I realized I have waaayy to many sets of salt and pepper shakers already! Off to the etsy shop they go...please help me find a good home for them (and another cute retro pair that I have decided to part with).

Fresh Baked (Banana) Bread

I walked by our fruit bowl yesterday and noticed 3 bananas which were past their prime. So, when life throws you bad bananas...make homemade banana bread! My house smelled so great just prior to bed last night. I made the banana bread using the Martha Stewart recipe (sans walnuts...DH request) and it is so much easier and better than recipes I have tried in the past. It all came together very quickly too! Prep time was maybe 15 minutes and bake time was 1 hour. Highly recommend this recipe. Plus, if you have a loaf style molded pan like above...it makes it even prettier. :) Now...banana bread for breakfast, desert, bedtime snack....

Cake!

Just look at this cute cake my MIL (mother-in-law) made! It is her own sacher torte recipe with raspberry jam between the layers and it is entirely made from scratch. Yum!

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Day at the Races

DH & I spent the day at the horse races. The horses, grounds and people who attended were all beautiful. :) Afterward, we went to the grocery store, made dinner (yummy lemony tuna salad - Kate see recipe below!) and now we are headed to bed to snuggle in and enjoy our books. What a great weekend this is turning out to be!

Here is the recipe for one of my new favorite dinners:

Lemony Tuna Salad

Serves 4, Prep Time 20 min (per the mag...I made it in like 10 min!)

(from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April 2008)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of mayo, 4 tsp lemon juice and 2 tsp grated lemon peel (I love this part because I get to use my microplane grater - love it!!!). Season with salt & pepper.
2. Add one 6oz. can of solid white tuna, drained, breaking it apart slightly with a fork.
3. Add 1 cup of canned white beans, rinsed.
4. Add 1/2 cucumber, cut into cubes, and 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (I leave this part out - I'm not the biggest fan). Again, season with salt & pepper.
5. Arrange romaine lettuce on to plate. Top with tuna salad and tomatoes (either 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved, or your choice!)

Enjoy!

(*photo above from http://ww2.keeneland.com/default.aspx)

Lemony Tuna Salad

Yum-O!

I whipped up this Lemony Tuna Salad (a Rachael Ray recipe) in less than 10 minutes for DH & I for lunch today. It was sooo yummy! Very light and refreshing! Highly recommend it (although I can't find a link to it on her website right now but if you want it I can email it to you). It will be the perfect lunch for us to eat by the pool this summer. Can't wait for that now...it's sunny today but...burr...still cold.

I'll be working on my sewing project to be revealed later today or tomorrow (whenever I finish and the lighting is good for photos, so probably tomorrow). See you all then.

Happy Saturday!

A Fun Thursday Night

Our nephew, R, came over to spend the evening at our house while he is in town visiting his grandparents (DH's parents). We had so much fun! First of all, when R arrived I was working on one of the projects on my to-sew list (not quite done yet and since I am on call tomorrow it will have to be finished & posted on Saturday) he was very intrigued by my sewing machine. Lots of "oh"s, "cool"s and "you made that out of fabric." I never guessed he would want to try sewing but when I said "You wanna make something?" he was more than eager! I taught him how to used the cutting mat and rotary cutter to cut 2 6x6in squares out of the fabric of his choice. Then I taught him how to use the sewing machine and to stuff his little pillow. I helped with the whipstitch closure but he really did everything else himself (he's only 6!!!) I was so proud. When we finished he said he can't wait to do another project again. Super cool.





I also made a yummy dinner...paninis (my recipe...how did I live without a panini maker...i heart it) and homemade stoup (thicker than soup, thinner than stew) from a recipe out of Everyday with Rachael Ray. Yum-O.

My latest (food) obsession.

I just can't get enough of these 2 things...what else can I say??? Such guilty pleasure. Yum.

My little helper...

So & I made brownies this weekend...yummy & fun!

Stay tuned...I have had makeover fever. I am currently in the middle of my laundry room makeover. For now, keep enjoying my sewing studio makeover.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Healthy Eating.

DH & I continue to get back to the "old us" after the holiday splurging and frenzy at home causing us to eat take out a lot. For the past 2 nights we have had beautiful salads with either panini or soup. Just look how delicious they look!

Yum!

After 2 days of 70 degree weather (so weird in the middle of January) it feels SOOOO cold outside today (even though it was only 45 degrees). A nice cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows (yum!) is all I needed to cozy up and settle in to study (yuck!). Big test coming up! Keep me in your prayers!