6 Fun & Easy Valentine's Day Foods

Pancakes! I don't have a metal heart-shaped cookie cutter, so I couldn't make them heart-shaped on my griddle (and my pancake batter drawings leave MUCH to be desired!), so I just made normal round chocolate chip pancakes and then used my cookie cutters afterward.

Brownies!  I just baked a normal pan of brownies, used my heart cookie cutter, and drizzled on some strawberry jam.

Quesadillas!  I used a cookie cutter to cut hearts from a flour tortilla, then just sprinkled on some cheese and toasted it all on our griddle.  There are sour cream hearts on top and a barbecue sauce drizzle underneath.

Eggs-in-a-Hole!  Or in this case, a heart.   Using a cookie cutter, cut a heart from the center of a piece of bread.  Heat a skillet or griddle, place your bread down (with the center heart removed), and crack an egg into the heart-shaped hole.  Cook as desired.  I like my egg yolk runny and Daniel prefers his firm.

Cheese & Crackers!  Super easy snack that you can alter to fit your family's tastes!  I used Ritz crackers and topped them with a dab of honey dijon dressing, thinly sliced deli turkey, and a cheese heart.

Jello!  I combined one package of peach gelatin and one package of raspberry gelatin with 1 2/3 cups of boiling water and poured it into a heart-shaped silicone baking pan to make 6 gelatin hearts.  After leaving them in the refrigerator to set up for a few hours, I held the pan upside-down and ran warm water over each cup to release the hearts.  

Crockpot Quinoa Casserole

We were in serious need of some comfort food this weekend and we were seriously not in the mood to go to the grocery store.  So, I threw the food we had on-hand into the crockpot to let it do the cooking for me!  And it just so happened that I had lots of quinoa in the pantry, which made an excellent base for this casserole.  And it gave me a great opportunity to try cooking quinoa in a slow cooker.

We had zucchini and carrots in our fridge, but bell peppers, broccoli, and just about any other vegetable I can think of would taste great in here!  And feel free to use a smaller can of green chiles.  We just really like green chiles in our family.

I keep 2-cup portions of shredded zucchini in my freezer, so the only prep work I needed to do was shred the carrots, chop the parsley, and dice the roasted red peppers.  The rest was just throwing it all into the crockpot and waiting!  I love my slow cooker.

Crockpot Quinoa Casserole
Makes 8 servings

• 2 cups quinoa, uncooked
• 3 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 cups shredded carrot
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced
• 7 oz can green chiles, drained
• 8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Soak quinoa for 15 minutes in water, rinse, and add to crockpot.

2.  Add all other ingredients, except for the cream cheese and sour cream, to the crockpot and stir to combine. 

3.  Cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.

4.  Fluff quinoa with a fork, then stir in cream cheese and sour cream.

5.  Cook for another 15-30 minutes, until cream cheese is melted.  

Nutritional Information per serving, according to My Fitness Pal : Calories - 290, Fat - 8g, Protein - 11g, Carbohydrates - 42g, Fiber - 5g

The Post I Don't Want to Write

This is the post I don't want to write. But I have to. I need to.

Daniel's grandmother passed away around 3am Thursday morning. She was having bypass surgery and her heart just couldn't hold up. Which is ironic, seeing as this woman had one of the strongest, kindest, most loving, most giving hearts I've ever seen.

I cringe just writing the words, "Daniel's grandma," because she was my grandma, too. Even when Daniel and I were just dating, she claimed me as her granddaughter. She never once introduced me as her "grandson's wife" or her "granddaughter-in-law." I've called her Grandma as long as I've known her and that's who she'll always be to me.

It breaks my heart that I only have a few pictures of her, because she meant the world to me.

When Daniel flew to Colorado to meet me for the very first time, it was important to me that he met my parents. It was important to Daniel that I talk to his grandma on the phone. I fell in love with her that night.

When Daniel was deployed, she would call me multiple times a week to make sure I was okay and just to chat. She would tell me stories about how her "Boone-y Butt" used to climb onto her roof to pour water into her swamp cooler and how he earned the name "droopy drawers" when she took him to the doctor so many years ago.

The first time I met her in person was June 15, 2007. It was her 74th birthday and we had planned a road trip to Arizona to surprise her. Daniel's brother and mother had taken her out to eat at her favorite restaurant and when we walked into the room, that woman's face lit up like I had never seen before. She ran over and hugged Daniel, then threw her arms, equally as joyfully, around me.

Later that night, when Daniel was having a heated discussion with his brother and mom, Grandma pulled me over to the couch, put her arm around me, and started filling my ear with how glad she was I was there, how she wanted to learn everything about me and my family, and how happy she was that Daniel and I had found each other.

She lived for her family. She was the peacekeeper. She wanted everyone to be happy and would do anything she could to make that happen.  She was constantly putting others' needs above her own.

She was an incredibly hard worker.  She would have been 79 this year and it was only in the past month or so that health problems kept her from going in for her shifts.  She was a receptionist and all of her coworkers adored her.

Working so hard wore her out, but she would always make time to call family members and keep up with their lives.

Her grandsons brought incredible joy to her life.  Daniel's brother has lived with her for the past 20ish years and she loved him to pieces.  She was always telling everyone how proud she was of Daniel and his brother's achievements.  

I can't believe she's gone.  We were just in her hospital room talking to her about shoes and where they were going to move and the book she was reading.  The most mundane, everyday things.  We had just programmed our numbers into her new cell phone, so she could call us while she was recovering.  It's not right.

The world right now without her in it just isn't right.

I'm really glad that I decided to start sending cards this year, because I sent her one at the beginning of this month telling her how much she meant to me, but it isn't enough.  She deserved so much more.

I keep wanting to pick up the phone and call her.  I want to hear her pick up the phone with a "Hi, sweetie!  I've been thinking about you guys!"  I ache to hear her laugh again.  To feel her arms around me and gently hold my hand.  I don't want to forget the sound of her voice.

I miss her.

You've Got Mail!

You've Got Mail used to be one of my favorite movies and I hadn't seen it in years.  I finally watched it over Christmas break and fell in love with it all over again.  I do love Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, but the concept of the movie is even more fascinating to me than the actors.  As I was watching it this last time, I was thinking to myself, this is just like blogging - writing your random thoughts down to a complete stranger and looking forward to a response.

But I have since learned that it's just not quite the same.

I love each and every comment I get on here, but it's hard to really connect with people there.

I have this reader that e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago.  She is studying to become a sign language interpreter and told me a hilarious interpreting joke.  So, we e-mailed back and forth a few times about interpreting.  Then we moved on to other topics.  Then a few more.  And then a few more.

Now, pretty much every time I open my e-mail, I have one waiting from her.  Blog comments are amazing, but building a personal relationship with someone?  That's something special.

I love this girl.  She's funny, real, deep, smart, intriguing, and someone I really wish I knew in real life.  

The other day, it occurred to me that I'm living my very own (non-romantic) version of You've Got Mail.  There's someone, somewhere in the world that I can talk to about whatever is on my mind.  No judgements.  No criticism.  Just an extremely supportive and encouraging listening ear that actually cares about all of the silly and not-so-silly things that I have to say on a daily basis.

We tell jokes, we send prayer requests, we share amusing anecdotes about our days, we talk about our pasts...we just...share.  Chat.  Connect.

That, my friends, is a very cool relationship to have.

It would be even cooler if I had AOL and was able to hear the cheerful, "You've Got Mail!", but my Inbox (1) will have to suffice.  (Okay, it rarely says (1).  It's normally more like (12) or (25), but most of my e-mail is junk mail, so they don't count.) 

Happy Wednesday, friends! 

Crispy Chicken Caesar Bites

Chicken Caesar Wraps are one of my husband's all-time favorite foods.  In fact, it is the only meal in our house that has ever been eaten on a weekly basis...though that faded out a while ago on account of me getting tired of them.  Routine is great, but I like variety in my food.

So, I decided to try to take all of the flavors that Daniel loves so much and put them into a different form...the wonton skin.  This may be my new favorite medium.  You can put anything in these little guys and they'll turn into crispy, delicious little finger foods!

Next time, I'll make sure to have shredded lettuce in the house to sprinkle on top of them.  The pieces of lettuce in the bag of salad we had were a little too chunky and awkward to fit nicely on top of these little portions.

Crispy Chicken Caesar Bites
Makes 24 bites

• 24 wonton skins
• 1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 Tbs light caesar dressing
• shredded or chopped lettuce

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.  Press wonton skins into a greased mini muffin tin, 1 skin per mini muffin cup, pressing lightly to avoid tearing.

3.  Divide chicken between the 24 cups.

4.  Sprinkle cheese onto each cup.
5.  Pour about 1/2 tsp caesar dressing into each cup.
6.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
7.  Serve with lettuce.

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday - Twice Baked Potato Bites

Monday - Panko Ranch Chicken and Spinach Stuffing Poppers

Tuesday - Chicken Caesar Wraps

Wednesday - Mac & Cheese

Thursday - Baked Potatoes w/ cheese and sour cream

Friday - Out to eat

Saturday - Leftovers

The Interview

It sounds like his pharmacy school interview went great!  He's nervous about the essay portion, because he ran out of time and wasn't able to finish, but it sounds like he rocked the one-on-one interview!

I mean, how could he not when he was looking this good?  ;-)

An older woman was interviewing him and when she asked a question about a moral/ethical dilemma in his life, he started to describe some of his experiences in Iraq. More specifically, a time when he was alone in a room with a terrorist.

She started tearing up.

So much so that he had to leave out quite a few details and end his story early.

I sure don't blame the woman! When I think about what he's been through in his life and see the incredible man he's become, I tear up, too.

That man right there?  That's my husband.  :-)

It's Interview Day!!

Dear Downstairs Neighbors,

I sincerely apologize for stomping on my floor at you so late last night. My husband is interviewing to get into pharmacy school today, which is pretty much the biggest day of our lives so far. I was doing everything I could to help him get a good night of sleep, but your hammering kept waking him up. I should have walked downstairs and kindly asked you to stop, but it was late and I hope you can forgive my inconsiderate stomping. I really appreciate that you stopped hammering when I stomped. Thank you so much for that.

Sincerely,
Your Upstairs Neighbor

I ordered a bunch of cards to start sending people, but, sadly enough, an "I'm sorry for stomping my feet at you" card wasn't in my stash. So, this had to do.  I'm quite sure that the two college guys that live downstairs will appreciate the "love, laughter, and hugs" from a neighbor they don't know at all...

But it'll all be okay, because today is INTERVIEW DAY!!  Daniel is meeting with our awesome, amazing pastor at noonish to help him with his suit and tie to make sure he looks drop-dead gorgeous handsome and professional.  Then he's off to the campus for his interview!  First an essay, then a tour of campus and his interview, and finally a reception with the other applicants and some staff. 

This is a BIG, BIG day for us!

So, of course, I had to make silly notes with candy to surprise Daniel when he wakes up.

If you could spare a prayer or two for him today, I'd really appreciate it! 

What I've Been Up To...

Watching Arizona sunrises and loving that the sun is coming up earlier and earlier every day.

Reading, reading, and reading some more.  I finished The Help this weekend and am about halfway through Beverly Lewis' The Thorn.  And I may have also started two more books on my Kindle.  I love reading.

Putting my new running shoes to work.  Last week I could barely run 1/4 mile without stopping to walk.  I can now run a 12-minute mile without stopping!  I have been super out of shape - slowly, but surely, I'm doing something about that!  Thank goodness for Maryam, my long-distance texting/running buddy!

Teaching Sunday School!  They asked Daniel and I to teach this week and it was a blast!  We played floor beachball volleyball to teach them the first 8 books of the Bible.  There were music videos.  And kettle corn.  You can't go wrong with kettle corn.

Buying Valentine's Day presents.  They are ordered and on their way!  I'm trying to stay ahead of the game, so there's no room for stress!

Watching House, M.D.  We're watching season 7 on DVD and I can't get enough of it!

Planning a baby shower.  I've found some awesome ideas on Pinterest, but I need all of the ideas I can get!  I've never thrown a baby shower before!

Making a Facebook fan page for the blog.  Still figuring out how to use it, but at least the blog posts are synced!

Loving the rain, but really hoping the sun comes back out soon, so that I can have some good natural light for food photos!

Answering comments/e-mails - I am so humbled and honored that you all let me be a part of your lives.  I love getting to know who's "behind the computer."  It blesses me beyond belief.  Thank you.

Twice Baked Potato Bites

I love potatoes. In a big way. Especially fried...or covered in cheese. But since I've been trying to lose weight, I've been trying really, really hard to stay away from fried things...and excessive amounts of cheese.

This recipe would be even more delicious with more cheese and some bacon, so feel free to jazz it up for yourselves, but Daniel doesn't like bacon and I'm learning to just say "no" to cheese. Okay, it wasn't really "no."  It was more like, "okay, just a little bit...".

Because eating healthier shouldn't mean sacrificing flavor!  These are delicious and they totally satisfy my potato craving!  I can eat 4 bites for 120 calories, which means I can either eat even more of them or have plenty of calories left to come up with something else fun to eat with these.  I am so in love with these little guys that fill me up and make me feel like I'm eating more than I actually am.  

I liked them plenty plain or topped with a little sour cream, but Daniel preferred to eat them with ketchup.  Either way, they were the perfect comfort food for Sunday dinner!

Twice Baked Potato Bites
Makes ~24 bites

• 2 medium russet potatoes, baked
• 3 Tbs fat free sour cream
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbs all-purpose flour

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Mash the potatoes in a medium bowl.

3.  With a fork, mix in all other ingredients.

4.  Scoop mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup with about 1 Tbs of potato and lightly press to compact.
5.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

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