Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Worth the calories...
This morning my parents came to visit for brunch, which was the perfect way to spend my Sunday. I made homemade hash browns, bacon and spinach quiche, and of course I had to stop and get fresh Bruegger's bagels from around the corner. It was my first attempt ever at making a quiche, and with my dad being the tough food critic he is, I was definitely up for a challenge. Hate to brag, but it was darn good. I wanted to share the recipe because it's so easy and delish, and you don't have to be Wolfgang Puck for this to turn out amazing.
You will need:
-8 oz bacon
-1 unbaked 9 inch deep dish pie crust (frozen section)
-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
-3 tbspns all-purpose flour
-5 eggs lightly beaten
-1 1/2 cups half & half
-1/2 cup diced onion
-1 1/2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and drained of all water
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
-Let frozen crust thaw out for about 10-15 minutes. Poke holes in bottom and sides of crust and bake by itself for 5 minutes. Sprinkle bacon inside of crust. In a small bowl, combine Cheddar cheese and flour. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, cream, onion and spinach. Combine both mixtures; stir well. Pour mixture into pie crust. Garnish top with any leftover bacon crumbles.
-Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
To my little brother
Just heard this song and it made me think of one thing: when my little brother was a toddler and this was his favorite song and only knew the chorus. My friends are probably thinking that description sounds a lot like me now. His version went like this:
It's sumfin unpwedictable
In the end is right
I hope you have da tiiIIIiiime of yer lifeeee.
x 5,000
Joseph, you will be 18 in less than a month and not only do you know all the words to this song, but you can play it on the guitar perfectly. Even though I get on your nerves probably more than you get on mine, we will always be pals. However, I will always need to borrow some sweat pants when I'm home, and will always ask you to be my slave and get me something to drink whenever I'm thirsty. At 23, I am still not above being completely helpless the second I plop down on the couch. The dirty looks may stop eventually, but I wouldn't count on it. And I will probably always punch your arm with my bony knuckles every time I walk by you. Get used to it.
BUT
I am proud of you and hope your are proud of yourself. Most importantly I don't ever want you to think you aren't good enough for whatever life has to offer. It's all yours if you want it badly enough. Please know there aren't shortcuts to great things, and if going far in life were easy, everyone would be doing it. Be that leader that mom always instilled in us, and never get mad at the obstacles that get in the way. Learn to embrace them and know that those are the moments that define us. You will be challenged and hurt at times, but it's important to get back up and dust yourself off. Always offer a hand, even to your worst enemy, and expect nothing in return. It's not about what you get, it's about what you give. And lastly, in all things you do, no matter who you're with or where you are, I hope you have the time of your life.
Love,
your big sister
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Rainy Day
Today was such a rainy, dreary day. At work, all we talked about was how we all longed for our sweat pants and the remote in the comfort of our own living rooms, sheltered from the falling sky. I walked in from lunch, practically soaked, despite my best effort to shield myself with my umbrella on my walk from the parking lot. Of course I managed to lose my balance in the midst of dodging puddles on the uneven sidewalk, and planted my feet right in a nice cold puddle the size of Texas. Great. Soggy flats and frizzy hair was the best way to describe the rest of my day.
Despite trudging into my office, sopping wet, wanting nothing more than to be moseyed up at home with a hot cup of chai tea, I appreciate days like today. Sometimes, that slowness of those rainy days is what keeps us grounded. We complain about how ugly it is out and how wet and cold it is, but at the end of the day when we are finally rewarded with sweat pants and a good dinner and a hot shower, we appreciate these little things a tad bit more than usual. I had the most relaxing evening making dinner, doing an ab workout, and finding my little nook at the end of the couch with my laptop and an over-sized sweatshirt. A lot of times, my life is so busy I either don't have time to appreciate these little rewards of my day, or I just flat out overlook them.
So tonight when I snuggle up in bed, I'll be sure to thank God twice for giving me the opportunity today to be patient and count my smaller blessings that I don't always count when the sun is shining and the warm breeze is blowing. It's easy to smile and skip on a bright sunny day, but there's never a rainbow without the rain.
Goodnight,
Jolene
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Dear Taylor
You have been back at school for only 2 days and I already miss you like crazy. I know this sounds sappy to most people, but if they'd ever been in a long-distance relationship that is only comprised of actual dates once every six weeks and being hugged and kissed way less often than desired, they too would miss even the toilet seat always being up every time they went to the bathroom.
The second I pulled away from the airport, I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw you walking away with your whole life folded neatly in a duffel bag and a head on your shoulders that could save the world. I told myself, "One more down, now on to the next semester!" The end to your Christmas break is so bittersweet to me. This is when we get to spend the most time together and celebrate the holidays with our friends and families. I hate our "goodbyes" (or as you like to call them "see you later's"), but at the same time I know that little glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel gets a little brighter each time. We are almost half-way there! Can you believe it? I remember the night before you moved away, we were at dinner and you toasted with your glass in the air, "To the next four years." I was so sad you were leaving and my little eyes went blurry and I forced a smile. I will never forget that.
As you continue on your journey of challenges and all the new invigorating things you will learn and become, I want to tell you how proud of you I am. Your endeavors prove more than just your drive and intelligence, but also your character. You have a deep passion for helping others, and to say you will make a difference in others' lives is an understatement. I love this about you. As much as I hate saying goodbye to you and hate sleeping in without your warm body curled up next to me, I wouldn't trade it for the world. You truly are one of a kind, and you never cease to prove that to not only myself, but to everyone who comes your way. Please always be true to yourself and remain humble through all your accomplishments as your path to success and happiness widens. You are on your way to great things, and whatever you want in life is there for the taking. Hold on to all your passions with two hands, my love. The best is yet to come.
xoxo
Jolene
Monday, January 9, 2012
Need a healthy kick?
A while ago, a friend of mine told me about this recipe -- and it has definitely become one of my favorites! It's super easy and super healthy! I have made a few tweaks, so hope you enjoy!
Mango Salsa
-1 ripe mango
-1/2 avacado
-2 roma tomatoes
-1/4 lime
-1 small red bell pepper
-1 small red onion
-1/4 cup fresh cilantro
-1 cup drained corn
-1/2 tsp minced garlic
-1/2 tsp salt
Tilapia
-2-4 Tilapia filets
-1 tbs minced garlic
-olive oil
-parsley
-salt/pepper
First, start out with the salsa -- the longer it sits, the better the flavor!
-Dice mango, avocado, tomatoes, red pepper, and onion and combine in medium sized bowl
-Add corn, salt, garlic
-Squeeze lime and zest over ingredients.
-Chop cilantro finely - add to bowl
-Stir all the ingredients together and place in fridge
Tilapia (Oven is the easiest way to cook this - but you can grill or cook on the stove)
-Preheat oven to 350
-Drizzle olive oil in a med-lrg glass oven-safe dish
-Place filets in dish, not overlapping
-Drizzle filets with olive oil
-Sprinkle with salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic powder
-Cook in oven for about 15 minutes until fish is no longer transparent and is mostly white
I also like to serve this with white rice for a bigger meal, but that's completely up to the cook!
Once tilapia is fully cooked, spread rice on plate, add fish on top, and finally top it with the salsa and some fresh cilantro as a garnish.
This salsa is great to eat with chips and can be stored in a jar in the fridge like all other salsas. You can also substitute the Tilapia with grilled Mahi, Cod, sauteed shrimp, etc. It's a very quick meal after all the ingredients are diced up. Best of all, you will have a beautifully colorful concoction of all fresh ingredients that will fill you up and provide all the best nutrients! (I recommend throwing all the salsa ingredients into a food processor to save time, but I oddly enough enjoy taking the time to dice everything up by hand.) You can feed 3-4 people with the above ingredients and it can be made for under $20! Hope you enjoy!
Happy 2012!
I have always been a major proponent of hot yoga, but I must say, it has been a while since I sat in a 105 degree studio for an hour and a half and sweated and bended and stretched and well... you get the idea. I have really missed doing hot yoga, and since having moved to Raleigh this past summer, I have been taking one step at a time to adapting to my new city. I have been on the hunt to find all new doctors, a dentist, an oral surgeon, a dry cleaner, a hair stylist, a tailor, and the list goes on. I have been very successful in my hunt -- however, last on my list was to find a good yoga studio.
I could not be happier! I must say, I had one of the best hot yoga experiences at Open Door Yoga Studio downtown. People always groan when I mention hot yoga; they think of how miserable it must be to do yoga in 105 degrees for an hour an half. But really, it's just the opposite. It's the most refreshing, yet challenging physical activity you can do to your body. You sweat the entire time, and it feels amazing. With a big bottle of ice water and the right mindset, you will find that you not only feel lighter when you leave, your muscles will be relaxed and toned and you will get the best sleep you've ever had. On average, you burn between 600-1200 calories in the 90 minute class, which is more than most people burn during an average gym workout or run. Some of the primary benefits include leaner, toned muscles, increased use of lungs, better blood circulation, rejuvenated organs and arteries, weight loss, and stress relief to name a few.
Anyone in the Raleigh area, I highly recommend this studio. They have a flexible schedule, great staff, and the best part - you pay on a donation basis! If you have a little more, you pay a little more, but if you don't have as much, you can still get the benefits of hot yoga for a little less. It's a great concept, and a great way of life.
http://www.opendooryogastudio.com/
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
January 2, 2012
Since Taylor has been home for his Christmas break, I have been planning every meal left and right. I love cooking, but having someone to enjoy it with makes it that much better. Oh, and one of my new years resolutions is to blog more often, so here's a little sneak peak into what was for dinner tonight!
Marinated NY strip (2 steaks): I never measure anything unless i'm baking, but here are the estimated ingredients for my marinade
-4 tbs balsamic vinegar
-1 tsp minced garlic
-4 tbs worcestershire sauce
-3 tbs italian dressing
-2 tsp brown mustard
-sprinkled pepper and garlic powder
-Note: It's best to save to salt for after it's cooked as it absorbs moisture and you don't want to dry out the steaks.
Grilled Asparagus:
-Coat with italian dressing, garlic powder, salt, pepper
-Cook on med-low on the grill until ends are crisp and is cooked through
Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
-Cook 5-6 large red-skinned potatoes in boiling water with about 1/2 tsp salt
-Drain and mash half way
-Add about 1 cup of milk
-Add large spoonful butter/margarine
-Add large spoonful sour cream
-1 tbs minced garlic
-Salt/pepper to taste
-mash all together and add sour cream or milk for preferred consistency (For my usual ranch mashed potatoes, add 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix and 1/2 package cream cheese with green onions mixed in -- AHHHmazing)
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