Big List Update

Well I only have one thing to cross off my list today (well two but I can't remember the name of the recipe I made so I will have to do that later) but it's a B-I-G ticket item.

So.

Without further ado...

#31 is Complete!!

Which hopefully means that #'s 32,33, and 37 will be completed soon too as well as other "nesting" type list items!

Yep #31 is Get pregnant with Baby C2!

Done. And. Done.

Hot Mama Tilapia with Avocado Sauce and Cauliflower Mash

I have no pictures of this because frankly it never crossed my mind until right now and I was home alone i.e. Jimmy was gone and cooking while watching a toddler is hard enough without having to try and take pictures of the food. :)

The recipe is from The City Sisters and this is their photo...

(Mine wouldn't have been as pretty so it all worked out)

Let me just say that I made this for the first time last night and it was super easy! I love easy. It was probably one of the best things I have ever made. Definitely a keeper and very very healthy!!

Hot Mama Tilapia:
4 Tilapia filet's
1 tbs. olive oil
2 Jalapenos
1 tsp Cumin
1 Lime
1/2 Red onion
1 tsp Garlic
1 tsp Black Pepper

Avocado Sauce:
1 ripe Avocado
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 TBS diced red onion
Veggie broth

Cauliflower Mashers:
1 head of white Cauliflower
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 jalapeno de-seeded

Hot Mama Tilapia:
Pat each Tilapia fillet with a paper towel to make sure the fish is as dry as possible. Dice up the jalapeno and onion and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot add the garlic, red onion, and jalapenos. Cook for about 1 minute just enough to really let the garlic open up but not burn. Add in the Tilapia and spritz each fillet with the limes juice. Dust each fillet with the cumin, pepper and garlic. Flip the tilapia over and spritz with the lime and dust with more of the spices. It is ok if the red onion mixture is in the way of the fish touching the pan this will actually help with the flavor of the fish. Cook the fish all the way through and plate. This should only take about 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle each fillet with the left over ingredients in the pan.

Avocado Sauce:
In a small food processor puree the ripe avocado, garlic, onion, and about 1 tbls of veggie broth until creamy. Add more veggie broth as needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over plated tilapia.

Cauliflower Mashers:
Boil enough water to submerge cauliflower in a large pot. Cut off stems of cauliflower and discard. Add the tops of the cauliflower to the boiling water and cook until the cauliflower is soft. (You want to be able to stab the cauliflower with a fork easily) Don't over cook or it will just disintegrate. Pat dry the cauliflower and place it in a large food processor. Add all the additional ingredients and puree until you reach a similar consistency to mashed potatoes. This is normally when I would tell you to add Asiago cheese but I will have skinny knees so I'm not going to. If you have skinny knees then I suggest adding about 1 cup of Asaigo cheese and mixing it all together.

Marci's Notes:

1. I did not rewrite the recipe, I left it in her words because it was so easy to follow.

2. If you are making this for two, half the avocado sauce. I did not and I have a lot left and I am not sure if it will keep... I will find out tonight!

3. Make this! You will love it! If cauliflower mash sounds awful or weird or awfully weird put your big kid pants on and get over it. Try something new. I was pleasantly suprised and Mac loved them too!

100 Things To Do Before Kindergarten

Yes. I have found another list. My friend Heather aka Jack's Mom, from Geaux Baby and Simple Etiquette, posted this list that she found on Savvy Source of 100 Things To Do Before Kindergarten.

I figured I'm doing my 101 list so why shouldn't Mac have a list!? Right? Exactly. Plus, if Jack is working from the same list as Mac then we could do parts of the list together and, hello, the more the merrier right!! Heck yeah!

It's super heartbreaking to even think that one day I will have to take Mac, my little bitty baby boy, to kindergarten. **tear** But until that black day of mommy mourning harkens my door we can do some super fun things to take our minds off the evil baby stealing education system. (I know, that's a bit dramatic but I'm rarely dramatic so just go with it...) I have set up a tab on this page that will show the items as we mark them off, much like my 101 list, and as we mark them off I will post about the fun we had and the pictures that we took!

Come back to check on our list progress! And if you have a toddler... join us!! ;)

OOOoooo just had a thought! How cute would it be for me to make a book from the blog posts of all 100 things we did! Love it!

Baked Mostaccioli

Last night for dinner I made Baked Mostaccioli. I have had the recipe for a few months and wish I had made is sooner! I came across it on one of the blogs I follow and it was obviously before I started listing where I found the recipe on the recipe when I save it so I have no idea where it came from... either way it's super tasty!

Baked Mostaccioli

Ingredients
1 box Mostaccioli
¾ cup butter
1 cup whipping cream
¼ tsp white pepper
1 ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (fresh)
2 tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 garlic cloves minced
1 jar spaghetti sauce (Ragu Robusto)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and sliced

Cook 1 box Mostaccoli according to package directions, drain.

Cook and chop 3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts.

Alfredo Sauce
In a sauce pan melt the butter. (As you are making the Alfredo, have the spaghetti sauce heating up on the stove.)
After the butter is melted, pour in the whipping cream
Add some white pepper to this and let it cook over low heat for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add 1 1/4 cup of fresh grated Parmesan to the mixture, and cook over low heat till the cheese has melted, stirring constantly.

Mix the Alfredo with the warm spaghetti sauce to desired taste. Stir the mixed sauce into the cooked pasta – making sure all is coated. Add the chicken, garlic, and chopped parsley, stir.

Pour mixture into a 13x9 baking dish, top with remaining Parmesan and the mozzarella. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes



Notes:
This is what the original recipe poster had to say:
*Seriously, the key to this dish is fresh ingredients - don’t go cheap or easy on it, and it won’t let you down.

~ I used fresh parmesan, grated it myself and everything! It was great! I did not use fresh parsley. If I grew my own I would have but I didn't want to buy some just for 2 tsp. I used just a tad more than 3 tsp of dried parsley. And the mozzarella was from a bag but I thought it turned out just dandy!

~ Cook/boil your chicked before hand. I boiled mine the night before while I was getting dinner on the table. It made it so much easier and so much faster last night!

~ I didn't have white pepper so I just got tacky with it and used what I had, black pepper.

~ Also, just be prepared for dishes. This recipe used lots of pans...alfredo sauce, spaghetti sauce, pasta, cutting the chicken, grating the parm. But it's worth it!

Enjoy!

Moustache Onsie

My friend is pregnant and I HAD to make this for Baby Luke.


I guess it's just the whole moustache craze and the fact that I made these shirts a while back for our buddy Jack's 1st Birthday Moustache Party... we had to go in theme of course. And we, Mac and I, still wear ours all the time!



I just couldn't resist. I grabbed the pack of onsies and went to town!


I rolled the finished product up and tied them with green tool (which I didn't get a picture of). They are so cute, in my opinion! HA!

Every sophisticated infant needs one, or three!

Eclair Cake

You are in for a real treat with this recipe! It is so ridiculously easy and so ridiculously good that you have no excuse not to make this the next time you are asked to bring dessert!!



Eclair Cake

Ingrediants:

2 (3.5 oz) Packages instant vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz) container frozen cool whip, thawed
3 cups milk
1 (16 oz) box graham crackers
1 (16 oz) container prepared chocolate frosting

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk.

2. Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of graham crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.

3. Melt frosting in microwave for 30 seconds and spread over the whole cake, up to the edges of the pan.

4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.



**I used french vanilla pudding, it was the first vanilla I saw so I grabbed it. It. Was. Good.
**I learned the hard way but next time I will put the cool whip and pudding in the bowl and stir that up a little before adding the milk. (I just dumped everything in the bowl and I have a fun time trying to mix in the floating cool whip into the pudding and milk!!)

This is the perfect make ahead dish and super fast to throw together.

Hope you get a chance to try it real soon!!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

Yes. You read that right the first time. Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies. YUM!

I found this recipe at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and had to try it out!



They are amazing! And super super rich. I cut a normal size brownie piece for me and could only manage two bites!! They are that sweet and I. Love. Sweet. So I cut the rest of the pan into 1 inch brownie bites.



I will definitely make them again. My cookie dough looked different than what was pictured on Confessions of a Cookbook Queen's site. The recipe did not say to pack the brown sugar but everytime I have ever used brown sugar that is what was instructed so I, out of habit, packed the half cup and plopped it into the mix only to realize later that maybe that is why mine was darker and seemingly denser than hers.



Try them out and see what you think!! Oh and I did what she did and used the Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie mix... um... prob going to be my new go to box mix. Those brownies are ridiculously amazing!! AND the cookie dough is eggless! Totally safe to be eaten "raw". :)

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies
**adapted from Taste of Home Baking Classics by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Ingrediants

8x8 pan of brownies, baked and cooled (I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate but you can use any homemade or boxed recipe you prefer)
1/4 stick salted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
Heaping 1/2 cup mini M&Ms

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and peanut butter until combined. Add sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix until fully combined. Fold in M&M's. Spoon cookie dough over brownies and spread carefully.

If you make a 9x13 pan of brownies, you may want to double the topping or it won't be as thick.

New Recipes for #14

I made a Chicken Enchilada Ring with the recipe that I found on Kelly's Recipes.


It was really good and it was so easy to make. I made it for supper one night when Jimmy was playing softball so I got to test it out first. My thoughts are that it is not a supper recipe but it is perfect for brunch! It was great topped with sour cream and avocado and the next night I think Jimmy even put ranch on it? He said it was good. Yeah.


This is Kelly's recipe, my notes will follow:

Chicken Enchilada Ring

2 cups cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small can chopped chilies, undrained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package taco seasoning
2 rolls of crescent rolls
1 small chopped tomato
1 lime (juice)
2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips

1. Chop chicken and add olives, cheese, chilies, sour cream and taco mix. Seed and chop 1 tomato and add 2 tablespoons lime juice; add to chicken mixture. Reserve 2 Tblsp. crushed chips and add remaining chips to mixture.

2.Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange on round baking stone or cookie sheet making a circle with wide ends OVERLAPPING in the center and points toward outside. (I did lightly spray oil on the cookie sheet I used). There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in the center.

3. Spread chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.

4. Bring points of triangles up and over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. crushed chips and cheese.

5. Bake @ 375 for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with tomato and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Notes:

-Like I said it's a brunch dish and a really good one!

-I left out the olives only because Jimmy doesn't like them and it was still very tasty. If I get a chance to make this again for other people I will definitely add the olives. I love olives!

-I shredded left over chicken which made it so fast and easy to throw this together because I didn't have to cook anything. And if you already have cooked chicken this is a one bowl recipe!!

Still with me? Awesome! Then here is another recipe!

Back in May I found this little jewel of a recipe on Cheeky Kitchen

Chicken Pot Pie with Herbed Potato Crust

1 pound ground chicken
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
1 small clove garlic, chopped
4 ounces real bacon bits
2 cups frozen peas and carrots blend
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 whole wheat pie crust
6 russet potatoes, peeled & boiled until tender
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
a bunch of fresh dill, thyme, and chives
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet, brown chicken with onion and garlic. Stir in the bacon bits, peas and carrots. Cook just until the peas and carrots aren't frozen, about 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, cornstarch and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into the skillet and stir constantly until it begins to thicken. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Add the asparagus, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly while baking the pie crust..

Place the whole wheat pie crust into the oven and back for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn a light, golden brown. Remove and allow to cool slightly before filling with chicken mixture.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, and egg. Toss in a handful of fresh chopped chives, a good amount of fresh or dried dill (we added about 1/2 tablespoon of dried dill and it was perfect), several pinches of fresh thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture over the chicken mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the mashed potatoes are golden brown at the peaks. Enjoy!

This. Is. Awesome. It was soooo gooood! And really easy to make.


Of course I don't have a picture of a cut piece... they went to fast! Here are my notes:

-I only had dried dill, next time I will get thyme and chives as well. I think it will only make it better!

-I made two pies but when I make it again I will look for a deep dish pie crust and only make one pie.

-I knew I was going to use both pie crusts and used 7 potatoes so I would have enough mashed potatoes for both pot pies. When I make it again I would use just 5 potatoes. It makes a lot!

-I used a regular pie crust, not whole wheat. I was tried of being in the grocery store and I just grabbed the first one I saw.

I hope you get to make these soon! Let me know how they turn out if you do!

Let's Start Over...

sort of. I really mean let's just get going on this again. My last post was me trying to decide if I was going to keep this blog or just move the list over to a page on my main blog but after a little bit of consideration I decided to keep this one and post my list updates here.

I have been very busy with work during the 82nd Legislative Session so the list has suffered greatly, however, today it was updated and a few changes made and now it's better than before. My "monthlies" issue has been solved. Instead of doing a task monthly I just gave it a specific number of times I would like to do it ie. cook/bake a new recipe. I did keep the once a month date night because that one is super improtant to me and I am newly focused on making that happen at least once but hopefully a couple of times each month.

The motorcycle day trip, #74, was not changed but, well, we sold the motorcycle in April so that will not happen. Maybe when we are empty nesters we will revist the motorcycle life!! And I did change the Spam Festival to the Louisiana Swamp Thing and Crawfish Festival because I apparently missed the memo, the Spam Festival has not happened since 2007. Just another reason to get out and do the things that you think you want to do! They might not always be there when you "find the time" later.

I did get to cross a couple of things off the list while I was "perfecting" it.

#47. Take Mac to Pearls' Easter Egg Hunt in 2011. That totally happened! You can read about it here.

#77 Resole brown boots. I had that done back in April and I am ready for some boot scoot'n now! Both boots have perfect traction, which the left one was missing due to the cracked sole, so let's get down country style soon!

Ok, it's time for lunch! Be back soon with updates!

MIA

OK so I have not worked on my list in a while. To be honest I am tired of all the monthly little items that I am supposed to be doing but in the time that I have been keeping up with them they, for the most part, have become habit. I have gotten really good about keeping our meals new by trying new recipes, I use my china every now and then. I am trying to lose weight to baking a new recipe has really taken a hit and sadly I just dont think about flowers all the time but maybe with spring practically knocking down the door I will be better about that.

I say that to lead into this... I am going to revamp my list. It's mine anyway and I can do as I please with it. ;) Anything that requires repeating will be altered to make it a one time action resulting in completion and be marked off the list as done. All those "monthly" items will be marked as done. There are a couple more that I am going to rethink as well and touch those up too.

I also think I may combine my two blogs since I am the only one that reads this one (other than Jocelyn!) and make my list a page on my main blog, then I can just update there when I cross something off... I am still deciding if I want to combine them but we'll see.

December Monthlies and Other Completed Items

December Monthlies... I did all but one! I'm ok with that!

-I used my china
-Jimmy and I had a date lunch in MtP, we were running Christmas errands and ate at Randy's Burger! So Good.
-I bought white flowers for Mac's party
-We went to MtP for Christmas!
-I made Oreo Cookie Balls and Chocolate Chip Brownies!

I did not cook a new recipe, at least I don't think I did but I baked two new recipes?? :)

I have completed a few items on my 101 list! Here we go...

#42. Stop saying "Like". I think I was fairly sucessful, sucessful enough for me anyway. I still slip up but I am highly aware of this awful habit so I think in time the improper usage will fade!

#66. Go to the Ballet. I did! I went to see the Nutcracker with some girlfriends. So much fun! I had seen it before but who can it just once??!! I will say this that the Austin Ballet's performance of this classic ballet was lacking (lacking in that it seemed ballet school recital'ish), I saw it in Dallas many years ago and Austin didn't hold a candle to it. Sorry if I am offending my one reader... Jocelyn, sorry. ha!

#78. Buy/receive a sewing machine. I received one for Christmas from my Mom!! I can't wait to use it! In fact the inaugural sewing session is being held tonight! whoohoo Happy sewing to me!! To Me!

#83. Clean out bookshelf in the office. I cleaned it out! I have books ready to be taken to Half Price books to be turned in for credit! I think this will help me with #1, read 20 books.

So far in this list project I have completed 17 items! I am happy with that. I have a couple more that will be started and/or crossed of as completed soon.