song of the day

Cannot stop smiling.

Dinner last night

Cobb Salad

2 sliced Avocados

2 diced Tomatoes

4 sliced Boiled Eggs

5 diced pieces of Bacon

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Romaine Lettuce

Mix together

Add favorite dressing ((Ranch/Blue Cheese)

Corn Chowder served in an individual sourdough bread bowl

Buy individual bread bowl. Cut off top and tear out the extra bread in order for chowder to fit. Pour chowder into bread bowl. Enjoy!

Corn Chowder recipe:

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 Russet potatoes
• 1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

*You can add celery, red and green peppers if you'd like.

Add all ingredients together and let simmer for an hour (or until potatoes are soft)

Yum Yum

better-than-crack brownies.

*picture from website

*picture from website

Better-Than-Crack Brownies

1 batch brownies (boxed mix)

1/2 cup salted peanuts (if don’t have salted, add sea salt)

1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups

1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Remove and top with peanuts and peanut butter cups, and bake for 4-6 minutes more.

While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

*picture from website

We made these last night. They changed my life.

This makes my heart smile...awesomeness!

You can never cross the ocean until you have courage to lose sight of the shore

Homemade Fruit Roll Ups

Is there such a thing as a healthy fruit roll up? Growing up, I looooved them (still do). Of course, it was filled with lots of extra crap and sugar. So I introduce homemade organic fruit roll ups.

What you'll need

Fruit (berries, mango, etc.)

Honey

Cooking Spray and Cooking sheet

Blender

Step 1:

Pre-heat your oven to 175 degrees

Step 2:

Pick your fruit (I used Mangos and Blueberries)

Use a lot of fruit. In the picture above, I didn't have enough. Hence half a sheet. In the future I will use 3 mango's instead of 1.

Step 3:

Blend your fruit and honey together until it's liquified.

Step 4:

Spray a cooking sheet and evenly spread mixture onto the cooking sheet.

*make sure it's spread evenly. The ends could be crispy and burnt if not.

Step 5:

Bake for 4-5 hours

Step 6:

Once cooled, take a pizza cutter and slice.

Step 7:

Enjoy!

“I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for the truth; and truth rewarded me.”

And in POP NEWS, this is an oldie but a genius

Merry Christmas and Happy 2012 New Year

Hi friends.

It's been an adventurous couple of weeks. First starting off in Indianapolis, we celebrated Christmas with the Smiths/Johnstons. We played the white elephant game on Christmas Eve and Joe and I came out with a travel kit. Momma Linda on the other hand got a very intimate gift from her eldest:)

Christmas day was spent with the Johnston's celebrating Jesus and Aunt Nancy's birthday.

Ended the visit by heading up north to Fort Wayne for Joe's job interview (Finger's crossed)

Fort Wayne is a cute city (of what I saw thanks to the snow storm) I found a fantastic grocery shop, The Fresh Market. It's a combination of Whole Food's and Trader Joes. Their produce stems from Carmel, Earthbound Farms...imagine that:)

After saying our goodbye's, we packed up the car and traveled East to New York. Upon arriving, Joe started to feel ill. By Friday he was in bed until we left. Got to spend some time with family. It was too quick. New Years was low key, ringing in 2012 with Anthony, Trav and Rachel at home. Joe was asleep, curing a violent stomach bug.

Monday Mom and I dropped Joe off at the airport and we stopped over at Arthur Ave filling up on the goodies (olives, bread, cookies..etc.) We got lost in the city and I got cray cray. Sorry Mom I love you and your patience.

I left Tuesday morning to be greeted with a blizzard in PA and took a much needed break at Heather's house. Got to Indianapolis later that night and left in the am to catch the train in Chicago. Spent two hours exploring Chicago and got into LA Friday morning. Got my rental car, explored the Fashion District in LA (side note: I'm starting to like L.A) Anyway, the Fashion District is amazing. It's retail and wholesale products (clothes, accessories, fabric, jewelry etc) I bought a fake leather jacket and some brown boots at Santee Alley (think China Town but not busy). After that, made my way to LAX, picked up Laura and we headed north. We stopped in Santa Barbara for some disappointing sushi and much needed coffee. Got into town Friday night and have been getting life in order ever since then. I needed a break, some perspective and now I feel like I can be a ninja of life and get some things done without this cloud over my head.

OH yeah, Congrats Uncle Joe and Aunt Erin for getting hitched. I love you two.

Current temp in Pacific Grove: 60 and Sunny. Welcome home Mrs. Johnston.