Eating In: Week One in Review

Week One of eating in was a success!  We're ten days in and while this weekend was incredibly difficult to resist the temptation of a McAllister's Ham & Cheese Toastie we held firm and have already seen a dramatic impact to our bank account.

This week's menu...

Sunday: Chicken Parmesan--salad--bread
Monday: Pork Loin--Purple Hull peas--buttered noodles
Tuesday: Crockpot Ravioli
Wednesday: Chicken Rice & Broccoli
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Chili
Saturday: Leftovers



We deviated slightly from the menu when we evaluated the leftover situation on Wednesday evening!


A sweet friend requested I blog the recipes each week!  I thought of taking pictures of the finished products but obviously that did not happen.

Chicken Parmesan

bread crumbs
chicken breasts
spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
egg wash
spaghetti noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Dip chicken breasts in egg wash and bread with a mixture of bread crumbs and cheese
Pan simmer on both sides until bread crusts
Lay chicken flat in greased glass pan & top with spaghetti sauce
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
Cook spaghetti noodles and add sauce
Sprinkle cheese on top of chicken and melt
Top spaghetti noodles with chicken and serve



Pork Loin: we buy the preseason pork loin from Sam's.  We can divide in half and freeze.  Simply follow the directions on the package.  (This was Coach Husband's night to cook for the week).  We cooked homegrown purple hull peas from my Papwaw's garden and it was delish.

Crockpot Ravioli

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
15 oz tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
10 oz spinach
16 oz bow-tie pasta
1 1/2 cup mozzarella

Brown beef with garlic and onion
Place beef & sauce in crock-pot.  Add tomatoes and seasonings.
Cook 6-7 hours on low.
Add spinach, cooked pasta and cheese.
Cook 30 more minutes on high.
Top with cheese & serve

Personal note: next time I will be adding more tomato sauce than the recipe calls for, it wasn't enough for our family but made a TON of leftovers


Chicken Rice & Broccoli

1 tbsp oil
1 can creak of chicken soup
4 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups broccoli
1/4 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

Heat oil in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides.
Remove from skillet
Stir soup, water and seasoning into skillet.  Heat to a boil.
Stir in rice and broccoli.
Reduce heat to low and return chicken to the skillet.
Sprinkle paprika and black pepper.
Cover and cook until rice is tender.

Coach Husband loved this dish.  I loved that is was all in one pan for easy clean up and included a starch, protein and veggie all together.  The recipe said it was 5 minute prep time and 20 minute cook time but that was a lie.  My chicken took longer than expected to brown and the total time was more like 35-40 minutes.


Chili

We use the McCormick seasoning packet and follow the directions.  With a side of Velveeta/Rotel cheese dip it was a good night at our house.



Week one was a success.  With work picking up this week I am sure it will be difficult to resist the urge to run out for dinner so keep us in your prayers!  Wednesday CH & I both have late meetings and will need extra prayers around 6:15 when we finally make it home and have to cook.

Breakfast Cookies

Tomorrow the school bell will ring at 7:45 and for the first time in sixteen days I will be back in the building to hear it.  While tomorrow is technically a work day it still signifies going back to routine, schedules and deadlines.  This afternoon the house was deep cleaned, floors mopped and made breakfast cookies to last for the week!

One of my favorite ladies, Mrs. Renae Aycock, who invested in my spiritual life immensely shared this recipe for breakfast cookies and it's one of my favorite breakfast items!  I was also able to use my Kitchen Aid Mixer in the process.  Oh happy day.

Breakfast Cookies 

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 egg

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 cup chocolate chips

3 cups Cheerios

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In large mixing bowl beat butter & peanut butter with a mixer on medium-high for thirty seconds.  Add sugar, baking soda & salt.  Beat until combined, scraping sides.  Beat in water, egg and vanilla.  Beat in flour and as much oats as possible.  Stir in remaining oats, chocolate chips and cereal.  Drop 1/4 cup, 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  

Flatten slightly.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.  Cool on sheet for five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.  

You can store these for up to five days in an airtight container OR you can freeze them!  Since this recipe makes around 4 dozen cookies, I froze half of the batch for later in the month.

I love my Kitchen Aid mixer! 

drop cookies 3 inches apart

one of four cookie sheets

these two supervised the entire process

breakfast for a week

Special thanks to Mrs. Renae for sharing the recipe! She invested in me as a teenager & continues to impact my life even through simple things as breakfast!

Dinner for Two

Cooking has never been something I love.  It seems all the women in my life are extraordinary cooks.  My Mamwaw is a true Southern cook through and through.  Her meals always consist of delectable meat, two-three homegrown vegetables, bread and some sort of homemade dessert.  My mom is the quintessential working-woman who spends all day at work and then comes home to put a meal on the table.  CH’s sister-in-law loves to cook and can create really inventive yummy dishes.  While I am not a “bad” cook, I do not enjoy cooking. I am much more comfortable baking.  Pies, cookies, cakes and the like are more my calling.   Sadly, Coach cannot live on dessert alone…he needs actual meals to survive.  Enter the last year and half of guilt on my part and a very understanding husband who vehemently declares that his favorite food is whatever I put on the table.  The last eight months have been extremely difficult when it comes to dinnertime.  We have fallen more and more into eating out when it comes to dinner.  Eating out eats into our finances and obviously isn’t a positive health-wise either.

Since our 2015 Family Focus is finances this month we are attempting to eat at home EVERY NIGHT for dinner.  That’s 31 nights straight of this girl cooking! For accountability purposes I will be blogging each Sunday with our menu for the previous week!

Here’s a glimpse of our January Meal Calendar!  Here’s to 31 days of dinner at home.

2015 resolution roundup

So I am a sucker for contributor articles from sites such as Buzzfeed, Thought Catalog and Elite Daily. Over the past month, I've noticed these sites have created "resolutions you should make" geared for people in my same stage of life. I have read these articles and decided to compile my own Top 25 list for 2015. Yes, logically I should have chose a top 15, but c'est la vie, it's my own list. :)

c/o pinterest

1. Learn to shrug things off more often
Basically the year of "Shake it Off"... T Swift knew what she was talking about! :)
c/o: buzzfeed

2. Stop beating yourself up for skipping the gym on days you truly didn’t have time. But also, stop skipping the gym on days you had plenty of time to go.
c/o elite daily

3. Stop wasting food.
"According to CNN, 40 percent of food is wasted in the U.S. every year. That’s more than 20 pounds of food per month, per person. Meanwhile, people in poorer countries are going without. Planning meals efficiently will help you cut down on your grocery bill and stop wasting valuable resources."
c/o: lauren conrad

4. Stay just vulnerable enough to accept real love when it comes along and just guarded enough to protect yourself from the assholes.

c/o: thought catalog

5. Be Actively Generous

"We can all afford to be more generous. And generosity is such an important thing to foster, because it really shapes the condition of our heart. The more we can give to God, the world around us, and those in need, the more we realize that the most valuable things are not our possessions- but the sharing of our possessions."

c/o: true love dates

6. Rid yourself of “frenemies.” Don’t spend 2015 surrounded by people you secretly despise.

c/o elite daily

7. Stop dieting: Just eat more fruit and veg and drink a ton of water.

...and probably workout a little more.

c/o: buzzfeed

8. Unplug for an hour a day.

"Make a commitment to be screen-free for at least one hour a day in 2015. Try leaving your phone on silent in the other room while you cook and eat dinner. Or, don’t bring your phone with you when you take your daily walk. Whenever you choose to do it, take some time to truly connect with the people around you or to reflect by yourself without distractions."

c/o: lauren conrad

9. Stop caring about how many people “like” your Instagram photos. 

"If you like the photo enough to post it, what else matters? Social media anxiety is a waste of time."

c/o elite daily

10. Figure out how to re-create your favorite takeaway food at home.

c/o: buzzfeed

11. If you think somebody is cute, say “hi” and introduce yourself. Every relationship you have ever had started with a greeting.

c/o elite daily

12. Get 7 hours of sleep.

"Many of us focus on diet and exercise but forget about the most basic way to take care of ourselves. Getting enough sleep is so important, both physically and emotionally. Make a real commitment to go to bed on time and get your beauty rest."

c/o: lauren conrad

13. Try a food you’ve never eaten before. Also, find out how high your spicy food tolerance really is.

c/o: buzzfeed

14. Remember that you have no obligation to anyone but yourself. If you don’t feel comfortable with him, if he’s not absolutely rocking your world, even if something just doesn’t feel right — Do not ever apologize for declining or ending it all together.

c/o: thought catalog

15. Worry less about what people think.

c/o: buzzfeed

16. Read for pleasure.

It’s so important to never stop learning, no matter what stage of life you’re in. 

c/o: lauren conrad

17. Stop worrying about when to text someone you like. Don’t give into all those silly games this year.

c/o: buzzfeed

18. Leave your phone number for someone. 

Worst-case scenario: you won’t get a call and maybe you’ll feel a tiny bit embarrassed. Regardless of the outcome, you put yourself out there and probably made the other person’s day.

c/o elite daily

19. Stop taking things so damn personally. If it doesn’t end up working out, know that it’s not a reflection of you as a person. 

"Rejection can often feel like a completely personal attack, but it’s usually more about his issues than yours. And if it is about you, then just chalk it up to a bad match and move on." 

c/o: thought catalog

20. Cross something off your bucket list. 

"Sky dive, bungee jump, scuba dive, etc. Don’t make excuses as to why you can’t accomplish something, and check out."

c/o elite daily

21. Figure out what makes you tick, what you actually feel passionate about, and delve further into it. Never stop learning.

c/o: buzzfeed

22. Stop hating yourself for eating dessert. A piece of birthday cake is a right, not a privilege.

c/o elite daily

23. Just do it already.

"Adopt a dog. Quit your job to pursue your passion. Ask that cute guy out on the first date. If you’ve been thinking of doing something for a long time, chances are it’s the right decision. Start your year off with no regrets and everything will work itself out, one way or another."

c/o: lauren conrad

24. Stop standing in your own way.

"Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t reside in-between your own ears. Follow your intuition and learn that nothing that lasts is started through force. If you have to force it, leave it behind."

c/o elite daily

25. Learn to make the first move, be bold, be brave, be the first to dance, grab 2015 by the horns.

This one's my favorite :)

c/o: buzzfeed

Wishing you happiness, laughter, health and love in 2015 - cheers! :)

#emilygoestokc

This week I FINALLY went to Kansas City to visit Bre!  I say finally because Bre moved here almost 5 years ago & being the slacker best friend I am, I have yet to visit.

But we changed that this week in an epic Best Friend Week.  Here is our week in pictures and few words.

I left Monday afternoon for Kansas City on an absolutely full flight next to a couple that demanded I use a Clorox wipe on my seat, tray & arm-rests before they let me have a seat.

Dallas > KC

 We started best friend week with beautiful pampering in the most fabulously luxurious nail salon I have every encountered.  We came back to B's apartment where I was introduced to Jasper, or as I call him, J-Baby for the first time.  We were immediately inseparable best friends. 

J-Baby & I snuggling for the first time

So. Cold.

 We stayed up late, drank Dr Pepper and talked forever.  The next morning we dubbed shopping day and for the first time in my life I was two places at once.  Both Missouri & Kansas...which was pretty epic for me.  We ended the day eating free Chili's and watching the Babysitter's Club Movie on Netflix.

Shopping Day!

We also FaceTimed Coach Husband at regular intervals & listened to his silliness. 

Facetiming Coach

New Year's Eve Day we did lots of fun things!  It was 14 degrees all day long and I have never been more cold before in my life.  I still don't think my feet are warm.  Bre took me downtown for some seriously fabulous barbeque at Jack Stack.  Seriously SO STINKING GOOD.  If you are ever in KC, you must eat here.  I was obsessed & stuffed myself.  After lunch we made our way to the Plaza for some more shopping {sorry Coach Husband, but it's all from my personal spending section of the budget}.  We introduced me to my first coffee beverage at Starbucks, which was a hit.  

First White Chocolate Mocah

Plaza

After shopping & Starbucks we made our way to the Crown Center to make Bre so very happy and ice skate.  Imagine, 14 degrees, ice rink & this Texas girl.  

Respective feelings about the ice skating endeavor

On the ice

Skating so fast we're blurry...or not

In this picture it looks like I am made for winter

Look out Olympics 2018

Obviously I was thrilled

Post ice-skating picture.  I love you Bre!

We rang in the new year watching Friends, drinking Dr Pepper & putting on facial masks.  It was utter perfection.

On our last day together we have done...nothing.  Football all day & Cracker Barrel.  Friends on Netflix, two Sonic drinks in one day & chill time before I board a plane and head back to life in Texas.  Not only am I grateful for Bre's friendship and precious spirit but that no matter how far away we are, what life has dealt us & the end of other friendships she is...my person.  My best friend, my rock, my sister, encourager and accountability partner.  

I love you Bre!  Thanks for hosting me in KC.

miss january goals

Oh hello 2015, nice to meet you! I feel like you and I are going to be great friends over the next 365 days!

2015 has already started pretty marvelous, as I sit here and type this on my couch with me best friend to my side, Dr. Pepper in front of me and Friends on the TV. If this is how my year will look, I'll be a happy girl! :)

c/o pinterest

January Goals

1. Be on time to work

2. Clean out drawers / reorganize 

3. Finish 1 book

4. Finish marathon-ing OTH so I can start a new show

5. Finish Mom's New Year's Cards

As part of the New Year, I want to make a conscious effort to look forward and not back. In the spirit of that philosophy, I'm going to set my January goals, but not recap my December. yes this may be a chicken's way of admitting to failing miserably at December's goals. December was not near the month I had planned or expected... it was long, emotional and exhausting, There were wonderful parts, don't get me wrong, but I struggled to fully enjoy the happy moments and silence sad. That being said, new year - new leaf! :)

January Goals: Mrs.

Today is the first blank page in the chapter of 2015.  This past year was a beautiful season in life filled with new friends, adventures with Coach Husband and the Lord moving in great ways.

I ended 2014 with some lofty goals for December and I am shocked that I accomplished so much during this busy holiday season.

finish & send out Christmas cards

participate in 25 Small Ways

get back into barre class

finish Christmas shopping

record holiday traditions


2015 is going to be a fabulous year and I am starting it off with the following goals.


teach Dixie to say her prayers
start a gratitude journal
cook dinner every night this month
the #365DaysofTruth from She Reads Truth
cash in coins


Cheers to the beginning of a new chapter!