Who Needs Fast Food Pizza? Try This!

Don't get mad and ditch my blog, but I typically do not make my own pizza crusts. eek!

 Usually when we have pizza we are either super-de-dooper hungry and I throw something together or I wanna be somewhat lazy...aaaand throw something together.  Either way-  our tummies are VERY happy afterwards ;)

Ingredients:

Mia's Pizza Pack

Whatever toppings you like (meat lover, veggie lover, Hawaiian, BBQ, etc.)

Olive oil

seasonings: crushed red pepper, LOTSA garlic, Italian seasoning, Basil, Pepper, etc.

And last, but certainly not least:

CHEESE!!!  Definitely go for 2% or fat free, since most of your calories are the cheese, but just to warn you- fat free is NOT like normal pizza cheese and cooks a lil different...I mixed feta and fat free and it was a nice mix!

Here is my latest pizza MASTERPIECE!

Cut up your veggies.

Saute up your veggies.

Brush a light coat of olive oil on the crust (optional) and then spoon on marinara.  I mixed in some herbs and spices with my marinara before adding it, as you can see:

Layer on the goodies:

I think I actually snuck some sausage on...I had made Will his very own meat lover's pizza, and I guess some jumped on mine...sssshhh!

I add the cheese last, so that it melts on top of everything and holds it all in.

Bake as per your package directions and VOILA! 

Delicious pizza at half the calories and twice the nutritional value!!

Happy Thursday!  We have ALMOST made it through the week!

Ten Fact Tuesday: Baltimore Edition!

I'm sure you are wondering...hmmm...Baltimore?  That's what I would have said, but now that my best friend  now officially lives there, I need to know about it.  Even more importantly- now that she has surprised me with a plane ticket there for my birthday I MUST know about it!  Yep.  My best friend is THAT awesome.  She called it "$285 dollars of LOVE".

1)  Founded in 1729, Baltimore was named after Lord Baltimore, a member of the Irish House of Lords.  It is located on the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay.  The very same Bay that...(go to #2)

2) Our very own National Anthem was written in! Inspired by the bombardment of Fort McHenry as viewed from the Bay, during the War of 1812.  Remember that guy Francis Scott Key?  Yeah, he wrote it as a poem while watching stuff get blown up..."aaaannnnd the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air!!!!"

3) Nicknames:  Charm City, Mobtown, B'more, The City of Firsts, Monument City and of course Ravenstown.

4) Motto:  "The Greatest City in America."  They've also added "Get in on it.", which gave me a chuckle...

5)  In the traditional local accent, the townspeople refer to their city as "Balamore".  Their accent is similar to a Philadelphian accent. (My spell check says that Philadelphian isn't a word, but if not it should be!)

6) Fort McHenry is now visited as a National Monument and Historic Shrine.  It's gorgeous grounds and rich history make it very appealing to tourists like myself.  Did you catch that Dani?  Add this to our list of "Things to Do".

7) It is home of the Ravens and the Orioles, so it is well represented in the sports world.  Not to mention, they can boast of being the birthplace of Babe Ruth.  Now that's a claim to fame.

8) Well-known for architecture that spans two centuries and many different movements, which I can't WAIT to experience in real life.  I think one of of my favorite aspects of traveling is exploring the architecture.  It truly entrances me...

 9)  As with any big city, many many famous and influential people call it home.  Including, but not limited to: Tori Amos, Tom Clancy, Billie Holiday, Nancy Pelosi, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Post, Upton Sinclair, Oprah Winfrey and  David Hasselhoff -wait- you mean he's not from the beaches of California?

10) Last, but most certainly not least, my FAVORITE fact about Baltimore is that my Dani-Girl lives there!!

Only a short time and we will be enjoying this together!:

33 Days to be exact!!  Which also means- 35 days till my BIRTHDAY! 

 (I'm not getting older, just wiser ;)

Hate Mondays...So I stopped working them!

I can't wait for....CHRISTMAS!!!  (I'm not even mad that Costco has their Christmas Decor out.)  I need some Christmas Spirit in my life....

I'm happy that....that yesterday was a wonderful day of fun with just me and the hubs <3


I'm excited because....My best friend bought me a plane ticket to come see her for my birthday! (more on that tomorrow, so you'll have to come back to find out the deets!


I'm craving...Jami's green chili, that she brought to our BBQ on Saturday...YUM.


If I had 3 wishes they would be...
1) World Peace (No, SERIOUSLY. Why can't we just get along?) 
2) To get all of our family together in one place, since our families haven't even met...That's a whole 'nother story that I'll have to expound upon later, but we eloped, so it's our own fault ;) 
3) Take Will to Europe.  He hasn't been, and I LOVE it over there.  Just waiting till we have some time to go....


I miss....Our wonderful family and friends...The Army takes us far from them :(


I love...Food, cooking, photography, the beach, blogging, reading, music, traveling, sunsets and the way my husband kisses my palm. #meltsmyheart


I am thankful for...My husband, our family, our wonderful friends, Weiser,  the adventures we are embarking upon and simply life in general. 


This is why I miss my family:

Don't let Mondays Get Ya' down y'all!  Do as little work as possible, while plotting out the rest of your week.  If you plan the rest of the week well, then you won't even feel like you took a break on Monday!  Call Mondays "Mental Health Mondays" and use them to YOUR advantage.

Secret Ingredient: Pumpkin Pie Spice (Better than Starbucks)

Dontcha' just love all things pumpkin when fall rolls around?

I know that most of you know what I'm talking about, simply because everyone on Facebook are ALL about Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  What if I told you, that you could make your very own in the privacy of your home?!

Don't believe me?

Well first, go pick up some Pumpkin Pie Spice.  It probably won't look like this, cuz this one's too cool for skool:

But this is about right:

Sprinkle it liberally in your coffee grounds pre-percolation and in the time it takes for your pot to brew- your house will smell of fall, your coffee will be full of flavor and your wallet will be MUCH happier!

I plan on buying this as soon as it comes out to make it even BETTER!

Stay tuned for my Pumpkin Pie Milkshake...You won't want to miss it because it is #todiefor and it is healthy, so there will be NO GUILT!!

Warning: PG13 (But Totally Worth It)

It's hump day and everyone needs a pick-me-up to get through the week, so hopefully you enjoy this as much as I did!

Hubby goes to sleep early, so I try to be VERY VERY quiet...Unfortunately, after reading this, my laughter and convulsions woke him up. #sorryi'mnotsorry

The Flobots and Co.

My husband introduced me to this band awhile ago, and like him- I quite enjoy them.  We missed their last show in town, so I promised him that we would go to the next one, which just happened to be this past Saturday!  I must tell you, though, we almost didn't make it...

He got back from the field on Thursday waaayyyyy past my bedtime, so Friday evening was our first bit of quality time.  Apparently, Will was looking forward to it just as much as I was, because this is what I came home to:

Followed by Filet fresh off the grill, paired with roasted red-bliss potatoes and a zucchini-squash medley.  As if I didn't need another reason to marry this man, HE CAN COOK TOO!  Not only was dinner fabulous, but we stayed lost in conversation well after dinner was finished, and then cuddled up to watch the movie "Unknown" with Liam Neeson. (Highly recommend, by the way). 

 All was fabulous, but at the end of the night he began complaining of a pounding headache.  This was odd because he doesn't normally get headaches, he began acting out of character and confused and he also had a weird lump on his leg that had rapidly popped up.  I didn't want to over-react and haul him off to the hospital, so I gave him some medicine, tucked him in and checked him a ba-zillion times throughout the night to make sure he didn't  die on me have a fever.  The next morning his headache was better, but the lump was bigger and even more painful.  It was actually to the point that he couldn't even walk normally, so to the ER we went.

We were afraid that it was going to take forever at the Fort Carson hospital, but we were actually seen relatively quickly and efficiently.  The Doc said it was most likely a cyst (not the cancerous kind) and that he would prescribe some antibiotics and pain meds as the first line of defense to try to avoid surgery.  As minor as the surgery would be, it's still a pain in the butt and prolongs the healing time.

Bad news: It made for an uncomfortable day/evening for Will

Good news:  He got babied by me, got hopped up on relief from pain meds, still got to go to the concert AND got to sit in the Handicap section!

Air Dubai and K-Flay were the openers and we all enjoyed both!  Seriously, they are worth checking out.  Air Dubai's lead singer has an INCREDIBLE voice and K-Flay is basically one chick who creates her own beats, DJ's and sings.  Pretty darn multi-talented, if you ask me.

 I think the group of people we went with also MADE the concert.  None of them had even heard of any of the bands, but they were down for a good time and trusted our musical judgement.  They certainly made the show more interesting ;)

#inthemoment

In case you are unfamiliar with the band, you might recognize this song:

 And definitely check out the video for "Stand Up". It's my favorite <3

Unfortunately, Will's leg doesn't seem to be better...in fact it seems worse :(  I will spare you the details, but it's GROSS.  He said he's gonna stop showing me, if I don't stop getting grossed out and making fun of it.  Needless to say, he is going to sick-call in the morning and then straight to the doctor.  I think the surgery is inevitable at this point.  Poor baby.  I would say that he's doing all this to get out of all his responsibilities, but I know that he's really in pain and with the way it looks....eeewwwwwweeeeeeeeeoooowwww.

Livin' On The Edge

Wanna know why my husband thinks that I am the best wife ever?  Because I let him by a motorcycle and a gun...Seems a little excessive all in one month, but I promise he deserved them (plus I had motives ;)

A few months ago, Will and I were awoken by a gun shot.  It scared the bejeezus out of both of us.  We never heard anything of it and are pretty sure it was someone just messing around, but it still had us on edge.  The very next day, Will voiced his desire to pick up a gun for protection.  I know he also wanted a gun to go to the gun range with, but as I am from a Southern family that has always had a gun or five and a couple shotguns around the house- I wasn't against it.  I told him that once we sold his big-monster-of-an-unnecessary-truck, he could get a gun.

I must admit, the bike was actually my idea.  Five years ago, if you had told me I would own a bike, be with someone who had a bike or even ride on a bike, I would say you MUST have lost your mind.  I even talked Will into selling the bike that he had, but then gas prices kept rising, Sturgis piqued my interest and  I realized just how convenient it would be to have a bike when we move again.  By having a bike we can get rid of both of our daily drivers and just throw the bike in the back of the trailer for easy access to get around.

Thus, after we I sold the truck-  Will acquired a Glock and a 1986 Honda Interceptor.

This isn't it, but it looks just like it:

This was the picture that his buddy Buck took when he was bringing our new toy home...It got a lot of Top Gun references.  I think he just looks sexy <3

Of course, safety is first, so I just ordered my very first motorcycle helmet!!  Isn't it just darling?  I feel like such a rebel!!  Yes, even in a "pretty" helmet ;)

I'm signing up for a motorcycle safety class soon, because I plan on attempting to driving it soon!  I'll let you all know how that goes... WISH ME LUCK!

Sometimes Shopping IS The Answer

And no, I'm absolutely NOT talking about the materialistic aspect!  Yes, it is fun to pick up some new goodies, but not only do I find shopping or "window shopping" to be like a game- finding just what I'm looking for, at just the right price- I also find it to be a great "hangin' with the girls" activity.  There is just something rejuvenating about having girl time, and what better setting than an afternoon shopping excursion!

I'm so happy my girlfriend Jaycee wanted some help shopping for some winter attire, since she's from Vegas and doesn't know what "winter" really is.  I feel like we didn't get enough accomplished of that particular task, but we had a blast in the process and we can't wait to hang out again!  It's so nice to connect with people in Colorado Springs...It's hard to meet new people and then it's even harder to form relationships when you are married.  Not that I'm complaining, since I LOVE being married (specifically to my husband), but I don't like making plans without him.  That means that unless he's out training, girl time is limited.  Obviously, he is away right now, so girl time was ON!

I got this cute top at Express on SALE!  It looks great on and I already have several plans for it...

I love this necklace!  It will work great with this top and I'm sure I will work it into a few other outfits, as well.
The little rosettes appeal to my soul...

Jaycee and I brought matching bracelets!! How cute??

Best deal of the day: 

 His and hers shoes from Famous Footwear's Buy One Get One Half Off sale!! I am proud to say that mine were the cheaper of the two.

I think that it's funny that his shoes look small in this picture.  He wears a size 12 and I only wear a 7.5!!

I need to do this more often...but I'm hoping my hubby will be home today, so he gets all my attention for a little while ;)  I can't explain how much I want to plant a BIG OL' KISS ON HIM!!

Summa' Time Casserole

Summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean you can't squeeze in some yummy summer food!  Or if you procrastinate like me- you can just make this recipe more fall/winter appropriate when the time comes...I'm positive that I will be making a heartier version when I need some warmin' up from the inside out. It's so easy, you'll want to make it all the time. Seriously.

Slice and steam up some lovely veggies:

Open a can of Cream of Chicken condensed soup.  

Excuse my brand choice, but it's all we had on hand for my impromptu casserole...

(Not that I'm against store brands, but will choose a healthier version in the future.  Have time? Make your own base with Heavy cream and/or eggs)

Once the veggies start lookin' like this:

Drain them and transfer to a mixing bowl.  I decided to add some canned corn apparently.

As you can see: 

Not pictured: Pour Cream of Chicken on and add seasoning, stir in gently, but thoroughly and spoon into a buttered casserole dish.

I also added more seasoning on top for good measure:

Grab this amazing bag from your pantry...wait...you don't have these wondrous breadcrumbs?  Then you better run, not walk, to whatever store you have near you that carries them! A lot of main stream markets have them, but if not try Whole Foods or a Natural food store.  Believe me- they are worth the effort.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs liberally on top...You need the nice crunchy topping to offset the soft veggies.  It's a GREAT contrast.  Especially if you or your significant other are like my husband.  He requires all meals to have crunch.  Toss it in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes or so and YUMMERS. 

Feel free to turn on the broiler at the end to brown the top:

I paired it with some peas, which ended up being mixed in, which was awesome, so feel free to add them in to the casserole itself.  That's the great thing about casseroles-  the more nonsense you put in, the better it turns out!

 

You know you like my divided plate...Not only is it snazzy, but I can control my serving sizes and green appeases your appetite, so that you don't gorge yourself. #winwin

At a Glance:

2 med. Zucchini 

2 med. Yellow Squash
1 med. Onion
1 tbsp. Butter

1 can Corn, Peas and any other Veggies you so choose.
1 can Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup
1 c. Panko Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs

1 tbs. Basil

1 tbs. Thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Slice zucchini, yellow squash, and onion. Steam until tender. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl- adding corn or other veggies of choice and spoon into greased casserole dish. Top with Breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Broil to brown, if necessary.

* Don't forget- The more you add to it, the bigger casserole dish. Common sense, but alas-  I get over zealous and forget...I admit...