Brain Dump: I Might Break Up With My iPhone

GASP! Is it so?
I have been an iPhone user for about four years, and iPod user for 10+ years, and an Apple user since back in the day when we called them 'Macs', but I have been seriously disappointed with all the software glitches, updates, and poor picture quality of the 5S that was supposed to be 'soooo much better'. I don't know if I'll pull the trigger come upgrade time in June, but I need y'alls opinion on the the 6, 6+, and any other phone that you guys use, love, and/or hate. I'm down to the upgrade deadline, so HELP! Hashtagfirstworldproblems

+ Check out the Volunteer Coin I got. Sorry to keep bringing this whole volunteer thing up, but it's been a whirlwind of a year and I'm very thankful to end on this positive note with all these perks I never thought I'd get and I most certainly won't be getting next year. HashtagMerica

+  This week has been focused on the changing table and crib bumper. I kept changing my mind which fabric I wanted to use for the interior of the bumper, but I finally pulled the trigger with the more subdued pattern on the left. I would let you guess, but I wouldn't want you all to vote for the floral pattern on the right and then second guess myself. Hopefully I can call it done come tomorrow. Eek! I'm so close to being done with all the nursery 'projects'!

+ Cajun Chicken Pasta is one of my faves of all time, but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for a bowl full of $0.30 pasta. The other day, I figured it was about time I tried to make some myself where it was cost efficient, I  control the seasonings, and most importantly, I could have a ton of chicken and veggies accompanied by pasta instead a pile of pasta two bites of chicken.
**I apologize to those of you that want a bloggerific recipe in the perfect format and font, but it's much easier for me to write it out how I cook it, and this is for me to remember as much as it is to share. Here's another recipe option for the ones that need more direction. ;)

Chicken Breast (2 or more)
Red and Green Bell Pepper
Red Onion
1 1/2-2 C. Cooked WHOLE GRAIN Pasta
2Tbsp Butter
1 C. Heavy Cream or Milk
1/2 C. Parmesan
1/2 C. Sour Cream
Blackened Seasoning to taste. I probably used a half C. in total...
Chopped Green Onion for garnish
Sub or add Chicken Stock for all or part of the cream to lighten it up. Just don't get rid of the cheese or sour cream, though, or you will regret it.

The great thing is that this recipe is customizable. With chicken/without, more veggies/veggies of your choice, season to your taste, and even cook it how it works for you. You can saute your chicken and veggies in EVOO and Blackened Seasoning, but I really recommend lighting up the good ol' grill. You will get a much smokier flavor, use less oil, and your husband will be proud. To grill, coat chicken and veggies {separate bowls} with Blackened Seasoning/EVOO. Cook chicken directly on grill and five minutes later you can throw the veggies on in a grill basket. You will want to flip the chicken halfway through (when the skin separates from the grill making it easy to flip) and try to stir the veggies periodically so they don't over char.

You should probably start the sauce before grilling if you are going that route, but if you are sauteing the chicken, feel free to make this a one pot dish and cook the sauce in the same pan using the heavy cream to deglaze the pan. In a large skillet, heat up some butta' and then pour in Heavy Cream, Parmesan, Sour Cream, and as much blackened seasoning as your little heart desires {just remember- you can always add more, but you can't subtract}. You can also add a tsp or two of sugar or sweetener of your choice if you want to add some depth as it cooks. It won't take long to meld the flavors, so toss in your pasta and veggies when done, mix to coat, and then serve with chicken and green onion garnish on top.

My last question for today: Has anyone tried ordering form Target this week? I've had nothing but trouble with their online site no matter which browser I try to use and it's frustrating the ish out of me. It may be because they are having a big baby sale, but either way I just want to order stuff and give them money. Why then, do they make it SOOOOO difficult.

Thanks for letting me brain dump! Anything on your mind?

A Little Of This And That

+ I tried Chick-fil-A's new Frosted Lemonade, and it was BANGIN'. It reminded me of Snow-To-Go, which I have been lusting over since we moved away from Virginia five years ago. {Brownie points if you've ever had Sno2Go} Don't worry, I didn't give sweet Scarlet any. I picked this uber adorable pup up from the vet for a friend, and I made sure she made it home safely.

+ I realized that I have 1.5 months until all of my commitments are finito! I'm so ready to be done with everything and just focus on CQB and Will. Hallelujah!

+ We had our first baby class, and the three hours flew by with more information than I could possibly process. Thank goodness we got to take home the book and there are two more classes. I think I was more disturbed than he was by the video of childbirth {hairy bush and all}, but it is my whooha that will be impacted by a basketball coming out of it. I'm scurred, y'all.

+ I'm finally starting to 'feel' this pregnancy. I'm now at 12 lbs. and starting to embrace the idea of her coming out. Up until this point I wanted her to stay in forever, but now...it doesn't seem so bad to kick her out. I think Mother Nature knows that pregnancy has to get uncomfortable to mentally prepare us for the separation.

+ I've been putting off and putting off starting the crib set because I have been intimidated and I am no pro when it comes to sewing, but now that I've started I never want to stop! The crib skirt is now getting it's final touches and I feel so much more confident about taking on this project. Whoop Whoop, 1/3rd of the way through.

+ Last, but not least, here are the Maui Nachos I posted on Instagram! I stumbled upon them by accident because I had extra Pina Colada sauce from making Coconut shrimp, but boy was I ecstatic when I found the recipe. I adore anything coconut and Will adores all things nacho, so this was a match made in coconut heaven.

Nachos

1 pork butt (2 lbs)

1 cup Coconut Water

Coconut Oil

Salt and Crushed Red Pepper

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 lb colby jack cheese

3 Bell peppers (tri-color)

1/2 red onion, diced

Cilantro || Green Onions || Red Onion

Tortilla chips

Pina Colada Sauce

1 small can crushed pineapple

2/3 cup cream of coconut (found by the margarita mixes and alcohol, usually in a can)

1/3 cup sour cream

- Rub a boneless pork with Coconut Oil, Kosher Salt, crushed red pepper, and cook in a slow cooker for 8 hours on low, shredding the meat at the end.

- In a small bowl, mix together the cream of coconut, pineapple, and sour cream. set aside.

- Heat a large skillet to medium heat with a swirl of coconut oil, and add the peppers, onions and saute 3 minutes, then add the pinto beans to heat through.

- Line the chips up on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet.

- Place a little of the cooked pork in each chip, topped by beans, pina colada sauce, cheese and peppers. place in a preheated oven (400) for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is gooey. Drizzle with the decadent Pina Colada sauce and try not to eat the whole pan at once ;)

We used big ol' pork chops because we were on sale that day and we only had 4 hours to cook, but Will threw them in the crockpot with some Coconut water and they turned out really well, too. Feel free to play with the recipe and make it your own.

Sometimes...

So super funny, I started this list of things I secretly 'sometimes' want to do, and numero uno might be a little telling. How tricky our subconscious can be.

...I wanna pin pregnancy/baby stuff on Pinterest, but then everyone will think I'm pregnant.

...I want to eat pizza and french fries all day.

...I want to hide my computer and live technology free.

...I wish I could read for a living.

...I wish I could drink to excess without getting a hangover.
...I think about breaking up with my iPhone.
...I turn on Frozen when there's nothing else I want to watch.
...I half ass my workout just so that I keep myself on a schedule.
...I wish I never had to leave my house and could just paint and DIY all day er'day.
...I feel guilty parking in the 'Expectant Mothers' parking because I can still run four miles, but then I realize I only get to enjoy this for another few months. I just make sure there are several, so that if someone super pregnant needs a spot I'm not wasting it.

And all the time, I love dinners that can be repurposed for lack of a better term. Lately, Will has been on a vegetarian kick, and I'm not mad about it. It is much easier to maintain a healthy diet for CQB with him begging for more veggies, and it's making me branch out and find new recipes. Our newest favorite is a veggie bean bowl that I also used as filling for Poblano peppers the next night. Killing two birds with one stone is the best!

Can Black Beans || Can Kidney Beans || Can Pinto Beans
2 Fresh Tomato diced or a can of Fire Roasted
4 Servings Quinoa or Brown Rice, cooked
Frozen Spinach
2 Bell Peppers (mix up the colors)
1 Red Onion
Minced Garlic || EVOO
Taco Seasoning and/or Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Garlic to taste
Shredded cheese and Cilantro for topping
Optional: Lime, sour cream, refried beans, hot sauce, more veggies, lettuce to make it a salad.
Throw the veggies in with some EVOO and minced garlic to cook down for 3 minutes, then throw in the rest of ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve topped with Cilantro, shredded cheese and any of your favorite toppings.

Day two, preheat oven to 375, slice lengthwise,and de-seed two Poblano Peppers. Then fill with leftover bean filling, and bake for 25 minutes. Add cheese, bake for another 10 minutes, add your favorite toppings and voila...easy peasy dinner.

Anyone have favorite vegetarian recipes? I need all the help I can get!

Kickin' It Old School

In Colorado we had a secret place of sorts. It was a park off the beaten path that Will found near our house. We would take the pup and walk the park to clear our heads, get some fresh air, and spend quality time unplugged. This weekend, I think we found our new unpluggin' spot, and it is quite a pretty one. I'd tell you where it is, but I'd have to kill ya.

But that was the ONLY respite we had the whole weekend. I helped Will study, we went to the local Drive In theater, and we started clearing the brush from the woods behind our house for the Haunted House that is totally going down in a few weeks. It's going to be epic.

We made some bangin' food, as usual, so I also thought I'd throw in an awesome dinner we had. It was easy and A-Mazing, so it could be a last minute dinner or even to wow some guests. Let me introduce you to Steak Pinwheels and  copycat Panera Fuji Apple Salad a.k.a. the only Bleu Cheese I will EVER eat. I normally HATE Bleu Cheese, but it is mmhmmh good in this salad.

Steak Pinwheels

2 lb Flank steak (trimmed)

Seasoning (options: S&P, Garlic, Crushed Red Pepper, Molasses Bacon, etc.)

Fresh Spinach

Cheese (options: Mozzarella, Gueyere, Feta, Bleu, etc.)

Butcher's Twine or Skewers

Assemble, Roll, tie, slice, grill, DONE.

(Four minutes each side)

Fuji Apple Salad

Thinly Sliced Apples

Chopped Red Onion

Bleu Cheese Crumbles

Crushed Pecans

Bacon Bits

Panera's Fuji Apple Dressing

Spinach and/or Romaine Lettuce

As you can see, these are pretty customizable, so sub in your favorite seasonings and cheeses. Although, you really should try the Bleu Cheese for the apple salad. I mean it when I say that this is the ONLY dish that I will ever enjoy Bleu Cheese in. Will seconds that, and he hates it just as much as I do. Either way, try this real soon, because it's some good eats!

A Little Venting Sesh

“A happy woman is one who has no cares at all; a cheerful woman is one who has cares but doesn't let them get her down.” - Marie Dressler

Man, Fort Rucker is keeping BOTH of us busy these days. I know, I know, the whole world is busy. What's new. However, I was so busy that I ended up with 'severe dehydration'. I'm on a new stupid medicine (for hormones) that is a diuretic a.k.a. 'drink tons of water or you get kidney stones', and I guess I didn't take them as seriously as I should have. Thankfully, I do not have kidney stones {yet}, but I did start puffing up like a blow fish with pain so bad in the mornings that I couldn't use my hands. It's official. I'm getting old.

My truck broke down twice last week, and three times if you count last month. I just typed out a paragraph about what was wrong with it, but realized no one would read it or understand, so all you need to know is that I correctly diagnosed my truck twice! Toyota-0, Janna- 2

Everyone keeps giving me crap now that Will is an 'officer' saying I need a fancy car, but I am still rocking the shizz out of my truck, and I have a sexy mechanically inclined husband, so there is no way I'll buy a new car that will eventually have repairs that will cost more money than my whole truck. Ain't she a beaut'?

We've been so busy that we forgot to celebrate We-Man's birthday. Just kidding, we've never actually celebrated his birthday. However, it did just pass, and we should have celebrated it because of the heart murmur we recently found out he has. It's not life threatening, but we are now spending more for him in meds than an eighty year old man. I'm just happy that we figured out his heart problems were what was causing him to have coughing fits where he sounded like a seal. Poor thing was pitiful, and we felt helpless.

He's SO lucky to have his Aunt Katie here in Enterprise to take care of him. How cute is this? They put his picture on his meds, and she writes little love notes. I just love this girl. If you love animals, you should check out her Instagram.

Somehow I've managed to have dinner on the table every night, but I'm loving when I can find an easy option. I've been craving a Cobb Salad lately, so I decided that would do. It covers most of the food groups, it's purdy to look at, and you can make it your own.

Romaine Lettuce || Ham ||Turkey || Bell Pepper || Onion || Cheddar || Bacon
 ||Avocado ||Dressing || Optional: Hard Boiled Egg, Cucumber, Tomatoes, etc.

You are welcome, and more importantly, thank YOU for allowing me to ramble today. It's just one of those days that I need to get it all out. You know? Now don't forget about the Blog Auction. It goes live at 9AM Central Time, and on that note...Good night, moon.

I Got Jipped

Recently, I entered two contests that involved writing and food, and I should have won both. I swear I'm not just being a sore loser, I just find the winners to be lacking in originality and oomph. To prove my point I'll give you the winners along with my entries and you guess which one won. Those of you that know...sssshhhh don't tell. Just pretend to be unbiased ;)

Six Word Short Story

A | He drowned; she was the ocean.

B | Burnished by humiliation, she was redeemed.

Landing Zone Sandwich Contest

1 | Vegetarian Stacker: Grilled Portobello Mushroom marinated in Italian dressing, topped with roasted red peppers, provolone, mayo, lettuce and tomato all served on a Kaiser Roll.

2 | Granny Brie Club: Deli Thin Turkey, julianne Granny Smith Apple, gooey- melted Brie cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, drizzled with BBQ sauce, on toasted Sour Dough.

3 | El Capitan Reuben Quesadilla: Traditional Reuben inside a Quesadilla, but use Grouper in place of Corned Beef for the ultimate twist.

+ So last week, I noticed my wrist looking all funky after I developed a pain while doing push ups. There was no particular trauma and it only hurt when I put pressure on it, so I decided to take it easy to see if it healed. Well, it still hasn't healed. Problem was, I've been to the doctor so much that I felt bad about going. Luckily, after she saw the picture of it, she told me to, and I'll have some answers today!

+  On the subject of going to the doctor too much, I've become a regular at the Lyster Lab. I realized last time they already knew me by name, but now they have begun referring to me as a regular. At least now I finally had my last round of Hormone testing, and my Thyroid re-checked because it came back a tidge bit low last round. Getting old sucks.

+ I've been searching for brown strappy heels for two MONTHS, and I finally found a pair I could deal with. Most are too strappy, too dark, too light, too high, too low, too cheap, etc., but these are close enough to what I was looking for. And then they were out of my size. #$%&.

Now please don't forget to vote, so I can prove I'm right about my contest entries! That would at least make me feel better about losing. Will says I definitely should have won both, but bless that sweet man...he has to say it. Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Grown Ups Can Prank Too

I'm so excited that today is the big event, which means my owl project is over! Don't get me wrong, I loved painting and the helping with this event, but I need a break and to put my house back together without five foot owls taking up the sitting area, dining room, and garage. A special shout out to Will for putting up with it all!

I think I may blame the shenanigans from this weekend on temporary paint fume insanity. Without going into too many details or fully admitting to any particular activities, I have a few pictures that can speak for themselves...

Man, this makes me miss the ol' Homecoming days! Sometimes I wish my husband was less of a man child, but more often than not, I'm happy he keeps me young and gives me reason to partake in harmless pranking. In case you are wondering if TP'ing someone's house is still fun at this age...I can vouch that it is!

In closing, let me leave you with a sweet treat for the kid in all of us:

I whipped that up the other day and it tastes JUST like a Samoa Girl Scout cookie with only 250 filling-satisfying- healthy{ish} calories! Ah-MAZING, and yep, it takes me back to my Scouting days. I hated selling cookies, but I loooved eating them. Now I can have the shake anytime I want and don't have to wait for those little scout ninjas to stock up. That's what adulthood is all about...eating cookies and pranking people anytime we want.

When Healthy Goes Wonderfully Wrong

I don't like to label food as good or bad and try to think of it as fuel or filler instead. That's why I look at a lot of delicious looking recipes and think that I can take them from 'bad' to 'good' with just a few changes. Recently, I had the bright idea to lighten up a Loaded Baked Potato Casserole, but even lightened up...it's still horribly delicious. At least my intentions were good, and as I put it together I really thought I was making progress.

Healthy...

Healthy...

Semi-Healthy...

Damn...

Hey, you win some, you lose some. At least I can't call it a complete loss. Tell me this doesn't look delicious. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S.

4 red potatoes, cubed

1 bag frozen cauliflower, thawed

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

8 slices bacon, baked and crumbled

1 cup cheddar

1 cup mozzarella

6 green onions, sliced

4 tablespoons butter, sliced

1 cup sour cream + more to serve

Garlic powder, salt & pepper, to taste.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place potatoes and cauliflower in a 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Stir to coat evenly, and then stir in half of the cheese and sour cream. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. 

While that is baking, mix the other half of the sour cream, 1/4 of the cheese and most of the bacon into the shredded chicken, and then mix it in the casserole around the 30 minute mark. Top with the last 1/4 of cheese, lay butter slices over casserole, and season with salt & pepper.

Recover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Top with green onion and the last of the bacon.

I'm not going to suggest you make this, but if you do I must warn you, anyone who eats it will instantly fall in love with you. Consider it an aphrodisiac of sorts, and you can take my husband's word for it. WinkWink. A man's heart really is through his stomach.

Friday Favorites, Let's Start With My Least Favorite

Least Favorite ||  Hey, least favorite is technically still a favorite.

 We always want to share the cute throwbacks, but we have no control over what others share. I wanted to scream EEK, delete, DELETE when I saw the following from back in Middle School, but that would be admitting the flaws. Instead, I commented: 'This was such a fun trip!', because that's what it really was. It's not about how any of us looked in Middle School, it's about the memories. #flashbackfriday

Favorite Quote || Via Jess

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.

Favorite Product || Jane Iredale

I think maybe Kathy(?) told me about this brand when I was talking about going natural with my products, and boy am I glad I listened. So far, the mineral powder worked wonders, and I'm obsessed with this little kit, the all-natural ingredients, and their customer service. Technically I've only used it once since I don't wear foundation or anything, but the one time it was lovely.

Favorite Recipe || Olive Garden House Dressing
Anyone that recognizes the jar, you know you now want an Irish Wake ;)

Favorite Accessory || Firmoo Sunglasses

I've had a love affair with Firmoo for years, and now that they have sent me prescription sunglasses that allow me to see while driving, I'm head over heels! Firmoo, I thank you and the other drivers on the road thank you. I am always amazed at the endless options they offer.

I can't believe I spent years agonizing over which glasses to choose, dragging friends along to help me try on thousands of pairs, and ending up still disappointed. I'm now four pairs into Firmoo {three reading, one sunnies}, and I picked EVERY pair by myself without a single complaint. Thank you Virtual Try-On; you're my new BFF.

For future reference, I will probably not wear the glasses with that hat ever again, but I still like it. Other than that, thanks for the inspiration P!nky! I needed a lighthearted post for today, and now it's time to enjoy our last weekend together before Will starts his next course.

He's Home!!

I have a million, billion emotions running through my mind, and oh so much to say, but for now...We are a little 'busy'. Bowchickawowow. In case you don't follow me on Instagram, here is my new favorite photo EVER. I'm sure you can understand why.

To my very own personal superhero,

I say welcome home, lover. Let's forget about the world and lose sight of anything but each other. With you home, the house will feel whole again and I will be whole again. I don't need you to complete me, but I am grateful for the fact that you do.

Bonus, here's a recipe I came up with for the BEST croutons ever. I know, I know. You can't claim recipes are the best based on personal opinion, but once you try them you will understand. It's a magical addition to your salad.

While those are cooking, simply grill up some chicken, cut Romaine Hearts in half lengthwise, brush with olive oil mixed with the same seasonings as the croutons on the cut side, and grill the lettuce for two minutes, as well. Top with croutons, Caesar dressing, and voila! You have an incredible dinner. Just make sure you heed the 250 temperature...low and slow is the key.

Somehow, I don't have a single picture of the final product, so this was the first time we experimented with grilled lettuce. It is now my most favorite way to make a salad, and the only way we do Caesar's around here. If you think salads are boring, you need to come to my house. In love, life, and food...I don't do boring.