Monday, February 27, 2012

I Was Just Lookin For a Good Time

Many of you have been around the Nutrition Nazi and I enough to know that we have a banter-filled relationship, to say the least.  He finally met his match when I, in my 5 inch heels, graced him with my presence one sunny afternoon.  I don't think he knew what to do with me or the fact that I did not really give a crap about dating someone seriously.  In the words of Lady Antebellum I was looking for a good time, and nothing more.

One day, early in our relationship, we were having a conversation that turned into him telling me, 'Listen don't think if you get pregnant that I am going to marry you.'  Now many people would have been upset, but not this 3rd generation hard-head.  I believe I said something to the effect of what makes you think I would want to marry you, because after being recently divorced I wanted no part of that.

It was at this point that I knew exactly what the Nutrition Nazi was all about - having a family.  This man wanted nothing more than to be some one's dad, and some one's husband!  I, on the other hand, had some very serious doubts about being married again let alone being responsible for someone else.  I am fairly confident that babies do not come with the same return policy the Team Leader did. 


Fast forward 4 plus years, a wedding in Mexico and a new house and now NN, in his words, almost has his perfect life.  As many of you know we are expecting our first baby, a boy, in mid to late July.  Now my idea of lookin for a good time is not quite what it used to be, but more trying to mange the impending influx of baby items.  For the record my BFF Type A and I are already hyperventilating over the soon to be clutter.


NN thought the baby needed a Christmas present and he actually went to Costco with me without being bribed so I said why not.  We actually had to convince the Team Leader that it was not ok to wrastle the bear to the ground and that I did not in fact like the bear's face ended up all slobbery.


See she has learned to co-exist with the bear now...as long as she can look out the window and harass someone else.  So long as it isn't me I am good with it.  Also check out the bouncer in the corner that Grandma L brought over for Cool.  Just kidding on the name, maybe.


We decided to buy a few boy items after we found out the gender.  If he is anything like the Nutrition Nazi this 0-3 month outfit maybe too small to wear home from the hospital.  NN suggested getting the 3-6 mos socks.  I went with it because he wears a size 14 so I am guessing he knows better than me.

I got this for NN as a surprise.  Would believe me if I told you I had to have this shipped from Turkey?  True story.

Up close of the bouncer - too cute.  The Team Leader is not to certain about the bird noises it makes.


Grandma L also made the baby an alphabet book.  Very cute, but now I have to hide this from the Team Leader because it smells like Grandma L's house where there are 2 dogs and 2 cats, and more importantly a swimming pool. 


These were too cute to pass up.  The dogs get dirty when run under water and then you take the green cloth and clean them off.


I think my parents have a picture of me with this same nasty look after they brought my brother home from the hospital.  Unlike her, though, I was not allowed to hide under the bed to get away from it all.

All kidding aside I am sure it will be wonderful, sometimes frustrating experience.  Hopefully I will remember to keep posting the changes we are making towards getting ready for the baby, but my memory is definitely not what it used to be!

Have a great week!

Monday, February 20, 2012

The Best Chicken Fingers I Have EVER Tasted

I love reading other food blogs to get ideas and new recipes. It is almost like an addiction.  I found a recipe for Maple Mustard Buttermilk Crusted Chicken Tenders at How Sweet it is that I am insisting that you try because it is that good.  Jessica posts a new recipe almost everyday during the week, and I am super jealous that she has that much time to cook or post because I feel like I struggle to get one post up each week.

Either way I decided to try out her recipe with a few minor changes and I was not disappointed at all!  I only have a few pics here because she does a much better job on her post, and she also has a printer friendly version of the recipe.  The only changes I made were omitting the Dry Mustard from the breading mixture and adding freshly grated parmesan romano cheese.  I wasn't quite sure how the Nutrition Nazi would feel since these are breaded, but he absolutely loved them and actually went back for a second helping!


I know the buttermilk mixture looks totally gross, but trust me it is the secret to the moisture.  Don't short change the chicken on marinating time.  Give it at least 6 hours to soak up all the goodness!


Again I may be changing the name of this blog to Function over Form because this is my boring looking chicken after I dipped each in the breading mixture.  It could also be my awesome photography skills...not!


You cannot skip the honey mustard sauce because it goes perfectly with the chicken.  I put mine in the fridge to let it thicken up.


Here we have the finished product, and our dinner.  I am surprised there aren't steam trails from NN and the Team Leader breathing down my neck to hurry up so that we could eat already!

Hopefully next week I am going to get around to posting some of the things that the grandparents have already bought for the baby!

Have a great week!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Minor Miracle, But Nothing to Quit My Day Job Over

I know you have seen the beautifully decorated sugar cookies that I post from other blogs.  They are simply amazing and the fact that many of the bloggers featured here decorate cookies on a daily basis is crazy.  I feel I can say this with confidence because I finally got around to trying it all out this weekend.  I have always had respect for people who made these cookies, but now I might just kiss the next one I meet and then pay them $3+ a cookie to make them for me.  All kidding aside it was a fun process, but definitely involved and time-intensive.

So I first made some sugar cookies using a recipe I found at Munchkin Munchies.  There are a ton of recipes on the web to choose from, but this one seemed to speak to me, and it actually is a great buttery tasting cookie.


This particular shape is going to be used for hearts, but I have seen other bloggers use them to make some adult Valentines cookies that were very cute!


I got a little over zealous with the number of cutters I used!  It's an ongoing issue I am trying to work through.


The most important part to the whole process is that you need someone to guard the cookies until you are ready to decorate.  Good thing the Team Leader was there to help.  She also made sure they weren't poisoned by testing out a few.


The next step is to mix up royal icing.  I followed instructions found at Bake @ 350 for making and coloring the icing.  Once I got the hang of it things it went fairly well, but I definitely need A LOT more practice at the whole process.


Yes I know my outlining skills are that of a 4 year-old, but I am hoping to get better.


The martini glasses are my least fave, but I am sure someone will still eat them.  Thank goodness the Team Leader loves me...as long as I feed her cookies!


After I let the icing dry for about an hour I went back and flooded the cookies with royal icing that had been thinned out with water.


This whole tray was just a pain and it seemed nothing went my way, but it could be due to my lack of patience.  The flooded cookies have to dry overnight, and I was not willing to wait that long to try some additional things out, like adding lines.  Now they look like popcorn buckets instead of cupcakes.


I added disco dust to a few of the hearts to make them extra pretty.  Keep scrolling to see what the green ovals become.


Finally after 2 days of working on these they are done!!!!!

My BFF Type A and myself are huge fans of things going right the first time you try them, but we both had to take a step back on this one.  While I did complete the cookies, they did not turn out nearly as pretty as I would have liked.  So I will continue on my quest for perfection, realizing that the journey IS the reward!  (See Brad I listen when you talk...sometimes!)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Monday, February 6, 2012

I'm Just Here to Pick Up My Mom, Ladies

Raise your hand if you have ever been to Vegas and seen the ads for the Thunder from Down Under show at the Excalibur hotel.  Ok well I have several times, and so have my girlfriends.  A few years ago when the show came to Houston my girlfriends decided we should go as a pre-bachelorette party.  Now I am not one to turn down a fun-filled night out, so we got our tickets and patiently waited to see if was truly worth all the hype.



So the night of the show I convince my darling husband to drop me off at the House of Blues, and then come back and pick me up after the show.  I can't find my way out of downtown sober, much less after a few drinks.  I meet up with the girls and we watch the show and honestly I was a little, ok a lot, disappointed.  So I text the Nutrition Nazi to come and pick me up.  Then the girls decided we should have another drink after the show, and I apparently lost track of time.


In all the haziness I forgot that NN and the Team Leader were sitting outside waiting on me while all of the ladies that were impressed with the show were walking to their cars.  A little known fact about our half-poodle that he loves so dearly is that she attracts women like you wouldn't believe when he has her out somewhere.  NN says next time he is single he is going to have a one to carry in his arms and one on a leash.  He also feels this trick works well at Canton.

Anyways he started telling the ladies coming up to pet the dog that he was simply there to pick up his mom.  Yes you read that right.  I guess I was somewhat deserving of that comment because at some point I sent him a text message that said one of the girls would bring me home later, and that he could leave.  So the moral of this story is to never let your adorable half-poodle and very outgoing husband anywhere near one of these events, or any event with mass amounts of women if you are not going to be stuck to them like a bad rash.