Is it Wednesday?

So yesterday was my lazy, bump-on-a-log day. All I did yesterday was make breakfast, lunch and shower. Yesterday evening I did have human contact as I went to my parents to have dinner and play with the nephew and niece. I think you need to have a boring day when unemployed to get it out of your system. Have a day you do nothing because there is nothing to do. I truly couldn't drive anywhere (I'm seeing how many days I can keep that "you need gas" light on before filling up) and I didn't have any money for shopping and I had no one to visit. My apartment didn't really need cleaned and I couldn't pack or decorate for Christmas. So...I was a bump on a log..er my couch. Although right now since the wedding has been postponed I could decorate for Christmas...but it's not fun anymore doing it by myself. You have to take it all out, put it all up and in a month I'll have to take it all down and pack it back up. "Ain't no one got time for that!".

So today was 100% more productive then yesterday. Given, I didn't get up until later but I made myself go to the local college and walk the track. My goal was to do one mile walking which on their small track is 10 laps. That was my goal but somewhere between leaving home and lap 4 I was inspired to run. Mostly inspired by my fiance whose become quite the runner lately (6.5miles in one shot..really??) Anyway, by the time I left the college it was 2 miles later and 7 laps of that was running. I'm going to pay for it tomorrow when I go to pee and my thighs burn like fire. I credit my jumping jacks addiction for the increased endurance I've received. 200 jumping jacks a night - get on it! Also, dinner tonight is highly caloric so it's good that I ran some.

BBQ chicken (in the crock pot), fried potatoes (in the cast iron) and homemade bread (in my antique Glasbake dishes). Ok, the BBQ chicken is in a BBQ/honey mustard/brown sugar sauce. It smells like Chick-fil-a and my stomach has been growling for an hour. The fried potatoes are some potatoes that I froze a few weeks ago. I really pray I froze them correctly (cut,boil,blanch,drain,freeze) because I need the practice for when I'm married to 1. save money 2. make potatoes last longer 3. keep from peeling potatoes everytime he wants them fried up. He's a real meat and potatoes - southern food lover of a man.

Speaking of saving money I'm making homemade bread using this recipe. It sounded so easy and makes  two loaves. So I will eat some tonight and tomorrow for toast but I will freeze the rest. Do you have any idea how much bread I waste because I simply don't eat it all? Yeah it's ridiculous. Yes it's only $1 a loaf but still.

So there is my day and my evening. I think I'll put on White Christmas while I make dinner. "Snooooow!"

Black Friday Baking

Black Friday. A day where - as the pin says - "days after giving thanks for things we're grateful for do we rush out to stores and trample people for the best deal" or something like that. I've done the black Friday thing twice in my life. The first time it was sleeting rain/snow and I wasn't wearing proper gear. The second time went better but we waited in line for an hour just to check out a few items. My parents are die hard black Friday fans but not me... I'd rather stay in my warm bed at 4am then get up and face crowds of anxious, cranky people.

This black Friday I decided to stay home all day and relax. After a fun, full day yesterday of food and family I wanted to just relax today. I decided yesterday that I was not to eat turkey leftovers but instead I'd make crock pot chicken enchilada soup. This is also called chicken tortilla soup. This recipe is similar but not the one I used. I luckily found mine on google but did not save it. So mine was thrown together without measurements. The measurements below are a rough guess as to what I did.

Chicken Tortilla Soup - for one
Ingredients
1 boneless skinless chicken breast (frozen)
1 cup of black beans rinsed and drained *omitted*
1 cup of frozen corn *omitted*
1 cup of mild salsa
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp curry powder

Toppings
Tortilla chips (the ones with the hint of lime are the best!)
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella
Fresh Cilantro
White Rice

Throw all the ingredients in a small 4qt crock pot and set it on low for 5 hours. When the chicken is cooked pull it out and shred it. I use the "two forks" method. Before you add the chicken back in I added some freshly shredded mozzarella. Mixed it until it melted and I also added a hint of sour cream to get it creamier. I also at this point fished through to take out the chunks of tomatoes. Then let it cook for another hour or less as you feel fit. 

I made some rice in the microwave to add to it and give it some oomph. Most recipes don't call for this but all enchiladas I have had have rice in them. Scoop it all in a bowl and enjoy!

I was also craving chocolate chip cookies tonight but it's so hard to find a good recipe. My mother has passed her genes to me and neither of us has ever nailed a good chocolate chip cookie recipe. The common thing with each recipe is they make at least two dozen cookies. I didn't want two dozen I simply wanted something to nosh on and fulfill my craving. I came upon this recipe for Chocolate chip cookies for two and I was sold. The recipe said it would make one dozen but I got eight out of it. They were the perfect little cookie to satisfy my chocolate sweet tooth. This was also my first time baking with shortening and I must say - it's a whole lot easier then butter! 

Well folks that's two blogs in one day - I MUST be bored. Word on the street is snow is moving into the area - time to break out the warm and fuzzy recipes!

Bake on!

Baked up

Whew I officially stink at blogging. Here are some things I've been up to the past weeks.

I've been in a baking mood lately (or as always) and the other week I made a Swedish chocolate cake. The original recipe can be found here.

Butter your spring form pan really well

mixing it all up on the stove

 

Ahhmazing gooey chocolatey-ness

I recommend making this for a group and serving it warm with vanilla ice cream. I ate it plain and all by myself. After a day it was less gooey but still edible. Day two it was tossed because it was almost hard as a rock.

Also after my previous post about Grand Granola I found a recipe for Peanut Butter granola here.

 Her picture not mine. 

This granola was especially yummy on strawberry yogurt!

As for wedding news it ain't good. The wedding has been postponed due to his deployment being extended. I just pray he comes home safe and sound without a scratch upon him.

I'm going to add my newest baking adventures to the next post. Bake on my friends!

Grand Granola

Well today was my second day out of work. Yesterday was filled with all sorts of running around and spending money - today I'm staying home until going over the rents in the afternoon. Before which I will vote for the last time of being in Ohio. Women in the 1920's fought day and night for my right to vote and even though neither of the candidates are in my opinion, fit for the job I will still exercise my right to vote.

My bed wanted me to keep all day. I had a terrible night's sleep with a pounding headache (even though I took medicine before going to bed). It must of been expired because it didn't work. And I'm not a firm believer in taking the drugs if I don't have to but I figure I better take something so I don't get sick. Well this morning I woke up and it was still there. Like that song you have in your head and you think if I only sleep it won't be in my head anymore. Then when you wake up your first thought is "hey I just met you...and this is crazy..." you get the point - my headache as annoying as it was, did not disappear with sleep.







The only thing to get me outta bed was homemade granola. I've been craving it for a long long time but I had no idea how to go about doing it. I knew the first main ingredient you needed was oats of some sort. Good thing I bought a huge canister of quick oats last week - score. So (while still in bed) I Googled "easy homemade granola" and got a few good recipes. One of which I had all the ingredients and then some so I popped outta bed, threw back the curtains, started the coffee and went to work. Speaking of coffee I'm obsessed with this coffee I got from my bridal shower a few weeks back. Tiramisu coffee. Now, like any respectable coffee guru (which I am not) I am not a huge fan of flavored coffee but there are a few that are splendid and this is one.















Now lets move on the the reason we're all here...the granola. And let me just have a disclaimer I'm a "Racheal Ray" kind of cook. I use a dash here, a sprinkle here, a shake shake there etc. I don't like using measurements. This recipe is an approximate of what I did. 

Grandeur Granola
Servings: 6
Overall Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Quick Oats
• 1/3 cup canola oil a little less
• 1/4 cup honey a little less
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• A sprinkle teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• optional: sliced almonds
• optional: coconut - I wish I had some

Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined. Spread mixture onto a greased jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet. It will look a little dry and will not hold any kind of shape. 
2. Bake at 300 for 7 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and put back in for 7-8 minutes. 
3. Remove and stir. Let cool. Serve over yogurt or ice cream. 

Now this granola was so stinking scrumptious I had to have it two ways! Over yogurt and as cereal. If you have it as cereal I recommend very little milk or eating it quickly. These are still quick oats and were only cooked for a short amount of time so they can repel the milk for a little while but eventually they will soak it up and you end up with oatmeal. 

Over yogurt As cereal

Now...the sun is out and I have some towels to fold and some dishes to wash and someone to vote for. Happy Tuesday!