Hungry

I started blogging because I thought I would have a lot to write about. I guess my life just isn't that interesting!

It hasn't been days or weeks, it has been MONTHS since I last got on here and wrote something *shame on me.*

To sum things up...

                                                        I went on vacation to the coast

 My boyfriend became an uncle(the lil guy tagged along to the coast),

My best fran came to visit, we thought it would be cool to take artsy photos of my roommates art @ 2am

and of the bottle we were working on...

I made out of this world jalapeno cornbread

Took a boat ride on lake Austin

         I bought some purdy plants for fall!

I'm off today, still in my pj's (gasp!), thinking about dinner and what to cook and dreading going to the store because I know I'm gonna spend big bucks!

That's actually why I wanted to post something today. Have you ever been stuck when it comes to dinner? When you're just not sure what to cook? I usually call my mom first-we crave the same things, creepy. Her hubby is diabetic so sometimes her dinners don't sound to exciting. So you're stuck, chicken or beef, which veggies to serve, what sides, etc. Skimming through food blogs will answer any questions! I love to check out the blogs or websites and see what everyone else is making, it's better than flipping through a Martha Stewart mag or an old recipe book because A: it's free! B: someone out there really really made this and took pictures of it and was so happy and proud of it they decided to post it online for strangers to gawk and salivate over! C: There are endless amounts of blogs!

Here are a couple to get you started! Tastespotting.com, Foodess.com, Foodgawker.com, Melskitchencafe.com, Healthygreenkitchen.com, Thismommycooks.blogspot.com, Tastykitchen.com, Lovinintheoven.com...I could go on but these are just a few to get you hungry!

Doesn't this sound good? http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/acorn-squash-with-wild-rice-pilaf-and-polska-kielbasa/

Creeping Jenny

     Unfortunately for me, I work at a home improvement store. It's not that I don't like the job, or the people, or the hours. It's unfortunate because I end up spending down time making shopping lists of what we need next for the house and the yard, it's usually really bad when I go into the garden section of the store and see all of the plants and the people that come to buy them. The little old ladies are the best customers because they're experts at matching plants up for their yards and I've learned to take notes. I have also discovered that even though flowering plants are stunning when they bloom they're done for after the last flower falls off. I especially dislike roses. They can be a real pain if they get diseases or bugs. So I've learned to appreciate the succulents and accent plants that aren't fussy. I found one today that I really love

Creeping Jenny! ha ha

Sampson thinks they look fab

One of my projects, four varieties of basil. Lemon is the best so far!

My awesome humming bird feeder. I love that it's glass instead of plastic, I just hope it never breaks!



Homemade Potato Salad

One of my favvvvorite vegetables is the potato because the possiblities are endless, mashed potatoes, french fries, scalloped potatoes, baked potatoes (loaded please!) hashbrowns, ...endless They are also a great side to any meal.  For dinner the other night we grilled some thinly sliced pork cutlets in Jerk Sauce. Jerk Sauce is a Jamaican marinade that is really flavorful and usually spicy. If you've ever tried the Jamaican Jerk Sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings, you'll know what I'm talking about. But, thankfully for us, the one that we bought is very mild and slightly sweeter.  Because we live in Texas, bbq beans and homemade potato salad were the first choice for sides and they worked out great!


Ingredients:

10 medium sized pototes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup of mayonaise
4 tbs yellow mustard
2 hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup onion roughly chopped
1/4 cup of hamburger pickle slices, chopped
4 tbs pickle juice
2 tbs coarse black pepper
salt to taste

Feel free to tweak this as need be, I ended up adding more mayo and mustard the last time I made this!
Potatoes...lots of potatoes

Onion, Pickles and Eggs

The good stuff, just discovered Duke's Mayo recently and I'll never go back to Helmann's, RIP!

First you'll need a medium/large pot to boil the potatoes in until they are fork tender but not mushy, it will take around 10-15mins once the water is boiling. Drain the potatoes and let them cool.  In a small pot you can boil the eggs, I only used two. Set them aside to cool once they are cooked.

For the dressing use a large bowl and start with the mayo and mustard, add the salt and pepper, onions, pickles and juice. When the eggs are ready you can peel them and slice them up roughly, toss them in. The potatoes need to be room temp or cooler before you add them into the dressing, if they still aren't cool you can run them under cold water. Once they are completely cooled and drained you can add them into the dressing. It's ready to serve but if you want it cold, cold, cover and refridgerate for an hour before serving.

This was such a fast and simple potato salad recipe and it would be hard to mess it up, if you've never tried making it yourself, give it a shot! I will never be buying the ready made store stuff again! Make it the day before you're planning on serving it, the onion flavor comes out more the longer it sits and it's extra tasty the next day.

Buzzz

I've been way busier than I normally like to be lately and it's making me miss out! humph!

I missed the ROYAL WEDDING...but I recorded it :) and plan on watching it sometime soon.

I missed out on going to the Charlie Robison free concert at Nutty Brown this week, boo!

I missed out on some sleep because my brother thinks it's okay to call folks at 5am, butthole. And we have a mocking bird that loves to chirp all hours of the night. Have you seen Failure to Launch? My feelings toward this bird are eerily similar to Zooey Deschanel's in the movie.

And I'm missing out on being at the lake today because I gots to work, sniffle sniffle.

Things could be worse, so I'll suck it up. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, I want to sleep in. I also want to cook some french toast for breakfast and then lounge around in the sun until it's dark outside. Perfect day!

Favorite T

Got around to that laundry pile and thought I'd show you something funny...

My favorite shirt...er shirts! I have two of the pink because I thought I lost one awhile ago and HAD to go buy a replacement, then a week later I found the one I thought I had lost!

I love them! They're an awesome everyday kind of tee because they are soft, go great with jeans, and around 8 bucks.Mossimo Boyfriend Tee from Target

Happy Thursday!

What's your decorating style?

I love decorating but I can't really afford to go buy the whole 'look' or theme that I'm going for so I usually end up peicing things together over time and this has led to a schmorgishborg of randomness that is mi casa. Plus my guy has some pretty crazy things from his bachelor days like Jobu (he's seen better days!)

And the gumball machine...filled with beer bottle caps

I really love shabby chic things like weathered tables, dressers and floral prints, and soft greens, pinks and purples (not the tacky kind.) But I show some restraint and just find little ways to make a difference. I'm also really big on pictures and making little 'tablescapes.' It's a great way to showcase something you collect or something you're proud of.

Whats your style? Is your home sleek and modern or warm and cozy? Do you have a theme or a color that you tend to lean towards?

Chicken Verde Enchilada's

These are really easy and really tasty enchilada's that don't require to much prep. Here's what you'll need

3 boneless skinless chicken boobs
1 pkg of corn tortilla's (you'll use approx. 12)
1 can of chicken stock or broth
1 small can of diced green chiles
1 12oz jar of a good verde SALSA (HEB has a bunch to choose from!)
1 pkg of shredded monterry jack cheese
1/4 cup of sour cream
1 lime (freshly squeezed)
1 tbs cilantro (optional)
salt and coarse black pepper to taste

To start, add the chicken broth with 2 cups of water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and let it simmer until chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken and let it cool down before you shred it. Take some of the left over broth and pour it into a large bowl. Place the tortillas in the broth to let them soak. Preheat oven at 350.

After chicken has cooled down you can start shredding it with a fork or by hand. Throw the shredded chicken into a bowl with the sour cream, lime juice, salt and pepper, and diced green chiles. You can also add some cilantro at this point or some cream cheese,yum.

After the shredded chicken is mixed well, it's time to assemble some enchiladas! Start by greasing a 9x12 or larger baking dish. Next, add approx. 1/4 of a cup of the chicken mixture to each tortilla, you'll want them to be stuffed but still be able to roll them up without them breaking. After you have them all lined up throw the can of verde salsa on top with some monterry jack cheese, cover it in foil and pop it in. Let it cook for 30 minutes with the foil on and then 20 minutes without the foil, or until a little browned on top.

I served this with homemade spanish rice and some black beans. I wish I had pictures to post but they didn't last very long!

Fresh vs Frozen Veggies

I've started buying a lot more frozen vegetables lately and I am so glad I did. When you're cooking for just two it's hard to buy fresh produce and ensure that you actually end up using it before it goes bad. With the frozen stuff, I can use as much as I want or as little as I want without worrying if it's going to disappear into the depths of our crisper.

Some of my favorites are asparagus tips, broccoli florets, and brussel sprouts. I read up on the pros and cons and found that nutritionally you don't lose much from the frozen veggies and it can actually be healthier because the produce is normally picked at its best.

Check out this article on eatingwell.com!

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo

But for the record, I always buy fresh fruit! Nothing beats fresh strawberries, blackberries, or melons!

Numero uno

Yay, my first blog! Short n Sweet seemed like a cute and familiar phrase that wasn't already taken, shocker. I am excited about blogging and being able to share my life with whoever is willing to listen, or in this case, read. I hope to keep things interesting but real and obviously Short n Sweet!

Today is Wednesday and watching American Idol tonight will be the highlight of my day while grubbing on the homemade chicken verde enchilada's that I stirred up last night, I'll post the recipe soon. I'm also debating on folding and hanging a load of laundry that I started last night or just leaving it at the foot of the bed for one more day, its not realllllly hurting anybody...

On the way home from work I saw a chihuahua running around our neighborhood and realized it was my roomies dog, Sampson. I did manage to get him in the car to take him home after scolding him and giving him the 'bad dog' routine (it's hard to be stern with such a cutie!)

I think it's American Idol time, can't wait to see Lauren Alaina's performance!


Night folks :)