What We've Been Eating Lately

It's been awhile since I've shared a new recipe. That doesn't mean I'm not trying out new things in the kitchen; quite the opposite really. I get bored of our meal rotation and aim to try at least one new recipe a week. Sometimes more if I have the time. Here are a few meals we've had recently that all three of us have enjoyed.

Chicken, Black Bean & Quinoa Enchiladas

I love making Mexican food at home. These enchiladas were delicious. I don't like enchiladas that are weighed down with sauce and spice and that have a pound of cheese. Peppers, black beans, and tomatoes go into the filling, along with quinoa (I didn't have any on hand so I used brown rice) which makes these enchiladas a healthier version than the original. Definitely a keeper!

Brown Sugar Crusted Salmon

We went a while without eating salmon because I got bored of making it the same way. I saw this recipe on one of my favorite blogs and figured I'd give it a try. It's SO easy there's really no excuse not to make it. The first time we tried it we couldn't believe it. So simple, so tasty. Another meal I'll be adding to our rotation, seeing as I've already made it like six times since. 

Mustard & Herb Marinated Chicken

I apologize for the crappy iPhone picture. I've got to get back into the habit of taking pictures of our food with the real camera. Anyway. Now that it's hot out, we've been grilling a lot. Mostly chicken and sausage. This is my favorite summer marinade and I make it so often that I think it might be time for me to find a new one before we get sick of it. Any recommendations?

Baked Pork Chops with Herb & Cheese Breadcrumbs

I saw Rachael Ray make this on her show a few weeks ago and it looked so good. She made it using chicken breasts; I thought it would be just as good with bone-in pork chops. Delicious! The dijon mustard coating is something I never would have thought of and pan frying it first then putting it into the oven is a great way to prevent the meat from drying out. Loved it!

I'm always looking for more things to try, so please tell me, if there's been something new you've made recently that you enjoyed!

What We've Been Eating Lately

I don't know about you, but I love seeing what other people are eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's probably why I love Instagram so much, an endless stream of good eats and inspiration. I get stuck in food ruts all the time. We're currently in one right now with breakfast. Miss A is refusing to eat eggs, oatmeal (not like she ever did before), and yogurt. She'll only eat toast or waffles right now. And blueberries by the carton. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of our recent eats with you in case you're looking for something new to eat!

Breakfast- toast, peanut butter, and banana is still one of my go-to's. I also like to add a drizzle of honey or agave with granola.

Lunch- lettuce wraps! A few weeks ago I was on a huge lettuce wrap kick and was stuffing them with roasted turkey, dried cranberries, sliced carrots, and mozzarella cheese. On the side I'd have a chopped cucumber, tomato, and feta salad, lightly tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. 

Dinner- This is one of my favorite dinners we had recently. Sweet and sour chicken over fried brown rice, mixed with chopped carrots, frozen peas, corn, scrambled egg, and diced red pepper. I sauteed all the veggies first in some sesame seed oil, added cold day old rice, an egg, and scrambled it all up. Then I dosed it with soy sauce and topped the whole thing with diced green onions. It was delicious! 

Another favorite is Alaskan Baked Salmon with lemon risotto and sauteed zucchini. This is how I usually make salmon. It's super easy and fast to put together. The oven does all the work for you and I love the crunchy topping. 

Not the best picture, but these potato nachos were a lot of fun to make and a new thing for us to try. I sliced up idaho potatoes very thin, tossed them in some olive oil, salt and pepper and placed them on a wire rack on to of a baking sheet. Then I added cheddar cheese, black beans, tomatoes, and green onions. 

Hope you find something new to try!

Easter Basket Fun

I'm so, so excited for Easter this year. Last year we didn't really do anything- no basket, no egg hunt, and I'm pretty sure my husband had to work. Miss A was ten months old and I decided we'd wait until next year to celebrate.

I mean, really...where does the time go!? The pictures I took for her Easter "session" are some of my favorite baby pictures. That purple dress, headband, Easter bib...she was perfect, in every single way. You bet I'm taking Easter pictures again this year, I don't care if they'll be a blur as she runs around and dives off the couch!

So I'm participating in the Easter basket blog hop and thought it would be fun to share with you what I got Miss A for her basket, or in this case, bucket!

I thought about getting Miss A a white basket. I saw plenty that I loved but in the end I thought getting her a bucket would be much easier for her to carry as she collects eggs and it will be something she can reuse later. Plus, Minnie is on the front; I knew she'd love nothing more.  

I didn't want to go crazy with her bucket. For one thing, it's not all that big, and I wanted everything to fit. Everything fit perfectly, until I found a book that I couldn't pass up. She has a new outfit, a skirt and shirt combo (that has a popsicle on the front, win win), a colorful Slinky, a pink sunhat, a glittery bracelet, a Minnie Mouse straw cup, and her very first chocolate bunny!

I know she's going to love the bracelet as she can't get enough of my own. I'm curious to see what she does with the Slinky. I found it in Target's dollar spot and I loved the pastel color. And don't worry- I'm not going to give her that entire bunny in one sitting. She'll have a couple of pieces every now and then until one of us eats the rest for her. :) I'm also excited about the straw cup as she needs practice using a straw. I'd love to give her some smoothies to drink in the upcoming months! I wasn't planning on getting her clothes, but I saw the popsicle T-shirt and couldn't pass it up. Crazy 8 is a dangerous store for my wallet.

I can't wait to see her face Easter morning!

Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend actually felt like a real weekend. It has been a while, a loooong while, since my husband has had two consecutive days off, let alone an entire weekend. I actually don't look forward to weekends; due to the fact that everyone else gets to have their husbands home and Miss A and I are left to figure out what to do on our own. Shopping on the weekends with her stresses me out with the crowds and busy parking lots, so we usually stick to home and stay pretty low-key when my husband has to work on a Saturday or Sunday.

We spent the early part of Saturday finishing up Miss A's very own swing set! Her grandparents (my parents) bought her this swing set as a very early birthday present and it arrived at our house a few weeks ago. I've been dying, waiting for the hubby to have enough time to put it all together. He had the majority done earlier last week and only needed to attach the swings and anchor the whole thing down. I knew she was going to love it.

After Miss A woke up from her nap we all went on the swings. The three of us, with our adult bums being squished from the tiny seats, but any time either of us got up, she'd say, "Dada swing" and "Mama swing." We happily obeyed. :)

Later that evening we decided to head for dinner. We walked around the outdoor portion of the mall (which was packed with girls in colorful, vibrant prom dresses!) and found a place to eat dinner. That's where all the fun ended- Miss A was NOT having it in the high chair and I had to hold her in my lap, somehow managing to eat a burger and fries with her on top of me. By the end of the night we were exhausted and crashed on the couch to catch up on our DVR.

The next day we invited our friends over to grill and check out the swing set! It was a beautiful day, with highs in the 80s. Perfect day to spend outside on our deck. I marinated some chicken, chopped up some veggies, roasted potato wedges, and served slices of bread with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. 

I absolutely LOVE this new outfit I got for Miss A at Old Navy, along with these clear jelly (!!!) shoes. THAT ARE SCENTED. Oh my God I've never loved a pair of shoes more, and neither has she, because she refuses to take them off!

We had lots of fun letting the girls take turns on the swings and play with the balls and cars we had on the deck. Then, I managed to snap this picture.

For dessert I made a no-bake Oreo pudding pie. It was the perfect addition to a grilled meal. Layers of chocolate, cream cheese, and Oreo crumbs! Very easy to make and very thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. I only wish I remembered to take a better picture before we cut into it!

She's definitely my girl, what a sweet tooth! 

Good Days

Sometimes I still have those days where I can't believe she's mine. I can't believe she's my daughter, I can't believe I have a daughter. I still have those moments where I hold her a little closer, breathe in her skin, kiss her cheeks and nose a thousand times, and look deep into her eyes. This tiny human- she's all mine, we created her. It will forever blow my mind.

She started off the day on the wrong foot, waking up earlier than usual, and was crying and whiny most of the morning. It could be the two teeth I see about ready to come in, who knows. After lunch she took an early nap and slept for a long time, much longer than she usually does. She was up and ready to play after that and we went to meet a friend at the park. By the time we got back home she was in a great mood. I was able to prep dinner peacefully as she roamed from the kitchen to the family room (we have an overpass in the kitchen so I can see her). As I was chopping veggies she reached for my hand so we could dance. It was the cutest and sweetest thing and we twirled around the kitchen together. Each time she pressed a button on her Minnie car and it played a new song, she reached up for my hand.

After dinner it was time for her bath and she asked me to draw "babies" for her in the tub. She has these bath crayons, which are great and wash off easy. She loves to "color" and "draw" during bath time. I drew lots of smiley faces aka babies, dogs, stars, and hearts. She wiped each one off with a towel and asked me to draw them over and over again. Once we were out of the bath it was time to read books. She grabbed her stack of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse books (all six of them) and plopped down next to me to read. It's one of the sweetest times of our day.

The best moment yesterday was right before I laid her down to sleep. As I was singing her bedtime song, "You Are My Sunshine", she snuggled in close to me and hummed along. I melted, hugging her tighter, wishing with all my heart that I could keep her this way forever. I hope I can remember it for the rest of my life.

So yeah, yesterday was a good day. A day to remember for the not-so-good days, when we're tired, cranky, or nothing is going our way. A day I'll keep close to my heart.

Spring Days & Preparing for Easter

It's no secret that I'm loving the weather lately. We're hanging out outside multiple times a day, having lunch, blowing bubbles, and walking up and down our driveway. She LOVES our driveway. It's slightly sloped so I think she thinks of it as a slide she can walk up and down. I used to try and hold her hand as she went down, afraid of her skinning her knees, but now she's mastered it, and I always make sure to put her in pants. ;)

We're also preparing for Easter! Last week I put together our Spring mantle and realized I didn't have a garland to go with it. What is it about a garland that makes a mantle feel complete? I haven't seen any that I love in the store so I decided we'd make our own.

In our guest room, which is also our craft room/my office space, I keep all my old scrapbook supplies. You may remember that picture of her making a huge mess in this room. There are many, many messes here, not only made by Miss A, but by me. Although I'm sad to say I haven't been scrapbooking as much as I would like. Failure on my new years resolution (how are you doing with those?)

I found lots of pastel colored cardstock and some patterned ones too. I printed out an egg template to trace onto the cardstock and cut each one out. Then I let Miss A add her artistic touch to each one. 

Of course she was all about the yarn, wanting to take the whole spool herself and drape it over like a thousand necklaces. She was also really curious about the hole-puncher. 

I love this white rabbit and pink ceramic egg that I found at Big Lots. $7 for two new Spring decor items. That's a pretty good deal!

Of course no holiday around here is complete without candy. I filled an empty square glass with these colorful chocolate eggs and now reach in for one every time I pass it. Bad idea? Maybe. But they sure are pretty.

I've also been wondering what kind of basket to get Miss A. I saw this Minnie bucket on that same shopping trip and couldn't resist. She loves it, can easily carry it, and it's big enough for me to fill it with her Easter gifts and big enough to stuff it full of eggs that she'll collect. Sure, it might not be that white pastel lined basket I had in my head, but it'll do the trick for now. 

How are you enjoying Spring? I hope the weather has started to warm up!

Five on Friday- Outdoor Fun & Food

One. Footsies & Toesies

I couldn't help but laugh at Miss A this week at playgroup. Here she is, her first experience with a water table, and she was hesitant at first, wondering what the heck this thing was filled with water. She got to playing and started dumping the water out, getting her pants and shoes soaked. I went to take off her shoes so she could play bare foot, and she FREAKED OUT. She has always hated things on her feet and refuses to walk barefoot outside. Apparently she also doesn't want water to touch her feet either! She cried, curled up her toes, and whined to me until I put her shoes back on. It was quite the show! 

So I had to put her shoes back on, with no pants. As soon as she had her shoes on again she was happy and went right back to playing. I'm also having serious trouble trying to get her to wear sandals. She won't let me even try them on! How hilarious is that?

Two. Let's Make a Mess

I'm all about letting Miss A explore and learn through her surroundings. There are plenty of messes that I pick up on a daily basis that could have easily been prevented, but I let them happen. In this case I wanted to finish reading up my emails so I let her rummage through one of my crafting boxes. There was nothing in there that was a choking hazard/dangerous, so I kept watch out of the corner of my eye and she happily emptied out the entire box. 

Three. This Dinner

With warm temperatures come lighter, healthier food. After months of eating heavy meals, I'm so ready to embrace fresh, tasty dinners that don't take very long to make. Last night I made baked salmon with crushed pecans, panko, and parsley on top, roasted zucchini, and lemon risotto. Risotto might not be "light" but I was craving it and with the burst of lemon flavor it really does taste fresh to me. It was delicious!

Four. Yesterday

I've been on the hunt for a picnic table and found one recently on Amazon. I didn't want to pay the extra money for shipping so I searched goggle to see if I could find it anywhere else. To my surprise my local Big Lots had the same table in their weekly ad. I called five different stores and found one that still had it in stock- just ONE. They were able to hold it for me and we ran off to pick it up. I was SO excited, such a great mommy find, and for $10 less than what Amazon was listing it for! I put it together myself when we got home, all the while muttering and cursing under my breath- I really have no patience for these things! After nap time we spent the rest of the day outside in our backyard, eating animal crackers and blowing bubbles, which was something else I picked up at the store. This set came with the best bubble solution and five different wands. It's amazing how much fun you can have with a $2 toy! 

Five. Skinny Cow Peanut Butter Creme Chocolates

I got these peanut butter chocolates in my first Influenster box and completely forgot I still had some in the pantry. I found them last night and devoured them- they are SO good!  

Happy Friday!

As always, I linked up with the girls for Five on Friday.

When Warm Temperatures Seize My Brain

-Our families are gone and Miss A and I are getting back into our normal routine. We went to my exercise class this morning and then went scouting for this cute picnic table. No luck with the table but when I'm on the hunt for something I don't stop until I've either found it or exhausted every option.

-I'll do a recap of our visit with my in-laws soon, today I had lots of random thoughts to share!

-I have all these chores to do and GROCERY SHOPPING but all I want to do is sit outside in a hammock and take a nap (we don't have a hammock, someone tie one to a tree for me). My child has become IMPOSSIBLE to take to the story lately if she has to sit still in a cart. The entire time she's asking to get "out" and to "walk." Do you know how long it would take me to grocery shop if I allowed her to do that? Hence why I had chicken nuggets for lunch today..

-I wish we had a pool. It's been two days since the sun came out after days and days of rain and I'm already dreaming of pool days. The 80s weather does something to me, I can't think straight and don't want to do anything but be outside. If we had a pool you bet I'd be out there all day with Miss A splashing in the water and wishing we had a pool boy to serve me drinks with little umbrellas.

-Messes. There are messes everywhere. I didn't know toddlers were actually little tornadoes. How is it possible to create a mess that will take me ten minutes to clean up but only takes 2 minutes to make?

-Food. I'm bored of it. Actually, no, scratch that- what I really want is all things grilled and barbecued. It's the weather, I tell ya. Unfortunately I'm a chicken to use the grill by myself (especially with said toddler around) and my husband is working until after 7:45 every night this week. Soon. Soon that grill will be put to good use and we will be having grilled chicken, veggies, ice cream, popsicles...Summer I love you! (I immediately skip over Spring with this weather, I'm sorry Spring, but I don't love you as much as I love Summer).

-This weather also makes me miss Miami. Where I had access to beaches 24/7 and didn't go nearly as often as I should have. How dumb of me. I can't wait to go in a few weeks and see the blue water again and feel the sand beneath my toes.

-I LOVE Parenthood. Are you watching that show? I'm having a major meltdown over a couple's relationship and I love the interaction between Sarah and Hank. This show is my life.

-I'm having a mom's night out and have nothing to wear because I never get to do these things anymore. Heels? They hurt my feet so much now, totally out of practice. At least we'll be sitting down the whole time!

Five on Friday

One. Easter Egg Hunt

Easter may still be weeks away but I'm already thinking about what we're going to do to celebrate. An egg hunt is definitely in store and I picked up a bag of plastic eggs at Target this week, along with these cute paper plates and napkins from the Dollar Spot. I'm also searching for an Easter basket, since last year she was nine months old and I didn't do a basket for her. I saw a really simple, beautiful white wicker basket at HomeGoods recently and haven't seen anything I like as much as that one, so I think that'll be the one! What are your Easter plans?

Two. This Picture

Wednesday night Miss A wanted to take a few of her baby dolls with her to bed. She tucked them in around her blanket and said "night night." The next morning she woke up and insisted on holding them both for her diaper change and carried them downstairs with her for breakfast. Sometimes I just can't take it! She is too cute for life.

Three. Mirror

Whenever my dad comes to visit, he likes to find little projects around the house to do. Sometimes I'll ask him to do something and other times he'll find jobs on his own. This time around I asked if he could help me spray paint an old mirror we had from our apartment. Instead of selling it or giving it away, I figured a new coat of paint would work to help it match our new furniture. He went ahead and did the whole job; he sanded it, painted it, and hung it up above our mantle.

Before

After

I'd like to get wall scones and change out the candles next. I'm not sure what should go on the far left, another picture frame? Tall candlesticks?

Four. Spring Shopping

I'm so ready for Spring, as we all are. I picked up a few new tops at The Limited this week, purposely buying tops in bright colors like mint, peach, and blue. I looked through my closet the other day and realized I wear SO much black and grey. It's time for me to branch out and buy COLOR! These shoes from Target may be my next purchase!

Five. Peanut Butter Cookies

We have more visitors arriving today, my in-laws! I'm so happy our parents have been able to visit us, with my husband on his ICU rotation, he has been gone ALL the time. Having company is so wonderful! I made them these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, which I haven't had in a long time. They are SO good! I'll be sharing the recipe soon!

Happy Friday!