Project 365 Days 18-24

365.1.18.12 Splash

365.1.19.12 "I don't want my picture taken!"

365.1.20.12 A home away from home

365.1.21.12 Parmesan Cheese Explosion!

365.1.22.12 Homemade gnocchi (recipe to follow!)

365.1.23.12 Blue skies and palm trees

365.1.24.12 Bright, warm January sun

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

This recipe, Tomato Tortellini Soup, has been on my "Recipes to Try" pinboard for quite awhile. Tonight was the first time I made it, and I give it 3 stars. (Sorry, no pictures).

I was looking forward to it, as it seemed to be a fancier version of the macaroni and tomato soup mixture that I loved as a child (and adult, no fooling anyone here). We all agreed the soup was a little too creamy, and heavy as a result. I would make a few substitutions, and will try it out next time I need a quick soup. The best thing this soup had going for it was the quality in short time (20 minutes!).

So, without futher ado, my first recipe on this blog.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini, at least 9 ozs, maybe more
2 cans condensed tomato soup (no water or milk added)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup half and half
3 handfulls chopped sundried tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil to taste
shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare tortellini as directed. While cooking, combine all other ingredients (except parm) in a large pot over medium heat. After tortellinis are cooked, drain, and add to tomato soup mixture. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese and a nice, crusty baguette. Mmm.

My favorite cookie recipe ever

Well, since the semester (read - year) has begun, it's been more difficult than I thought keeping up with blogging. In the back of my mind, I had been dreaming of becoming the next blogging Martha-esque sensation, and that I would one day be able to blog, craft, and cook for a job. Don't think that's really going to happen. And, let's face it, if I thought it would happen, should I really be spending all of this time on a second doctoral degree? Probably not. So, I need to not feel bad about not blogging every day (or even every other day). I simply need to post when I can so I can share my projects with the few friends who follow me, and maybe build up a pool of posts to one day search out that marketing tool that will make me the next DIY sensation.

Until then, I will keep stalking the blogs I read every day, stalking on facebook, and people watching in the Plaza at lunch. Oh, and working on my PhD stuff. (Maybe that should be number one on my list?)

Since I don't always have it in me to write a new, long post with pictures, I decided I should start linking up to the wonderful things I find during my blog-stalking, pin on pinterest, and actually end up making/baking. Sound like a good idea? Here's the first one.

I don't remember when I first found Kristan's blog, Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, but I do know that I have been obsessed ever since. She is hilarious. Not sure how she pulls that off over the internet. I try to emulate it, but I am pretty sure I sound like an idiot. (And use to many parentheses... although I do try to refrain from smileys :])

Kristan has so many yummy recipes, but one I absolutely had to try, and love, is the Triple Peanut Butter Cookies. I love them so much that they were day 6 of my project 365.

Remember these? I had to stop myself from licking the computer screen.

Bobby even loves these so much he dubbed them the "best cookies EVER" the first time I made them. What makes them so fabulous, you ask? Go to Kristan's blog for the recipe. (But here's a hint: peanut butter, peanut butter m&m's, and peanut butter cups!!)

Go. Now. Make some. And save me one. Or, just make a double batch and save me half. Yum!

Project 365 Days 12-17

365.1.12.12 Back to School

365.1.13.12 The Hipp at night, and Bobby with a pizza box

365.1.14.12 (1) Hazel's tent of warmth

365.1.14.12 (2) Harley waiting and whining for his dad (he was adventuring with Bobby behind our house)

365.1.15.12 Sick Day

365.1.16.12 Cold floors, warm socks

365.1.17.12 mmmmm..... toppings.

Project 365 Days 6-11

It's a been a few days due to my Disney adventure, start of the semester, and getting sick, so here are the days from my Project 365 that I missed posting.

365.1.6.12 The Best Cookies Ever!

365.1.7.12 Pre-Marathon feet elevation

365.1.8.12 View from Animal Kingdom Lodge balcony

365.1.9.12 Crazy Buzz Lightyear ride competition face

365.1.10.12 Dancing Shoes

365.1.11.12 Florida winter looks and smells like fall

Days 4 and 5

The past few days have been extremely cold here in north central florida. So, I made waffles for breakfast (a tad warmer than cold cereal and milk).

365 Day 4, Waffles

Today when we uncovered my garden from the sheets which were supposed to be protecting my veggies from the cold, we found this:

365 Day 5, A cold weather garden massacre

The only plants that survived were my little seedling peppers... maybe they'll last the winter and I can harvest them.

Day 3

Warm cuddles.

They are so fluffy and sweet to each other when it's cold.

January Cleaning Goals

One of my new year resolutions is to be a neater/cleaner person. Mostly to nip in the bud my bad habits which will undoubtedly culminate in a lifetime of squabbling (almost didn't spell that correctly) between my husband and me.

Therefore, I decided to make myself a neater person.

But, I know I would be overwhelmed quickly and revert back to my cluttered ways without a good plan. And small goals. (At least that's what I tell myself). So I decided to set 1-2 small goals for each month. I can embrace those goals fully, take the 3 weeks needed to make them a habit, and then add something else the next month.

Now here's the deal. You can't judge me for being open about my messy-ness. Blog rules state that you aren't allowed to judge a blogger who opens her heart to the unknown masses on the internet (rule #47). I checked. Plus it's just mean. So, don't judge. Also, when I clean, I CLEAN. It's spotless. And germless. That just only happens when company is expected, I have a massive school assignment due, or I'm otherwise procrastinating a big project.


January's Goals:
1. Finish the dinner dishes. Bobby is very good at getting dishes out of the sink. I am not. Just ask my momma. She has plenty of funny stories. So, I plan to, each morning, when my cup of coffee is brewing, instead of browsing facebook, to put away the dry dishes and wash any left in the sink that were left to soak overnight.

2. I have 24 hours to put away clean laundry. I am so very bad at this. I usually have piles of clean laundry in the spare bedroom And Bobby HATES it. Loathes, even. So this habit has to change. We also helped this situation by buying a separated dirty laundry bin. Now he won't be washing my laundry along with his EVERY 3 DAYS, so I will be prepared on laundry day to wash, dry, and put away all the clothes I am responsible for.

So there they are. No judging. More goals in February.





P.S. I can't be the only one with these cleaning issues, right?

P.P.S. Let me know what your bad cleaning habits are so we can change them together!

Tutorial: Kitty Scratching Pad

Last night I had a wedding nightmare. Not about my own wedding, although I did have several before mine. About my friend's wedding. I think that should earn me the best bridesmaid award, since I was so worked up over it that I couldn't fall asleep again.

The dream involved the no-show of the seamstress (all of our dresses were too big), and the makeup and hair team (I had these weird horn-type curls at the top of my head, although my friend looked gorgeous as always). Also, the ceremony was on a beach with a rising tide, so the waves were crashing in on us (violently). To top it all off, the other bridesmaids were late, and I was completely unprepared to do the things they were supposed to do during the ceremony. As in, provide the champagne glasses for the mid-ceremony champagne toast. It all culminated with me running after the seamstress to give her a piece of my mind, and ending up on a escalator that went up 2 floors, wouldn't let me off, and then down the the lobby again into a crowd of people who were slapping my butt and calling me sweetcheeks.

Ok. That was weird. Maybe I won't share any of my dreams with you again. Or, maybe you're secret dream interpreters and will have a wonderful time interpreting that dream and telling me I am wayyyy too stressed out for my own good.

(In reality, the reason for the dream is that I received my bridesmaids dress in the mail, and it REALLY needs alterations. But I don't know where the rest came from....)

Since I was up and going a little earlier than planned, I decided to work on a little project I found on Pinterest last night. It ended up taking me longer than I thought, a few hours. I present.... the Circle Cat Scratcher (originally found via Pinterest from Design Sponge).

Oliver is an excellent model

Television Artwork

Today's picture is a yard we found on a drive to the store today. The resident of this house had the front yard decorated with old televisions, like an art gallery. Maybe I'll find the house again later and try to get some better (more artistic) pictures. But for now, Project 365 Day 2.

Day 2. Project 365 1.2.12

Happy New Year!

We hosted a little party last night, and I have to admit that it was the most enjoyable New Year's celebration I have ever been a part of. I am usually the lame one who might barely make it to midnight. Or, I might set an alarm to wake up at 11:55pm to see the ball drop and then go back to bed.

Not last night.

Pomegranate Champagne