I am hungry...lets look at food

So my go to recipe for an easy week night meal is one I have been eating since I was a kid. My mom would make it every once in awhile and then when I became old enough to request it, I wanted it everyday. My mom called it cavitini, I call it cavitini. You can call it yummy!

First, the makin's

1 lb. ground beef, package of slice pepperoni, pasta sauce, pasta (fun shapes) i like to use shells, rotini, or penne for this dish, and some shredded italian cheeses. I LOOVE sargento cheeses, they melt so perfectly and gooey. This bistro cheese is fantastic!

While you heat your water and boil the noodles, brown up the meats. After the meat is browned and drained, add the sauce. While the sauce is simmering I like to add some pepperonis into it for added flavor.

yum-o

After the pasta is cooked and drained, throw it back in the pot and add the sauce. Mix it up, pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread evenly in dish, pile on the shredded cheese, arrange some pepperonis on top. Pop it into a 350 degree oven and cook it up until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Sometimes I also turn on the broiler to brown up the cheese and to make the pepperonis alittle crispy.

Dish it up onto a plate and enjoy with cheesey garlic bread! (yes, we like the cheese in our house) We also don't have a dishwasher, so the less dishes used the better, which is another reason I love this meal.

Bacon on my grilled cheese

I have been very productive the last couple of weeks....stitching wise. Otherwise, well, not so much. Although, I did get our spare/my craft room organized one Saturday while Matt was working some overtime. It so much neater with everything where it belongs. Too bad I dont spend as much time as I thought I would be when I set it up.

I was able to finished stitching Little House Needleworks "Simple Joys" pattern earlier this week. I am too lazy to go upstairs to take a finished picture of it, so you can just use your imagination. In the middle of stitching it I ran out of one of the threads, so I was forced (yea, right) to take a trip to the LNS near my house (about 45 mins) The Stitching Post to pick up another skein.

Well, you can't just go there for ONE thing, especially if it's just some thread. While I was there, I picked up a Mill Hill bead kit that I knew Matt would love and also another new pattern by Little House Needleworks.

Sarah Street - Faithfulness Sampler

I haven't started working on her yet, but I am very excited to begin. Probably this weekend when Matt is working and I've got the place to myself . I had another finish this week. I stitched the Mill Head bead kit that I got for Matt. It's a pirate!

Irate Pirate

This is my finished product, I think it turned out pretty well. Please excuse the bad picture. I was too impatient to get out the camera so I took it with my phone. It was the first project like this that I had finished. I was really nervous because it is stitched on perforated paper (paper with holes in it) and then I had to cut the parrot and the skull without cutting any of the holes that had stitches, which would totally ruin all the work and time I had put into it. It came with a magnet so once I put a felt backing or something on it to hid the ugly stuff in the back, I can glue on the magnet and stick it on the fridge.

After finishing it earlier tonight I realized I hadn't yet eaten dinner so I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich. About halfway through, I thought to myself, "this would be good with some bacon on it". Wish I had thought of that earlier.

The summer has come to an end and kids are starting to go back to school around here. That means more traffic in the morning, there goes my peaceful morning drive. I am very much looking forward to labor day weekend, I really need my four day holiday!

Back in the Saddle

So after a few months of stitching spurts where I would totally get into my project and work on it tirelessly for hours or days at time. The project would then languish on my stitching table and quietly mock me in its half stitched sullenness. But, this month that changes!

It all started last week, I had a few evenings to myself as my dear, hardworking fiance was working a few night jobs for work. Thus leaving me home alone finding it impossible to get to sleep until he got home or I knew he was coming home. Does this happen to you? Years of being single, going to sleep whenever I wanted and having no problem. Now that I have a dude in my bed, it is impossible for me to go to sleep or stay asleep without him next to me.

Anyway, with so much free time on my hands and so not doing housework in this heat (yea, no a/c in the house), I picked up my long neglected stitching project. I am really enjoying being back in the saddle and loving my progress! This picture shows progress from about a week ago, since then I have the wings pretty much done and ready to move onto the body. I had a minor hiccup when I ran out of the Kreinik thread, but all was well with a special trip to a stitch shop. More details on that later.

Petal Fairy
Mirabilia

On another note, Matt and I have been dealing with ALOT of drama from some so called friends. Some stuff happened, followed by alot of people saying alot of stuff to Matt. All about me and the fact that none of them like me, but were only nice because of him. One of these people USED to be in our wedding party. Yea, it was all that bad. Matt and I have been together for almost four years and I've always felt that his friends were not fond of me, but I never understood why and they never said anything if they did have a problem with me. At least, not to my face. Ever since we got engaged, I have really noticed a change in attitude towards me. This was the breaking point for me. It was also for Matt when they said they had all these "problems" with me and instead of just talking to me about it, they were harassing and tattling to him. After years of listening to their heartache and giving advice when asked, watching their kids, I was very taken aback like "wow, that's what they really think of me?!". It was pretty shocking and hurtful, so we just decided to no longer associate with them.

So, last Saturday, after weeks of getting texts and emails (and not responding to any of them), we decided to "take the day off" and go to the beach. We only live about 3 1/2 hours from the beach and the drive really doesn't seem like much when you're in the car with someone you love and makes you laugh! The weather was perfect! We laid on the beach all afternoon and walked on the boardwalk at night. I also got a special treat by getting to visit "Salty Yarns" which is an LNS right on the boardwalk by the ocean. I was able to pick up the Kreinik thread I ran out of for Petal Fairy and also a new pattern by Little House Needleworks that I was really drooling over. I love the richness in the colors!

Simple Joys
Little House Needleworks

I wasn't able to find a piece of fabric for it while I was at the shop, but I did get all the threads and figured I had a piece at home I could stitch it on. The pattern is 7 3/4" square. The piece of fabric I found at home for it is 9x13, yes, I know. A problem. But, me being the impatient one decided not to care and forged ahead. No, it's not centered on the fabric and no, I don't care....this one time. It's not centered and it barely fits on the fabric, but I made it work!

I've decided to make it my "downstairs" project and keep Petal Fairy upstairs. This way, when I am watching TV downstairs, I don't have to get all my supplies together and lug it up and down the steps. I also got a cute little tote to keep everything in so my living room doesn't look like my stitching bag exploded. Now I just have a nice little bag neatly sitting on the end table by the couch where I sit. Though we haven't been watching much TV downstairs since the TV broke. We can watch DVDS and play the Wii on the it, but it won't let us watch regular TV. Total bummer.

Hope you are staying cool in these dog days of summer. I am really looking forward to it cooling down alittle in the coming weeks.

My Edumacation...

So I graduated from college four years ago this year. I went to college for 6 1/2 years. It was grueling, it was painful, it was back breaking....it was also a great diet. I went to a community college for 3 1/2 trying to figure out what the heck I wanted to be when I grew up, only to spend 3 more at a university because I changed my major after one. I also worked full time, and part time, and part time....I don't recall working less than three jobs the whole time I was in college because I lived on my own and paid for my education, and bought oodles of noodles if there was any money left over. Honestly, my parents helped not at all when I was in college, they really didn't give a crap. My stepfather was just glad to be rid of my and my passive aggressive mother was just glad that she didn't have to listen to him bitch and complain about me anymore. Which I always wondered about. I mean, how could he have anything to complain about when I was never there, I slept and took showers....such an a-hole.

Anyways, so I graduated. I cried the day I graduated, literally broke down. Everyone thought it was because I was sooo happy, felt so accomplished. But really, I was so glad it was over. So glad that I could get that one thing off my plate and start to have a "real life". I could get a "real job" and quit my 3 little ones. I could see my friends and stay out late. I wouldn't have to deal with the commute totaling 3 hrs back and forth to school. I would have time and money to eat (and boy did I). No longer would I be working on papers until 1 in the morning only to get back up at 5 to finish it and go to work, go to class, go back to work, then to my other work, and getting home late at night to do it all over again. My life didn't really start until I was 24.

But, despite my accomplishment of graduating from college, and financially support myself through it all, I was constantly questioned by my family why I got a degree in family studies (aka human services) and not elementary education as I had first planned. Seriously?! I'm not allowed to change my mind?! I always replied I could always go back to school and get my masters.

Within 3 months of graduating college I had a job with the state government at one of the local social services office. I have been there almost four years (in August). It's a good job, it has good benefits. The economy sucks, so my salary has been cut twice in two years. Lately, it's either going back to school and getting more education to get a better job or just get a better job. I thought about going to get my masters in education, but I realize I also need to work. It would be nice to be able to keep my current job and still go to school. Thats about impossible when you are trying to get a degree in teaching because, well, schools with kids are only open during the day. The only options I have are online learning or blended curriculums with evening and online classes.

I've looked into online programs and actually got an email at work about the MSW (masters of social work) program with University of New England. It's a four year program and offered completely online. It was a serious contender until I saw the price tag....about $45 grand. Yea, I just LOL'ed too. Then, I was checking into the university systems of maryland and found usmh, university systems of maryland at hagerstown. It offers bachelors and graduate programs geared towards people who work and have families. Plus, the programs are offered and I would receive a degree from a college in Maryland. The MSW program there is offered by Salisbury University, which is about three hours from my house. But, hagerstown is about, oh, 45 minutes from my house, about 30 mins from my office. Classes are offered in the evening and taught by staff from the university via video presentations and online. Blended curriculum! Yay, and would cost less than half of the other program out of new england.

I really think this would be a good program for me. It will take about 3 years taking 3 classes per semester, and at the end I will have the opportunity to further my career, possibly going into another field. I have alot of time to consider and research it as I would not be able to apply until next spring for the fall '11 semester. Matt is very supportive because I have told him several times if I could go back to school I would. I feel very stunted mentally in my life right now. Sometimes I feel like I went to school all that time and spent (still spending) alot of time and money to get it, but ask myself was it worth it? My job, though required to have a college degree to acquire it, does not necessarily utilize any of my learning, nor is it challenging. So, maybe it's time to start workin' on movin' on.

So not only will I be planning a wedding in the coming months, but hopefully also getting myself ready for graduate studies. I really know how to pile it on, don't I?

Cookin' it up!

I think the worst part of doing this whole grown up thing has to be cooking. Don't get me wrong, I like to cook. I love to cook, I love to bake. I'll try and cook anything once....as long as I can pronounce it, eat it, and doesn't have ten million ingredients. Because, despite the fact that I do like to cook, I am also cheap and lazy, therefore do not like to spend alot of time and energy gathering ingredients or putting it all together. I also like to think I watch what I eat, but most of the time it's just watching it all go into my mouth.

The crux of my cooking conundrum...(take that, high school english teacher)...is that I get very bored cooking the same things all of the time. I also have a very willing fiance who will try anything once and will lie to me if it's awful. So tonight, we try something new.

First off, I just want to let you know that this was all in my 'lil head. I did have some "inspiration" but I pretty much threw it all together...and I don't have pictures so just visualize. FI and I were in Walmart over the weekend and I happen to be thumbing through an issue of Taste of Home magazine...I love recipe magazines...mmm mmm. There was a recipe in the magazine for Pork noodle casserole.

Alright, casserole! I can totally do a casserole! But tonight, we have chicken noodle casserole.

Ingredients: 1lb. chicken tenderloins/breast, frozen mixed veggies, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, milk, colby and jack shredded cheese, half an onion, whole wheat rotini pasta, and crushed ritz cracker.

First, lets address the whole wheat pasta....tryin' to be healthy here, Matt talked me into at the store....idk what came over me. Also, I only had one can of cream of chicken soup on hand. If I had had another I would have used it, that why I added a bit of milk. Still, looking at it in the stove, it might be a bit dry. So, I definitely recommend 2 cans of the soup.

Boiled my pasta, the whole box of rotini...and I boiled my chicken. Yes, I said boil the chicken. I don't know when or why I started doing this, but whenever I have chicken in a casserole, stew, or soup I always boil it first. Chop it up and throw it in with the pasta after it's cooked and drained. Chop up the onion, throw it in the pot with the chicken and pasta. grab the bag of frozen veggies and throw it in the pot. Mix it up. I used two cups of the shredded cheese, it looked good. Throw it in the pot, mix it up! Same with the cream of chicken soup. Mix. It. Up. Clearly, I love to mix it up....or I like to move it, move it...again if you don't have the 2 cans of soup you could prolly do one can and about 1/2 cup of milk.

I'm not much of a measurer...er..er...er when I cook. I just throw the stuff in 'til it looks good.

So all the wet stuff is in the pot. Put it in a casserole dish. I used a 9x13 dish. Crushed ritz crackers go on top. I used one sleeve of the crackers, stuck em in a bag, crushed em up. mmm ritz crackers....

Oven on 350, pop your casserole into the oven for about 30 minutes and enjoy.....

P.S....As I write this, I have yet to eat any, so you are makin, bakin, and eatin at your own risk...

$$$ = frustration....what else is new?

One of the many pitfalls of planning a wedding is of course, paying for the weddng.

I am making our save the dates, I am making our invitations, I am making the bouquets...as in 2, mine and my matron of honor. We are having our reception at FMIL to cut that cost, and minimal decor....a late cocktail reception, but still alil costly....I am making cupcakes, I am making the centerpieces.....I am doin alot. LOL.

This stress of course is coming from the fact that I booked the chapel last week and we met with and got the pricing for our caterer....still have yet the find a dress, a photographer, and a ceremony musician......

On top of the wedding planning, I am facing cuts at my job which means a lower paycheck for double the work....and I don't want to hear "oh, at least you still have a job" bs....I mean, does it really make a difference when the bills still aren't getting paid....? Does it?!

And forget all the traditional Brides family pays for this and Grooms family pays for that. 'Cause my family? They arent paying for shit....my mother hasnt even spoken to me since I have gotten engaged and I am convinced its for this very reason. She is afraid I am going to ask her and her worthless husband to pay for something or God forbid give us money. Fiances mother has offered some tentative help, but growing up with parents who didn't give a crap about me makes it almost impossible to ask anyone for money.

So it looks like its time for that dreaded "p" word...parttime job...ugh. Even thinking it makes me want to break down into tears. I thought after 6 1/2 years of college and struggling to survive without any support from my family, after getting a "real" job, I would be done with that. I mean, in college, I worked 2-3 jobs at a time and went to school full time. It. Was. Terrible. I really am not looking forward to repeating that experience in my life, while trying to plan a wedding.....blah!

well, there is that rant....

Wedding Day!

Psych! Not ours....but our good friends, Amber and Kevin. Last Saturday, Matt and I attended their lovely wedding ceremony followed by a happening reception with lots of good food and dancing!

Matt and I had a wonderful time and certainly put thoughts of our own upcoming event, making for some mushy hugs and sappy comments to each other. We were so happy for our friends and enjoyed the day with them and our other close friends. We cannot wait to share our special day with them next year.
I even got Matt on the dance floor after awhile....and a few drinks, haha!

and of course, what's a wedding without cake?!