Football and cookies

So football and I aren't really best buds. I dont hate it but I'm really rather indifferent. Basically if it involves a bunch of friends and people and food, I love football - but if those other pieces are missing, I'm watching Food Network or TLC instead.
Yesterday was the proper combination for me to be a Football fan for the day. the AF vs UNLV game was here and so a bunch of us AF folk had a tailgate and went to the game

At the end of the tailgate

In the stadium =) we bought the cheap end zone seats and then made our way to the 30yard line in the family section because, really, we're all just one big AF family, right?

So my tasking for the tailgate was to bring dessert. An excuse to bake? Why, yes please.

There was a new recipe for reeses peanut butter cup cookies that I had been needing a reason to try out!

Are you ready for this? Its pretty complicated.

First, take 24 indiv wrapped Reeses PB cups, place them into a food processer

Add ONE egg to the 24 cups

 Blend in Food Processor until smooth

 Place on cookie sheet and pat down to about 1/2 inch thick

Bake for about 15 minutes at 350*

Delicious little peanut butter cup cookies!!

I'm not going to lie, I was pretty shocked that these actually turned into crisp little cookies, perfect for ice cream, milk, or a tailgate!

But that batter did not make enough cookies for a tailgate (it made about 20 or so) and so I decided to go for an oatmeal cookie for round two!

I don't have the recipe right with me because I am in Starbucks right now typing this [hopefully home internet will be running by Tuesday] But the jist of it is

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1.5 cups flour

2 eggs

4 cups oatmeal

2 Tbsp milk [I used almond milk]

1.5 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

...actually I think that may be everything

But I wanted to be spirited so I added dried blueberries instead of raisens

and I had extra cinnamon chips from the cupcakes I made last week and so I added those to the batter too - about 1-1.5 cups or whatever  just under half a bag is.

yum

Then I dropped them by 2Tbsp balls onto parchment paper about 2 inches apart and added blue sprinkles for extra AF spirit!

Baked them at 375 for about 13 minutes each and TA-DA!!

Delicious cinnamon oatmeal cookies. I couldn't eat them since they had flour but they seemed to be quite the hit at the tailgate, everyone seemed to be going back for more. I thought they looked just divine!

So the tailgate was fun and the football game, well, the ending was not pretty...at all....hate to say it but I'm pretty sure our defense never left USAFA. But it was so fun being surrounded by grads from all different years as well as others from work coming out to support the team.

At about 3 minutes left...when we knew there was no chance...everyone was ready to leave but I said "No, we have to wait for the third verse!" -- I def got a bit of teasing for that. My rule is if you stay till the 4th quarter starts, you have to stay for the third verse.

I have never hid my cynicism towards the Academy football program but the one thing I think that they [and the other service Academies] do right is the singing of the third verse. I really feel like it brings everyone together as a family, as a school, as an air force. 

For those of you who have no clue what I am talking about, at the end of every AF football game, home or away, win or lose, the football team comes over to the corner where the band is seated [if it is away, all the fans move closer to the band as well] and hold hands [yes, the fb team, the fans, etc] and the band plays the third verse of the Air Force song and we all sing.

The lyrics are:

Here's a toast to the host
Of those who love the vastness of the sky,
To a friend we send a message of his brother men who fly.
We drink to those who gave their all of old,
Then down we roar to score the rainbow's pot of gold.
A toast to the host of men we boast, the U.S. Air Force!

Basically it just kind of brings it back to what we are really all about and what the Air Force does when the game is over and we go back to our daily lives. I almost always get goosebumps when we sing it because it is just so sad and beautiful and youre always either really happy or pretty upset [ie youve either just won or lost] when it plays and so you already have some sort of emotion just bubbling away.

But back to the grind tomorrow and then Thursday one of my bestest friends is coming to see me =) stay tuned for next weekends shenanigans!

xo

happy rant

So I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been getting back to some Yoga Sculpt classes this week or because work has been going well or just because I’m me but I have been feeling very happy lately. Often when I am on my moderately long drive home from work I have time to reflect on things and then I get all overwhelmed with being happy with how everything has worked out.

I feel very happy and grateful for where I am in my life. I’m 22, just built my first house, have a good job, and am half way through my masters degree. Now, I know there are 22 year olds who have done more than I have, who already have their masters or are almost done with their Phd or Dr or whatever but I think I am pretty pleased with how things have worked out. Really I sometimes feel like I under achieve my potential. I feel like I am torn between enjoying lazy time and wanting to constantly be doing more. Something more useful, something more productive, something more educational, something more at the gym, just something more.

Honestly, I think almost everything makes me happy, even the things that are pissing me off right now just feel like they are on the surface to just be brushed off. I love driving in my prius and seeing 50mpg when I am averaging 60mph. I love the scenery here in Vegas, all of the desert mountains and the constant sunshine. And there is really something to be said for having your own things in your own house. It is so comfortable and I feel so happy. Even when the pup gets all needy and wont leave me alone [like right now she’s trying to lick my hands as I type this] I have to just smile because as annoying as she can be, she still loves me.

At the same time, I still don’t know that I quite feel like a grown up. It’s funny because I was always told that I acted much older than I was, that I was very mature for my age, and I always wanted to be a grown up and do all of these things but now that I am, I feel almost like I am just playing house, playing grown up. Maybe it’s because no matter what I do, I will always need my parents to kind of reassure me when I do things. Maybe I don’t need it, but I certainly want it. Its like when you are a little kid and youre parents are getting you to try something for the first time and every 3 seconds you look back for confirmation that you are doing it [whatever it is] correctly. I feel like that, that I’m just an extension of my parents over here in Vegas and I keep looking back to make sure it’s OK.

I suppose in a literal sense I am a physical extension of my parents because I am both of them. I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had such rockin’ parents to start. Maybe the other reason I don’t feel like a real grown up is I still have those awful nightmares I had as a kid – you know, the ones where your parents die horrifically and you have to run to their room to make sure they are alive? Yah, I did that a lot as a kid. Can’t do that so much now but I’d be lying if I said when they don’t answer the phone that my mind doesn’t go to the most morbid thought. Yah, I need my parents. Whenever I hear about people who don’t have great relationships with their parents it makes me pretty sad inside. I cant imagine not being able to talk to my parents about everything. I have always had so much love and support with friends and family growing up that I never felt like achieving anything wasn’t completely possible for me if I so chose. It’s so crazy how every little thing adds up to make us who we are. As a behavioral science major I often like to look back on my childhood to identify different behaviors and personalities I interacted with that contributed to who I am today. I was always taught to surround myself with people who are going to build me up as opposed to break me down and I think that is something I really took to heart. I have very little patience for people who are jealous or cruel and I find that the most important people in my life are all there to help make me a better person. I really don’t have a lot of negative drama in my life [knock on wood], and for that, I am happy. 

A local? and Cupcakes!

As I was driving back from my yoga sculpt class with my Wellness Drink from Greens and Proteins, I was thinking about how comfortable I have become here. I have found my routine. Routines are things that I like – I don’t like suspense, the suspense of not knowing where something is or how something will work out or how to get somewhere – I don’t like suspense anywhere, just last week I looked up the ending to the movie S3VEN that I was watching with friends because I was so uncomfortable. Once I knew how it ended I felt clear to continue watching. In fact, I do that with a lot of books too….

Well anyways, I was surprised to find myself thinking about how Vegas kind of feels like home…

Vegas has done in 4 months was Texas could not do in a whole year. I never really felt at home in Texas, it never felt like a place to stay or that I was doing anything more than passing by. Maybe it is because I have my house surrounded by all of my things as opposed to an apartment or maybe just because Vegas is more my personality than Texas ever could be [specifically San Angelo] but I feel pretty good here. I will feel even better once I get my guns in the next couple weeks as well. Hehe.

The other way I know I am “home” in Vegas? I have spent my last two weekends knitting, cleaning, and making pillows. Yup. When you are knitting in Vegas, you are no longer a visitor. You also aren’t likely to be 22 years old but I like to break the mold.

Also, twice this week I have had people ask me for Vegas advice like where to go and where to eat and I really felt that I was able to give them solid answers with a variety of options. There is still soo much that I have to learn but I know so much more now than I did 4 months ago. As I plan for my friend to visit in 2 weeks, I find that there are just so many things that I know and want to do that it is hard to decide!

I have been craving baking for a while now and so I caved into that a bit to make some cupcakes to take into work. I made a chocolate fudge cupcake with a hit of cayenne and cinnamon [just a shake really] with a cinnamon cayenne cherry filling and vanilla frosting with cinnamon chips beneath and on top.

I would call these “semi-homemade” – the cupcake mix was….gasp…from a box. I know, sad and awful but I don’t actually have any normal flour in my house yet. I need to get some so I can start making fun fruit cakes for the holidays though. So yah, chocolate fudge cake mix made from the box with about a ½tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp cayenne or so. Maybe twice that.

The filling I took a light cherry pie filling can and heated it over the stove with about a tsp of cayenne and cinnamon, tasting as I added until I could just start to feel the warmth from the cayenne and the cinnamon added to the cherry without overpowering it.

I used and apple corer to take the centers out of the cupcakes and then filled them up – about 3 cherries and syrup per cupcake. Then I sprinkled them with cinnamon chips—I wanted to make a cinnamon ganache but I didn’t have heavy cream…or even any type of milk – other than condensed and evaporated and I didn’t want to waste a can of that for just a couple tablespoons…

 Then just vanilla frosting – again – betty crocker – and then sprinkled some cinnamon chips on top.

Not my most original or my best effort but I think they look good and they should taste pretty awesome, semi homemade or not. I think that I will break out the donut maker and the donut cookbook here pretty soon, I just  need more ingredients for them first. 

I would also like to say that I still do not have internet and so in my desperation to blog I am sitting in my friends driveway while he is at work in order to use his WiFi.

love

Recipe Post =)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am doing my best to eat on a budget. Now, some people make the argument that those who are eating on a budget tend to eat much more unhealthy food [ie fast food] I have to say I cannot remember the last time I have eaten fast food [it was June 4th with mom... I had a protein style hamburger and well-done fries at In-n-Out] on my own, and I do not intend to start now.

So I was eating my tofu with onions and mushrooms but then I ran out. In a moment of weakness I bought some flax/quinoa chips for $2.00 at Marshalls and decided to make something of it. I had several avocados left over from a week or so ago and so I decided to make nachos for dinner [for about 4 nights in a row] to supplement my oatmeal/chia seed breakfast and lunches.

Here are my nachos. one serving of flax/quinoa chips [120 calories] 

1/4 cup Vegetarian refried beans [50 calories]

1/2 of an avocado [140 calories]

5 table spoons bean salsa [100 calories]

410 calories for a well rounded [balanced with carbs, protein, fat, and fiber] dinner that kept me full despite the small size! See it can be done!

But then I realized that my fridge was pretty empty....

and that I had not cooked in a while and so I was getting a bit stir crazy. I decided to ask for a "Chopped Challenge" ingredient list. My friends provided me with several ingredients and since I wasnt doing an appetizer-entree- dessert meal, I decided to try and take about 6 of their ingredients to make a meal for myself - while staying on budget. 

I forgot some of the list when I went to the store but tried to stay true to them and purchased - tilapia, parmesan, strawberry ice cream, jack daniels whiskey ( forgot she said captain Morgan ) , edamame, and red raspberry Fun Dip ( couldn't find cotton candy ).

I made a strawberry ice cream, balsamic vinegar and cayenne glazed tilapia, smashed tandem with whiskey, maple syrup and cinnamon, and edamame with a sweet and sour sauce I made with teriyaki, fun dip, and rice wine vinegar and dusted with parmesan. Honestly, I would eat all of it again. Especially the yams!!!! Mmm 

My required Ingredients [minus the Fun Dip]. If you don't count the Whiskey, I was able to get everything for under $10

For the Tilapia, I started by adding about a little less than 1/2 cup of strawberry ice cream [100 calories] to my pan with a little shake of salt and about an equal amount of balsamic vinegar. I let the ice cream melt down and the mixture start to reduce and then added about 1/2 teaspoon or so of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat. 

As the mixture came together, I added the Tilapia filet [only 80 calories] and cooked for about 1-4 minutes per side, constantly taking the extra sauce and drizzling it over the filet to really kind of glaze the fish.

For the edamame, I boiled the edamame in order to cook them and then made a sauce for them with a mixture of about 1 teaspoon of fun dip, 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, and 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar. These measurements are just a guess...may be more or less. I put the mixture over heat in order to reduce it and blend the flavors better, i took it off of the stove, added a quick splash of vinegar for bite and then poured the mixture over the edamame, sprinkling with a finishing touch of parmesan.

The whiskey yams [or yam in my case] was really my favorite part. I boiled the yam in order to cook it through but kept the skin on because I love the skin and the vitamins and minerals it has! When the yam was cooked, I added some whiskey [maybe 1/8 cup?] and about 2 Tbsp of maple syrup with a shake or three of cinnamon and let the alcohol cook off a bit before mashing the yam and adding it to the pan with the sauce in order for it to really absorb every little drop. It didn't take long.

And then I plated and enjoyed! Honestly, it really was pretty darn good. The yams may just be athanksgiving/christmas side dish. You really couldnt taste any strawberry on the tilapia but every now and then I got a bite that was just a tad sweeter which was nice. The cayenne added just the right amount of warmth in my opinion. It was good but if I was making it again I would want to make a strawberry salsa to top it with I think - or perhaps substitute a jam for the ice cream. The edamame was fine, not bad, not out of this world either.I added the parmesan on top because it was an ingredient I had to use, really I should have just used it on the fish or something. But I wouldnt mind edamame with salt and parmesan tonight...maybe I will. The teriyaki/fun dip sauce started out awful but when I cooked it down a bit it really made it better - especially the vinegar in order to make it a bit more of a sweet-sour type sauce.

I really had a lot of fun cooking this and thinking about things to use in my kitchen with the ingredients allotted me. I dont have a "Chopped Kitchen Pantry" so it definitely makes it even more challenging in my mind. Fell free to comment on this post with any additional 4-ingredient lists you would like to see me try!!

XO

Kali

Stress, Shopping, and Oatmeal

Hey everyone!
So not much has happened since the final delivery. Well, there has been a lot of stressing, a little shopping, and a whole lot of oatmeal.
One positive note, my food costs for the entire week has been about $15 total. Seriously. Oatmeal for breakfast and lunch and sauteed tofu with onions and mushrooms and a glass of wine for dinner. Yup, the $2.99 bottle of red wine from Whole Foods is included in the week's costs and I still have one glass left in that bottle! It's a good thing I like oatmeal. And I've been adding Chia seeds [for protein, fiber, and omegas] as well as local bee pollen [for its many nutritional benefits] and cinnamon [to regulate blood sugar levels and all the other magic it does] and all the protein I need with my tofu. Really, I'm quite happy with this. By the time September is over I may be a bit over oatmeal but who knows.

In the mean time I have been cleaning and putting things away and, well, that's just a pain. I keep running out of hangers and to be honest, it is kind of boring. Honestly, I was excited about buying a broom.  A Broom. Such is life.

Whenever I'm stressed I like to bake but since I'm on a no shopping budget, I had to make due with what I had [which I found out, was NOT a cookie sheet] But I did have leftover sugar cookie dough from when I was going to bake something or another and so there was a little start for my FIRST ever baking in my new gas oven. Gas ovens, those are another new thing to me. I may or may not have sat in front of it for 5 or 7 minutes watching my cookies so they didnt burn.

As mentioned, I didn'y have a baking sheet....so I improvised with mini muffin pans. I also didn't like the idea of a plain sugar cookie so I made a walnut/brown sugar/cinnamon concoction to top them with.

When they were finished... They kind of got hallowed out in the middle - aka they looked UGLY. I was pretty upset about this until I realized they would make the perfect min cups for ice cream. I didn't see how I could bring ice cream into work though, not to mention that there is absolutely nothing in my freezer...so I did the next best thing - vanilla frosting. Because yes, I always have vanilla frosting in my pantry. 

So they are kind of like those cookie icing sandwiches except cup size instead! I brought them into work on Labor Day when I was promptly sent home because I missed the memo that if you were not "essential" you did not have to come in. They didn't have to tell me twice! As I had been walking into work that morning I was thinking how gorgeous it was out and how I wish I could be running instead. Well, my wish came true and I promptly headed to the locker room for my first official outdoor run in LV. <3 It was amazing. The secret is you have to run before 8am. I'm ok with this.

I don't know how the cookies were since I don't // can't eat the majority of things I bake and these were not gluten free. I gave one to the Lt in the office and he assured me it was good but I wasn't convinced. It took him more than three bites which is never a good sign to me. I really am more of a cupcake girl these days, I trust my cupcakes are amazing....I dont have the same cookie confidence...maybe I need to work on my powers a bit more.....

Well anyways, I have been taking on Martha Stewart so I decided to make pillows. The couch I bought came with about 6 large pillows, and they aren't bad except that they do not match anything in my house in terms of decor. They are these animal print things and there is no animal print anywhere to be had in this house [and I intend to keep it that way]. So I decided it was time to replace them.  I had purchased some material back in Tejas that I thought would go well with the tables I made and I decided to break it out. My only regret is that I only had enough to make two large pillows and one small one. Eventually I will head out to Michaels/ JoAnns/Walmart to find a different [cheap priced] material that will go with the flow of my house.

Before the makeover

Post Makeover

Happy little pillows on the couch =)

I am pretty pleased with how they turned out all in all. If I ever have anyone over to try them out, hopefully they will agree!

Today I had my ADT man come and install my home protection system. I had a bit of difficulty with ADT this past week. They really try and fight to get customers and I had been working with one sales rep for one company and when my friend was helping me hang pictures the other day, another rep came a-knocking. He happened to be the one who had worked with my friend and so I let him into my home to see what more he could offer. He went blah blah blah for a bit and then threw in that my friend would get $100 if I signed up with him . No pressure, huh? But other than that, he was rude and pushy. Specifically he said "I want your business but I don't need it." EXCUSE ME?! But being the friend I am, I didn't want to kick my friend out of a free $100. I should have kicked the kid out then. Anyways I was stupid and signed the contract with him [which he said was just to get the paperwork done and I could change my mind no big deal] Well, the next day I really reflected on it and just was NOT comfortable with working with someone that rude. I called him to cancel, and he was just as rude then. I then called the OTHER ADT guy and told him to come over so we could make a deal. When he got there, I disclosed about the previous guy and my new ADT man told me that once you sign with one ADT, that dealership gets it no matter what. That he would try but there wasn't much he could do. =(

Did I mention I called ADT and the manager for the other sales rep to describe exactly why I was unhappy? Well, I did. Low and behold, the manager for the ADT buttwipe guy called me back and apologized a lot and told me that he would give me 4 free months of monitoring because of the guy. I felt that was OK with me, after all, thats an extra 100$ in my pocket and it was made clear that this guy needed a speaking to. 

So today I had my ADT installed. Yay ADT. The install man was really nice and was concerned about where to put the panel so it didnt mess with the "feng shui" of my living room and house. Yes, those were his words, not mine. So all is good and happy in the world.

Next up tomorrow, I'm getting a puppy in the mail!!! And by puppy, I mean my dog, Lola. and by mail, I mean this spoiled thing is flying Delta. Oh, and it costs more to send her one way than round trip for me!! What sillyness is that?!

Hope she likes the Nevada heat! I hear there is an AWESOME dog park pretty close and I'm pretty excited to have a running partner again!

XO

Final Delivery, and a lot of work

So I didn’t get over to my old place last night to blog, honestly I was just too exhausted… I was not 100% moved in.

So yesterday I wake up and pretty much put the rest of everything I had in its place [which wasn’t a whole lot] and then around 9 the Moving Men came with my stuff! In case you didn’t know, I have been living out of 2 suitcases since May 7. Yup. Everything to wear /use for almost 4 months in 2 suitcases. Be impressed.

So the heros show up with my 2000lbs of stuff. Really, like 1000lbs of clothes, two side tables, my coffee table, patio table, and kitchen equipment.

 

They were able to unload and unpack everything in just under three hours! And it was only two of them! When I had the Moving Men pack up my stuff in San Angelo there were THREE of them AND me and it STILL took them over 5 hours. Lazy turds. And of course, those crappy San Angelo movers were not careful with my coffee table like I said and they broke one of the records on the side of it. Saw that one coming. Its not bad looking but it sure pisses me off. Because they also broke one of my ring dance glasses when they had packed up my stuff, and they didn’t even seem bothered by it at all!! I was livid.

So we they unpacked the kitchen boxes and I was able to put everything away while they did that which was really nice. It really helped keep it from getting overwhelming. I now realize that the only glasses I own are wine glasses. Not sure if this is good or bad….

 

 

I didn’t realize how much of my old roommates stuff I used for cooking – ie I had no spatulas or spoons! I made a run to the dollar tree. Seriously, for some things, this place rocks. They have Betty Crocker Spatulas and spoons and measuring cups and everything for $1 each. Walmart can’t even beat that! I also bought sponges (1$ for like 6) and Dial hand soap for the bathrooms, and a towel for the kitchen. All just $1 each. Brilliant.

all clean =)

I had also told the moving men to put all of the clothes in the boxes on to my bed. Whelp.

I figured I needed the kick in the butt to start so I would have motivation to sleep in my own bed! It worked! I am organizing my closet by item and color so short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops, pants, dresses, jackets and then by color. Its like a moving rainbow in my closet! Love it. And the shoe racks are a godsend. I just love seeing those little beauties all lined up in a row! I am determined to keep my closet in some semblance of this organized state. I always had my closet color coded in San Angelo and it was so packed there I could barely get clothes out.

That’s the other thing, I ran out of hangers. Probably the only reason why I stopped unpacking the bedroom. Boo. Basically, when I was in San Angelo, I had no room for storage or even my clothes so I had to leave a ton of it in Space Bags [another godsend] in a UHAUL storage unit =( So as I am unpacking some of my clothes, I am literally seeing them for the first time in over a year!!! I want everything out and unpacked and in my closet and dressers so I can see what I am working with

Now, I am going to show you my closet but you have to PROMISE not to judge. Promise me in your head now. Im serious. Now keep in mind I have only been to a mall once in the last 3 months – I am not a shopaholic. And everything I have bought was on sale when I bought it [because that is the only way I shop] and that some of these clothes are still from high school. Yes I still fit into them and wear them [in fact my favorite jeans ive had since Junior year of HS finally wore holes down the seams…Im trying to patch them but they don’t seem to stick =( ] So keep an open mind when you see my closet…

 

Seriously, be nice.

 

It is still a work in Progress.

 

 

 

it goes, tank tops [several per hanger, not in view] then short sleeve [by color] then long sleeve [by color] then skirts, then dresses [by color] then jackets [not seen] and under the short sleeve shirts are two 25-pair shoe racks. behind the tupperware with my shirts/jeans/pants are my boots. Organized, huh

 

 

Today my friend helped me hang some pictures in the house. I really like things on the wall so that it feels more homey. A couple of the items were things I had from texas and a couple were some good deals I found at Ross. We got my TV up which was a lot of work, I am so thankful my friend was there to help me out! I would have lost my mind or destroyed my tv or just given up.

 

Getting that TV rack up

 

He was a huge help. But he paid me back by taking me into a comic book store where there happened to be some sort of war-game tournament of about 20 guys who just turned and stared at me when we walked in. Perhaps they hadnt seen the opposite sex in a while...

 

 My original print newspapers from WWII and somepin up girl pictures with bombers 8-)

 

 

walking in. yup thats a "to-do" chalkboard!

Everything is coming together pretty well but I am on a spending hiatus so there will be no more decorating or organizing for a while. Seriously, Im on that poor college kid diet...seriously, Ive had oatmeal for breakfast and lunch every day and dinner is sauteed tofu with onions and mushrooms in a sun-dried tomato marinade

Yup, my first [and second] meal ever made in home sweet home. Tofu, onions, and mushrooms [really its pretty darn delicious - and healthy!] and that $2.99 bottle of wine from Whole Foods that I had the foresight to buy two weeks in advance =)

xo. Probably nothing exciting for a couple days guys, sorry.

xo