Ordering, Donating, Painting, and Drilling!

You guys... I am TOTALLY ROCKING my winter to-do list! The law school is running late on posting our grades (yes, it's been three weeks since my last final and I still don't have all of my grades), so I've been running around giving myself an "A+ in towel-bar-hanging" and a "A in bed-making" to make up for it.  Here's what I've done in the past few days...

#3 Design and order our wedding album - I went with MyPublisher, found a 25% off coupon, and should have our wedding album in a week or so!

#14 Go through my closet and take things I don't wear to Goodwill - I cleaned out my closet before moving in with Jeff post-wedding, so most of what I got rid of this time around were things I almost donated last time, but then decided I would wear (and didn't). In the end, I think I took about 10 shirts, a dress, a pair of pants, two purses, two pairs of slippers, and two pairs of shoes.

#30 Go to the Goodwill store - I wanted to go browse around because I kept seeing blog posts about how a $7 dresser/$1 vase/$10 table was refinished/spray-painted/etc. to make a perfect decor item. I don't know where these people are finding these things though, because there wasn't a single item in the furniture section at our Goodwill store priced lower than $60, and most of the vases and frames and things were cracked or priced high enough that I could buy the same thing, but new, at Marshalls or TJ Maxx for less money. I was disappointed because I thought it would be great to get a good deal and help out Goodwill as well, but no such luck. Maybe it's a hit-or-miss sort of thing?

#18 Kiss my husband at midnight on New Year's - Did I mention it's great having Jeff back in Texas again? This is only the second New Year's Eve that we've celebrated together (he was in the marching band in College and was always gone on bowl game trips), so it was quite nice!

#23 Take a second to celebrate our 6-month anniversary on Dec. 31st - Well, it turns out my brain doesn't work well during finals, and Dec. 31st was actually just our FIVE month anniversary. But we did celebrate after midnight (just us) with some strawberry margaritas and How I Met Your Mother DVDs, and it was great! 

#19 Hang a towel bar in my bathroom - I even went above and beyond and hung one in Jeff's bathroom too (did I mention that we don't share a bathroom? Because we don't. It's good for our marriage). Plus, I got to use a drill for the first time ever (can you believe it?!?). And I liked it!

Excuse the messy bun and makeup-less face. I didn't have anywhere to go that day, and thus had no motivation to put myself together. I hope future stay-at-home mom Me doesn't turn out like that.

Jeff's bathroom - Before & After

My bathroom - Before & After

I decided to hang it off-center because of the electrical outlet, and because I sometimes have a lamp in that corner on the counter.

#26 Make the bed every day - I'm still going! AMAZING! I seriously thought I'd mess this one up within the first week, but now it drives me crazy if the bed isn't made in the morning. Go figure.

#28 Paint art for my bathroom - I had great intentions of painting something pretty and time-consuming and artistic, but when I sat down with a canvas and some brushes and paint, this is what I came up with:

Yep, stick people. But they're stick people in love, and they look awfully cute matted in red and living in a black 11x17 frame (PS - here's a money-saving secret: If you already own a frame, but it's too big, buy a mat! They're only a dollar or so, and they make stuff look cute! We already had this black 11x17, but my canvas was 8x10, so I just got that red mat!).

Plus, they make me happy whenever I'm in there! Again with the messy bun and no makeup. What was I thinking?

#29 Hang something on a wall - I've done this times five! First there were the curtains, then the towel rings, then the stick people "art." And then I did two more: a frame collage above the guest room bed, and a frame containing Jeff's letters from the Texas Senate and House of Representatives from when he became an Eagle Scout. I'll save pictures of those for the big Will-Do Winter post coming up. :)

I've got eight things left on the list, and I still have another 11 days before I go back to law school! I may not finish completely, but I'll be close! If only I could convince myself to clean those baseboards... (#5).

Whew. Long post! What do y'all think? Is it okay to hang stick people on your wall? Is it weird to use the guest bathroom so you don't have to share with your husband? Why does the Goodwill store charge $250 for a really old TV stand? Were you really excited the first time you used a drill?

And most importantly... can someone please convince me to clean the baseboards already?!?

Shrimp & Wild Rice Casserole

This is one of Jeff's favorites. Plus, it's pretty simple to make. Easy AND a husband-pleaser? That means I'm a big fan!

Here's the recipe, adapted from this Paula Deen one.

Ingredients:
8 oz wild rice (I used the kind that comes in the plastic pouch that you just microwave)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Cook the rice. If you're not using the fancy microwave pouch kind, subtract 1/4 cup water.
2. Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, and cook the shrimp for 1 minute (just one!). Drain immediately and set aside.
3. Heat the butter in a saucepan and saute the pepper and onion until soft, about 5 minutes
4. Preheat your oven to 325
5. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, soup, rice, vegetables, and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.
6. Lightly spray an 8x8 or 11x7 pan with cooking spray.
7. Place the mixture in the dish and top with the last 1/2 cup of cheese.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
9. Let it cool for a bit if you want it to be thicker than it is in my photo, below. We were really hungry and couldn't wait. :)

Yummy!

Mexican Lasagna

Here's a great dinner to pair with some margaritas! Adapted from this Rachael Ray recipe.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground chicken breast (You can find it in the packaged meats aisle. This stuff looks SO gross before it's cooked, but don't worry, it's good!)

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 red onion, diced

1 15oz can black beans, drained

1 cup mild taco sauce

1 cup frozen corn kernels

8 flour tortillas (the fresh ones by the deli are WAY better than the ones in the bread aisle!)

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, and onion to the pan. 

3. Stir, breaking up the chicken, for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the corn, black beans, and taco sauce. Heat thoroughly, 2-3 minutes.

5. Coat a shallow baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Tear the tortillas into quarters to make them easier to layer.

6. Build the lasagna with a layer of meat mixture (half of it), then tortillas (4 tortillas), then cheese (2 cups). Repeat to use all ingredients.

7. Bake 12-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Top with scallions and serve!

My husband thinks it's funny that I photograph our food. So he makes shadow puppets on lasagna dishes. :)

I served this the other day when Jeff's family was over with some Mexican creamed corn (canned cream-style corn, fire roasted green chiles, cream cheese, cornstarch), and a taco salad (lettuce, taco sauce, tortilla chips, tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, onions + Catalina dressing). Oh, and chips & salsa and margaritas! Yum!

Sidenote: Every time I chop scallions, my hands smell like scallions for at least 48 hours, regardless of how many times I shower and wash my hands. Does this happen to anyone else, or am I just crazy? 

Will-Do Winter: Apple Pie

So I'm not sure what I was thinking hosting the first Will-Do Winter activity right in the middle of Christmas/New Year's. Participation was WAY low, which I'm sure is because the holidays are just a BUSY time! But even though not everyone is as baking-obsessed as me, I still wanted to share my pie as well as the pie of my one reader who did find some time to bake one!

First, here's Mrs. Puma's pie:

Ahhh, yummmmyyyy!

You can read more about it and check out the recipe she used here. Thanks for joining me in the pie-baking adventure, Mrs. Puma!!

Here's my apple pie, adapted from this recipe.

What the heck do you do with all the leftover apple peels? I Googled it, and the general consensus was to 1) feed them to the dog (don't have one), 2) put them in the compost pile (again, don't have one), 3) leave them outside for deer to eat (in urban Houston, really?), or 4) throw them away (which I did, sadly). 

First layer of apples...

Topped with sugar mixture...

Topped with lemon juice and butter...

Tada! Woven crust! I was so excited about the crust that I forgot to brush the milk on top, so it didn't end up as pretty and shiny on top as I had hoped, but still... I'd say it was a first-time apple pie success!

Yummm!

I don't have a photo of it sliced because we were having friends over for wine and dessert and well... I'm not quite a dedicated-enough blogger to break out the camera and photograph food in front of guests. 

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
7 medium-sized granny smith apples
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
2 uncooked 9-in pie crusts
4 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Peel and core the apples and slice them thinly. Sprinkle them lightly with lemon juice.
3. Mix together the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon zest.
4. Place one pie crust in the bottom of a lightly greased 9-in pie pan.
5. Put 1/3 of apples on top of the crust, and top with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Repeat two more times with the rest of the apples and sugar mixture.
6. Sprinkle lightly with lemon juice, then dot with butter.
7. Cut the second pie crust into strips, and weave them across the top of the pie. Crimp the edges of the crust, and cover with foil or a pie shield.
8. Spread milk on top of the pie with a brush.
9. Bake 40-50 minutes.

So that's it! Stay tuned for the next installment of Will-Do Winter!

My First Cheesecake!

Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake:

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have picked such a complicated recipe for my first cheesecake. I also probably shouldn't have volunteered to bring it as dessert to Christmas dinner since I had never made it before. But, despite my intense fear and nerves while making it, it turned out great!

Ta-da!

Mmmm!

This is kind of a complicated recipe. The cheesecake has lots of layers. It goes like this...

Chocolate layer (on top)
Sour cream layer
Cheesecake layer #2
Cookie layer
Cheesecake layer #1
Crust (on bottom)

Here's the recipe (adapted from here):

Ingredients:
CRUST:
2 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (I just used the store brand, but use Oreos if you're feeling fancy!)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

CHEESECAKE LAYER(S):
2 lbs cream cheese, softened (4 8oz packages)
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

COOKIE LAYER:
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies

SOUR CREAM LAYER:
16 oz sour cream
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

CHOCOLATE LAYER:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. CRUST - combine crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Firmly press the mixture onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-in springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
2. CHEESECAKE LAYER - Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually mix in 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup whipping cream, flour, and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Pour half the batter on top of the crust in the springform pan.
3. COOKIE LAYER - Top the first cheesecake layer with the 1 1/2 cups of cookie pieces.
4. CHEESECAKE LAYER - Pour the rest of the cheesecake mixture on top of the cookie pieces.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then remove from the oven.
6. SOUR CREAM LAYER - Combine sour cream layer ingredients (sour cream, sugar, vanilla). Spread evenly on the cheesecake (when you pour it in, pour more on the edges than the middle so the middle doesn't sink!). Bake at 350 degrees for 7 more minutes. Turn the oven off, and leave the cake in the oven for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the cheesecake and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
8. CHOCOLATE LAYER - Combine the chocolate chips and 1 cup whipping cream over low heat in a sauce pan. Stir until chocolate melts, then add in the 1 tsp vanilla. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cooled cheesecake.
9. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving, remove the springform ring, and decorate!

I started with a fudge icing border around the edge, piped on with a star tip. The I went with fudge icing in little clumps around the perimeter and in the center. Then I put chocolate sprinkles on the clumps, and stuck half a cookie on each perimeter clump. All done!

Here's what it looks like on the inside! Yummm!

Goodbye, 2010!

With 2010 drifting away in the rearview mirror, it's time to take a little look back at last year's highlights! The biggest highlight was definitely Jeff's move back to Texas. After four years of him living in South Carolina, it was so, so wonderful to have him home again.

JANUARY:
Jeff started his first post-college full-time job as a chemical engineer in Houston.

Normally Jeff wears business clothes and works in an office. But he goes offshore to visit his platform for a few days each month, and when that happens... he wears cute little uniform clothes!

We started decorating the new apartment in Houston.

I picked out a wedding dress, a wedding venue, and lots of other wedding things!

FEBRUARY:
It SNOWED in College Station, Texas!

I spent Valentine's Day with a bacterial sinus infection.
I took my bridesmaids to pick out dresses.

MARCH:
We celebrated Easter with both of our families in Houston.

I went on a Caribbean cruise with my family.

We accidentally both showed up to a sorority event in purple plaid.

APRIL:
My aunts hosted my first bridal shower in McKinney, TX.

My best friend Kristen got engaged!

MAY:
I put on a Mother Daughter Tea - my first big event planning project!

My bridesmaids hosted my lingerie shower in College Station.

I was a bridesmaid for the first time in Nicole and Steven's wedding.

I graduated from Texas A&M, and moved to Houston.

We took a trip with my family to South Padre Island, TX.

JUNE:
We spent a weekend at Lake Palestine with my parents, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

We attended my friend Maria Pia's wedding.

I took my bridal portraits.

Some of Jeff's family friends hosted our third shower in Houston (which I just realized I never blogged about, oops. It was co-ed and lovely and fun!).

Jeff and his dad

JULY:
We got our marriage license!
I finally got going on the apartment decorating and created a home I'd be happy to move into post-wedding!

WE GOT MARRIED!!

AUGUST:
We honeymooned in Jamaica.

I started law school.

SEPTEMBER:
I cooked and baked a lot.

I celebrated one year of blogging at Spirals & Spatulas.

OCTOBER:
We decorated for fall.

We took a trip to Columbia, SC for the South Carolina v. Alabama football game.

We went to the pumpkin patch!

We dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf for Halloween.

NOVEMBER:
We took a trip to College Station, TX for my sorority's alumni tailgate at Texas A&M.

We spent Thanksgiving Day driving all over the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex, and saw ALL of our families!

I went Black Friday shopping for six hours.... starting at midnight!

DECEMBER:
I completed my first semester of law school (or at least, I think I did... I'm still waiting on my professors to publish grades).
We celebrated our first married Christmas.

All in all, 2010 was a seriously wonderful year. It had its share of struggles and tough times, but it had a TON of great moments and amazing memories. I have a feeling 2011 won't be nearly as exciting (no graduating, no moving, no marrying), but I'm hoping it will be an equally wonderful year!