Archive for July, 2009

10 Foods

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Day Three of Ben and Beth’s Top Ten Lists takes us straight to the stomach…Top Ten Foods.  Let me begin by saying that this was very difficult for me.  Several of my favorite foods did not make the list.  In reality I wanted to do a Top Ten List with 90 honorable mentions, but Ben told me no.  Enjoy the list and don’t get too hungry!

  1. IS Special – Grilled chicken, Mexican rice and white cheese sauce all mixed together…what is not to like?  This is a specialty of a Mexican restaurant in BG.  However, it has expanded to El Mazatlan in Bowling Green (known as the Chef Special) and Casa Grande in Somerset (known there as Vivian’s special).  Vivian, daughter of Casa Grande owner,  came to school at WKU and brought the dish back to  Somerset.  It has now become a favorite at Casa Grande as well.   I would also like to add that I will eat just about anything Mexican, I love it!  I am pretty sure I was Mexican in a former life 😉
  2. Grilled Chicken or Cindy’s BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Corn on the Cob – This is a great comfort food.  I could eat mashed potatoes and fresh corn on the cob for every meal and not be disappointed.  Cindy is my second mom in Somerset.  She makes the best BBQ Chicken.  Growing up I would often call her house and ask what she was having for dinner, if it was BBQ chicken I was sure to stay over longer!
  3. Soups especially Chili or Okra Stew – I love a nice warm bowl of soup on a chili evening.  Both chili and okra stew are hearty and delicious!  My chili is a staple, it is the main dish at our annual Halloween party.  Okra stew is a mix of okra and fresh summer vegetables, shrimp and sausage.  I just discovered this recipe last summer and fell in love with it!  I hope to post recipes of these in the near future, so if you are interested keep you eyes open.
  4. Roast and Potatoes – I like to stick this in the crock pot before I leave for work and come home to  a delicious smelling house.
  5. Anything breakfast related (waffles, pancakes, biscuits and gravy…) – What can I say I love it all.  It doesn’t matter if I cook it myself, someone else cooks it or we go to a favorite hot spot in town, I love it.  If I could eat breakfast for every meal I would.  Ben doesn’t really care for breakfast so I have to occassionally sneak it in on him.
  6. Lettuce Wraps – I am particularly fond of these from P.F. Chang’s.  Like most meals out that we enjoy we have tried to recreate the masterpiece.  While ours is good, it doesn’t compare to the real deal (you can also look for this recipe soon).  I could eat lettuce wraps and their Asparagus and be completely content.
  7. Sushi (not the raw stuff) – This is another fairly new staple to our menu.  We haven’t branched out much, but from what I have tried I enjoy sushi…maybe one day I will try the raw rolls!
  8. 805 or Chicken Delight from Royal Thai – Let me begin by saying that this is probably my favorite restaurant in town.  So much so that we actually rented the entire restaurant out for our rehersal dinner.  We frequent this establishment often.  It has gotten so bad that when we go in they know exactly what we want and know us by name.  At one point they would bring us a dessert that had been temporarily taken off the menu.  Is this pathetic?  Both of these dishes are a mix of rice or noodles, veggies, chicken, and Thai style spices.  It is making my mouth water just thinking about.
  9. Beef Stew – I would consider this one of my specialties.  In the winter (and sometimes in the summer) I will make a big batch of this to eat on for a week.  I serve mine over rice.  Again, I hope to post recipes of this very soon.
  10. Veggie Patties – This is the newest recipe in my recipe box.  It is a compilation of fresh veggies pattied together with egg, flour and seasonsings, then fried to perfection.  Check here for pictures and the recipe.

Is your mouth watering yet because mine is.  Tomorrow is Day Four – Top Ten Things to Do (Our Bucketlist).

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Posted in Cooking |

How I met Ben

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

This is kind of cheesy, but it was fun!  I love my husband very much.  We have been through a lot and have a lot left to go!

1.) Where did you meet?
We met at church youth group.

2.) Who introduced you?
No one really, we just knew each other from church.

3.) What was the first thought that went through your head when you met?
He looks like trouble, but he is awfully cute!

4.) Do you remember what he/she was wearing?
Nope, but I do remember he wore a black long sleeve Adidas shirt with yellow lettering a lot.

6.) How long did you know this person before you became a couple?
3 years

7.) How did he/she ask you out?
We went to MORP (a sock hop type dance at my high school), afterwards a bunch of us came back to my basement to watch movies.  Everyone else had left and as he was leaving he asked me to be his girlfriend.

8.) Do you have kids with this person?
Yes, our beautiful MLK (Mikayla Lillian).

9.) Have you ever broken the law with this person?
I mean we speed, does that count?

10.) When was the first time you really liked this person?
In 8th grade I had a huge crush on him, he was kind of a flirt though!

11.) Do you get along with his/her family?
Absolutely, my in-laws are the best.  Extended family is questionable though 😉
12.) Do you trust this person?
With my life

13.) Do you see her/him as your partner in the future?
He is my partner

14.) What is the best gift she/he gave you?
My daughter!  But if we are talking tangible then probably the “gifts” he gave me for our 10 year anniversary.

15.) How long have you been with this person?
We started dating when I was 16 and have been married for almost five years (five in October)

16.) How well do you know your man or woman?
Better than most.
17.) What features attracted you to him first?
His smile and eyes
18.) Hair color?
Brown

19.) Does he/she let you wear their pants?
I don’t wear his pants, but occasionally will wear his shirts.  I pretty much stole the black Adidas shirt from him in college.

20.) Do you have a shirt of hers/his that you sleep in?
See question above.

21.) Does she/he make you happy?
More than anyone else in the world.
22.) Does she/he have any piercings?
Two, kinda.  He used to have two holes in his left ear (one he pierced himself), but he doesn’t wear them anymore.

23.) Does she/he have any scars that you know of?
He got bit by the church camp dog on his right leg.  He also recently tried to saw his leg off.  Not really, but he does have a scar from a sawing accident.
24.) Is she/he Outgoing or Shy?
Both.  He interacts with others well, but crowds drain him.
25.) Does she/he sing?
Just ask Stevenson Chapel.  The quick answer is no!
26.) Do you like her/his friends?
I love them, consider them my own.
27.) Does she/he have any tattoos?
He wants one, but…let’s not go there.

28.) Does she/he look like their mom?
Nope, more like his dad everyday.

29.) Do you like her/his sisters/brothers?
I love his brother!
30.) What is the most romantic date he has ever taken you on?
Our own private drive-in in his backyard, complete with roasted hot dogs and all my favorite girly movies is a favorite date.  He is pretty crafty when he wants to be!

31.) Do you have any nicknames for each other?
Babe is our most common one.

32.) Do you live with this person?
Have since October 2, 2004.
33.) Do you have any pets together?
Yep, our fantastic (for the most part) dog, Shiloh

34.) Where is this person?
Sitting next to me on the couch.
35.) What is your anniversary date?
Dating anniversary was March 26, but marriage is October 2, 2004

Tell me about your love!

My family minus Shiloh

My family minus Shiloh

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Posted in Life |

Garden Veggies

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Here is some of our most recent produce production.  Since this picture we have harvested some corn as well!

I love summer veggies!

I love summer veggies!

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Posted in Life |

10 People

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

If I could sit down and have coffee with anyone in the world, dead or alive, these are the Top Ten People I would choose:

  1. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Such a powerful man…if only I could pick his brain for thirty minutes.
  2. The Obama Family – They seem like a down to earth family that is working hard to make some positive change
  3. Dr. Seuss AKA Theodor Seuss Geisel – Don’t judge or think I am silly.  This man was a genius and I just love his books!
  4. Bill Cosby – Not only is he funny, but he is smart.  In my book, that is quite a combination and worthy of a cup of coffee.
  5. Anne Frank – I have always been fascinated by the Holocaust, I would love to chat with her.
  6. Rosa Parks – What was she really thinking on that bus?  What would she have to say about the world today?
  7. Helen Keller – She overcame so many obstacles.  I really admire her perseverance and determination.
  8. Abraham Lincoln – On of our most famous Presidents, yet he still got down on the level of children.  Check out this correspondence with Grace Bedell.
  9. Oprah Winfrey – There are things I like about her and things I dislike, but she has a huge influence on our society.  A coffee break might be fun!
  10. Albert Einstein – This one may seem odd to you, but I have my reasoning.  You see, I wouldn’t want to talk to him about his experiments or reasons why he is famous.  Instead I would want to talk to him about autism.  Some people claim that he was a person with autism that had never been diagnosed.  I would love to have coffee with him and see if he had some of the characteristics of ASD.

These are my Top Ten, who would you add to the list?

For those of you interested I have updated my Veggie Patties with pictures.  And here is a fun picture of Ms. Mikayla!

How can you resist that smile?

How can you resist that smile?

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10 Movies

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Here is the first in a series of top 10 lists that Ben and I are each posting.  I cheated a bit and listed both children and grown up lists.

Children’s movies:

  1. The Lion King – Makes me think of Africa!  Love it.
  2. Aladdin – This is a magical movie.  The genie is my favorite character.
  3. The Little Mermaid – I am not sure why, but I love this movie!
  4. Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – Chocolate, candy and fun…who could ask for anything more.
  5. The Wizard of Oz – A group of people you wouldn’t picture being great friends, but they are.  Reminds me of some of my groups of friends.
  6. Finding Nemo – An underwater adventure filled with laughter and fun!
  7. Horton Hears a Who – A classic Dr. Seuss movie, my favorite children’s author.
  8. Mary Poppins – A spoon full of sugar…
  9. Sandlot – You’re killing me Smalls…a great movie to quote.
  10. E.T. – This was a favorite as a kid, but I honestly have not seen it since then.  We watched it so much, we wore the tape out!

Grown Up Movies:

  1. Cool Runnings – I used to watch this movie over and over in Emily’s basement…good times!
  2. Dirty Dancing – Nobody puts Baby in a corner.
  3. Pretty Woman – I love me some Julia Roberts
  4. Billy Madison – A classic watched with my dear friend Gretchen.  We worked for hours to get the “stair” dance down, never quite got it!
  5. Shawshank Redemption – A wonderful movie that makes you think.
  6. Schindler’s List – Just re-watched this one with Ben, really makes you wonder how anyone could be so cruel.
  7. Hotel Rwanda – I cried very hard the first time I saw this one, and the second, and the third…you get the picture.
  8. Blood Diamond – I am realizing I have some depressing ones, sorry but I love them.
  9. Friends (The Series) on DVD – I went through almost the entire series while I was pregnant with Mikayla.  Then finished the rest off while nursing her at night.  I had it completed by the time she was one month old…is that depressing?
  10. Grease – I think I can sing every song in this movie!  Another classic, must see!
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Top Ten

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Ben and I are preparing to launch a ten day series of Top Ten Lists.  We are working on ten different lists of things about us.  If you tune in for each list, by the end you will know more about us than you bargained for!  We will start tomorrow with our Ten Favorite Movies.  Check back in for all the Top Ten Lists and enjoy the fun.

This has nothing to do with my post, but isn't she cute?

This has nothing to do with my post, but isn't she cute?

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

Two loves of my life!

Two loves of my life!

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Veggie Patties = Deliciousness!

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

As many of you may know, my husband and I have a garden in our backyard (check out this for some pictures).  We only grow the veggies that we love, so coming up with summer veggie dishes is a breeze!  The other night I discovered a new favorite…Veggie Patties.  The idea stemmed from this recipe.   I altered the recipe to meet the needs of what we had on hand and here was the final result:

  • 1/2  pound okra, finely chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 jalapenos, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic salt
  • Cajun seasoning (we didn’t have very much, but I would reccommend adding a generous amount).  We like Tony’s.
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4-1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  1. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the okra, zucchini, onion, jalapeno, seasonings, water and egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and cornstarch; and stir that into the okra mixture.
    3. Veggies all cut up and ready to go!

    Veggies all cut up and ready to go!

    My wonderful hubby managing the cutting board.

    My wonderful hubby managing the cutting board.

    Mixed up and ready for the pan

    Mixed up and ready for the pan

  3. Carefully drop spoonfuls of the okra batter into the hot oil, and fry on each side until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
Finished patties

Finished patties

I completed the meal with summer sausage, steamed broccoli and cornbread.  However, these would work nicely as a main dish (I was just nervous they wouldn’t’ be very good)!  It was a perfect combination alongside a nice glass of milk.  (Mikayla even liked them, a lot better than the stuffed jalapenos she had after the 4th of July!)  We warmed them up the next night on the pizza stone in the oven.  To my surprise they were just as good the second day.  I topped the patties with a little hot sauce.

Almost any combination of veggies could be added to these; however, the best ones would probably be zucchini, okra, squash, eggplant, or any type of peppers.  Next time I think I will add more spice to it (Cajun seasoning and hot peppers) and maybe a little fresh garlic.  I may even add a little hot sauce to the mix, just to get crazy!

**I will post pictures when I can find my camera cord!

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Cookie Fail, Muffin Success

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Last week Mikayla was in a good mood and I was in a baking mood so while Ben was sleeping, we ventured to the kitchen to try our hands at a couple of new recipes.  There were plenty of blueberries to go around thanks to our Local Farmer’s Market and since bananas lifespan is shorter in the summer we had a bunch of those as well.  Fun fact about Beth – I only like green bananas.  Once they start getting brown I refuse to eat them – even if it is just a little brown.  So needless to say, bananas do not last long in our house.  The two recipes I chose to try included both of these ingredients:  Loaded Oatmeal Cookies and Blueberry Banana Muffins.    We started with the muffins.  Here is the recipe that I used.  Side note – All Recipes is one of my favorite places to find recipes.

Of course if you know me at all, I had to tweak the recipe a little!!  First off I did not have any whole wheat flour so I settled for All-Purpose Flour instead.  I tripled the cinnamon and only used two whole eggs (had to save some for the cookies).   I also added in a few extra blueberries (their flavor is so good this time of year).  I had some peaches that were getting ready to go bad so I cut up a few of those and threw them into the mix, along with a little heavy whipping cream to thin out the batter.  Here is the end result:

cookies1cookies2

They were delicious too!  The cookies on the other hand…let’s just say they did not turn out as good as the muffins (at first).  I can not seem to find the recipe I found on some random cooking blog, but I can tell you that the recipe did not have enough flour.  Here is the result of the cookies when I followed the recipe:

cookies5cookies6

They completely stuck to the pan.  However, after I added about a cup of extra flour the cookies turned out looking good, I forgot to take a picture though.  They were loaded with oatmeal, banana, chocolate and craisins.  I was unsure about the combination at first, but in the end I found them tasty!  All in all, my baking morning turned into a success!

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