Recipes

So if you are like me you are always looking for a new recipe to try. So I wanted to share two of my newfound favorites with you. They are great things to make for a party or get together! :)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

-8. oz pkg. cream cheese, softened

-1/2 cup Ranch or blue cheese dressing

-1/2 cup Franks Redhot Sauce

-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-3 cans (12.5 oz each) White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Directions: Place all ingredients into a crock pot on high for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Serve with corn chips.

Black Bean and Corn Salad Recipe
INGREDIENTS
-1/3 cup fresh lime juice
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
-1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
-1 avacado- peeled, pitted & diced
-1 red bell pepper, chopped
-2 tomatoes, chopped
-6 green onions, thinly sliced
-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, & cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed. In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stire salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.

Honduras

I'm leading another team to Honduras this December 27 - January 4. If you are interested in going let me know! I have about 20 people for sure going at this point but there is always room for more!

Also, I'm searching for a good theme verse to use for this team.....ideas?

Coffee

I have an intense love relationship with Coffee. I am what they call.....an addict. I was not born with that naturally caffeinated gene like some people. You know the type I'm referring to....those people who can get 4 hours of sleep a night and bounce out of bed in the morning ready to tackle the world. Now don't get me wrong I do better than some at getting out of bed and I can usually run on little sleep. However, on those days (or weeks) after a short night of sleep I drag myself through the day so much better when there is a caffeinated beverage in my hand! It is often my life line, my phone a friend, my anti-cranky drug....heck its my sanity in liquid form.

Starbucks....it's like a beacon in the night for me. I'm fairly certain I could spot that mermaid (the starbucks symbol) from a mile away on real days of caffeinated desperation. Starbucks recently started this policy where if you can register a card (if you go to starbucks and haven't done this you definitely should). After you have registered that card on the website you then load money onto that card and use the card to purchase your drinks. Every time you use your card you get a gold star....not an actual gold star although who wouldn't enjoy that! The gold star just goes towards your card. Once you get 30 stars you become a "Starbucks Gold Card Member!" I'm pretty sure I qualified for my gold card within the first 30 days of this policy starting! They actually send you a gold starbucks card, with your name on it, in the mail. You can then use that card and get even more discounts and rewards!

I like it all.....really I think I do. Every last drink they have.....One of my ALL TIME favorites from there however has to be there pumpkin spice lattes. They are are seasonal drink and I practically count down the days until it is back. However, their lattes tend to run in the $4.50 or higher price range and I struggle to pay that. Recently a friend informed me that if I simply bought a black coffee and asked them to put a shot of pumpkin in it that it tastes almost the same....and saves me almost $1.50-$2.00 a drink! For those of you who like a little creamer in your coffee you can just add some milk and BAM perfection! It truly is delightful.

Now for a little known fact about me. As much as I like coffee and really all caffeinated beverages I don't really like HOT beverages. I'm more of a luke-warm beverage kind of girl. I go so far as to customize my starbucks drinks by asking them to make my drink at a lower temperature. I hate being so needy but honestly I have to let my drink cool for close to an hour if I order it at the normal temperature. I'm a wimp. But hey I know what I like! :)

So yea....caffeinated beverages = life support for me most days. What are some of YOUR favorite drinks or funny drink preferences? And for those of you who don't drink coffee....how DO you do it?

quote

"Persons may give so little that what they do give is more of a manifestation of covetousness than of bounty." -Edwards

Being a Mom

Some days I feel like a mom. For those of you who don't know I work as a nanny. 4 days a week I work with triplets and 2 days a week I nanny for twins. I'm accustomed to baby lingo, baby talk, baby schedules, and baby play dates. I find myself saying things like tush or bottom instead of butt. I understand endless chattering, incessant pointing, and body language as clearly as if they had spoken an actual sentence. I frequently meet "other" moms at the local aquarium, zoo, park, beach, etc. for a play date so that "my kids" can play with theirs and we can get some moments of sanity from being with an actual adult. I even tend to find myself saying things like "I love the mommy hook stroller hanger" or weighing in on the best strollers (the BOB or Maclaren) or the worst car seats (Eddie Bauer). I honestly feel like some days I AM A MOM. Let's be honest I dress like a mom and I spend my weekends wanting to do nothing but relax. :) One of my "fellow moms" posted this site the other day about baby lingo and sadly enough I read it through and saw the truth in all of it!

This was by far my favorite.....

STUPIDTASTER n. [Fr. lack of intelligence + supertaster]: A supertaster is a person who is more sensitive than the average Joe to bitter, salty, sweet and sour tastes. A stupidtaster is a toddler who makes irrational, baffling choices when it comes to what he will and won’t eat. He won’t eat melon. He will eat sand. He won’t touch tomatoes. He will nibble on Crayons. And while the sight of spaghetti sauce makes him scream, that dried-up piece of old Play-Doh doesn’t taste half bad.

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/new-vocabulary-for-parents/

Fall

I just LOVE fall. It is my favorite time of year. Fall to me means ....

Football

Leaves changing colors

Cooler weather

Crisp morning air

Football

Fall t.v. shows are back

Pumpkin Spice lattes

Football

Apple picking

Pumpkin Carving

oh and did I mention FOOTBALL?

I absolutely love this time of year. I'm never happier than when I'm snuggled up with a warm beverage in my hand while sitting on my couch watching football. For the entirety of football season I'm content to sit at home all weekend watching football. I love upsets, crazy seemingly impossible stats, crazy fans, and I most definitely love to watch my teams win!

So yes fall is once again here and I'm a happy girl. What are YOUR favorite things about this time of year?

Family

I know lots of people think they have the best family ever.....but I really do! :)