173/365 - fish is so yummy (and easy!)

June 22, 2011

Mmm... makes me want to go make some right now.

159/365 - My Old Man

June 8, 2011

Happy Birthday Todd :)

142/365 - my new food love. :)

May 22, 2011

Whew. I was so happy to get home today after my long drive down 17. After my several hour nap, we went out to Walgreens for something that I simply can't remember.... but I do remember buying 2 bags of Cracker Jacks.

133/365 - living life on the Edge.

May 13, 2011

I somehow made it to gas station, but I seriously worried. ;)

...and Adrienne taught me how to make a delicious and simple dinner!

121/365 - joy & heartbreak

 May 1, 2011

Sunday on our home way from shooting some bridal portraits, we stopped at a strawberry farm and picked 3 pounds of some of the most delicious strawberries I've ever had in my entire life. A few hours later, when we were on our way home to New Bern we realized that we had left them in my parent's fridge.

I literally cried.

114/365 - the easter bunny stole our carrots!

April 24, 2011 - Easter Sunday

The lovely snack I made for Jerry.

Jerry not eating any of the lovely snack I made for him.

Adrienne the Hippie in deep thought.

Jerry watching Toy Story 3 in "his room"

96/365 - these are mine. All mine.

April 6, 2011

So, I totally own this. Bought it from Sam's Club Saturday with Adrienne. One of the happiest days/purchases of my life! It's like a effin' GALLON of jelly beans! Are you kidding me?!

Yesssss.....score.

45/365 - romantic dinner for two :)

February 14, 2011

Here is my lovely husband enjoying his Bangers & Mash,

The kitchen table was cleaned off for eating to honor the event!

Look at his happy face. <3

He got me a giant Husky dog to cuddle & a bag of Dove chocolates.

I love him.

23/365 - perfect pancakes!

January 23, 2011

This is probably the earliest I've ever taken AND posted my daily photo. I'll probably regret that considering we are about to take Ben for a ride and I'll get a much better shot, but hey. LOOK at these perfect pancakes I made this morning! (Todd helped. ;))
Thanks Mom for the griddle! It was sooo much easier to use than a pan.

bangers & freaking mash.

Not in the 365 Project, but here are some photos from tonight's (and Tuesday) meal. It was so delicious, I was actually craving it hardcore on my way home from work and stopped to get another package (or two) of sausage and gravy mix so I could make it again.......and again. I present you, my new favorite meal:

BANGERS & MASH

Of course I never have a picture of the finished product... haha. But here's the recipe I use. There are others out there that are much  more complicated, but this one is just so quick and easy, even though it calls for making real mashed potatoes... which I had NEVER done before last Tuesday, believe it or not. I mean, REAL potatoes are my favorite, but I had never taught myself to make them. I just used the boxed kind. Well, the entire meal came out absolutely divine. I mean, it's not exactly classy, but it is beyond delicious. Thus cooking it 2 nights in one week. I also had the leftovers for dinner Wednesday, and I'll probably eat the leftovers from tonight's tomorrow! Ohh yeah. Bangers & Mash FTW.

Ingredients

• 8 large baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 teaspoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup milk, or as needed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds beef sausage
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 (.75 ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix
• 1 cup water, or as needed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, and mash with 1 teaspoon of butter, and enough milk to reach your desired creaminess. Continue mashing, or beat with an electric mixer, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until heated through. Remove from pan, and set aside. Add remaining teaspoon of butter to the skillet, and fry the onions over medium heat until tender. Mix gravy mix and water as directed on the package, and add to the skillet with the onions. Simmer, stirring constantly, to form a thick gravy.
3. Pour half of the gravy into a square casserole dish so that is coats the bottom. Place sausages in a layer over the gravy (you can butterfly the sausages if you wish). Pour remaining gravy over them, then top with mashed potatoes.
4. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until potatoes are evenly brown.

20/365 - yum, chicken chilli

January 20, 2011

Thanks Linley for the lovely recipe! (You can find it here.)

Todd *loved* it. :-D It was quite delicious.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I also made Linley's Parmesan crusted pork chops, and they were also wonderful!

14/365 - Fire & Dragons

I'm having trouble picking my photo of the day for yesterday! Soo, I'm going to post two. I make the rules.

Musashi's - January 14, 2011 

Plato - January 14, 2011 

Went out last night with some friends for Adrienne's birthday and it was a ton of fun. :) I'd never been to Musashi's or played Mad Gab, so it was a night of firsts for me. I got to meet a bunch of Sheresse and Tim's furless pets, which was also interesting. Can't wait for more fun times! :)

6/365 - Yum!

January 6, 2011 - Pork Chops in hearty gravy

This was SO good. I got home from work Thursday night, exhausted and starving, having been sick all week and subsisting on mostly liquids and soups and whatever I could stomach. We had planned on Todd just baking the pork chops we had thawed and keeping it simple, but I decided I wanted to do something good. I did something I'd never really successfully done before: I pulled out my Betty Crocker cookbook and started looking through the recipes for pork for one I had all (or most) of the ingredients to. I was short the cooking sherry, and Todd had already drank the last of my red cooking wine, so it went without that, but I think that was the only thing! I whipped it together and it was scrumptious. I was so proud of myself.