Cook in the House

I've been cooking a lot more lately, which is very unlike me. I think it's mainly because I'm bored with the same thing every day. In order to avoid the ramen for dinner, I took to Pinterest to save me. And with the easy recipes I found on there combined with friend recommendations and family recipes, this week's menu has been a lot more tasty.

Unfortunately I wasn't smart enough to take pictures, but it also didn't help that I was too hungry to wait and take a picture before cramming the delicious food into my mouth.

Some of the items I made this week are:

Egg & Avocado Salad Sandwiches
Parmesan Green Beans (Thanks Jordan)
Homemade Mac & Cheese (Thanks Mom)

What have you found on Pinterest, or had passed down through your family and friends that you enjoy making? Don't be shy to comment, I want to hear what you've got!

2012 Reflections

So this year has been a serious roller coaster, and most of it has been high. The few lows that happened I'm actually glad they did. They made me realize the person I want to be, and what I want to strive for. And for that I'm grateful. As the year comes to a close, I thought I would highlight some of the accomplishments/happy moments I've experienced. It's better to dwell on the positive right?

In no particular order:

1. Finishing the entire Harry Potter series on book as I promised myself I would do. This was a huge accomplishment for me, and yes I'm way behind the times, but I'm proud. And also now a bigger fan than before.

2. Rekindling old friendships. Two amazing women came back into my life this year, and I'm so glad they did. This is a shout out to Jordan and Angie. I love you both!

3. Moving. For some this isn't as big of deal, but for me it was a fresh start. I left behind the old baggage with my previous place. And man was it baggage. With this new place I was able to open myself up for change and I see it everyday.

4. Game Nights. This is my attempt to become more social. I tend to be a homebody which I love. But I realize I need to get out and do things too, and this is one thing I'm loving. Probably because it involves wine and people I love.

5. Standing up for myself more and not worrying about what others think about what I've got to say. Everyone has their opinion and I've learned it's ok to express mine as long as it's healthy to myself.

6. Taking my love for writing one step further by collaborating on a blog with dear Jordan. It's been exciting and overwhelming and that's a good thing (shameless plug: www.foreveracouchpotato.wordpress.com)

I'm so glad for the experiences I've had this year whether they were positive or negative. I've learned from them, and that's a good thing!

Happy New Year to everyone, and let's make 2013 great! (We did survive the apocalypse after all).

I also thought I'd share some key picture moments from this year. Some or most I have probably shared somewhere on a social network I participate in, or even on this here blog. But this is about reflection, so enjoy!

In which I started collecting fortunes that made me look toward the future

In which I further solidified my geek status and got my own TARDIS

In which Lily tried to interrupt everything I do with her cuteness

In which one of my best friends Jennie came to town and
I took a picture of her with Apollo Ono at Subway
because that's what you do.

In which I voted and pissed off a bunch of people

In which I sunburned the hell out of myself and then hung out with
one of my best friends the amazing Angie

In which I even further solidified my geek status
and tried liquid art by drawing a Dalek.

In which Angie brought me back delicious beer from Oregon
for watching her adorable kitteh Sookie

In which I started cooking more and made some pretty damn
tasty soups

In which Melissa (my sister) and I were screwed by the wishbone

In which I bought adorable things and spent next to nothing for them.

In which I attended my first Black Friday as a shopper with
one of my best friends Jordan. Also in which we were photobombed
maybe on purpose.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Terrifying Food

So I read this article which disturbed me to the core. I then proceeded to go to snopes.com to verify its validity. I was a little more relieved to see that some parts of it aren't entirely true, but the majority is! This traumatized me, and I felt that it was my duty to share with you what I found.

Everyone is going to have their own opinion on this, and they can also make their own decision, but for me, this has made me rethink everything I eat. I want to try and eat better, and eat more fresh foods. I know this will be a challenge since fast food is so convenient, but I also know that if I do accomplish this task, I will not only feel better in my mind, but also in my body.

And now for the feature presentation:

http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/msm.asp

P.S. Thank you Heidi and Jody for sharing this originally. And terrifying the crap out of me!

This Is How I Do It

This is how I do Sunday nights while braving the storm, hoping the power stays on:

No worries, marshmallows were involved.