Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Weekend Wrap-up

I think I made the right decision on not going home last weekend considering this was the scene at our house...


13 inches - C-R-A-Z-Y!! Fayetteville has gotten more snow this year than Columbia, AND more snow than I can ever remember! I think I need to move back to stop these crazy weather patterns. It must all be because I moved away. ;)

I had a nice little weekend to myself while Eric was in Memphis. I battled some snow flurries and rain on Saturday to travel down to the Lake of the Ozarks to do some shopping. It ended quite quickly though after I fell in love with Marshall's/HomeGoods and had a whole cart full and more...so much for making some other stops at antique stores. ;)

These pictures aren't great (I just snapped them running out the door this morning), so please excuse the lack of fabulous photos. I think I'm going to have to have Aunt Cindy teach me more about using my camera at the wedding in a few months!

I picked up a couple of pillows for the couch (gold and blue shown)...


This awesome chair and table set (only $99 and exactly what I've been looking for!). It looks a little "blah", but trust me, I have big plans for our little porch! More photos on that soon.


A couple of framed flowers...


And this little cute sign for the kitchen.



PLUS - 5 new spring blouses! It was amazing - I may just have to make another trip soon. And very affordable, too!! If you have one near you, you're lucky! (Although I'm a little glad I don't have one too close because I'd spend way too much)

I've got a new recipe to share, too...I tested this out over the weekend and it didn't turn out as pretty as that picture, but it's really good. Just make sure to put it back in the freezer if you don't eat it all, otherwise it'll melt a bit. :)

Strawberry Whipped Sensation
4 cups fresh strawberries
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
8 Oreo cookies
1 TBSP butter (melted)

Line a bread loaf pan with foil. In a large bowl mash 2 cups of the strawberries with a potato masher. Add the Eagle brand milk to the strawberries--stir. Add lemon juice--stir. Add 2 cups of the Cool Whip--stir. Pour the strawberry mixture into the foil lined bread loaf pan. Crush the Oreo cookies finely into a small bowl--add the melted butter--stir. Spread the cookie mixture evenly over the top of the strawberry mixture. Use the back of a spoon to lightly press the Oreo cookie mixture into the strawberry mixture. Cover the top of the loaf pan with foil. Freeze the entire thing overnight. The next day remove it from the freezer, remove the foil from the top, and invert it onto a plate--if any of the foil sticks to it, peel it off. Frost the loaf with the other 2 cups of Cool Whip. Slice the remaining 2 cups of strawberries and arrange them on top of the Cool Whip frosting. Slice like bread to serve.

P.S. - Eric has an internship interview tomorrow! Cross your fingers and say a prayer! :)

Friday, March 19, 2010

Bummer.

Just when spring was a day a way and you thought you were done with snow for a good 250 days or so... the weather decides it's going to snow again.
Really?! Come on. :(

Eric and I had plans to split paths this weekend and go each home, but after getting new tires this week, packing the car all up and planning on leaving after work, I'm actually staying in Columbia now because of the 1-3+ inches that's supposed to hit NWA. Frustrating. Especially in mid-March. With my luck now, it probably won't even do anything to the roads down there and it will be fine. But, we can't afford more car repairs right now so I'd better not take a chance - I think my 2 week trip to the service center, Eric's new brake pads, my new tires, and the small windshield cracks that we need to get fixed ASAP are enough for the this month. I'm surprised we still have some savings left after all of that.

So, with Eric on his way to Memphis right now, what's a girl to do with a whole weekend to herself?
Looks like I'll be catching up on some painting, working out (I've slacked on The Shred all week!) maybe doing some cooking, getting groceries, and hopefully some shopping...hopefully I don't break the bank with that. ;) Maybe it won't be so bad.

This week was pretty uneventful. Here are the recipes we tried this week from e-Mealz...

Meat and Three
1/2 to 1 lb top round steak, trim & cut in chunks
1 can French-style green beans, drain
1 large potato, slice thin with skin on
1 small onion, slice thin


In crock pot, layer 1/2 cup water, then all of the steak. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 can green beans, 1/2 of onions, 1/2 of potatoes. Repeat onions and potatoes. Cook on low for 6 hours.


Chicken and Brocolli Stir Fry
1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts
1/2 bunch of brocolli
8 oz can sliced water chesnuts


Stir Fry Mixture:
1 can chicken broth
3 T corn starch, 1/4 c orange juice, 3 T sugar, 3 T soy sauce, 1 t ginger, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t salt)


Slice chicken and broccoli florets in bite size pieces. In large non-stick skillet, saute broccoli and chicken on med-high for 2 minutes. Cover and let steam on low for 5 minutes. Pour stir fry mixture over chicken and broccoli and stir constantly until thickened. Serve over steamed rice.

And that's about it, really. Hope you all have a good (and hopefully snow-free!) weekend!