Babies! I got to hang out with my best friend (and fellow bridesmaid) and her baby this weekend! Alice is the sweetest baby ever and I couldn’t take enough pictures of her. She does this adorable thing where she hides her face when she eats. Just like a little Southern lady, always trying to look proper.

I’ve been a bridesmaid a whole lot. This rehearsal dinner was some of the best rehearsal dinner food I’ve ever had! No food pictures, but we were pretty. (My fellow bridesmaids said I looked like Belle! As in Beauty and the Beast, best compliment ever. She’s totally my favorite Disney Princess.)

I love my friends! Was so happy to be part of Molly’s big day.

AND I decided I want to become a person who has painted nails often. They were painted for the weddings, and I just loved it, like I always do. So I stocked up on some fun colors at a Payless BOGO sale. I peeled off all the weekend one while antsy yesterday at a meeting, but then painted them last night! I like this commitment.

Now the food. Still eating veggies with every meal! They are never ending but I’m totally not complaining.

Monday:

Leftover Edamame Rice and Veggie Stirfry with Rotisserie Chicken (from Walmart – I cheated! Was a tiring weekend and didn’t want to cook.)

Tuesday:

Baked Chicken and Dumplings Casserole and Stewed Squash

Wednesday:

Leftovers

Thursday

Slim Potato Casserole and Grilled Ham, Cheese, Chip and Pickle Sandwiches

Friday:

Leftovers

Saturday:

Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake and Nanny’s Salad (My best friends’ grandmother’s salad. Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, mayo – I use fat free, and Italian dressing all tossed together. Simple but I love it!)

Sunday:

Leftovers

For lunch and breakfast this week, I’m obsessed with jars. I got some wide mouth pint mason jars and they are perfect for the popular Overnight Oats cold oatmeal concoctions for breakfast and jar side salads for lunch.

Yep. I confessed in my prior post that for dinner one day I ate nothing but Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze. I’m owning it!

Sunday:

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Monday:

Leftover Ginger Pepper Basil Scampi Trenne with Turkey Bacon and Breadless Heirloom Bruschetta Salad (A rambly mouthful that means I made a scampi sauce, melted down some Ginger Pepper Jelly instead of wine, fried up some turkey bacon, tossed it with a cool tricolor trenne pasta I found at Home Goods and lots of fresh basil, sliced a beautiful heirloom tomato and some basil and sprinkled it with salt, pepper and balsamic and didn’t know what to call any of it because I just made it up.)

Tuesday:

Veggie Stir Fry (fresh squash and zucchini with onions and carrots) and Sliced Tomato

Wednesday:

Leftover Veggie Stir Fry and Edamame Rice

Thursday:

Spicy Baked Tilapia with Sauteed Squash

Friday: 

Rehearsal Dinner! One of my very best friends is getting married this weekend.

Saturday:

Remember that time I had a REALLY bad week? I mean just bad on top of bad on top of bad. An awful cold in June, of all months. Summer colds just feel worse than winter colds, it just feels wrong! Then there was family trauma/drama that resulted in lots and lots of tears, like days of tears, and then days of Netflix to recover from tears and new favorite shows happened (Jane by Design, Drop Dead Diva, and Firefly). Then I lost my voice and had a severe case of #firstworldproblems when I had no food, didn’t feel like grocery shopping, and the people in the gross fast food restaurant drive through lines couldn’t hear me. THEN… monthly girl curse. No exaggerations. All of this happened from a Wednesday to a Saturday, not even a whole week! And then on Tuesday I fell out of my desk chair.

So maybe just maybe you can forgive me for not following through on those promised recipe posts? What if I share a coffee trick with you that I tried this week and love? Coffee is always a good bribe right?

I made coffee ice cubes! You know me, I don’t drink hot coffee in the hot months. BUT this is actually perfect if you do drink hot coffee. Always have leftover coffee in the bottom of the pot? Freeze it in ice cube trays! I brewed a whole 10 cup pot just to make a big batch of these to have on hand. They are great as ice cubes in iced coffee if you’re a super coffee fan and hate when the ice dilutes your iced coffee. What I’ve been doing that I saw on Pinterest (of course), is pouring milk and a little creamer over the coffee ice cubes. They suggested vanilla almond milk… I tried that. Yuck! Just give me my regular organic skim milk please! And some creamer. Don’t forget that part. Unless you want to. Then do. I also added a Splenda packet. I’m a slow drinker, so it’s perfect for me. The coffee cubes start to melt into the milk flavoring it with that wonderful coffee taste. Note – although I love my Tervis tumblers, I highly recommend not using a Tervis for this trick. Why? Because they really do keep your drink cold! The ice will met A LOT slower.

This weeks meals are inspired by my Farmer’s Market finds! I went with a twenty dollar bill and a mission to spend it all. I came back with three fresh garden tomatoes, two heirloom tomatoes, a cantaloupe, local honey, lemon thyme, basil, mint, rosemary and dill. I even had some spare dollars for a snack from the Market! The honey stand also sold honey lemonade and made while you watch sweet and salty kettle corn! All of that with one dollar left. I’m sold! Main Street Clinton’s Fresh at Five Market will be getting my money every Tuesday!

Monday:

Potluck Birthday Dinner with friends (I’m brough Garlic Cheddar Biscuits)

Tuesday:

Breakfast – Sausage and Cheese Muffins (skinnied with added onions and lemon thyme), Egg in a Basket, Rosemary Breakfast Potatoes and Mint Honey Fruit Salad

Wednesday:

Leftovers

Thursday:

Edamame Fried Rice and Veggie Stir Fry

Friday:

Leftovers

Saturday:

Basil Ginger Pepper Jelly Pasta and Cucumber Tomato Basil Salad

Sunday:

Leftovers

Oh hey! I’m back. The summer has this nice lazy facade it puts on, but really, it’s always so busy! Friday until Thursday I was in Upland, Indiana at Taylor University for the annual ACSD (Association of Christians in Student Development) Conference. I barely had time to sleep in my own bed before being gone again from Friday until Sunday for Bridesmaids Bachelorette Weekend. This coming weekend I’m going to visit my dad for Father’s Day. Then there is one not busy weekend. And then the wedding and bridesmaid duties weekend. July is a little more calm, which is good since August all the crazy begins again!

I’ll give you a quick-ish (okay, maybe not so quick, you know I like to talk) summary/recap of my trip via Instagram pics.

Trip preparations! I have to travel to do laundry for the summer. Not fun! But then there was a pedicure and coffee (and staying up until 2:30 am packing) and I was ready to go!

On our way!

Three of us went early for the New Professionals Retreat. It came with lots of fun, lots of connections AND a t-shirt. No regrets!

And there was a campfire. With s’mores! The weather was perfect and not Mississippi-like at all.

Due to the nice temperatures, I drank hot coffee! A lot. Because they offered it at everything with yummy creamer options! And cute clear mugs. Who could say no?

And then everyone else arrived and they welcomed us with an ice sculpture. I was impressed.

Aren’t we a good looking bunch?! I mean who wouldn’t want to work with us.

I take a lot of notes. And I just might happen to color code them. #OCDproblems

There were themed hang outs each night each with cute decorations and yummy snacks. Coffee House Night was my favorite.

The Conference theme was Cultivating Wisdom. I loved this fun play on the theme  for sports night! There were wings, a nachos bar, fried zucchini chips and  loaded fries. Oh and some sports game on TV.

During free time we toured the nearby BEAUTIFUL campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

And had more coffee of course. With reading. And a cute little coffee shop with huge fun lanterns and fun things on the tables.

One of the highlights of the trip. Ivanhoe’s is a famous ice cream shop and restaurant in Upland. They have 100 shake flavors and 100 sundae flavors! But the star is their Strawberry Shortcake! The best version of my favorite  dessert that I’ve EVER had.

To wrap up the week they had an Indiana themed picnic dinner outside. The decor and weather were LOVELY. The food was so good and very Southern cuisine like.

A great week indeed! Happy to home though and able to control my own food again though. Speaking of food. Meal plan! That’s what you came here for right?

Monday:

Shepherd’s Pie (Pre-frozen from St. Patty’s Day) & Cheesy (as in healthy Laughing Cow cheesy) Broccoli

Tuesday:

Chicken Pot Pie Baskets (inspired by this recipe, but almost everything will be too different to say it’s that recipe) & Fake Fried Okra

Wednesday:

Fake Fried Fish Tacos topped with Wild Rice and Homemade Salsa & Spicy Potato Hash

Thursday:

Buffalo Chicken Sliders, Blue Cheese Baked Potatoes & Carrot Chips and Celery with Healthy Ranch

Friday:

Visiting Dad and Stepmom in Arkansas for Father’s Day

Saturday:

Visiting Dad and Stepmom in Arkansas for Father’s Day (maybe they’ll let me cook!)

Sunday:

Out with Brother (traveling home)

Secret… I kinda spent all my grocery money on the trip and buying stuff for Bridesmaids’ Weekend. All of these meals were planned with stuff I already had (with the exception of the celery and ranch that I’ll buy on Thursday since I get reimbursed). It’s amazing what you can come up with when you think you don’t have any groceries!

Since I ran out of bread but need lunchy meals for lunch too, I came up with something to make it through the week for that too! Peanut butter and jelly meet graham crackers (which for some reason I have an abundance of…)! You will make lunch time happy this week.

And just because I can’t leave well enough alone, one more picture and highlight of the week.

Since I bombarded you with a super crazy long meal plan/update post last week and almost a post every day, I’ll keep this one short and simple!

Highlights from Last Week

Roasted Corn with Cilantro Lime Compound Butter

First time trying and cooking with quinoa! Mexican quinoa salad.

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole, the perfect vehicle for coffee whipped cream.

Eclair Cake – Recipe coming soon.

I’ve officially began collecting stories from my journey to perfect caramel.

Best Caramel Mishap of the week – Blonde Sauce.

Monday: 

French Dip Cups, Skinny French Onion Dip with Parmesan Baked Wonton Chips and Baked Onions

Tuesday: 

Leftover Tilapia and Sauteed Spinach with Toasted Coconut

Wednesday: 

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken, Oven Baked “Fried” Okra and Country Potatoes

Thursday: 

Leftover Melty Chicken

Friday: 

I’m leavin on a jet plane. Don’t know when I’ll be back again…

Okay… lies! I’ll be back next Thursday. I’ll be in Indiana for a conference with work where all food will be provided and paid for. So… short meal plan this week and there won’t be one for next week either. Because… I get back Thursday and then Friday begins Bridesmaid Weekend Extravaganza. So more predetermined food. BUT Sunday, June 10, I’ll be back with a happy OCD meal plan.

Extras: 

Eclair Cake – I intended to make Eclair Cake this week, but it got bumped up to last week to share with friends. I’ll be sharing my embarrassingly easy skinnier version of this recipe this week.

Chai Banana Bread Muffin Cupcakes – I didn’t get to these last week, but my browning bananas are in desparate need! Maybe I’ll bring them with me on the trip in case I meet a cute boy. I mean they do say the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I need something up my sleeve just in case.

(Disclaimer – This is a catch up post! If you just want the meal plan, scroll to the bottom.)

Oh hi there. I took a little unplanned vaca from cooking and blogging.

Good news? I’m back with tons of cooking and blogging inspiration and vowing to not eat anything prepacked or frozen for at least a month.

Bad news? I got a little over inspired and spent more than my planned grocery budget. Oops. I now vow also to not eat out for a while (good plan anyway, but I kinda used the eating out budget for groceries).

Since it’s been a while, let’s catch up. My life since the last time we chatted can be summed up in three words.

Moving. Instagram. Birthday. 

Since I missed you, and I’m certain you missed me back, can I walk you through a quick picture recap?

Birthday. I’m officially “almost 30.” I have now begun my last year in the “20 Somethings” age range. I have to say it… #YOLO!

Since you’ve missed me and my rambliness (and my ability to make up words like rambliness) let’s linger on YOLO. Just for the record, I think YOLO, the acronym and common hashtag for “you only live once,” is the cheesiest, silliest, most ridiculous hashtag/acronym/buzzword out there. BUT… it makes me giggle. And hey, sometimes it just fits. While we’re interjecting and rambling about YOLO I have a quick story. On the last night of the semester, my RAs and I kept joking and YOLO. At the RA Banquet, we decided that we had to have a YOLO moment that night, our last night together as a staff. Our version of YOLO turned out to be “borrowing” a whole pineapple from the fruit table. We “borrowed” it all the way home, cut it up, ate it and tweeted a picture with the infamous #YOLO hashtag. Yeah. We’re cool.

Back to business. The beginning of my last year as a 20 Somethings was great! There was lots of food, lots of friends and lots of love.

Birthday Breakfast (Starbucks – duh!)

Birthday Dinner at KEIFER’S

FREE Birthday Frozen Yogurt

My first Tervis Tumblers!

Favorite flowers from Melony

Crafty sewing book from the RDs

A happy entrance makes me feel better about walking in to the pseudohome.

It has buttons for the eyes and it’s yellow!

I brought ever single kitchen gadget I own. I couldn’t part with them, even for 2 months.

Favorites make it homey. Pictures and owls are a must.

I finally got my Starbucks Gold Card! (And learned how to do the cool fade technique.)

Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappe with Chocolate Whipped Cream = NEW FAVORITE!

First Home Goods Visit and the isle the captivated me.

Okay so, I had a lot of Starbucks last week.

Coconut shavings – my new favorite thing ever.

No more shipped tahini! My local grocer carries it now.

Monday:

Veggie Stuffed Peppers, Homemade Salsa and Smashed Beans

Tuesday:

Chicken Florentine Pasta and Wedge Salad with Zesty Avocado Buttermilk Dressing

Wednesday:

Leftover Pasta

Thursday:

Leftover Fancied  Up Salad

Friday:

Grilled Tilapia, Grilled Corn and Mexican Quinoa Salad

Saturday:

Leftover Tilapia

Sunday:

French Dip Cups, Caramelized Onion Dip with Asparagus Spears and Wonton Chips and Baked Onions

This weeks meals can be summed up in one word. Green! Look at all the green in my fridge. I don’t hate it.

Extras: 

Dr. Pepper Ten Brownies – Inspired by Diet Coke Brownies. Made Saturday night. Brought to small group on Sunday night. Recipe coming this week.

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole – Three or four times a year, mostly during the breaks that students are gone, we have a potluck breakfast in the our office suite. This past fall I brought a Pumpkin French Toast Casserole with Coffee Whipped Cream. We’re having another breakfast this Tuesday. I have that think where I think pumpkin only works in fall and winter months, but this was requested by multiples! I’m breaking my rule because I like my coworkers a whole lot.

Chai Banana Bread Muffin Cupcakes – I have bananas that need to be used. This seems like a perfectly good destiny for them.

Creamy Pineapple Dessert – Whipped up an altered more healthy version of this tonight. Recipe coming this week. Perfect for lunches or a quick healthy sweet tooth fix. And quite summery!

Can we still be friends? Even though I took an unannounced vaca and just posted a million and five pictures?

What’s for dinner at your house this week? 

(Photo by the lovely Katelyn Williams – she has a blog!)

In other quick news, I begin my last year in the 20 somethings decade in 7 days. I’ll be 29 on May 14th! To me this is a big birthday because it’s the last one before 30. I was kinda bummed that my RAs wouldn’t be here to celebrate it with me, because I love them! Well…

They surprised me! I was a total brat and made it REALLY hard but they did it! It was actually a complete surprise. I had no idea whatsoever! First time ever I’ve been completely surprised. AND?! They bought me the most perfect presents ever!

One of my strengths is individualization. To let you in a little on what that looks like…

Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or “types” because you don’t want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person’s style, each person’s motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person’s life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person’s need to be shown and another’s desire to “figure it out as I go.” 

Highlights From Last Week’s Meals

Baked Tilapia with Jalapeno Cream Sauce, Pea Salad & Roasted Squash.

Baked Taco Shells! Put them right on oven rack. They were perfect carriers for Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Taco Salads.

Another batch of the Perfect Brown Rice. Look at it? It really is perfect!

Mexican Brown Rice Casserole (without spinach, replaced corn with).

Monday:

Ground Beef Stroganoff Casserole and Roasted Snow Peas & Carrots (didn’t get to it last week)

Tuesday:

Leftover Casserole

Wednesday:

Dinner Out with RAs

Thursday:

Residence Life End of Year Banquet

Friday:

I want to go see the Avengers! So I’m hoping someone else will want to which will involve friends, dinner and a movie OR leftovers before friends and a movie.

Saturday:

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken, Oven Baked “Fried” Okra and Country Potatoes

Sunday:

Some combination of leftovers and snack at my first time attending small group

What are you eating this week? Also, help me think through the kitchen essentials I should most definitely bring with me and not leave in storage for the summer? 

Monday:
Greek Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato & Beet Hash and Watermelon & Cantaloupe Salad (didn’t get to this last week)

Tuesday:
Grilled Tilapia with Jalapeno Sauce, Roasted Squash and Spicy Pea Salad

Wednesday:
Leftover Tilapia

Thursday:
Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Tacos and Mexican Brown Rice Casserole (sort of – making it without spinach or corn)

Friday:
Leftover Chicken Tacos

Saturday:
Chicken Taco Salad in Baked Taco Shells (Round 2 Recipe)

Sunday:
Ground Beef Stroganoff Casserole and Roasted Snow Peas & Carrots

I’ll also be making some Chocolate Banana Bread. I got a big bag of bananas at Wal-mart for $1! They were beginning to brown so I guess they were trying to get rid of them.

Last week was such a great meal week. This week has it’s work cut out for it to compete! Highlights: breakfast burritos, crock pot ranch ribs (I used a bottle of Light Kraft BBQ sauce instead of making homemade), nutella fudge pops, asparagus brown butter penne, roasted cabbage wedges, and finally perfecting the cooking of brown rice.

Some of my favs from last week – roasted cabbage wedges, crockpot country ribs, asparagus brown butter penne.

Sunday:

Monday:
Dinner Out with Aunt Sandy & Uncle Jeff

Hosting a Dip & Dessert night at 9 o’clock for my current RAs and next year RAs. My offerings will be Chicken Ranch Dip* & Oatmeal Whoopie Pies.

Tuesday:

Crock Pot Caesar Chicken on English Muffins & Caesar Salad (Didn’t get to this one last week because of free meals at other places.)

Wednesday:

Leftovers

Hosting a bridal shower at 8 o’clock for one of my RAs. My offerings will be another batch of Chicken Ranch Dip (it’s just so easy) & Nutella Dip with strawberries. 

Thursday:
Baked Tilapia, Roasted Squash & English Chick Pea Salad*

Friday: 
Leftovers

Saturday: 

Grilled Turkey Burgers on English Muffins & Sweet Potato Beet Hash*

Sunday:
Grocery Day! (Which probably means I’ll grab something quick or eat leftovers.)

I ran out of daylight which means… bad picture! Apologies.

Notes:

*Chicken Ranch Dip – Also know as chicken ranch cheese ball, just deconstructed. It’s can chicken, cream cheese, and dry ranch mixed together. Super simple and easy, but a crowd pleaser. 

*English Chick Pea Salad – I giggled when I came up with a name for this and pictured Adele, you know, English Chick. It’s a totally made up take on an English pea salad based on me looking in the cabinets, fridge, and freezer and trying to come up with sides I didn’t have to buy stuff for. Chick peas + English peas + onion and some other things. I’ll let you know how it goes. 

*Sweet Potato Beet Hash – Watching the Food Network pays off again! I saw one of the chefs make a version of this, and decided I’d try my own version since I recently discovered I actually do like beets. 

What are you making for dinner this week?