Greek Dinner

Art and I both have bought chicken on super clearance at Fresh & Easy. Currently our freezer is packed with chicken thighs, legs, drummies, breasts & ground chicken. Our freezer looks like we own a chicken ranch. lol  What does one make with all this chicken? I am scouring the internet looking for different recipes all the time. I love to throw it in the crockpot with some type of sauce, but that can get a little old. 

Art really likes Greek pitas. I found a recipe online for Grilled Greek chicken pitas. Chicken pitas would go perfectly with my friend Krystal's Layered Mediterranean Dip! I can't even remember how I found the chicken pita recipe. Possibly looking on Pinterest and found the link. However I found it the pitas were a hit. I threw everything into the bag of chicken while I ran some errands. A couple hours later while the chicken was cooking I made the layered dip. Threw the dip in the fridge while I finished the chicken, made the tzatziki sauce and wa-la dinner was ready. 

I bought pitas from Fresh & Easy, spread the tzatziki sauce over them, shredded the chicken, and placed some sliced tomatoes over the top. I served the dip with pita chips on the side. It was really delicious and easy. 

Welcome Emilio!

I was in LA a couple weeks ago for work and while I was there I was able to visit Krystal after she gave birth to baby #2. It was a little boy Emilio. The plan was for Nami and I meet to visit Krystal. We didn't tell Krystal our friend Elisa would be flying into town to also visit! It was a very exciting night!

Elisa, Krystal, me, Elena, Emilio and Nami

Little Emilio was very hungry and wasn't amused by the fact we wanted to look at him. lol

Besties!

Top 2 pictures are from April 2012 when Elena was born

Bottom 2 pictures are from May 2013 when Emilio was born

Congratulations again to Eric and Krystal on little Cupcake! I can't wait to go back to So Cal to visit Cookie and Cupcake!

Strawberry Chicken Spinach Salad

On Saturday I made us a strawberry chicken spinach salad with goat cheese. I made Mrs. Regueiro's Plate strawberry vinaigrette dressing for the top of the salad. The dressing was the perfect combination for a nice summery afternoon. The goat cheese added a creamy texture to the salad. We ate our salads outside on Sammy's patio furniture. It was nice to sit outside and eat our lunch. 

This salad was super easy to make. I had baked some chicken a day before, sliced strawberries, sprinkled goat cheese over the top and drizzled the vinaigrette over the top. 

You could easily pack this salad for work lunch with the vinaigrette in a separate container. 

Krystal's Virtual Baby Shower - CUPCAKE!

A little over a year ago I participate in my very first virtual shower for my friend Krystal. I made a Cuban cake in honor of little Cookie. Well a year later we are having another virtual shower for Krystal as they are about to welcome Cupcake! The theme for this virtual shower is CUPCAKE. lol I was trying to figure out what kind of cupcakes I should make and each time I came up with some thing someone else had picked it. Well luckily Pinterest helped me in a big way this time. 

My readers know I have been trying to avoid sugar and carbs. I found a recipe for Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes. Hey at least I am avoiding one of the items - flour. I also can share these cupcakes with  my future son in law since he can only eat gluten free products. When I bake I like to share them with people. 

I am so excited for Krystal to welcome little Cupcake into the world! Cupcake is going to be such a handsome little man and a lucky little brother to Elena. Eric and Krystal are such amazing parents to Elena. It has been very exciting to watch their family grow and see them as parents. 

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 cup butter

1.5 cups chocolate chips

6 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

In a double boiler melt the butter and chocolate. Separate egg whites and yolks. Let chocolate and butter mixture start to cool and then add in yolks. Beat egg whites until peaks start to form. Gradually add in the sugar and beat until eggs form stiff peaks and glossy. Whisk some of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and then mix egg whites into the entire chocolate mixture stirring slowly. Bake at 275 for 25 minutes. 

The last photo with Cookie and Cupcake still baking!

Check out Eva Bakes for a round-up of all the baby shower cupcake blog posts. 

Cookie is ONE!

Today is Cookie first birthday!!! Last year I kept trying to time my trips to LA, so I could see her. One of the first things I bought her was a big fluffy tutu and a leopard rain coat. lol Two essential things a little girl needs - tutus and leopard print! Now I am trying to plan the next trip to LA to see cupcake!

Last Tuesday I was able to spend some time with Krystal and Cookie. Cookie is getting so big and running all over the place with her cart. She met me at the door in a full run. It was so cute! She also gives kisses, which are super sweet!

Kisses!!!

 

I love this picture of Cookie raising her hand! She is wearing these adorable little jeggings. I refer to them as baby pajama jeans. Who is wearing pajama jeans? ME says Cookie. lol

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Prayers

My friend TJ is going through some really rough cancer treatments this week. Please pray for him!!!!! So far he has done AMAZING!!!! He didn't have any side affects from a week of chemo. This week he has gone through numerous treatments with minimal side affects. He needs to continue with minimal side affects. He has 2 little babies that need their dad and an amazing wife who needs her amazing husband. Jen & TJ are such an amazing couple. 

TJ is such an incredibly strong person. He took the time to send me an email on Monday night to encourage me. It meant so very much to me that he took time around 1am encouraging me of all people. He didn't have to do that. I also felt a little guilty because I should have been on the one encouraging him while he was going through hell. 

5 Favorites from Last Week

 5 Favorite Items from Last Week!

 

 

 

1. Cheryl's Cookies

 

Have you tried these mouthfuls for happiness? Cheryl's cookies are super soft, buttery, delicious cookies. Last week a vendor sent me a box of theses cookies. The day I opened them I put them away in my office because I wasn't sure I could share them. lol  Well I shared them with my staff. Everyone LOVED them!

A08

2011 & 2012 were the years for meeting A08 girls! I love it when I get to meet my friends in person. Two weeks ago I was able to meet Nami. It is rather funny when I say meet her. We text, FB and chat on our A08 board almost daily. I have known some of these girls for 5+ years, but just haven't met them in person. Isn't Nami just adorable?  She is 9 months pregnant....isn't she tiny!!!! It was a fun night of chatting away! I can't wait to see her again when I go back to So Cal.

Besties!

Last week I was in So Cal for a full week training some new employees. When I travel to So Cal for work I live for the night lift. I usually get to see numerous different friends and family. Each night I am off to see someone and my social life is booked!  I was able to see Krystal and Elena for a couple hours. The last time I saw Elena she was about a month old. She is so grown up, adorable, sweet, and full of smiles.

I brought her a Christmas present with a new outfit and a Jessie doll. Recently she watched Toy Story. Krystal told me she really liked it. I found a Jessie doll at the Disney store, so I had to get it for her. She seems to really like Jessie and recently brought Jessie shoe shopping with her daddy. How adorable!  Here are some pictures from our night together.

 

I love this picture. It makes me laugh because she is looking at me like hey lady pay attention to me!

Pretty baby waiting for her dinner!

 

 

Come on people please give me some food!

 

Yummy!

 

 

 

 

Krystal made a delicious apple crumble crisp. It was amazing!

 

 

 

Besties!

 

Prayers for TJ

Over the summer my friend TJ found out he has stage 4 melanoma. He has beat melanoma once before and we know he will beat it once again. TJ is fighting very hard to beat this, but he needs everyone prayers.


While we were traveling back from the Bahamas we were able to stop and visit with Jen & TJ for a little while. It was one of the highlights of my trip!

COOKIE ARRIVED!!!!

Remember my post about wondering when Cookie was going to make their debut? How I couldn't take it anymore and I wanted to know if Cookie was a boy or a girl?  Last Friday I woke up around 5am to numerous text from Krystal saying she was in labor! I had actually woke up at 1:30 and thought oh Krystal is going to wake up in an hour and a half for her nightly bathroom break. lol The crazy things I think of in the middle of the night. Now if I had just woke up 20 minutes later I would have seen the first text from Krystal. She started sending them around 1:50am and they continued until 8am. Oh the anticipation was KILLING me!

One on of my visit I looked at Krystal and thought she is having a girl!  I just knew Cookie would be a girl.    Finally around 9:30ish I received a text along with a picture saying Cookie had arrive and it was a GIRL!!!!  YES!!! Ruffles, lace, pink and frills were on the shopping list!  

Little Elena Antonia arrived on April 27. I am going to get to see her later this week and I can hardly wait!!!! Her first tutu is already purchased and by the suitcase!

Macaroons & Blue Tongues

Last week I was able to spend a couple days with Krystal. She had mentioned she was making macaroons. I asked her to save me some. I <3 me some macaroons and fresh are the very best!  When I arrived she had blueberry peanut butter and jelly macaroons. O-M-G!!!  I love anything peanut butter!!!!

 Krystal's husband Eric was laughing at me because my entire tongue turned blue!  I think I ate 5 of them the first day. Then I asked her to please put them away before I finished them off. 

Krystal is due on May 9. I can't wait for little Cookie to come into the World, so I can buy pink or blue. Why do my friends insist on being team green and keeping me in suspense??

Bed & Breakfast

On Saturday, Art and I headed up to Sutter Creek to enjoy our weekend away at a bed and breakfast.  We booked a room at Hanford House.  My wonderful friends bought us a gift card to a B&B.  It was exactly what we needed.

We left the house early on Saturday and headed to Sutter Creek.  On the way up to Sutter Creek we stopped in Lockeford to get some yummy meat at Lockeford Meat. I love this place! They make all their own sausage! Growing up we always made our own sausage.  There is nothing better than fresh homemade sausage!

Then we headed straight to Sutter Creek!  We walk around through all the shops.  I found a few treasures.  The town doesn't wake up until around 11am on Saturday. We had went through every shop by 1pm. Art suggested we run over to Jackson Rancheria to do a little gambling. That was the fastest trip in and out of a casino ever!  We walked in the place was filled with smoke, we dropped some money into a couple machines. I wandered around and came back to Art just as he was cashing out. He had won $65 bucks.  He said hurry lets cash out and get out of here. lol

Then it was time to head to our room. I couldn't wait!!!! I was soooo excited to get to our room and relax.

We checked in and then relaxed in the room.  Later we went to cocktail hour at the B&B and then headed to dinner. After dinner we came back and relaxed in the hot tub.  I told Art we need to get a hot tub for our backyard. It was sooooo relaxing!

Behind our room was a chicken coop. The B&B collects the eggs and uses them for breakfast. mmmmmm

Inside the Inn where they serve breakfast people have been signing the walls since 1985. All guests are encouraged to sign the walls. I found a little spot and signed our names with the date.

Breakfast was DELISH! Fruit with chicken mozzarella sausage

Eggs Benedict....my VERY favorite!

Us relaxing before we headed out. I LOVE this B&B!!!! I hope we can go back one day! It was so relaxing.