I seeeeeriously suck!

I haven't posted since November. How pathetic am I? I'm sure all....two of you...who read my blog were missing it. HA! Let's see...and update over the past almost 6 months:

1. After we ran the Pumpkin Run, we basically quit running and working out. Whoops!
2. I have had serious issues with anxiety since about November, but I think things are finally getting better. I'm going off the meds they put me on and I'm feeling much better. I couldn't have done it without all the prayers from my wonderful friends though. God is good!
3 I lost all interest in cooking for a while because of # 3, so I have no new yummy recipes really.
4. I am still on the job hunt...sort of. I am just passively looking.

I think that's about it as far as updates.

I ran in the Zoo Run Run this past Saturday and my time SUCKED something major! I'm so not even posting it in here! In my defense though, I walked most of it since I haven't done squat since November. Regardless, I am so incredibly sore right now it's not even funny! I swear, I must look like a duck when I'm walking or something because it hurts to bend anything. Oh well. I am hoping this was the swift kick in the pants I needed to get me back into exercise gear!

Hmm.. what else can I post about. Ohh. I heard something interesting on KCBI the other day! They were talking about Paul in Acts 18 where he got so fed up with the Jews that he shook his coat at them and said he was going to the Gentiles from then on. What I didn't know is that apparently this is something the Jews did to the Gentiles out of disgust (shaking their coats at them). I guess it's the equivalent of flipping someone off in modern times (though I do NOT condone doing that!!) So, the fact that Paul did this to them was REALLY a slap in the face! I thought it was greatness. Now, I do not think that means that God wants us to go flipping off those who bring us to our wits end, but I thought it was interesting.

So, that's a recap on me. I am going to tryyyyyy try try to update this more often! I mean, it's not like I have much else occupying my days! Plus, a girl can only play solitaire so many times a day. :)

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I was home sick last Friday and was watching the Food Network All star Thanksgiving show. Alton Brown made this recipe for mashed potatoes and it looked sooo yummy that I had to try it this week. The recipe did not let me down! It was phenomenal and probably one of my favorite ways to make taters now! I'm sure it's probably no healthy, but.... oh well :) Sometimes it's worth it!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_29148,00.html

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
16 fluid ounces (2 cups) half-and-half
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 ounces grated Parmesan

1. Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size.

2. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil.

3. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

4. Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water.

6. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture, salt, and Parmesan; stir to combine.

7. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve.


We ate this with some baked Ranch chicken (dry packet of ranch dressing mixed with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil and water then just pour over chicken breasts and bake for 20-30 minutes) and some peas. Delish! I'll definitely be making this recipe again and again and again!

Baked chicken secrets

Since being married and having to cook every night (while working full time!) I've discovered "shortcut meals". These are things you basically make up and throw together in a matter of minutes because you've had a long day and don't feel like cooking. One of these tricks of the trade is to pour salad dressing on chicken breasts and bake it. We've tried all sorts of different dressings and I've yet to find one that's not good! Ranch and Italian are great, but our absolute favorite is 'Mater Chicken.. I highly recommend this!! Here's the recipe!

'Mater Chicken

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed)
bottle of Good Seasons "Sun Dried Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper" salad dressing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Put chicken in baking dish
3. Coat with dressing (use as much or as little as you like!)
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes

Seriously, that's all there is to it and it's absolutely divine! I promise! We usually have several veggies with it and occasionally some mashed taters. Speaking of veggies...another "on the run tip" ....I LOVE those SteamFresh things...you just pop it into the microwave for 5 minutes and voila! Fresh veggies!!

All that said, this is not what we're having tonight :) We're actually having pecan crusted mahi-mahi. I despise fish, but I actually *gasp* like this meal! I'll post the recipe one of these days along with pictures maybe :)

Let the search begin!

I....can't....take...it...anymore!!!! I have officially decided to start scoping out the job market. I realize I have only been in this position for about 1 yr and 5months, but I hate it. It's the most unfulfilling job I've ever had! I don't think I'll ever be fully happy in a job, but I am just miserable here. Sad thing is, I probably have someone's dream job! I get paid to do....NOTHING!! I hate it though. I need to do something. I need to accomplish something.. I need to feel like what I am doing is making a difference. Here, I don't even know what they're talking about sometimes!!

The communication is awful, the training (or lack thereof) sucks, and I'm just downright miserable! I've been torn on this for awhile though because they offer good benefits! Medical and dental is great, plus I get every other Friday off, plus 3 weeks vacation, PLUS the week between Christmas and New Years off! It's hard to beat that! But... I think I've finally realized that I'd rather work somewhere and enjoy it than hate it like this.

So, last night I put in an application at the Northwest ISD for an HR job! I would be so incredibly happy if they would call me. I have my doubts though because I just don't think online applications are all that suave. I think I may run up to the administration offices tomorrow and drop off a resume. It may go straight to a trashcan, but at least I'll feel better about it! It would be super nice to at least get a phone call for an interview... It would be SO nice...

Anyway, keep the prayers coming because I am nervous!!!!

This weekend we're going camping with another couple and I can't wait! It's been far too long since we last camped. I'm totally looking forward to the Hot Dogs and S'mores, but most of all.. I can't wait to have Eclairs!!! YUM. If you've never made these, you're seriously missing out! Here's the "recipe":

You'll need:
A campfire
Large dowel rods
Bucket of water
Foil
Canned raw biscuits (Pillsbury or whatever)
Pudding (handi-snacks or you can just make up a batch of instant)
Whipped cream

What you do:
Soak the dowel rods in a bucket of water for several hours. This helps keep them from catching on fire when you use them! When you're ready, cover the end you're sticking in the fire with foil. Take the biscuits and wrap several of them around the end of the stick with the foil. You'll have to stretch and pull them! I like to use between 2-3 biscuits. *Note: the thinner you make the dough, the less time it takes to cook through, but dont' make it too flimsy!*

After you've prepared your dowel rod, you just roast it over the fire like you were roasting a marshmallow or a hot dog, until it's cooked. Usually takes anywhere from 5-10 minutes (or longer.. but trust me, they're worth it!) When your dough has reached the desired cookedness, slowly and careful pull it off the dowel rod... Careful! It'll be hot! Fill the bread with pudding them top with a squirt of whipped cream. Indulge and go back for seconds :)

I can pretty much guarantee I won't eat well this weekend, but oh well! The menu consists of Hot dogs, Fajitas, hamburgers, more hotdogs, s'mores and eclairs. Yum! See y'all on the flip side!

Oops

See, I am obviously bad at keeping up with this thing! I just KNEW I would be. I must try harder!

So on Sunday we ran our first 5K together! Yeah, I say "together" but in actuality, we were not running together at all. Josh promptly left me in his dust. But that's ok! I figure I hold him back all the time so why not let him go all out during the race! He finished in 24 minutes and I finished somewhere in the 37 minute mark. Not tooo bad for a first 5K, but not good either. I was disappointed in myself, mostly because I ended up having to walk probably 1/2 a mile throughout the race. Not all at once, but I had to walk a few times. In my defense, the course was much more hilly than we'd been running, it was 4:00 pm (WHO does a race that late in the day?!) and I was wearing pants instead of shorts. See, we'd been running in the evenings and it was much cooler out, it just so happened that this Sunday, of all days, it decided to stay warm instead of cooling off. So I was dying hot. Oh well. Lesson learned.

I'm glad that is behind me. I was miserable the whole time, but for some reason, I am now looking forward to running another one! Why you ask? I HAVE NO IDEA!!!! I think I just want to prove that I CAN run an entire 5K and then maybe, one day, I will move on to a 10K! But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves there.. ;)

We haven't worked out since the race on Sunday because on Monday, I was lazy and Josh was sore, and then last night, Tuesday, Josh didn't feel well and I was again lazy and didn't feel like working out by myself. TONIGHT we're jumping back on the wagon!

Marriage is the coolest

Ok. I forgot to post yesterday. This may take some getting used to!

We didn't work out last night because it was our night off. Instead, we spent the night with a bunch of our friends and a bunch of engaged folks. We were teaching them everything we know on marriage and what we've learned. Now, if you know me and Josh, we're perfect so we didn't have any mistakes to tell them about, of course. ;) kidding of course.

But seriously, while we may have our occasional issues, we've been incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful marriage. We really didn't have a lot of major issues when we got married. The "merging" was really a painless effort and things were much easier than they were before marriage! I guess if it's true that the first few years of marriage are the hardest, then we've got an easy road ahead of us! Wait.. what's that saying? "Pride comes before the fall", right? I guess I better not get too cocky about it ;) Anyway, I just praise the Lord every day for blessing lil 'ol me with such a wonderful man as my husband!

Ok. Enough mush. Back to work!

Hello

Ok. So I think at some point in everyone's life, we all want to drop a few pounds and get in shape. Am I right? There are a multitude of reasons we all go through this and mine are no different than anyone else's. I keep hearing the best way to do this is to keep a food journal. I've never been very good at journaling (or blogging as I guess it's called now) but I'm going to give it a shot! In true Brangelina fashion, I'm totally and officially making this my Flog.. which not only is the cheesy combination of "food" and "blog" but also what admitting all of this is going to be like... a true flogging! I'm going to try to post some of what I'm doing to shape up, maybe a few recipes, and well... just random "whatever" stuff! (Hey, I'm just a bored admin.. I have to have SOMETHING to fill my days, right?!)

Check back for more Flogging in the near future!