Thursday Nite Sushi

Every other Thursday night Scott and I meet Ash and Trent at Sogo for sushi that is 1/2 price! While the wait can sometimes be a bear the company and the sushi make it all worth the wait. This past Thursday our Mom was in town and was able to join us for dinner. I didn't get any pictures of us but I did take a few of some of our specialty rolls. California and Philly roll always look the same.
Already looking forward to next Thursday.

Burrito Bowl

Scott ate lunch with coworkers at Chiptole and came back telling me about these burrito bowls. I thought it sounded delicious and something I could easily make at home. I used brown rice, 1 can of black beans, ground beef with hot & spicy taco seasoning, salsa, sour cream, and a sliced avocado. I bought wheat tortillas and made quesadillas to go along with the bowls. This dinner was delish and so simple.

By the way these made excellent quesadillas for Saturdays lunch.

2nd race

I am running my second race and this time it is a 10k (6.2 miles). My very very dear friend Whitney and her sister, and myself are running the Cooper River Bridge Run April 2. The boys plan on drinking beer while the ladies conquer the bridge. I am really excited about this race and so happy to have a friend to run it with. I just wish we lived closer together so I could have a running buddy.

While I am feeling a little frustrated due to a pulled/strained groin muscle, I hope to be back and training next week. I have GIVEN into this pain and continue to nurse my leg with anti-inflamatories, ice, and heat. I am hoping this won't lead to a dr. visit. I have become quite ill with not being able to run:( God is most defiantly working on my patience right now.

Have a happy Saturday and stay warm. I will continue to numb my leg with ice:)

How sweet it is

Sometimes the simplest things make you smile and make you realize how blessed your life is. I was busy doing my own thing and happen to look over at the sofa and this is what I see:) How sweet is this? We really don't like the dogs being on the furniture, but they look so sweet and comfortable relaxing with their dad I couldn't say anything. I love these 3!

Must have Monday

I have listed 3 items that have become must have items. I have just discovered all 3 within the past week and am so excited about them I wanted to share them with you.

First, Acorn house shoes. I have the same genes that my Nana had. Our hands and feet are always freezing. I will never forget always seeing my Nana in her blue house shoes with a matching robe in the winter time. Also anytime she would touch us her hands were freezing. I always remember thinking couldn't she just warm her hands up before she touched our bare skin? Well I now I know that they were never really going to be warm unless she wore mittens all the time. I have tried numerous different types of house shoes, but didn't find one that really kept my feet warm. I was looking for a few crucial things when purchasing a new pair of house shoes. They needed to cover my heels, be comfortable, have a sole that I could wear outdoors, hold up for many winter seasons, and not too expensive. I was able to find all of this in these new house shoes. Once I found these and the clearance price I knew they were worth a try. I am thrilled with them and wear them around the house all the time:)

Second, Garmin forerunner 305. I found this watch while reading some runners blogs. While this watch seemed really expensive I still really wanted it. The current watch I use now is never accurate on distance, and doesn't keep my time. So my sweet husband ordered this watch for me. He knew I would keep looking at it and talking about it, but never purchase it. This watch came with a heart rate monitor so I can see where my heart rate is while running. Also, this watch has a GPS in it which keeps my distance accurate. I can plug it in my computer and it will show me a map of where I just ran, it shows my race pace, timed mile, and so much more! If you love to run and enjoy running outdoors then I would without a doubt recommend this watch. Pictured watch and heart rate monitor.

Third, electronic toothbrush. I am a bit of an aggressive brusher. My toothbrushes never last longer than 1 month, because I have chiseled the bristles down to nothing. I never felt like my teeth were clean enough. I decided that I might want to give the electric toothbrush a shot. I just ran to Target to find one and was overwhelmed by the number of choices. The prices range from $69.99 to $189.99. For a toothbrush?:/ I then found an oral b for about $26. I decided before I dropped a ton of money on a toothbrush I would give the cheaper one a shot. I love this brush. I bought the one the "flosses" while it brushes. After brushing my teeth I feel like I have just left the dentist office. It also has a 2 minute timer to let me know when I have brushed for the proper amount of time. After having the timer I am pretty sure I never really brushed for 2 minutes. Opps. If you are in the market for a new toothbrush I would think about switching to an electric toothbrush.

What are some of your new favorite finds?

Greek Mac and Cheese

We feel in love with this mac and cheese at a friend's Christmas party. They generously passed on the recipe. I have made it twice. First time with cheddar cheese and it was a crowd pleaser. The second time I used goat cheese and mozzarella. I also sautéed an onion and mushrooms. Then added sun dried tomatoes and spinach to the mix. This meal was perfect for a cold day.

16 Oz. uncooked medium whole wheat shells

½ cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

5 oz of goat cheese

1 – 12 oz. container small curd cottage cheese

2 large eggs – slightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

½ cup dry breadcrumbs

1 tsp greek seasoning

Filling:

1 small onion

1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 package of sun dried tomatoes sliced

1 bag of fresh spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions – drain

Melt butter in dutch oven over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in milk – cook over low heat – whisk until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and the next three ingredients. Stir into pasta.

Sauté onion and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Remove from heat add to macaroni once prepared. Mix in spinach and tomatoes.

Spoon mixture into lightly greased 9 x 13 dish. Top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. Combine breadcrumbs and seasoning and sprinkle over top layer of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes

Makes 10-12 servings

ENJOY!!

Thanks Brooks' for sharing this recipe.

Snow day eats

In a Cooking Light magazine I found a recipe for an italian beef stew. I thought no better day to make this then on a cold snowy day. Since we were home all day we were able to make this around lunch and put it in the crock pot and let the flavors come together. I was actually able to get Scott in the kitchen for this:) This stew was delicious and different from any other beef stew we have had. We took some over to our neighbors to enjoy. The wife is 6 months pregnant and was just put on bed rest. Please keep them in your prayers. They have an active 16 month old at home which makes it harder for bed rest.

Onion, garlic, and carrots(orange & yellow) sauteing.

Beef chunks salted, dredged in flour and then cooked.

Everything comes together in the crock pot.

Piping hot bowl of italian beef stew!

As an afternoon delight I made us hot chocolate with milk. There is nothing better than hot chocolate made with milk. It is richer, chocolatier, and more filling.

A timely process to heat milk while not burning it.

But completely worth the time. 2 cups of delicious hot chocolate.

I used my old camera today in the kitchen and really could tell a difference.

What is your favorite thing to do, eat, and/or drink on your snow day?