Exceptional Eats: Taco Soup

I love it when I try out a new recipe, and it's not only easy, but delicious.

This recipe popped up in my life at such a good time.  I've been struggling to cook meals while tied to these crutches, so we've been relying on easy meals and carry out.  Any recipe that is easy enough for J to handle is a winner in my book!

Plus, tacos.  Who doesn't love tacos?  Only these are tacos in soup form.  Which is perfect on these cold winter nights.

And did I mention how easy this is to make?  Seriously, guys.  It's a matter of opening cans and jars and dumping them into a pot of deliciousness.

This one's a winner!  Thanks, Pinterest, for throwing this into my life.  Check out the recipe here.

Bump Watch: Special Edition- The Nursery

I still need a few more odds and ends- a little side table next to the chair, a cute lamp for the dresser- but for the most part, the little lady's room is FINISHED.  J and I spent the weekend assembling, arranging, washing, organizing, and hanging, and we are now ready for her arrival.  And just to ease my crazy pregnant brain, I even bought a pack of diapers.  When I say ready, I mean ready.

Enjoy the girly, ruffly, pretty nursery!  And as an added bonus to this post- I recently realized that I have not yet revealed the little lady's name in this space.  As her name plays a part in her room decor, you, my dear readers, will now be let in on the secret.

Here it is!

Changing table and rocker.  

My favorite feature!  Pinterest inspired, of course.  Big shout out to my MIL for helping put these hoops together, and to J for hanging those letters in a straight, evenly spaced manner on the first try!

Her crib, where I know she will rest peacefully and begin sleeping through the night in no time.  ;)

Her monogrammed quilt.  I kinda love that her monogram reads as MAC.

And laid out on the changing table, her coming home outfit, waiting to be packed.  Baby's first Ralph Lauren!

I can't wait for my sweet Margot Claire to arrive!

Pinspired: Pinned It, Did It! Vol. 4

It's been awhile, I know.  Mostly because the kitchen was an off limits place for me for several months there.  But I'm back at it now, and back to finding and trying many-a new recipe on good ole' Pinterest.

Here are a few of my recents.

Onion Ring Coated Chicken

Source: frenchs.com via Betsey on Pinterest

This one was kinda meh. The crispy onions did not add as much flavor as I would have expected. Not bad, but not one that I'll be adding to the regular rotation. If you do decide to try this one, cook the chicken up on some sort of rack, rather than directly on the baking sheet. This allows the coating to stay crispy.

Balsamic Brown Butter Asparagus.  Have I written about this one before?

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Betsey on Pinterest

J L.O.V.E.S. it. He is so excited that asparagus is finding its way to our table more frequently. He actually ate the cold, leftover stalks from my plate one night, and skipped the leftover meat. Craziness. I shorten the cooking time from 12 to 10 minutes, as I like a little bite left to my veggies, and that made all the difference. I also like to roast the spears in this same style, but toss with a little Parmesan cheese to finish. Good eats.

Slow Cooker Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

Source: sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

This was a good one. The flavor is nothing like I would have imagined it to be as I was combining ingredients in my trusty Crock Pot. But it was tasty. I love dishes where the meat literally falls to pieces as I'm trying to slice it. This one is worth trying.

Toddler Muffins

Source: allrecipes.com via Betsey on Pinterest

For those of you with picky eaters, these are just a gem. Made with squash, carrots, and mashed bananas, but somehow still taste good! As a matter of fact, I think J ate just as many of them as the nugget did. A word to the wise, however- this recipe made a ton, and I'd advise freezing some to save for later. I tossed all of mine into a Tupperware bowl, but they are SO moist that they started to grow mold before we had made our way through them.

Pinspired: Pinned It, Did It! Vol. 3

Pan Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken

Source: realsimple.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Although this pictures looks nothing short of amazing, the dish lacked flavor.  I know that's hard to believe, since it's chock full of lemon slices and garlic cloves, but I have made much more flavorful chicken dishes.  Also, the olive oil was a little overbearing.  Oily chicken?  No thank you.

Ranch Chicken Tacos

Source: pedersenfood.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

THESE. WERE. AMAZING.  Will definitely be adding these to my rotation.  Gotta love a new spin on taco night, especially when the meat is cooked in the crock pot.  Delish.

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken

Source: food.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Didn't really melt in my mouth.  And most certainly didn't form a beautiful crust as shown in the picture.  The flavor was not bad at all, but the dish just wasn't what I was hoping for.  Meh.

"Best" Pork Chops

Source: crazyhorsesghost.hubpages.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Well, the flavor of these may, in fact, be the best flavor I've ever tasted on a pork chop.  But I was a little bummed about the lack of crunch on the breading.  I even baked them up on a rack, but it didn't seem to help.  The underside was soggy.  Maybe next time, I'll flip them halfway through the cooking time?  Most definitely worth trying again.

Oreo Layers

Source: mycupcakejourney.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Yummy.  Oreos, Cool Whip, cream cheese, pudding- what could possibly be wrong with that?

Scarf Organization

Source: bedifferentactnormal.com via Betsey on Pinterest

I did this as part of my closet overhaul.  What a great idea!  My scarves are tucked away nice and neatly.  Success.

Pinspired: Pinned It, Did It! Vol. 2

I know you have all been anxiously awaiting (with baited breath, of course) the next installment in my Pinspired series.  I am happy to report that you may now breathe easy, because here it is.

Source: rockrecipes.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops.  These were okay, but I think if I made them again, they could be great.  I think I used too much oil in the pan, so they got a little soggy.  Also, I think I put them in too early, before the oil was hot enough.  Easy fixes for next time.  The sauce, however, was delicious...at least it was the first time I made it.  I've made it to go with stir fry twice since the initial attempt, and it wasn't quite the same either time.  I will get it right again, I swear.  It was really SO GOOD.

Source: plainchicken.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Cheesy Biscuits.  J loved these.  I thought they were alright.  The flavor was good, but the texture was more muffin than biscuit.  I like my biscuits to be biscuity, ya know?  Not sure I'll make these again. 

Source: foodlushblog.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Tip for cleaning berries. The idea is to soak berries in one part vinegar to ten parts water, followed by a rinse with fresh water. I tried this with strawberries...the claim was that they could go two weeks without getting soft and moldy, because the vinegar would kill mold spores and bacteria. FAIL. I got less than a week out of the berries. If it's possible, I think they started to go bad a little sooner than if I had just rinsed them in tap water, per my norm.

Source: prettygossip.com via Betsey on Pinterest

No-heat wave enhancer. I followed the advice of one of the comments, and twisted these twists up into two buns. I took it a step further and slept this way. (We have established that I am not a morning person- I shower before bed.) Success! This is my go-to hair of the moment. I can even make it last two days by combing, then spritzing hair with a water bottle to dampen, and re-bunning before bed. Day two waves are just as great. This has always been my problem with letting my natural waves go- two day hair just wasn't feasbile, and I'm a two day hair kinda girl. Love this trick. So does my hubby, who prefers my hair curly.

Pinspired: Project Grout

I do believe that I've mentioned several times before that I'm continually shocked and amazed that my house isn't spotless at all times, given the urge to clean that seems to be with me all the time.  The urge started during pregnancy, and never left.

I realize that the truth behind my not-so-spotless house is that I enjoy spending his awake time playing with my boy, rather than cleaning.  And I have two dogs, who are a constant source of dirt and hair, but lovable nonetheless.

But there was one project that was nagging at me, in the back of my mind all the time, since back in the days before the nugget was born.  It was something that desperately needed to be done, but I just didn't know the best way to go about it, and so I put it off.  For a long time...

Then I saw a pin on Pinterest, and I knew what I had to do.  Get out the toothbrush, get down on my knees, and get to work.  (And now get your mind out of the gutter.)  

I'm talking about grout.

Friends, please don't judge me when I tell you that I haven't ever scrubbed that grout since I had the tile installed over four years ago.  I've mopped plenty of times, I've spot-cleaned tough spots on the tile, and I've even used (many) floor cleaning devices throughout the kitchen.  But I had never focused on just the grout, and after years of neglect, it was starting to show.

It hit me one day when I glanced into a corner where no one walks, and I noticed that the grout there was a completely different color than the grout in the main area of the floor.  And then I became disgusted.  You see, it's hard to notice the gradual darkening of the grout as it is occurring.  It takes that glance into the corner to realize how filthy the grout has become.  Okay, dirty grout, you get the picture.

SO, back to Pinterest.  Here is what started the nagging in my mind.

Source: accessorizeandorganize.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

I started out following the recipe as it was written- 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup bleach.  At one point, I recruited J's help.  He mixed way too much bleach in with the baking soda, and his mixture was much more soup than paste.  Turns out, this was a happy accident.  The mixture flowed more easily into the grout lines, but was still thick enough to stay put for the required ten minutes.  (Thanks, dear!)

SO, for the next two weeks (that's right, folks- two weeks!), I spent the nugget's nap time working on small sections of floor.  Mixing the baking soda and bleach, allowing to sit for ten minutes, then wiping up with hot water and scrubbing with the toothbrush.

Was this project quick?  Absolutely not.  Was it effective?  Indubitably.

See for yourself with the before and after.  (And again- please don't judge me...I am fully aware of how gross the before shot is.  Also, if all of you out there scrub your grout on a weekly basis, I will eat my left foot.)

End result- clean floor, happy mama. 

Pinspired: Pinned It, Did It! Vol. 1

New feature!  I have really been utilizing Pinterest a lot these days.  Mostly for recipes, but also a few other crafty things.  I thought that this would be a good place to record all of those efforts- you know, for posterity's sake.

And although I am calling this Vol. 1, I should certainly reference here (birthday party theme courtesy of Pinterest) and here (Pinterest recipe reviews).

Here are a few of my latest endeavors!

Source: recipegirl.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Magic in the Middle Cookies.  I made these awhile back, actually, to put on my Christmas cookie trays.  I have got to say that they were absolutely delicious, and it was fun to watch people bite into them and be surprised by the magic inside (peanut butter really is magical, no?).  That being said...they were a pure pain in the ass to make.  Not sure I'll be making these too often, and definitely not during my Christmas cookie baking extravaganza.

Source: papervinenz.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

52 Reasons Why I Love You gift.  I took the time to craft this for J as a Valentine's Day gift.  He told me that if our house were to ever catch on fire, this would be the one thing he'd want to save from the flames.  (After me and the nugget, I'm assuming.)  Not sure I could have received a higher compliment.  BEST. GIFT. EVER.

Source: threepinkdots.com via Betsey on Pinterest

The Sock Bun.  I have become a little OBSESSED with the sock bun.  I just can't quite master it- I think because of the layers in my haircut?  I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that I will get it someday.  I really love this easy look.

Source: forkinit.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Crockpot BBQ Chicken.  This was only okay.  I think that boneless, skinless chicken breasts tend to get a little dry in the slow cooker.  This may have been better with dark meat, but I am most definitely not a dark meat eater.  Next time, I'll stick to the grill.

And We Partied

Pics from my boy's big par-tay.  Enjoy!

There were decorations.

And food.

And presents.

And mayhem friends.

And, of course, cake.

Good times were had by all.  Happy Birthday, sweet Gabe!

Pinterest Recipe Review

Lately, I have been feeling really rather cool.  Like I am way ahead of the trends.  Like, I've been on Pinterest since waaaaay before everybody and their mother joined up.*  It was a sweltering August day when I received my invite.  (I wrote about it here.)  Booyah!

Anywho, since that fateful summer day, I have become even more obsessed.  Of course, there is an app for that, and I could spend hours on my phone just scrolling through recent pins, and pin, pin, pinning away onto my own boards (of which there are now a whopping TEN).

I have been particularly excited about the recipes that I have pinned.  This week, I attempted four of them.  Here is a brief review:

Source: candcmarriagefactory.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin- this recipe was delish. I am a sucker for the crock pot, and am always looking for recipes that don't involve chicken. This pork turned out so incredibly tender (as crock pot meats tend to do), and the sweet glaze was fantastic. Definitely making this one again.

Source: amateurgourmet.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Roasted Broccoli- I made this alongside the pork. This broccoli was talked up as the broccoli to beat all broccolis. Let me preface by saying that I am NOT a broccoli lover- in fact, I am a broccoli HATER. But I thought I'd give it a try, given that the chef's husband declared that biting into this broccoli was better than biting into a steak. After trying it myself, I declare that man to be a LIAR. J, who IS a broccoli lover, declared that this tasted weird. As such, I declare that I will not be roasting broccoli again.

Source: lemondropsfoodie.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Lemon Blueberry Loaf- again, delish. The bread (or cake?) turned out so moist and yummy. A word of advice to those who may attempt this: I found that the suggested cook time wasn't long enough. I baked for a total of 65 minutes. I also found that I did not grease my loaf pan well enough, and I left the bottom of the loaf in the pan. Sad face. :( Although the loaf didn't look so pretty, it still tasted amazing.

Source: ifyouwantgoodfood.blogspot.com via Betsey on Pinterest

Crock Pot Sesame Chicken- I call bullshit on this one. It tasted nothing like the beloved Chinese takeout version. (Shocking! I know, as I used only chicken breasts and they weren't breaded or fried.) However, the meat was tender and the sauce was good, so it was not a total waste. It just isn't something that will go into my permanent rotation. And I had high hopes for this one. Shucks.

There ya' have it.  Bon apetit.  

* Just to clarify, I am not upset that everyone and their mother has joined up.  In fact, I quite enjoy following so many of my people.  Keep pinning, friends!