Best Ornament EVER!!!

So remember when I shared with you the last minute super sale ornaments I got at Macy's? Well I didn't share you with the BEST ONE!!!

(I couldn't since I also got one for two of my most loyal blog followers, and until they opened their presents, I couldn't spoil the surprise!)

HELLO GNOME!!! You look so great on my tree!!!!

Happy Girl

Goodbye old orange Envy

HELLO NEW IPHONE4!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is a rare day, that I own the most up to date technology! And I am excited about it! Yay Iphone! Welcome to 2011 Megan!

White Bean and Turkey Chili

So me and Giada are getting tighter. I tried another recipe of hers and it was a huge success. I am already thinking about making it again. On my quest to find healthy, filling and produce filled dishes, I decided to give a white bean and chicken/turkey recipe a try...After hunting down a few recipes I decided to go with Giada's from www. foodnetwork.com.

It was so good!

White Bean and Chicken Chili (or Turkey!)

courtsey of Giada De Laurentiis from www.foodnetwork.com
click link for orginial recipe (click title)

Ingredients2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground chicken

I used Lean Turkey, and not as much, I just used 1 package
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon fennel seedsI skipped the fennel, yuck fennel!

1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons flour
2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

I also added a whole zuccini and a can of whole tomatos, both chopped up small

ADD MORE VEGGIES!4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DirectionsIn a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture.



Add the beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

I let it sit on the stove for a few hours once it was cooked. That gave it time to kind of set together and look more like chili (aka mush). : )

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Oh I added the parsely to the actual chili while I was cooking, since I heart fresh parsely.

I didn't get a good picture of the finished product! Ill be sure to get it next time though! : )

New Years Eve - Welcome 2011

In the spirit of catching up, I figured I would post my new years pictures. Me and some of my lady friends headed to the c-i-t-y! We got super dressed up, had a quick dinner and caught the train to the big apple!





We took those bike cabs to the party, which was a bit of a disaster. Super fun, but super expensive. I seem to need to learn that lesson over and over again...Find out how much something will cost BEFORE you do it! eck!





We went to a casino night party. It was a good time. A bit interesting...but a good time. : )







Happy New Years!!! Welcome 2011!!!

Can you say ICE?

Playing Catch Up

I know I have not been good at updating my blog. : ( I have been busy, and I have been sick.

But today I have some time, so I am going to work on getting a few blog posts done. In the mean time, please enjoy some pictures of the snow we have been having (umm like a few inches every few days!!!!) and of some lovely white tulips in a lovely silver pitcher I just got! : )

Ladies Night with a New Dish

So I have been much better at my goal of trying new recipes and learning how to cook. I was wandering around on the Food Network Site and printed a couple of Giada De Laurentiis recipes I wanted to try.

Here is the first one. : )

Katie and Kerri came over and we tag teamed this delicious dish! It is defiantly one to make again!



Fusilli with Sausage, Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network Website

(click above for recipe link)
Ingredients

3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1 pound Italian hot sausages, casings removed
2 (8-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
16 ounces fusilli pasta
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper

We used Polish kielbasa, which might make a real Italian cook cringe, but I am not a fan of spicy and Katie OK'ed the substitution! haha

We also added spinach to up the produce factor. Sneak in those Veggies!!!!

DirectionsHeat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside

We added some Texas Toast (or course) and rounded out the evening with some Christmas cookies and some Krumkake, which is a Norwegian dessert. Katie knew what they were and we excited to have another holiday krumkake round, and Kerri gave them a try for the first time!

Thanks for coming over and giving this recipe a try ladies! Let's pick the next one!!!!

New Ornaments

So I told myself a tree topper was all I was going to get in the way of Christmas Decor...and I was doing a good job of sticking to that plan, UNTIL the Thursday before christmas...Macy's was having awesome sales and I got sucked in....And I bought a few more things....My tree needed more bling!









I was on the fence, but 'Martha' threw me over... : )

Welcome 2011