Caprese Quinoa

Matt's gone, so I am cooking for myself, which I hate. I love cooking, but cooking for yourself is really boring. I have lately gotten really into quinoa, which I have discovered is the perfect vessel for one dish meals. Perfect! Fast, easy, and healthy! 

I absolutely love Italian food, in pretty much any form. Caprese salad is one of the most well known Italians foods, and even looks like their flag. Caprese salad is slices of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes layered with basil leaves, and then topped with balsalmic vinaigeratte. These exact ingredients happen to be why I love Italian food so much! So why not put it in quinoa? Yes, please!

I'm sure this idea has been done before, so while I won't admit to "inventing" anything, I will say I did not use a recipe :) I love it when that happens!

All you have to do is cook your quinoa. Fluff it, then stir in tomatoes, mozzarella (the real stuff, please! SO much better!), and basil, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and drizzle with olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. Enjoy!

As you can see, Jack really wanted some, too :) Although that was probably mostly for the cheese. 

Thanksgiving

It's been awhile since I've updated! I've been very busy lately!

Matt left on 10 November for SERE training, which is survival and resistance training. Since I just moved here, I've been a little lonely, but managing to keep myself busy. Matt went into the field about a week before Thanksgiving, so he couldn't call me anymore, so i drove up to Seattle for Thanksgiving for a much over do visit!

I have said it many times, and I'll say it again, God has certainly blessed me with two wonderful pets who travel beautifully. The drive from Sacramento to Seattle takes about 14 hours. I split that into 2 days to make it easier on Jack and Huey. The first drive, from Sacramento to Eugene, is a long drive (440 miles), but it's through gorgeous country! Unfortunately, I was driving, so I couldn't really sight see, but what I managed to glimpse at was beautiful. The surrounding area of Mt. Shasta is awesome. Once you get into Eugene, though, you're getting into the Willamette Valley and it starts to get boring. Oh, well. The hotel I picked was about the best one I could pick, it was across the street from a gigantic park that is perfect for walking Jack after a long car drive.

The next day wasn't that great. Eugene to Seattle is only about 5 hours, so it's significantly shorter than the first trip, but there was a freak wind/rain storm my entire trip! Normally I would be freaking out, but for some reason I was surprisingly calm, maybe it was the presence of the pets with me. On a side note, I'm pretty sure it dumps water every time we drive from Portland to Seattle! Seriously. It pours. This was about the worst I've ever seen it, though, there was standing water on the freeways! I made it safely, though!

Jack quite enjoyed himself at my parents house. Too much. Like any typical grandkid, I'm pretty sure he likes their house better than mine. At least their yard. I KNOW he likes their yard better :)

I hung out pretty much by myself the first few days, I was sick the second day I was there and my parents were still at work, so it worked out ok. My sister and her husband came up on Wednesday. It was the first time I had seen them since their wedding! Needless to say, I was excited! I think Jack was, too, he now had 5 people in the house with him!

Thursday we went down to my aunts house for dinner and a mean game of Apples to Apples, which happens to be my favorite game. Jack stayed home by himself, but my mom bought him a nice femur bone to keep him occupied. From the looks of the bone when we got back, he quite enjoyed it ;)

Friday night we hung out at home, but I went and hung out with my in-laws that evening. On Saturday we had my grandparents over, and my cousin, and then my other cousins and aunt and uncle. All at the same time. As you can imagine, my dog was ECSTATIC. Never had he had that many people to love on him! I think he's kind of sad, being back in Sacramento with just me. Oh, well. Matt will be him soon, and I know of all people to be stuck with, he'd want to be stuck with me :)

The drive back was uneventful; even through the pass it was sunny and dry, which is a complete one eighty from what it had been a week before. Now Jack, Huey, and I are just going to hang out for a week to wait for Matt to come home! So exciting!

Pretty Flowers

I'm not a photographer by any means, but I do love taking pictures of flowers. Sometimes I get lucky and get a really good one. I thought I'd share some of my favorites, since this blog needs more pictures. 

I love lilacs. Taken during the spring of 2010 at the University of Idaho Arboretum

I have no idea what this is, but it's purple, so I had to take a picture of it. UI 

I LOVE tulips. So much

Yeah for pollination! This rose was in the Rose Garden in downtown Portland

I'm a huge fan of the multi-colored roses 

Aren't these cool?

I love sunflowers, too. I think this picture is really sweet, if I do say so myself. Taken at Kelly's house on her wedding day 

I love how the sunlight seems to be shining through the petals :)

This is one of the flowers in my current flower box. 

Chrysanthemums in my front flower pot. I love all the fall colors of mums. 

Can anyone guess why I picked out the daisies?

So many purple daisies :)

My other flower box. I love the red and purple together

From one of the bushes in my front yard. I don't know what it is. 

I still find it weird to see palm trees in the area, especially the one in my front yard 

Of course I had to include a picture of my wonderful bridal bouquet

One of my favorite pictures I have taken of all times. This was a marigold planted in my yard in Mississippi

Super awesome picture!

Day in the Life of Huey and Jack

Yesterday I followed my dog and cat around like a stalker and took pictures of them all day, mostly so I would have pictures to add to the blog. Yup, I use my fur babies for blog material. I don't feel bad about it. At all. Anyways, most of the pictures turned out super blurry, probably because I didn't want to use the flash, but oh, well. You can now see into the extraordinary spoiled lives of my dog and cat. 

Chewin' on the new toy mom gave me! (24 hours later, it's in the trash, but it lasted longer than I thought it would! He can shred soft toys like it's an Olympic sport)

I am a cat. Therefore, it is physically impossible for me to look straight into the camera. 

This is my normal stance, guarding the entrance to the kitchen. 

PHOTO BOMB FOR HUEY!

I am a cat. Thus need to sit in an uncomfortable position. 

Those aren't my paw prints on the table...

My lounging ledge! All mine. 

Beginning of Cat-Dog Standoff. Who will win?

Jack's close up. 

It's a draw!

I am a cat. Even though I don't fit under the bed, I will anyway. Then grab at your feet as you walk by. 

Share some of your yummy bone with me?

Happily chewing away. 

Please, Huey, wipe your paws

The crazy neighbor Husky dog. 

Creeped out yet? 

Jack doing what he does best, taking branches off the bushes

I miss Daddy so much!

Please tell me that beef is for me. 

No? Ok, I'll just stare at the ground the whole time until you drop something. (He seriously does this every time I make dinner, he walks up to me and just stares at the floor until I accidentally drop something.)

Oh, you think you got new books in the mail? SURPRISE! It's a Huey! A Huey bed, anyway. 

Baby Fever

I have baby fever. I love coming up with baby names, even though we're still probably a year out from having kids (super lame). So today, to keep myself entertained, I went to randomnames.com to make baby names. You just click, and a name pops up! So this is actually quite entertaining, since they're really random and the names don't go together.

How I came up with the names:
   -I went to a website and had it spit out a number between 1-10. It gave me 3.
   -I went to the random names website. They have a "girls" category, and a "boys" category. Every third click, I used that name. I did this ten times, to make ten first names per gender.
   -I repeated this, making ten middle names per gender. Naturally, the first first names went with the first middle name, and so on.
   -They also have a "random" category, so every third click I used the ten names that came up. Make sense? Gosh I sure hope so.

I will explain the names this way: first, if I think the names go together, and then say if I like each name.

Here are the names:

Girl Names:

1. Callie Tatiana- They don't go together AT ALL. I love the name Callie, Tatiana's ok, definitely not together.
2. Lora Laila- Again, don't go together. I like the name spelled as Laura, don't like it Lora. I like the name Laila, but I don't think I would use the name for my girl. Although, it does rhyme with my sister's name.
3. Traci Tonia- No, no, and no.
4. McKenna Tatum- If you say them together, it actually doesn't sound that bad. I don't mind McKenna, but I wouldn't use it. And Tatum, while actually ok, could be considered a boy's name, and I'm not a fan of unisex names for girls for some reason. Probably because I'm girly. Don't mind unisex names for boys, though.
5. Millie Kennedy- Don't flow together well at all. Don't like the name Millie, it's way better for a dog or cat. Or a pioneer. Kennedy is a really cute name. I would totally use it as a girl's name, but I can't come up with a good nickname for it (I'm not calling her Kenny).
6. Robin Kasey- They flow quite nicely together. I don't think Robin is a bad name, but it's unisex and I wouldn't use it. Not a huge fan of Kasey, especially with a K. If there are names out there that can be spelled with both a C or a K, I will most always prefer the name with a C.
7. Danielle Lucia- Don't go together at all. LOVE the name Danielle. LOVE it. Unfortunately, I can't name my daughter that. I just can't bring myself to name my kid Danielle Darnell. Lucia is pretty, too, but not a name I would use.
8. Tammie Emma- Horrible combination. "Tammie" is definitely the preferred spelling, but I don't really like the name. LOVE the name Emma, and I do plan on using it if I can convince Matt to like the name. I would use it as a first name, even.
9. Rosemarie Jessica- Probably the worst combination here! Except the next one. Rosemarie is just too old fashioned for me to want to use, but I would use each name separately. Not a huge fan of Jessica for some reason, I have no idea why, but I LOVE the nickname Jessie. Even though that's a unisex name. That's one of my exceptions to the rule :)
10. Gianna Billie- Doesn't match at all! Gianna is a very pretty name, although I don't think Matt would like it. It's almost too formal of a name to use, if that makes sense. I would definitely call her Gia, but it sounds so snotty! And Billie... no.

Boy Names:

1. Stanley Finn- I think this actually flows nicely together! Not such a huge fan of either name, but there's nothing wrong with them.
2. Jett Van- LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! First off, hubby's a pilot, I am NOT naming my kid Jett or any other airplane name. Second, Jett Van, you would think we're naming our kid after motorized vehicles. So absolutely not on any part of this name. Plus they don't flow well together at all.
3. Kyler Osvaldo- Doesn't sound bad together, but it's definitely weird to mix an American name with a Spanish name. I actually like the name Kyler, Matt would definitely not. I'm going to say no to the Osvaldo, though, I'm not going to give my kid a Hispanic name. No disrespect meant, I'm just not attracted to those names.
4. Callum Felix- No. Just no.
5. Mason Elmer- No. First off, it doesn't go together. I actually like the name Mason, I would use that. It reminds me of one of the kids I used to babysit in high school! He was seriously the cutest baby ever, had the most AWESOME sticky-up hair. Anyways. Elmer, no. Not only is it just a horrible name, it sounds way too much like Elmo.
6. Eduardo Mick- Doesn't match. Also, what is with this thing spitting out Spanish names for me? I would not use either name, especially together.
7. Nikolas Julio- Doesn't work. If I used Nikolas, it would be the normal Nicholas. I would definitely name my kid Nicholas. Not with a Spanish middle name, though.
8. Josh Ayden- I think these names flow nicely with each other. I would name my kid Josh, definitely using the full version of Joshua. I would use the name Ayden, too, although I think it looks funny spelled out. Maybe Aiden. I do love names that end in -aiden, or -ayden, but I think Aiden as a middle name would be ok. I don't think Matt would like it, though.
9. Vernon Isiah- Despite the fact that Vernon is not my favorite name (Harry Potter, anyone?), I think these two names go well together. I have been thinking of using Isaiah (not Isiah) as a middle name, I think it works well with a lot of names. Plus it's a Bible name. I would not use it as a first name, though.
10. Gavin Stephan- Do not work well at all. Not such a fan of Gavin. I like the name Stephan, but prefer the spelling Steven.

Random Names:

1. Quinn- It popped this out as a boy name, but I think it's a cute girl name. I would not use it, though.
2. Brianna- I don't hate this name, but I don't really like it, either. However,  I don't mind Brianne.
3. Elias- No
4. Mollie- Cute name for an animal, not my baby
5. Savanna- I prefer Savannah. I actually like this name, I would use it if I could come up with a good nickname for it.
6. Jazmin- If I ever used this name, I would spell it the normal Jasmine. Not sure I like it enough to use it though.
7. Eden- Girl name. Since "Garden of Eden" doesn't bring up the happiest of places, I would not use this name.
8. Brenda- Too old fashioned for me.
9. Dakota- It spit this out as a boy name. I would not name my boy this, WAY too girly. I would, however, name my girl this.
10. Brandi- I like this name, but not with an -i. I prefer it Brandy or Brandie.

Fun times! Now it's lunch time!
   

Yay for Books!

Ok, so I have few things going against me.

One, have you all been introduced to the wonderfulness of Goodreads? Yes, visit it! It's a sight where you can write reviews for books, keep track of books you have read, are currently reading, and want to read. It's a great way to read reviews before you pick up a book, and see what your friends and other readers thought of the book. If you rate enough books, Goodreads recommends books for you based on what you liked and what genres you like. So as you can imagine how addicting this is for me!

Two, Matt left this morning for survival and resistance training (SERE), so I'm kind of bored and have 3 1/2 weeks ahead of me with no Matt, and thus less cooking, since cooking for one really isn't all that exciting. So I tend to buy way more stuff than I need when Matt's gone.

Three, our friend Bryan gave us a free Amazon Prime account.

So can you possibly imagine what I just did?

Yup, impulsively bought some books. 6 of them. For only $33! So that's how I justify it.

I got them off my Goodreads want to read line up! I see lots of reading in my future:

(All reviews come from Amazon.com)

Schindler's List

Schindler's List is a remarkable work of fiction based on the true story of German industrialist and war profiteer, Oskar Schindler, who, confronted with the horror of the extermination camps, gambled his life and fortune to rescue 1,300 Jews from the gas chambers.

Working with the actual testimony of Schindler's Jews, Thomas Keneally artfully depicts the courage and shrewdness of an unlikely savior, a man who is a flawed mixture of hedonism and decency and who, in the presence of unutterable evil, transcends the limits of his own humanity.

Water for Elephants

Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out—orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act—in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

Surprising, poignant, and funny, Water for Elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down; with characters so engaging, they continue to live long after the last page has been turned; with a world built of wonder, a world so real, one starts to breathe its air.

The Preacher's Bride

In 1650s England, a young Puritan maiden is on a mission to save the baby of her newly widowed preacher--whether her assistance is wanted or not. Always ready to help those in need, Elizabeth ignores John's protests of her aid. She's even willing to risk her lone marriage prospect to help the little family.

Yet Elizabeth's new role as nanny takes a dangerous turn when John's boldness from the pulpit makes him a target of political and religious leaders. As the preacher's enemies become desperate to silence him, they draw Elizabeth into a deadly web of deception. Finding herself in more danger than she ever bargained for, she's more determined than ever to save the child--and man--she's come to love.

Atonement

Ian McEwan s symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness provides all the satisfaction of a brilliant narrative and the provocation we have come to expect from this master of English prose.

On a hot summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a moment s flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant and Cecilia s childhood friend. But Briony s incomplete grasp of adult motives together with her precocious literary gifts brings about a crime that will change all their lives. As it follows that crime s repercussions through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century, Atonement engages the reader on every conceivable level, with an ease and authority that mark it as a genuine masterpiece.

Waiting for Summer's Return
All alone on the Kansas prairie, Summer Steadman has few options. With her husband and children lost to illness, she has no desire to continue on farther west to where she and her husband planned to build their future. Instead, she seeks employment in a small Mennonite community in order to be near the graves of her family.

Widower Peter Ollenburger, the local gristmill owner, needs someone to teach his young son. When he hears of a "learned woman" in town, he believes she is the answer to his prayers. He soon discovers, however, that helping this outsider may have troublesome consequences.

There is little this father will not do for his son, but as the boy begins to look at Summer as more than a teacher, Peter must make a choice. Does he marry this woman to give his son a new mother, or does he marry only for love? 

Will Summer's broken heart ever be able to love again?

Outlander
Unrivaled storytelling ... unforgettable characters ... rich historical detail ... these are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon's work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured millions of readers. 

Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages....

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon — when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach — an "outlander" — in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord ... 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life ... and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire ... and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Happy reading!

I've Fallen in Love

With quinoa!

It is SO yummy, and SO good for you! It's also a great side dish to replace rice with, if you're tired of rice, like me. I think it's fluffier than rice, though, and not quite as dense.

It's simple to make up, too. You have to rinse the quinoa first, though, don't forget to do that. According to multiple sources on the internet, it will taste bitter if you don't wash it. What I did, since I don't have a fine mesh strainer, I placed two paper towels in my strainer, then as I was running water over it I squeezed the quinoa through my hands a few times. It apparently worked, since my quinoa did not taste at all bitter.

Here is how I cooked it, and I used my own recipe, although I'm sure this idea has been done before:

Chili Lime Quinoa with Cilantro and Avocado

Using a 2:1 ratio of chicken broth (you can use water, but CB has more flavor) to quinoa, bring both of them up to a boil. (If you are using sodium free CB or water, be sure to salt the water). Then put the lid on, and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID! Or else it will take about an  hour to cook. Once all the liquid is used up, fluff the quinoa.

Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a splash of lime juice (I used about a half of a lime). Sprinkle with cilantro and topped with avocado.

Enjoy!

Ah, Election Time

It's that time of year again, folks. Facebook is good for so many things, but man during election time I just want to up and get rid of my account. I would totally do that, too, but being away from my sisters, it's the easiest way to contact them, and it's a great resource for military spouses to connect and ask questions. Who else can I ask for recommendations for doctors, vets, and churches? I'm certainly not going to go door to door in my neighborhood.

Anyways.

I'm appalled at some of the stuff that I saw on Facebook. I mean, seriously. Why on earth would you de-friend someone just because they didn't vote for the same person you did? We aren't China, people, we're allowed to have different opinions and vote for the person we want.

This is exactly the reason I do not post anything political on Facebook. Sure, I lean republican, but I do not vote for someone just because they are of a certain political party, I actually do research. Just because someone votes a certain way does not necessarily mean that they completely agree with everything that candidate stands for.

I also do not post anything political on Facebook because there is always that one random person who will start hating on you and attack everything you say, no matter how researched you are. Usually, this person is someone who have never met. Facebook has made it easier to bully and attack people who do not agree with you with absolutely no consequences. I do not mind educated banter with counterarguments that goes back and forth as long as it is respectful. But more often than not, it turns into a scream fest and I just do not want to tolerate that. We are in America, we can vote for whoever we want, and I do not want to be attacked for voting for someone just because someone does not agree with it.

While everyone has their opinion- and the freedom- to write how the election went, I can't stand reading posts from sore losers OR sore winners. Winners, you won, no need to gloat about it and then start saying how stupid all the losers are who voted for the other candidate. A simple congrats or exclamation works just fine. Losers, I understand you lost and are bitter, but it is what it is and it's no reason to start attacking the candidate or people who voted for him. Just accept it, give the President the respect he deserves as the elected official, and keep your negativity to yourself.

Disclaimer: I'm not saying people can't express how happy/disappointed they. It's great that people have the right to express their opinion. I'm saying that there comes a time where the expression gets taken too far. Just don't go there. Unless, of course, you enjoy gigantic arguments on your wall, then by all means. I just think it's dumb to publicly attack someone or a group just based on the fact that they have a different opinion.

America is so divided right now and will never get back on track until people start voting for what they believe in, and not a political party. I mean really, if you don't do your research, that republican could actually be voting for a lot of democratic legislature, and vice versa. Stop voting for a candidate based solely on only one stance they have. It's about the whole package.

We can never be a super power again until we stand united. The world isn't going to take us seriously until we as Americans and politicians can reach across and start working together. So it's time to get back on track and start putting this country back together, whether or not your candidate won, and pray that ALL the politicians can start working as a team instead of as a divided two party system.

And for the record, I did not vote (I know, epic fail on my part), which is why I have refrained from giving my personal opinion (publicly, anyway). I don't think it's right to do that if you didn't vote.

Kitchen Yumminess

I cannot tell you how amazing it is to get cooking again... what with Matt having been absent for two weeks before we moved (cooking for one equals no fun), trying to not acquire more food before the move, eating out for 8 days on the road, and waiting for the kitchen dishes to be put to use and doing a grocery run. But yay for cooking!

Back to business. I left you guys during Giada's cookbook week. I think I shared the salmon and meatloaf recipes I shared? Yes, I believe so. I have made two more of her recipes:

Stuffed Baby Peppers:

I turned these into an entree by using three bell peppers (one was rotten inside so I couldn't use it) instead of the baby peppers. It turned out fabulously! I had never had stuffed peppers, so I thought I would finally try it. And you don't even miss the meat! I think I served it by itself. So good!

White Bean and Chicken Chili

This is a great variation of regular chili. I also believe it's healthier, full of protein from the chicken and white beans, and it uses no milk or butter, so it's not heavy. If you use low sodium stock, you can even control the sodium content. The white beans add the desired creaminess so you think it's full of butter and milk, but it's not. This recipe also uses Swiss chard, which I had never had before but wanted to try, so this was a great way to get introduced to the vegetable without it being served plain. Yummy yummy! And it comes together pretty quick, it's mostly just chopping nonsense.

I have two more Giada recipes planned, but I've either run out of the ingredients, or I couldn't find what I needed at WinCo. I'll probably just end up buying a different lettuce for the penne with treviso and goat cheese. Or maybe I could substitute chard, since I realized I like it. Hmmm...

Anyways, I continued this week with another Pinterest menu (because dude, I keep pinning recipes to that board! I'm rather addicted). Since relocating to California, I have realized that one of my favorite fruits, avocados, are available here all year long (YES!), so I found so yummy looking avocado recipes to try. I heart avocados :)

So far this week, I have made:

Avocado Pasta

This was SO DELICIOUS! Exactly like eating an avocado flavored fettuccine alfredo, but without out all the flour, milk, and butter! So I'm assuming it's healthy. I served it with lemon pepper chicken, chicken breasts just seasoned with salt and lemon pepper and baked in the oven. Next time I'll probably double the amount of avocado in the sauce, I like my pasta to have more sauce (what can I say, I'm American), but it was still so delicious. And easy: boil pasta, put all sauce ingredients in food processor and blend. If you don't have a food processor, no sweat, just mix it up in a bowl, avocado is easy to smash :)

Spicy Roasted Shrimp Sandwich with Chipotle Avocado Mayo

Again, super scrumptious. I would definitely make this recipe using rustic bread, don't use regular old wheat bread, it just won't work. I found the mayo to be a little spicy, but I used about 5 chipotles, so that might have been overkill. Matt, though, had absolutely no problem with it. To make it healthier, substitute all of the mayo for the Greek yogurt. You could probably also try it with sour cream, or cottage cheese. Actually, cottage cheese would be super yummy....

Man Pleasing Chicken

This dish is super easy to make, it's just dijon, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar poured over chicken and baked! I added more syrup, since the mustardy taste was a little too strong, but that's easy to fix, just taste it as you go! I would recommend using thighs like the recipe does, I used chicken breasts and I thought it came out a little dry.

If you've noticed, my recipes lately have been more healthy than normal. It's SO much easier to healthier here in California. I'm not really sure why, since you can definitely buy all these ingredients in MS, but for some reason it's just easier. It also helps shopping at WinCo, which is WAY cheaper than most grocery stores, even the commissary. I'm also trying to get in better shape, and help control Matt's cholesterol, which he has been told is really high, but there's not much we can do about that since it's genetic. Anyways, if anyone has any other easy, really healthy recipes, please recommend them to me, especially if they involve avocado! I'm usually willing to try most anything! So is Matt.

Happy cooking!

Watch Out, Washington

Northern California, so far, is being a good substitute for my beloved Pacific Northwest! It's amazing how much happier I am being over here on the West Coast. Here's why.

-While it's still warmer than I would like (I seriously haven't worn jeans outside since March. Seriously), it is at least cool at night, and it's not humid, so I can be outside! Walking Jack no longer has to occur after 10 pm. I can be in the backyard with him and not sweat bullets. I have started running now because it's cooler. If you drive up to the mountains it is cooler, so we can enjoy that! I LOVE COOL WEATHER!

-We still have to drive far to get anywhere, but this time we actually get somewhere! Everything I need is in the town 15 minutes away. Everything except a Barnes and Noble, but that's at least 30 minutes away, so I'm not too sad. But I have a Target, PetSmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Michael's, Pier 1 Imports, Home Depot, and lots and lots of Starbucks nearby! So I'm set.

-THE WONDERFULNESS OF WINCO! Seriously. I love WinCo. Everything is SO much cheaper. And have had most of what I need.

-Lots and lots of hiking! With weather that makes it bearable! We just bought a book today at REI (YAY!) that lists 60 hikes within 60 miles of Sacramento. So there's a lot of hikes and mountains to explore. We went hiking two days ago, Jack LOVED it. I was on tick duty for the next 24 hours unfortunately, but I think I got them all. I had to give him an even more dramatic haircut because I had to cut out A LOT of burrs, but I don't really care how dumb he looks as long as he's happy. And boy, was he happy!

-The downtown about 15 minutes from us is so cute, it reminds me of downtown Moscow and Columbus. So far we have tried a Koren/Japanese Sushi house, which was REALLY good. I think our next restaurant will be the Indian place, since I've never had Indian food, and we're going to search out all the breweries and find a good Thai place. There is also a cute cupcakery on this street! I'm going to have to try it out!

-Have I mentioned how awesome it is to have so many Starbucks surrounding me? The town that I do most of my shopping has at least 3, one of them being right next to the WinCo. So I definitely need to budget a grande drink into my weekly grocery run :)

-It's weird to see palm trees still. But it's also kind of cool. I even have one in my front yard. Whoot!

-The drivers here are so much better than Mississippi drivers. Seriously.

So watch out, Washington, California is sneaking up on you!