A Couple Things That Made Me Smile :)

So, last night a friend of mine sent me a link to these nifty little chopsticks. They are pretty darn cute! If you know anyone who loves to eat with chopsticks, and also loves Star Wars, then Star Wars Chopsticks  may be a great Christmas gift for that person. Although, they only come in a set of 3, so if this person has a family of 4, one of the family members may feel a little left out (unless you buy 2!)

Lucky are you to get these for Christmas. 

(Ok, so I'm not the best with Yoda-isms)

Another thing to make me smile today, was that I finally produced a french manicure that didn't look completely awful. Sure, I have to practice some more before I get hired on in a nail salon (...and I'd need to learn whatever language they speak to each other in...), but it looks pretty darn good for FREE :)

I started off by cleaning under and filing my nails. Then, I cleaned my nails (I usually do a swipe of polish remover, and then wash with soap and water). I painted on a thick layer of white nail polish (mine was Kiss brand from a french manicure kit - I didn't like the kit, but the polish works well enough). Then, with a small paintbrush, I thinned out the line, and cleaned up the edges. That is the most time consuming part of this! I cleaned the paintbrush of the polish by dipping it in polish remover occasionally (ok, so a lot), and wiping excess on the paper towel I had under all of my polishes. Once finished with both hands, I added a layer of pale pink polish over the entire nail - even the white I so meticulously shaped (again, with Kiss brand from the french manicure kit). If you do not use a kit polish, be sure to use a pale pink that is sheer! You want to see the white still. After adding the pink layer, I dipped my paintbrush in my clear top coat, and then into some loose silver glitter I had laying around from Halloween. I carefully dotted that along the inside edge of the white line (between the white and pink - sorry for the bad quality of the photo). Then I added two layers of top coat (I use Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hard as Wraps in clear - it prevents my nails from breaking and cracking).

What are some things that made you smile today??

xoxo,

Colleen

Amazing Meat Sauce

I love making homemade pasta sauce. Adding ground beef or turkey will create a delicious meat sauce to be added to ziti/penne/mostacioli (depending on where you are from) to make a Baked ___ (fill in the pasta name), Lasagna, or even to be used in Stuffed Shells or Manicotti. Here is my homemade meat sauce recipe:

• 1 Tbsp. EVOO
• 1 lb. ground turkey (or 90/10 ground beef)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 oz. (1/2 small can) of tomato paste
• crushed red pepper, to taste
• dried oregano, to taste
• dried rosemary, to taste
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• salt, to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• beef bullion (to taste) - or beef broth/concentrate beef flavor (I use Knorr Beef Homestyle Sock cups - about 1/2 of an individual cup for the recipe NOT 1/2 Cup measured!)
• water, as needed

1.  Heat EVOO in a medium sauce pot over medium high heat.

2. Brown the ground turkey.

3. Add chopped onions, garlic, salt, and pepper.

4.  Stir in the tomato paste, crushed red pepper, oregano, and rosemary.

(I don't use measuring spoons for herbs/spices - I measure in my palm, and add more if needed).

5. Add the crushed tomatoes, honey, and beef stock.

(The honey was not measured either. Slowly drizzle for 3 1-second counts for about 1 Tbsp. of honey)

*Note: Adding Beef stock (or chicken stock if you prefer) makes the dish taste like it has been simmering on the stove all day, while you only really spent about 30 minutes making it. It is a GREAT trick!

6. Let the sauce simmer while the pasta cooks. 

This is your basic meat sauce. This sauce can be used in Baked Ziti, Lasagna, or Stuffed Shells/Manicotti. 

For Lasagna: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Parboil 9 lasagna sheets. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Add 1/2 C of sauce. Layer 3 lasagna sheets for bottom layer. Add 1/3 of the remaining sauce, and 1/3 of a bag of shredded low moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese. Repeat 2 more times. Sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese. Bake, covered for 15 minutes, and then uncovered for another 15 minutes, to allow the cheese to brown. Serve, and enjoy!

*Note: You can layer in some ricotta if you like, but my family does not like the taste or texture of ricotta, so we always omit that ingredient.

For No Ricotta Baked Ziti: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir 1 box of pasta with the meat sauce. Pour half of the pasta and sauce into a casserole dish that is sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 bag of shredded low moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese, and add the rest of the pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining bag of cheese. Add 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese (from the green can is fine). 

*Note: You can stir in some ricotta if you like.

No Ricotta Baked Ziti

I hope this inspires you to get into the kitchen and make a pasta sauce from scratch!

xoxo, 

Colleen

The Time Has Come...

...To get off of my keaster, and workout!

I made a vow that I would start working out again after Fall finals. Well, it has been almost 1 week since my finals have ended, and the only exercising I have had is walking around stores to purchase Christmas gifts, or walking around Epcot and standing in a 3 hour line (YES! 3 hours!) for Disney's Candlelight Processional (In my opinion it is worth the 3 hour wait.)

But, I digress... I have not exercised in a while, and I must start exercising again. Today. I have exercise videos that are collecting dust, and must start using them again. I am a total fan of The Biggest Loser, and have a Biggest Loser Workout DVD and the Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown DVD. Now, although Jillian Michaels is by no means a professional in yoga (and it by no means is relaxing!), it definitely burns calories (roughly 300 calories per 30 minute workout).

For anyone else who has dust collecting on their dumbbells, workout dvds, and/or cardio machines, dust off the exercise equipment and start burning! With all of the Christmas treats, we all should think about our health as well!

I am Totally Obsessed...

... With wrapping paper!

That is one of my favorite things about Christmas time. All of the different colors of paper! Santa, snowflakes, trees, poinsettias, plaid, all of it! Not to mention the bows, ribbons, and gift tags! It is so much fun!!! 

This year, I bought a brown with gold glitter leaves, a red, white, and black striped, with black glittery flowers, and a black with purple and glittery gold trees. Each completely different from one another, and all absolutely gorgeous! The ribbons and bows I bought/made accented them wonderfully. 

These are some of my Fiance's gifts :)

Merry Christmas All!

XOXO Colleen :)