NEW GOALS

Hello!

I have new some new goals...that I want to share with you!

So, first thing.  I want to lose my mom pouch belly.  Maggie is quickly approaching ONE! (AHHHH! give me a moment to freak out with excitement and wonder at how that happened so fast!), and although I've been back to my pre-pregnancy weight since she was like two or three months old, my body is totally different now (obviously).  So, with thoughts of Wauhop baby number 2 starting to sound like an exciting thing - I don't want to go into that with any extra fat...for a lack of a nicer way to put that.  SO - I am committing to Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30!  I'm not going to do any weird diet or anything, but I just want to kick my booty into gear and shed a little extra fat.  Then I'll go back to my regular 3 or 4 (most likely less intense) workouts a week.  So, that's the first thing.

Second, on the other end of things - Meal Planning!  This year, a goal of mine was to cook something new every week.  And honestly, I've succeeded in that area pretty well thus far - and, I have loved it!  Now, I want to start being both more organized and more frugal with my meal planning.  I want to plan two weeks of meals (8 meals), and do pretty much all the shopping at the beginning of the first week!  This week's menu (in no particular order):

Chicken and Dumplings (crockpot)

Cilantro Thai Chicken and Rice

Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

Mustard Chicken and Red Potatoes

Fried Egg Quesadillas and Chips and Salsa

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Grilled Shrimp Stir fry with Potatoes

Tortellini 

Yum!!  Can't wait to eat all of this up!

Next, writing!  I have about three children's books "in the works."  I've always wanted to be a writer.  I studied English in school (should have studied journalism, but O well).  And I really want to start writing now.  Robert is super busy with school and work and everything, so it's really a great time.  Mags goes to bed at 7 and I need to utilize my time and get writing!  I'm excited and also a little nervous about this venture...but mostly excited!  *Let me know if you want to be a proofreader (especially those of you who read a lot to your little ones)!

Lastly, I want to read more.  Plain and simple, I want to make more time to read good books.

So, if you see me, ask me how those things are going!  I'd appreciate it :)

Have a wonderful day!!

**(O. Also, I changed my blog format because some had said they couldn't leave comments...?  so, I think that might work better now!)

Chickpea Chicken Soup for my Chica

Lately I've been trying to bring a lot of variety into Maggie's diet.  I'm always trying new combos of fruit and it's exciting every time we can add new foods into her menu - like CHEESE!  It's a favorite of mine, and thus far proved to be a favorite of hers.  She will eat almost anything if I melt some cheese on the top!  To be honest, though, I usually just make stuff up for her, like whatever sounds good or what might go ok together or what can I add to make it more nutritious (like some sneaky spinach!)...  Last week I blended sweet potatoes, avocado, and a small apple and she totally loved that random conglomeration!  But, this week I thought I'd try an actual baby food recipe.  I ended up tweaking it a bit to fit what I could find at my TJs/what I thought would be good, and Maggie loved the result!  So, if you have a little one, you should try it!  It's yummy (to a baby), nutritious, and easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 can of organic garbanzo beans, drained (15oz)
1/2 clove of garlic, minced (*I used a whole clove, but I think it was a little too much)
2 small or 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 small onion (or less) chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
3.5 cups of water
1/2 cup of boiled organic chicken, shredded

Directions:

Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for a few minutes.
Add in the beans (drained) and the potatoes.  Then add in the water.
(You can add the chicken now or just add it straight into the blender with the soup [gross. i know.])
Simmer for 15-20 minutes/until the potatoes are soft enough to blend.
Blend it up.  Yum?

Let it cool and it's ready to go**.  I served it to Maggie with a slice of wheat bread.  And, from what I can tell she definitely enjoyed it!  So, try it if you want!

[**cottage cheese or whipping cream/milk is optional.  I added a smidge of cottage cheese to bring some creaminess, and also to make it less watery (you also might need to add some other thickening agents such as oatmeal cereal, depending on the consistency).  ALSO, if you are going to freeze it, do so sans "cream" and add the cottage cheese or what not as you serve it.]    

DATE DAY!!!

It's been a while since I've posted...my computer is old, and sometimes it won't let me use the "Blogger" website (or Fossil or look at Facebook pics, etc? Random!)  Anyway, without further ado - DATE DAY!

Robert and I have had a few dates since Maggie has been born, Sem Banquet and another dinner.  But, for his graduation gift I wanted to plan a super fun DAY for just the two of us.  So, the wonderful Amanda Taylor (and Emily for a little, too!) watched our sweet little one while the two of us celebrated together.  We seriously had the best time!!

Up first - MB2 Raceway!  MB2 is legit go-kart racing - so much fun and pretty intense.  You have to sign a waiver that basically says I won't sue if I die; but, on the up-side, you get to pick cool racer names.  Robert was Bobcat and I was Bobcat's Wife, haha.  I was pretty scared before we raced, and for good reason.  Basically, I almost killed someone, haha.  Two guys wrecked in front of me and I didn't have time to put my brakes on and I literally ramped up on top of this guy and his car!  It was terrifying!  The rest of the race I drove at a crawling pace, letting everyone lap me...it was a 14 lap race, and I completed 8 laps!  Robert came in 2nd place, though!  A highlight for sure, though, was that we saw Steve Carrel with his wife and family there, having a family birthday party! So, racing was a blast!

Next - We headed to the Americana in Glendale!  We walked around a little and then had an early dinner at the Cheesecake Factory!  YUM!! We had a gift-card, but decided to "share:" fried macaroni (appetizer), Miso salmon with mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas, and Adam's Peanut-butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake - um YES!  It was AMAZING.  I'm hungry now...I need a snack.

Then - I got Robert a gift-card for The Art of Shaving , so we stopped in there.  He got some gear? is that a proper term?  He got some stuff for shaving - very legit, gentlemanly, "luxurious" shaving, haha.  He was pretty excited; it was cute!  And, bonus, his face smells amazing these days :)

Last - We had some movie tickets from Costco and we went to go see Avengers in 3D!  It was our first time with 3D and it was pretty cool.  I probably prefer regular viewing, but it was definitely a fun one to see in 3D - tons of action!

We came home to our beautiful baby sleeping soundly!

Thank you, Lord, for an amazing husband to share this grace of life called marriage!  It truly is a gift from the Father, and I am so grateful for every second of it!  Next week we head to Kauai!!  We will celebrate our third anniversary and see all of my family - we are really looking forward to spending a lot more time together!!

Easy New FAVE!!

This is an easy and DELICIOUS new favorite meal in the Wauhop home!

The first, is Crock-pot BBQ Chicken (taken from here - and actually this whole blog post is really helpful for crockpot meals in general)!  So good and juicy and tender!

4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (i threw them in frozen... even easier! and, I used tenderloins instead of breasts.)

1 bottle BBQ sauce 
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. place chicken in crockpot. pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. you pretty much don't even have to stir it... how easy is that!? 

Then, I served that with these AMAZING Sweet Potatoes (...recipe found here)!  Robert practically inhaled these!  They are apparently a copy cat of Ruth Chris, where I've never been, but trust me, these are to die for!  And, SO bad for you ;)  {I cut the recipe in half, FYI, and there were more than enough for leftovers the next day.}

Crust:

1 cup brown sugar 
1/3 cup flour 
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted 

Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside. 

Sweet Potato Mixture 
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes 
1 cup sugar 
½ teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 eggs, well beaten 
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 
(splash of milk if needed)

Note: To cook sweet potatoes first wash and dry them carefully then you can either: 1) Bake them at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes 2) Boil them for 30 minutes or 3) Pierce them with a fork and microwave them for about 15-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray. 

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture. Add a splash of milk if needed and mix.

Pour mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. At this point, dish can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of days.

Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture and return to oven for 10 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving. 
The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy. Makes 12 servings.

And then, most importantly ENJOY (and don't even think about the calories)!!!

Seminary Banquet 2012

Last year was the 25th anniversary of TMS and the banquet was a big to-do at the Ronald Reagan Library underneath of Air Force 1!  That day, March 5th, was also the day that Robert and I found out that our little Maggie was on her way!!  This year, with a new baby and the hour long drive, the banquet didn't seem like something that we had to go to...but it was going to be our last one, and we do like dressing up on occasion, so we did!  And we are so glad!  

Some highlights - I took my spanx off before we even got to the banquet, haha.  It was Maggie's first time with a babysitter and she did great!  She was even sleeping when we got home!  We got to sit with our good friends the Dexters, and see many other friends!  The food was delicious!  And the hubs and I got to enjoy each others company!  Not too shabby.

At the banquet overlooking Simi...

After we got home...

Chicken Broccoli Supreme

YUM!  This is cheesy and delicious and not too hard and it's a lot of food.  It's probably not that good for you...but there is a lot of yummy broccoli in it!  Enjoy, if you'd like!

Ingredients:

 1 – lb. fresh broccoli Break in pieces, and steam for 2 minutes.

3 cups cooked chicken breasts  – Break up in small pieces (I used the pre-made chicken from the previous "on the menu" post...)
3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese divided (I used sharp cheddar)
2 tubes Ritz Crackers
1  stick melted butter
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (I didn't find these at TJ's, so I didn't use any)

  SAUCE: 
1/3 cup Butter- melted
1/4 cups Cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup COLD Water
1/3 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 cups of the above Cheddar Cheese

 Directions:

In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds, and stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

Eat and enjoy!

February 27

Weekend! Weekend!

This Sunday marks the 10th birthday of my little sister, Aubree! Please watch this VIDEO and get to know her - she is hilarious!

This Sunday is also the 4 year anniversary of Robert and I dating (for the first time). Four years ago Robert called me and asked if I wanted to go get dinner. I was sitting at my desk in my dorm room eating pretzels and pudding for dinner...So, I said yes, and we went to OSAKA's! (It's the greatest place to eat on earth!)

We get there, we order, we sit down and wait. I go to the bathroom (crucial detail, obviously) and when I come out, our food is waiting! So, I sit down, we pray, and I start eating - but Robert doesn't. He begins to give a speech, if you will, about how satisfied he is being single and what not...how he's not so much for the dating...and eventually, though, if he was going to date, that he'd be interested in dating me!

Well, after hearing points A, B, and C - actually a month or so prior - I was sold! And so started the love saga that is Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wauhop :)

Needless to say, February 27th is one of my favorite days ever!!

Chocolate and other things...

Chocolate chip cookies and chocolate hearts are staring me in the face...and I don't really mind. Would you?

And, how can people be so talented? I mean, I feel like everywhere I turn around someone else has a great blog, amazing photography site, or creative venture! I recently (as in today) found this photogrpher (Gray Benko) who seems to be seriously phenomenal! Of course she lives in SC, and only photographs children - but nonetheless, she is worth just checking out! And obviously the famous VanDykes! And my dear friend Jake - who side note DJ'd my wedding and is marrying my friend Katie from college in October! I really want to get into photography - not just because everyone and their mom is - but because I feel like its such a useful skill to have in a family! But, as of right now, we have lost our camera. Neither of our mom's can find it on the East coast...but, it must be somewhere!

Anyway, I love chocolate and peanut butter, and do really enjoy some great pictures, too! (I mean really, who'd rather hang expensive, random art in their house when you can take such amazing pictures of people and places you actually know and love!)

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation." PS 118:1, 8, 9,and 14

Quesadilla con Huevos

YUM! I'm sure most of you have already thought of this...but the other night I was not feeling like the gourmet chef I usually am (JOKE!) and was going to just make some easy, but good quesadillas. Then, I started day dreaming about Mexican food (which happens to me more than you might think), and I remembered the delicious huevos rancheros at Casa Vega and I thought: what if I could make huevos in my quesadilla!?! I'm sure I'm not the first to shed light upon this delectable Spanish cuisine, but it was so good!

I buttered the corn tortilla, and threw it in the frying pan. Then I cracked an egg on top of the tortilla, flipped it and let the egg fry, and then flipped it again so the egg was inside. Then I proceeded to make the quesadilla like normal...cheese, chicken, other tortilla! Yum! It really was so easy and it definitely hit the spot. So, if this is new to anyone, I highly recommend it! And, if Quesadilla con Huevos is old...keep enjoying!!