Shhh! Look, look, look!
After 5 long, cold and dreary months, two pasty white Iowans have come out of hibernation – emerging from their homes to face the outside world!
Have you ever seen such a creature?! 
HA! It was too.perfect. to stay inside today, so Ben and I laced up, and headed into the warm sunshine and crisp air for a brisk 3.75 mile walk/run after work. Amazing!
Slowly but surely, the winter wonderland around us is cracking and melting away. Thank goodness… We cannot take anymore hibernation up in here!
We briskly walked to our halfway point, turned around and walked a bit more, then ran the last mile home. I’m so glad that I’ve been running at an incline on the treadmill, because the mile home was anything but flat!
What a fabulous end to our day – looking forward to many more in the months to come!
Oh, I dropped off my cookie order this afternoon, so I can show you guys what I’ve been working on for the past three days!
These were made for Sullivan – a beautiful, 3-week old baby boy. The blue was supposed to be a little bit lighter, but I don’t think Sully’s Mom minded – thank goodness!
I use a royal icing made with egg beaters “just whites”, lemon juice, flavoring and powdered sugar. Keep it thick for outlining the cookies and for the writing, and thin it out with more liquid to fill the centers!
Cookies, cookies, cookies! I just love ‘em!
Although, I’m sure glad they’re out of the house. Do you know what it’s like to be surrounded by 50 soft, sweet and delicious cookies? Of course you do, you’ve seen my girl scout cookie stash!
In healthier news, I whipped up a Mexican feast tonight – Vegetarian Enchiladas!
Vegetarian Enchiladas
Serves 3-4
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup onion, minced
sprinkle garlic salt
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, drained
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (could use sour cream)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
8 corn tortillas
1 14.5oz can red enchilada sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat and sauté onion until tender. Add garlic salt, red pepper flakes and spinach. Sauté until spinach is warmed through.
- In a separate bowl combined drained cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. Add to spinach mixture, and stir to combine.
- Wrap corn tortillas in a paper towel and microwave for 40 seconds, flipping half way through, until pliable. Add 1/4 cup filling to the middle of tortilla, roll and place seam side down in a baking dish.
- Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas, top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Enjoy!
These were soooooooo good. Soooooo good. I cannot sing their praises enough!
I made this dish a bit healthier than the original by using low-fat cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, and not including cheese in the filling. Just like taco salads – I can’t taste it when it’s inside the enchilada, so why add it?
My Mom uses cottage cheese in place of ricotta when making lasagna, which is where I got the idea. Just make sure you drain that cottage cheese reeeeally well, otherwise the filling can be a little soupy. I even go as far as to press down on the curds with a spatula. Super easy!
I topped half of mine with some Graddy’s Salsa for a fresh kick.
The spicy burst from the salsa, creamy cottage cheese and flavorful enchilada sauce worked beautifully together. What a winner!
Not only was this dish incredibly easy, but it was incredibly fast, and inexpensive too. Give it a try! 
Ok – it is my night to relax. That means The Office (Jam’s baby is born tonight!), 30 Rock (Tina = LOVE) and Real Housewives of the O.C. (I need their tans!)
Good night!
~~~~~
Have you been able to get outside to exercise yet?
Welcome to the outdoor world! Not to make you jealous, but in SC you can run outside year round.
One of the joys of living in SC.. what part do you live in? I live in the Upstate.
OMG, it was almost 50* here today. I thought I had went to sleep and woke up in Florida! Amazing!!!
The cookies are gorgeous. You have such talent girl.
And those enchilladas…..
Yum!
Yes, though, unfortunately even before it got warmer! My husband and I adopted a dog at the end of January and have been taking him for walks almost everyday. Some days it was just AWFUL to be outside but, for the most part, if you bundle up really well, you realize being out in the cold isn’t so bad. We are definitely loving the warmer weather though!
Oh girl, those enchiladas look fabulous – as do those gorgeous cookies! I still don’t know how you live up there in Iowa – props to you – Virginia is as far north as I could stand I think!
Oh and p.s. Real Housewives of NYC premieres tonight too! I have gotten The Man hooked on OC and NYC seasons, we’ll be viewing together tonight (shhh I wasn’t supposed to tell
)
I’m making those enchiladas ASAP and I’m so excited!
No, I haven’t gone out to exercise yet, unless you count walking the dog up and down the street. I’m a wimp when it comes to running in the cold, and my area is so hilly!
WOW!
Amazing recipe, Kristin!
And those cookies looked professional!
You rock!
Have a great Friday, girl!
Brazilian XOXO´s,
Gabriela
Your cookies are incredible!! I love them
yay! i’m glad you finally got to go outside…i am in kansas city, so i’ve been able to run outside on and off for the past couple of months and absolutely love it. spring fever is kicking in!
You are SO talented! Love your cookie handiwork. I think your icing writing is neater than my normal writing!
Hah I love that you both came out of hibernation! In shorts none the less! I’ve been able to stay outside because I’m out in sunny California taking care of my sister… but it’s back to the Minne in a week… glad to see the weather warming up back there! =)
Great post!! I too am enjoying the warmer weather here in Iowa – it makes walking to class much more enjoyable
This post makes me wish I’d saved a duckie cookie from the summer… which, by the way, I’ll be ordering again
Those enchiladas and cookies look INCREDIBLE!!!! OH MY!
If there was a way to teleport those over my way, I’d ask you to!!
Wow.. I love that your “warm” weather is our FREEZING cold weather. Ha. It’s all relative, right? I live in SC and we’ve had a pretty cold winter here but not too bad. I can’t wait for spring! I can’t run outside right now yet (not cause of the weather) but i’ve been enjoying it nonetheless.
Your enchiladas look awesome!! I have the same theory on cheese..
I would love to be able to make cookies like you do! They look perfect and so tasty.
I live in NC so I can pretty much exercise year round, but I have had to bundle up some days!
This girl doesn’t even think about exercising outside until it hits the 60′s
I HATE the cold!!! Your cookies look fabulous and perfect!
ah i love everything about this post! I got a good walk in today too (not outside though
…but Im planning one for this weekend..)
and I love love love your cookies- I cant wait to see more! and hello, enchiladas are my fav! I love using greek yog. too. no one even knows the difference!
Happy weekend!
xo-Molly
http://www.givingnanythingbutup.wordpress.com
Another recipe to add to my list!! The enchiladas look great!! And your cookies are always so beautiful! Great job girl!!
Someone has beautiful handwriting! I can’t be trust to write with icing.
Those cookies are beautiful! And I am going to try that enchilada recipe ASAP, I love anything that incorporates cottage cheese.
I’m glad you were able to run/walk outside today. I live in GA and I can barely handle the few days every winter where I have to be housebound, so I don’t know how you deal with all that snow!!
Cookies look perfect! I want one
Gosh! you are really good!!! your cookies look even better than those sold at the shops or bakeries! so cool!!! wow!:))))
I love how it’s blatantly still freezing outside, but Ben is still in shorts – only a man!!
All my exercise is outside (apart from home workout dvds) cos I don’t have the luxury of a gym! I’m very jealous of you folk that do (though not of your crazy snow, I’ll skip that part)
Great idea with the enchiladas. I love using spinach instead of meat in lasagna.
You deserve a serious, “GOOD JOB”, on those cookies. They came out AMAZING. Add the enchiladas to the list of IGE recipes I need to try!
Did you use small or large corn tortillas for the enchiladas?
Those enchiladas look delicious! I might have to come up with a healthy version of my favourite Mexican foods.
I’ve been outside the last 2 days. Nothing special, just a few walks outside with my book! It feels so nice to be out in the sunshine!
K
those cookies are beautiful!!!
Those cookies are gorgeous!!
Will you do some for my birthday?! Although that’s a few months away (in November)!!
Love your posts!!!! And pics and….. Everything!!
I have finally been able to walk outside again without a hat and without freezing! It is absolutely wonderful. I have such spring fever and have to keep reminding myself that it is only the beginning of March
I live in southern MN, so not too far from you. I know what you mean about coming out of hibernation 
Tried these enchiladas, but I skipped some ingredients. And I used vanilla lowfat yogurt instead of Greek yogurt because I didn’t have any… certainly an interesting spin on the taste!
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I just made these last night and they were delicious! I added some leftover shredded chicken to the mixture. Yummy!!
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