My eyeballs!

I was crazy busy all. day. long. but finally tore myself away and headed straight out the door on a run as soon as I got home. The weather is splendid right now – hot sun + cool air = PERFECT running conditions!

It was slow going, as my legs felt like 500lb logs, but I think it was nature’s way of telling me "slow down and stay awhile!" Ok, nature. You win. This time!

Came home and got started on that recipe I told you about this morning – Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas!

Last week I told you one of my Mom’s specialties growing up was enchiladas. After reading about Jenna’s Mom’s enchilada recipe last week – I decided to give it a whirl!

This recipe combines shredded chicken breast,

sautéed onions & garlic,

diced green chilis,

green Tobasco sauce (original recipe called for cayenne pepper,)

red enchilada sauce,

and cheddar cheese.

Mix it all up,

and roll ~1/4 cup filling in a corn tortilla (original recipe called for flour tortilla.)

Top with cheese and bake!

Wheee!

Row after row of cheesy, savory goodness!

My Mom’s enchiladas are beef, so these can’t beat those ’cause they’re different (and I would never admit that something beat Mom’s, right?) but they’re good, mmkay? REALLY. REALLY. GOOD!

I heart corn tortillas, and this light filling really let the tortilla texture and flavor shine through. LOVE THESE!

His & Hers (ps look at Ben’s little foot patiently waiting for his plate to be done being photographed so he can dig in!! hehehe )

Oh, I got my ‘bou today! Small, iced caramel Northern Light latte. "Northern Light" is code for skim milk and sugar free syrup. GTK!

The drive through at the location I went to was seriously in the middle of the woods – very approps for Caribou’s log cabin themed indoor decor.

Seriously, I always like drinking my Caribou coffee in the store when I can because it feels like I’m tucked away in some cozy mountain side lodge.

Alllrighty. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go stare at a book or the sky or something before my cornea permanently adheres to my computer screen!

Have a good night!

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3. A Few of My Favorite Things…

Mmmmkay, this salad – Iowa Sweet Corn cut off the cob, tossed with zucchini, cucumber, red onion and blueberries. It’s sounds…interesting…and it was! I really liked the sweet corn and blueberries with the mellow zucchini and cukes.

The creamy chicken enchiladas REALLY hit the spot though!

The tortillas were lined up like a little enchilada army,

and, since it was my birthday celebration, I got first dibs on the crunchy, slightly burnt end piece. Muwahahaha.  Do you like the end pieces or middle pieces of casseroles?

I topped mine with tomatoes and green onion for a burst of freshness!

Oh-so-creamy – another home run lunch.

Of COURSE, there was cake afterwards. Pepperidge Farms Birthday Cake, natch! (please forgive the greasy, oddly shaped hair – it’s like 1400 degrees here!)

And it was GOOD!

Real good.

Oh, and because my Mom is nuts, there were also chocolate chip cookies. I’m telling you – Pillsbury has nothing on these Hy-Vee brand break & bake cookies. They’re the best I’ve ever had. Dare I say, better than most homemade cookies?!

Finn agrees. (Is it just me, or is a full-fledged toddler now?! He gets SO much bigger every time I see him!)

There were also MORE birthday gifts! Sheesh – am I a lucky girl, or what?

Some delectable Red Velvet Cake Body Wash from my brother and sister-in-law, and a darling bee stake for my garden from my parents!

They got this for me at the Farmer’s Market a couple weeks ago when I wasn’t paying attention. Sneaky, sneaky!

The people that make these make a ton of different lawn and garden sculptures that are so unique and interesting. Check some of them out!

After lunch, and a few errands, I attempted to walk off some of those cookies & cake with a 4 mile walk on my trail. It had actually already been cleared of the debris from the storm last night, but there were a ton of trees that were split right in half. Actually, a huge limb on one of my parent’s trees got knocked down last night and, by some miracle, landed straight in the side yard instead of onto the neighbors fence, 1 foot away!

Well, it’s back to work tomorrow after a long, four day break – can you believe it?! I can’t wait to give you guys the full Blue Bunny factory tour, the low down on making my own ice cream concoction, some info on the science of taste testing ice cream (it’s HARD!), and a visit to the Blue Bunny official ice cream parlor – all starting tomorrow morning!

‘Til then!

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3. It’s My Birthday and I’ll Eat Cake if I Want To…and Ribs…and Corn…and Baked Beans!

Me! HA! The Datebook is a weekly, local publication, that includes entertainment information, movie times and special features, among other things. Yesterday’s edition was all about movie theater reviews in the area (an homage to the Oscar’s) and guess who was on the cover? Yours truly! All in the name of taking myself out of my comfort zone!  

When I saw it, I started laughing hysterically. How you could you not?! I’m throwing popcorn in the air due to a very exciting scene in the 3-D movie I’m “watching”. Here’s a link to see a smaller picture on their website. Ohhh, good times – thanks Datebook!

In other news, I took a trip back to childhood this morning and made Almond Butter & Jelly Oatmeal!

In the mix:

• 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
• cinnamon
• 1 banana
• Almond butter

Holy cow!

How is it that I’ve waited this long to combine the awesome powers of everyone’s childhood favorites – peanut (almond) butter and jelly?

This was phenomenal!!!

Creamy, thick almond butter + sweet, sassy jam = as close to the real thing as you can get. (well, except for a peanut butter & jelly larabar, of course!)

I tried to savor each and every bite, but it was really good – you know?! Oatmealers – try this combo!

In more exciting food news, I’m got some Vegetarian Enchiladas on tap for lunch today!

The filling is really hearty, actually, for having no meat in it!

I may have taken a little extra liberty with the cheese on top, but I didn’t put it in the filling…sooo, give and take.

I also packed a Raspberry Chobani Yogurt.

Raspberry yogurt is by far my favorite flavor of any kind of yogurt – so the Chobani type is sure to please. I cannot wait to try it!

Oh gosh, I am stuffed. Time to roll to work, peeps. Oh, TGIF!

Got any fun plans this weekend? My agenda is clear, except for a date with my Mom on Saturday to make some gyozas. You’ll see!

Have a fabulous FRIDAY!

~~~~~

Did you get “hot lunch” growing up, or did you bring your lunch to school everyday? What was your favorite thing to eat?

My brothers and I brought our lunches every day. We were all assigned a (cooled) burner on the stove, and every night we would set out the stuff that was going to go inside our lunch box the next day. I can still, literally smell the inside of my lunchbox as I opened it up each day. Ahhh, memories.

At any rate, my faaaaavorite thing, I mean FAAAAAAVORITE thing, was to find a fruit roll up my Mom had snuck inside our lunchbox! This maybe happened 4 times my entire 6 years in elementary school (my Mom didn’t believe in fruit rollups/gushers/etc, I know – tragic) but I’m telling you, those were the best 4 days ever!

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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

Based off of this recipe.

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:

1. 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.

2. In a separate bowl combined drained cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. Add to spinach mixture, and stir to combine.

3. 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.

4. 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?

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I’m so glad you liked the post on Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping Tips this morning! Sounds like a bunch of you already do some sort of meal planning – kudos!

Soooo – Pumpkins are in! I dropped by the drugstore after work today and there was a little pumpkin army just waiting to greet me Look how perfect and pumpkin-y they are! Do you carve pumpkins @ Halloween time? Do you free hand it or get the fancy stencil kits? Some of my absolute fondest memories of growing up are carving pumpkins with my Dad and brothers, than roasting the seeds with my Mom. It’s funny the things that stick with you, no?

So last week when I was meal planning, I got a craving. A craving for Mexican. I know I just had it, but this craving was for something specific…Burnt Nacho-Cheese Dorito Nachos. Fun Fact: I love burnt nacho-cheese dorito nachos more than…a lot of things. You just take nacho-cheese doritos, top with shredded cheese and put them under the broiler until the seasoning is burnt. It’s literally been yeeeears since I last had them because – hello, I think the name pretty much says it all.

Why am I telling you all this? I got a craving for the nachos but would never subject myself to eating them, so I started thinking about what I could make that would replicate the taste. One idea morphed into another, which morphed into another, which finally morphed into Enchilada Pizza! Kind of a long ways from Dorito Nachos – but the morphing process is a long and challenging one

Ingredients for Enchilada Pizzas:

• Flat Out Wrap
• Enchilada sauce
• Refried beans
• Shredded cheese
• Sliced olives
• Chopped fresh tomato (un-pictured)

First I toasted 2 Flat Out Wraps under the broiler for about 1 min on each side.

Then I layered on enchilada sauce, refried beans, shredded cheese, black olives & fresh tomatoes.

Pop everything back under the broiler until the cheese melts – and you’ve got an Enchilada Pizza!

YUM!!! This is one of those fake-out dishes where your mouth is expecting one thing, but is tasting another. I kept expecting tomato sauce and tons of cheese, but instead I tasted spicy enchilada sauce and creamy refried beans!

This entire pizza clocked in at just under 350 calories…pretty good!!

The fresh tomatoes and black olives were the perfect toppers, and fresh bursts of flavor among the deep and flavorful sauce and beans.

This was an awesome meal and definitely easier than rolling up individual enchiladas and baking. 10 minutes start to finish!!

For dessert: a Blango. The name comes courtesy of Ben. It’s a blended mango!

That’s right friends – it’s just a blended mango. No juice, no sugar, no powder, no nothin’. Just a delicious, tropical, sweet – SMOOTH AS SILK – blended mango.

I eat this with a spoon and I’m telling you – you will think you have died and gone to Heaven if you eat one of these. They are amazing!

Tonight = Biggest Loser + The Bitch Is Back: The Hills Season Preview.  I CAN’T WAIT! I know The Hills is 150% fake, but dangit, I love Kristin Cavalleri!

~~~~~

What’s your pumpkin carving style:

a. Traditional:

b. Fancy

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