Can't Sleep

Ok, go on ahead and slap me on the wrist because I have been AWFUL....I mean awful at keeping this blog updated. I do on a weekly basis read other blogs, but often wonder if I really have much to blog about... Or even know who even reads this thing. I'm not pregnant, so nothing to update as of anything BiG new (I've really enjoyed reading many of peoples stories about pregnancies etc... So I've wondered what I could blog about.....so I've decided, I'm going to blog about new recipes that I make because I am really getting into cooking and have found it to be something fun! I really like trying new things. The same food gets boring to me so if you ever need recipes, I'll try my best to keep this updated :) you can hold me to it!

Here is a picture of what is marinating in my fridge as we speak!

I tried to upload one but blogger won't let me upload pictures from my iPhone. Gosh iPhone get in the game!

Anyway, we will eat the pot roast for dinner and I'll put a picture of it tomorrow night!

Here is the recipy:

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon (packed) golden brown sugar
1 4-pound boneless grass-fed beef chuck roast, tied
6 ounces slab bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then into 1x1/2-inch rectangles
2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
2 large onions, thinly sliced
12 small shallots, peeled
12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves
4 large carrots (about 1 pound), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium parsnips (about 12 ounces), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small celery root, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes


Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Rub spice blend all over beef.
Cook bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat until browned and lightly crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer beef to plate. Add red wine to pot; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bacon. Place beef atop bacon. Scatter onions, shallots, garlic, and bay leaves around beef.

Cover pot, transfer to oven, and roast 1 hour. Turn beef over; stir onions. Cover and roast 1 hour longer, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Transfer beef to plate. Add carrots, parsnips, and celery to pot; stir to coat. Place beef atop vegetables, cover, and roast until beef and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer beef to platter. Spoon off fat from surface of sauce. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over beef and serve.

Bon Appétit, February 2008


 

 

Bling Bling

We are slowly....SLOWLY getting the house finished! Actually we are in decorating mode now.... here is my latest find... It comes in the mail this week! YES!

one year

One Year. WoW! That went by sooo fast! In some ways it feels like it's been three years (in a good way) but it's been one really... really... REALLY good year and I'm so thankful for that!

Nick and I decided to celebrate in Austin for our anniversary and we had a great time. It was our first time to go on vacation (other than our honeymoon) so we had a relaxing time eating at fun places thanks to urbanspoon! We also visited a winery, the bats, walked around, ordered in, enjoyed the hot tub, and shopping.

I'm so thankful for marriage and I can truly say that I love Nick more and more everyday. Thank you Lord!

Top 5 things I've learned about marriage:

1. Nick is my number two. I've learned the importance in how important it is to go to the Lord with things and then go to my husband. Nick cannot save me like the Lord can :)

2. Date night! So important to know that at least one night a week is only for us! Being intentional is key.

3. Forgiveness- All the time.

4. Marriage is to sharpen one another. If you look at the sharpening part as the negative part, how will you grow?

5. Fight for everything that you can to make and allow your marriage to be WONDERFUL!!!!! Things in life can and will steal and it is up to the both of you to fight for it.

I'm sure I can and have more things but these are some of the more important ones :)

enjoy my splicing....I just learned how.

Progress!

I've had a few people ask for update pictures of the house! Nick and I bought this house a year ago and are so very thankful! I am still in progress of decorating it (my favorite part) and still need some curtains, countertops, and molding in the kitchen. Other than that no more major things! Here are the before and after pictures of what it looks like so far :)

Lemon CHK

So I've been trying my best to cook new things and not just the same stuff if you know what I mean. I prayed for a husband that can cook (Nick is awesome at cooking) and I am finally getting the hang of it! It is turning into something fun for me! Here is a dish that I made which was inspired from working at Johnny Carino's. This was one of the choices we had served at our wedding. I'll have to say that mine and Nick's opinion, thought it tasted pretty similar to JC!

Lindsey, I know you will appreciate this :)

I did it all from scratch and have home grown basil so you are welcome to pat me on the back :D.

Here is the recipe:

You can make your own Italian Dressing or you can buy one.
Squeeze three lemons into the dressing
Add about 5 or 6 tablespoons of fresh basil...yum!

I used spaghetti but I think it is better with angel hair.
Dice roma tomatoes and add when pasta is al' dente
Add left over dressing for the chicken to the pasta.

There you go!!! SUPER EASY AND SO GOOD! :)

Enjoy!

Refinished

So here are the items that we refinished!!!! Honestly, Nick did most of it but it looks so good and we finally have furniture!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

My Fabulous Finds

Posted by Kendra Tapie at 12:47 PM

I love making nothing into something.....
So Nick and I went to the Beltway garage sale last night for the sneek a peek night and bought some GREAT stuff!! We just bought new couches for our living room last weekend so we were on the look out for coffee tables that we could refinish. You can't see the coffee tables that well in the pictures but I will put updated refinished pictures soon. We had a lot of fun hunting :) Total cost, we paid $42 dollars for all our treasures!

Here are our fabulous finds!