Grown up Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

I have discovered Tomato Soup recently and I love it, especially when I can dunk a grilled cheese sandwich. We use different cheese if hubby wants to be fancy we use gruyere, sharp cheddar, and swiss. Sometimes we add ham or another lunch meat and mustard and mayo...ok and bacon. My favorite tomato soup is Campbell's Soup Tomato & Onion & Smokey Bacon it's in a black cardboard box like broths are in. It has a kick to it lots of flavor unlike regular tomato soup. We also use the good crusty bread from Harris Teeter my favorite is Honey Sunflower Wheat. You put a little bit of butter in the pan then add sandwich once the butter melts. We cover it with a lid to help melt the cheeses while the bread crisps up. You get that ooey gooey cheese like you can get on a flat top plus the crispy crusty bread.

Fish Tacos an easy quick meal

We had fish tacos which we used to eat a lot of but have not had in awhile. We use Talapia since I am not a fish person. You can use whatever fish you like you can also bread it lightly if you choose we bake it to make it healthier. We use a combo of seasonings one is just Crazy Jane's mixed up salt and pepper and Taco Seasoning. The other is lemon pepper and garlic powder or just lemon pepper.
We also typically use red cabbage but this time they were out so we used napa cabbage instead. The key to this in our book is the lime sour cream you make ahead of time so the flavor can marinate. I zest a lime and use the lime juice from fresh lime but the kind in the plastic lime works to, mix into a couple spoonfuls of light sour cream. We like the lime flavor so the zest kicks up the flavor you can leave that out. You basically then put whatever toppings you like on a taco we have used different cheeses and salsa this time I had my favorite Pineapple Salsa from Trader Joes in the fridge. The hubby likes heat so he adds rotel and hot sauce to his. Red onions are better with this than yellow but whatever you have is good. The talapia baked for 15-20 mins at 375, until the fish falls apart and can be shredded with a fork.  We also use flour tortillas with this, we like the taste better.

Valentine's Day Inspired Meal

Well it is our first Valentine's Day married and it isn't any different from dating or engaged. Scott loves Ruth Chris's Steakhouse and it has been a tradition to go on Valentine's Day for 3 years. Last year we didn't go because of work and well a wedding so we went to restaurant week instead. We finally made it and wouldn't you know our luck, their A/C was out in one room so we had a choice to wait an extra 45 mins to an hour plus or be seated on patio for our reservation. So we sat on the patio in the evening heat of the summer eating a little bit of our HOT steak and taking the rest home to eat in the A/C to enjoy. This year he made reservations and I decided to save money and we should just cook a nice meal at home instead especially since I thought I would be working into the evening. We typically do not make a big deal about this holiday but its a day we go out and he likes to choose where we go. I think it's just secretly an excuse for him to have a wonderful steak and lobster dinner aka V Day Special.  So this year we thought why not have steak and lobster like we do at the Valentine's day dinner. He made twice baked stuffed potatoes over the weekend so we added those to the menu and I made steamed asparagus to go with the steak and lobsters. Scott googled how to cook the lobsters and make clarified butter like they have at Ruth Chris's. SO I must say that the dinner was delicious and beats going out to dinner when you can sit at your own table having wine/ beer in your pjs enjoying steak, lobster, potatoes and fresh asparagus. I made a dipping sauce for the steaks to be fancy.  I didn't have any desserts like they do at the restaurant, I had a skinny Campfire Mocha coffee (taste like Smores') from Caribou this am instead. ( I am however having a big o'l glass of wine so that counts) Here are some pics we took along the way....

I love my wine glasses they were a wedding gift, they are handmade. I have two they each have a different design on them. They are handmade by a Canadian artist. This glass just so happens to go with my new favorite wine Bug Juice, the glass has a dragon fly, flowers & leaves and paisley. 

A delicious snack

Well I have had a craving for apples and crunchy peanut butter so I mixed some Nutella and Jiff crunchy peanut butter for a quick dessert or snack.  Just microwaved them for 15 secs stir and then 15 seconds and Viola. I also have mixed a bit of peanut butter and low fat carmel warming them.

I will also be trying greek yogurt with these since I bought a bunch at the teeter on sale and they need to be eaten before they go bad.  If I find a good combo or experiment I will update.

A Confession..of sorts

Well as some of you know I work at Handpicked it is a jewelry store that specializes in sterling silver, silver and natural stone and monogram.  I am in heaven since I can only wear sterling silver due to allergies to gold, copper and nickel. Plus I LOVE monogram so a benefit is of course I get to shop and that's one reason my hubby says I got promoted was due to being such a big shopper:)  I do like most of the things that we have however we don't have some things that I am currently obsessed with. I get asked frequently where I get some of the jewelry I wear and mostly it is from Handpicked but I have some stuff from other places it's just hard to wear them as much when I have to wear what we sell when I am at work.  I just took out my gallon bags on a whim when I was putting my jewelry away and thought I would see what I have...um yeah everything is in baggies to keep it from tarnishing when I am not wearing it. These are what are in the closet currently not what is in my jewelry box or pouches in my armoire, sadly it is a lot.  I am in love with the new trend of monogram pendants and have been in love with this trend since I was young and my youngest coolest Aunt Jane got a gold signet cutout monogram ring. I have wanted one of those badly but they only came in gold so I found pendants that I love instead and now I have seen the rings..Lordy.
Here is my collection: WOW I just realized I have acquired all of this except 2 pieces since April 2012 when I started working at Handpicked.

the bag on the left is jewelry I can wear daily the big bag above the silver pendant is all my monogram jewelry plus the 4 necklaces in the smaller baggies in the middle.

I got the tortoise acrylic off Etsy I do like it but would not recommend the shop I used she lost the first one or said the post office in Shelby NC lost it. Needless to say she gave it  2 1/2 weeks to try and turn up in the mail, then she remade one since I never got it and that one she used pieces of chains put together instead of cutting a new one. I had to fix with o rings since you could see the twists of metal she used to connect the two different chains. I LOVE my silver one it is 2 inches and on a 16 inch chain and exactly what I wanted. It took me a while to find what I wanted didn't want the double chain like the acrylic.
Since I get asked about a few key pieces that I wear daily here they are:

this is my FAVORITE piece a rope bracelet

birds nest ring

I wear these daily one of the colored beads either deep purple or mainly the pink one and my beloved rope bracelet

my watch collection I choose one and go, loving my tort one lately or my wooden one 

Unfortunately I can not always wear the trendy stuff since it is made with costume jewelry and I am allergic and prefer not to break out. I tend to have some things that are more classic than trendy but I do find some trendy stuff at work that silver. My rule or the rule the hubby told me I should use it wear it at least 3 days before you buy and that rule has helped me I. I tend to like stuff when we get it in and try it on me and then it doesn't look as good on me or I wait and hope it goes on clearance/ or I get bonus if it is something I want but can live without.
My love of monogram has also gone past jewelry to other things such as decorating, bags, keychains and anything else that is cute to monogram. Plus I can't wait to have children so I can monogram some of their outfits and things:)

2/9 Homemade Ravioli

Well I worked Sat 2/9 and the hubby was busy he worked on our headboard and then got out his Valentine's Day present, a ravioli maker and cutter and tried his first attempt at raviolis. He also made homemade french bread. Yes, he has a wish list on amazon and they are all things to make or cook food. He made spinach and goat cheese and I made some sauce when I got home....a yummy combination. I must say for the first try they were very good just a tad thick but it took several tries to get the pasta correct last time, so we think just running it through the pasta maker a few more times to thin it out more it will be perfection.  Since I wasn't here I was proud he thought to document this as well as the headboard for my blog...awe what a guy. Here he is so happy to get his present!!!

SUPER BOWL FESTIVITIES & GOODIES

First, YES we are foodies in case you haven't noticed by now. We are going to a Super Bowl get together at my sister in law's and we are taking a few things besides some refreshments and our wonderful company.
1) Carmel Toffee Dip- smells heavenly and taste just as good
2) Baked S'mores Pockets
3) Homemade Pimento Cheese and Tortilla Chips (Scott makes)
4) Gaucamole

I must say I try to follow recipes and do for the most part especially the first time but then I taste and if needed add things to make them better. Love to experiment in the kitchen.  I will post pics and give directions for the things I made, the desserts. Scott made the pimento cheese  &  tortilla chips while I apparently went to warm up under the electric blanket when we got back from errands and I fell asleep.

I will be updating this throughout the day on Sunday with pictures and other random things or at least that is the plan.

CARMEL TOFFEE DIP

This dip is amazing by itself and a good base for adding things, it smells heavenly while you are making it. I used the mixer and you will need a hand or stand mixer for this, it needs to be blended smooth.  You can add a variety of things in it, this time I added toffee chips aka heath bar bits, snickers would be good, peanut butter chips or reese's cups chopped up, nuts are also good but plain is just as good I just kick it up a notch.

1 8oz Cream Cheese(softened)- you can use 1/3 less fat but it will be lumpy and not look as pretty but taste the same I did that my first time making it. This time I used regular, I have also used a mix of reg and less fat.

3/4 cup Brown Sugar you can use either dark or light I have used both doesn't affect flavor I used a mix this time to get rid of some of what I have.

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Toffee Bits/ candy I just dumped some in the mixing bowl, plus I will use some to garnish the top

You will combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and let mix on slow until incorporated then move to med speed for a few minutes until very smooth, scrap down the sides and beaters then mix again. The smell of this mixing is heavenly and you can't help but want to do a little taste test for quality control of course!!

Serve with graham crackers, apple slices, grapes or any fruit you can also use pretzels, basically whatever floats your boat with your candy. This mix is also the base for grape salad which is so good. Hope you enjoy:

Baked S'mores Pockets

Cresant Rolls

Chocolate Chips

Mini Marshmellows

Graham Cracker Crumbs (optional)

You put these in the cresant rolls then roll up bake according to the directions on the roll package. I will post pics Sunday when we make these as they are better fresh and warm.

the dip is in the for front and on the red tray is the s'mores. Men thought they had meat in them so you might want to make sure people know they are a dessert.

Guacamole 

the dips are in the yellow rectangles and the chips are on the purple tray.

Pimento Cheese and Homemade Tortilla Chips:

Here are the only pics I could get of these since he was almost done by the time I woke up from my hour nap, honestly it also did not occur to me first thing when I woke up either. But will post party pics later.

I had good intentions of taking photos we had the camera and plenty of time but somehow forgot until it was too late so here are some photos others took of the food. So sorry I can a test that everything was good, I didn't try the s'mores but hubby and kiddos said they were good. They would be a good treat to make and have kids help. Like I said we had good intentions but things happen and well like working with animals and kids it doesn't always go as planned.