Welcome to the Nuthouse

I have never won anything on these blogs, though not for lack of trying. I entered to win a Kitchen Aid mixer from our good friend Pioneer Woman last week (I know I didn't really need to provide a link, but I did anyways.). Guess which entry number I was? Number 13,949 out of more than 16,000. Seriously. That is pretty disheartening.

A Blog Swap is something right up my alley because everyone wins!
I heard about this swap from the girls over at The Secret is in the Sauce.
Shannon from Welcome to the Nuthouse had a really fun idea about swapping things from your hometown with somebody who had never been to your region and would love to go someday!

As anyone who knows me can imagine, my mind is buzzing with all the fun things I can give somebody from my wonderful state, but I'm not going to provide any spoilers......yet.

Check out her site and join in on the fun! The deadline is May 6th and you have an entire month to get your package to your new blogging friend!

Trash the Dress

My friend K over at The Lawrences told me about this fantastic concept! I can't believe I'd never heard of it before! BTW, check out her blog, it's super-cute and she was so sweet to give me a shout-out last week. (Thanks, mama!)


OK, so she told me about this tradition called Trash the Dress. It is where your guy gets dressed back up in the tux and you put back on the white dress and retake your wedding pictures in settings you wouldn't have the time or the desire to do on the big day!


While I absolutely loved my wedding weekend, (yes, folks, it was an event that occurred over the course of TWO days!) it breaks my heart that we really don't have any GREAT pictures. We didn't have a professional photographer and just decided to "wing it". We have nice pics and OK pics, but none that are like THE picture you want to save and look at forever. It makes me sad. Trashing the dress makes me happy!


Now, you could do some fun and crazy things when you trash the dress.


Some are a little funky...

Some are a little weird...(Does anyone think she looks like a corpse?)

Some are just bizarre...(I don't even know how this one was possible!)

Some are romantic...(This reminds me of a From Here to Eternity moment)

This one seriously gives me heart palpitations, I just think it's so beautiful!

You get the idea. Obviously, you aren't going to have the chance to go for a swim before heading to your reception. And since you're never going to wear the dress again, you might as well "trash" it! Most professional cleaners will be able to launder your dress back to it's original state. (Although, I think the girl that actually set hers on fire is pretty much out of luck.)


As for my own trashing event? Well, we're still looking for the right photographer, and I want to keep it a secret...But I would like for it to involve neon...and graffiti...and maybe a tattoo parlor...

I've already said too much!!!

"If you like Pina Coladas...."

OK, not to toot my own horn here, but I make a famous cake.

My mom gave me the recipe several years ago, and whenever I bring it to gatherings, it is always a big hit. I, of course, had to change it from just a coconut cake to a pineapple coconut cake because I can't follow a recipe to save my life.

Thus, the Pina Colada cake was born...

I do not make anything from scratch. I have an aversion to measuring anything which is why I am not great at the baking process and would prefer to make everything on the stovetop, avoiding the oven whenever possible.

I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact I have to be so diligent in my exactness at work? I need to measure meds to the 0.01 decimal point (it was really bad when I was a NICU nurse!) Maybe it's my little way of rebelling in real life that I don't like to measure baking things? Hmmm...I don't know the reasons behind my psychoses, I just know I have them.

ANYWAYS...

All you need is a box of cake mix (I always try to use the Pineapple version, because the coconut is so intense, but white or yellow cake is fine too!)

Coco Lopez cream of coconut (BEWARE OF IMITATIONS! They are not the same~and you can find this evil little can in the liquor dept of your grocery store!)

Crushed pineapple in it's own juice (The syrup stuff is just gross! And it has to be crushed, trust me on this one.)

and Cool Whip! (Everyone knows what a tub of that stuff looks like, right?)

Make the cake according to directions on the box

When it has cooled for a bit, but still pretty warm (like 10 minutes) stab the cake a few times

Get to work with the Coco Lopez goodness! (There is always a thick layer at the top~I try not to think about what that layer will be looking like once it's reached my coronary arteries, I just deal with it)

This layer melts right on the cake, I treat it kind-of like it's butter...

Dump the liquidy part all over~this cake will be pretty drenched by the time you're done. (My mom insists you don't need all the Coco Lopez, but I insist that you do.)

Look how the cake actually separates a bit from the sides and all the coconut wonderfulness just sits in between...

Once the cake has cooled a wee bit more, start spreading the crushed pineapple. I use a fork to do this part because I don't want any extra pineapple juice on the cake.

Cover it all with the Cool Whip!

You can get creative at this point~topping it off with toasted coconut or macadamia nuts or whatever your pleasure. I forgot to buy anything, so the top is just plain.

This cake is a hit, even with non-coconut lovers! I've had several people shy away from the cake only to give it a chance and eat more than one piece! It's just that good.

Enjoy! :)

DIY Soap! (Trust me, it's super-easy!)

I found this fun idea on the 100 Layer Cake blog for DIY soaps during a bridal shower. Guests can pick out which scents they like and the soap molds can harden while the bride-to-be open presents!

I ran the idea by my friend who is throwing a shower for her sister in a few weeks and she loved it! Lucky for us, we did a dry-run trial a couple of weeks before, only to find that it was a rather messy and time-consuming endeavor. Instead, we decided to make all the soaps ourselves, wrap them in pretty paper, and give them as party favors at the bridal shower.

Michael's and Hobby Lobby are really dangerous stores for me to go in to. I came out of there with my mind buzzing from all the projects I want to try, but I digress...

They have several different options for soap bases: Olive Oil, Avocado/Cucumber, Goat's Milk, and (our choice) Shea Butter. They also had a wide array of scents and add-ins to choose from. (We did Lavender/Lemon Verbena and Honey Almond/Orange Peel~they were heavenly!)

This is a fun project to just let your imagination run wild with: Coffee Beans/Vanilla, Chai Tea, Lavender Vanilla, Grapefruit and Dried Orange Peel, the possibilities are endless...

Cut the pre-scored block of soap base

Melt for about 4-5 minutes in the microwave

Add your scents and whatever other add-ins of your choosing

Pour into desired mold shapes (there are several options to choose from here as well, but we were looking for a more basic shape)

Let cool for about 45 minutes

We wrapped each bar in cling wrap

Pre-cut strips of pretty paper and wrap each bar

Affix a label explaining which scent is which

Fun idea, huh? They ended up being rather elegant looking if we do say so ourselves!

Friday Fun Fact

So, I've been trying to learn Spanish...We have a large Spanish-speaking-only population where I work, and it's been hard for me to communicate with these patients. Now, I would never try to actually interpret anything seriously medical for them, but it would be nice to just know how long their kiddos fever has been going on, or if they're allergic to any medicines, you know?


Anyways, I did the Rosetta Stone Program for Latin American Spanish for about 3 months, and I felt I was actually getting pretty good! At least good enough for some of our patients families to think I actually speak Spanish.


I took a Beginning Spanish class last week through the hospitals continuing education department, and I learned quite a few things about Mexican culture as well! The class was only 8 hours, which seriously, how much language can you actually learn in 8 hours? But it gave me a lot of insight into how people feel when you try to bridge the language gap.


I remember when my girlfriends and I took a trip to London and Paris a couple of years ago. (I was a ding-dong and took French classes in high school instead of Spanish) but I was way out of high school at that point so, needless to say, my French was super-rusty. After hearing how the French were always rude and snooty to Americans, we were all pretty nervous!


I taught my girlfriends a teeny-tiny simple phrase: Parlez-vous anglais? (Par-lay vooz on-glaze) (Do you speak English?)


You would not believe the responses we got! No snootiness, no attitude, no problems! When you approach somebody at least trying to speak the native language, you immediately tell that individual what kind of person you are. That you're willing to leave your own comfort zone in order to communicate with them.


This (finally!) brings me around to this week's fun fact. I know that everyone has heard that it is so much easier for children to pick up a new language. That adult language learners have a much harder time because their brains aren't wired the same way as a child's. Guess what? FALSE!


While adults and children do learn differently, an adults ability to learn a completely new language is no different from a child's. The only difference is that a child doesn't have all the hang-ups an adult does! (I don't want to sound stupid...That wasn't right...Arrgh! I said that wrong-I look like an idiot!) This really spoke to me and gave me a lot of encouragement. (I certainly am not the type who cares about looking uncool!)


So if anyone out there reading this wants to learn a new language~give it a try...I am.

Happy Friday Everyone!

A Whole Lotta Strata!

The Mr. and I are big fans of stratas because they are easy and yummy! All you need is bread, eggs, leftovers and a healthy imagination and you have a complete meal!

The other night I decided to whip one up for dinner using whatever I could find that was either about to expire or had been in the freezer for too long. Here's what I came up with...

I tore up an old loaf of rye bread that was in the freezer from the LAST time I made a strata! :)

Added some sauteed chicken the Mr. had made earlier that day with some garlic, onions, and olive oil...

Added a little asparagus from the freezer that had seen better days...I never would have used fresh asparagus for this because we never have any leftover! The frozen stuff is fine for something like this, but it just isn't the same quality...

OK, I used 2 cups of egg beaters...

And two cups of pureed butternut squash soup! The soup gives the whole dish a slightly sweet flavor-plus it's super-healthy! :)

Pour it over everything...

Top it all off with cheese (I used cheddar and Parmesan, so much for being healthy!)

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 75 minutes or so and you will have this yummy, puffy, wonderful dinner!

Enjoy! :)

Luminaria Centerpiece

I came across these lovely babies in a Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and I just had to try them out. (Never wanting to miss a DIY opportunity!)

My friend M is getting married next summer and so I went over to her place to brainstorm on Invitations, Save-the-Dates, and centerpieces. It was lots of fun!

These are really quite easy to make, I don't have a full tutorial in pictures, but you can see the finished product right here. All you need is some vellum paper, (I think fabric would work nicely, too!) some ribbon, some mono glue, and a battery candle!

Cut the paper to size, adhere it to the glass with the mono glue (special glue that sticks really well and rolls out like tape, I love that stuff!) and stick a contrasting ribbon around it at whichever level you desire! (We decided the top third looked the best.)

Place a battery candle (those things are so cool!) and you're left with a lovely lantern which makes a special centerpiece~pretty easy!

Ode to a coffee house (and a city)

I am fully aware that my blog has an identity disorder. One day, I want to post a recipe, the next day a craft project, then I want to talk about wedding stuff-or movies, or celebrities.

I think it's pretty obvious that I can't just stick to one thing, but if I was absolutely FORCED to, I would post about nothing but Albuquerque. I grew up here in the 505, and have moved away from time to time seeking "greener pastures", but have always returned-something several of my friends and family have fallen victim to as well!

There's just something about Albuquerque. (I will always spell out that massive word and NOT refer to it as "The Q", because I think that is lame!) I was trying to explain the charm that this southwestern city holds to a friend a couple weeks ago. Is it the weather? The people? The culture? The FOOD? I think what it all boils down to is that Albuquerque just has a sweet simplicity about itself-a slower pace, a more relaxed atmosphere.

So I mentioned above that I would likely post about nothing but Albuquerque, if I had to stick to one genre. Scratch that, I would write about nothing but Albuquerque's food. I would have material for MONTHS if I solely posted about fab restaurants in the 505.

Red or Green? That is a question we native New Mexicans learn to answer at an early age-a lot depends on personal preference, but we also quickly learn which dishes are served best with red chile or green chile. And sometimes, "Christmas" is a perfectly reasonable answer as well!

There is this coffee house in Barelas that has quite a reputation. (Barelas is a neighborhood that is part of Albuquerque's downtown area.) I had been wanting to go there for ages, but since they are closed on Sundays, it had always been difficult. Finally, the Mr. and I were able to make our way over there for breakfast last week. While it was definitely WORTH the wait, I can't believe I had been missing out on this place all of my life!

I had Huevos Rancheros, (Christmas, of course!) and I was seriously in heaven! The place is just that good. The Mr. had his favorite go-to, the breakfast burrito, which was equally as wonderful as my order. Word on the street (from many friends) is that their menudo and chicarrones are amazing as well. (However, these are not menu items for the faint of heart!)

If anyone is reading this and happens to be in the 505, please give The Barelas Coffee house a shot, you'll be oh so happy you did! (I wanted to post a link to their website, but the place is so old school, they don't have one. Now that's keepin' it real, people!)

A lovely flower arrangement for less than $6???

Daffodils have always been a favorite of mine. During springtime, I always love to purchase the pre-cut closed stems from Trader Joe's because it's fun to watch them open up after a couple of days. They are only $1.29 for 10 stems, people! I realize they aren't exactly eco-friendly, but I find fresh flowers to be such an easy and pretty way to decorate the home.

Masking tape is a florist's BFF because it can turn any vase into a beautiful centerpiece with little work or cost.






Tape across a vase in a grid pattern (make sure you fill the vase with water first!)






(Cut stems at an angle, so they will suck up as much H2O as possible.)



Arrange to your heart's content!

Keep in mind, that when you are using a glass vase, you have to "mind the downstairs" too! You want to make sure you don't have a beautiful bouquet of flowers up top with weird looking clumps of stems below!

Now, I know that it will look like a sorry Christmas tree for a day or two...


But after only a couple of days, here's what you'll have!



BTW, can we talk about how cute these place mats are? Potterybarn, baby! $2 each on sale!

Happy Springtime!

Friday Fun Fact

I love me some wine. I'm a dry reds and sweet whites kind-of girl.


OK, let's be honest, it's not like I turn my nose up at beer or cocktails, either! Hey, I'm an Irish-Italian girl, what do you expect?


The other day, the Mr. and I met a man who is an avid wine connoisseur and he told us all kinds of fun facts about wine!

First, he told us that wine color is a result of the length of time the grape skins are in contact with the wine. Red wine has a long exposure, blush has a little exposure and white has none at all.

Second, he told us about an aged bottle of red he tried once where it was actually a light, straw color when it was poured. He watched it slowly become a dark red before his eyes! Evidently, wine that is properly aged will actually become dormant and lose it's tint. When it is exposed to oxygen, it regains it's original color! (He said it was one of the best glasses of wine he's ever tried.)

Lastly, I asked him if green grapes were ever made into red wine (thinking, what kind of skins do they purposefully put in there?) he told me green grapes are never used for wine making. All wine comes from red grapes. I didn't know that! But, now I do, and so do you!

Cheers!
Happy Friday Everyone!

Shameless Product Endorsement

As far as nursing is concerned, I work a rather unusual shift: 9 am-9 pm. This provides us with the opportunity for both lunch and dinner. I have always found that bringing a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss to work is pretty annoying. Not as annoying, however, as the person getting their IV started with "death breath" in the room.



Enter Colgate's new product: "Wisp". I saw these little doo-dads at the grocery store the other day and just had to give them a try. They are disposable mini toothbrushes made of durable plastic with a toothpick at one end, and bristles at the other with a tiny mouthwash bead inside. You don't even need water (although a foaming toothpaste bead would be enjoyable, too!) After a meal, you can brush your teeth, freshen your breath, and get the spinach out all without water! Cool, huh? Who knew oral hygiene could be so fun!

Sushi Queen

One of my work friends introduced me to this idea when she made it for her daughter's spa-themed birthday party. I thought it sounded so cute, I just had to try it out on the Book Club girls!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
10 oz bag of mini marshmallows
gummi worms (I used the sour kind)
Fruit-by-the-foot fruit rollups

Melt butter in the bottom of a saucepan

Add marshmallows until melted, then remove from heat

Stir in the Rice Krispies

Spread into two separate pans (I sprayed the pans first)

Cut each pan lengthwise (Do yourself a favor and spray the knife too!)

Place the gummi worms along on edge (I tried to make sure there were no repeating colors)

With the help of the wax paper, roll it up!

Cut each roll into 1 inch pieces

Wrap the fruit roll-ups around each piece (I tried to find the green apple flavor, but I think the tie-dye berry worked out nicely!)

I sprinkled some Nerds candy on top to make it look like roe, but it didn't stick very well

A fun snack to amuse your friends.

Enjoy! :)