Friday, March 27, 2015

Screen Capcha Friday

As I scroll through Instagram/Facebook on the hourly daily, I find myself screen shotting things that make me LOL, things that make me get a little teary, and things that I screen shot and immediately send to Boyfriend with a "please buy me onneeeeeeee" text (it's usually a puppy FYI).  Here are a few screen shots, or screen caps as I call them, that I had in my Camera Roll this week.




I plan on doing that!



I've done that to Boyfriend a few times



#RIP



So pretty!



Erryday.



To the right, to the right



Almost erryday



Bettthhhh *Sob*



So cuuuuute!


Tar-jayyy :) <3


Enjoy your weekend homies!



Xoxo

Jillian



Thursday, March 26, 2015

Turkey, Bean, and Spinach Soup

Hello Fraans!  I know that our soup days are winding down (yay!/noooo!), so I am taking every opportunity to make a batch of soup and curl up on the couch with the 'Flix.

Side Note: I just started House of Cards.  Not sure how I feel about it just yet.  I will say that Kevin Spacey is so creepy.  Maybe I'm just a baby because all I hear is that monotone serial killer voice from "Seven".  I deekay.

Back to tha soup!  We've got some scallions, carrots, ground turkey, cannellini beans and spinach.  Luuhvee <3


What you will need to serve 4:
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 cups of chopped carrots
  • 5 scallions, chopped
  • 48 oz., plus 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 package of ground turkey (about 1 lb)
  • 1 - 15oz. can of cannellini beans
  • 1 handful of spinach

Chop the scallions and carrots and set aside.

In a large frying pan, cook the ground turkey until no longer pink.  Once cooked, line a bowl with paper towel and transfer the turkey from the pan to the bowl to drain.  Set aside.


Drizzle olive oil into a large pot or dutch oven and heat for 30 seconds.  Add the carrots and scallions, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook the carrots and scallions over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.  

Add the chicken stock, cover the pot, and bring to a low simmer.  When the soup starts to simmer, add the turkey and stir to combine.  



Rinse the cannellini beans and add to the soup.  Add the spinach on top, then cover the pot to allow the steam to wilt the spinach, about 5 minutes.  Stir to combine, and serve immediately.



So delicious I nearly lost my head!  Get it?!?!?!?!

Forgive me.


Xoxo


Jillian










Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers

Happy Hump Day, Friends!

Here's a cute little snack/dessert item for your next get-together.  Sweet, salty, sprinkly perfection :)  I made these the other day when I came home from work and wanted a little snacky.  This recipe is a single serving so multiply to your liking!



What you will need to make 15 crackers
  • 15 Ritz Crackers (or 1 sleeve)
  • 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips (you can also use the normal size - the minis were all we had)
  • Sprinkles
Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave, heating in 30 second increments until smooth.  Dip half of each cracker in the chocolate and place on the wax paper.  Add a light coating of sprinkles immediately, before the chocolate hardens.  Repeat until the desire cracker level is achieved.  Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes to quicken the chocolate hardening process.  Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days (if they last that long).

The End!







Friday, March 20, 2015

Screen Capcha Friday

As I scroll through Instagram/Facebook on the hourly daily, I find myself screen shotting things that make me LOL, things that make me get a little teary, and things that I screen shot and immediately send to Boyfriend with a "please buy me onneeeeeeee" text (it's usually a puppy FYI).  Here are a few screen shots, or screen caps as I call them, that I had in my Camera Roll this week.

Fridizzle up in the hizzleeeee!!!!  Have a great weekend!!

Gawwwwgeous!!

Gawwwwwwgeous!

Absolutely not.

Happens several times a week to the both of us

Ha!!!

If you don't follow TheSkimm, you should

I am also ok with 6 million coffees and 3 dollars

Looooooooooveeeeee



Xoxo

Jillian






Thursday, March 19, 2015

Pasta Veggie Orgy Bowl

Boyfriend recently had a new Meat Farms open by his house and I am obsesseddddd.  It's so clean and filled with fresh veggies and bread and homemade things and ugh I can't get enough.  I make it my business so stop there on Sunday mornings before I go home so I can stock up on all the freshness for the week.  This past Sunday I went on a veggie binge.  Brussels Sprouts: Check! Asparagus: Check!  Inappropriately-sized Zucchinis: Check!

Veggies were going to be my best friends for the week because someone (#me) has been a little too indulgent lately, and bikini season is on the horizon, and this someone needs to start behaving herself.



I did a little veggie salad on Monday, some more veggies Tuesday, and by Wednesday I was needing some carbs.  I wanted Mac and Cheese.  And bacon. Extra cheese please.  But NO!  I gathered some self control and did NOT make Mac and Cheese.  Go me!  

Ladies and Gents, I have for you: PASTA AND VEGGIE ORGY BOWLS





What you will need to serve 5:
  • 2 cups of cooked pasta
  • 2 cups of cooked chicken (seasoned with salt and pepper)
  • Zucchini (1 large, quartered)
  • Shaved Brussels Sprouts (about 10 whole sprouts)
  • Asparagus (7 stalks, chopped in half)
  • Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in a frying pan.  Set aside.

Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the box.  While it is cooking, chop your veggies, and saute in a large frying pan with olive oil, salt and pepper.

When the pasta is finished, add to a large bowl. Chop the chicken, and add to the pasta, along with the vegetables.

Serve immediately, and top with Parmesan cheese.  And bacon. 

JUST KIDDING!!!



Xoxo

Jillian








Monday, March 16, 2015

Egg Drop Soup

Growing up, my mom's family had a house in Putnam Valley right on a lake, where there were family gatherings by day and you-better-not-tell-mom-or-I'll-kill-you happenings by night.  Some of my favorite memories from when I was growing up are from the time spent at the house and on the lake.  We'd wake up, eat breakfast, chillax for about 4.5 seconds, then walk up the hill (which seemed like Mount Everest back then) and spend the rest of the day swimming, making sand castles, and taking the row boats out.  Awesome memories :)

When we would arrive at the house, my grandma (mom's mom) would be making a fresh batch of her egg drop soup and mini hot dogs for lunch.  We called the hot dogs "wushties" (that is most likely NOT the correct spelling, so if you happen to know the correct spelling, let me knowwww kthanks), and to this day that is what I call them, because grandma memories, duh.


Grandma (like most grandmas I know) never had a set recipe that she followed.  Her way of cooking involved "a little of this, then a little of that and then you add some of that".  This soup was one of those things that she could do in her sleep.  Unfortunately there was no set recipe that was passed down, and after she passed away I was stuck with the Chinese food version, which is obviously not the same. 



This recipe is the product of trying about 457 different recipes that I found on the Google and changing/combining them until I was brought back in time :)


What you will need to serve 5:
  • Olive Oil
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 8 cups of chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 4 whole eggs
In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and add the chopped scallions.  Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes, then add the chicken broth.  Whisk in the ginger and garlic, and bring the broth to a boil.  Once boiling, turn the heat down to low.  In a measuring cup, add the eggs and whisk.  Pour into the soup, whisking as you go.

Serve immediately.




P.S- Can we talk about the sunlight happening in the first picture?!?!?  Flip flop weather is on the horizonnnn <3 <3 <3

It's the little things, you guys!


Have a great week!


Xoxo

Jillian












Friday, March 13, 2015

Screen Capcha Friday

As I scroll through Instagram/Facebook on the hourly daily, I find myself screen shotting things that make me LOL, things that make me get a little teary, and things that I screen shot and immediately send to Boyfriend with a "please buy me onneeeeeeee" text (it's usually a puppy FYI).  Here are a few screen shots, or screen caps as I call them, that I had in my Camera Roll this week.


Every. Single. Time.


Girl Power



Throwback Thursdayyy



As a Scorpio I would like to confirm this is NOT true



Boom!


Also every. Single. Time

Goes without saying

I ordered wanted to order this for my friend who is pregnant SO BADDDD 






Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Small Batch Grandma Meatballs

Balls.  Meatballs.  Balls of meat.  In your mouth.  Doesn't that sound delish?  These are grandma's meatballs.  There is much debate in my house over the best way to make meatballs.  Do you bake them? Fry them?  Grill them (Huh?!)?  Mom bakes them, and Grandma fries them. #Confused.

In an effort to not get disowned be fair, both methods result in fantastic meatballs.  With that said, there is just something about using the Grandma Method for anything that makes it an automatic winner (sorry Mom!).  


What you will need for 10-12 medium sized meatballs:
  • 1 batch of Grandma's Sauce
  • 1/2 pound of ground beef at room temperature
  • 1/2 pound of ground veal at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon of Basil
  • 1 tablespoon of Oregano
  • 1 tablespoon of Parsley
  • 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon of seasoned bread crumbs
  • Olive oil
  • Salt to taste

First, prep the meatballs:

In a large bowl, using your hands, mix the beef, veal, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Parmesan and breadcrumbs until well combined.  Taste the mixture and add salt or additional seasoning as desired.  Dampen your hands with cold water, and form the meatballs to your size preference.  Set aside on a baking sheet.



Now, start the sauce as per the recipe.  When the sauce is about to boil, heat a large frying pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Brown the meatballs for about 2 minutes on each side- you want the top and bottom of the balls to be cooked and the middle to be raw.  

Place the meatballs in the boiling sauce and cook over low heat (pot covered) for 30 minutes.



Serve immediately, or let cool and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.  





I hope you enjoy the taste of these balls as much as I do!



Xoxo

Jillian