And the baking begins...

New goal: Learn to bake. From scratch. Yes, no more commerically prepared products.

Obstacles: 1. I've always been terrified of baking. 2. I don't have a stand mixer.

However, Andy and I are cutting the processed foods out of our diets, but that doesn't mean that we have to give up the occasional yummy baked good. And I happen to know an incredible baker (AKA my stepdad, Trent) who I'm sure would be more than willing to lend advice if asked. So...

Strategies for overcoming obstacles: 1. "the only way to finish is to start" (stolen from some t-shirt I saw on the internet) and 2. I have arms and hands and bowls and utensils and really I don't need another stinkin' kitchen appliance. But...maybe if I'm good and if our new apartment has enough counter space to house the thing, Santa or the Turkey fairy (my birthday is in November) will gift me a stand mixer later this year. Anyhow, I'm starting with these two recipes, both found on my new favorite website Smitten Kitchen, not to be confused with Smitten Kitten, which I will NOT hyperlink and which I accidentally typed in when I tried to go to Smitten KiTCHen and um, wow. NOT the site I was looking for...

My first two made-from-scratch cakes will be:

Strawberry Summer Cake and Blueberry Boy Bait

I'll probably start with the strawberry one because Andy loves strawberries more than blueberries. Also, I will be going to the land of blueberries in July (Michigan) and plan to come home with a trunk full of the berries. Thus, I will have the perfect excuse to bake the second cake.

I'll be sure to take pictures and share my trials and errors :-).

Jillian Michael's book

I just finished Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormons for a Hot and Healthy Body! and really enjoyed it. No, it doesn't give any new secrets for getting a "hot body". I've been reading diet and nutrition books for years now, so the basic - eat good food and exercise theme didn't blow my mind. What I did find very interesting, however, is the information on endocrine distruptors and all of the crazy stuff inside the things we live in and around, eat, drink, breathe, etc. In some ways the information was overwhelming and terrifying but in others, it was really interesting and informatives. For those interested in learning ways in which to live cleaner, greener, healthier, longer lives, check out the book!

Taco Bake

I created this (okay..."create" meaning I didn't utilize a recipe. I realize I am not the first to do this) last night and it was a HIT! So scrumptious that I am actually excited about the leftovers (I am known in my household as the leftover snob)!

1 lb ground turkey -prepared per instructions on back of taco seasoning packet
1 4 oz can green chilies - added to browned turkey
1 can fat free refried beans - "loosened" up and heated through with olive oil and garlic
About 6 hard taco shells
About 12 oz (I know...it's kind of a lot but I LOVE cheese)
Lettuce, salsa, sour cream - you know, the taco's usual suspects toppings

Once the meat is prepared and the beans are spreadable, I broke the taco shells in half and layered them on the bottom of a small casserole dish. Then half the meat, then half the beans, then half the cheese. Then another layer of shells, the rest of the meat, the rest of the beans, the rest of the cheese :-). Deliciously simple! Baked it in the oven for about 20 minutes, long enough for the cheese to melt and the juices to soften the taco shells. Hot out of the oven I topped each serving with lettuce, salsa, and sour cream. It was delightful! And so, so easy. What more could you ask for in dinner - quick, simple, YUMMY! I didn't take any pictures but it was basically an orange colored casserole. :-)

We couldn't resist another move

Maybe we are going to become those people that move every few months just for kicks. I'm currently lining up boxes to move to our 6th apartment since May 2010 :-). I swear we're not running from the law!

A few weeks ago I posted about how we were going to start house shopping. About 1.5 weeks later, we stopped house shopping. Instead, we've weighed our options and decided that this is not the time for us to buy our first home. After some initial disappointment we quickly thanked God for His hand in our situation and decided to upgrade to a larger apartment within our current complex. While Andy, Spike, and I certainly love each other and while we certainly love the opportunity to turn our living room into the guest bedroom for when family and friends visit, a one bedroom is just a liiiiiiiiiiiiiitle bit too small for this family.

We never got around to decorating the apartment we live in now, so I'm excited to do that in the new one. Once we have everything in place I'll be sure to share a few pictures :-).

Wish us luck! I'm convinced this will be the best move yet, because we've hired movers! Yes, we're only going 0.5 miles down the road, but I'm telling you, it's going to be worth it. No more scrapped knuckles as we push furniture through doorways, or smashed feet as we drop boxes in the wrong places, or sore backs as we forget to lift with our knees, and most importantly, no raised voices shouting "it needs to go into the truck THIS way!" Hired movers = an investment in the longevity of our lovely, happy marriage!