Current Favorite

I LOVE to eat! I'm not a girl who skips meals or watches my portions carefully. I eat fairly healthy, but Blake often comments about how I out-eat him. However, I cannot say that I love to cook. I think I do pretty well when I decide to, but I really don't enjoy it. It takes to long, it makes a mess, and if it turns out not to be good it is very disappointing (I especially hate overcooked chicken).

For me it is key to find meals that take 45 minutes or less, start to finish. I am totally in line with Sandra Lee who does "Semi-homemade". Give me a good base to start with and let me jazz it up and make it delicious.

One of our favorites right now meets the requirements. It is easy and sooo good. We had it twice before the holidays and I was excited when Blake asked for it again when I made my grocery list this week. On top of that, I can take credit for it: I created it on my own without a recipe! (It's really not that impressive...) Here's the recipe, you should try it.

Semi-Homemade Jambalaya
1 pound turkey sausage
1 box Zatarain's Jambalaya (we like the one with cheese)
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 can of Rotel

Cut the sausage into quarter inch pieces and saute with peppers and onions until veggies soften. Drain excess liquid from the Rotel and combine all ingredients. Cook rice as directed on the box and dinner is ready 25 minutes later! Enjoy - and tell me if you like it!

Happy Hurlidays!

Happy New Year! Wow - I can remember being accepted into MCG's Class of 2011, and when I started I never thought that year would come - and here it is!

We had a wonderful holiday season, but it brought with it some unwelcome bugs. Blake worked most of the day Christmas Eve so when he got off, we rushed to LaGrange to start the Christmas celebrations. I woke up Christmas morning, and then an hour later had to rouse Blake out of bed. He complained that he did not sleep well because his stomach hurt all night. His stomach was growling and gurgling like crazy! Another hour later we knew why. He had a stomach virus. He sat with us at breakfast and opened presents with my family, then spent the rest of the day in the bed or bathroom....

We were supposed to eat lunch with Blake's parents, so I called his mom to tell her he was sick. She sounded terrible and had been suffering with a sinus infection all week. Ryan, Blake's brother, was also not feeling very well, and Mrs. Wanda said, "we might have to cancel Christmas."

CANCEL Christmas!

Well Christmas is not cancelable, breakable, or refundable. It is simply, and most importantly, a day to remember and thank God for loving us enough to send us Jesus. But of course you want to spend it merrily with family and go through all your family's traditions.

Thankfully, everyone was feeling "well enough" by the evening to get together at the Meeks'. Not as much was eaten, but it was as enjoyable as ever.

The story does not end there. Blake breathed the same air as my family for about an hour, but somehow Mom, Emily, Grandmother, and Dad were exposed to the virus and enjoyed the same fate as Blake - it was virulent! Me, Nate, Mike, and the Meeks were spared - thank goodness. Those affected were knocked down for a couple of days but by New Years, everyone was well and able to ring in 2011.

I just got back home and have to take down all of the Christmas decorations. That is not nearly as fun as putting them up :( Maybe I will look at them one more day....