Fresh Floors

This past week Ryan and I had new floors installed throughout the entire first floor of our house. We are so happy with how they turned out! Before we had carpet and horrible laminate everywhere. We went through Floor Trader, and purchased Tarkett wood laminate floors. They were very professional, and they'll match any competitors' pricing. Their installers were also on time every day, and explained things really well.

Carpet all torn up

New Rug

The Weekend

I had a really great time this past weekend! Friday night I got caught up on a lot of things around the house (not so fun), but Saturday got better. My parents came down to do lunch. We ate at Chatham Tap in Fishers, so my Dad and Kyle could watch the Purdue game. Later that afternoon Taryn came in to town to stay with me. I hadn't seen her in 4 months, since the wedding! Tiffany and Amber came over too and we got to catch-up and get ready for the night. We had a girls' dinner at Cooper's Hawk Winery, one of my favorites! It was the four of us, and Alicia and Stephanie as well. We had great food and drinks, and enjoyed catching-up with each other. Next we went to Amber's house in Broad Ripple for some cocktails and drinking games, before we headed to the bars. We went to Brothers for a few drinks, and then ended our night at Rock Lobster. I had so much fun with the girls, and can't wait to plan our next weekend : )

Sunday morning we all woke up and went breakfast at Le Peep, to see Ryan May. Breakfast hit the spot, and afterward we went home to enjoy a lazy Sunday. Bentley stopped by, and Taylor and I took him for a long walk around the neighborhood, because it was actually nice out.

Love a Lazy Sunday with BentDog

I'm looking forward to next weekend just as much. John Reese is coming to stay with us, and we have a lot things planned, including our Super Bowl Party!

BeNtLeY

Bentley is still growing, and he keeps getting cuter and cuter! Here are a few recent pictures. Love him!

He found some of our socks haha

Healthy Dinner Ideas

Here are a couple more dinner ideas...

Mexican Casserole:

In a baking dish (not something too deep, but probably a 5x7) layer the following ingredients:
1st Layer- Uncle Ben's 90 second white rice, mixed with fresh cilantro
2nd Layer- 1 - 2 Fully cooked shredded chicken breasts
3rd Layer- Sauted green pepper, red pepper, and onion
4th Layer- Salsa
5th Layer- Sauted can/frozen corn (saute in pan with salt, pepper, and half spoonful of sugar)
6th Layer- Shredded Mexican cheese

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Chicken Stir-Fry:

2 Chicken Breasts
Sliced Portobello - 1 package
Sliced Carrotts - 20 baby carrots (I usually have these on hand)
1 Diced Onion
1 Chopped up Red Pepper
1 Chopped up Yellow Pepper
Hot Sauce
Brown Sugar - 3 Spoonfuls
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce - 4 Spoonfuls
Low Sodium Chicken Broth - 1/4 cup
Salt & Pepper
Uncle Ben's 90 Second Ready Rice (White or Brown)

First cut up all veggies and chicken into bite-size pieces or smaller (this way they will cook up faster for you). In a hot pan brown the pieces of chicken in olive oil. Once the chicken is cooked add in all of the veggies, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they begin to brown. Then stir in the brown sugar, soy sauce, and about 10 glugs of hot sauce. Next add the chicken broth and use to scrape up any brown bits in the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Microwave the rice, and then serve stir-fry on top of rice.
** You can add any vegetables you would like to this dish. I usually put in whatever I have on hand.

Veggie Pizza:

Olive Oil
1 sliced yellow onion - cut into long thin strips
1 sliced red bell pepper - cut into long thin strips

1 sliced fennel bulb - cut into long this strips

Fresh Spinach - 3 or 4 handfuls

Sliced Portobello Mushrooms - half a package

Cherry Tomatoes Halved - about 10

Store-bought Pizza Dough

3 Minced Garlic Cloves

2 Handfuls of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a sauté pan cook the veggies until they are tender, but add the spinach at the end and cook until it begins to wilt down. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool while you roll out the crust.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and roll out your crust.
In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic. Scrape the mixture over the crust. Spread the crust evenly withSprinkle on the rest of the cheese and bake until the crust is cooked through and the cheese is melted, 18 to 20 minutes.

The Holidays 2010

I am just now getting to post some pictures from the Holidays. This year I spent my first Christmas away from home. Ryan and I went to Lafayette on the 23rd for the annual Beer Tasting Contest at my parents house, and the next morning we traveled to Cleveland to spend Christmas with Ryan's family. We had a great long weekend, and the following weekend we rang in the New Year with friends in Indy at Bartini. We also went to the last regular season Colts game, and the following weekend we went to the Colts Playoff Game. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the past couple of weeks : )

Fear NO Beer Club

Christmas Day

Cleaned up on Christmas Day Before Dinner

Our Table on NYE at Bartini

Happy New Year!

Amber & Tiff ringing in the New Year

Ryan & Ryan

Tiff & I

Ryan & JB

We saw Bam & Steph at the Colts vs Titans Game

Ryan & I at the Game

At Bartini "tailgating" before the Colts Playoff Game

Kyle, Me, & Taylor at Bartini

Hahaha

DK!

All of us at the Colts vs Jets Playoff Game

Healthy Dinner Ideas

It's the first of the year and everyone is making New Year's Resolutions. Ryan and I decided we needed to start off the new year by eating healthier. So far, so good. I wanted to share some dinner ideas that I have come up with that have been pretty good. However, you are going to have to bare with me...I never measure anything, but I'll try to explain these "recipes" the best I can. Here's the first one. It is really easy and quick. Let me know if you try it out, and what you think, and if you make any changes...how it turns out.


Baked Chicken & Veggies with Sauteed Spinach & Mushrooms:

Boneless chicken breasts (one per person)

Baby Carrots - 2 cups

Yukon Gold Potatoes quartered (6 - 10 depending on how many you are feeding)

Fresh Spinach - 5 cups

Sliced Portobello Mushrooms

1 Diced Onion

3 Minced Garlic Cloves

Olive Oil

Good Balsamic Vinegar - 2 tablespoons

Salt & Pepper

Low Sodium Chicken Broth - 1/4 cup
In a glass baking dish add chicken breasts. Then add baby carrots, half the onion, and the Yukon Gold potatoes around the chicken. Season everything with salt & pepper then drizzle with olive oil. Add a small amount of low sodium chicken broth, just to add some moisture. Cover with foil, and cook at 375 degrees for about an hour. (You can remove the foil towards the end of cooking time to let everything brown up a little, but make sure you do not let the chicken dry out).

In a pan saute the other half of the onion, mushrooms, and garlic until they begin to brown. Then add the fresh spinach and the balsamic vinegar until the spinach wilts down. Season with salt and pepper. ENJOY!

**You can cook a few extra chicken breasts to put over salad the next day or to cut up and put in a stir-fry or soup.

ENJOY!

ManCave MakeOver.

Ryan was in New Hampshire training for his new job for two weeks in December. While he was gone I decided to surprise him and change his office a little bit. I painted the walls IU red (which I don't recommend doing!) Ryan loved all the changes and was totally surprised when he got home. Here are some before and after pictures...

Before

Before

New red walls, lamp, and curtains

Mrs. Quinn made Ryan a quilt with all of his old football shirts & pictures for our wedding

Organized desk

Girly Touch lol

New TV & stand, oh and the St. Ed's State Champs Poster

Marando clock I found

New gaming chair & gaming ottoman, Ry's bowl game jersey is framed and going on this wall.

Gaming ottoman to keep organized : )