Does Caffine Help Stress???

Sadly, I know that caffeine does not help relieve stress. Lately, I have really (and truly) started to cut back on the caffeine; BUT, today Kevin and I received an espresso machine and I thought I would indulge myself in an latte. It was great! I was so excited about it I documented the whole process. Kinda weird, I know but, I *heart* Starbucks and this is probably the closest I will ever come to being a Barista. Lol! :)

Here it is, yay:


Adding the Espresso:

Frothing the Milk:

And we have espresso:

Here's my Vanilla Latte - Ta Da:

Omaha Shower

I was recently blessed with a personal shower here in Omaha. It was so great to have some quality "girl time" with my friends. Of course, we had tons and tons of food - lol! I do have priorities! :) And, since it was a "Girls" shower - almost everything was *pink!*

Here's the first half of our food:



Here's the second half:


Our Menu:
Bruschetta
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Fresh Fruit Salad
Cookies
Mini Hot Pink Cupcakes
Sprinkles Coconut Cupcakes (recipe below)
Pink Lemonade
Iced Raspberry Tea
Assorted of Hot Herbal Teas

Here's a picture of my beautiful pregnant friend Heidi:


Here I am trying to hold back my excitement - I never thought I could get so excited about dishes! Lol!! :)



Coconut Cupcakes
From Sprinkles Pastry Chef Candace Nelson
(Yes, the rumors you've heard about that place are true - these cupcakes are amazing!!)

2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large egg whites, plus 1 whole large egg

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two greased standard muffin pans with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and extracts. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg whites and the egg and mix until they are combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until it is combined. Gradually drizzle in all the milk mixture. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix carefully until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake cups (they should be two-thirds full) and bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed lightly and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool. Makes 18-20.


Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cold cream cheese
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup sweetened coconut shavings

In the bowl of an electric mixer, slowly mix the cream cheese, butter and salt until fluffy and combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix in the extracts until incorporated and the frosting is smooth. Frost each cooled cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of frosting and immediately top with 1 teaspoon of sweetened coconut shavings. Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Brushetta

A few days ago when I returned from Oklahoma, I was happy to see that I had three ripe tomatoes on my little plant. I also had lots of basil and smoked salmon. Of course, smoked salmon + fresh tomatoes + fresh basil = brushetta!!! And, since Kevin is away I knew I would have it all to myself! The only thing about Kevin being away is that I don't have to fight for food - lol! I don't know what it is but, food just seems to disappear when he is around.

I don't really have a recipe for what I did but, here's my method:
**Disclaimer - some of the ingredients may be a bit off as some of them may have been eaten during the assembly process.**
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices
1 1/2 Garlic Cloves
3 Small Tomatoes (or as many fresh tomatoes as you'd like), Chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Cut into Ribbons
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar to Taste
4 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill (also from my little garden - yay!)
1/2 Cup Smoked Salmon
Directions:
Set oven to broil.
In one layer, spread baguette slices on a greased baking sheet.
Brush with a conservative amount of olive oil. Place the baking sheet in oven for a few minutes, being careful not to burn. Immediately upon taking the baguette slices out, rub each slice on one side with the cut side of the garlic clove; reserve the clove for late use. Evenly dice the tomatoes and put into a mixing bowl. Mince the garlic cloves used for rubbing the baguette slices and add to the tomatoes. Add the garlic, basil (reserve some basil for garnish), salt, and balsamic vinegar. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. To serve individual appetizers, prepare each baguette slice with a spoonful of tomatoes. In a food processor, mix the softened cream cheese and the dill. To assemble, spread a layer of the dill cream cheese, then smoked salmon, next is the tomato mixture and top with fresh basil ribbons - TADA! Brushetta!

My Weekend Home

I spent the weekend at home (Oklahoma) and I had the most wonderful time! I had been feeling a bit homesick and this visit really helped! It was so great to be able to spend time with my friends! Here are some pictures of my trip home:

My friend James and I happen to be flying in to OKC's airport at the same time so he met me at my gate! :) My best friend, Christina, picked me up and then we all met up at Iron Star for lunch. I love Iron Star and I miss it soooo much! Lunch was great and we all had soooo much fun!

That night, Christina and I met up with some of our friends from High School and my cousin April at Lakeside Restaurant at Lake Hefner.



Since Valerie highly recommended the oyster nachos, I *had* to try them! They are delicious and now, I highly recommend them!!! :)


Here's 1/4 of the Liberty '99 Class - lol!


The next day Christina and I had the opportunity to see some random animals. Here she is holding a baby crocodile. Very interesting experience! We also saw a massive turtle trying to escape from the bed of a truck - like I said, it was interesting.


That night some of the girls went out to Sushi Neko. I love, LOVE that place!! I really miss it!!!


Sunday morning, Christina and I went to my Church in Norman. It was so wonderful! I know everyone loves their "home" church but, I really love mine. After church, we met up with Brian and went to brunch at Seven47. Seven47 is my favorite brunch spot in Norman! Their beignets aren't quite as good as Cafe DuMonde but they are still very tasty!


After brunch we were off to my shower. Here's a picture of the awesome food!

How cute are these cookies?!?!

Linda is the gorgeous lady with me in this picture that hosted my shower.

I had such a great weekend! Although, I think I might be more homesick now.

Our Luau Couples Shower

A couple weeks ago our friends Lindsay and Jeremy threw Kevin and I a Hawaiian Luau Shower. It was so much fun. We relaxed with our friends and ate a ton of wonderful food - it was perfect! Lindsay and Jeremy did an amazing job! Kevin and I can't wait to throw them a shower!

Our Menu:
Grilled Hawaiian Pizza

Pasta Salad

Spring Rolls with Teriyaki Dipping Sauce

Old Bay Crab Dip

Guacamole

Toasted Sweet Rolls

Tropical Fruit Skewers

Paula Deen's Stuffed Strawberries

Margarita Cupcakes

Dessert Pizza

"Good Friends and a Glass of Wine"

This weekend Omaha is having it's annual air balloon and wine festival. Since Kevin was actually in town and neither of us were *too* busy we decided to go. I should note that I love, LOVE hot air balloons.....I'm not really sure why but, I TOTALLY do, they just make me so happy. I even told Kevin I'd like to trade my car in for a hot air balloon - lol! ;) Omaha is such a "big small town" that within the first few minutes of arriving we ran into a few people we knew and then, we ran into a coworker of mine that I adore but, haven't seen or talked to in way too long. So, the three of us (Kevin, my Coworker and I) spent the evening together. We ended up getting the "emergency" blanket out of our trunk (I live in Omaha - we have VERY cold winters and I like to be prepared - if you lived here I promise you would understand) laying it on a nearby hill, and all watching the balloons glow! We had such a wonderful time, it was the perfect way to kick off the weekend! I hope everyone else is having a great weekend too! :)

Thai Cashew Chicken

I have been craving Thai food for a while now but sadly, there aren't too many Thai restaurants in Omaha (shocking, I know - lol); so, when I saw this recipe I knew we would have to try it! I was also counting on the "reheat" abilities of this recipe; since my brother is coming to stay with us for a while we will need lots of food in the fridge. I'm not sure why but, somehow with 2 guys in the house I seem to go through food 5 times as fast....it's some kind of phenomenon - lol! :)

Cashew Chicken
Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (or 1 ½ tsp. dried - I used dried)
¼ tsp. roasted red pepper flakes
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup salted roasted whole cashews
cooked white or brown rice for serving

Directions:
Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into ¾ -inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar, then stir the mixture into the vegetables in the wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate. Serve with rice.

Dinner For Me???

Tonight was such a treat because.....Kevin made us dinner!! Usually I really like making dinner but, when Kevin asked if he could make dinner I was very content to kick back and read my book. :) He made us BBQ chicken, hash browns (it would have been potatoes but, since we didn't have any he had to improvise - we really NEED to go grocery shopping) and apple slices (again, we need to go grocery shopping). It was very tasty! I thought it was very sweet. :)

BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

4 Large Chicken Breasts

1 Cup of Yogurt

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce

3 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Spicy Mustard

Directions:

Let marinade for at least 30 minutes. Grill each side for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Another Breakfast Post

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14 I thought I should start my post with this verse for two reasons: first, I love it and it makes me happy; and second, I felt the need to justify *another* breakfast post.

Kevin's job requires him to be gone, a lot. :( And, everytime he comes home I like to have a meal planned for us both to enjoy. Since Kevin will be arriving home in the morning, I figured I'd have to make an awesome breakfast.

In case you were wondering.....no, all these breakfast posts have *nothing* to do with my deep love for all breakfast foods - Lol! :)

Frittata

Ingredients:

6 eggs, beaten

1-ounce Parmesan, grated

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon butter

1/2 cup chopped roasted asparagus

1/2 cup chopped country ham

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to broil setting.
In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe saute pan over medium high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add asparagus and ham to pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley.
Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.

One Sweet Day......

.....is exactly how I would describe the last day of my internship. Ok, maybe bittersweet. While I am very excited about getting back to school, finishing this school year and becoming an RN I am really going to miss my internship and the friends I have made. I have learned so much about myself, the nursing process and most importantly, I have learned I still have a lot more to learn - lol! :)

I have been super busy this past week; however, I did have time to make cinnamon rolls for my last day. Isn't it funny how I always seem to have time to bake?!?

Paula Deen's Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

1/4-ounce package yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup scalded milk

1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan

3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins, walnuts, or pecans, optional (I left these out)

Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 to 6 tablespoons hot water

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When doubled in size, punch down dough.

Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. Spread melted butter all over dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired. Beginning at the 15-inch side, role up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices.

Coat the bottom of baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.

Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.