Organizing for the New Year

I have 2 1/2 weeks until school starts back up for me so it is time for some organizing, I hate clutter, so therefore I must purge. I said it now I just have to act on it. Why is that the hardest part. I would love to just sit hear and listen to my new obsession (the Twilight series on Audiobooks, I know I am 36 but really everyone needs a little fantasy and Edward is a good fantasy to have) but I can't do that day in and day out even though I have tried lately, I say blushing. Ok I am off subject.

Organizing.

I think I will start with my Kitchen, the pantry has fallen into the land of disarray. I have little OCD moments with my pantry, I can't stand it when everything is not in their place, I cannot find anything.

Another thing I need to work on for the new year is meal planning, I did it for awhile but busy lives get in the way and good healthy meals fall by the wayside for convience. So now on Sundays I will be putting my Weekly meal plan as a blog, maybe it will help me stick to it.

Speaking about school earlier, I now go on Mondays and Wednesdays so I think it will be better in organizing my time also. I have 2 actual classroom classes and an online class, lets pray for good grades, I need to bring my GPA up.

New Raves...

What I have been listening to...

Paramore - New Music - More Music Videos

New years resolutions...

I know Christmas is not even here yet and I am already talking about resolutions, that is because I have started mine early, they are usually the same every year but this year I hope to make them stick.

1. Exercise more (already started that one, I walked 3 miles on Sunday and walked on the treadmill twice this week)

2. Eat healthier and less ( I am working on that one too, it is hard to find a balance, some days I eat too little and other days I feel like I eat too much)

3. Start back to church ( I need some guidance in my life, so maybe this will help)

4. Find balance between family, school and home (this one is hard for me but I am trying)

5. Get to know my friends better and make them more an integral part of my life ( fancy wording for spend more time with my wonderful girlfriends, really already working on that one too)

Well that is all of them, I try to keep them reasonable. Lets hope I keep all of them this year.

Tell me your resolutions, I would love to hear about them and maybe we can work on them together.

Heisman trophy

Oh well, I guess I should say congrats to Sam Bradford of the Sooners, but nah. Colt has one more year to win it so lets pray for a great season next year.

Finally...

Finals are over for me. I took my last test today and it was a booger, it took me the whole class period to do it and there was still one question on there I didn't finish, oh well there is nothing I can do about it now.

Now I can concentrate on getting everything done for Christmas. I need to bake tons of cookies and breads, get my shopping done, clean the house and figure out the menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We are doing Mexican food this year, tamales and tortilla soup for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we having beef and cheese enchiladas and Fajitas.

If you like Tamales for Christmas there is a great place to order them from Delicious Tamales in San Antonio, TX. When we lived there we would wait in line for them because around the holidays they always ran out quickly. They have many different varieties even sweet ones. It is expensive to get them delivered but so worth it. I have not found a place in the Austin area that compares, if you know of one, tell me about it.



The girls and I went out to brunch last weekend to a wonderful place, Chez Zee, I had a tomato and goat cheese omelette that was to die for. The eggs were so fluffy they melted in my mouth. My friend Cat got the Creme Brulee French Toast, which is their signature item, it did not disappoint. If you have never been there I highly recommend going, we will definitely be going back.




Since the school semester is over I am hopefully going to find time to go see Twilight. I know I seem a little old to be dying to see this film but I read the whole series thus far and I am totally in awe with the whole Cullen clan and apparently I am not the only one. There is a group out there called Twilight Moms that caters to the older fans of the series and the movie.

So maybe in the next few weeks I will be able to blog more and maybe even finish Zach's room, since he has been living with half torn down wall paper, wish me luck.

Monday's football rant**BCS maddness...**

I would have done this earlier today, but finals are upon me and I have to study, blogging has been a procrastination tool though.

Does anybody else think that the BCS is screwed up. Why in the world is Texas playing Ohio State. I have no idea how they come up with the selections for the games but don't you think it would be easier if they would go by rank, you know #1 play #2 and #3 play #4. That way at least you would actually know who is the best team in college football. We should be playing Alabama, the Longhorns would probably get their butts kicked (sorry but it's a statistical fact) but at least they would be on the same level.

Right now I am thinking that the 'horns will go into this game too confident and you know what happens when they get too confident, look at the game against Tech and the last 2 years against the Aggies. So lets just hope and pray they have their heads on straight and go in their fighting and prepared because Ohio State is no walk in the park.

Oh and by the way what was going on with Romo yesterday, the Cowboys better get on the ball if they want to get in the playoffs. Phillips needs to watch out, Garrett will be in there faster than T.O. can run for the T.D.

Christmas Cookies Recipes.... Mexican Wedding Cookies

These cookies are always a favorite with my family and friends. They remind me of my childhood when I was visiting my mother's friend. Her family is the ones that taught my mom how to make the best Cheese Enchiladas and they always had these cookies whenever I visited.


Mexican Wedding Cookies

Makes: 4 dozen cookies

To ensure recipe success, do not use self-rising flour or vegetable oil spreads in this recipe.

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
5. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

A funny that I had to pass along

Why females should avoid a girls night out after they are married....(If this does not make you laugh out loud, you have lost your sense of humor.)

The other night I was invited out for a night with the "girls." I told my husband that I would be home by midnight, "I promise!" Well, the hours passed and the margaritas went down way too easily. Around 3 a.m., a bit loaded, I headed for home. Just as I got in the door, the cuckoo clock in the hallway started up and cuckooed 3 times.Quickly, realizing my husband would probably wake up, I cuckooed another 9 times. I was really proud of myself for coming up with such a quick-witted solution, in order to escape a possible conflict with him. (Even when totally smashed... 3 cuckoos plus 9 cuckoos totals = 12 cuckoos MIDNIGHT!) The next morning my husband asked me what time I got in, I told him "MIDNIGHT".. he didn't seem pissed off in the least. Whew, I got away with that one! Then he said "We need a new cuckoo clock." When I asked him why, he said, "Well, last night our clock cuckooed three times, then said "oh shit." Cuckooed 4 more times, cleared its throat, cuckooed another three times, giggled, cuckooed twice more, and then tripped over the coffee table and farted.

Christmas Cookies Recipes.... Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Since I am a firm believer in chocolate will make everything better, these cookies will make you feel divine. These are so ooey and gooey and oh so delightful.







Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar.

Warm and Comfy Food

I was looking for something for dinner tonight and I came across this recipe on Real Simple it looks very warm and comforting and since it is going to get cold in the coming days I thought I would pass it along. I think instead of the Kale I would use Fresh Spinach but that is all in a matter of taste.




Bean and Sausage Stew




1 tablespoon olive oil
1 13-ounce package chicken sausage links, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 19-ounce can white beans, drained
1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bunch kale
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Crusty bread (optional)

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, without stirring, until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn, add the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the beans, broth, and tomatoes and their juices. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.

Fold each kale leaf in half lengthwise and remove the stem by ripping or cutting it. Tear each leaf into large pieces. Add the kale to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with the salt and pepper and spoon into individual bowls. Serve with the bread (if using).

Christmas Cookies Recipes...Hidden Mint Cookies

This recipe is very easy and quick. They are extremely yummy though. I have used the regular sugar cookie dough or a chocolate cookie dough, it all depends on how much you like chocolate. Also instead of nuts sometimes I put crushed peppermints or candy cane pieces on top right out of the oven.


Hidden Mint Cookies

Prep Time:
8 min
Inactive Prep Time:
hr min
Cook Time:
10 min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
20 cookies

18-ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, sliced 1/4-inch thin
14-ounce package chocolate mint wafers
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, or enough to cover top of cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slightly grease a cookie sheet. Place slices of sugar cookies on sheet, about 2 to 3 inches apart. Top each with a chocolate wafer. Cover wafer with another slice of cookie dough. Brush dough with a beaten egg. Press nuts into top of dough. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Christmas Cookies Recipes.... Ginger cookies ~my Favorite~

I am sharing my christmas cookie recipes, these are the ones I pass out to friends and neighbors. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. My Ginger cookie recipes is from my friend, Natasha, she has since moved to New Orleans and she is missed.

Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup of flour
2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of ground cloves

375° oven for 8 minutes.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl separate from wet ingredients. Cream butter and gradually add sugar, beat until fluffy. Add egg and molasses mix thoroughly . Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix together. Chill dough for at least an hour. After dough is chilled shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. place them 1 inch apart on a parchment lined pan or use silpat. Cook for 8 minutes for crispy outside chewy inside. Enjoy.

Football Rant

Ok I know you all probably don't care about this but it is somewhat upsetting that The Longhorns did not get to go to the Big 12 Title game. I mean come on this was decided by a computer, what about the human factor. Texas did beat Oklahoma 45-35, yes I know that Oklahoma beat Texas Tech, but shouldn't the Longhorns have gotten a little bit of an edge for beating the Sooners. All that I know is that Missouri better beat Oklahoma so the Longhorns can go to the BCS Title Bowl. But lets not overshadow the win that the Longhorns had over A&M this weekend. Finally they have vindicated themselves from the last 2 years with a 49-9 win over the Aggies.

Here is a salute to the Longhorns for a great season, keep it up Guys, and Colt please stay one more year..