crazy lazy

i think it's safe to say that we have been an experiencing a serious case of the mondays...and not just yesterday, more like the past few weeks.  we're gonna blame it on a few things (not that you really care to hear it) - family visits, rainy days, work craziness, lack of inspiration, catching up on all our favorite blogs, but come on, grow up sisses and get back at it. 

so today, the sun is hopefully here to stay and we're gonna make you proud. i don't think we realized that people really tuned into our little project. so thanks for knocking on our door and asking if anyone's home.

(photo credit - vi.sualize.us)

good day sunshine

spring is nature's way of saying, "let's party!"

- robin williams

oh hi, we're back. 

are you feeling a little taste of spring too?  sunshine never felt so good. 

(photo credit - vi.sualize.us)

cheesy delight: bacon, ranch and chicken mac and cheese

this month's cooking light magazine arrived in my mailbox last week and i felt like a fat kid hyped up on candy. i frantically tore through that bad boy, ooo-ing and aah-ing over every page, all while trying to catch the drool dripping from my mouth. this recipe immediately caught my eye because i obviously love ranch and bacon. the serving size is 2 cups and it rounds out to be about 500 calories.  you definitely don't need 2 cups to fill you up and when served with a side salad, its a great dinner option.  it's always nice to feel like you're eating something bad, even if you're not.

ingredients:

source: cooking light
8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
2 slices turkey bacon
8 oz chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1.5 cups skim milk
1/3 cup condensed 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup shredded six-cheese italian blend (such as Sargento)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
s&p
1/2 cup shredded colby-jack cheese

directions:
cook pasta according to package directions; drain. cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. finely chop bacon; set aside. increase heat to medium-high. add chicken to drippings in pan and sauté 6 minutes or until done. melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. add italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and s&p, stirring until cheese melts. stir in pasta and chicken.

preheat broiler. spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-jack cheese. broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
 

(photo credit - cookinglight.com)

two sisses. one conclusion.

and make that the same exact sentiment.
real conversation between us earlier this afternoon:

katie (2:58:08 PM): i love cottage cheese
kelly (2:58:12 PM): ditto
katie (2:58:15 PM): not on the thighs
kelly (2:58:16 PM): just not on my a$$ or legs
kelly (2:58:19 PM): hahahaahah
katie (2:58:20 PM): or the rump
kelly (2:58:27 PM): same humor sis
katie (2:58:30 PM): but in a bowl with cantalope and blueberries
katie (2:58:36 PM): we should put this in a post
katie (2:58:42 PM): you know your sisses when...
kelly (2:58:47 PM): and be like look at the time stamp
kelly (2:58:51 PM): 1 second apart
katie (3:01:51 PM): should i do an image of cc or twins
kelly (3:01:57 PM): haha
kelly (3:01:59 PM): hmmm
kelly (3:02:04 PM): cc
katie (3:02:22 PM): i wish i could find a pic of twins eating cc
kelly (3:02:59 PM): found one!!
kelly (3:03:01 PM): http://media.ebaumsworld.com/2006/07/cottagecheese.jpg
katie (3:03:49 PM): oh my god no
kelly (3:03:57 PM): hahaha im joking

the phony patty: spicy black bean burgers

i got this recipe from one of my favorite foodie blogs, good things catered. i love veggie burgers because they are a great substitute to the real thing and still leave you feeling satisfied. the flavor combination in these babies was spot-on. the spicy chili garlic sauce is a must - i think i might add more next time though. try this recipe next time you're feeling the need to veg out.

ingredients:
2 (14oz) cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed well
1/2 medium yellow onion
1/2 large green pepper, seeds discarded
2 large garlic cloves
1 medium carrot
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon spicy chili garlic sauce (add more if you like it hot)
1 egg
1/4 c. herbed bread crumbs

directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment. in bowl of food processor, add onion, green pepper, carrot and garlic. pulse to combine well and mince ingredients. remove from food processor bowl and place in fine mesh strainer to strain off excess liquid. in medium to large bowl, place rinsed and dried black beans and smash into paste with fork. add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. using hands, shape mixture into place bun-sized patties and place onto baking sheet. bake for 25-30 minutes, or until edges have crisped up and burgers are cooked through. we topped the burgers with tomato, avocado and lettuce, but feel free to add anything you like - brother added cheddar cheese and sour cream because he thought they smelled like tacos (from the cumin).  i also served roasted garlic potatoes on the side. eat up!

(photo credit - goodthingscatered.blogspot.com)

snow in the city

it looks like jumbo marshmallows are falling out of the sky right now.
stay warm, lovies.

(photo credit - roleplayerguild.com)

gold medal for the bronzer

sweet lady petty recently complimented on me looking tan...errr whattt?  thanks babe, but you sure you got the right girl?  i'm gonna chalk this one up to the brick.  no spray tan, no fake and bake, no tinted moisturizer, just bobbi.  four stars.

(image credit - bobbibrowncosmetics.com)

hearty for the party: creamy pesto gnocchi with green beans and ricotta

earlier this week, big ken wanted to have brother and me over for dinner. naturally, i offered to whip something up. but let me tell you - feeding these boys is no easy task. they are both famously picky and usually won't go near anything that resembles a vegetable or is green. the dinner turned out to be a success with both men going back for seconds. the recipe couldn't be simpler and is a perfect one to keep in your repertoire for those busy nights. if you are thinking about leaving out the ricotta - don't do it.  it really helped to break down the richness of the creamy pesto and added a new layer of flavor. you can also switch up the green beans for any vegetable you like - spinach, peas, zucchini.

ingredients:

source: real simple
1 pound fresh gnocchi
2 cups pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
8-ounce container store-bought pesto
1/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta
s&p

directions:
cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. drain and return them to the pot. meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. add the green beans and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain. add the pesto and cream to the gnocchi and cook over medium heat, stirring, just until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. divide among bowls and top with the green beans, ricotta, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. serve with a light caesar salad to finish the meal off.

side note: the battery in my camera died this week and, of course, the charger is no where to be found.  this week, i'll have to post the original images of the recipes, not my own re-creations. i apologize for anyone who has fallen hard for my photography skills. ha.

(photo credit - realsimple.com)

need a roommate?

i want to be dropped into this home and play house. can't you see me living here?  great inspriation for the dreamhome someday.

(photo credits - styleathome.com)

i've got it!

ahem, i have it figured out, boys and girls -

the key to your man's heart...

...a meat and cheese plate.

the key to your woman's heart...

...finding some silly flowers that your silly girlfirend saw on some silly blog and picking them up for her one day.

all this makes for this good stuff...

yep, barf now.

seeing double?

not sure if you noticed but old faithful has some stiff competition these days.  and i'm loving it.  starting with lands end - who would've thought?  some of their new stuff, particuarly their new canvas line, truly mimcs all that is j.crew. see the resemblance?

dig it?

(photo credits - landsend.com)

this week in the kitchen

this week's recipes might seem a little over indulgent, but i actually plan to use lighter ingredients to make these dishes healthier.  so don't worry about about feeling guilty for eating them!  i'll also be serving lots of veggies alongside to even things out!

creamy pesto gnocchi with green beans and ricotta

spicy black bean burgers
bacon, ranch, and chicken mac and cheese

stay tuned to see how it turns out, foodies.

(photo credit - visualize.us)

for the newly engaged

any newly engaged couples on your horizon?  it's the best kind of news and deserves a sweet little token of congratulations.  here are a few of my go-to suggestions.

a tote bag with their new monogram.  particuarly loving this one

an elephant for good luck and for the rings

and some cozy, fuzzy socks to keep their footsies warm on the way to the aisle

(photo credits - exposureonline.com, jcrew.com, redenvelope.com)

the color purple

in the spirit of my birth month and it's vibrant birth stone...let's get some purple going.  i managed to round up some acceptable, quite lovely home decor showing off the shade.

and then the one purple exterior that i adore.  i hope my landscaping looks just like this someday.

(photo credits - 30elm.com, flickr.com, housebeautiful.com, myfavoriteandmybest.blogspot.com)

classic sis

apparently, sis was reported saying this today -

"he is seriously the dip to my chip."

only kelly would refer to a potential lobster in the form of her favorite snack food.  now, i need to know who the lucky guy is???  hmmmmm...

(photo credit - flickr.com)