Bacon Fudge, yes you read that right! AKa, clogged artery dessert

So I found this interesting dessert recipe online and thought I'd try it. Well I tried a bite and that was it. I think some people would love this, but as a person whose not a big bacon fan, this one wasn't for me.

What you will need:

3 c semisweet chocolate chips

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 pinch of salt

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. heavy whipping cream

9 oz milk chocolate (chopped). I just bought milk chocolate chocolate chips

12 slices bacon ( I used turkey bacon)

1 pinch salt

1. For fudge, melt chocolate chips (semisweet) in sauce pan over very low heat. When chips are nearly melted, stir in the condensed milk until the mixture is very smooth and creamy. Then add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Pour the mixture into a 9x9 inch pan and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

2. For ganache topping, place heavy cream and milk chocolate into the top of a double boiler pan over simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and pour ganache over the chilled fudge in an even layer. Return to fridge for at least 2 more hours.

3. Slice bacon into 1/2 inch squares and place in a large, deep skillet and fry until crisp, about 10 mins. I baked mine at 350 for about 20 minutes until crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

4. Spread bacon bits over the ganache layer, pressing bacon lightly into the fudge. Return to fridge, chill until bacon is cooled, at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares. Enjoy. 

I actually think mixing the bacon in with the second layer of fudge would be better. Or make this fudge without the bacon, it's yummy!

Indian Crockpot Chicken

So I tried this new recipe today. It was from Blanche's Blog. She called it butter chicken, but to me it had a strong Indian scent and flavor so I renamed it! ;-)

What you will need:

1/2 c. cashews 

2 tsp garam masala (find it with all the other spices)

2 tsp coriander powder (I used the little corriander balls and they have great flavor)

1/2 tsp chili powder

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tsp sesame or peanut oil

1/4 c. melted butter

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp ground ginger

Pinch of cinnamon and cardamom powder

1 small onion chopped into small pieces

3/4 c chicken stock

1/2 c. tomato paste

1/2 c yogurt or sour cream (I used sour cream)

1 c milk

1/4 c cream

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce

1/2 tsp salt

Smash cashews with a hammer and add to large, nonstick frypan (I did not smash mine and they were very soggy).

Add garam masala, corriander, and chili powder to pan, stir and brown nuts and spices until you see a little smoke and then remove. Place in a bowl and set aside:

In the same pan, heat oil on med-high and sear chicken on both sides

Place chicken in the bottom of slow cooker

Then add melted butter, cashew mixture, paprika, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom powder

Then add finely chopped onion to same pan, saute'

Then add chicken stock, tomato paste, and sour cream or yogurt, stir and combine

Then stir in milk and cream

Add vinegar, Thai Chili sauce, and salt

Add pan mixture to crock pot and stir.

For more flavor leave this mixture in fridge overnight. You do not have to do this.

Cook chicken in slow cooker for 6-7 hours on low. 

I served mine with white, sticky rice and soy sauce. Other options are Basmati Rice with some Roti or pappadams.

Enjoy!

Hashbrown Casserole

So this is my yummy hashbrown casserole

What you will need:

10c Frozen Hashbrowns

1 regular sized bag shredded cheddar cheese (I use Colby Jack)

1 12oz tub of sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. milk

1.5 c Corn Flakes (you can crush them or leave them whole)

1/4 c melted butter

2 TBSP melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

add 1/4 c of melted butter to bottom of  9x13 casserole dish

then add 5c of hashbrowns

Mix together soup, sour cream, and milk and add half of mixture over hashbrowns

Add 1/2 bag of cheese 

add remaining hashbrowns

add remaining soup mixture

add remaining cheese

top with corn flakes

drizzle with 2 TBSP melted butter

Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes

Enjoy!

Meatloaf, Me..no way!!

So I HATE Meatloaf! And of course, Jared loves it. So for me to make it would be extremely surprising for him...so I did it! I found a recipe that sounded good and tweaked it a little and I surprised him. He was a happy man!

This is the pre-done stage!

What you need:

1.5 lbs hamburger

2 eggs beaten

1/4 c. Ketchup

3/4 c. of Herb Seasoned dry stuffing mix

1/2 package of dry ranch seasoning (I used a whole pack)

1 6oz can of french friend onions

and I also added 1.5 TBSP of minced garlic

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In large bowl (or your kitchen aid, if you're blessed like me), combine everything and mix well

Shape mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan

Bake covered loosely with tin foil, for 50 or 60 minutes. Mine too about 80 minutes in a convection oven.

Had to cut the middle to make sure there was no pink. After 50 minutes there was a lot of pink still.

Finish meal! I also made hashbrown casserole with this, that recipe to follow soon.

Now, I am trying to come up with a nice topping for the meatloag and it'd be better. Surprising enough, I liked it!

As of lately...

So if you haven't noticed I haven't blogged much lately and now tonight I am overloading you!! I figured I'd throw in a blog of what I've been doing lately as well!

So mostly, what I've been up to is working working working! This is me and Lindsey at work in the dark hours of the night. You can see the board behind us, it lists all the patients, not names of course, that are in the ER. So you can see we weren't too busy to stop and pose! I've been putting in all my hours, plus some since we have lots of needs from people being sick, people quitting, etc...So I fully enjoy my days off!

So when I do have a day off, I tend to be up all hours of the night because I'm so used to it. So I bake, cook, clean, work out, etc...all in the graveyard hours! Good thing Jared is a sound sleeper!! I can even vaccum when he's sleeping! :-) Above is a picture of some fruitty pebble bars I made the other morning at 3am! YUM! I also made Fet.Chicken Alfredo that night too!! I knew I wasn't going to feel like cooking supper the following night before work, so I just got it all done at 3am instead! As well as working out, cleaning, and cleaning out my freezer, a much needed task to be done!!

Lately, I've done very well with the whole working out/losing weight thing. I decided to splurge and buy a whole lotta cute work out clothes, but only in a size small! Let me tell you, the first few weeks, I wasn't looking so cute in these clothes, but the motivation to look good in them was sky high. Now, 11lbs lighter, I am starting to look better in them. By this summer, I am hoping to be able to wear them when I run outside! I've been running/power walking on the treadmil every day for 45 minutes and doing the Biggest Loser Body Boot Camp...OUCH!! It's been working though and I feel great. I haven't really changed my diet. I don't believe in diets, but I just pay more attention to my portions is all! So far, so good. I'm hoping to get back into a bikini this summer.

Other than that, Jared and I are back to working on the house. We decided we definately are not going to have a wedding this year (no,we're not engaged, yet...) so our priority is our house. We don't want to be stuck at home every weekend again this summer working on it, so we're getting started now and hopefully it'll get done sooner than later. Of course there is always a new project we come up with that we want to do too. Our master bathroom is getting closer and closer!! I'm getting more and more anxious! Then we have to insulate the garage, finish the wiring in the garage, hang the dry wall and shelves, then onto the basement, finishing trim work, the 3rd bathroom (that'll be great to have down there) and then we'll be mostly done, other than small little things Jared thinks he wants to do.

Anyway, now I'm just blabbing! I'm bored at work. I'm not complaining, i'd rather be bored than swamped, but I better stop writing about nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if no one reads these anyway! Ha, but if you do...Keep wondering.

Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts Concert...

So this year for Valentines Day our present to each other was concert tickets! Darius Rucker (my secret lover) and Rascal Flatts came to Sioux city!

This was the stage for Darius...man, I loved him before the concert, seeing him live, I think we can safely change love to infatuated! ;-) I swear he winked at me ;-)

Rascal Flatts rocking the guitars!

Darius came back out for the Encore and joined RF! Great great concert!

We also ran into several friends that came down from Sioux Falls too, so it was an extra special night! We did something special before this concert too, but you'll have to wait for future blogs to find out what that was!! Until then, keep wondering...

Family time :-)

So we got to go spend some time with my family this past weekend! It's always so good to see them, but I just hate leaving them. We are seriously considering moving closer to them within a few years!

These are two of my neices, Olivia 9 and Langston 17 months. Langston has learned to smile at the camera now, but at this point she was too entertained by the "Singing Catch Phrase Game".

So Langston likes Beer!! Just kidding, but she does like the cans. Pictures don't get more redneck than this!! It was empty if that makes any of you feel better and we did not let her put it to her mouth. Lil' Stinker!

Here's me and Langston! She's also my Goddaughter, so I have to admit she's got a very special place in my heart! She's just so damn cute! I wish she would have been looking in this picture. It was taken with my phone though and she's not quite sure how that works yet. I did get some very cute ones on the regular camera, you can find those on my facebook page.

This is my newest neice Ella, who was born at the end of November. She's such a little chubber! Her cheeks are as bad as mine were (still are). She's growing so fast!

So Jared and I got a huge dose of birth control on Sunday morning. We agreed to babysit the two babies while everyone else went to church! Unfortunately, both of them are sick and were not happy. Poor Ella woke up screaming, so I got her up, changed her and rocked her back to sleep while Jared was in the shower and Langston was watching cartoons. After that, Langston snuggled up with me on the couch and was very content! Suddenly, Ella began to scream again, since Langston was so content, I yelled for Jared to get Ella. He did so well, but I felt so bad for him. He tried everything I told him to try and she was screamin bloody murder. So, I traded him! Unfortunately, Langston wanted her auntie, so she started screaming when I handed her over to Jared...it was chaos!! Both lil' ones crying their heads off, it was quite the experience, but we finally managed to get it under control...all without screaming at eachother. I'm positive we are not ready for 2 kids so close in age, but I think we can handle one...after the wedding bells ring of course!!

We didn't get to leave Sioux City until about 430pm on Friday afternoon when Jared got off work. I drove, so we made good timing. We got to my Brother's house just before 10pm. My mom and step dad were already there waiting for us too! The older kids did not know we were coming, so we surprised them!! I got the best hugs ever from them! The looks on their faces were priceless. The best part was that morning, Jackson (my nephew) was looking at a card I had sent him recently and then Kari (my sister in law) said he looked sad and she asked him why, he said, "nothing, I just wish we could see Marggie again". Little did he know, his wish was going to come true...perfect timing!! Gosh I love those kids!

So the kids went off to bed and us adults watch a movie and played a game and called it a night!

Saturday morning, Kari, Olivia, and I, went to gymnastics practice in a town about a half hour away (Decorah, where we are thinking about moving, key words are thinking about). It was so good to see Olivia practicing!! :-) We then met everyone at the bowling alley for pizza and bowling. We also indulged in appetizers!! After a few games of bowling (Kari kicking our butts) and lots of food we were off for home. The funniest part is later Jackson said, "I like bowling in Decorah better, they give you free pizza and pitchers of pop!" Yup Jack, it's all free!! Hahaha, to be a kid again!

So working nights definately has its downfalls. By the time we got home, I was spent, so Olivia and I took a 3 hour nap while the boys went hunting!! Kari had invited two of her brothers and their wives out to play some games and have some drinks with us. We played Quelf. If you've never played, I highly suggest doing so, it's hilarious! We had numerous drinks and laughs and then of course, I was tired again, so off to bed I went! What a great night though!

Sunday we babysat in the morning...again, what a great experience! ;-) Seriously, I'd do it all again, I love those little girls!

In the afternoon we met my parents in New Hampton and then followed them an hour to Mason City where we visited my little step sister. She's in a place for behavioral issues right now and it was so good to see her. She's changed a bit and she's growing so fast! I can't believe she's already 12. After the visit, we pigged out on some lunch with my parents (no, this weekend was not good for my diet) and then hit the long road home. Jared drove the whole way and I slept of course!! :-) Fast trip home for me, but he was sure spent when we got home. We watched a movie in bed, The Last Castle. It was so good we both stayed up almost making it through the whole thing and then we were both out!!

So needless to say...grrrrreat weekend!