Fall....

In order to fully appreciate this post you must understand this...I LOVE fall!  Fall isn't just a season...it's a lifestyle.  It's a lifestyle that I embrace as soon as the thermostat reads 75 degrees or less.  When news spread of the chilly weather this weekend, I wholeheartedly decided that the Fall lifestyle must begin!!!!  In celebration of fall, I'm sharing my favorite tea recipe.......Russian Tea.  This tea tastes like crisp air, toasty firesides, and delicious pumpkin desserts.  It is Fall in a mug I say.......and you need to make it....now!  Here is the recipe.

1 container Tang (orange drink mix)  I use a little less than one full container
1/2 cup instant tea
1/2 cup instant tea w/ lemon flavor
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp all spice
I double the spices because I'm crazy like that.....
Store in an airtight container

To make the tea....

Start to boil water in your tea pot..........or microwave...

Pull out your favorite mug.  (This step is very important.  Drinking tea from your favorite mug makes it so much better....)

 Pour 2-3 tsp. Russian Tea mix into mug.

Pour boiling water into mug.

Pair with favorite fall cookie (recipe to be posted soon...)

and enjoy.......

~Ashley~

Playing Catch Up....

Ok....I'm truly embarrassed....summer vacation means more time which means more blogging right?.........wrong. Not on the more time part but the more blogging part.  I failed.  As I was standing over the stove watching this start to boil, I realized that I cannot give up on my blogging endeavor.  So....let's play catch up!

Summer was incredible.  I was blessed with a wonderful job at church working with amazing people.


I had time to make this...

 

And these.....( I'll make you one...just ask!)

I discovered PINTEREST which led to this.....

and this....

I traveled here........

and cherished this................

I witnessed this.......

and loved this.....

As for now...I just read this....

and savored this.....

I'm busy with this...........

and am relaxing with this.....

And now you're caught up.  Until next time.....

~Ashley

Summa' Vacay!....and an awesome recipe!

I am delighted to announce....it is officially SUMMER VACATION!!!!!!!!  To celebrate, here is an awesome recipe (in my humble opinion).

Boneless Pork Chops with a White Wine Cream Sauce

White Wine Cream Sauce
1.  Chop up 1/2 onion and add it to a pot with 1/4 stick melted butter.

2.  Cook until onions are translucent.

3.  Add 1/2 cup of white wine.  I use whatever is on sale!

4.  After wine reduces by half, add about 1/2 cup of heavy cream.

5.  Let simmer on medium low heat for 2 minutes or so.  After two minutes, add a couple of handfuls of      parmesan cheese.

6.  Stir and let thicken for 5 minutes or so.  Once sauce is thickened...add the secret ingredient....worcestershire sauce.  Only a couple of dashes is needed!!!

To cook the pork....

1.  Salt and pepper boneless pork chops on both sides and cook on a "grill skillet".  (that's what I call it....maybe it has a professional name???)

I serve this dish with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach.  I have heard about the "steam in the bag" potatoes.  They look like this in the grocery store.

Now I have always been a "from scratch" kind of girl but I must say...these potatoes are easy and delicious!!!  Here is the final product...

So So So good!  Enjoy!

~Ashley

My dad....

When I was in elementary school I was known as a tom boy.  I can thank my dad for that.  If it weren't for my dad I wouldn't know how to throw a softball.  It's all in the step forward and the follow through.  I wouldn't know how to fish.   It's all in finding the right spot and having patience.  I wouldn't know how to pick out a good winter coat.  It's all in the down feathers.  My dad taught me those things.

When I was in middle school I asked my dad for homework help once.  When I got through with the problems and answered them all correctly, he made me do 10 more.  It was extremely annoying at the time.  Now I know that when I have children....they will absolutely do extra homework problems.  Just because you understand something the first time doesn't mean you can't learn something from doing it again.  My dad taught me that.

When I was in high school my dad required that I have a clean car.  As we all know...I'm not an organized person so this was an extremely hard task.  I never understood why my car "had" to be clean and how it would "better" my life.  Yesterday I just cleaned out my car and I finally understand what my dad wanted for me.  I literally feel at peace in my car knowing that the junk is cleared....and this cleanliness applies to all areas of life.  My dad taught me this.

 Happy Father's Day dad...I love you.

~Ashley

Just Call Me Aunt Ashley....

I have news.....BIG news people.  I'm an AUNT!!!!!!!  Never before have I loved a text message picture so much in my life.  My niece was born early.....Homegirl's picture message on my cell phone had me confused.....and then gasping for breath at the realization that homegirl was indeed my first niece.  Homegirl was ready to embrace the world and beautify it with her presence  It's amazing the love that instantly fills every cavity of my being....6 and some lb's of pure bliss.  Welcome to the world Caitlyn June!  Fun times are to come....you just wait!  Love, Aunt Ashley

She's Back.....and random thoughts on traffic.

I'm back!  Due to some "time commitments", I have been unable to (which means too lazy) to blog.  The time commitments are done and here I am...tanner and better than ever.

Yesterday my best friend convinced me to go to the beach for the day....not that I needed much convincing or anything.  I was warned that due to it being Memorial Day, traffic would be involved.  I, being the smart and wise woman that I am, decided that the traffic wouldn't be bad because everyone would want to be home grilling and having bbq's.  The ocean was calling my name and we went.  Our drive there was incredible.  Zero traffic, amazing landscapes, and awesome music.  Our day was even better.

It included this...

and this....

(for the record....I do not follow Nascar.  These were the only Ritz in the store ok!)

So like I said before, our day was awesome.  Then we had to leave......

40 minutes into the drive I was secretly thinking I was awesome.  We hadn't hit any traffic and I was planning my "I told you there wouldn't be traffic" speech.  Then......cars in front of me suddenly started stopping. Surely there was a red light or a stalled car in front of me.  There's no way I would be stuck on a two lane road 30 miles from the Bay Bridge!  Stuck we were......and not just stuck......we were stuck.  I'm talking 8 miles in one hour, moaning in agony/frustration, ac giving out because we weren't moving, delirious phone calls, uncontrollable fits of laughter/crying stuck.  We literally shouted our praises to the Lord when we finally passed a gas station with a bathroom.  The 15 people in line in front of us must have been that stuck too.

Oddly enough, though the drive back was terrible, today I see it through different/well rested eyes.  We may have been stuck, but we made it a good time.  Where else can you rock out to Lady Gaga, complete with voices and dance moves?  When else is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that was made in the car so delicious?  When else can you scream at the top of your lungs in public knowing that everyone around you is a) feeling your pain, and b) wanting to do the same thing?

Beach trips are most definitely in my future and while I am most certainly not asking to get stuck again, I now realize that it's not the worst thing in the world (as long as there is a bathroom in sight).

~Ashley

Mom

Today is a special day.  Yesterday was an unusually difficult day because of the importance of today.  Today's significance brought out years of pain in people...pain because of  lost mothers, lost relationships, and lost hope.  Yesterday made me realize how blessed I am.

My mom is pretty awesome.  She used to leave me little notes in random places around my room when I was feeling discouraged.  She still e-mails me telling me how proud she is of me.  It's amazing what an e-mail like that can make you feel.  We used to drive home from youth group and listen to Delilah on the radio.  Sometimes we made fun of her but mostly we loved her.  We still sit on the porch whenever we are together, talking, crying, and laughing.  Hours pass and it feels like no time at all.

When growing up, I knew the rules.  Those rules had consequences when broken and I am extremely grateful for that.  Whenever I have a tough decision to make, she always stresses the importance of making it myself.  She's a firm believer in learning from your mistakes.  She gives advice carefully and chooses her words wisely.  In high school when I was dating, she always said "Just be friends!"....an expression that I hated but now I completely understand.  Whenever I am upset or concerned, she is always there with a listening ear.  

I wish that I had her photo albums here.  I would post picture after picture.  One of my favorites is of the two of us on some vacation.  I think I am 3 and my mom is holding me while I'm climbing a tree.  Another favorite is of the two of us on my wedding day.  It is a candid shot and it captures a million emotions happening in a split second.

When I have children, I hope to be everything my mom was to me.  Those are some big shoes to fill.....Happy Mothers Day Mom.  

~Ashley

Cracker Barrel

We were driving down the road discussing thunderstorms, tornadoes, and the existence of tornado wall clouds...(which DO exist by the way...).  We started discussing what to have for dinner.  I suggested some kind of chicken.  My husband said he was up for anything.  My friend then said these incredible words..."You know, we are close to Cracker Barrel".  What a wonderful idea....

For those of you who don't know, Cracker Barrel is one of the best restaurants on earth.  It's true.  If you haven't been there...you need to go soon.  You should order the Chicken Tenders dinner with mashed potatoes, fried okra, and cole slaw....anyways....  Where else can you find rental audio books that you can return to any Cracker Barrel in the United States???  It's a road-trippers dream come true.  When we moved here, I was honestly sad because I didn't think Cracker Barrel's existed in the "north".  I have never been SO happy to be wrong.  Please go....you won't be disappointed.
~Ashley~

It's been a while....

So it's been a while since I last blogged.  What can I say...when it rains, it pours.  When I started this blog my plate was maybe a quarter full.  Now....even though it is not nearly full.... it is substantially fuller then it was when I started.  Speaking of raining....It looked like this today...

Not only was it raining...it was sleeting.  It's almost April in case you were wondering.

I decided to make one of my all time favorite "gross disgusting cold rainy/sleeting day" meals.  Chicken Pot Pie!  I've tried several recipes and created my own recipe from those.....here it is.....

1.   Chop up 2 pieces of celery, 2 carrots, and 1/2 onion.  Throw into a pot coated with olive oil and cook on medium heat until soft.

To slice up the celery and carrots, I use my hand held slicer.  I bought it from Home Goods and it has changed my life.  I think it was a whopping $3.00.  If you see one...buy it.  You won't regret it.

2. Add 2 tablespoons all purpose flour.

3.  Stir and let simmer for about a minute.  It will become very thick and pasty.  After stirring, add frozen peas (quantity based on how much you like peas).

4.  Add half a box of Swanson's chicken stock (it's sooooo good!)

5.  Let simmer for a few minutes.  If it's too thin, add a mixture of cornstarch and chicken stock. During this stage, add shredded chicken (not pictured...sorry...).   After letting it simmer for a few minutes, pour mixture into a pie dish.

6.  Cover pie dish with refrigerated pie crust.  I used Pillsbury because it was on sale....and also because it's delicious.

7.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until pie crust is golden brown.

8.  Refrain from eating right out of the oven because this stuff is HOT!  Let sit for a few minutes and then enjoy!!!!!

~Ashley

Chicken Bundles

As a quick preface.....

Last Sunday, my amazing friend made dinner for us.  She cooks every single night as part of her job and still decided to cook for us on her time off.  She made us Chicken Bundles and they were beyond delicious.

Back to present time now......

Today I arrived home, placed my shoes in my shoe basket (it's part of an organization thing that sometimes works) and heaved a sigh of relief.  I love the feeling of coming home.  Every time I walk through my door I thank God for providing me with such a wonderful home.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my job.  Home just has a wonderful homey feeling that nothing else compares to.  Coming home today was even better because it has been a crazy stressful two weeks and my husband comes home early on Wednesdays.  As I settled into my afternoon routine of reading my mail coupons and deciding whether I should run or sit on the couch and read blogs (guess which one I chose...), dinner started poking its way into my mind.  I love to cook and usually dinner is way to wind down but tonight I just wasn't feeling it.  That's when an amazing thought passed my mind.  My friend made too much of the filling for the chicken bundles and she saved it so we could make more later.....what an amazing revelation.  Chicken bundles are savory goodness wrapped up in a crescent roll and they taste like heaven.  I don't have the recipe she used but there are tons of recipes online.  Also, my camera battery is dead so I pulled up an online picture.  Prepare for your mouth to water....

(Photo Credit: Google images)

Such an easy delicious meal.  Enjoy!

~Ashley