I also won a contest yesterday when I swiftly identified this picture as the ceiling of The Cheesecake Factory. I almost wish I was joking. I guess gazing up at the artfully decorated ceiling after consuming thousands of calories in cheesecake has finally paid off. I feel as if I have won the ultimate fat kid contest. Next, I shall shoot for winning a contest identifying cheeses through the sense of smell or possibly become a pizza taste tester for a living. The pie sky is the limit!
Hey Look, I Won a Contest!
I also won a contest yesterday when I swiftly identified this picture as the ceiling of The Cheesecake Factory. I almost wish I was joking. I guess gazing up at the artfully decorated ceiling after consuming thousands of calories in cheesecake has finally paid off. I feel as if I have won the ultimate fat kid contest. Next, I shall shoot for winning a contest identifying cheeses through the sense of smell or possibly become a pizza taste tester for a living. The pie sky is the limit!
When Gettin' the Blues is a Good Thing
Why, hello.
What to Wear?
Pink is Perfect.
Oh Martha, You Slay Me
Workout with Lilly!
Jump + Suit
The key to rocking a jumpsuit is how you accessorize. In this case, less is ALWAYS more. Each of the looks contain only one accessory. Don't layer your accessories when wearing a jumpsuit or you might look like an extra in a Juvenile music video. Here are some of my favorite jumpsuit looks!
I'm Paula Deen Y'all!
I am an awful cook. Okay, I'm maybe not the worst cook ever, but I am pretty bad. I have wanted to become a better cook for a while and thought today just might be the day to test my skills. Besides making a DISASTER of my kitchen and using every bowl, pan, and spatula I own, my creations turned out great! (And judging by my photoshopping above, I think I now know what I am going to look like when I am a grandma. I look way too much like Paula it's scary.)
Paula Deen was on Oprah the other day and it reminded me how much I love that woman! I figured that Paula's easy, southern, no fuss recipes would be a good place to start my culinary education. Since most of Paula's recipes could clog the arteries of a hippopotamus, I decided to make two of her son Bobby's "lighter" dishes. So, I chose to make Bobby's Lighter Cheesy Mac and Bobby's Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime. I altered the recipes slightly and they both turned out delicious!
Bobby's Lighter Cheesy Mac
Ingredients
4 cups cooked multigrain elbow macaroni, drained
2 1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low fat (1%) milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten (I used egg whites)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.
After the macaroni has been boiled and drained, add cheese while macaroni is still hot. Combine the milk, eggs, sour cream, mustard, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add to macaroni mixture. Pour into casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and oil in a small bowl until blended. Evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the macaroni and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bake, until the filling is hot and the topping is golden, 35 – 40 minutes.
Bobby's Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime
Ingredients
1 (3 1/2 lb) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
3 Tbs Dijon Mustard
1 Tbs Mayo
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 Lime
3/4 Tsp pepper
Salt to taste
Chopped parsley to garnish
Preheat the oven to 400. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayo, garlic, lime zest and juice and pepper. Season the chicken generously with salt. Pour the mustard-mayo mixture over the chicken, tossing well to coat. In a large baking pan, arrange the chicken in a single layer. Bake until it is cooked through; breasts take about 30 minutes and legs will need 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve the chicken with pan juices drizzled over top and garnished with chopped parsley.
Do you have any favorite Paula recipes? Let me know if you try these out! Happy cookin' y'all!
Hello Michael
I have been on the hunt for black gladiators with a wooden heel for quite some time now. (I guess that is a pretty specific thing to be "hunting" for but I have been none the less.) One of my favorite pairs of shoes that I have blogged about before are my Kristin Davis (of SATC, yes, she has a line for Belk) charcoal silver gladiator heels. I wear them all the time but knew it was time to find a similar black pair to give my Kristin's a rest. (Does the photo album under my shoes look a little familiar???)
While meandering through the aisles at TJ Maxx the other day I stumbled upon these beauts! Michael Kors never fails to craft beautiful kicks. (Minus his '90's platforms I have been seeing lately but we will forget about those...) I can not wait until Gainesville decides to stop acting so much like Alaska so I can finally wear them! Once I can venture outside my apartment sans Uggs I will definitely be rocking these with an outfit like this!
1: Michael Kors Watch ... 2: The Girls in Glasses Print ... 3: Peace Ring ... 4: Express Seam Back Legging Pant ... 5: Berry Branch Earrings ... 6: Michael Kors Gladiators ... 7: Tom Ford Jennifer Sunglasses ... 8: C&C California Tunic Shirt ... 9: Olive Hobo Clutch ... 10: Forever21 Sleeveless Cardigan
Unfortunately I can not find my Michael Kors heels anywhere on the internet, presumably because they have all scampered to your local TJ Maxx's! If you are in the market for some cute gladiators with wooden heels I have found some great buys!