Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Roasted Veggie Sandwiches with Fresh Mozzarella & Quinoa Salad
Tuesday:  Grilled Chicken and Spinach, Apple & Feta Salad w/ Glazed Carrots
Wednesday:  Date night!
Thursday:  Italian Chicken w/ Red sauce and Salad
Friday:  Shrimp Linguine with side salad

Happy Birthday Paul (Bunky)!

Paul and Ruth w/ my parents!

Happy Birthday to my Father-In-Law!

Like I mentioned at Ruth's birthday, I've been incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful in-law family!  I've been so blessed by the way our dads have become very close friends in a short period of time.  It's been so special to see that friendship form as you two share so many fun things together from Mustangs to house DIY projects.  You are such a caring person and always make me laugh.  I love your constant energy and enthusiasm! 

Hoping today feels special and you are doing something fun to celebrate.  So glad we got to be with you last weekend and looking forward to seeing you later this month! :)

Have a happy happy day!

If Walls Could Talk....

We FINALLY framed some of our wedding prints to hang in our home.  Yes, we spent an arm and a leg on the custom framing but I LOVE how they turned out.  Thanks to Catherine, we had a deadline to finally get a few things crossed off of our list! These pictures do not do them justice at all, but at least you can see how our little casa is coming together.  I love having these special memories hanging all over our house. 

More to come on house updates soon! :)

PS- A special shout out to my picture hanger extraordinaire!

One of my very favorite pics in the breakfast nook complete with flowers from B

Front entryway looking into the dining room

Man, I really need to work on my photography skills.  I better get to that 2011 Goal List soon!

In the Valley of the Sun with the Wednesdays...

I cannot wait to see some of these ladies tonight!  Hip Hip Hooray!!!!

Four Years Ago Today....

...Blake took me on a date that changed everything.

After a reunion at Lauren Brown's first annual Thanksgiving Party, Blake apparently felt some sparks.  :)  He said we had a particularly long hug.  I can't seem to recall that hug, but he was definitely the cutest guy at the party. 

Blake moved to Austin that winter and called a few weeks later to see if I wanted to have dinner.  We went to Hyde Park Bar and Grill and on to the Blanton Museum afterwards.  I was pretty oblivious that I was on a date, and thought I was Blake's tour guide for his stint in Austin.  He still stands by the fact that he was pretty clear about it being a date.  Jury is still out.  We kept hanging out that semester when he wasn't at the race track and I wasn't busying studying.  I drug him to countless sorority events and let him re-live college during my final semester at UT.  Always a good sport.  :)

After a couple of months in Austin, we knew we had something special.  Long distance was unavoidable and we thought we were up for giving it a try.  We said goodbye here, only to find ourselves coming back to the city we started dating in four years later!



Separated by way too many miles, we did a lot of this....

And had a lot of long distance dates ....

That finally led to this....

Which led to this.....

 And I couldn't be happier. 

Four years ago, the last thing I expected was to start dating my future husband.  Burned and discouraged about dating, I had swarn it off, ready to head to Phoenix for a new start.  God had other plans.  He carefully prepared us for marriage.  It felt painfully slow and at times was extremely hard.  But now, looking back I see incredible purpose in His timing.  Ahh to rest in the fact that God is sovereign over all.  Praise Him for his providence. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Kale & White Bean Chicken Soup

Photo taken from Realsimple.com

I had this one on the menu a few weeks back and never got around to making it.  I whipped up a pot before church on Sunday and we enjoyed it to unwind our weekend and get ready for the week.  It feels like soup season is nearing an end here in Texas, but if you are still enjoying some chilly weather, give this one a shot! 

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced or if you don't have that available you can use the kale stems for crunch
1 large onion, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1 32 oz container of chicken broth
4 C water
2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed  (Can also use Northern)
1 cup small soup pasta, such as tubettini, ditalini, or orzo (4 ounces)  - I used spiral whole wheat pasta
1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (8 cups)
2.5 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (2 ounces), plus 1 piece rind (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Chicken Breasts

Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, celery (or chopped stalk), onion, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the beans, pasta, kale, rosemary, 4 cups of broth and 4 cups water, and Parmesan rind.  Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until the pasta and kale are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Cook chicken (I boiled mine) and chop into bite sized pieces.
Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the chicken, lemon juice and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan before serving. Serve with bread.

**Inspired, Modified & Adapted from Real Simple

Menu Plan Monday

No Menu Plan Monday this week since I'm on the road for work. I've give you a full recap of all the things I got to enjoy out to eat this week when I get back.

**UPDATE**

Flights and conference in Minneapolis were canceled due to 18" of snow!  Here is our tentative menu for the week - still might be traveling the later part of the week though.....

Monday:  Pecan Crusted Chicken over salad
Tuesday:  Asian lettuce wraps
Wednesday:  GC group!
Thursday:  Grilled chicken, tomato/mozzerella salad and green beans
Friday:  Catherine & Joe's rehearsal dinner

Have a great week!

Happy Birthday Mom!

You are an amazing woman.  Still to this day, I look up to you and admire you.  You are my dearest friend and I'm so grateful for our special relationship.  You are incredibly beautiful inside and out - eventhough you don't always believe us when we tell you that.  You're smart, talented, caring and incredibly hardworking.  You are a woman of God.

I am so happy to be able to be with you today.  Hoping you feel loved, celebrated and so special today! 

Happy Birthday Mom!  I love you!

Can you believe all these birthdays in one week!? 

Happy Birthday Ruth!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful mother-in-law!  I'm so so so blessed with amazing in-laws. 

You have made me feel so loved and welcomed as I joined your family.  Thank you for loving me and caring for me so well.  I admire your creativity, your compassion for others and the way you are such a servant.  You are an incredible woman and raised a wonderful son.  I am thankful for you!

I hope your day is fabulous.  So happy to get to celebrate you in person this year! 

Have a happy happy day! Love you!

Happy Birthday Blake!

Happy birthday to my sweet husband, Blake.  

Hoping your day is simply as wonderful as you are. 

You are the best husband I could ask for you.  You never stop making me laugh, thinking deeply with purpose, or guding and leading me with grace and humility. 

I love every moment I get to spend with you, laughing, eating, loving, walking, running, biking, sleeping, praying, talking, driving, cooking or being goofy together.  I can't wait to see the way the Lord will continue to shape you and shape us together this year.  

Happy Birthday!  I love you! 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Mushroom Risotto (Part II)

I had felt really intimidated by risotto before I had ever made it before, but then read Jenna's blog and got some encouragement up to give it a shot.  It's a suprisingly simple preparation, just takes a bit of time and elbow grease to make it all come together.  Stir, Stir, Stir.  Thankfully, cooking is my way to decompress at the end of a day and this recipe worked like a charm.  Just as good as any glass of wine or hot bath :) 

In the spirit of having more vegetarian meals during our week I picked Portobellos for the mushrooms to have a hearty and "meaty" component.  You could add chicken, shrimp, etc.  if you wanted a protien. This would be satisfying as either entree or side dish.  It's pretty affordable, yet indulgent too.  Have I sold you on this one yet? 

This dish was inspired from a Bride and Groom cookbook we recieved from a wedding shower.  Here's my version below. 

2 T Olive Oil

1 diced yellow onion
1 pound Portobello mushrooms - bite sized
1 T minced garlic
1 T thyme
1 cup Arborio rice

4 C broth (I used chicken)

1/2 C White Wine

2 C Spinach

1 T butter

1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

Saute the onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until soft. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook a couple minutes then add and sauté the mushrooms with the onions. Stir in the rice and cook with vegetables and seasonings.  Add the wine and stir until it has reduced and soaked into the wine.  In another sauce pan, heat the broth until it simmers.  Start adding the broth quarter cup at a time. Stir well and adjust your burner so the broth simmers. Each time the broth cooks down to a thick sauce, stir in another half cup, until the broth is gone and the rice is soft.  Stir in 2 C of fresh spinach until wilted.  When the rice is done, stir in the cheese and butter. Salt and pepper the risotto to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan on top.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Stuffed Chicken (Part I)

This week we had two big winners that turned out pretty darn good (if I say so myself).  I couldn't decide on which one to share, so I thought I would share both.

The stuffed chicken that we have come up with is a really simple prep and is somewhat of a flexible recipe that you can change up, depending on what is in your fridge or pantry.  It can be a bit tricky if you aren't a very patient person (I lack skills in that department) because it can take a while to bake since it's stuffed with yummy goodness. Besides patience, this recipe doesn't take too much skill and can be a crowd pleaser that's almost guaranteed to impress. This is another one that's mostly kept in my head - so here's my best effort at writing it out.

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breast  - Boneless & Skinless
1/4 C (ish) of a creamy herbed cheese (I like boursin - you could also use some cream cheese if that's all you had and add some of your favorite seasonings)
Small handful of diced onion
1 C Frozen or Fresh Spinach Chopped
4-6 Sundried Tomatoes chopped
Small handful of shredded cheese (I like mozzarella or Parmesan)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
The most important part of this recipe is to POUND OUT your chicken breast!  I like to sandwich the breasts in between 2 pieces of saran wrap and give it a go with my meat mallet.  Such a good way to de-stress after a long day!  In a small mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, vegetables and seasonings.  Stir together until slightly creamy, but not too dry.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and spread half of the mixture on top of the breast.  Roll up breasts and secure with toothpicks.  Season the outside of the chicken. Bake at 400 for approximately 30 minutes in a foil lined baking dish.  Ensure that it's cooked all the way through - it will take longer than you think!

You could add sliced mushrooms, artichoke, olives, fresh basil, tomatoes, different kinds of cheeses, etc. to switch it up.  A surprisingly easy, yet gourmet tasting, weeknight meal!

Recipe #2 of the week coming soon!

My Forever Valentine

Valentines Day 2009 - Scottsdale, AZ

Is the person I trust the most in this world. 

Is someone who I can be totally me with. 

Makes me feel beautiful everyday.  

Is the person I always want to be around and it never gets old.  

Encourages me, respects me and constantly lifts me up.  

Has been the best thing that ever happened to me, becoming his wife this year.

Is truly my best friend and confidant, as trite as it sounds.  

Points me towards Jesus day after day. 

Is going to be enjoying a home cooked candle-lit meal tonight with his forever date.  

No frills, just him and me. 

Isn't going anywhere.  And that's the best part. 

Disclaimer:  Thanks for letting me love vomit all over this page.  I realize Valentines can be such a silly day and I'm really not a huge fan.  That said, this is what the day is supposed to mean, not roses, chocolates and teddy bears.  I'm blessed by Blake and thankful each day that the Lord has brought us together.  He's more than I deserve. My heart is full and happy.  Thanks again (wink).

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's cooking in our kitchen this week!

Monday: Pork Tenderloin & Sauteed Kale with Lemon and Parmesean & Cous Cous & candlelight :)
Tuesday:  Our version of Chipotle Burrito Bowls
Wednesday:  Quiche & Salad
Thursday:  Blake's Bday Dinner (his choice!)  Steak, Mac & Cheese and Broccoli
Friday:  Birthday celebration with the MOMs!

Birthday Roadtrip for B

Saturday we decided to take a much needed day off of work to take a getaway to a place on our "Texas Bucket List" as a pre birthday celebration for B.  We had thought about taking a road trip somewhere but are quickly realizing being back in Texas, that getting out of the state is easier said than done.  We miss that about AZ.

We slept in that morning and got a late start on the road with just enough time to stop in Lockhart for some BBQ.  This town is supposedly famous for their Texas BBQ and have multiple well known smoke houses and meat markets to get your carnivore fix.  B chose Black's BBQ.  I think he chose wisely.

We walked in and saw dozens of options for serve yourself sides to choose from.  From creamed corn, mac and cheese to cornbread dressing and even sweet potato casserole.  The meats were cut for you on the spot.  We sampled some brisket and sausage and decided to go for a little of both.  The brisket was by far the best thing we had.  The place was a legit Texas BBQ experience, complete with old pics and road signs adorning the wall.  Our booth had a picture of Colt McCoy, Jordan Shipley and Stephen McGee from their visit together in 2006.

Happy Husband about to be very full

With full bellies, we climbed back into the car and headed about an hour down the road to Shiner, Texas.  Living out of state for the past several years, we always were on the hunt for Shiner on tap and it was a special treat when you could get your hands on it.  It's always been one of my favorites, maybe because it's a Texas beer, maybe because it's really a great beer. :)

We got a full tour of the brewery.  The most fascinating part was seeing the bottling process.  Being in the CPG industry, I found it particularly interesting.  Yes, nerdy I know.   Outside it smelled like freshly baked sweet bread.  Yum.

We traded our wooden nickels in for 4 tastings.  Our favorite was by far the Shiner 102, an anniversary brew.  Not sure what makes it a "Double Wheat" beer, but it was smooth, easy to drink and oh so good. Stock up if you see it, it's only in a limited production.  Shiner, Texas was a success.

Saturday night we entertained at our casa with a bunch of friends and family to celebrate him again.  I love love love to stretch birthday celebrations out as long as possible.  Blake was a master griller and made some killer burgers.  The night was filled with good friends, good beer, a fire pit, a few games of bags, bocce ball and even a 7 pound chocolate cake!

Can't wait to keep the celebrations going for my hubby!  I love birthdays!  AND I love him!

This was a good week....

I can't believe Friday is already here!  This week flew by, but it's definitely been a good one. I don't usually sing the praises of my Monday-Fridays but this one was a good one.  I also know that this week is usually about my non-work life - but I wanted to share the great work week I had as well....

Sunday was spent catching up from the fun weekend and then spending some much needed down time with B since I kicked him out of the house all weekend for girls time.  He was such a good sport.  :)  We headed to church later that afternoon and then joined some friends for a Superbowl Party and indulged in some junk food.  My Superbowl highlights were the Usher cameo during the Black Eyed Peas halftime show and watching the hilarious commericals. 

Monday was a busy work day after having multiple distractions the week prior due the power outages and snow.  It felt good to check a lot off my to do list.  That night I made tasty dinner and we enjoyed a glass of wine too and just had some one on one time to catch up. Our sweet friend, Tina, joined us later too.  SO glad she came over! 

Tuesday morning I headed out early to a team meeting in San Antonio.  We stayed at Hotel Valencia on the Riverwalk.  A really productive meeting filled with good brainstorming sessions, team building and goal setting.  I love feeling motivated and energized to go be my best after meetings like that.  That evening, we went to the San Antonio rodeo to see Reba and eat tons of fair food.  I think I gained 20 pounds this week between the Rodeo and the Superbowl!  The best thing we ate was a fried PB&J.  YUM!

Wednesday we wrapped up our meeting session and then I drove back to Austin.  Blake and I had a nice dinner at home and then he headed off for his small group.  I had some awesome time with the Lord.  It's amazing how just being alone will quiet my heart and allow me to focus on Jesus.  I sipped on some decaf coffee and read cozied up under a blanket.  Just what I needed.  Why don't I do it more and more and more and more?  God's working on me in discipline and consistency.  Thank you Lord for grace.

Thursday evening was my night for small group.  We met for the first time last week, but had the full group this time around.  I am so blessed by the honesty, vulnerability and love of this group.  It's going to be a good one.  I know it.  A couple weeks back I wrote about craving the intimacy of the girls group I had in AZ.  Look what the Lord has now abundantly blessed me with!  He.  Is.  Good. 

And today, Friday, we both decided to take the day off to head to Shiner, Texas for a pre-birthday celebration for B.  I know we will be enjoying some BBQ and Beer and most of all eachother.  I love our roadtrips!  Can't wait to tell you about it when we get back!  Pre-Valentines dinner tonight too.  I can't wait to try this place....I've wanted to go there for years!  Yay for celebrations!

Here's to a great week and the start of a great weekend!

Catherine's Bachelorette Weekend!

C's bachelorette weekend was a great time! She is truly blessed with a great group of friends.  It was clear that she surrounds herself with wonderful women.  I loved getting to know each of them better as we celebrated Catherine.  

The weekend flew by and I was pooped by the time it was said and done, but it was well worth it!  It was the perfect mix of relaxation, yummy food and drink, fun on out on the town and some good ole fashioned girl time.  I hope Catherine felt loved and celebrated and had a wonderful time! It was so so good to be with her!

Here are a few scenes from the weekend:

Some photos of the decorations to turn our casa into a festive party scene.  I recreated the pom garland that I did for Liz's shower and made it bachelorette style complete with bras, panties and martini glasses!  If you look close, you might even find Joe in the picture too!

After eating a make-your-own pizza meal we enjoyed some coffee and watched Catherine open gifts.  I didn't post the pictures in attempts to make the post PG rated :)  She certainly was a blushing bride!

Even with a snow day on Friday, we managed to have incredible weather on Saturday for wine tasting near Fredericksburg! We took a limo out to the hill country and sipped on mimosas on our way there.  Our first stop was Becker Vineyards and then headed to Torre di Pietra for some live music, a picnic lunch and shared a couple of bottles of vino. I can't wait to go back. 

My dear college friends all together!  I love you girls!

The whole group pictured with our pourer from Becker.  He offered Catherine some excellent marital advice.  A sweet old man :)

Joe came along for the ride too!  :)

Can't wait to for the wedding weekend in just a couple weeks.  So looking forward to more celebrations and the honor to stand up by Catherine's side.  So happy for you C!

Winner Winner Chicken (Breakfast) Dinner: Gloop

This week's favorite recipe was actually from Catherine's Bachelorette party and not from my weekly menu plan.  It was a perfect "sustenance" pre wine tasting for all of the ladies! 

This recipe is near and dear to me since it is what my family eats for Christmas morning each year.  The official name of the casserole is "Gloop."  It's one of my favorites to bring for brunches and is really simple, plus you can prepare it the night before and just bake it up in the morning.  I love adding mushrooms to the mix, but if you don't have them on hand it is just fine without.   Hope you enjoy as much as I do!

6 eggs slightly beaten

6 slices of bread cubed
1 cup grated sharp cheese
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt (or less)
1 t. dry mustard
1 lb sausage.

Brown sausage and drain. Meanwhile beat eggs and add rest of ingredients followed by sausage.  Refrigerate at least 12 hours in a 13 x 8 pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Optional extras: mushrooms, onion

Menu Plan Monday

The work travel picks up for me this week, so I will leave B to fend for himself more than most weeks (nothing that he can't handle).  Attempting to use up some things we have had in the pantry or freezer for a while.  Also trying to incorporate at least one vegetarian dish per week - both health and cost savings in mind.  How "green" of us!


Monday:  Mushroom Risotto & Salad 
Tuedsay:  Leftovers for hubby
Wednesday:  Stuffed Chicken, quinoa & zuchinni
Thursday:  Fish Tacos & Black Beans
Friday:  Date night!  Pre-valentines date! :)

Girls Weekend!

This weekend we have quite the celebration in store for my dear friend Catherine.  We are going to live in up in Austin all because....

.....this beautiful lady is marrying this handsome gentleman in just a few short weeks. 

A group of Catherine's closest friends are coming to Austin to take over the Parrish house in hopes of a weekend that will go down in the books, celebrating one of her last nights as a single lady.  I have a feeling there will be lots of vino, laughter, yummy food, dancing, some embarassment for the bride and that crazy high that girls seem to get on once they are around each other. 

I have so many awesome memories with Catherine and I'm so happy to celebrate her this weekend!  I can't wait, together with all of her friends, to make it a special time for her to look back on.

Catherine and I have experienced so much together.  We have some incredible memories as friends.  From traveling Europe for a month together to being roomates our senior year (next door our Freshman year).  We watched our Longhorns win a National Championship from Pasadena, celebrated 21st birthdays, shared a graduation party, graduated from the business school together, stood up in Aleigh's wedding together, had her as a part of my wedding and now get to be a part of hers!  (Just to name a few). 

She's a dear friend to me and one that I hope to keep for a lifetime! 

C - can't wait for you to get here and get the party started!  Yay for the bride!

Today I'm thankful for...

A heater that is pumping warmth into our house!
A warm jacket and boots
Seat heaters
A satisfying bowl of corn chowder to warm your insides
Not having to be at an airport or traveling this week
A disciplined, hard working husband
An encouraging evening with girlfriends
A comfy bed to crawl into at the end of the day

Simple things.  All things that the Lord has provided.  I am thankful. 

Reunited!

This weekend we headed to Dallas to visit the Kersey family.  It was so great to be with our sweet friends, we've missed them!

Us with the Kerseys (brand new baby Adi) the night we got engaged!

Kristi and Michael were some of our closest friends at our church in Scottsdale.  Coincidentally, they are also from Texas and have since moved to Dallas from Arizona.  It's so nice to be close enough to drive to see each other for the weekend.  It had been way too long!  They were such a blessing to us in Arizona.  We loved spending date nights out with them, listening to their experience on marriage as newlyweds/ an engaged couple and talking about Jesus together.  We spent a couple new year's eves with them as well and they threw us a WONDERFUL Texas themed shower in their backyard last spring.  They are dear friends to us. 

We were so happy  to see their kids, Trevin and Adilyn.  They are such awesome kiddos and we had a blast playing with them and getting to know them all over again.  So excited for Baby Kersey #3 on the way in 8 weeks.  The next time we seem them, they will be a Party of 5!

We got in late on Friday night and stayed up chatting and catching up.  It was fun to see their home in Texas and hear how life had been the last couple months.  We both have experienced quite a bit of transition.  Interesting how so much of the challenges and blessings of that time were similar for each of us. 

The next morning we got up and made breakfast panini sandwiches.  The kids were a little shy at first, but quickly warmed up once they were awake and alert.  Trevin gave us the tour of his playroom and bedroom.  It was so fun to play with them.  I also loved watching B with them, he's going to be such a great dad someday.  (Don't get any ideas people :) )  We headed to the park later that morning.  It was a gorgeous day! We loved enjoying a picnic lunch outside.  So nice to not be cold or rainy.  Beautiful days like that make me really miss AZ, where the weather is like that more than 6 months out of the year.  I even fell asleep outside on their swing later that afternoon!

Trevin and Adilyn were going to spend their first night at their Grandma's house that evening so we all could have a night out.  We headed to the Uptown area and had a really yummy dinner at Villa-O.  I had a seafood risotto with a spicy tomato sauce.  It was so decadent, but I ate the whole dish!  I really enjoyed the uptown area.  Looks like there are a ton of cute shops and fun restaurants in that neighborhood.  We finished our night with some ice cream and headed to bed.

Sunday AM, the guys went to go pick up the kids and Kristi and I met them at church.  We were excited to be able to go to the Village with them.  We've heard so many great things about this church and it was fun to see where they worship each week.  Loved worshiping together again with them!  The Lord is really working in and through this church.  It's exciting. 

We ended our time together over brunch and then got back on the road after hugs.  So blessed by our time together.  It really was a fun, relaxing weekend and awesome to be together with them. 

Sadly, I didn't take any pictures while we were there, but hopefully the recap can help you imagine all the fun we had! Can't wait to visit again soon after Baby arrives!

Winner Winner Chicken (Salmon) Dinner: Herb Crusted Salmon and Creamed Spinach

Our favorite dinner this week was our Herb Crusted Salmon with Creamed Spinach.  Both of these recipes are the kind that just kind of "sit" in my head and I don't really have them on paper or have specifics on how I make them again and again (I know, not helpful at all).  That said, I think I'll take a stab and putting these recipes down here.  Kinda fun that I actually get to claim them as my own! 

Disclaimer:  If you give these a try and they don't turn out....I'm sorry!  They are more of a little of this, a little of that type creations!  So, good luck!

Herb Crusted Salmon
I make this salmon by creating a herb paste in a small prep bowl.  I start with a large amount of dried dill (maybe 1.5 T), add in some garlic (1 clove fresh), 1/4 t of oragano, 1/4 t of garlic, 1 pinch of red pepper flakes or a couple shakes of Tabasco, 1/4 onion salt, some freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of sea salt.  I then add enough olive oil to turn this into a paste.  I also add about (depending on how much you like mustard) a spoonful of dijon mustard.  Spread this paste over the top of your fish.  Line a baking dish with foil (much easier clean up!) and bake at 375 to your desired temperature.  When I start seeing the white fat ooze out of the fish, it's usually close to being done and still moist enough too.  This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. 

Easy (and fairly healthy) Creamed Spinach
Sometimes I just want a little more indulgence to my veggies.  This is a great way to get the nutrients from fresh, green veggies and still have a satisfying, warm side dish.

Take 1/2 bag of fresh spinach (I sometimes incorporate about 1/2 a bag of defrosted chopped frozen spinach) and julliane the leaves.  Finely dice 1/2 yellow onion and throw both veggies into a mixing bowl.  Add in 1/2 cup light sour cream, a small handful of grated parmesean, salt, pepper and 1-2 cloves of garlic.  Stir together to form a mixture that is moist, but not overly wet.  Spray a shallow baking dish with Pam and spread in mixture to the dish.  Top with small amount of sprinkled parmesan and some panko breadcrumbs if you desire.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 until the spinach is hot all the way through and the cheese is melted on top.  Serve hot. 

Are these recipes helpful?  Is anyone trying these?  Should I keep going down this path with the blog? Would love your feedback!