Mexi-Mac

This post is all about comfort food! Mexi-Mac is a recipe that I got from one of my college roommates. It is really good, and CHEAP (something every college student loves). It is kind of like Hamburger Helper but homemade and better. It is a staple in our recipe line up. AND it's something I LOVE to eat when I am feeling a little down or when I need something quick to make.

You will need:
1 pound of hamburger meat
1 can of Rotel
1 packet of taco seasoning. 
1 box of macaroni noodles
1 bag of Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese
I stick of butter

Begin by browning meat.

And bringing your water to boil. Once your water boils add a WHOLE box of macaroni noodles. 

Once your meat is browned, add one can of Rotel and one packet of taco seasoning.

Mix all together and bring to a simmer.

This is were Darcy sits when I am cooking, she is hoping that I drop something good!

Once your noodles are done, drain the water and place them back in a large pot.

Add your butter. I added about 4 tablespoons (just four large chunks).

Then add your shredded cheese. This is all about how cheesy YOU want it. I usually add about 3-4 cups.

YUMMY. Look at the cheesy goodness!!

Next add your meat to the "macaroni and cheese"

Ta-Da your done!! Now just eat and ENJOY!

Hope you enjoy this easy and delicious recipe! 

Now I am going to watch the Olympics (which I am totally obsessed with. Its has been on 24/7 at our house!!)

Five on Friday {Week 12}

Vacation at the beach!!! Thank goodness, I needed to get away.

1. Left my house and puppies with a sitter (aka my best friend)! I know they are in great care!!
2. On our way to the beach at 2 o'clock this morning, we got pulled over by the sweetest state trooper! And he gave us a warning.
3. We spent the day at a water park! So much fun.
4. Finally made it down to the beach! My Favorite place in the world.
5. The night skyline, so pretty.

Diets :/

For the first time in my life I am REALLY going on a diet. Well actually Bruno, Corey and I are going on a diet. Why you ask, because I weigh 136 pounds. This is how much my mother weighed when she was 9 months pregnant with me....

I am 5 feet and 2 inches and I weigh 136 pounds. I usually wear between a size 6 to 8 pant, and a medium shirt. And I want to lose 15 to 20 pounds.
Sorry about all the stats, but I want to know where I started and where I end up. AND I feel like if I put it out in blogger land that it will hold me accountable. For the next few months I will give updates, healthy recipes, and exercises that I love (if I find any). I envision this being a pretty rough journey but I am determined to do this!!!

The most recent YUCK picture of myself. Not sucking in, true to life.

Corey wants to lose about 20 to 30 pounds I think. I am not exactly sure his height or weight...opps. He also had already started his diet, and he is totally dedicated (even though he cheats on the diet part sometimes). Like some days he goes to the gym twice a day. He is my inspiration because I can already tell a difference in his body AND he has only been doing this for about a month!

And Bruno doesn't need to really lose any weight, he just needs to get in shape. My poor puppy is spoiled rotten and is NEVER outside.

So the plan less carbs. I guess low carb, I just want to get rid of the bad carbs (white bread, pasta, etc...) and NO sugar. We will see if I can do this!!

I will take any advice anyone can give me, because I have NEVER done this before and I don't want to fail. Wish me luck!

Five in Friday {Week 11}

Happy Snappy Weekend! This week was long I worked doubles Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. So I was even more excited to see Saturday roll around this weekend.

In the past twenty-four hours I have worked 10 hours, a seeing eye dog come into work, hung out with the bestie, played my first game of beer pong in over a year, packed the car for Birmingham/Huntsville, stopped for breakfast at chick-fil-a, and watched Bruno enjoy hanging his head out the window!

Hope y'all have a fabulous weekend! We will be traveling!

Blueberry Muffins

Last weekend I woke up wanting some blueberry muffins.I decided to go the homemade route and was lucky enough to already have all the ingredients...I bake a lot. It's a problem.

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. 

 

Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder. 

 Pour 1/3 cup of vegetable oil in a measuring cup and an egg and enough milk to make 1 cup. I added about 1/3 cup of milk.

 Mix all the ingredients together.

 Once you have gotten out most of the lumps add 1 cup of blueberries.

 You want to fold the blueberries into the flour mixture, so you don't crush any of them.

 I used muffin liners.

This recipe makes six BIG muffins.

 Now for the Crumb Topping. You will need to mix 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of butter. Mix this with a fork.

 I put the topping on three of the muffins, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. I am not a huge sweats person in the AM. BUT I will definitely add it to all of my muffins the next time I make this recipe. It was soo good!!

 Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

 This recipe was amazing, you could use it with any type of berry/fruit. This will be the only muffin recipe I will use from now on! It was just that good!

 Hope y'all enjoy it as much as we did!!

Fourth of July Cake

Only two weeks late. I am not on top of this bloggy blog lately. But I have a few awesome recipes I want to share and one of them is a 4th of July Cake!! I super easy and I got rave reviews from everything who ate it!!

First begin with two Vanilla cake mixes (mine were from a box). I put both cake mixes in my stand mixer. Then I divided it in to three separate bowls. The first bowl had four cups of white cake mix. The second bowl had two cups. And the third bowl had two cups.

*Prepare four cake pans and place parchment paper at the bottom all of pans. Preheat oven.

The first bowl (4 cups) is going to be your red layers. Once you have colored your white cake mix with red food coloring, divide it into two separate cake pans.

Then add blue dye to ONE of the two remaining bowls (both should have about two cups of white cake mix in them.) Then pour into one cake pan.

 Now you are left with one bowl of white cake mix. Pour the remaining two cups into a cake pan.

However you get there you should end up with this. Two red cakes, one blue cake, and one white cake.

 

Let your cake cool COMPLETELY.  If you don't let you cakes cool completely they will fall apart, you wont be able to cut them in half or cut circles out of them.

 

1. Cut both red cakes in half horizontally. You will have four red layers.
2. Then cut your white cake in half horizontally. You will have two white layers
3. Cut a 4 inch circle out of one red layer and one white layer.

Now you have three red layers, one white layer, one 4 inch red circle, and one 4 inch white circle.

Next you are going to cut a 4 inch circle out of the middle of the blue cake.

Now it is time to assemble. 

1 thick layer of blue, with the center cut out

2- 8″ layers of red

1- 4″ layer of red

1- 8″ layer of white

1- 4″ layer of white

Assemble cake with a thin layer of frosting between each layer of cake, starting on the bottom with red cake, then white, then red, then blue. Add some frosting along the inside “ring” of the blue cake to hold in the next two layer which will fit inside the opening. Fill the hole in the blue cake with a 4″ round layer of with cake, some frosting, then the 4″ round of red.

Then frost your cake. I used cream cheese frosting.

 YAY the inside is the best part and the reaction when you cut it is worth a thousand words!!

Hope Y'all Had a Fabulous Fourth!!

Five on Friday {Week 10}

Why yes I did drink all three of those today....I also worked a double at my part time job today (my only job as of now :( still no teaching job)

Pictures working clockwise:
1. I have been at Hooks BBQ for the past nine and a half hours.
2. My lovely husband brought me lunch!
3. And then my awesome best friend brought me a treat! Sonic blast are amazing!
4. Self explanatory: Friday the 14th...spooky or lucky depending on who your asking.
5. And my sweet fur baby was so excited when I got home from work.