Friday Favs

This week has actually gone pretty quickly for me, but I'm still thrilled that it's Friday!

This weekend should be full of some good times, binge-watching of shows, eating of all the football food, watching of the football, mourning of the official end of football season... 

and of course sleep. 

Here's some favs from the week: 

Favorite Pins: 

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Favorite Recipe: 

Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps

This is the perfect lunch, very filling and Fix friendly! It's delicious with chicken too!

Favorite Purchase:

I went to Target on my lunch break to do some Shopkick and get my iced coffee (I don't have a problem and I can quit anytime) and I saw that they had the skinny boyfriend jeans I had been eyeing in clearance in my size! The other Targets I had been to didn't have my size so I had given up finding them. I snatched them up as well as a long cardigan that I LOVE! It will be a perfect outfit for going into Spring! 

P.S. Target still has the 20% off of all clearance apparel and accessories on Cartwheel until 1/31, so grab some goodies while you can! 

Favorite Posts: 

This post on from Amanda of Notes From A Newlywed on "TV Shows I Miss" made me smile! So many good ones on her list! 

This story of how Laura of Alabama Graffiti got engaged and her ring was SO cute and fun to read! She says she got the idea from Kristyn at Chits and Giggles- I'm totally going to steal this post idea, LOVE IT. 

Finally this post from Lauren of Simply Free on 5 Ways to Grow Closer in Your Faith- such awesome and practical ideas! 

Favorite Funnies: 

I still get a little freaked out about multi-colored laundry sometimes...

But really, it's like take the picture already!!

And some Tuna of course!

Everyone have a fantabulous weekend! 

Confessions

I always try to think of something clever to call my confession posts so they aren't all titled "Confessions" but I fail. Oh well.

+ I think I have resting sad face. This guy at work keeps asking me if I'm okay because he says every time he walks by my desk I look so sad. I'm not sad. But maybe my concentrating or contemplating face looks sad? I don't know, am I supposed to be smiling or laughing like a maniac all the time??

Apparently this is my resting face.

+ You guys. Y'all. Where has my motivation gone for getting in shape?? WHERE? It's just....gone. Non-existent. I was really hoping once I got past the holidays I would be ready to fully commit to this thing again and stay on my eating plan and exercise hard core. I've been doing great with exercise, and with eating I do decent during the week but then I hit Friday and my self-control is just nil. It's like woo-hoo it's Friday bring on the fried food and the sugar and the carbs! I think it has something to do with the fact that I've only got about 5 more pounds to lose and I want to tone up, but the drive that I had when I had 25 pounds to lose is not there. It's like ahh, 5 pounds, I can lose that anytime! Know what I mean?

+ Of course it doesn't help when I hear a Dunkin' Donuts commercial on Pandora for a new White Chocolate Raspberry Latte AND with any purchase this week you get a free drink coupon when you purchase with the app. I hear that and I'm making plans for my next DD run. I'm so weak-minded.

Whatever you say, coffee...

+ I get irrationally angry at the Pinterest app on my phone because no matter what I do or how many times I check it, that stupid little notification number WILL NOT go away! It's like, I've checked it, what else is there to look at?? It makes me feel like I'm missing something really important somehow, like Carrie Underwood sent me a message about one of my pins or she wants to guest post on my blog but I'm somehow missing it and I'll NEVER KNOW. Because that's so likely.

+ I really need to cut my hair and I should probably cut it short-ish like I had before because that's what seems to look best on me, but I don't want to because I'm lazy and I like being able to throw it up in a headband and ponytail and call it a day. Plus there are few things more annoying when you're working out than little pieces of unruly hair that won't stay up falling in your face. The only thing more annoying than that is when my earbuds keep falling out of my ears when I'm running. It makes me want to chuck my iPod across the pavement. I'm not generally a violent person but that's just one of those things.

+ Weird quirk: I am a total water snob. I cannot drink water that has a taste to it, like chlorine or sulfur. *GAG* I'd rather just be thirsty. Which is why when the water cooler at work needs the filter changed and I can taste the chlorine really strong I just don't drink water. Of course the tap water in Jax always has a weird taste to it because of all the sulfur we have here.Yummy. A filtered water dispenser on our fridge is pretty much a necessity. I am fully aware of how spoiled I sound right now. At least I'm self-aware??

+ I won a giveaway from Dream Big and Buy The Shoes the other day (Thanks Emelia!) and I am SO excited! I know people always say this, but I literally never win these kinds of things, so I was all giddy!

Ok, link up and 'fess up!

Turkey Tetrazzini

First of all I just want to announce that this is my 100th post! Yay! *throws confetti*

I'm so glad I looked at my post count today, because I knew I had been getting close to 100 and wanted to mention it when I got there! I'm actually sticking with this thing! Of course, you all make it so easy to stick with because you make it fun! So thank you to all of my lovely readers, here's to the next 100! :)

I thought I would share one of my favorite pasta recipes with you today, Turkey Tetrazzini. This is an old recipe that we got from a friend many years ago (boy do I sound old) and we don't make it often (because HOLY calories) but it is SO good! Perfect comfort food, perfect winter food, just perfect.

A few months ago some friends of ours were going through a rough time and I don't know about y'all, but when us Southerners want to help and show how much we care, we bring food. As soon as I had the thought to bring them some dinner to take some of the load off, I immediately thought of this recipe. It's somewhat time consuming (although it helps if you cheat with a rotisserie chicken like I did), but easy to make, and it travels and reheats beautifully.

Next time you need a filling, comforting, homey meal for your family or a friend, try this one out.

You will need:

1/4 pound butter 1/2 cup AP flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 16 oz whipping cream 1 cup chicken broth 2 tbsp cooking sherry 1 can sliced mushrooms Diced turkey or chicken (amount desired)- Or if you're me, a rotisserie. No shame. 8 ounce box spaghetti 1 package shredded parmesan cheese

First preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then you want to cook the spaghetti.

While the spaghetti is cooking, I shred my chicken so that it will be ready to stir in to the sauce when it's time. 

Once that's done, start melting your butter: 

All that glorious butter. 

Add the flour, salt, and pepper and heat until it's combined and starts gently bubbling. 

Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and heavy whipping cream. 

See what I mean about the calories? 

Place back on burner, and heat to boiling, stirring continuously. Boil for one minute. You want it to have a pretty thick consistency at this point, but don't let it boil too long or it may scald. 

Remove from heat and add turkey or chicken, pasta, sherry and mushrooms (if desired). At this point I transferred it to a large bowl to have enough room to fit everything and stir it together well. That's a lot of goodness right there, this is a pretty large skillet and it just barely fit. 

Once it's all combined, pour it into a 9x13 baking dish and cover with the Parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 30-45 minutes. 

Devour and enjoy! Serve with warm, crusty bread slathered with more butter. Mmmm. 

Ok, I want pasta now. 

Turkey Tetrazzini:

Ingredients: 1/4 pound butter 1/2 cup AP flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 16 oz whipping cream 1 cup chicken broth 2 tbsp cooking sherry 1 can sliced mushrooms Diced turkey or chicken (amount desired) 8 ounce box spaghetti 1 package shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the spaghetti. Dice or shred turkey or chicken. Heat butter, flour, salt, and pepper until bubbly. Take off burner and add whipping cream and chicken broth. Place back on burner and heat to boiling, stirring continuously. Boil 1 minute. Remove from burner and add sherry, mushrooms, turkey, and spaghetti. Mix together and pour in baking dish. Sprinkle bag of cheese evenly over the top of mixture. Bake for 30-45 minutes.

Linking up for Delicious Dish and Recipe Swap Tuesday!

Weekend Recap

Welcome to Monday! I'm trying very hard to be happy for a new week instead of just wishing it was still the weekend. I did have Friday off but it doesn't seem to matter much how many days I've had off when Monday rolls around. But I had a very relaxing weekend (almost too relaxing since I didn't get much cleaning done around the house, but let's not talk about that). 

On Friday we slept in and had a lazy morning at home, then we had lunch at Mojo's and went to Books A Million to drink coffee and read magazines. We also shopped around for a new grill, much needed since our old one is literally falling apart. 

And stopped by Trader Joe's where I bought my first jar of this deliciousness: 

This is both very very not good and very very good at the same time. 

Saturday I spent the morning relaxing and reading. We set Saturday aside as our first "Day Trip" day of the year. I had originally thought we would do something more all day and outdoors, but the weather was rainy and windy most of the day. So we decided to just chill at home for the morning and then go down to the World Golf Village in St. Augustine and see The Hobbit at the IMAX there (I KNOW, we are way behind on seeing it, we never go to the movies so it was a stretch to go but I really wanted to see it in theaters!) Before the movie we ate at Caddyshack and shopped at the outlet mall, where I scored some good deals at BBW on Wallflowers and got a free body spray! It's the little things. 

The movie was in 3D so we got to wear these stylish things: 

Saturday night we spent at home, and after watching The Hobbit earlier that day we felt like we needed to start watching The Lord of the Rings Trilogy again, so we watched The Fellowship of the Ring and I decided I needed to make chocolate chip cookies. I discovered I didn't have any brown sugar, but I was determined. And I didn't want to go to the store, so I made my own. When you really want cookies, you find a way. 

I got a little blog work done, finally got some of my posts pinned on my Pinterest. Trying to be more proactive about social media for the blog! 

Sunday Adam went out to the RC field and I was just REALLY lazy so there's not much to say about that. We did have dinner with friends and found a good deal on a grill, so we went ahead and got that. I finished the evening by watching two hours of Downton Abbey (watched last week's episode since I missed it) and the new show, Grantchester. It's interesting, still trying to decide what I think of it. 

What did you do this weekend? 

A Few of My Favorite Things (this week)

I definitely slept in today since I have the day off. But I did want to pop in real quick like and share my favorite things/finds from this week. I thought about trying to rhyme this so it would be more like the song, but...just, no. 

Gas is under $2.00 a gallon...

(I know it has been for other parts of the nation for awhile, but this is the first time for us!)

My favorite flavor of coffee is back...

(If you have a Fresh Market nearby and you like raspberry and chocolate, you MUST try this. They bring it out every year for around Valentine's Day)

These little guys are heaven in a bag...

(OMG, so addictive! Even though I've been eating on plan this week I can't help but grab one or two of these each day!)

New flats from Target on clearance...

(They're really a little more pale pink than this picture shows, but work as a nude color for me.)

Also new dress from Target on clearance...

(It was a total impulse buy but it was the only one on the rack and it was $9! I had to) 

That's all I got today! Have a fabulous weekend ladies!