I'm baaaaaack.....

Well, it was not my intention to take almost a full year off from blogging.  However, after a few months of absence, I forgot my login! I finally decided to handle it today, and well.... here I am!

So, despite my lack of blogposts, I have been pinning away, and I thought a good "welcome back" post would be a Top 5 Pin Successes, ay? Away we go...

5. The Dot Mug
     One of my favorite de-stress activities is going to a little joint called "Color Me Mine." Basically, it is a pottery painting studio, and though I don't claim to be the next Sophie Calle, there's something therapeutic about painting.  Everyone has seen the sharpie mugs on Pinterest.  I'm not a huge fan of my handwriting (perhaps I have to stare at it too often while grading papers...), so this dot mug totally caught my eye.  On a recent trip to Color Me Mine, I had a spare 20 minutes after painting a Lilly Pulitzer inspired travel mug.  Since the dot mug was on my "to do" list, I thought it was the perfect time.  Here's a picture of my creation:

I'll be sure to post an updated picture once they have been glazed and fired :)

4. Legally Blonde Workout Tank
     Lets be real.... I pin a zillion things that I "need," but never buy.  However, when I came across this pin, it was an instant purchase.  I had so many people asking where I bought the tank... it was quite the conversation starter at the gym (..and on Facebook...).  I can't wait to wear it again!

3. "No-Carb" Crockpot Lasagna
     I'm always looking for a good low-carb recipe, and low-cal, too?  I'll take it.  My husband and I are both Italian, and I. Love. Pasta.  But, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what pasta can do to the waistline!  So when I came across this recipe from Your Lighter Side, I had to give it a try.  The pasta noodles are replaced with finely sliced zucchini strips.  The ricotta is replaced with cottage cheese (don't cringe just yet.... I PROMISE you can't tell the difference!) And the crowning glory of it all?  Its a crockpot recipe, which is SO convenient!
     Now, I've fond their calculations a bit off with the nutrition info ( they claim 145 calories per serving; I calculated it to be closer to 320... but thats still great for a dinner entree! and a yummy cheesy one at that!)

2. Adopt-A-Monster
     I love throwing parties.  LOVE IT! I especially love throwing themed parties (remember my awesome Olympics party from last year?  If not, check it out here!) So when our daughter, Madison, asked for a Monster High themed 6th Birthday party, I jumped in head first!
    Pinterest is so great for party planning.  A simple search yields hundreds of ideas.  My favorite monster idea was the "adopt a monster" party favors.  After finding the pin, I started searching etsy for potential monster babies.  Here are a few that I found:

• http://www.etsy.com/listing/154426566/little-monster-party-favors-dolls-12?ref=sr_gallery_25&ga_search_query=adopt+a+monster&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all
• http://www.etsy.com/listing/128675922/little-monsters-party-favors-10-monsters?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_search_query=adopt+a+monster&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto2&ga_explicit_scope=1&ga_search_type=handmade
• http://www.etsy.com/listing/81933439/adopt-a-mini-monster-barf-plushie-any?ref=sr_gallery_3&ga_search_query=monster+barf&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

I ended up going with the "Mini Monster Barfs" - with MOHAWKS!

    Each one came in an individual mesh bag with a personalized tag and "adoption papers."  They were ADORABLE! ...and the kids loved them, of course!

1. My fedora....

     After pinning 900,000 different outfits and pictures of gals rocking fedoras, I began the search.  Let me just tell you... I am NOT a hat person.  I think my head it too small.  But darn if I didn't try! I swear, I must have tried on 5 million fedoras before I FINALLY found one that I liked on me! I got it from Tilly's (see here) and wore the hell out of it on vacation! It is the perfect beach hat!

...and so I will finish with a promise to get back to blogging... if you promise to keep pinning ;)

What I Wore Wednesday: Remembering 9/11

For this week's Pleated Poppy "What I Wore Wednesday," I'm taking the opportunity to pay outfit homage to my amazing country: The U.S.A.!

On the 11th anniversary of the tragedy that was September 11, I pulled out the most patriotic attire I could find in my closet.

For work, I paired a J. Crew plaid shirt with a navy pencil skirt and accessorized with some great red heels and a yellow skinny belt. I felt very "Americana."

Shirt: J. Crew
Skirt: The Limited
Belt: Betsey Johnson (TJ Maxx)
Heels: Kenneth Cole (Dillards)
Pearls: gift

Later that evening, a few of my girl friends and I headed to a local wine bar for flight night.  I paired the same J. Crew button up with another plaid shirt.... (I've gotten much more brave with my pattern mixing since my first attempt).  Though you can't see the bottom half of the outfit in my only picture of the night, I paired the shirts with some cut off jean shorts, my Nine West camel bag, and some camel ankle boots.

Did you dress in red, white, and blue for 9/11?

Recipe Week in Review Pt. 2

Time for part 2 of my recipe week in review.  Today? Loaded Cauliflower, Eggplant Rollotini, and Avocado Caprese Salad!

Loaded Cauliflower

I am a carb-fanatic.  Potatoes, rice, pasta.... I love it all.  Unfortunately, carb overload is my diet downfall.  So when a recipe promises to satiate my carb cravings without packing on pounds, I am always willing to try it out.  This recipe delivered to the max! I'd say we have our second perfect TEN!

Loaded Cauliflower Original Recipe

Modifications:
     1. I used butter buds in lieu of butter to cut out some of the calories.
     2. I used plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  This was my first time trying the yogurt/sour cream swap.  As a sour cream junkie, I can promise you this is legit! I, nor my husband, could tell the difference at all!

Next time:
     I wouldn't change anything about this recipe.  It was life-changing!  Even my husbands friends from work have asked for the recipe.  I can't wait to make it again!

Eggplant Rollatini

After my pin-success with Eggplant Parmesan (see this post for the amazing recipe!), I was excited to try my hand at Eggplant Rollatini.  Eggplant is another big carb-substitute, since its texture is similar to that of pasta.  This recipe, however, was just lacking something.  I can't put my finger on what it might be... some additional spices? Maybe some garlic? Whatever its missing, I just plan to stick with my Eggplant Lasagna for those nights we're craving some Italian cuisine...

Eggplant Rollatini Original Recipe

Modifications:

     1.  My lone modification for this recipe was serving some italian seasoned turkey meatballs.

Next Time:

     Sadly, I doubt there'll be a next time on this recipe.  Don't get me wrong it was pretty good and very filling.  However, both my husband and I prefer the Eggplant Parm recipe to this one.  Hands down.

Avocado Caprese Salad

Yay for another big hit in the Lopez household! And thank goodness for a new salad to add to the normal rotation! We absolutely loved this as a side, and I could probably eat it as a lunch all by itself.  The only downside?  This salad did NOT keep well, and just 2 days later the Romaine had wilted.  Why?  Because the salad is dressed when you make it.... so perhaps keeping some set aside to be dressed later could solve this problem.  Overall, a definite keeper.

Avocado Caprese Original Recipe

Modifications:

     I made no modifications to this recipe.

Next Time:

     As I mentioned previously, I will save some of the salad to dress for later so it keeps better.  Other than that, no changes necessary! So refreshing and healthy... it was a huge hit.

Recipe Week in Review Pt. 1

Well folks, I am one week back in to my P90x regimen, and I am pleased to say I've dropped 4 pounds.  What I am even more excited about is the fact that (unlike last time) I have found some GREAT recipes  to keep me and my husband happy!

Some background:  The last time we did P90x (about a year ago), I was quasi-suicidal because I. LOVE. FOOD. and we were eating the same bland and boring meals day after day:

Teriyaki marinaded grilled chicken, chipotle marinated grilled chicken, hawaiian marinated grilled chicken, BBQ marinated grilled chicken, lemon pepper marinated grilled chicken, STEAK.... rinse and repeat.

Throw in the normal rotation of green beans, broccoli, salad, green beans, broccoli, salad.... etc etc... I was miserable.  BUT, I was seeing GREAT results.

So, the question became, could I stay motivated again through that boring weekly menu?  Well, I don't have to! Thanks to Pinterest!!!!!

As promised in a previous post, I tried out a ton of new recipes this past week, and some of them were HUGE successes.  So over the next few days I'll be reviewing the good, the bad, and the ugly of our first week of P90x.

Today: Monterrey Chicken & Salad, Buffalo Turkey Lettuce Wraps, and Tomato Basil Cheddar Soup.

Monterrey Chicken & Salad

This was actually two separate recipes that I combined because the ingredients were similar.  Because I have so many new recipes to tell you about in these posts, I am just going to link you to the originals and let you know about any changes I made instead of typing them all out.

Monterrey Chicken Original Recipe

Salad Original Recipe

I would give this meal about a 6/10 (though my husband liked it more than I did).  With some alterations, I think it could be put into normal rotation.

Modifications: 

     1. The only modification I made to the chicken was the use of real turkey bacon bits instead of traditional bacon bits.

     2. As far as the salad, I obviously omitted the chicken from my salad, and just served it along the Monterrey Chicken.

     3. Also, I used Walden Farms Calorie Free, Carb Free Ranch dressing to cut down on the "bad stuff."  Walden Farms makes delicious healthy dressings... we usually buy the Bacon Ranch, but they were sold out last week.  You can find the dressings at almost all grocery stores.

    4. I omitted the corn and tortilla chips from the salad for obvious reasons.  To be honest, the salad didn't need the extra ingredients... the black beans were plenty filling.

What I'd Do Next Time:

     1.  More BBQ sauce.... Maybe about an additional tablespoon per chicken breast... just to amp up the flavor a bit more.  Since I used thick breasts, the chicken toppings made for a few great bites and a few bland ones.... adding the sauce should solve that problem.

Buffalo Turkey Lettuce Wraps

TEN!!!!!!!!!! TEN!!!!!!!!!!! TEN!!!!!!!!!!! I was so blown away by this easy recipe! My husband, the king of the wing, who was extremely critical when I placed turkey wrapped in lettuce in front of him, liked it more and more with every bite.  We really could have doubled this recipe.... We were practically licking the bowl! 

Turkey Wraps Original Recipe

Modifications:

    My only modification was the fact that I used romaine lettuce instead of iceberg..... simply because I like it better!

What I'd do Next Time:

    I'd do absolutely nothing different.  This is a recipe I'd eat even if I wasn't dieting!

Tomato Basil Cheddar Soup

Inspired by Yard House's out of this world tomato bisque, I searched for a healthy, yet creamy, tomato soup.  This one used Greek Yogurt instead of heavy cream.  Boy oh boy was I impressed!  I'd give it a solid 9/10!  My husband was out of town for this meal, but my mother loved the soup as much as I did, and asked me for the recipe for herself.

Tomato Basil Cheddar Soup Original Recipe

Modifications:

     1. I only had three 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes on hand, so I actually used a little less than the recipe called for.  I'd never have known the difference.... it was plenty tomato-y!

     2. I used Splenda in lieu of sugar

**NOTE: I used an immersion blender for this soup.  I avoid putting soups in the food processor at all costs because it always makes a huge mess, and though the recipe said it was not necessary to blend the soup, I absolutely think it is!

What I'd do next time:

     Again, I wouldn't change anything about the way I made this recipe.  It was VERY good, and very filling!  I served it alongside an apple walnut salad, which I'll be reviewing later in the week, so stay tuned!

Two Ways to Make a Statement

Time for another Marionberry Trend of the Month Challenge!

I was super excited when Marion posted her trend of the month challenge for August: The statement necklace!  Why was I excited, you ask?  Because 2 days prior to the announcement I had stumbled across the online store Bauble Bar on Pinterest and ordered this gorgeous statement necklace in turquoise!

Luckily it got here just in time for me to use it for the challenge!

The obvious way to use a bold statement necklace is to choose a solid top in a complimentary color, and perhaps throw on a cardigan or blazer if it is chilly.  However, I wanted to try my new necklace with a patterned top (or in this case, dress) as well.

Honestly, I like both! (PS... pardon the creepy pictures! I think I was having an "off" face day....)

Necklace: BaubleBar $42
Dress: Anthropologie (old) similar, similar, similar
Tee: Express $29.50

Be sure to check out Marionberrystyle.blogspot.com tomorrow for more Trend of the Month contributors!!!

What the SHELL?! My Failed EGGS-periment...

As my summer draws to a close, my husband and I are turning back to our clean eating and P90x-ing.  We went though the whole program last year and had really great results.  I lost about 12 pounds, was in the best shape of my life, and felt amazing.  This summer has been a bit of a lard-fest for me, and to be honest, I can't wait to get back to eating healthy again.

If you know anything about the P90x diet, it is a very high protein, low carb, low fat regimen.  So I have been pinning a lot of P90x safe meals over the last few days in anticipation of our start.  Today, I focused on one of the central ingredients to the P90x program.... EGGS.

I found 2 recipes I wanted to try out to help us eat more eggs.  I start back to work tomorrow, so I rarely have the time (or, well... the motivation) to wake up and make breakfast.  So, when I found these make-ahead Egg Muffins, I thought they'd be perfect to pop in the microwave and eat before work.  Also, while on my egg hunt, I found this pin which claimed that hard boiling eggs in the oven is even better than the traditional boil-in-water approach I've perfected.  Here's the eggs-periment:

Recipe Number 1: Egg Muffins

The ingredients:
-egg beaters
-green onions
-colby/jack reduced fat cheese
-reduced fat bacon bits
-PAM cooking spray
-muffin liners (unless you have a silicone muffin pan...)
(*note, you can apparently add just about anything to these muffins... from broccoli, to peppers, to sausage...)

I started by lining the muffin pan, spraying with PAM, and putting in a few green onions.  You would also add any other veggies FIRST.

Then I added the cheese and bacon bits.

Finally, I filled each muffin liner up with the egg beaters (to about 3/4 full).

I baked the muffins at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, and I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled them out.... they were so cute and fluffy!

However, after about 3 minutes.... WHAT THE SHELL?!?! My muffins deflated!!!!!

They continued to deflate over the nest few minutes.  I let them stand for about 25 minutes as directed by the recipe, then peeled off the wrappers and refrigerated the muffins.  Needless to say, they certainly didn't LOOK like the muffins in the recipe....

As far as the taste..... equally underwhelming.  However, I must say that the convenience was great... I'm already 2 proteins and a veggie in, and its not quite 6 am!  If theres a next time... I will omit the bacon bits.  In my opinion, it made them a bit too salty, and they tasted a little bit burnt.  Maybe uncooked low-sodium bacon would work better.

Recipe Number 2: Baked "Hard-Boiled" Eggs

While my egg muffins were deflating, I placed a dozen eggs in my muffin pan and popped them in the oven at 325 degrees.

The pinner claimed that baking the eggs make them "tastier" and easier to peel.  I also liked the idea of being able to leave the room for 25 minutes and accomplish other things, rather than watching boiling water...  After about 27 minutes (the pinner said 25-30, so I went half-way...), I pulled the eggs out.

Once again.... WHAT THE SHELL!?!?

At first I thought my oven was just dirty or something... and something had dripped on my eggs.  I rinsed them, and the spots came off... success?  Not quite.  Upon peeling my eggs, I found that not only was it WAY more difficult to peel the shells off as compared to my usual boiling method, but it appeared that the eggs were BURNT! They had little brown burn spots on them! UGH!

I'm still going to eat those eggs... call me thrifty... but I am not wasting a whole dozen eggs!

Moral of the story:  You pin some, you lose some...

Here's a little sneak peak of the newly pinned P90x approved recipes that I plan to try over the next week.  Stay tuned for updates!!!

Owl Cupcakes

With the start of another school year just around the corner, I've been anxiously pinning some great lessons and organization ideas for my classroom.  But, other than this marking my first "back to school" crunch time since my discovery of Pinterest, it also marks a very important event.

Our five year old will be starting Kindergarten this year (*tear), so this is my first year on the OTHER side of the spectrum... I've attended 9 years of "Meet the Teacher" Nights and orientations... but always as the teacher! However, on Monday, the script is flipped!

I'm already pondering what one wears to a kindergarten "Meet the Teacher."  I would, of course, always have worn a nice suit.... but is that excessive for a parent??? I'd hate to show up in jeans and feel underdressed... OK... so, I am an "overanalyzer..." I get that.

Perhaps to preoccupy my mind, I also thought it'd be fun to make something for Maddy's teacher.  Madison LOVES to cook with me, so when I saw these cupcakes, I thought they would be perfect!

Here's what we used:
-1 box of cake mix (we used chocolate)
-1 can of chocolate icing
-24 cupcake liners (silver, though any color would work.)
-1 box of Reese's Pieces (the recipe on Pinterest called for M'n'Ms, but we had the Reese's available...)
-1 box of Oreos
-Muffin pan

Begin by making the cupcakes according to the package directions.  *This is Madison's favorite part:

Then, ice the cupcakes with the chocolate icing.

Then, separate the Oreo cookies and place the icing sides up on each cupcake to make eyes.  If you can find a way to get the icing to split, you are a better person than I.... we ended up with a while box of un-iced halves of cookies when we were done... oh well!

We then added eyes and a beak using different colored small candies (I had leftover sixlets from my Olympic Rings Cake [see here]), and an orange Reese's for the beak..... 

I'd say it was a success :)

To be continued.... :)