No-Bake Dessert (468)

http://www.letsdishrecipes.com/2012/03/chocolate-peanut-butter-no-bake-dessert.html
Lover of chocolate? Lover of peanut butter? Lover of both, the irresistible combination of chocolate and peanut butter? Then listen up cause this is for you. This a truly unique dessert that can only be described as something out of this world. The simplicity of this is what truly amazes me, it is so easy, especially since there is no baking required. I've never made a layered dessert before and I really enjoyed how you make them, adding little by little. Mixing different concoctions together, creating a divine creation of creamy layers. Ummm, count me in.
For the crushed Oreos, I got all fancy and used a meat tenderizer, to created little pieces to place on the bottom for the first layer. I love Oreos and would've loved to add the whole container of Oreos just to the bottom only. This layer also reminded me of ice cream cake from Diary Queen because of bottom layer of cookie crumbled deliciousness. Next layer, cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners sugar. Of course, patience is a virtue and since I don't have any patience to let the cream cheese soften now it own, I had to placed it in the microwave for a few seconds. Then just mixed everything together. A little FYI, confectioners sugar is just powered sugar. Then after that you "fold" in half of the container of Cool Whip. This recipe used a lot of learned words and jargon that honestly got me very confused. So I just mixed everything together and them spread over the crumbled cookie goodness. Next, probably my favorite part about this, is to place peanut butter cups in the previous layer. I created a design, but you can do whatever your heat desires and place them how you want. Just promise me to have some fun with it.  Next layer, mix the chocolate pudding, powered sugar, and milk all together. Warning: the smell that will be coming from the bowl may want you to consume the entirety of it, but please reframe from doing so. Then just add this on the and create the top layer. Then to garnish the top, just crumbled some more Oreos. You can also add some more peanut butter cups, or whatever candy you want, just have some fun with it and make it look gorgeous. It looks really cool, it you use a glass bowl then you can see all the layers. Then just place in the fridge until you are ready to eat and you will enjoy it.
This is so yummy, and so simple I will be making it again. I would recommend cutting smaller pieces since it is so rich and creamy. Maybe a glass of milk would be nice to serve with it too.

Oreo Milkshake (359)

http://apumpkinandaprincess.com/2014/05/double-chocolate-oreo-milkshake.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+APumpkinAndAPrincess+(A+Pumpkin+And+A+Princess)
Maybe this week, should be called Oreo Week since I keep using Oreos. I'm not complaining about it, I loved them. I was really hungry for ice cream this week and was so tempted to stop at an ice cream shop and give in to the temptation. So I quenched my craving with the delicious DIY milkshake. Cue the song "Milkshake" and Melissa McCarthy's dancing from Identity Thief.
The recipe calls it double chocolate, but I'd rather have it as just an Oreo Milkshake and take out the chocolate chips that were added. I used a hand mixer and it did not want to chop up the chocolate into sip-able pieces, which caused them to get stuck in the straw, which is just a pain. I also added like an entire ice cream container because it was so liquidly. Using the hand mixer was honestly really difficult but I made it work. It says that your suppose to take some crumbled Oreos and milk and freeze them, just skip this step because it is unneeded. It just created a bigger mess for more than it's worth. Especially if it isn't about presentation, and just trying to quickly make this for an afterschool snack. So I placed the crumbled Oreos on the top, with an entire Oreo just to take a picture, to show you guys and make it look all fancy. Also, the ice cream I used in this was severely freezer burnt, but it did not effect the taste one bit.
I really enjoy this, especially since is tasted just like an Oreo Blizzard from Diary Queen which is my favorite thing to get. This was really easy and quick to make and definitely a pick me up after a day at school. Definitely a really cute idea for a family night or movie night, something where you have a little fun and splurge on your food ideas. Its really cute if you have the glasses that Steak-n-Shake have that are chilled and so perfect for milkshakes. I was in love with this drink and sad when it was gone.

Chocolate Chex Mix (458)

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/03/better-than-sex-chex-mix/
For the sack of my blog, I decided to change the name of this recipe, but none of the less it is the best thing I have ever tasted. This is such a nice snack to make for game day, movie night, or even holidays. I found this to be super easy and so good, but as a warning it is super messy. I found this to be some what of a comfort as November is now starting and Fall is full on. My family and I just kept eating it and eating it, even with a delicious dinner my sister made. But I kind of changed this recipe a little bit and did what I want, so onto the recipe.
For starters, the next time I go on a cereal craze for breakfast I will be eating Chocolate Chex Cereal. On the original website, it said that it was difficult to find, I found mine super easy at my local grocery store. After placing that in a separate bowl. Mixing and melting all the butter, brown sugar, light corn syrup, and baking soda pour that over the Chex Mix. At this point the directions are a little foggy, and had to figure some of the recipe on my own. You are suppose to then put it into the microwave for 3 minutes, but I totally forget before spreading it onto a cookie sheet. So I kept going and it didn't really effect anything, well not that I know of. The next bit of ingredients said to add peanut butter cups, which I did have some left over, and miniature marshmallows. I didn't add this just because of personal favorite tastes. But I did add a cup of caramel, rather than a half a cup, just because I love caramel. It did say to add a little bit of heavy cream with it, but I didn't have any so I just added a splash of milk that I stirred it with. I did lick the spoon full of leftover batter I stirred with and it was so tasty. Then I just melt a lot of white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips to drizzle on top. Again, I totally forgot to sprinkle the salt on top, which would give it a salty/sweet taste, but I still enjoyed it. Then I just put it in the fridge for around 2-3 hours, and then everyone devoured it.
I found this a really cute idea, it was so good and fairly easy to make. I think this is such a good idea around the holidays, and I most likely will be making it for family functions coming up in the nearing holiday season.

Chicken Santa Fe (375)

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/02/crock-pot-santa-fe-chicken-425-pts.html
As I walked into the house after an exhausting day of school, something smelled DELICIOUS! This something was Chicken Santa Fe. With a busy week of school and softball and other commitments, I took the opportunity on a Sunday night to prep for the week ahead. This ended up being a functional, quick meal that I could easily figure out and make. Cooking is more an estimation rather than baking where you need exact measure. I sprinkled spices and sauces and was able to produce a scrumptious meal bringing Mexican cuisine a little closer to home.
This recipe is a calorie friendly meal, having only 190 calories per one cup. Not to mention how easy it is, all you have to do is throw in some veggies into a pot and you're good to go. When dumping in your can goods, the tomatoes and green chilies you don't need to drain the juices out, because you need some liquid while cooking the chicken in the crock pot. When working with black beans, make sure to drain and wash the beans in the can. If you don't your meal may be a little salty, but I prefer black beans drained. When I made this I didn't have any fresh cilantro, so I used dried cilantro that comes in the spice container. While making this recipe I learned what scallions are! all they are, are green onions *laughing emoji*. Now you just shake some spices on top of your veggies, and maybe do a little dance while you do it. Lastly you put the chicken on top, at my house we like to sprinkle fajita seasoning on top of the chicken to add appetizing flavor.  If not cooking right away put the crock in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. 
Now all you have to is turn on your crock pot in the morning, go to work or school, and magic is brewing all day. Chicken Santa Fe is best over rice. Just quickly make minute rice and you're good to go. I also like to put cheese, sour cream, and salsa over top of it. I love this meal and always look forward to eating it.

Chicken Salad (358)

Most mornings I have a total of five minutes to make my lunch, because who actually wants to eat cafeteria food, and make/eat my breakfast before running out the door to grab the last parking space. Rather than eating my normal turkey sandwich which gets a little boring and hard to eat after a while. So the other day, I was looking in my pantry and refrigerator and the perfect elements to turn my lunch hour into something a little more exciting.
For this recipe you will need:
-canned chicken breast
-green onions (chopped)
-mayonnaise
Whenever I make this, I just dump in the ingredients and just eye ball it rather than using exact measurements. If you're feeling a little extra daring you can add a little garlic to the mix, just make sure to add a scant amount at a time or you might need some gum. Also when making this the canned chicken needs to be drained and pulled apart, rather than just one big piece of chicken. Add the chicken to the bowl and sprinkle the green onions to your taste on top. Then add a scoop of mayonnaise to your liking and stir all together. Pick up a bit and have yourself a little taste tests and make sure it is superb.
To serve, you can either eat it in a tortilla or on bread, like a chicken sandwich which too is good. If you're making it like a sandwich, I find that it's better on the tortilla, personally. This time I used club crackers and made it like a dip to eat. I like being able to scoop it up, and find it better that way. This meal added a little color to my lunch this week and I found it quicker to make than a sandwich, I also really hate making sandwiches, but I definitely really enjoyed this and all my friends were asking me what I was really. This meal, strikes me as unique and sometime a little different than just a normal sandwich that everyone else also eats. This will definitely be my go-to meal for lunch this year.

Pepperoni Pizza Braid (438)

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/pepperoni-pizza-braid/e12197ca-54de-46e1-8282-0d3e82addb5d/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=delish&utm_campaign=pepperoni+pizza+braid&crlt.pid=camp.aWSuspOqVlRm
During my usual stroll through Pinterest, I came across something extraordinary. Something that combines one of everyone's favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner. PIZZA! Who doesn't love pizza, and the simplicity of this recipe makes me glad I live five minutes away from a Hy-Vee. There so many ingredients that I already had and stuff I could easily acquire. Now, I had this as a Thursday night dinner pick me up before a weekend of softball, but it would be a perfect game day snack, or when you are on the go. The Pepperoni Pizza Braid is so easy and leaves you wanting more.
The first time I made a braided cuisine was the braided Danish that I made and wrote about a few weeks ago. One of the things I recommended and would've changed if I could do it over again was to roll out the dough. This thing I did just that. I thought I worked a hundred percent better and left a smooth canvas to work with. After smoothing it out for a total of ten minutes to make sure it was absolutely perfect, I'm a perfectionist what can I say, I cut it into equal parts on the length of the dough. Rather than using pizza sauce, I just used spaghetti sauce, which was conveniently sitting in my pantry. Personally, I found that there was no difference in regular pizza sauce and this. They both had similar taste which I thoroughly enjoyed. If you readily have a jar of any red sauce sitting in a cupboard just use that and the amount you have left use to make your favorite Italian dish. While preparing this, I didn't use exact measurements, which is what I recommend you do. Do what you want and what you like. I just sprinkled on the cheese until I thought that I had a sufficient amount to what I enjoy. Same with pepperoni, if you don't care for pepperoni use whatever you like. Cooking uses imagination, so do what you want and what you like and leave the rest out. After adding the topping all you have to do is braid the sides. It is super easy, just cross the two sections together and make your dinner companions question how you their pizza look so cool. Finally just bake.
I loved this dinner, it was super easy and left me amazed how good it was. Just remember that when you cook, add what you want and add a little extra of what you love. Have fun making this and GET CREATIVE!

Chocolate Chip Danish (519)

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-danish/b113dc9e-ab73-48fe-a614-c1c71785e504

The other day I took procrastinating to a whole new level, I decide to bake rather than doing my AP U.S. History homework. I was looking at Pinterest and found the Chocolate Chip Danish, I thought it looked good and easy to make. As my mom said "anything with chocolate chips in it has to be good." Most of the ingredients that the recipe calls for is found in most homes, I only needed to get two items we didn't have, crescent rolls and cream cheese. So I jumped in my car and took a trip to Hy-Vee. This recipe is also super cost effective, I only spent four dollars on the two items I needed, and total it would cost no more than ten dollars and found it was totally worth it.

While making this wonderful creation, I found out some helpful hints that could change the outcome. For starters, the pan I had was a smaller pan than what was mentioned to use. When laying the dough out it was really hard to create a smooth surface, meaning that where the dough was pre-cut it started to tear and come apart. When making this recipe I recommend using a rolling pin or something similar in nature that can create a smoother surface to work with. When looking at the recipe I neglected to see that the cream cheese should be sitting out and at room temperature. This created a little agitation but I figured it out and just put it in the microwave for thirty seconds to melt it. Using an entire block of cream cheese, I found to be a little much. If you want to cut a few calories, I would suggest only use four to six ounces rather than all eight. So don't panic if, like me, you need to make it in a hurry and don't have time to let it sit for a while. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, but if like me, and who doesn't like chocolate, I recommend doubling that and adding 1/2 cup on top of the cream cheese that you spread on. Last helpful hint, is cooking time. The recipe says cook 20-22 minutes, I set a timer for twenty-one minutes and made sure to keep an eye on it. I took the Danish out of the oven with three minutes to go, much more than that it would've burnt, and no one wants a burnt dessert.

Finally you get to eat this delightful creation. Before cutting, I would take a spatula and make sure the bottom isn't stuck to the pan. The recipe mentions that its best served the day it was made, so I put that to the test. The night I made it, it was warm and chocolaty. The next morning, I warmed it up it the toaster oven. I found it to taste more like a croissant in the morning. The six family members I fed this experiment to all really enjoyed it. It's quick, it's easy, and it's cheap!

Oreo Stuffed Cookies (331)

http://picky-palate.com/2011/01/06/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Craving sweets and in that baking mood to create these distinctive delights. This triple layer cookie made of cookies and the best thing since sliced bread. You without a doubt will be reaching for more and more. Truly, you are only eating one cookie not three so justify your hankering with that.
I love these cookies, previously I have made cupcakes with Oreos and are the most appetizing things ever. So I figured that these cookies won't be half bad either. And my gut was right, they were so delicious. Over the past three days I consumed numerous amounts of them and the first one I had was just out of the oven, and was gooey and soft. And there is nothing better than fresh, soft cookies that you don't need an axe to bite into. The only negative things for about these cookies are the presentation. When I opened the oven after they baked, they look like a cookie cake.

When baking there is little margin for error. The first problem I faced was instead of measuring in teaspoons, I measured in tablespoons. So I had to start all over and was starting to get really mad and anxious. When I went sandwich the cookies and roll them into a ball, I found that I couldn't because they were really sticky and got all over my hands. So I got crafty and used two spoons, but it didn't really work out.
This recipe makes two dozen monstrous cookies. In the instructions it also says serve with a glass of milk, I recommend that just because these cookies are chocolate overload and very rich, it might be nice to have something to wash them down with. Either way they were still a huge hit at my house, and arguments were had about who got the last cookie. Everyone kept sneaking over to the box to see snatch one up if there were some there.

Cheesy Party Burgers (403)

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/cheesy-party-burgers-aka-diamond-burgers.html
 The Cubs have just started and off to a great start. GO CUBS GO. AM I RIGHT! I'm always right so go cubbies. In my house if I'm not playing somewhere we are watching some sporting event on TV. Who doesn't love game day styled foods and appetizers for dinner. Last Sunday was nachos and this week was burgers, if this doesn't scream Sunday sports day then I don't know what does. This aren't your regular burgers but are different the perfect thing to try on lazy days.
Imagine me for a second, walking up and down the isles of the grocery stores by myself, sprinting to get in and out as fast I possibly can, I get to the bread isle and just pick something. I found this Sliders buns with I thought would work perfectly since they are about half the size of regular hamburger buns. In the recipe they said to use dinner rolls, but I was in such a hurry that day I just grabbed those and they worked. My philosophy is bread is bread, they both work. Also I didn't add mustard powder because we don't own any, and we didn't feel the need to go out and buy some. The burgers were still delicious without! Instead of adding tomatoes with green chilies, I just added tomatoes without since I'm favorite food isn't green chilies. Another scenario, you're out for dinner and you order a burger, bacon or not. Who doesn't love bacon, so I deiced to add it since it was a loaded burger recipe. Since there are five people living in my house right now, I decided to make two pounds of beef rather than one just so we would all be filled up to watch football or the Cubs. The glaze that is drizzled on top, is the most delightful thing I have ever tasted. That doubtlessly transformed the burgers into something spectacular.
This recipe was so good, and something different that is definitely going to be made again. Don't expect to pick it up and eat, you will have to use a fork. It almost is like a sloppy Joe but I was still impressed.  It was so quick and easy, I could quickly get back to the game that was on and kept updated with the score. This recipe left everyone reaching for more food.

Doritos Taco Salad (202)

Click here for the recipe
After our high school softball season is over, we have a banquet. Every single player comes and we recognize individuals and the team. There's always loads of food, and lots of people to mingle with. Each family is responsible for bringing items, whether that is food, or desserts, or utensils. Last summer we made Doritos Taco Salad.

It's really easy to make. The directions are not challenging at all. The hardest part of making this was not eating the Doritos, one because we needed to use them and because we were going to Mexico that week. I guess eating any food at the banquet was probably not a good idea because of the high amount of calories. I just made sure to work out that day.

What's really funny is that another family ended up making the exact same salad. Which was A-Okay because I was not opposed to taking it home with me. It was really, really good I highly recommend making it because it's a great side for any occasion now that we are getting into spring and summer. Great for a BBQ or any get together that screams outdoors party and friends and family.

Nutrition-SUGAR (539)

At my high school, we have a gym class called Performance PE. Which is lifting and "hard-core" working out. For me, I lift Monday, Wednesday, Friday and I'm in the wrestling room Tuesday and Thursday. On Thursday we work out for about 20-25 minutes and then go upstairs and talk about certain things dealing with health and lifts. The first part of the semester we talked about proper techniques when dealing with lifts. And we just recently started talking about nutrition. And today we talked about sugar, so I'm going to share with you guys.

Around a month or two ago, we had the AP Gosh assembly. Dr. Gosh himself talked with are school and one of things he talked about was sugar. That the daily sugar intake has increased dramatically which causes obesity and other health problems. During Performance today, I learned that rather than looking at the nutrition facts for the amount what really tells you how much sugar is in there, is if in the ingredients sugar is listed in one of the first couple of them. My teacher also explained that since most people are aware of the high amounts of sugar in foods, that the companies don't say sugar, instead they say something along the lines of fructose. Just because most people aren't aware of what other names mean sugar. Any ingredient that ends in -ose is sugar. We looked at two different nutrition labels, one was a cereal, and one was mixed berries. The mixed berries had a lot of sugar, but if you look in the ingredients, sugar wasn't listed anywhere. That's because fruit has natural sugar but the body doesn't read that substance as sugar, it reads it as fiber, therefore not hurting your body but helping it. There is one time that it is okay to eat sugar, and that's after a workout. Because your levels drop while working out. We also talked about what happens when sugar has no purpose in the body. Like after a workout, it is absorbed by the liver. But when there is no useful place, it goes to certain parts of your body and causes inflammation. Which can cause problems for that area, and can dramatically increase your chance of injury.

This morning while I was finding breakfast I was looking at labels and finding out just how much stuff has loads of sugar in it. I had peanut butter toast today, peanut butter has a lot of sugar in, and it is listed in the top of the ingredients. Same with chocolate milk, which has loads of sugar in it. Little Bites Muffins, the first ingredient listed is sugar. This is surprising to mean because my teacher made one suggestion and that was to cut it out of your diet, how can I do that when it’s in relatively healthy things that I eat every day. He also told us that sugar is highly addictive, and that in brain scans it shows that after eating sugar the brain lights up just like a brain scan after using a highly addictive drug.

 

Be careful my friends! If you have any suggestions on how to cut out some of the sugar intakes let me know.

I attempt meal prep... (463)

The mornings are really hard for me, are they easy for anyone? I don't want to get out of my bed and the most of the time I always get ready really slowly so I am always running late. The day I picked to do this was not even a bad day for me. I was up and ready in a reasonable time. Today however, I woke up like an hour before my first alarm went off. I had thirty minutes to get ready, eat breakfast, and make a lunch. I'm still to school on time and with enough time to write and "relax."
The day I choose to have meals already done was Wednesday. Tuesday afternoon, I decided that I was going to make my breakfast and lunch for the next day. I was really nervous about making a smoothie ahead of time and making a sandwich ahead of time. I knew that the smoothie would be completely frozen and I was okay with that but the sandwich, which could get soggy and nasty while in the refrigerator overnight.

So I started with a smoothie. I put a lot of blueberries in, and when I say a lot, I mean a lot. Then put some frozen fruit in it, and some regular strawberries (not frozen), and a banana. I woke up the next morning and had to put it in the microwave for around 90 seconds. I kept it in there for 30 seconds at a time and then judge from there. It was still really frozen, so I didn't finish it but I guess I have a smoothie for later. The biggest reason I wanted to make it the night before was because of the noise of the blender. Why does it have to be so loud? I will probably just stick to my afternoon smoothies.

I also made my lunch for the next day. I really hate making sandwiches. But I knocked it out the night before so I didn't have to do it the next morning. The sandwich I am loving right now, it a pork loin sandwich, a Cuben just not toasted. So I got my bread, put on the Dijon mustard, Swiss cheese, the Pork Loin and finally pickles. Like I said I didn't know how the mustard and pickles would do with the bread. They turned out fine, so I was really happy with my sandwich. I also put Sun Chips, and a Lara Bar in my lunch bag and put the entire bag into the fridge. Took it out the next day and went along my way. Everything tasted great.

I really liked getting up and really only having to focus on getting ready. I will definitely be going this is the near, near future.

Strawberry Pie (311)

Happy Easter! Click for an Easter must-have, that's healthy too.
Today is Easter and we had my sister over for a lunch spectacular. Rather than having ham we had hamburgers and brats. We do plan on having ham later this week. Along with the brats and hamburgers we had potato salad and a veggie salad (a bunch of different veggies and a lot of different mixtures of dressings). But we had a dessert, Strawberry Pie and it was really, really good.

Not only was it really good, it's fairly healthy, but it's easy to make. We have only made this recipe a few times but its really good. Rather than using the pie crust, we used crushed up vanilla wafers and then combined with sugar and melted butter to create a hard crust and bottom layer. Then I filled the crust with sliced strawberries and put the layer of gelatin mixture over the strawberries I placed. Then I chilled the pie until it was time to be served. And when it was served we placed the Cool Whip on the table to be eaten with the pie. So I put a giant a giant scoop of Cool Whip and ate it up.

Man, that was one of the best pies I have ever tasted. It was a perfect pie for Easter and spring. I love strawberries and this pie was the bomb dot com. It screamed spring and that's exactly what I need right now. So close to the end of the school and even closer to the start of softball season. You will love the easiness of this recipe and the taste. But the best part is that it is fairly healthy. It is almost summer so we all got to get our beach bodies ready. I challenge everyone to try and make this recipe because you will love it.

Discrimination (440)

Disclaimer: not dealing with food, just needs to be said
These past few weeks have not been pleasant for my community, (school and town). We had three teens that have lost there lives, they were too young to die but it happened. One was in a car accident, one committed suicide and one was shot. All tragedies that affect everyone. The one that hit home was the suicide, she was too young to die but she was bullied and couldn't take it anyone. I wanted to be there for her and help her but I didn't know her. She was the one victim that went to my school, a freshman. I didn't personally know her, never had a conversation with her, maybe passed her in the halls but I have no idea. I have only heard stories of her and seen pictures. She was absolutely beautiful and if only she had someone to let her know that. The names she was called, the words that she couldn't escape. To think that people in my school could do such a thing burns me. How can they go on in their lives knowing that they bullied her and lead her to the ultimate decision. And how they continue to say mean words about her. They were just jealous of her beauty, her laugh, her friends, everything. People just don't understand how peoples words/actions affect them.
There is no need to discriminate, that's all that seems to be in the media and in life. The presidential campaign and all the police shootings, when is enough going to be enough. People are so mean this days, so mean. Someone online said that if a girl weighs over 120 pounds they shouldn't wear bikinis. People judge over the littlest things. Why? Doesn't it take too much energy to be mean, it takes away from our Netflix watching time. Why even do it. Do you want to be bullied, do you want to go through what people who take their lives over words and actions? That should be a definite no, so don't do it. People discriminate over the littlest things, why go through the effort.
I leave you with one thing. Instead of going out of your way to be mean why not go out of the way to be nice. Be kinder and if you see someone being rude STAND UP for them. It crazy that my school has to have assemblies and have specific things to tell us no to be rude, not to discriminate. Be the person to start the process of being nice to each and everyone.
Rest easy Brielle!

Sugarfire Smokehouse-St. Louis (459)

While my classmates were in the Caribbean tanning it up, I was at home but while they were all on flights back I was in St. Louis for a softball tournament. Side note: if you are a Cubs fan and you go to St. Louis make sure you wear Cubs gear while you are down there. Back to what's important. My family and went down a day early to do a college visit of Maryville University. Which I loved, while we were there we asked about good restaurants to eat at. Friday night we ate at Sugarfire Smokehouse and Saturday-Texas Road House. Sugarfire Smokehouse is a local restaurant in the suburbs of St. Louis. A BBQ place that will leave your month watering. And the atmosphere is so great.

We really didn't know what to expect, but we were expecting a sit-down style of restaurant and it is an order and get food from the counter, pay and then sit down. There are five bottles of different types of Barbeque sauce on the tables. Also there is a get your own pop machine and fixings. The pop machine has "weird" flavors they aren't name brand like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. We all got water so we didn't have to experiment with the different types. The décor was really amazing in there, really cool. All different types of licenses plates and lots of other posters. And on the outside it looked exactly like a dinner. It was one of my favorite atmospheres of a restaurant that I have experienced thus far.

The food was so amazing. We all ordered the brisket sandwich and fries. For the sandwich you had the options of 6 and 8 ounces. We got 8 and you got so, so, so much meat and you saw them cut it and weigh it. The buns were warmed and toasted. They were constantly making new fries. When we order they didn't have any that were ready yet so they brought them out to us. And they don't have plates, only trays. The cutest thing ever. You pay and there are bottle caps on the counter (they have like a covering over it) and a basket of pickles and onions that you can take. From first bite I was in LOVE with the sandwich I didn't want to stop eating it. I put a BBQ sauce on mine and continually put it on. The meat was so tender and I was in love. Very messy but very good. The fries were so delicious too. Original, not like McDonalds and Wendy's more like Five Guys. They were so good.

If you are ever in St. Louis CHECK THIS PLACE OUT! You will not regret it, so delicious and an amazing experience.

Rocky Mountainn Chocolate Factory/Tanger Outlets Visit (395)

Yesterday my mom and I went shopping! Our annual shopping trip to Tanger Outlets! It was super successful, and had a great time with my mom. Going to VF outlet, Nike Outlet, Under Armour Outlet, American Eagle, and so many more stores. I also can't forget to mention Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. We receive numerous coupons prior to going, 25% off single items (7) and 20% your entire purchase (1). After about going to half of our favorite stores we were at Dress Barn, and we realized that if we became Tanger Members we would save even more money. So we paid 10 dollars and now every time we go we receive free coupon books and lots of other goodies. For signing up that day we got a free wristlet thing (looks like Vera Bradley) even more 25% single items. We had so many coupons it was unreal. Also, because my mom's birthday is next week she received 15 dollars from Tommy Hilfiger. Because we became members we could give shopping services our receipts and they added them to our account and we spent enough to get a free bag. Its nice by the way. The coupons that came in the mail and in the newspaper were only good for certain stores. For Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, there was 25% a single item, but in the coupon book we bought there was 10% off purchase of 20 dollars. So we cashed in on that. We got one Peanut Caramel Apple, a Pecan Caramel Apple, and a Snickers Caramel Apple.

Yesterday I was fairly healthy. But then again... I did go for a run and hit. After I hit though, I devoured my caramel apple. I mean its healthy because its an apple right? We also enjoy there caramel apples, also love Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. We actually went to the one in Denver (is that the original? I want to say it is but I have no idea). They are always just so good. I mean how hard is it to mess up caramel apples, but one things for sure they always have the absolute best ones. There stores are always the cutest. Especially the one in Denver. I've never tried there chocolates but I'm assuming that they are.

Have you ever had Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory? What did you get? Did you like it?

Ruebens (404)

Since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow 1) you better be wearing your green and 2) that means that corned beef and cabbage/sauerkraut are totally hot right now. Instead of telling you all about my corned beef and cabbage dinner, how about telling you about a sandwich you can make using those ingredients. Buckle up because it is going to be one crazy ride.

You need: corned beef lunch meat, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island Dressing, soft rye bread. You will need to heat it, you can either use a toaster, stove, or a Panini press.
Start by putting everything on the bread. I recommend putting the dressing on first then the bread, then the cheese, then the meat, then the sauerkraut.
I used a Panini press, and found that it worked out really well. Make sure to the put butter on the outer part of the bread so it toasts it and creates a really delicious golden brown bread. I like to manipulate the heat a lot so that the bread toasts and the cheese melts perfectly. I can't really explain what to do so I challenge you to play around with it. Just heat it until the cheese is melted and it looks great.

In the two times I had this sandwich this week one was for lunch and one was for dinner. For lunch I paired it with Sun Chips and fruit. Then for dinner I paired it with a soup and salad, however I didn't eat the soup.

It is fairly painless to make and I really love my Panini press, everything I have made with it always taste the bomb dot com. This is no exception. I'm not a huge sauerkraut fan, I still ate it but if its something that you want to veto do it. I was really skeptical about eating it, but it was so good, I have no regrets. It's so easy to make and really, really good. Differently added into my arsenal for foods to make. I challenge you all to make this. Get creative with it and have loads of fun. Doing all these blogs have me really hungry, maybe I'll have a Rueben. Maybe this just gave you an idea to make one. You will not be disappointed, tell me what you pair with it. Did you like it? What would you change to this recipe? Any tips or tricks for me?

An Appreciation for Bag Salads (405)

My family and I have always loved bag salads. Not just the lettuce mixtures, but the ones that come with toppings galore and a delicious dressing. Not only do I love salads but bag salads have an even more special place in my heart for eating. I could eat an entire bag of one... I have may. The variety is so extensive that there is something for everyone (unless your allergic to lettuce, my apologies if you are). My personal favorite is one called Sweet Kale, I also really love the Asian Sesame one as well. We normally get ours at Sam's Club, but you can get them at any grocer, the kinds may be different however. I am really in love with how easy they are. Especially with how on-the-go I am. To be honest I ate cutting up lettuce and putting everything on, my salads I make from hand (like from a head of lettuce) they look like a giant hot mess. I can quickly throw everything together and BAM! it's ready to eat and it is delicious. Like I literally just said, have said, and will continue to say they are so good. The little of additives depending on what you chose really make the salad (for the sake of explaining I'm going to talk about my favorite... Sweet Kale). In my favorite, they have broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, chicory, dried cranberries, roasted pumpkin seeds and poppyseed dressing. Yum to the max. My sister got me hooked on this salad and now I challenge you to try it.
Another great thing about this salads it that they literally go with everything. We eat them with sandwiches, steak, etc. Make it with a fancy meal, or a grab and go. Great with literally everything and anything. You can have it for lunch or dinner. I mean you could have it for breakfast, you do you I don't judge. I have a huge appreciation for this salads. They make you want to eat healthy, which is great. It's spring break almost time for summer. You got to have those abs, or not no body shame her. Just be confident in your own skin. I definitely gain a little for confidence when I eat these. I know that I'm putting something good in my body. Which makes me feel better about myself.
Have you tried any of these? What's your favorite kind of salad?

Chicken Alferdo (418)

The other day I made dinner... What? I know. Buy hey, I did a good job. Go Megs! Lets back it up a little bit, I made something that was like a frozen bag full of stuff that you cook on the stove and then you can add stuff to it (I can not think of the name of it). Which was Chicken Alferdo, and I love Chicken Alferdo so I was happy to make it (two thumbs up). It was really easy and only took a few minutes to make. And it was really tasty.
So in the bag, it had broccoli, chicken, and the sauce. Chicken Alferdo normally has fettuccini with it, I made it separately. It doesn't come with the pasta but I highly recommend making some as does the bag.
Like I said before, it is really simple to make. You just dump the contents of the bag on the stove and heat it up. For the noodles all you have to do it boil water, once boiling add the desired amount of noodles and keep them in the water until they are no longer crunchy. Once they cook, drain the noodles and then add them to the chicken mix (once that had finished cooking). Then just heat that up together and stir it around so that everything is covered and then serve. We made garlic bread to eat with it but you can make whatever you want to go with it.
I really enjoyed making this. It was so easy, especially for a full night with softball. It was quick and I could get out the door and still have an excellent meal. I made this while watching 90210, it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a pro chef. It tasted like Olive Garden's which is my favorite, I always get it. Now you can get a little taste of heaven without going in to OG and have a great meal any day of the week.
We got our mixture at Sam's Club. I'm sure you can find it anywhere, maybe not the same exact brand, but I never told you the brand I used, mostly because I don't remember what it was, and I'm too lazy to get off the couch to go look (I'm in the zone, I got to finish this). I highly, highly recommend picking up a bag and trying it out for yourself. You will not regret it and it will definitely be a fan favorite. Get creative!

Inventory of My Day in Food! (420)

I was running out of ideas and needed something to talk about, so why don't I tell you what I ate yesterday. Isn't that fun. So I'm going to take you through my day and tell you a little bit about each of the items.
Breakfast
Little Bits Muffins-Chocolate Chip
Blackberries
International Delight Iced Coffee Vanilla

I literally eat this everyday. The muffins are really same but really good. I normally have so type of fruit, most days its Bananas but they weren't ripe yet. Then I got to have some caffeine so iced coffee it is.

Mid Morning Snack
Cliff Builders Protein Bar

I have lifting first hour, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I eat a protein bar to make a good workout into a great workout. They have 20 grams of protein so you will be making those gainz for days.

Lunch
Turkey Sandwich
Bowl of Fruit
String Cheese
Bai drink

My sandwich was on whole wheat bread with mayo and lettuce, and of course turkey. The bowl of fruit from the big bag of frozen fruit I got at Sam's Club. It thaws out before I end up eating it and it is so good. Then I had two string cheeses to have some more protein. Then a Bai drink just to have something else besides water and it was really good. We just got a box of them when we were at Sam's Club last and they are so GOOD!

Afternoon Snack
Cookie Cake

I know, I know. At least I'm being honest about it. It was the last piece and I'm glad its gone. I could not stop eating it, I love cookie cake. Plus I took my dog for a walk and had practice, all is good.

Dinner
Chicken Alferdo
Garlic Bread

I actually made dinner last night and it was really good so go Megan. The chicken, broccoli, and sauce were all in a bag from Sam's Club (gesh, I guess we get everything there) so you just cook that on the stove and added pasta. I next blog is about it, so check it out. Then garlic bread, garlic and bread pretty simple and good because I love garlic.

That is it. Lately I've been trying to eat a lot more fruit and veggies and cut out snacking. I really challenge you to do the same. Eat healthy, workout, and drink water. I literally can not wait for softball to start. I got to get in shape. Lets go, have fun.

Emils Hideaway (411)

Last night was girls night out. More or else. My mom, sister, and I went out for dinner. We ended up going to Emils Hideaway. Emils is a local restaurant in Cedar Rapids. I highly recommend trying out there food. This was my second time there, and I absolutely love it. It is a bar so they serve bar food, but it is the best bar food I have ever had. We went on a Tuesday night so it was not very busy and was more of a restaurant atmosphere. I believe the previous time I went it was a Friday or Saturday, so it was absolutely packed and felt like you were in a bar. The name is not deceiving, it really is hidden. But its not impossible to find. It is also really cool inside, they have pool tables and really cool chairs, and designs. They also have a really open floor plan which is really nice. The bathrooms are labeled "chicks" and "dudes" which is really funny and really cute.
We were pretty boring with our drinks, just having water (but hey, the water was good). We decided to have an appetizer, so we went with fried pickles. I LOVE FRIED PICKLES. I don't have them too much so this was definitely a treat. They absolutely have the best fried pickles of anywhere hands down. No one even comes close to how good these are. I could not stop eating them, my sister could not stop eating them, and my mom who doesn't really enjoy fried pickles really liked them. And they came out super quick after we ordered them. For the main dish, I order the pork tenderloin and fries. Of course I got the breaded, and it comes with pickles, onions, and lettuce on it and then I put ketchup on. They are a really good size which of course size matters when talking about tenderloins. I give them two thumbs up, I was dedicated to finishing it. SO FREAKING GOOD! The fries were really good too, there fries and I enjoyed them, not much to say. My sister got the thai chicken pizza and my mom the cuben. Both said they were really good.
We had really good service, and it was really fun to eat greasy bar food on a Tuesday night. I highly, highly recommend checking them out. You can not go wrong with the food, everything on the menu is super delicious.

Party Potatoes (375)

Yesterday was a beautiful productive day for me. I cleaned my room and bathroom, ran some errands, practiced my softball, and even took my dog for a walk. It was so nice out, almost 50 degrees in the middle of February. It was so nice out, we had the blinds open and even some windows open. For dinner my mom got out steaks, my favorite, so we even ended up grilling out. Yum, steak and all of my favorite sides. We were definitely in good eating. Earlier that day, my mom asked if I wanted Party Potatoes. If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be Party Potatoes. A little bit of everything all my favorite.
Party Potatoes are really easy to make, just start by making mash potatoes and then the rest is just adding spices.
So take enough potatoes that will feed whoever your feeding. Wash and peel the potatoes. Peeling is optional! Then dice them up and boil them so that they become soft and can be mashed. Using a mixer, start to mash them, adding milk. Once that becomes mashed potato material, we will now start adding spices. We add ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and chives. You can even add bacon bits if you want. Then just mix that all together. Then take the potatoes and place them in a glass rectangular glass container. Now your going to add cheddar cheese and put a lot on, you want them to be cheesy. Then your going to microwave them so that the cheese melts, and serve them. Simple and delicious.
So what we did was have steaks but find something yummy that goes really well with it. We also had salads and green beans. It was such a great dinner and there are potato leftovers. I will for sure eating the leftovers as snacks just whenever I'm feeling something really good.
I highly recommend trying these out, they are really easy to make and you will not be disappointed in how they taste. Steak and party potatoes are one of my favorite meals. Will it be your new favorite meal too? Who knows, try it though and get creative!
See you next week, have fun .

A little bit of a rant, for confusion! (433)

Lately I been on a health kick. I say this loosely but I have been eating a lot more fruits and veggies. on Twitter I follow an account called Life Pro Fitness, I highly recommended checking them out. This past week they posted about how fatten foods are cheaper than healthy fruits. There was another post saying people will spend five dollars on a Starbucks drink but second guess when it comes to buying fruit. I sit her writing this eating a sandwich and Fritos (healthy I know). But I look on the packaging the ham I used, we paid seven dollars for a pound and a half, but we got the Fritos on a super buy for 99 cents. Today we went to Sam's Club and bought all of this delicious fruit. My big bag of frozen fruit I buy cost around ten dollars. And the blackberries were around five dollars (granted there were a lot). Why to be so much. That's why there are so many obese people in the world. They don't want to pay for the overpriced apples, bananas, etc. Maybe if they were priced just a little bit lower people would considered buying it. And even when going out to eat, a burger and fries are always a few significant dollars cheaper than a salad. Why? Back to the Starbucks scenario. All them white girls spend five dollars on a Frappuccino but not when it comes to something healthy and nutritious. Starbucks are sugar and calorie filled drinks. Why not a delicious fruit. Fruit is so good for you because they take more energy to digest and burn than the calories that they contain. Michelle Obama has done wonders to the schools food. But what about transforming other areas of food. Can't we bring down the prices of food that will make people look and feel good about themselves. Eating healthy and working out are the key. But sometimes its hard to and people don't want to spend the money when you can buy five of something that may be a little more appealing like Fritos. Why can't we have cheap deals with special kinds of fruit, or healthy cereals, or frozen yogurt. But we load out sales with high calorie addicting snacks that you don't want to put down. Honestly for me I don't want to eat and eat fruit because it was so expensive. Don't get me wrong I love the taste and want to use them all up. So lets all grab something healthy and delicious and snack on that inside of the potato chips.

Texas Sheet Cake (420)

Click here for recipe. Have fun and enjoy!

Sunday was Valentine's Day, and I didn't get to spend the day with my boyfriend, and spent the day reading a book that needed to be finished. Cookie Cake is one of my favorite treats, I always ask for them for my birthday. Sometimes my parents are kind and get one for Valentine's Day but they didn't this year, which is sad. However we decided to make something, I just I justify it as being made with love (it was Valentine's Day of course). We were searching through recipes and my mom said to make these. So I did and I don't have any regrets. "Texas Sheet Cake is the perfect combination of brownies and chocolate cake."

Making this cake is really simple. Items that you most likely already have on hand. The usual items in baking: flour, sugar, salt, cocoa, etc. I really recommend following the directions very closely because this is the type of cake that can be a like bitchy and need exact measurements and directions. Trust me, everything will be find, just refer to the instructions. The recipe calls for buttermilk, which is something I don't have and we didn't use it. We found other recipes that had sour milk in them, so we used sour milk because you can make that from just regular milk. Making sour milk is really easy and there are options on how to make them, I used vinegar. Click here for instructions. Upon further research I found that buttermilk and sour milk are the same thing! so use that recipe and it will be perfecto. I recommend that you put the frosting on when both the frosting and cake are warm.

 

After our dinner of lasagna we were stuffed so we had our tasting after. So while watching 27 Dresses, which is my favorite. I had a piece of it and DAMN it was good. I put ice cream over it and it was still a little warm so it melted it. YUMMMM! I also had chocolate chip ice cream with it which doesn't change a lot, just more chocolate. I haven't been eating a lot of these this week, not because they aren't good, but because I've been on a health kick, so these fun-filled chocolate delightful calorie filled treats aren't really calling to me. Fruit and running have been though.

 

I hope you stay tuned to my next post, with is about fruit and a little bit of a rant.

Smoothies (378)

So today I made a smoothie... And it was really good, and really yummy, and well really healthy. This past week I've kind of been on a health kick. I say that loosely but I have eaten a lot of fruits and veggies this week and I just continued it on to today. I recently got a huge bag of fruit at Sam's Club. Like its really big and full of different kinds of frozen fruit. YUMMMMM! I took the fruit in my lunch box (still frozen). I did melt but it kept it cold and I used to eat it all the time in elementary school (that was so long  ago, I'm going to graduate next year OMG!). So I used it for a smoothie today. I love smoothies, especially in the summer (gotta get that bikini body). I was craving one, and I love how creative you can get with millions of flavors/ creations.

So in this giant bag of many different fruits. I grabbed a nice portion of fruit, dumped in some yogurt and milk. I didn't measure anything. I added milk until I got the consistency I wanted. And used a hand blender to mix everything. That way its really easy to clean up, and I'm lazy so I'm done for that. I had a thicker smoothie, cause that's what I like.

I just love all the different combinations you can make. You can add whatever you what, and that's what I love about it. You can add all the fruit or none of the fruit. You can add Peanut Butter or Nutella or Yogurt. And making smoothies aren't complicated. The worst part is the blending and finding the perfect consistency. And its so much fun to put it in a cute cup with a cute straw and maybe a little garnish.

My suggestion to you is to look at Pinterest or google all the different types you can try. Just put in what ingredients you have and want to put in. You can explore all the types that come up. So have fun and get creative with everything that comes in your mind. Its taste to good to be true that its so healthy. Make one today and you will not be sorry.

Crepes (412)

Yesterday, February 9, if you did not know was Mardi Gras aka Fat Tuesday. One of my classes is French so we had a party during class where we made crepes. Yummtastic. I have it second hour so it was like a second breakfast. I was so excited to have a break and just have a class period to chill. Right now we have foreign exchange student that is from France, so she came into our class and had crepes with us. We all signed up for bringing in items that we wanted to have on our crepes. Crepes are kind of like pizza's where they are so versatile. You can have fruit, chocolate, or meats. So get creative with it. My teacher has an electric crepe maker which is what we used, it was super easy.

Our teacher gave us a batter recipe which, if we were bringing batter we had to use it. I didn't have to make it but it looks super simple.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Place ingredients in blender in the order given, then blend until smooth. You can also stir by hand.

For cooking the crepes, like I mentioned early we used an electric crepe maker for the efficiency and easiness for a classroom. You can make then on a stove or whatever you have. For the electric crepe maker we had, all you had to do was (after it was heated) dip the flat surface in the batter. Then after a while, you just flip it. It only takes a few seconds, really simple and easy.

For the toppings you can add whatever you want. We had a lot of sweeter items. I put banana and blueberry's on for fruit. Also Cool Whip, sugar, and powdered sugar. Then drizzled chocolate syrup on top of it. It looked really pretty. You can also try Nutella, strawberry's, chocolate chips, etc. Crepes are so easy and you can add whatever you want.

One of my dreams is traveling the world. That means someday doing to France. I think it would be so cool to go to a Crepe Shop and have some really authentic ones. I have had then in Mexico and Dominican Republic though. However that isn't same as France. So try to make some on your own, and get creative with it. They are so easy and simple. So have some fun with them.

Garlic and Parmesan Potato Wedges (405)

Click here for the recipe and instructions!

Tonight was leftover night at mi casa. And since I wanted to be a good student and get blogs done before Sunday night, I decided to make food. These little goodies are perfect for appetizers or for side dishes, they would've been great for Super Bowl parties that just happened on Sunday. Go Broncos! and all hale Queen B!! They are super easy to make, for me the hardest part was cutting the potatoes. That was really difficult, 'cuz sharp things and I do not want to cut myself. Mostly likely you will already have all the ingredients on hand or you can mix and match by adding some of your favorite spices or not using other stuff mentioned.

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees. Then wash your potatoes (you don't want them nasty stuff on them). Then start slicing them. I cut them into fours. So I cut it in half then in half again the long way. You could definitely make them smaller or bigger. That step also depends on how big your potatoes are. So I didn't really follow directions (don't be basic, you can't mess these up). I split them into two different small bowls, like the kind you would eat cereal out of. Then drizzled the olive oil on and mixed it around with my hands (yasss, so professional) and then sprinkled garlic powder and salt on. I also used this random seasoning that we use on everything. Just made sure that everything had some seasoning on it. Then I put them on a cooking sheet that I sprayed with Pam and then placed them on there. Then put even more salt and garlic on and also sprinkled on Parmesan cheese. (I really like garlic and salt) Then just put them in that oven for a half hour. Then I just took them off the cookie sheet and served them with ranch, and sprinkled a little bit of salt on them. Make sure to sure them with ranch or sour cream.

This were so easy and I really enjoyed them. You will most likely have everything on hand so just whip them up tonight. Serve them with something or make them at your next party. Whether they are made for a party, a sporting event, or just for a meal they will not disappoint. So have some fun and get creative. :)

German Chocolate Cake (262)

So today is Super Bowl Sunday, and all I did food wise was bake a cake. No fun foods that scream football comfort foods. Go Broncos! But I'm not super into football so I'm cool with just doing homework during it and waiting for the halftime show for Beyoncé! We bought a bunch of cake mixes a while ago when they were really cheap at a store.  My mom said that there was a bunch of them so I was like I'll make one. So I made a German Chocolate mix! 'cause I'm that lazy girl and don't feel like making it from scratch. So I followed all the directions, and I was really nervous that it was going to be too runny but it was perfect when all was said and done. So the cake mix itself is more like a not as chocolaty mix. What makes a German Chocolate Cake, it the icing, it has coconut and pecans. I opened it while it was still baking and I was like this smells like play dough. But don't worry it doesn't taste like it. I used the Betty Crocker mix and I really like it. The cake is super moist and delightful. My goal is to eat healthy this week, but a piece of cake will be in my lunch.
Fun Facts:
-German Chocolate Cake isn't even German!
-June 11th is National German Chocolate Cake Day in America!
-German Chocolate Cake was created in America by Samuel German!
-I'm going to go eat a piece of cake for how amazing that half time show was!!

Nutella and Marshmallow Sandwhich (454)

Click here for the recipe and instructions!

I was desperately trying to find something to make for these blog. I stumbled across these and figured it was easy enough, all I needed to do was get marshmallows. So this morning (Sunday) I felt like making them, for a little something-something before a productive Sunday. I also am in love with Nutella.In the summer Nutella toast is my go to breakfast. **Side note I found a Nutella smoothie that I really enjoy, I will for sure share it with you guys** So I was really excited about trying this. I was also really hopeful, just because it is Nutella and marshmallows. Like who doesn't love those two things. And it was really easy, only 3 ingredients: bread, Nutella, and marshmallows. Well... and butter but that's not super prominent.

Like I said, 3 ingredients. All you do is spread on Nutella on a slice of bread and place marshmallows on top of it. In picture instructions on the website I found the recipe it shows them putting the marshmallows on the other slice. I was just worried that they wouldn't stay when putting the two slices together. Then you just butter both of the outer sides of the bread so that 1) it creates a nice golden brown tint when you cook it and 2) so that it doesn't stick to the pan and burn. Then place the sandwich in a pan, so that you melt the marshmallows and the chocolate. Also be sure not to burn the bread, the most important part is melting the insides (is that creepy to say? its definitely not as creepy as the baby dog monkey commercial). I'm sure you could also use a sandwich press (Panini Maker) which is an appliance that we have and use all the time. I was worried that it was going to smash the sandwich, just because chocolate and marshmallows are quite as dense as turkey (or other meats). So I was really worried that it was going to melt all over the place and create a huge mess. If I was to do it again I would try to put it in there.

So now for the taste! OMG OMG OMG I thought it was really delicious. I would definitely make this again for a couple reasons. For starters is was really easy to make and something different for me to have for breakfast. It was really quick to make. And lastly it TASTES LIKE SMORES! YUMMMMMMMM I love smores and its like having a campfire for breakfast. Something fun and unique. It also looks really cool, all marbleized.

Definitely make these for something special and something unique, you will not be disappointed.

Mellow Mushroom (470)

Are you a pizza fanatic?  I mean who doesn't love pizza. The perfect sauce, the perfect toppings, cooked to perfection. Are you really human if you don't love pizza? Pizza is a perfect example of how you can express yourself in the kitchen. You can add and take away whatever you want. Just think of the endless combinations that people come up with. And with all the different types, it means that you can try so many different kinds. I feel like pizza is a universal item that everyone can relate to. And the taste and availability is out of this world.

A while ago I went to Coralville with my sister and brother-in-law. We were going to watch Pitch Perfect 2 and wanted food beforehand, so of course we had pizza. My sister told us about this restaurant that she had heard of, with crazy pizza types and fun décor around the entire restaurant. She also said something about pretzels and how "you never know what shape you're going to get." I mean I stopped listening after the word pizza, because it's PIZZA. So I mean when she said pretzels I was already sold. So Mellow Mushroom we went.

If you want to check out their menu, click here  <----- do it, you won't regret it

So of course we got pretzels. I believe we got garlic butter and parmesan, with a side of red sauce and butter and kosher salt. I just remember them being really thin, and therefore they were really well done. They were fresh just a little done. I feel like if we went back and tried them again they would be ten times better. It's also really cool because they have a visible kitchen so you can see the cooks rolling out all the dough and making the pizza and pretzels. Also all the ovens they have to cook it.
We also obviously ordered a pizza. We got the Thai Dye. What's the Thai Dye you ask? Olive oil and garlic base, all natural grilled curry chicken, mozzarella cheese, Roma tomatoes, onions. Topped with fresh basil, cucumbers and a sweet swirl of Thai chili sauce. Seriously, go check out their menu. The names are amazing and you will definitely find something (or a couple that you want to try). I normally just get deluxe pizzas so that night I branched out with the Thai Dye. I do not regret it one bit, it was so good. I don't remember a lot of details of it, all I know is that it was really good and it was a gigantic pizza.

I highly recommend the Mellow Mushroom. It was so cool and really good. It is definitely an experience. With the really cool décor and really neat atmosphere with "chillness" of the servers and everything.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever Tasted! (95)

The other day, I made cookies because I was craving something sweet and unhealthy. I used a recipe on the back of a chocolate chip bag and it was the best cookies I have ever tasted. They were so soft and loaded with lots of chocolate chips. Right after they came out of the oven, I tried one and they were perfect, warm and gooey. Perfect. I didn't do anything extra expect what was on the back of the bag and I was not expecting them to turn out like that, they were so good.

Hurts Donut (256)

This past Saturday I was in Iowa City with my sister and brother-in-law. They went to the Brrr-Fest and I had to drive them down there. Afterward we were all hungry, so my sister suggested going to Hurts Donut's, for a snack/breakfast the next day. This place is really cool, and it took me a minute to get why its is called what its called. As soon as you walk in the door, so are hit with the smell of donuts. And it looks really cool in there. We ordered the "dirty dozen" where you got to pick any 12 donuts for $15. Keep in mind that these donuts are specialty donuts that have lots of toppings that are necessarily "normal" flavors. They don't have a menu, depending what time you go, you have a chance to get flavors that they rotate between. We got a bunch of really fun ones, like Cocoa Puffs, and one names "Jesus," also a German Chocolate. There are definitely stuff for everyone here. I tried one the day we got them, which was one of the Jesus's we got. I really liked it, it was fresh and to me tasted like an apple cider donut, which is my favorite. The next, I went over to my sisters house and had breakfast eating the donuts. Well the next day they were really stale and was not very good at all. I would recommend eating when they are fresh, but maybe Hurts Donuts could invest in better boxes to keep them better.

The Worst Experience at a Restaurant Ever! (720)

For softball, we love going to Red Robin. It's one of our go-to for whenever we go out together. What is better than shakes and fries. We practice Sunday's 4:00-5:30, and it was suggested last week that we go out for dinner afterward for team bonding. We had it all planned, well for the most part, and went after practice was finished tonight. (This story is hot off the press!) We arrived there around 6:00, we received waters right away then proceeded to order. Which consisted of 6 shakes and 9 burgers. We got our shakes pretty quickly. For only having one shake maker and having to make a lot of them, it was fine (enough). The only complainant was that they were very melted. Its whatever, I currently have a sore throat so it felt good on my throat, I was happy, everyone was happy. Although one of the girls that did not order a shake, wanted one. Our server came with our shakes and said "good thing you ordered now, we just ran out of ice cream." So my teammate that wanted one, couldn't get one. If you aren't familiar with Red Robin shakes, you can order just a regular or a monster. A monster is when you get the "extra" that is made and doesn't fit in your cup. We all ordered monsters so I was nice and gave her my extra. Totally cool, all's good. Then our food came right away, super good service up until after the food was done. All our food was there, all correct as ordered. We enjoy, and get loads more of fries. We are all happy, its now around 6:50. We are all high schoolers we all procrastinate on homework, so we all have lots to do. Like we really need to get out of there right away. We have sisters on the team, so they were paying together. Our serving left to get our checks, all split up correctly. We don't get our checks for an HOUR LATER. ONE HOUR! We are all sitting there on our phones, trying to figure out what is taking so long, like how hard is it to separate checks. They have the tablets on the table that contain ways to order food, drink, and play games. You can also pay your check on there. Some of us are paying with cards, so we could potentially pay on there. So we try it and we can separate it out, so we press the call server button. Its around 20-30 minutes later that another server comes by and asks if there is anything he can do. We tell him that we just need our checks. He then tells us that "we got the good server tonight" being totally sarcastic. He starts clearing our table, also keep in mind that we haven't had anything taken off the table, so it is super messing and full. He also gets us more water. He was super helpful so thank you to him. Still waiting for our checks, we are texting our parents, doing spit balls, and totally contemplating walking out. Like it was getting ridiculous. We all have homework to do, it is a school night and we need to get home. We finally get our checks around 7:35. We pay right away and then it is another 10-20 minutes before we even got our money back. I get home and my parents are mad, so my dad decides to call the place. We go to Red Robin from time to time and have great service. So he calls and talks to the manager. Well, he was one of the people that was helping to take care of the problem of splitting the checks. Only the waitress told her manger that they we were only waiting 10 minutes. No! that is not okay, we were waiting at the table forever. You do not need to lie about it, tell the truth something more can be done. We received no discount or anything for the time that we were sat there waiting. We were patient, we didn't say anything any worker, like lets get it on. I wish that next time they can be more helpful, not a good experience and we have a lot of homework to do!

French Toast!(405)

Updated favorite breakfast: French Toast. This all started a few weeks ago when my mom made me some before a softball camp. Before that I had not had them in years, like a lot time. Everyone makes them a little differently, and you can look up recipes but I just dumped the things in.

Here's what you'll need:
Eggs
Bread
Milk
Vanilla
Sugar
Syrup
Cooking Spray
Pan

For starters, turn on the heat to the stove and spray the pan with cooking spray. Get that heating up and while that gets your bread all ready. In a separate bowl, crack open the amount of eggs you want. The past few days I have found that 1 egg makes about 2 slices of bread. Honestly, it really depends on your bread, because the bread I have right now it really dry so it really soaked up the fluids. Next, I dump in some milk and some vanilla. Be careful with the vanilla because its very potent. Mix it up and dip your bread it in to make sure to cover the entire slice with the egg mixture. Then place on the pan, I would use a medium-high heat. Then, while everything is browning and cooking on the face down side, sprinkle a little bit of sugar on the face up side. Once the other side is browned, flip over with a spatula and wait until that side is browned. It is a really quick process of cooking. Which is something I really enjoy because its the morning and school and all that fun stuff. Place on a plate and put the syrup on. If you want to be fancy you could heat up the syrup and then pour it on.

These always look so delicious, and I always shove them down my throat. The fact these are so quick are perfect for school mornings. They give me a pick me up and make me ready for the day. They also seem really luxurious even though they are so easy. You could also "dress them up" by adding some fruit, like black berries or bananas. Also a cup of orange juice or milk or for me personally iced coffee, I love it. Just have some fun with eat and you'll be set for the day. Also look up some recipes and see what else you can add to it to change the flavor of it. Have fun with it and have a great day.

Olive Garden-trying new things (414)

Olive Garden is nothing new for my family and I. Nothing compares to there warm breadsticks and loaded salad. I had just finished finals and celebrated with Olive Garden. I love Olive Garden, I could try to make some delicious Italian but its not going to turn out like in the restaurant. Since I was finally done with finals and trying to relax. I ordered a dessert which is something I never do. And of course I'll share the other things I got as well.

So some things never change. I always get salad and breadsticks because you can't. That is real reason to go to Olive Garden. We go through basket after basket of bread, bowl after bowl of salad. And end up taking a lot of it home. Why wouldn't you? For my entrée, like normal, I got Chicken Alfredo. It is so good, so creamy and the chicken is so tender. The broccoli is on point, with the perfect crunch. I found a "Olive Garden Copy Cat" recipe if you would like to try it out.  http://www.copykat.com/2013/09/29/olive-garden-grilled-chicken-and-alfredo-sauce/ I will have to try it and see if it is the "real deal." I can never finish all of the pasta that comes. Its the never ending bowl, you definitely get your bang for your buck. But they make great leftovers and had them the next day for lunch.

But I ordered the Zeppoli, which is described on the Olive Garden website: "soft, traditional Italian doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar, served with chocolate sauce for dipping." These are so good! so good! I was so impressed. The taste like donuts and I could not put these down. I would say they are more like bathing in powdered sugar, rather than dusting. The amount of the sugar left on the plate was enough for a cake. And they chocolate sauce, amazing! When I finished them, I may have eaten the sauce. Shhh! I just finished finals. So I took about 5 of them home because I was already so stuffed. I ate a couple in the car and the rest in the morning for breakfast. They are still delicious cold. I could not get over how good they taste and how good the smell was. It left the car smelling so good. #newairfreshener.

So the next time you are at Olive Garden, save room for desserts and try the Zeppoli. They will not disappoint, however they may make you want to eat them all.

The Lost Cuban~Cedar Rapids (404)

Last Friday, after the last bubble had been filled in on a test, I went downtown Cedar Rapids and tried The Lost Cuban. My sister and I went out for lunch. She always drags me to the coolest restaurants and I cannot complain because they always turn out to have the best food.

The Lost Cuban is owned by a Cuban owner and opened in 2012. It has the best Cuban sandwiches, the best salsa, the best everything. They do have weird hours, so if you decide to try it double check that it is open. Some days they have ribs, which I have heard to be really good. I tried the Cuban sandwich. I already eat them on the daily, but I can't stop talking about this place and how they are. They are served with rice and black beans. But this restaurant does not compare to anything. The rice and beans are so good, they taste nothing like I have had anywhere. Whether that's another restaurant or when I was in Mexico (I do realize that Mexico and Cuba are not the same thing, but isn't rice, rice and black beans,black beans). The sandwich itself was so amazing too. Cuban's included pork loin, Dijon mustard, pickles, and Swiss cheese. Something unique to The Lost Cuban is the fact they use Cuban bread. I didn't even realize that Cuban bread was a thing. But it is so good. The Lost Cuban was founded because of the owner couldn't find something that was similar to his Cuban heritage. In the entire town of Cedar Rapids he couldn't find Cuban bread anywhere and had his mom send him bread to him. It is then toasted and served. Don't forget to grab there homemade salsa and dip your sandwich in it, which is so good and tastes really sweet.

If your in Cedar Rapids and want to step out of your comfort zone I highly recommend trying it. In my house, we buy a lot of pork lion and I take those for lunch. I love it even when its not toasted and on regular wheat bread. I can not say it enough of how much I love this place. You walk it and order and then they bring it to your table. The colors inside the restaurant put you in a good mood. They do have alcoholic beverages, so they are partly a bar too.