Quick and Easy Weekend Recipes

While I wish I could tell you about all the healthy food I ate this past weekend, lobster was probably all I've got for you.  BUT I will tell you that I'm a huge fan of easy recipes and I've got a few up my sleeve that everybody seems to enjoy.  This weekend E asked me why I hadn't made 7 layer dip yet this year.  I didn't really have a good reason, aside from the fact that I made it this weekend, in this 8x8 dish...and I'm pretty sure I ate about 85% of it.  That, hubby, is why I don't make this.  My 7 layer dip also turned into 6 layer dip because E doesn't like tomatoes.  But I'll let you in on a secret.  It's super easy to make!  If you ever need a last minute app to bring to a party...this baby is your friend.  Here's all you need: 

1. 1 can refried beans
2. 16 oz sour cream
3. Guacamole (homemade or premade...below i just used premade)
4. 1 jar of  salsa
5. Lettuce
6. Shredded cheese
7. Tomatoes

I've even replaced tomatoes with a sprinkling of onions before and that was pretty good, too.  Usually I use a 9x12 baking dish, but decided to go a little smaller this time.  So I used about half the amount of ingredients I normally would.  And of course, I forgot to take some pictures before I dug into it so was stuck with an after picture.  Some people see the refried beans and get scared away (I'll admit, it doesn't look all too appetizing right now) but i promise you it's well worth the 7 minutes it takes to put this together.  Plus, no baking required!  Just put the 7 layers together and you're good to go!

My next adventure this weekend was making whole wheat BBQ chicken calzones.  I cheated (again) and bought pre-made whole wheat over the weekend.  I took some flour and rolled it out onto a pizza pan basically as thin as I could make it.  I used Kraft Honey BBQ Sauce and put a little layer on the bottom.  I added some [left over] diced & grilled chicken, sprinkled in some red onion, colby jack cheese and then put a little more BBQ sauce on, folded it up, pinched the edges together and baked for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Delish! Again, I didn't take a before picture!  This made more than enough for E and I, his mom even had a little and we still had some left over.  It was a pretty large dough ball, but the dough only cost $0.89!  Talk about a cheap, yummy and somewhat healthy lunch!

Yum.

Weekend Recap

I was looking for pictures from this weekend when I realized the only pictures I have were from my phone...and they are almost all food.  We spent a good chunk of the Saturday looking at houses...but walking away without a whole lot of progress.  Saturday evening we had a lobster fest!  B man officially tried his first taste of lobster.  There's a little place around these parts where they actual cook the lobsters for you for a tiny bit more than you would otherwise pay.

This is what these bad boys looked like when we opened the bag.

I promise this isn't what B-Man actually ate...Just for the purpose of pictures!  You can actually see how orange his little nose is from the sweet potatoes he was indulging in earlier!  And can I just say that I can't believe my little man is already eating lobster???  We also went food shopping this weekend...and I didn't buy one jar of baby food because B-Man has already outgrown jarred food.  He much prefers real pasta, veggies, chicken or fruit than the jarred food. Fine by me...but it's all going by much too fast!

Grandma, Grandpa and A Mall

After our fun filled Saturday (and a rough night...did I mention how much wine I drank? Suffice it to say it's a good thing E's parents watched Brady on Saturday...and here's to hoping E will drive me home again in the future...love you, toots!).  Anyways, Sunday morning, we were up and at it, ready to go again.  We haven't seen my parents in a couple of months, since they flew back across the country with Bman (more on that another time!).  It had been about two months, and luckily there's a mall and a bunch of restaurants almost exactly halfway between where we live and where they live.  We decided to meet up at Red Robin and had a delicious lunch.  Bman got to try some new foods, too.  I stress foods, as in plural.  He's recently started eating more and more solid foods (yes, we picked him up from daycare one day and his provider told us he had half a waffle for breakfast....my baby is growing up too fast!).  At lunch on Sunday, the small list of new foods he tried were...olives, avocados, blue cheese and the inside of potato fries.  He was in his glory.

Once we were done with lunch, we headed over to the mall up the hill and walked around for a while. We found a play area and we all had a blast watching Bman explore, find new games, and slowly venture further and further out.  But he always came back to us in between his little ventures.  There was a lot going on but I think he loved crawling around and finding new toys!

Standing on the turtle!

Hanging out with Grandpa

Giving kisses...to himself...on a mirror. Nothing like strengthening that immune system!

A new favorite game!

Venturing out...

After the play area, you would think B would have been exhausted, no? Well it turns out, this mall has a carousel.  What better time to take the little guy on his first ride?  He did SO well the first two spins - he had us all going thinking that he was having a great time....

Unfortunately, by spin three, the day was getting to bug.  He was tired, didn't want to be on the tiger anymore and was probably getting dizzy.  After E and I did some careful maneuvering and planted our feet, we rescued little B from the tiger, got him off the carousel, into his stroller and back to the car, where he promptly passed out as soon as we started moving.  It was quite the day for such a little man!

A Fabulous Event

I have no idea how it's already gotten to be Tuesday!  We had quite the weekend round here.  One of my best work friends got MARRIED this weekend!  I remember the beginning days of her planning her wedding...and now it's come and gone.  It was at an absolutely beautiful barn, and she got married under a gorgeous oak tree on a hill side.  She and her fiancee looked absolutely gorgeous.  E finally got to meet some of the girlies I work with and we all had a great time.  Joc & G I know I speak for all of us when we say I wish you nothing but a lifetime of love and happiness....you two looked gorgeous and are a perfect for one another.  I hope you loved your day. Nothing but the best in the life ahead of you both.

Hope you two are enjoying your honeymoon!

Sunday Funday

Like I said, this weekend was full of relaxation.  E's grandma came down for the weekend, as well.  Did I mention our living situation?  That's a post for another day...but long story short is that we're staying with hubs' parents for the time being.  So when I say his grandma came to stay, she didn't exactly come to stay just to see us.  But it was nice seeing her either way.  It was actually the first time she met her great grandson, too.  We did some grocery shopping and hung out while Papa H grilled.  It was one of those days where there aren't too many words to describe it...but the pictures do all the talking.

 Ok, so this was actually the hubs grilling on Friday...but I had to include the picture :) 

 Hanging out with Grandma on the deck

B has finally started to taking a liking to Jack!

 The new way of expressing himself is to yell. Just. Yell.

 Long day for pup...he's never this relaxed!

Weekend Happenings

These are the kinds of weekends I love.  Relaxed and laid back...some built in lounge time.  On Saturday, B-man let us sleep until 8:30.  He woke up at midnight and spent the rest of the night in our bed. He was up at 6 and I figured he was up for the day, but one part of a bottle down and he passed right back out, and until 8:30.  Bliss.  The last time E and I got to sleep in that late while not on vacation was...well, before B-man.  Saturday we had to paint a bulkhead, but then we did some shopping and tried out a new sandwich shop, Capriotti's.  The sandwiches were HUGE, expensive and pretty good.  Even B-Man had some of the bread.  I think he enjoyed it!

It was also the first time bug sat in his big boy stroller without the car seat and he loved it.  He was a little sleepy the whole time, but so good and not fussy.  I wish I took more pictures....it was a beautiful day and we had so much fun!

When we got home we weren't too hungry, but a bit later we decided that we should probably eat something for dinner.  I went back to making one of my old favorites....quesadillas.  I remember the first time I made quesadillas for E's parents. They were amazed at how good they are.  And they're so easy! Always a crowd pleaser.  All we used was a tortilla, grilled chicken, mozzarella & taco blend cheese and onions with some avocado and salsa on top.  It takes all of 10 minutes to make a quesadilla for two meals.  How can you beat that?!

One Fine Saturday

Isn't it crazy how some friendships come about?  This is my maid of honor at my wedding.  Almost exactly three years before this day, I remember being at work and getting a phone call.  It was my new roommate.  She called to say that she knows she didn't know me that well and she thought living together would be good, but you see she heard I was dating this guy.  It wasn't that she didn't like the guy.  She just didn't want him over in our suite or our room...all. the. time. You see, we didn't really know each other, but we both knew the other girls we were going to be living with.  I guess you could see we were the odd ball room in our suite.  Would it work? Wouldn't it work?  Well, fast forward three years later and she's giving a speech at my wedding as the maid of honor.  Oh yeah, and that guy...now my hubs.  Even though Kels and I didn't know each other going into our sophomore year, and the first few days were really feeling each other out, trying to figure out whether or not this was going to work, we just clicked.  And not only did WE click...but she and the hubs are pretty close, too.  I guess you could say I'm one lucky lady.  E & I have moved out to Arizona twice now, and then back home...and this girl?  Came out to visit both times.

You see, she and I don't have to spend every second together or even see each other every week...and at this point every month!  But when we want to get together and we're living within an hour or two of each other...we somehow always end up here:

Credit

It's also one of those places where we always open the menu, stare at each other and ask what are we doing.  Because I know we can always count on soup, salad and bread sticks at lunch...and let's make it Chicken & Gnocchi.  I mean for the record and all.  So yesterday I got to see this lovey, at the Olive Garden and hubs was working and couldn't make it so it was just the three of us.  Now the first time my little B-man met Miss Kels?  Well, let me show you how that went....a little something like this...

He didn't last too long...he was a fuss butt...and a cranky pants?  This time, I'd say we had much better luck...

B-Man loves his Aunty Kels.  I can't believe it had been three months since we had seen her...but always so great to get together!  After lunch we headed to Kels's mom's house...right up the street...where B-man got his very own car...and measuring cups to play with.  

I mean...who needs toys when you can have a pile of measuring cups to bang around and toss?!