Shepherd's Pie

I made this recipe last night and I must say, I was really impressed with myself. It came from this blog, Recipes Under 400 originally.

Granted, my mashed potatoes would have come out a little more mashed if I'd had, you know, a masher or a hand mixer. But whatever, it came out delicious. I know it says weight watchers, but don't mind that. It is really really tasty. I ended up not having all the spices so I substituted everything I didn't have with garlic powder. I know that sounds weird, but garlic powder can go in literally anything as long is it's not a dessert. Try this baby out, it has tons of veggies and stuff so it keeps you full and makes a lot, and it isn't absolutely terrible for you. Also, if you want to be a little more of a fatty, you can add some cheese over the taters. I mean, add reduced fat cheese and then maybe you won't feel so bad.

Weight Watcher’s Shepherd’s Pie

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion (chopped)
• 2 medium carrots (diced)
• 2 medium celery ribs, diced
• 1 lb uncooked ground turkey breast (or morningstar farms recipe crumbles)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups canned chicken broth or 2 cups beef broth (or vegetable for vegan)

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
   
2. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
6. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes.
7. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat.
8. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
9. Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top.
10. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes.
11. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Six servings, 275 Calories each

My obsession with make-up

I absolutely love make up. It's an issue, and I know how vain that is, but really it is so fun to play with. And even if you have complexion issues, like me, make up magically covers them up! That way, I can go around outside without people wondering if I've just hit puberty and without teenagers calling me pizza face. Seriously, it's that bad. But with make up I look normal!

I just became a Brazen Beauty, essentially me helping promote this awesome make up I stumbled upon. They have vegan make up and the colors are really interesting and unique, and I am pretty much in love with them. If you want to visit Brazen Cosmetics, click on the banner off to the right.

Right now, I'm totally obsessed with the tipsy glosses. They are so pretty and shiny and they are flavored like drinks. I'm completely in love with them. There's a Red Headed Slut flavored one, and it's the prettiest bright pink color that would be perfect for Spring into Summer. I have the La Femme gloss, it's really nice and smooth, not too thick and sticky.

Fierce + Flawless HD power is my favorite product right now to help cover the tiny, angry bumps on my face. Currently, I use it as a primer to even out my skin tone, but maybe someday I'll have a nice, smooth complexion and I'll get to use it as a finishing powder.

I think from now on I'm going to add a few make up tutorials to my blog as well. In college one of my favorite things was to do make up for my sorority sisters. I like how make up can make people look a little different and boost confidence. If you're a make up doubter and think I'm being shallow here, I totally understand and in my defense I didn't really start doing make up until high school and I definitely wasn't into doing hard core doing it until college. I'm not one of those people that thinks Toddlers and Tiaras make up is a good idea.

Also, if anyone wants any tips on techniques, let me know! Off to the right there you can find some of my favorite blogs. Productista reviews different...well products, this includes make up, I highly recommend checking her blog out if you're looking for some advice on which stuff to pick up.

Happy Valentine's Day

The past weekend was really the time to go all out for V-Day. Tuesdays are kind of inconvenient days to stage a really romantic night out, especially if you or your special someone have work or class in the morning. I spent my birthday/ Valentine's weekend in Virginia with my sailor. Not that this has anything to do with my post, but it was fantastic besides how I forgot warm clothing and was cold the entire time. Virginia is indeed for lovers and that's why I haven't posted in a couple days.

Hints for the day, if you don't have a Valentine, that's OK. Things will still be fine, no worries. Mine is in Virginia so I understand that feeling. To make up for this I am bringing children's Valentine's for my coworkers. These are complete with hamburger erasers. That's right.

Also, I'm bringing cupcakes! Which is sad because today two people brought cupcakes in and tomorrow I think me and another coworker are. I mean, you can never have too many cupcakes. Right? Well, hopefully the work crew can choke down multiple tasty treats or we are going to have an insane surplus on our hands. The point was, you can bake treats! Baking things from boxes or scratch, it makes no difference really. And you can give them away, treats always make a person's day.

Send e-cards to friends. These tend to be funny and occupy time. They tend to be adorable and who doesn't like to get a nice little message in your email that isn't about work or a sale and a store that you don't need to go to.

Take your friends to a movie. The Vow is out, that's the most popular lovey movie to see. This Means War is more action packed and less tooth-decay inspiring. I'm sure other movies like The Iron Lady and such are still out. Go see whatever you want, entertainment is a nice escape.

Don't get too bummed out. I know Valentine's Day can seem a little too lonely and a little too harsh of a reminder that you aren't with your true love, but it should just be a reminder that romance exists. So, don't run from the heart-shaped pizza and donuts. If cowokers bring in desserts that are going to go straight to your thighs, dive in. Calories don't count on St. Valentine's Day, and anyway it's good to indulge every once in a while. V-Day is a decadent holiday with chocolate and wine, fancy dinners and jewelry. It doesn't have to be that way for everyone. Even a quiet night with Lady and the Tramp a bottle of wine and a pint of ice cream can be enough for a good night.

No worries, it's one day of the year, if it makes you too bitter, it'll be done and over with soon.

Mizzou Game Day Cookies

In honor of our last game against kU in Mizzou Arena, I made some cookies to bring to a little watch gathering down here in Alabama. I really didn't have much time to prepare anything and I didn't want to spend any money (I was planning on using the money to buy Jason Wu clothes...that turned out to be a bust. Target apologized to me online though.) So, I remembered that I had yellow cake mix in the pantry, and I made those red velvet cookies from cake mix once, so I figured the yellow color would be good for Mizzou. As we're black and gold and all. I mean, you could make these if you're an Iowa fan, Steelers fan, Alabama State University fan and so on.

Here's the recipe, it's the easiest thing ever.

Yellow Cake Cookies

1 yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 c. Crisco oil
1/2 c. sugar

Mix all ingredients. Roll out small amounts on pastry sheets. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 5-10 minutes.

I used a heart shaped cookie cutter, but I think round would've been cute, too. Maybe pennant shaped if you're going to a tailgate. Basically you could shape them like anything. I had some bitter sweet chocolate chips hanging around so I melted those in the microwave, put the melted chocolate into a little plastic sandwich bag and snipped a hole in the corner. I used this to decorate the cookies with different phrases. See? they kind of turned out black and gold! Essentially, they were the cutest things I've ever made and apparently delicious. I ended up giving them all away at the end of the party because the dough made quite a few.

Valentine's Day gifts

I know that Valentine's Day can be an awkward time for people trying to give gifts. If you're new to a relationship you don't know what's acceptable to give. If you've been in one for a while you wonder what the other person expects, should you give something to your best friend?

I know these things are confusing, but it's kind of like Christmas but less of a big deal. If you have a significant other definitely get them something. Guys can't go wrong with flowers, chocolates or jewelry depending on the length of the relationship. Girls can't go wrong with baking treats and possibly something else. Guys are a mystery to me with gifts sometimes.

Homemade gifts are always good. You know, painted frames, a list of things you love about the person (try this craft), or maybe a nice old school mix tape. But you know it will have to be a CD because God knows none of us have the knowledge anymore of how to make that, and who knows if the recipient would even have a tape player? There's this one, a fabric love note in a frame, which looks a little too complicated for me. But on a similar note to that you could just get a frame, but lined paper in it, possibly decorate the frame a bit, and then use a dry erase marker to leave messages to each other on it. Get it? You'd write on the glass!

I'll give you a little example of a Valentine's Day CD I made for my parents. I themed it from the 60s because I remember my mom playing these songs on the radio. This could work as a theme for anyone. I mean, who wouldn't want a 90s love song CD? I'm sure everyone would appreciate that. Or if you have a friend that likes country...you could theme it by genre. I would want that CD, not going to lie.

Vintage Valentine's Playlist

Earth Angel - The Penguins

Then He Kissed Me - The Crystals

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

Baby Love - The Supremes

Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations

I Hear A Symphony - Diana Ross and The Supremes

I'm A Believer - The Monkees

Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles

Baby, I Need Your Loving - Four Tops

You Can't Hurry Love - Diana Ross and The Supremes

Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - Four Tops

Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson

Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations

Happy Together - The Turtles

What The World Needs Now - Jackie DeShannon

A Groovy Kind Of Love - The Mindbenders

I Say A Little Prayer - Dionne Warwick

Pre-Valentine's Day dangers

I bought a little box of chocolates for my parents at Walmart. It was so cute. It had a little panda on it with a karate outfit and it said "I get a kick out of you." How cute is that? Especially since my dad and I have this weird thing for King Fu Panda. I don't know why exactly, but we both think it's the funniest thing. He tells me to "Have a dumpling" sometimes, it's a line that the little sensei with the huge ears said. I figured you wouldn't know that if I didn't tell you.

So I was going to send this tiny box of candy to my parents, the thing cost a dollar, and then I realized it would cost me, at least $5 to get it there. Now, I'm not usually cheap, but I made them a CD instead with old love songs from the 60 and slipped it into their card. Don't judge be for this, but I kept the box of chocolate myself.

Needless to say, I've been eating on it. Eating on chocolate originally intended for my parents. Lord. That has to be a new low.

There are so many things to watch out for, the candy being one, before Valentine's Day. The chocolate and heart-shaped treats are so hard to avoid. They're staring at you from every aisle at Walmart. Confetti cake with pink and red sprinkles, cupcakes decorated with little plastic ring hearts and those Pillsbury cookies that have the little pictures on them. Commercials on TV have red and pink Hershey's kisses that are dancing with each. How adrobs and fattening all at the same time. Seriously, I can feel my thighs widening from the entire box of chocolates I ate. And I still want more, maybe I'll make hot chocolate...

Then there's the previews on TV for The Vow - the newest Nicholas Sparks film that makes everyone want to just explode from the overload of lovey dovey sweetness. Explode in a bad way, not a good one. It's enough to make the happiest couples doubt their relationship. How can a real life couple ever really compete with a dude trying to get his wife to fall in love with him AGAIN. Its hard enough the first time. And for everyone else that gets bitter around V-Day, that whole mushy story is just one big slap in the face. It's saying "Don't you wish you could find this? I know you're jealous, but how sweet!" I hate that.

You spend a lot of money you still have quite earned back from the holidays on gifts for your significant other, Valentine's Day cards and treats for the office. I definitely bought some old school, elementary style Valentine's Day cards for the office. They come complete with a little eraser. I'm not going to lie, I think they're going to love them...or think I'm crazy but I'm not going to trip on it.

I don't think Valentine's Day has to be this fluffy, cotton-candy-esque holiday. I think it can be sweet and sensual without overloading the senses and causing sugar decay and a need to buy a gym membership. Let's just focus on the love and friendship aspect shall we? Be nice to one another and all that. Show them you care about your friendships and loved ones if you neglect to do that on a regular basis.

Let's be real though, those heart-shaped Dove chocolates taste the best don't they? I'm totally making hot chocolate for myself this second as it's the only thing in my apartment right now that's chocolate flavored. Curse you Cupid, I know it's all you doing this and I have no will power of tasty delicious things.

UPDATE: I have no milk to make hot chocolate. I had to settle for wheat bread with apple butter and honey. So disappointed right now.

I'm turning 23...yikes

In two weeks, I will be 23 years old. That sounds very young when I apply it to people that aren't me. I've been alive for two decades plus three years. I was born in the 80s, was around for the entire 90s and the dawn of the 2000s. I survived Y2k. Y2k, for God's sake, and now we're heading into what could be the end of the world, or where the Mayans ran out of space ... or just got bored.

I'm constantly getting confused for a college student, which is nice because it makes me feel like I look youthful, granted I graduated less than a year ago, but it gets old telling people that I actually have a real job, and a real apartment and real bills. The thing I'm most sick of is getting ID'd at bars. I've been 21 for 2 years now, and yes that is me, I know my hair is a different color now, do you want my social security card, too?

In the future, when they stop asking for my ID, I'm going to be embarrassed and invest in ridiculous creams for crow's feet and laugh lines. But, for real, I already have wrinkle creams and makeup that won't settle in the lines on my 22-year-old face. What is this world coming to, right? It's those air brushed models, but I digress.

Having not even reached my mid-twenties yet, I understand that this portion of my life is for self-discovery. I need to find who I am and start to understand her and be happy with her.
As we can discern from my previous statement, I haven't done this yet, what with the wrinkle creams and all.

In the past year since I graduated from college I've made sweeping improvements but I'm just not there yet. I don't know where I want to go, what I want to do and what I ultimate want out of my life. And as often as this makes me feel crazy, I know there are so many of you out there wondering the same thing.

If I can give those that are younger than me a little advice I'd just say, give it time. As much as you want to understand things, you just won't be ready yet. Eventually things will click. Don't worry too much. Just keep doing the things you love, and try your best.

To those older than me, I'm sorry if this all offends you. I'm sure you're thinking "What does she know, she's still a baby." You'd be correct and I am thoroughly open to you giving me free advice. Seriously, there's nothing like learning from other's mistakes.

And to everyone: Don't stop acting immature. I'm not saying stop paying your bills and run away to the circus. I'm just saying, a little immature fun is what keeps us going. Pulling out that Disney movie you love when your sick is the best medicine. Whipping out that *NSYNC CD to jam to some "No Strings Attached" is completely worth the risk of someone seeing you.

I'm thoroughly planning on going to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with my girl friends next year for my 24th birthday. So, Peter Pan it up, in the non-creepy way. It's the best advice a 22-going-on-23-year-old can give.