My Tornado Adventures

I love the Oscars, I love the glamour, and the hosts - esp last night, and picking apart everyones dresses! The most important part of watching the oscars for me at least is watching it with people that I love! Last night my fabulous friend Adam came over to cook dinner and watch, and my roommate Nicole joined us!

I was SUPPOSED to be studying for my huge midterm wed.. but I just couldnt tear myself away! Nicole and I had grand plans to turn it off midway through, but all of a sudden it was 11 pm and we had watched the whole thing!

My favorite dresses were definitely Sandra Bullock, Demi Moore, and shockingly Miley Cyrus, who I am not always that big of a fan!

Now to the Menu:

We had my Chicken Eggplant Parm.. which I made up on a whim last spring because I really wanted a healthy version of both chicken and eggplant parm.. that was fresh and juicy and NOT breaded or fried! I hate things that are  breaded and fried.. mostly because I try to make everything as healthy as I can!

It is a REALLY easy recipe to make, and as Adam said makes your kitchen smell like “Jesus is cooking”!

Recipe:

Chicken Breasts ( depending on how many ppl you have, I usually get two large boneless breasts and cut them in half lengthwise and then again width wise to make 4 thinner smaller pieces)

1 large eggplant

1 can chunky tomato sauce

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves shredded

1 tbsp italian seasoning

1/4 c red wine

1 ball of fresh mozzerella cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese

* I listed ingredients to make sauce obviously you can use a jar sauce

Preparation

Grill Chicken breasts in George Foreman grill ( if you dont have one GET ONE.. seriously the very best kitchen investment esp for a college kitchen) You want them to be almost completely cooked.. but still a teensy bit pink

While grilling cut eggplant slices into 8 round pieces also prepare sauce. Pour tomato sauce into sauce pan, add wine, basil, garlic and spices, and simmer

Then cut them in half while grilling eggplant slices for a minute

Place four slices of eggplant in a baking dish and cover with a little ricotta, then chicken, then a mozzerella slice, then sauce, then repeat with remaining ingredients. Cover with remainder of sauce, and parmesan cheese

Cook at 350 for about 20 minutes!

Serve with warm bread… and more red wine!

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed the oscars as well!

xoxo

Meg

Holla!

So it has been awhile.. my goals to update this blog all the time was a fail! But I do have a few posts I have to put up including the fail of a Perfect Party Cake which looked like a mess but tasted ABSOLUTELY amazing!

As I may have mentioned before I am a second semester senior in college which means waiting for grad schools to extend me interviews and acceptances! I have been freaking out or totally zen the past few weeks, while waiting, and luckily thus far I have had two interviews! For future students looking at psych grad programs.. its hard.. dont slack off in college!

Anywhoo the whole reason for this post is to write about my wonderful brownies that have become my new favorite recipe! On the note of interviews, I had one in Denver this weekend! I was really excited to go especially because my younger brother Kevin goes to CU Boulder. Now Kevin is one of my number one people to bake for, because he loves junk food, especially the kind I make! He stipulated that I could only come spend the day with him at CU if I brought treats. One treat he really wanted was one he saw on my old blog- Skinny Girls Guide to Food. And this was for Ooey Gooey Brownies!

These brownies were fudge-y, chewy, and perfect because of the addition of Peanut Butter and Fluff! I made a ton- so enough for my roommates who are my other dedicated taste testers! Nicole said it was one of the best things she ever ate, and even my uncle who hates brownies was won over by these babies!

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies (from Cooking Light)

• 3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk, divided
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 1 (18.25-ounce) package devil’s food cake mix ( I used Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix from Duncan Hines)
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter morsels

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/4 cup condensed milk, butter, and next 3 ingredients (butter through egg white) in a bowl (batter will be very stiff). Coat bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press two-thirds of batter into prepared pan using floured hands; pat evenly (layer will be thin).

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup condensed milk and marshmallow creme in a bowl; stir in morsels. Spread marshmallow mixture evenly over brownie layer. Carefully drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

* I also threw in gobs of regular peanut butter in addition to the chips, also threw in chocolate chips to the batter to make it even more chocolate-y

make these now! they are amazing! It was supa hard for me because I have given up sweets for Lent! But I resisted the huge temptation!

Ok now back to class! Thanks for checking in!

xxoo

Meg

HELLO!

Ok three posts in one day.. excessive maybe… but hey I just started gotta look busy ya?

anyway tonight marks the beginning of one of my favorite events EVER…. the OLYMPICS!!!! As a swimmer I am more partial to the Summer Olympics, but hey I’m a sucker for those far more talented than I am on the Ice, and the ski hill as well!

The opening ceremonies has been quite the event in my family since I can remember watching the olympics! We order in food from the nation hosting ( really easy when it is somewhere like Beijing.. not so easy with Canada) and watch it as a family. However now… I am alone in my apartment for the weekend so I will be cooking for myself and watching them! It sounds kinda sad but really… I’m ok with it! It has been a hectic semester thus far and a little down time with one of my favorite things is just what the doctor ordered!

My Menu:

Turkey Burger

I love Turkey Burgers… mostly cuz I try not to eat a lot of red meat! Like a normal burger they are really easy to make! All you need is a little pepper, and ground turkey breast! Some may add a little bbq sauce.. thats delicious as well! I shape mine up, pop it in the George Foreman, toast my bun and we are good to go! Although normally if I am being carb conscious I forgo the bun!

Sweet Potato Fries

Probably the best thing since sliced bread, and super easy to make as well! Take 1 or 2 sweet potatoes depending on how much you are making, and cut into 2in slices

Cover on a pan with olive oil and salt and bake at 350!

Salad

I am lazy and use bag salad alot.. I love it! I get romaine and spinach, and mix it together in a big bowl or container with peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cheese

I add protein and dressing later on, but this basic salad can last me all week! Its great

Wine

I love red wine.. soon I will have a post all about wine

So that is my Olympic Menu… I will be feasting and watching the opening ceremonies tonight at 7:30! I hope you catch it as well!!!

xxoo

Meg

Holla!

So It is a long weekend, a really long weekend- I had one class this week… on Monday… and my next class is on Wed… awesome on the bright side that gives me a lot of time to catch up on all of my work, sleep, possibly pick up my apartment! My roommates would all enjoy that.. a nice treat for them as they all left this weekend!

With all this time.. there is plenty of oppurtunity for fun adventures in NYC! Take 1: tomorrow Yoga to The People Hot Yoga! For those of you who like me enjoy yoga but need a big push to actually get to yoga class, go to a yoga to the people class if you are in NYC! They are great classes, that will get you super hot and stretched! You will be sore the next day, but not sorry as you will soon notice the lean, flexible body you are starting to form! At least this is my dream after every time I do yoga! Tomorrow I am challenging myself to the powers of Hot Yoga.. Vinyasa Power Hot Yoga to be exact!

Be sure to check out Yoga to The People!! the classes are donation only, with a $2 mat rental! Cheapest workout save for a run that you can do in the city!

Adventures in NYC Take 2: Walk in the Park! What could be better than a hike through in my opinion the prettiest part of NYC? Central Park is even better in the snow! I love to walk, I can usually solve all of my problems whilst working out, and one the best ways is to just walk around the city. Walking in the park allows me to transport myself from the park to a wonderland of sorts! Try it if you have time, and are stressed out- you will feel 100 times better!

ok I have ambled on enough for one post! Time to get back to data analysis!

xxoo

Meg

Hello y’all!!!

Welcome to my little blog! Join me as I chronicle my last semester of my senior year of college through the amusing anecdotes I am sure I will have to share, the recipes I will love to post along the way, and the millions of pictures I will take in order to attempt to remember every minute of this final semester!

xxoo

Meg