Thursday

Today consists of a lot of of Audiology studying, a little bit of Gilmore Girls, packing, and getting ready for the Spring Banquet tonight.  {A party to celebrate the graduating second years... ahhh that will be me next year}

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After the celebrations tonight we're heading to Tybee for the weekend!  

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My roommates' parents have a beach house so we're packing up and heading down there with all of our Columbia friends (plus a Charleston addition).
This will be my first tan/beach session of the season!

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I got my new Nicholas Spark's book (Safe Haven) from the library and picked out some fun summer recipes so I'm ready to go!


“The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea.”

--Isak Dinesen

Monday's Meals--BBQ Chicken and Carrot Cake

Monday's Tuesday's Meals :)
This past week has been a little slim on the cooking front since I'm getting into exam week.
But last Sunday when the neighbors came over, I did make some Honey BBQ Chicken from the I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening cook book.
It was very easy--but yummy!  The guys even asked if I grilled it (which I didn't, so I guess that's a compliment coming from 2 males!)

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Boneless Honey BBQ "Wings"
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

Combine BBQ sauce and honey in small bowl, set aside. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper over chicken and toss to combine. 
Place large nonstick skillet over high heat, lightly mist skillet with spray and add chicken strips (they should sizzle). 
Cook about 2-3 minutes each side, until cooked through. Turn heat to low, add BBQ sauce and gently stir until coated. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes and then toss again.
{I thought I was reading the recipe wrong but it didn't instruct you to put on the sauce until after you cooked the chicken.  I was skeptical...but the sauce stuck really well!}


Then to balance out our healthy cooking....A Carrot Cake!  This recipe is my BIL's Grandmother's specialty--so Nancy and I gave a stab at it on Easter Sunday.  Now it didn't look like something you'd see on those cool cake TV shows--but it tasted great!!

Grammy's Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 small can of crushed pineapple
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Beat oil and sugar together, then add eggs, beating well after each one.  Sift dry ingredients then add to egg mixture, beating well.
Add carrots, pineapple, and nuts.  Mix well.
Pour into 3 greased, round cake pans.  Bake 35-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Cream Cheese Icing 
**the best part**
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick of butter
8 oz package of cream cheese

Mix well and spread on cooled cake.



Happy Cooking.

Offer It Up

So Beth, my college BFF, used to tell me a phrase her mom used growing up: "Offer it up"  Whenever she or her brother would complain or say it's not fair--her mom would respond- Offer it up!

That was exactly the attitude I needed today.
A professor changed the form of our final exam at the last second (from open book to closed book aka we have to memorize half of a semester's worth of material in less than a week)  Now I understand there are totally bigger problems/fish to fry...but in the tunnel vision of exam week this seemed sooo bad!
Offer. it. up.
period. end. of. story.

Thanks for the advice Beth/ Mrs. Susan :)

     

Oh tonight how I wish I was back at FSU...

Easter!

I love Easter--always have, always will!
But not compared to my college roommate, Libby. She was obsessed!! Last Spring I was still at FSU and she threw and 'Eggstravaganza Easter Party' at her house for all of our friends, complete with dying eggs and a bunny cake

Guess who's egg this is :)

 

Miss you Roomie Bird!


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Easter traditions at the Beebe house are still going strong.

After we get home from church we do a photo shoot.  My brother and BIL usually do an 'Over Under' contest on the number of different photo combinations we can get.  And there can be a lot with an original family of 6 + 2 significant others.
{PS--if we look a little different in these pics it's because they're from 2008.  Don't know where last years pics are.}

After pictures it's time for baskets.  EB (Easter Bunny) hides our baskets.  Yes we're 26, 24, 21, and 18 and my  Mom still hides our baskets.

Then usually it's time for Easter Brunch.

On the way to Grandma Betty's for brunch

And no matter what city we're in we always celebrate!  Easter 2009 was spent in Tallahassee because the crew was helping me move out of my apartment

        

 

         

Happy Easter!
xoxo

Tuesday Tidbits

{There's a bake sale today at the clinic for USC NSSLHA.  I made the tried and true Puppy Chow (which my family calls White Junk) and Grandma Nancy's famous banana bread.  I was up late baking..which is way better than being up late studying!}

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{I'm getting my hair cut today---nothing too crazy of course, since I've had the same hair style for approximately 7 years and my sis' wedding is coming up = no grow out time in case of a bad hair cut}

{I dropped my Easter dress off at the dry cleaners-so excited for Easter weekend with the fam and excited since my Thursday client cancelled I'll be able to make it home for Easter service at my church.}

{Today I was listening to sports radio on the way to the gym (nerdy, I know) and they were discussing an article written on ESPN and said article talked about The Colts, my beloved Colts, finding a replacement for Peyton Manning!  AKA he is getting old and won't be playing much longer....  I LOVE the Colts and more importantly Peyton Manning and this is something I don't want to even think about.  Moving on}

Please don't ever retire Peyton!
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{Yesterday in therapy I was doing a craft involving peanut butter with a 7 year old.  He decided to tell me he was allergic to peanut butter (mind you I talk with all the parents before the semester--Mom reported no allergies) After a minor heart attack freak out I threw the craft away and we washed hands.  Come to find out he was fibbing...crisis averted.}

{Have a Terrific Tuesday}

Monday's Meals--Thai Coconut Curry

I'd been wanting to try a Thai recipe, but I was kinda intimidated.  I found this easy (and healthy!) one on Gina's Skinny Recipes blog and made it last week--it was sooo good!

Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry

-1 tsp oil

-4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped

-1 tbsp Thai red curry paste

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

-6 oz light coconut milk

-2 tsp fish sauce

-1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

-salt to taste

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add scallion whites and red curry paste and sauté one minute. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk,  fish sauceand mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens and cilantro .Serve over rice  (I used Brown Basmati Rice)

Next time I make it, I'll add cashews for a little crunch!

Thai Coconut Curry
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Fun Sunday Night Dinner

Tonight we got a little piece of summer!  It seriously cannot come fast enough!
I decided when I got back from Wilmington (more on that fun wedding later) that I'd much rather cook than do schoolwork--sooo I made dinner for Christie (roommate), her bf Brice, and Lindsey and Severyn (the fabulous neighbors).
Honey BBQ chicken, Pineapple Ritz casserole, and bagged salad = easy Sunday night dinner.

After dinner the boys played catch in the yard and the girls went on a walk minus me because I was writing lesson plans. (reason #298374235 why I can't wait for summer break!)

All in all it was a fun 'last day of weekend' night and now I'm off to get ready for my last Monday sessions of the semester.  I'll have to admit as happy as I am to be finished...I'm going to miss my clients (aka my 'kids' for the semester).
Happy Sunday!

PS- Next week is finally Easter! :)

Mimosas & Brunch

Last weekend was Elisabeth's bridal shower in Williamsburg-- we decided to make a girls' vaca out of it!

It all started in Greenville on Thursday night with a quick stay at Grandma Nancy and Poppa Ronnie's house.

Then the next morning it was off to Batesville, IN to stay at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Liz's. And we can't go to Batesville with out a delish dinner from Uncle Jeff.
The menu consisted of: salad with fresh parmesan, green chili pistachio encrusted pork loin, homemade mashed potatoes with green chili gravy.

And the grand finale was Tres Leche Cake with mango, tropical fruit, and homeade whip cream.  YUMMO!!

I attempted to get his 'recipe'....not sure when I'll be brave enough to give it a try (probably after no one can remember exactly what his tasted like--for fear of comparison!)

Saturday morning we were off to the Mimosa & Brunch shower at Elisabeth's future SIL's house.

Quick morning pic before we left Batesville

Once again the food was great (are you sensing a theme here?!), the hostesses were so sweet and did such a great job!  Elisabeth got some great goodies and it was fun to fulfill my MOH duty and help with the presents, bows, and thank you note list.  I have to say Nancy and I made a great team!

Bride with the Mothers

Bride with Sisters & Future Sisters

Beebe Girls

The favors were adorable cookies that were made to match Elisabeth and Andy's invitations/wedding theme

And these were made to match the Shower Invitations

Then we piled onto a bus...yes a bus (her future inlaws own a bus company) and headed for The Montgomery Inn in Cinci.
So they are famous for their ribs and ever since I tried them in August I've been dreaming of them!!! SOOO good.

Loading up in the Croswell Bus

  

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Such a great dinner!

We headed back South early Sunday morning and all made it home safely.  Such a great trip and I can't wait to continue celebrating Elisabeth and Andy's wedding!  Next celebration: May 7th Couples Supper Shower.