The Little Things

Today Mr. C and I are celebrating our 6 year wedding anniversary.  I'm not quite sure where the time has gone but when I look back at our wedding photos and our wedding video, it's obvious that we definitely young when we got married.   I love getting thoughtful flowers, jewelry (what girl doesn't?), and a lovey card, but sometimes the little things are the ones that really get you.

I love birds (yes, this is related).  I grew up helping my dad raise exotic birds so I'm not sure if it started then, but there's almost nothing cuter than seeing a little bird hop around (obviously baby pandas win in the cuteness contest but birds are a close second).  Last weekend I took Coconut outside in the morning and saw something bright out of the corner of my eye.  I didn't have my contacts in so everything was a little blurry but I could tell that the bright object was the woodpecker that hung out in our tree frequently. He had a red head, black and brown stripped body, and although he was a bit annoying when he was pecking on the trees on the mornings I could actually sleep in, I always loved seeing him in the yard.  I was so sad.

I asked Mr. C later if he would bury the bird.  We started talking about something else and moved on.  About an hour later he found me and verified that I really wasn't joking about the burial.  To me it just seemed wrong to put him in the trash.  I could tell that Mr. C thought I was nuts, but a few moments later I saw him out back with a shovel, digging away at the very hard ground below the tree the woodpecker frequented.  He buried him without complaining or eye-rolling.  I loved the bouquet of my favorite flowers Mr. C sent me last week, but it was nothing compared to the small, but full-of-love gesture I witnessed Saturday morning.  It really is the little things.

Happy Anniversary Mr.C! I look forward to many, many more, but hopefully no more birdie burials.

Hearts and flowers

I’m not quite sure how it’s February already but apparently it is.  The Centner house is full of pinks, reds, and lots of hearts this time of year.  After the Christmas decorations are put away it typically looks like we’ve been robbed because everything is so bare.  I’m always so thankful when I’m able to decorate for another holiday and Valentine’s Day is such a happy holiday!  Our anniversary is a week after V-day so the lovey decorations double for that as well.

I love decorating the shelves in our living room with whatever I can find around the house to tie in with whatever holiday is coming up.  I positioned some hearts into our greenery, strung some fabric garland and lights above our TV, and put some wedding momentos on the living room shelves.

Here’s a few pics of my favorite area, our mantle.

I have a pink and red heart runner on our kitchen table with a couple candles and some flowers.  These stargazer lilies are my absolute favorite flower and I can’t get enough of their sweet smell.  After a week of having them in the house I still remark how wonderful they smell everytime I walk by the table (I think it's driving Mr. C crazy).

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? 

Buffalo Chicken Rollups

I’ve never been a superbowl fan, but this time of year I am tempted to throw a party just so I can make all of the delicious superbowl recipes that are floating around the interwebs.  Usually these include appetizers and desserts I would not make regularly because they all look like they contain about a thousand calories per serving.   If you happen to be looking for something amazing for your superbowl spread, but not laded with calories, then look no farther.  These also make an amazing dinner.

Buffalo Chicken Rollups

Slightly adapted from: canyoustayfordinner

Printable Recipe available here

Rollup Ingredients

12 egg roll wrappers

1 ½ - 2  c. cooked, shredded chicken

Crumbled blue cheese

Broccoli slaw

½ - 1 c. Frank’s buffalo sauce

Small bowl of cool water

Dipping sauce

1/3 c. light sour cream

1/3 c. light mayo

1 TB blue cheese

Pepper

Mix the buffalo sauce into the shredded chicken, beginning with ½ c. buffalo sauce and adding more as necessary until the chicken is well coated in sauce.  I just eyeball this usually.

You can do the rollups as you go but I think it’s much easier to lay all the wrappers out and make them assembly line style. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray a baking sheet with pan.

Spoon an equal amount of buffalo chicken into one of the diagonal corners of the wrappers (about 2 Tb).  Place some broccoli slaw on top (about 1 Tb), and sprinkle on some blue cheese.

To roll: Take the bottom of the diagonal corner you piled the buffalo mixture in and fold this over the mixture so you have the beginnings of a burrito.  Fold in the left and right corners in like an envelope.  Roll this upward, folding in the remaining corners as needed.  If you’ve been to Chipotle just pretend you’re rolling like those experts, but with a mini version.  Finally, dip your finger in the water and run this along the crease, sealing the rollup.

Place all rollups on the baking sheet, sealed side down.  Lightly spray rolls with pam, and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until rolls begin to crisp and brown.

Saying Goodbye

This was written yesterday night, started after a long day, and finished after my grandfather was gone.

I have only known one grandfather in my life, and he was the best one I could have asked for.  Today we told him goodbye.

My grandfather was old-fashioned; his word meant something, he dressed up for dinner out, his family was so important to him, and he worked hard for everything he had.  He loved being outside with his flowers or fixing things around the house, spending time with his wife of 72 years, cheering on the Suns on TV, and being a strong (but stubborn) man.

I remember him taking me to breakfasts on Saturday mornings when I was little.  He’d let me order whatever I wanted and we’d just sit and talk. Everyone at the restaurant knew him and my grandmother and when the two of us would come in, they’d ask who the young lady with him was (this happened every single time) and his answer always made me feel so special.  A few years ago I told him how much these breakfasts meant to me.

My grandparents spent their winters in AZ and we visited them frequently when I was little.  I loved going to see them and they were the only reason I eventually moved to AZ to attend ASU.  While there I met Mr. C. and introduced him to my grandparents even before my parents met him.  I remember my mom telling me that my grandpa called her to tell her about the “fine young man” I had brought over.  I was so happy that my grandpa approved and thought so highly of him.

We spent a lot of time with my grandparents during the 7 years we had with them in AZ.  Once or twice a month we’d go over to their house for the day and play games with my grandma (who would fall asleep during a game and then wake up just to beat us) and Mr. C. would sometimes watch games with my grandpa, something you could always find him doing in the evening.  Later we’d go out to dinner and just sit and talk. 

They’d have a list of questions or things to be looked at.  Mr. C would tackle the technical ones and they were so grateful when we could actually figure out whatever they were asking us about.

When I was homesick I’d spend a Friday or Saturday night.  I remember going over during my first Halloween when I had just dyed my hair green on accident and just wanted to go home.  It wasn’t home, but it was just what I needed.  I was so grateful to have family close, and grandparents know just how to make things better.

I was so lucky to spend the time with them in AZ that I did.  I spent a couple thanksgivings at their house, just the three of us, and then the four of us, which was so special to me.  My grandpa made a little turkey and my grandma and I tackled the rest of the meal.  A day or two after thanksgiving Mr. C and I would help my grandma decorate the inside of the house and my grandpa decorate the outside for Christmas.  My grandpa was very particular about his Christmas lights and had enough that he could have opened his own store.  In the end the lights were always beautiful and he was so proud of his display.

My grandparents quit being snow-birds a few years ago so I didn’t get to see them as much.  I’d see them in the summer and Christmas when I came home and my grandpa always seemed so happy to see us.  I’ve missed seeing them, but I have always been so grateful for the seven years we had them so close in the winter because I had so many opportunities to do things with them I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

I’ve witnessed the commitment and never ending love my grandparents shared, a commitment that’s been modeled in my own parents, and one I strive for.  Many tears have been shed in the last week by so many people, a reminder of how many people love him and how many lives he’s touched.  I’m sad he’s gone, but know he’s waiting for my grandmother to join him someday in heaven, where he can proudly show off his beautiful wife he lovingly took care of for so many years.  I’m so thankful that God blessed me with such a wonderful grandfather and I will never forget the memories or the values I have because of him. 

Chocolate Chow Mein Clusters

Happy December!  I feel like I blinked and the last month flew by!  The week before thanksgiving I was able to experience food poisoning which ended up being E. coli.  I never understood why all these people ended up hospitalized during E. coli outbreaks but now I totally do.  It’s not fun and I hope it’s my one and only experience.  Then just as life was starting to return to normal I got hit with a cold that turned into a sinus infection.  First one in 2 years, it must have decided it would kick me when I was down.  I’m was back to normal  just in time for all the holiday festivities, but then life got a bit crazy for awhile so I'm finally checking in.  I've been working hard on some Christmas gifts and counting down the days until Mr. C’s responsibilities die down so we can watch some cheesy Christmas movies in front of the fireplace (yes, we totally use our fireplace in AZ).

I was going to give you a healthy recipe today because with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it’s the time of year that we tend to eat out more or munch on all those holiday goodies.  I was going to give you a healthy recipe, but I have an easy dessert item that you can add to your holiday baking and I decided that won out over a soup with lots of veggies.  Chocolate always beats veggies, right?

This is about the easiest thing ever.  I have no idea where I got the recipe: I say it’s from my mom but my mom calls it mine, so clearly one of us is confused (I think it’s her….)

Chocolate Chow Mein Clusters

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. butterscotch chips

1 c. hard chow mein noodles

1 c. salted peanuts

(if you haven’t noticed, it’s equal parts of everything, so it’s super easy to adjust as needed)

Line a baking pan with parchment paper or waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips in the microwave in 30-45 second intervals, stirring well between each interval.  Once melted, add in chow mein noodles and peanuts and mix until well coated in chocolately goodness.

Drop by tablepoonfulls onto lined baking pan and put in refrigerator to set.  Once clusters are set, remove from pan, but it’s best to keep them refrigerated.

That’s it, easy peasy!

I hope you are enjoying the Christmas season.  I can't believe it's less than one week away!

Lasagna Soup

I made this soup last week and I think it’s now officially my favorite soup, or at least in the top 5.  It was so easy and has so much flavor.  Mr. C thought the concept of lasagna soup was just plain weird, but even he was a fan, and he told me it was even better the second day for leftovers.  If you’re looking for a hearty soup to warm you up, then look no further.  There’s even a cheesy surprise at the bottom of the bowl which just puts this soup over the top.

I do want to mention that the picture shows the leftover soup which was less brothy than the night I made it.  I meant to take a photo the first night we ate the soup but honestly it smelled (and tasted) so good that I got side-tracked and gobbled up my bowl of soup before I realized that I hadn't taken a photo.

The recipe is below and you can also find a printable version here.

Lasagna Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Adapted from: a farmgirl’s dabbles, from the cookbook 300 sensational soups

2 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

½ lb. ground beef

3 c. chopped yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. dried oregano

½ - 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. tomato paste

2 bay leaves

6 c. chicken broth

4 c. pasta (I used campanelle)

½ c. fresh basil leaves, chiffonaide

Salt and pepper, to taste

8 oz. skim ricotta

½ c. grated parmesan cheese

1 c. mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in large pot.  Add sausage and beef and brown.

Add onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.

Add tomato paste, stir well, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tomato paste turns a rusty brown color. 

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock and stir.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the “cheesy surprise” by mixing the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, and salt and pepper in a bowl. 

Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente (do not overcook pasta).  Remove from heat when pasta is al dente.  Stir in basil and add salt, pepper, and any additional red pepper flakes as needed.

To serve, place a spoonful of the “cheesy surprise” in each bowl before filling with soup.

Organization Challenge: Cleaning Chart

Over the past year I've been making an effort to organize our home a bit more.  In general, it's fairly organized, but there are those areas that need upkeep, ones that were overlooked, or areas that just some adjustments due to our changing needs.  Instead of waiting for the perfect time to present itself for me to organize a closet or drawer, I realized I needed to just do it.  One day when I opened the junk drawer I spent a few minutes tidying it up and moved out anything we didn't need.  Our "junk drawer" looks great now, and although it's full of mis-matched things, I can find exactly what I'm looking for quickly.  It's made my life easier and it makes me happy when I reach in and see how organized everything is.  Over the next few weeks (maybe months), I'll be sharing with you the areas I've recently tackled, challenging you to spend a little time organizing those troubling areas in your home, and sharing some tips.

To start out my new cleaning challenge, I decided to make a cleaning chart with daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks.  Mr. C has been telling me for years that while I can just look around and know what needs to be done, it’s not so easy for him (apparently it’s a guy thing?) so the chart was partially aimed at addressing this.  We have busy lives and I don’t always remember when I last cleaned something so the list ideally was also supposed to save time by reminding us what needed to be done and what things are priorities.

We sat down together and came up with a list of things that need to be addressed, either things that we just do so often, or things we should be doing on a more regular schedule.  I didn’t include things like laundry, linens, or trash because those things are already done very regularly and aren’t really an issue.

As I’ve begun using the list I’ve found some things that need to be adjusted, but I’m really enjoying having a list to work off of and being able to check off a box when I’ve completed a task is the best feeling!  Obviously everyone’s list will be a little different; you just have to figure out what works for you. If you're interested in a copy of my list, you can download it online here.