I’ve moved…again!

I changed my mind and went back to Blogger. WordPress was overwhelming and annoying.

Anyway, go visit me at jennmarlow.blogspot.com and I promise I won’t change my mind again! 🙂

How Unemployment Feels…today at least

🙂

Dinner Tonight

Steve’s Chicken Tacos
serves 2

3 chicken breasts
1 can Rotel
1 package Hot & Spicy taco seasoning
8 corn tortillas
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Limes (not optional!)
Lettuce (optional)

In a large pot add chicken, Rotel and taco seasoning and cook over medium-low heat.
As chicken cooks, use two forks to shred the chicken into the sauce. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and most of the sauce has been absorbed.
Warm the tortillas.
Arrange 4 tortillas on a plate.
Top with chicken, cheese, lettuce and sour cream. Cut limes into wedges and squeeze over tacos before eating.

These tacos are spicy and so delicious. The sour cream helps to offset the heat and the limes really pull it all together.
I was seriously impressed the first time Steve made these for me.

Enjoy!

Sure It’s free, but it will cost you your dignity…

Lately I’ve been taking advantage of mail order freebies. I’ve received an adorable tiny box of kleenex, makeup and other cosmetics, cooking stuff and lots of coupons. However, after today I may never request another free sample…

I received a note in my mailbox telling me I had a parcel in the main office. Normally when a package is received, the post office puts a little key to a locker in your mailbox and you can retrieve the package yourself. They’re kind of small, so I figured if they took it to the front office, it must be too big for the locker, right?! Since I was out of town for a week, I called the office (twice) to make sure they knew I would get it when I returned. Finally, (after another week passed) I went to retrieve my mystery delivery today.

The office manager went to the back room and I saw a huge FedEx box on the counter. What could it be?? I wasn’t expecting anything, so I was really confused who could be sending me such a large box without me knowing about it. She returned with a tiny envelope-box. It was white with pink swirls on it. I noticed the sender was “Proctor & Gamble”.

No.No.No.No.No.

It all came together in a rush.
Proctor & Gamble. Pink frilly box. Free samples.
beinggirl.com

No.No.No.No.No.

I started to sweat and quickly searched the box in her hand for any sign of the word “tampon”.
I silently cursed myself and remembered the day I had requested the dumb things.

“Free tampons? Sure, why not?! Those are the kind I use anyway…sign me up!”
Let me tell you now, this is exactly “why not”.

After 5 minutes of searching for my name in the pick-up log (and mentioning just how long the box had been there), she finally gave me the pen to sign for it. I grabbed the box and ran out of the office. Safely in my car, I inspected the box. It was discreet, in the most obvious way. Ugh.

I know she had her theories as to what was in the box. But I’m guessing she couldn’t figure out just why I was having tampons delivered.

Maybe she figures I special order my tampons…

“They can’t have my brand…I have a special vajayjay!”

Ah geez.
At least I got some coupons.
And an adorable mini deodorant. :-p

The Best Dinner I Ever Made

This week Steve and I started meal planning. Therefore, I’ve been cooking (and baking!) a lot more. I like it, I feel so domestic. In the past week I’ve made spaghetti with garlic bread, delicious steak sandwiches, banana nut bread, shepherd’s pie, strawberry cupcakes and (the star of this post) the most amazing pasta dish.

I had been craving my favorite dish from the Cheesecake Factory: Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic
It’s the only thing I ever get there and it is so delicious.
I put it on the meal planning menu and then freaked out a little since I had never made it and had no idea where to begin. After searching the internet a little, I had a game plan.


Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

serves: 4


Ingredients:

• 2 cups pasta
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 pieces of bacon, diced
• onion, diced
• mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• sundried tomatoes (optional)
• canned tomatoes (optional)
• roasted garlic
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• butter
• 1/2 cup peas
• parmesan cheese, grated

Ahead of time, roast the garlic. Take off as much of the papery skin as possible. Then, cut off the pointy end to expose a little of each clove. Set on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. Let it cool before using.

Begin by cooking pasta to al dente. Drain, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water.

Cook the diced bacon in a pan until crispy, then set aside. Remove half of the bacon grease and add 1 tbsp butter to the pan.
Add the onions and carmelize.
Once the onions are cooked, you can add the optional ingredients (mushrooms, tomatoes) and cook until they’re soft.
Then, add as many roasted garlic cloves as you like (I used about 6) to the pan and mash in the pan with a fork.
*Note, roasted garlic has a sweeter, less intense flavor than fresh garlic. We REALLY like garlic and 6 was plenty for us.

Next, turn up the heat on the pan. Season the chicken with pepper (and any other seasoning you like, just don’t add salt at this point.) Add the chicken and stir.
Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and reduce heat to a simmer.
Add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of cream (or 1 cup half & half).
Simmer until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink inside.


Once the chicken is cooked, add the bacon back to pan. Add 1/2 cup of frozen peas. Stir.


Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and cook until sauce is thick. Check the seasonings and add salt/pepper if needed.


Stir in the pasta. If the sauce is too thin, add more parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water.

Serve and enjoy!
I shaved a little more parmesan and cracked black pepper on top.


It was delicious! It was very similar to the dish at the Cheesecake Factory and definitely cured my craving. I was proud…I’m pretty sure this was the best dish I’ve ever cooked. 🙂



Hope you enjoy!

>Randomness

>

• I’ve decided (unbeknownst to Steve) that July is going to be our “Month o’ Doing Stuff!” (We’ll work on the title later…) Essentially, I just want to do fun activities. Two that I have in my head so far:
  -Elitch Gardens on July 10th, specifically to see Jason Derulo in concert. I get a deal on tickets through work! P.S…Steve won’t ride the roller coasters, so I need a buddy!
  -Rockies baseball game. I’ve never been to one! In fact, I’ve never been to a professional sporting event at all. Ever. Shocking, I know. But I’ve heard that the “Rock Pile” seating is pretty fun, and it’s only $4!
  
• For the past oh, several months, my face has decided to rebel and act like a 15 year old’s. It has not been pretty. I’m here to tell you that months of major breakouts is not good for a girl’s self esteem. I’m thankful for a sweet boyfriend who tells me I look pretty even when I don’t feel it.
• Today is the first day in a long time that I have liked my hair. I would take a picture, but that would involve showing you my face. (See above.)
  
• I’ve decided that cute clothes make coming to work approximately 1% less excrutiating.
• I may or may not freak out a little every time a trailer for Eclipse comes on tv. In related news, I am not really 15 years old. It just seems like it. In further related news, how hot is Robert Pattinson??? *sigh*
• I’m getting excited to move into our new apartment…even though it’s still like 6 weeks away! (more to come on this…)
• However, the idea of decorating a whole apartment is really daunting and is stressing me out more than I’d like to admit.
• Steve bought me us a “fake” Le Crueset. Ok, it’s not really fake. It is a Martha Stewart enameled cast iron dutch oven, and cost almost as much as the other kind, so I don’t think it really qualifies as fake. ANYWAY, I’m in love. It’s red and beautiful and it makes me so happy to have it in my kitchen. (Nevermind the fact that we’ve only made chili in it once so far… it will get it’s time to shine come winter!)
• I go through phases where I am addicted to one thing on the Internet and spend all of my time reading/watching until I’m completely finished or caught up. Usually it’s a blog or website or topic, it varies (and may or may not be Twilight related). For example, a few months ago it was the Pioneer Woman‘s love story, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. Right now, it happens to be Twilight related… I’m reading listening to The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella. (In preparation, of course, for June 30th!) Because I feel that’s it’s absolutely necessary to devote every spare second to this addiction, I’m thankful for internet on my phone!
• In general, but more so in light of recent news headlines, the mere thought of Miley Cyrus makes me irate.
• It has taken me over 5 hours to write this blog at work. Maybe someday I will actually post something that doesn’t consist of bullet points and random thoughts. Oh, I know! I promise a real blog about the impending move and my thoughts on living with….dum dum dum, a BOY! 🙂

>vampires in the workplace

>A little while ago, I walked to the other side of the building and saw this:

A girl had this huge poster (along with other Twilight paraphernalia) plastered on her cubicle wall that faces the main hallway.

Immature? Probably.

Inappropriate for the workplace? Most likely.

But is he unbelievably drool-worthy and sexy? Definitely!!!

I’m just glad she did it so I don’t have to… (kidding! I would NEVER get any work done with those eyes staring at me all day!)

I’m just sad she didn’t go with this one:

I think I need to go take another walk to the other side of the building now…

P.S. Only THREE more weeks until Eclipse! Yay!

>Grateful

>Today I am grateful for sunshine, lunch at Panera with a friend, getting off work early and Robert Pattinson. (hey, I’m just being honest here.)

Happy Friday!

p.s. Remember Me in theaters today!

>At the moment

>I am…

-wondering why my face has recently decided to act like it’s 15 instead of 25 😦

-wishing I could see John Mayer in concert when he comes here March 23rd

–slightly obsessed with all things Robert Pattinson (and really excited about Remember Me next Friday!)

-totally loving The Pioneer Woman! Seriously, check her out. I suggest starting with her not-so-fiction story, From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. It’s what got me hooked 🙂

-needing to do my taxes. and finish my FAFSA. I should really get on that…

-wanting a puppy in the worst way

-looking forward to my mom (and brother, hopefully!) visiting in a couple weeks.

-happy that it’s Friday!

Have a good weekend!

>Happy Birthday to Me!

>On Tuesday, I turned a quarter of a century old. Yikes! Most days I feel older than my age. But there is the rare occassion when my age surprises me…like days when I realize it’s been 7 years since I was in school, or when my baby brother turned 18 and graduated high school. On those days, I can’t believe that I’m 25 and an adult. Sometimes, I still feel like the naive 17 year old who thought she already knew it all. I thank God every day that I am not that girl anymore; that I am not the same as I was when I was 17.

25 seemed a little scary at first, but I think it’s going to be a good year. The dreamer in me is making a comeback and I am happy with so many parts of my life. I think this is gonna be a good year…

So for my birthday, I had the day off work. (It should be mandatory that you get a day off on your birthday.) Steve also took the day off and we had a great time galavanting around Denver.

We started the day purchasing a birthday present: John Mayer’s new cd, Battle Studies. It’s good. Mellow. I’ve had it on repeat for the last 3 days. 🙂

After that, we headed to Happy Cakes for a birthday cupcake.

I had never been to the little shop, but the website had my expectations high. I was slightly disappointed, but I’ll probably give it another chance.

The cupcakes were pretty darn good! I had the C.O.C. (chocolate on chocolate) and Steve got the red velvet with cream cheese frosting. We ended up switching half way through. 🙂

For dinner, we went to Osteria Marco in Denver. (sorry…no pictures. I was too busy taking it all in. Plus, it was dark and my phone camera has no flash.)

I had seen the owner/chef, Frank Bonanno, on the Food Network and had been dying to go here.

It was everything I had imagined. The building was beautiful. It was classy and elegant, but casual and cozy at the same time.

We tried a variety of small plates including homemade Burrata (homemade mozzerella and ricotta cheese) and Salame, pesto, and broccoli rabe pizza. The wannabe foodie inside me was in heaven.

It was absolutely delicious. The food was simple, fresh and the ultimate definition of “rustic”. Simply lovely. AND, might I add, extremely affordable.

If you’re in the mood for rustic Italian, I strongly recommend it; I will definitely be going back.

Back at home Steve set off my “birthday fireworks”. I have a video, but can’t get it off the phone. Maybe I will try to post it later. It was definitely memorable…how many people have had fireworks on their birthday?? 🙂

We ended the evening seeing the Blindside (finally) and Up In the Air. I loved the first, of course. It was a wonderful, inspiring movie. As for Up In the Air, I would suggest you to wait for the dvd. All I really remember about it is that I kept thinking how good George Clooney looked for being so old. (seriously though. wow.)

All in all, it was a great day. I felt loved and couldn’t have asked for more.