Friday Favorites - The Dough Will Rise Again

As an avid and daily blog reader, I have quite the collection of starred posts in my Google Reader that fit into one of two categories: 1. they either speak to me or 2. they are make me want to {try to} DIY or 3. they introduce me to a new product.  Sometimes I go back at reread these posts and other times I just forget I’ve starred them at all.  So instead of letting them pile up in my Google Reader, I thought it’d be best to share some of my favorites with my readers, especially since I know how much I enjoy being introduced to new {to me} blogs that peak my interest and keep me coming back for more.


Since getting married a couple years ago, my love for the kitchen has grown.  Maybe it's because it's our own space and I know where everything is, but regardless it's been a place to create.  Unfortunately, I am not creative enough to come up with recipes on my own, so I turn to others to share their favorites and one of my go-to for new recipes is The Dough Will Rise Again.

Written by two friends who love to cook/bake, The Dough Will Rise Again is full of delicious recipes that will not only make your mouth water, but provide simple-to-follow steps that help you create these meals at home.  From appetizers to main courses to desserts, there is bound to be a recipe that will fit your needs & wants.

What I love most about this blog, and others out there like it, is that it's not written by paid chefs, but every day people who just love food.  I don't feel like I'm going to have to search for an ingredient or tool that I've never heard of, but rather use what I already have in my own kitchen.  A big plus for someone who works full time and isn't spending her days in the kitchen {although that would be nice :)}.

I'm still working my way through several of the starred recipes, but from the ones I've tried, I know that the others are going to be just as good.  If you're looking for meal ideas written by two women who love to cook, check out The Dough Will Rise Again and start tasting your way through.

A few of the recipes currently making me hungry include:
Jalapeno Bacon Cheeseburger on Pretzel Rolls
Honey BBQ Meatloaf
Devil's Food Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Soft Pretzels 


Where do you go to for your favorite recipes?

Farewell 2011!

Well, it's that time again! Time to bid another year adieu and look forward to what the new year has in store for us. But before we do that, let's look back at how 2011 treated us:

January - What I Wore Wednesday, a.k.a. WIWW, continued into 2011 {a fun way to look back and see how my style has evolved}; all of the kids in Sam's family treated his parents to a Portland Trailblazer game for Christmas, which we attended in January; and we spent quality time with family & friends.

February - I bragged about my brother's accomplishments; some Valentine's baking occurred; and more WIWW posts.

March - You got to know me a little better; we celebrated our SIL & MIL's birthday and a baby shower for our niece; I fell in love with the cute town of Seaside, OR; neither of us get Spring Break off, but we still enjoyed the weather with friends + family; and, of course, Kristi kept us well fed.

April - Sam built us {+ the Weathers} raised beds for our garden, which turned into a complete backyard makeover; Lily got a new Molly Mutt bed; my SIL's church through her a beautiful baby shower; and we spent Easter down in Eugene so we could listen to our SIL sing one last time at her church down there.

May - Kristi & I went to see Something Borrowed after reading the book a couple years back; Sam turned 29 & we celebrated both his birthday + Mothers Day in Sandy; and Linnea Elizabeth finally made her appearance {a little over a week late} & we all fell in love instantly!

June - I hoped on a plane to see one of my best friends in TX; there was some quality time spent with my college roommate; my brother graduated from college; I continued to read more books thanks to the BlogHer Book Club; we moved my BIL & SIL up to Portland; and Sam & I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary!

July - 4th of July was spent with friends + sparklers; I saw Sara Bareilles in concert with friends; and Sam & I went to the east coast {his first time + I haven't been back in 5+ years} to visit my dad, attend my cousin's wedding, + celebrate my 26th birthday.

August - thanks to Kristi & Sherlai, I attended my second concert this year - Gabe Dixon {+ we got to meet him!}; Sam's family came down for a 'staycation' at our house; and Sam built himself a backdrop for my WIWW photos.

September - I shared how I was feeling lately; we remembered 9/11 - 10th anniversary; and I participated in a scarf swap.

October - Sam & I visited the Oregon Garden for the first time {and are already looking forward to using the membership we purchased}; I played catch up - hair color change, breakfast date with Sam, exploring Portland with Kelly, family photos, and a trip to Redmond to see Michelle + the kids; and we all got together for the 4th annual pumpkin carving party.

November - Sam created a moving picture of our adorable niece that I had to share; I bragged about my talented friends - Jon & Rachel; another 'about me' post; we took Lily to her first dog park; Thanksgiving was spent with Sam's family this year + I shared what I was most thankful for!

December - lots of highlights - more dog park visits, fun with friends, watching my BIL do what he loves, seeing family, & selling my car; I participated in another swap - this time gloves; went to the theatre for a holiday performance; Christmas cards were sent out + the house was decorated; and we managed to see both families this Christmas season.

Overall, I would say this year was a good one for us. We traveled, spent some good time with family + friends, and welcomed our first niece. Even with 2011 being so good, I'm still excited to welcome 2012 and see what it has in store for us. So until next year... :)

Thanksgiving 2011

Sometimes you just need a good family-filled evening to put you in the holiday spirit and that is just what we had! Here's a few snapshots from Thanksgiving with Sam's family:

The three of us were so ready to eat all day :)

And I got in a lot of baby snuggles!

While I didn't get a picture of all the food, we did get a picture
taken with all 30 of us in attendance for Thanksgiving this year!

So thankful for this man!

Love these girls! I definitely lucked out in the sister department.

Following Thanksgiving, the girls {+ my BIL, Matt} ventured out for a little Black Friday shopping, then we all went back and partook in pizza + games. I managed to complete out Christmas shopping on Saturday and rewarded myself with decorating the house {see below}. Now I hope to be able to sit back and focus on the true meaning of the Christmas season!

Catching Up

I might be the only one who cares, but I have been slacking when it comes to this blog. I've been posting my WIWW's regularly, but when it comes to other life happenings, the blog posts are sparse. I apologize for that! Please take this post as a quick catch up to our life:

*With the help of Kristi, I did my first at-home hair dye. I didn't do anything too drastic, just a shade darker and I'm really enjoying it!


*Due to the economy, Sam & I both have a handful of furlough days throughout the year. While most aren't on the same days, a couple are and we've welcomed the extra day off together {like with breakfast at one of our local favorites - Word of Mouth}.


*Since graduating college, my college roommate, Kelly, & I have been trying to get together at least once every couple months and even though life has been busy, we've been mostly successful. Our last visit was earlier this month and we took full advantage of the new season and indulged in apple cider & pumpkin cupcakes - both so good!


*Last weekend, Sam's family got together for a family photo shoot. The last time we had pictures all together was for Matt & Krista's wedding, so these were much overdue. We had Jonathan David Photography do them {they did our couple pictures last year} and I can't wait to see how the professional ones turned out!


*This little pumpkin is growing so fast and I just want to keep her little forever! I anticipate lots of fun this holiday season with her around :)


*Last Wednesday, I took the day off work to go to central Oregon to visit my friend, Michelle, from Texas! She and her kids were visiting family and she kindly made time for me to come visit. I forgot how tiring a high-energy 2 year old & a teething 5 month old can be, but boy are they too cute!


And that brings us up-to-date! Hopefully my future updates won't be so far in between...

Over the Weekend

First off, sorry for the lack of pictures. I'd like to blame it on the inability to lift my arms {see below}, but I'm pretty sure I just forgot. Regardless, I do still want to document the weekend for the blog's sake, so here's a few of the highlights:

• Due to the state of our economy, Friday was a furlough day for myself. Sam had planned ahead and worked four 10 hour days so we could have the day off together!


• I purchased a Groupon for Willamette Burger Company last Fall and knew it was expiring soon, so our {weekly} Friday lunch consisted of burgers + the best tots ever!


• Remember the raised beds Sam made a couple weeks ago? They have started an unexpected backyard makeover, which continued this weekend with the removal of more sod.


• Almost four hours later, we were finished. In other words, "ouch" courtesty of my arms + legs.


• Next step: barkdust {and giving our bodies a little time to recover}.

How was your weekend?

Over the Weekend

Last week was Spring Break for our area and even though I work for the school district, I sadly don't get the week off {or the summer, due to being a 12-month employee}. I did get a lot accomplished with such a quiet office, which helped keep work off my mind for the weekend. Throughout the weekend {+ the end of the week}, we had dinner with family & friends. On Thursday, we headed over to our friend's/neighbor's house for dinner & TV. We usually head over on Mondays to watch the Bachelor, but since it's over to the summer, we moved our standing dinner dates to Thursday night. I'll be honest, I look forward to these EVERY week!

{Kristi never fails to provide a delicious meal for us!}

On Friday, we headed west to Monmouth to have dinner with Sam's cousin + her husband and play a couple hands of pinochle. {Sorry, no pictures were taken.} Saturday brought some time in the kitchen & yard for us. While Sam took to both the front & back lawn, I took to the kitchen, making maple scones & cleaning it top to bottom.

For the scones, I went with Living the Swell Life's "Must-Make Maple Scones" recipe and it didn't disappoint. Shortly after we finished with our respective tasks, Charles & Kristi asked if we wanted to head to the Woodburn Outlets. As someone who can always go shopping {right mom?}, we were in! It was fun to wander around & check out stores with someone who likes the same thing as you. Plus, I scored a top for under $4! {Sidenote to Kristi: you've got a shopping buddy in me anytime you want! :)} Saturday night brought us with more plans {which is highly unlike us!} - dinner + a movie with Sam's cousin + her husband. They had talked about going the night before and invited us along. Our original plan was to see The Tourist, but it was sold out. We ended up going to grab pizza & then coming back to the theater to see The Green Hornet. Good company, food, & movie! And after a busy Saturday, we've resorted back to our usual way - lounging around watching movies + basketball games. How was your weekend?

Over the Weekend

Even though this weekend wasn't nearly as exciting as the previous, there was still some noteworthy highlights {mainly having to do with food}.

Friday night brought our good friends over for dinner, featuring steak, potatoes, & salad all made by my husband! Following dinner, we headed over to Charles & Kristi's house for March Madness + Kristi's "Good Luck Kansas" cake {pictured below}.


Saturday brought a haircut for Sam {I think I'm finally getting the hang of it}, a new hook in the laundry room {I love a good monogram!} , and some general house cleaning.

I was also invited over to Kristi's house again to partake in her rendition of Cupcake Wars! And if you know me at all, you know I have a hard time turning down a cupcake :) Check out the details over on her {awesome new} blog.

Sunday was spent lounging on the couch watching some March Madness & getting sucked into the first season of Damages.

How was your weekend?

Weekend Highlights

*After the last couple of busy weeks/weekends, this one was anticipated to be a fairly quiet one.

*Sam and I headed up to the outlets first thing on Saturday morning. We walked away with some shirts/sweatshirt {for Sam}, jeans {for myself}, and a couple pairs of shoes {one for each of us}.

*My brother had his first pharmacy school interview on Saturday and since it was in Portland, he swung by our house after to grab dinner. It was so good to see him and hear about his future plans {a more detailed post to come}.

*Friday Night Lights has always been a favorite in our home and currently, we are spending our weekends re-watching the first four seasons in anticipation of the upcoming last season. Can't wait!

*After a few canceled dates, Kristi and I finally found a time to go get pedicures on Sunday. It was some much-needed relaxation and good conversation!

*For Christmas, my {wonderful} SIL thought to gift me some Calphalon bake ware and I took it for a spin for the first time tonight. I'm loving this brand more and more with each piece I bake/cook with.

Here's to another week...

Weekend Highlights: Belated Christmas Present

For Christmas, all of my husband's siblings {+ spouses} got together to purchase a joint gift for my in-laws - tickets to a Blazer game. And after the week I had, this weekend couldn't have come at a better time!


We all gathered for an early dinner of homemade chicken enchiladas and then headed into Portland for the game. We didn't have the best seats in the house {see the wall behind us?}, but we did have a lot of fun! And they won!!!

Besides the game, the rest of the weekend was spent catching up on life. There was some talk was about baby names {for our upcoming niece} and the life of couponing {my SIL is impressing me with each purchase she makes} and my MIL used one of her Christmas presents, a cast iron pot, to make a delicious roast for us all.

Hope you all had a restful weekend!

Weekend Highlights

This weekend was jam packed! As usual, here are a few of the note-worthy highlights {with pictures!}:

First, we helped bring the Christmas spirit to Sam's parent's house by
assembling their tree & filling it with memorable ornaments.

Next we proceeded to make over 5 pounds
of fudge using my MIL's delicious recipe!

Then we rounded up the weekend with two Blazer games
{Friday & Saturday}, which both resulted in wins!

Other {non-photographed} events:
*My first ride on the Portland Max {the city transit}.
*My BIL's awesome preach on The Birth of The King.

A good weekend + a short work week = a happy girl!

Weekend Highlights: Pumpkin Carving!

On Saturday, Sam's family {with the exception of my SIL, Krista - hope you're feeling better!} made the trek over to our house for a little pumpkin carving & birthday celebrating. Some of the highlights below:

The creativity was certainly in full force with the pumpkins this year. While some were a little serious about their pumpkins {myself...}, others were just silly - portrayed above by my BIL Matt!

My inspiration came from our pup Lily, using the stencil I posted about a couple weeks ago. It was a lot harder than I anticipated, but turned out pretty cute if you ask me.

And the secret is out {I was given the 'okay' to post on the blog} - I'm going to be an auntie in May!!! The onesie above was a birthday gifts to my SIL for the new baby! To say we are excited is a huge understatement!

Other things not highlighted by pictures:
*Never ending birthday gifts for Laura. {Happy Birthday today sister!!!}
*Crock pot full of homemade chili.
*Mini pumpkin cakes, brownies, & ice cream, oh my!

As usual, the day flew by thanks to this group of people. I am a big fan of holiday traditions with this family and can't wait for next year's carving party!

Fall means...

PUMPKIN!

Another low-key weekend had me in the kitchen experimenting with a few recipes involving one of my favorite Fall foods.

On the left, the basic, but classic Pumpkin Pie. And on the right, a new-to-me recipe, Pumpkin Bread. {Both found in my favorite pink cookbook}

I'm already anticipating the next recipe involving this beautiful fruit and I think it might come from this post that I starred this week in Google Reader.

Happy Monday!