What's Upppp Wednesday

Not gonna lie, been in the shittiest of shitty moods as of late. Believe me, you don't want to hear about it. In order to brighten my mood and not bore you with shitty nonsense, let's have a little chit chat about some non-shitty nonsense.

I fell in love with Zara while I visited France this year and lately I've been seeing their amazing items all over fellow blogs so I finally decided to treat myself to a few items the other day. Can't wait to show pictures and review the items once I get them! Not going to lie, drunk online shopping is my new favorite pastime at night, ha. Everything seems so much more attractive and cheaper through rose colored glasses don't you agree?

Baby girl Rue also had her first puppy obedience class this week and to my slight surprise she was a stunner. We'll be attending puppy classes every week if my work schedule allows and then we will be joining the beginner obedience class in May after M's birthday. I'm really excited because a trained dog, is a happy dog. If you ever run into a dog that is misbehaved it is 98% the owner's responsibility (or fault) for their dog's behavior. Just like us, behavior is a learned experience so don't get mad at a poor pup if it's naughty. 

Here is a photo of Rue all freagin excited at class..

If you haven't figured it out already, I work mostly night shifts so I like to indulge myself in a little Food Network during the day if I have time. Tonight I'm trying out Paula Deen's apple stuffed pork tenderloin recipe for my dad. I'd like to make it for M but I suppose Pops needs to eat too so I figured he can be the guinea pig. It looked really good on the show (then again what doesn't) and since I don't really enjoy pork loin I figured what the hell, let's give it a whirl. 

I have a few novel reviews, traveling with pets, and Take Me Back to France posts coming soon! Stay tuned!

Love&Luck

Weekly Round-Up

I definitely need to start doing weekly recaps. Ever since I quit my "normal" job life has been easy breezy and very "unscheduled" which is really nice for me for a change. HOWEVER, with my irregular schedule between two jobs and everything going on in my family life recently, things are getting a little blurry.

Okay, first things first. I'm making a little move back home to live with Pops. He's a little lonely and let's get serious, I am too. I'll also be able to help take care of my grandmother once she gets home from her hospital stay which would help everyone out (Ma is a CPA so this isn't the ideal time for her to take off work).

Both of these things explains my absence from said blog lately, I'M SORRY! Things are just a little busy so once I get back on schedule I will be back to blogging like a maniac.

I'm also reading a new book, something light-hearted and love-y which is exactly what I need around Valentine's Day and this chilly MN weather. That being said, I will need to write a review on it and The Hunger Game series very soon. Like I said, so much to do!

I would also still like to blog in depth day by day or week by week my trip to France. Believe it or not, I haven't even finished uploading my photos to Facebook; has anyone else tried the new photo system? It sucks. Period. And takes FOREVER. Who has time?

Moving on. It's time for a little bit of celebrity gossip.

Photos of Beyonce & Jay-Z's child have finally gone viral. If you haven't seen them, here they are. I actually like the name Ivy. Blue? Not so much. Whatevs, isn't my kid.

Photos via http://helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com/

PS. How in the hell did B get back in such bootylicious shape so quickly? I'm starting to believe all these fake bump rumors. Maybe she loved her bod so much they went with a surrogate. Hey, her bod is fab, not sure if I blame her. See bod here:

B post baby B

Really what's up with this?

A teeny tiny more gossip (seriously I'm sorry but since I'm aiming to not buy gossip mags I feel the need to report to everyone else what I see on People). 

It's official, Katy Perry and Russell Brand are officially divorced. I'm still really upset about this! What is my problem? I'm a hopeless romantic that's what's my problem. Bah, oh well. Wonder who she'll date next/end up marrying? At least they had dignity and didn't draw out the proceedings with arguments about money and property.

Oh yeah, I 'spose it was Super Bowl Sunday last weekend. Not going to lie, I wasn't paying much attention to the game but WAS paying attention to who was there. For instance, JSimps. She is lookin' a babe I tell ya. Although her boobs are much when shown, her face looks amazeballs since she's been pregnant; I for one can't wait to see what that baby looks like. 

You glow Glen Coco

Next, I have such a HUGE surprise to announce in 2 weeks but I won't share until then. It doesn't have much to do with the blog but a lot to do with me. I'm very excited, to say the least. Stay tuned to find out!

Are you addicted to Pinterest yet? If you are, follow my boards here. Don't be surprised if I whore the crap out of your boards, I'm hooked to Pinterest and the inspiration and ideas it provides!

Last night I made Ashley from Inspired by a Love Story's recipe for shrimp fried rice here, it was a huge success and so easy! I encourage you to try it, you will love it!

Yum! Dad about died

I'm beyond obsessed with these free printables from Cupcakes and Cashmere's post pre Vday. How adorable? I must get. Why can't I come up with these great ideas on my own?

Also, have you checked out Veronika's blog yet? I have become obsessed with checking her blog regularly because she's a savvy shopper with great taste and just plain adorable! I feel like if I were slightly taller and model like and brunette, we could be twinsters in an alternate universe. She's beautiful, loves sales, keeps her style classic and simply while always adding a twist or pop of color, and shows pictures of her pup once in a while. Sounds like perfection to me. If you haven't, check her out, I know you'll love her blog. PS. the next time I get my hair cut you can guarantee I will walk out of the salon with her exact cut, love it!

Hey girl hey! photo via  V's blog

Next, check out girlfriend Sigourney's recipe for a cake cocktail. Seriously?!! I wouldn't bat an eyelash if I could drink my dessert AND get drunk! This cocktail sounds delicious, perhaps it would be perfect for an all girls Vday night celebration?! By the way, she primarily blogs about fashion and cocktails so if you need unique or new ideas beverages, check her out!

Is it embarrassing that for the last few paragraphs I had to multiple tab what I wanted to write about so I wouldn't forget?? When I find goodies I just love to share them with you so if it makes me nerdy, so be it. 

Can you believe it's Valentine's Day this week? Seriously where has the time gone? I feel so unprepared for this time of year but thankfully I don't need to have anything planned via M is in France. A nice Skype date over wine will suffice for both of us this year. 

Okay, I THINK that's it, for now. I'm turning back to my raspberry vino and Law & Order: SVU for the rest of the evening. Loving this Friday snuggled in bed!

Stay cozy and have a great weekend!

Love&Luck

O.M.YUM

I have been doing so much searching lately. Searching for inspiration, searching for new blogs to read and love, etc.

A new blog I'm hooked on is Natasha's and I found a few great recipes on her blog that I can't wait to try. Check them out here and here. How amazeballs does that frozen hot chocolate look? I'm drooling in my jammies.

PS. If you haven't checked my favorites column on the left side of my blog, please do so! I've been stumbling upon lots of great blogs that offer tons of recipes, fashion, inspiration, and words of wisdom that I'm sure you'll love. So go check out that left column, it's a goodie!

Love&Luck

#SaturdayProblems

Ever since Ashley at Inspired by a Love Story posted this recipe I have been dying to make it and stuff my face with it. How friggin good does this shrimp fried rice look?

If it weren't so cold and dreary outside I would make my way to the grocery store to pick up the short list of ingredients. But it's sooooo chillllllly.

I've been holed up all day in bed watching movies since I woke up with a headache and "off" feeling; you the know the feeling when you can tell you're coming down with a cold? That kinda feeling. I will proudly announce that I did wake up at a decent time and shoveled the driveway (thank you manly neighbor for saying hi and then running back inside so you wouldn't feel guilty not helping me, I know where you live!) and made my way into the shower.

I've been trying to make plans for tonight so I can try some new makeup techniques I spotted on PinkLouLou's blog. More specifically I'm talking about this look she wrote about. By the way I love Kandee's videos.

I feel a little behind since I remember looking at Urban Decay's eye palette almost a year ago and I still haven't bought it because it's a little on the pricey side but I can't get enough of it!

I love the colors and they just came out with a new palette which also looks fab. What's a girl to do? I think I'm going to have to invest in one or both pretty soon.

I'm also on the fence about a new MAC product I purchased the other day. Of course I walk into MAC needing new mascara (see what I use here) and new fluidline eye liner (seen below). By the way if you haven't hopped on this crazy train, I highly recommend it. Bolder than a pencil, easier to apply than a liquid=my eyeliner heaven.

MAC fluidline in blacktrack

And obviously the makeup artist talks me into this amazing highlighter that they have which is seasonal (really isn't everything at MAC practically seasonal?) so if I want it I better buy it right now. And really the product is beautiful, it gives me a tiny bit of color which I'm missing since I'm trying really hard not to tan this year but $30 for this little compact?

Anyway, I ended up getting it feeling slightly pressured but slightly knowing I wanted it anyway. Hence the pictures of it still in it's packaging since I still haven't made my mind up about whether I should keep it or prioritize my weak bank account. << Seems pretty obvious what I should do right? Work more, go back and buy it when I feel comfortable. But if I'm going to go back and buy it anyway should I just keep it? The responsible adult in me is telling me to return it. The girl in me is telling me to keep it since makeup and products make me so happy! Anyone have suggestions?!

Have a great Saturday loves!

Love&Luck

Vin Chaud

I've been getting quite a few questions about what vin chaud is and how to make it so I wanted to share it with you.

My first weekend back I made for my roommate here. But here is the recipe again and I added the few adjustments I had to make because I couldn't find all the ingredients here that I had used in France.

In my terms, vin chaud or hot wine, is a lot like what we would call mulled wine in the States. Another way to describe it would be warm red sangria. It's basically the process of tossing spices, fruit, and wine in a pot and letting it simmer and absorb all the flavors. It's an incredibly popular holiday drink served in France and it really is perfect for those snowy, chilly days.

The recipe I use can be found here and I came across from a simple Google search. Obviously when they use such vague terms as "cloves" and "cardamon" I had to do some more Google-ing but eventually ended up buying red wine (remember you're drinking it so you want it to taste good), an orange, an apple, cinnamon sticks and anise pods which are shown below.

I cut up the fruit and toss it into a pot with the cinnamon sticks and a handful of anise pods and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. A good indicator that everything has mingled well is if the fruit no longer floats and is sitting at the bottom of the pot. Some like to eat the fruit or put it into glasses served as garnishes but I personally don't because I find the fruit to be too potent after sitting with the spices. 

Here are a few pictures of my vin chaud in the process...

The end result is a very sweet tasting, warm wine. You should approach it as if you're sipping hot tea, not chugging it like beer because it's so sweet it can hit you quite quickly since it goes down so easily. 

A few variations that I have done:

-Not using an apple

-Using a bottle of rose wine along with red wine

-Using anise extract because I couldn't find the pods in the States

I hope you enjoy a little bit of France in your home during this chilly winter!

Love&Luck

Weekend Fun

I've been getting back into Minnesota life this weekend with some much needed cooking. Not sure if it's just a nice reminder of M but something has got me cooking up a storm.

Last night, I cooked up my famous lasagna which you can check out here as well as the amazing latke recipe I've been making since Christmas (thank you Emily @ cupcakesandcashmere.com!). Whether you're Jewish or not, or have had potato pancakes before, you absolutely need to check out this latke recipe. I also whipped up a batch of vin chaud for my roommate; we had quite the feast!

This morning I also made apple chips from Nik's website which were so light and delicious! I can't wait to continue making them for quick nibbles throughout the winter.

Latkes in action
 

Vin chaud

Yummy apple chips

Last night's latkes are today's breakfast

Sunday morning perfection

Oh yeah then there's this guy

A few notes...

• I have made the latkes for dinner and breakfast and you can use apple sauce, ketchup, sour cream or syrup to top them off depending on which meal and your preference. Try one of each if you're a newbie, the toppings really change the flavor. 
• I made the lasagna recipe in France for M and guessed a bit in the grocery store since everything was in French but with a little guessing a good luck, the lasagna turned out well. I had to substitute mozzarella cheese for cottage cheese and used a handful of dried italian herbs instead of fresh ones for the seasoning. 
• I followed the recipe above for vin chaud but you can vary the ingredients according to taste. For example, they didn't have cardamon pods in our grocery store so I used anise extract instead without changing the flavor too much. 

Hope you enjoy all the recipes!

Love&Luck

Easy Bake Pasta

So you know I'm in France and for one reason, to see the boy. Of course I am going to cook for him because not only have I gotten good at cooking, but that is ONE benefit of having a loving girlfriend come visit you. I've made this pasta dish which I got from Samantha Collins, a fellow hockey wife; not only is it delicious but it is so simply and only takes a handful of ingredients. Thank you, Sam!

Finished product, looks delicious doesn't it? It was!

Sunday Funday

Some people celebrate Sunday's by going to church. Others choose to make the couch and TV their throne and watch football all day. I honor the day of rest by cooking and cleaning, seems contradictory. Today I made a batch of Chicken Noodle Soup and Breaded Zucchini chips while simultaneously washing my bedding for fresh sheets; really what better way to start the week than with clean sheets and a fridge full of food?

I will start by saying that everything turned out well and no one is finishing the weekend with food poisoning (which I consider a huge success) but the soup recipe was a little bland. I'm still trying to figure out how to add more flavor without increasing the sodium too much, I will gladly take ideas. The zucchini chips were a big hit (pictures below) but I thought they could have been a little better. Instead of plain breadcrumbs I used Panko Italian style breadcrumbs because that is what happened to be laying around the house, so next time I will make an effort to bread them with original breadcrumbs. Now my roommate assures me that my food is great, however, I am my own worst critic so it's hard to judge by my own thoughts.  Personally, I don't perfect a recipe until I try it about 3 times and luckily I purchased a ton of zucchini (it's a great snack if you haven't tried it) so I will be able to give it another shot this week. 

Beautiful colors of the onion, celery, and carrots going into the soup

Zucchini in the breading mixture

I'm looking for a new book to pick up, any suggestions? Please send me your suggestions via Facebook or e-mail: jessica.hauwillerwurm@gmail.com. I am about to check out Amazon's top picks from my Kindle momentarily, hoping to find something amazing!

Have a great Monday!

The BEST Banana Bread

Not going to lie, I strongly considered not posting this amazing recipe because I'm a little selfish about it but in the end I wanted to share the goodness of this banana bread because I think everyone should have a taste!

Banana Bread


1 C Sugar
1/2 C Margarine
2 Eggs
2-3 Mashed Bananas (I usually do 3 but it's personal preference)
1 tsp. Soda
1 tbsp Milk
2 C Flour
 Optional: 1 bar of white chocolate (not a candy bar, a bar from the cooking isle) I've mostly
used Baker's but I have also used Ghirardelli and haven't found a difference.

Mix ingredients in order. Bake for 45-50 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Enjoy! I promise it will be a hit. Also, I ALWAYS make mine with white chocolate and I wouldn't think about making it without.

My Favorite Lasagna Recipe (and also the best thing I cook!)

Friends and fellow aspiring chefs,

First and foremost I'm sorry I have not blogged in awhile, with the move back to Minnesota and the untimely passing of Michael's grandfather we have been quite busy unpacking and visiting with family and friends.

So here is a quick blog that includes a great (and super easy) lasagna recipe that I love from Paula Deen. I will say I have mastered this dish and it is unbelievable; everyone that I make it for agrees as well so please try it out, I know you'll love it!

*This is a meal that you need to prep for so plan ahead because it involves a lot of cooking time

Total time: 2hr 15min
Prep: 25 min
Inactive: 10 min
Cook: 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients


1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

1 pound ground Italian sausage

1 onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground oregano

1 teaspoon ground basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese

1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

9 oven-ready lasagna noodles

2 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.

Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.

Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.

Bake 45 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

*Also, I suggest making more of the cheese mixture because the first few times I was really spreading things thin and I like my lasagna to be cheesy so I've been making more of it so there is enough to go around for every layer it's used

To close things, I'm just finishing up The Paris Wife on my Kindle and am super ecstatic to blog about it so stay tuned!