Wednesday, December 16, 2009

New Favorite Song

The only place I can find this song besides the christian radio is on Youtube.com so I'm putting it on my blog so I can hear it whenever I want ;)

Sometimes I totally feel like this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0EB_xeSjwo


Saturday, November 28, 2009

Pumpkin Cream Pies

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
I found a pumpkin whoopie pie recipe on Martha Stewart's website, but I changed it up quite a bit. It was a huge hit on Thanksgiving. They are yummy, but not healthy at all. Of course you could definitely substitute applesauce for butter, splenda for sugar, and use wheat flour, but for Thanksgiving I didn't. Here is the recipe I made:
Cookie/Cakes
1 stick softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup oil
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 can pure pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour

Filling
2 sticks softened cream cheese ( I did use the 1/3 less fat kind)
1 Jar Marshmallow cream
1/2 cup butter softned
1 box confectioners' sugar (you can use less if you don't want it to be too sweet)
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream together sugar and oil. Add eggs and pumpkin. Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by tablespoonsful (the best thing to use is a small ice cream scoop) on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool cookies.
Beat together all filling ingredients together frost the bottom of one cookie and sandwich another cookie on top.
Chill for at least 20 minutes.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Margarita Monday

Monday nights used to be filled with going to Margarita Mondays with Co-workers at Acapulco's in Whittier, but since I started school I haven't been able to go. So in place of that my Friend Cesiah and I have a Margarita once in a blue moon at the house and chat. I thought I'd share our super simple "healthy" Margarita recipe
2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen) or any type of fruit really.
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sprite zero
5 packets of truvia or splenda
2 shots of tequila (sometimes we use silver rum and make them daiquiris)
Ice to thicken
ENJOY =)


Saturday, November 7, 2009

A Student Nurses Prayer

Lord:

I know we go through this every day but please give me the knowledge as to why I actually wanted to go to nursing school and remind me of how much I like nursing. Lord, give me the strength to make it through those six hour lectures without falling asleep. Lord, please give me the patience to make it through eight and twelve hour clinicals with instructors that can’t just give you the right answer and on the same note, please give the instructors the ability to teach us what we need to know to be able to pass the NCLEX and be a competent and safe nurse in the real world. Please give the nurses at Suburban the ability to remember what it was like to be a student and give us just a little more respect (oh and please let the CNA's not be so jealous and RUDE). Lord, give me the endurance to read all the assigned readings and be able to remember it when I am taking a test with four possible right answers. Lord, give my family and friends the ability to realize I really am on the edge of insanity, and to not be offended when I cannot be hang out with them this year. Finally, Lord, give me the vision to see that one day I will be a real nurse and I will never have to wear this ugly uniform again.



-Daniella

Maui Here We Come

Of course Josue and I can't wait for Puerto Rico Cruise, but we have just planned our second trip for the year 2010. A group trip to Maui, Hawaii in Early August.
We are going with friends Cesiah & Temo and Yeimy & Ronald. SOOOOO excited!!!
I already "called" the Master bedroom (as in we pay more for the view and larger space lol)
We rented this ocean front condo for the week, so we can save money and make our own food. Although I'm sure we will go to at least one luau (sp?) Mostly I think all of us just want to relax and just go with the flow, but organized me will have to come up with a few activites. And Josue and will have to do at least one romantic trip and dinner just the two of us as we will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary!! (wow did I just say second???)
I feel so blessed to be able to travel, and we hope to do a few more big trips until we start thinking of a having a family (don't get scared Mom) So I'm sure you will see many more travel updates, and pictures on this blog!!
The only trip we have planned (know we want to go to) is the road to Hana. We will prob have to rent a small van since it's the six of us (if everyone wants to go) But I already nominated Yeimy/Ronald to drive since they have minnie experience LOL ( If you're reading this Yeimy I'm just kidding...kinda)


Can you tell I'm excited!!!?

....... Now just to find a good deal on flight tickets, any suggestions?



Lighter Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I've kinda turned this into a baking and cooking blog, but I do intend to write more about life stuff but for now here is a recipe I created. Of course they are no Martha Stewart or Mrs. Fields, but they are pretty yummy for a lighter dessert. =)
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1 Cup White Sugar (Substitute can be made here, I used 1/2 sugar and 1/2 splenda)
1 Cup Splenda Brown Sugar Mix
2 Eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 Cups white flour (brown flour can be substituted, but white tastes better) =)
2 Cups oat (oatmeal, ground finely can be done slowly in blender)
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 bag white chocolate chips (or whatever variety you prefer)
Directions:
Cream together the first four ingredients
Then mix in eggs and vanilla
In a separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients then slowly add them to wet ingredients
Fold in chocolate chips (At this point I divided dough into two portions, and added white chocolate chips into only one portion)
Refrigerate for at least an hour covered
Roll into 1 tablespoonfull balls. Flatten and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degree preheated oven for 7-10 minutes . Cool on rack
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
ENJOY =)

Friday, October 23, 2009

Oreo Muffins Healthy?

So I'm on my let's make good food healthy kick, and I decided to make muffins for breakfast! So I subsituted some healthy ingreadients, but I just had to add those oreos =)
Regular Recipe
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 cup Oreos, crushed


Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease muffin tins.
Beat together the egg, milk and butter.
Stir in the remaining ingredients except the Oreos.
Fold in the Oreos; batter will be lumpy.
Spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake for 15 to 20 minutes



I used splenda instead of sugar and applesauce in place of the butter















Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Key Lime cookies....yum!

So I found this recipe on the martha stewart website. I know you don't mess with martha but I changed up the recipe slighly by adding lime juice in the cookie mix and lime juice & a drop of green food coloring in the the frosting. Please excuse the bad pictures, the lighting in my kitchen is bad ;)







You can leave them without frosting and just powdered sugar, frost them or make them into mini cookie sandwiches...super yummy!!!!




Makes 3 dozen
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Creamy Lemon Filling


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.
Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).
Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick (if dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).
Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter (reroll scraps once, chilling of too soft). Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Form sandwiches: Place about 1 teaspoon
Creamy Lemon Filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.




Monday, August 24, 2009

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo


I'm trying to make healthier meals at home to help me lose the extra pounds I've packed on since the wedding. Living with my carnivore, fat, high caloric loving husband makes this difficult. So I've started making some of our favorite recipes with more vegetables, and healthier ingredients. Today I made Gumbo for lunch, traditionally not the healthiest meal but I made some changes.

Here is the regular recipe




1 cup oil
1 cup flour
2 large onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large chicken (young hen preferred), cut into pieces
2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 bunch scallions (green onions), tops only, chopped
2/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
Filé powder to taste Season the chicken with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and brown quickly. Brown the sausage, pour off fat and reserve meats.
In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat (depending on your roux-making skill), stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a Cajun-style roux. If you want to save time, or prefer a more New Orleans-style roux, cook it to a medium, peanut-butter color, over lower heat if you're nervous about burning it.
Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.
Add the chopped scallion tops and parsley, and heat for 5 minutes. Serve over rice in large shallow bowls. Accompany with a good beer and lots of hot, crispy French bread.
YIELD: About 12 entrée sized servings.




http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/chixsaus-gumbo.html







I made it with chicken breast and chicken sausage instead of regular sausage. I used wheat flour, and brown rice. I used heart healthy oil from smart balance We omitted the french bread and added many extra vegetables to the gumbo. (carrots, celery, etc.)




It was really yummy, even Josue loved it! I hope I can continue making healthier meals with my husband not hating them!


Monday, August 3, 2009

1st Wedding Anniversary

This is what happens when you try to save your wedding cake for a whole year! =)




Disgusting!!!!






So we ordered a new one it's a combination of the main cake and our heart cakes from the wedding.





We still can't believe it's been a year. It has definitely been a year of ups and downs but together we can make it through anything. I love Josue more today than on our wedding day and I never knew that was possible. That man is always there for me and I can't thank him enough.
Plus what's an anniversary without gifts =)
Traditionally you're supposed to give paper as a first anniversary gift so I gave Josue paper tickets to a Dodger game, and a photo printed on canvas paper from our wedding. He loved it!
Josue gave me this awesome new camera that can take pictures underwater it will be perfect for our cruise next year. His thought was that you can take pictures that will print out on paper =)
He also got me this great new entertainment center for our living room, I'll show pics later.
I love how much he likes to spoil me, it's so much fun!!!!








Thursday, July 30, 2009

Tips for Nursing School

I apologize to my two readers for the absence of my blogging. I have been super busy in Nursing school. I've been thinking about what I've learned over the last year and I think it's time I gave you some insider information. Here's a few things I've learned that may or may not help you out in school.

1. If you are thinking about going to nursing school but aren't there yet, volunteer at the hospital. I'm serious, it's not just for old ladies and community organizations. I was privileged enough to volunteer for a couple months at Whittier Pres. I got to wander around all over the place and meet doctors and nurses and therapists of every kind. I got to see what the job was really like. It focused my goals.

2. Go ahead and buy an NCLEX review book at the beginning of clinicals. Look on Amazon and try to find the one with the highest rating, especially one that has questions sorted out by topic with rationales for the answers. And buy them used if you can find them on Amazon or Half.com it can save you big bucks!!

3.Take time to play. But don't do it all the time. Some days you're just going to have to work hard from sun up to sundown. Just remember to relax on your days off. Take time to exercise. That freshman fifteen wasn't your birth control. It was your metabolism slowing down. Even if you only go for a walk on the weekend, it's better than nothing. Don't drink too much. Try to get off the caffeine and cigarettes. You're going to be a nurse; set a good example. The immediate gratification will cost more in the long run.

4. Don't study for the grades. I know it sounds ridiculous, but your goal in studying shouldn't be to make A's. Studying isn't a product-oriented activity. It is process-oriented. You will need this information in your professional life. Not just in your student-life.

5. If you have to work, or you have kids or are just unorganized make a study schedule. If you can stick to it, you will learn more. Also if you need a quiet place to study, and your home is not it go to a library it can help tremendously.

Ok well that's it for now, I will be able to give more once we get closer to graduation.


Thursday, April 2, 2009

8 Months of Marriage



Today we celebrated Eight months of wedded bliss...ok ok maybe not bliss but you know what they say for better or for worse right? We have had a great year side the mishaps. We love being married and thats what is important!
We spent all morning "nesting" as Ramona likes to put it. Then Josue had to go to work. So we will have a yummy dinner tomorrow. Josue is making tempura and chicken fried rice. I wanted to make a special dessert so this is what I came up with. I'm not the best baker but I try. Marble cake and the outside is green (his fav.color) frosting and the middle layer is pink (my fav. color) whipped cream with fresh strawberries from our garden!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Our New Home

Our New Home!


Our Bedroom


We hope to get a better TV (on the wall) with our refund check =)





The Living Room


We also hope to get a nice entertainment center with our refund check







The dining room


The "Cozy" Bathroom




This is the added on family room we haven't done much with it, it is our project room!

This is our laundry room/ cat room ;) which is connected to the room above


Pinky Loves the Sun!

The "Hallway"

Where I TKN =)

Our Office/Josue's Clothes Room

The Garage in the back
I didn't take any photos of the backyard yet because its a work in progress, hopefully I can take pictures soon then we can have a BBQ !


We moved here in February and I am so proud of My Husband he put in all the light fixtures including the fan! He and his Dad put in the wood floor, and we painted all the rooms. Its a cozy home but it fits us for now. We have a lot of blank wall space which we hope to get some awesome paintings for. Maybe during our travels abroad we will find some ;)
PS Sorry for the mess! All the time spent on homework doesn't leave me lots of time to clean =)







Meet the newest member of our family




This is Lola our new addition to the family. She is super friendly and so far gets along well with Pinky minus the occasional spat =) We love her so much and are happy that we adpoted her!


Sunday, March 8, 2009

Turning 24

So I haven't kept up with blogging, with school I just have NO time! But here is a picture from my 24th birthday last Saturday. My Mom made me a delicious dinner with the best homemade red velevet cupcakes ever! I also got an awesome birthday gift! A trip to New York City!!! My sister and I will go at the end of April for a few days. I am SO excited!!!!


Sunday, February 1, 2009

Make a Message Board

My friend Danielle taught me how to make my own message board. I picked out an awesome fabric and got started. I took photos so you can make one too if you want. First start with a cork board, batting, fabric, ribbon, and cute thumb tacks. You will need a stapler. I'm sure a power stapler would work better, but I used a regular one and it worked just fine!


Staple the batting to the board.




Then staple the fabric to the back of the board on top of the batting.

You could make this one step and staple the two layers together.




Lay out the ribbon criss-cross style and cut strips.

Then staple the strips to the back.


Finally put the tacks where the ribbons cross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ta Da you have a simple craft project that creates a lot of impact in your home office.



Monday, January 26, 2009

Happy Chinese New Year

This is my year! The year of the Ox! Josue is a Boar but I like to say Pig cause it's funnier =)
So happy new year everyone. I wish you all of the best!
The second animal who arrived was the serious, enduring and hard-working Ox
Horoscope 2009, forecast for the 2009 year of the earth Ox The coming 2009 year of the earth Ox also called 2009 year of the Bull or Buffalo is around the corner. It looks like we've got honest, candid and open natured year ahead. As you might guess, coming 2009 year of the earth Ox is dependable, calm and modest. Sun sign horoscope for the 2009 year of the Ox like his animal sing is unshakably patient, full of hard work and tireless though need financial support to fulfill your ideas and make your desires. Yearly 2009 forecast and
horoscope 2009 for your zodiac sign.
Ox Personality The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm and modest. Like his animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in his work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint. The ox person needs peace and quiet to work through his/her ideas, and when he/she has set his/her mind on something it is hard for him/her to be convinced otherwise. The ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever he/she does, in spite of a total lack of imagination. He/she can be very stubborn, and difficult to dissuade once he/she decides on something. These people speak little, but are intelligent, and when necessary, they are both articulate and eloquent. The ox person is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes him/her nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the ox person many sleepless nights. These people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. It would be right to mention that people born in the ox years are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the ox people are rather introverted and wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new. It is important to remember that the ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such person and he/she takes on the worries of the world and tries to find solutions.

Ox Love Affairs Although practical in other ways, the ox person can be very naive about affairs of the heart. It takes time for him/her to develop intimate relationships and show his/her feelings, but once such person is committed, the partner will be totally loved and trusted. The ideal partner for the ox person is truthful and gentle but knows how to cajole and tease him/her. Of course there may be times when the ox person misinterprets light-hearted remarks or fails to see the humour in a situation, but at the same time close people will find that he/she is able to throw off his/her worries and begin to enjoy him/herself. The ideal partner for the ox person must also have the enthusiasm to introduce him/her to new interests but at the same time will not take risks that threaten the ox's security. The ox person can take as a matter of course his/her partner's weaknesses, and when there are emotional upheavals the ox will consider whether the blame lies with him/her; on the other hand such people do find it hard to forgive if they have been deceived.

Ox Career Ox people are observant; they have remarkable memories and are good at reporting on absolutely everything they observe. If you ask an Ox person if he/she remembers who were at the party 8 months ago, most likely, he/she will name them one by one to you. As a rule, the ox people approach work seriously and as long as they are not forced into the public eye they are able to think clearly and plan meticulously. They maybe not too fast when it comes to making decisions, but they are a skilled organizers and logical thinkers, and as the years pass their determination is likely to be rewarded. There are no difficulties with accepting authority arises for the ox person as long as he/she knows that the business is established on firm foundations. It is suitable for the ox to know his/her schedule or timetable and although he/she can rise to challenges and, to some extent, deal with the unpredictable; the ox would rather be well-informed and work within a fixed framework.


Ideal Job for the Ox IncludeComposer, Landlord, Doctor, Cook or Chef, Farmer, Police officer, Soldier, Teacher, Judge, Banker, Insurance broker, Gardener.

Horoscope backgroundLucky Numbers: 1, 3, 5, 12, 15, 33, 35, 51, 53 Equivalent Western Sign: Capricorn Element EARTH Color YELLOW Yin/Yang YIN and YANG Direction NORTH-NORTH-EAST

CelebritySome Famous Oxen: Warren Beatty, Jon Bon Jovi, Jeff Bridges, Richard Burton, Barbara Cartland, Charlie Chaplin, Bill Cosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Walt Disney, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Don Johnson, Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, Heather Locklear, Eddie Murphy, Jessica Lange, Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, Rod Steiger, Peter Sellers, Sissy Spacek, Bruce Springsteen, Meryl Streep.

Ox CompatibilityCompatible with : Snake, Rooster, Rat, DogLess Compatible with : Dragon, Monkey, Pig, Ox, TigerLeast Compatible with : Ram

Positive and Negative CapabilityPositive: The Ox can be patient, contemplative, skilful, dextrous, eloquent, confident, familiar, authoritative, industrious and sure of foot. Negative: The Ox can also be prejudice, chauvinistic, proud, tyrannical, petty, critical, eccentric, bigoted, conservative, grumpy and on occasion violent.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Healthy Fellow

Check out my Uncle's New Blog! http://www.healthyfellow.com/
It has great articles and reviews. Very helpful information if I do say so myself. Subscribe to his blog and help him get his business started! I appreciate the support!


Just take a look at this post, super helpful! Go on check it out for yourself!

Today I want to take you into the HealthyFellow.com test-kitchen. From time to time, I’d like to share some simple recipes and tips that I’ve learned from trial and error in our own home.
I’ve personally found two kitchen devices to be of great help in making healthy and simple meals. The first item is called an immersion blender, also know as a “stick blender”. The second item is a slow cooker or Crock-Pot.
One Pot, Several Meals
I usually start by going to the market and finding some good quality stewing meat. You can use beef, chicken, lamb or pork. There’s a great deal of room for personal preference here. But the great thing about slow cookers is that cheaper cuts of meat with a bit more fat and sinew work best.
I also pick up a can of organic roasted tomatoes, organic onions and garlic and any dried spices that I’d like to add to the mix. Having a nice bottle of wine on hand is always on my list as well.
Once at home, I will sometimes brown the meat prior to placing it in the slow cooker. This is optional and a matter of both taste and time considerations. If I’m lacking time, I skip the browning altogether.
I throw all of the ingredients (canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices and a cup or so of water) into the slow cooker and stir them up. Replacing the water with red wine imparts a rich flavor, but is also optional. Finally, I add my cut of meat, making sure to spoon some of the mixture on top as well.
As easy as all this is, the rest is even easier. Simply set your slow cooker to the appropriate setting (high, low or warm). The setting type is generally dictated by the cut of meat, it’s size and the amount of time you have to prepare your meal. If you have plenty of time on your hands, a low setting, for a longer period of time will do just fine. If you’re in more of a rush, then you can utilize the higher setting.
During the cooking process, you can periodically turn the meat to make sure it cooks evenly. But try not to lift the lid too often, otherwise the loss of heat will prolong the cooking time.
By the way, in our home, we often serve slow cooked meats on a bed of mashed cauliflower. We find that it accompanies “fall off the bone” meats very well. Trust me, you won’t miss the mashed potatoes!
More Veggies Made Simple
So now you’re probably left with some leftover stewed meat and a good amount of homemade broth. Putting the meat to use is easy (tacos anyone?). But here’s a creative use for the broth.
Pour the broth into a pot and add any vegetables that you’d like to it. I typically add some frozen organic broccoli florets or organic asparagus spears. Heat up the broth and veggies until hot. Now, break out your handy dandy immersion blender and pulse the ingredients until you have a smooth consistency or the consistency that you like. For a chunkier soup, try adding some of your leftover meat.
For some, a nice feature about this hearty soup is that you can hardly taste the vegetables at all. It’s so rich and satisfying, that a big fellow like me can enjoy the soup as a meal replacement.
There’s one other thing I want to point out about these recipes. Homemade broth, made from healthful ingredients, is actually very healthy for you. It’s much cheaper than store bought soups and broths and you control exactly what goes into it. This type of soup also freezes well, which makes it even more versatile.
There are many other applications for slow cookers and immersion blenders, as well as many, many more recipes available on the Internet. My hope is that today’s blog might help you to enjoy more vegetables and healthy, whole foods in a simple and convenient way.
Be well!
JP