(Re)Try-It Tuesday: Birthday Style.

(Fact: I love making birthday cakes for people I love.)

Today is a very special day... It is my mom's birthday! She requested a Try-It Tuesday favorite... and I wasn't about to say no. She really likes Pioneer Woman's Cajun Chicken Pasta. I've made this recipe a few times, and I like it, but every time I think, "I could make this better." Not because Pioneer Woman isn't amazing... she is, in fact, amazing. It's just for some reason I can't thicken my sauce, or choose my pasta, or cook my vegetables the way that I should. I added some flour to my sauce which thickened it a bit. And I used different pasta (bowtie instead of fettuccine) which made it easier to eat. And I cut my vegetables smaller which made them easier to fit in your mouth. But it still could be better. I'll get there someday... I'm sure of it.

Even though I'm not quite satisfied with this recipe yet, my family was, and I bet you would be, too. So you should check it out.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I also made my mom a chocolate birthday cake. I cheat and use a Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix. But I did homemake the frosting. My mom was a big fan of the frosting, because I used almond flavoring.... My brothers... not as much. Oh well, you can't win 'em all, right?

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

(I was afraid the recipe of the pasta wasn't going to make enough 

so I made a recipe and a half of it. Holy cow. There was TONS.)

365 Photo Challenge: Week 10.

Day 71.

Hooray for another week of teal. I am starting to get over my distaste for teal. It's not teal's fault that it isn't as prevalent in the world as grey or navy. The world just can't handle teal. And it's my job to seek it out this month. It's the least I can do for poor old teal. ... (Has she lost her mind? She's talking to a color right now...) Anyway... this week in teal:

Day 67: My short, stumpy, hangnail-y fingernails. Day 68: Ah, Peach Fresca... some might call it a nectar of the gods. Day 69: Boring flip flop picture. Day 70: A cute hair clip that my brother Joel gave to me a while ago that I'm just now getting the cajones to wear. Day 71: Some special plates that were once my parents, then became mine in college, then sat in storage for a few years while I camped out at my folks' house, and are now packed up to head to my new place. Day 72: A birthday cake that I decorated for our August birthday celebration... only a baker asks to bake her own birthday cake.

Day 67.

Day 68.

Day 69.

Day 70.

Day 72.

If I could, I would...

...quit my job and spend every day making beautiful things. This requires money, because 1. I would need that if I wasn't working. 2. Making beautiful requires it. Not as much money as buying said beautiful things, but you still have to have it. If I could quit my job and make beautiful things all day, here is what I would make...

My own curtains out of drop cloth.

This beauty of a cake: Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Something old and ugly into something new and beautiful by upholstering it myself.



Fancy sugar cookies like these.

Another pretty cake like this one with a heart garland.

An ombre dresser like this one.

Cute art like this.

My own quilt.

Pretty rooms like this for cheap. (When you saw this picture did you think I was saying I wanted to make babies? Get your mind out of the gutter.)

A pretty wedding cake for someone.

Maybe someday...

No trying, but definite smiling.

So... I didn't try anything new last night for Try-It Tuesday. For some reason, although I pinned like 27 things this past week on Pinterest, I couldn't find a recipe that I wanted to make. Luckily, as I was scouring the internet frantically on Monday night for the perfect recipe, my mom said, "Just make Chicken Curry in a Hurry. I love that." Done and done. So I cooked a previous Try-It Tuesday. Chicken Curry in a Hurry. And I made it healthier. And it was still good!

Since I have no new recipe to offer, I thought I'd talk about some other things that are making me smile. A fair trade, I'd say.

(Not a real life picture of me... In case you were wondering.)

1. Update on Operation Bridesmaid. I weighed myself on Monday and I've officially lost 10 pounds. (Ok, 9.8, but can I round up? Ok, thanks.) I'm not saying this to be like, "Hey, guys! I'm awesome." Because I'm not. I've still got a long way to go... But I told you I'd update you, so here I am.

(The guy on the right's face is aMAzing...)

2. The Olympics. I'm loving the Olympics. I'm pretty sure this is the only time of year that I'm ok with sports being on my TV all night, every night. I'm kind of sad that they are winding down... (If you want to see more funny pictures like the one above, go here!)

(I didn't bake this cake. I don't love Pinterest THAT much.)

3. Pinterest. I still love Pinterest. I was kind of over it for a while, but I'm back into it. Maybe it's all the inspiration I've been getting because of all of the upcoming decorating I'll be doing at my new place. (Only 2 weeks until I move out... craziness.)

(Angry much?)

4. Spite and Malice app on my iPhone. Ever played the card game Skip Bo? Apparently it was called Spite and Malice before they changed it to something a little less... angry. The app still goes by the old name though. It's great! I played with Jessie last night and had a grand ol' time.

(Who's the hottie on the left?)

5. Packing. No, I don't like packing. I really dislike packing. But I've really enjoyed going through my things and reminiscing about the old days... Gotta be honest, I threw most of the stuff away because I'm on a purging kick. But it's made the packing process a little more bearable.

Hope you're smiling, too!

365 Photo Challenge: Week 9.

Day 65. 

The month of navy is finished! Now I am on to teal... I've only been taking teal pictures for 5 days and I'm already finding it to be a challenge. There just isn't much teal out in the world. But it keeps me looking at the things that surround me... which is the whole point of the project.

Here is my week in navy and teal... Day 60: my guilty pleasure... fashion magazines. Day 61: I was totally out navy ideas so I sunk to a low level... I googled it. Day 62: a picture that I have hanging in my cubicle at work. Day 63: my coffee thermos. Day 64: Friday night, even though I'm in my mid-twenties, I had a sleepover with some friends... two of the girls had matching flip flops. Day 65: my friend Tara's quilt. Day 66: my journal... I may or may not have taking this picture during church.

Day 60.

 Day 61.

Day 62.

Day 63. 

Day 64. 

Day 66.

Try-It Tuesday: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas.

(Their picture.)

Last week I took a break from Try-It Tuesday because I had to work the late shift at work. (P.S. Did I tell you I got a new job? All sorts of changes in the life of Abby...) But this week I'm back. It's 11:30 and I've been in the kitchen all night. Let me tell you what I made...

For dinner, I made Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde. There's no point in a big build up... it was just plain good. I found the recipe on what is possibly my new favorite food blog: Skinnytaste. The recipes are lighter than your average and they all look so good. Tonight's dinner had a lot of lighter alternatives in it but you couldn't even tell. It was delicious. I would recommend you check out the blog... and this recipe... right now.


Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

As I mentioned above, I got a new job. I'm still with JPMorgan but I'm now a "team coordinator" over a team of people who are doing the job that I used to do. It's an exciting change and I feel like this new position is using my gifts better than my old one did. I got the position at a hard time though... Our company has been requiring all sorts of overtime the last couple of weeks, and my team's overall spirit is just low. People are discouraged... and the light at the end of the tunnel is unfortunately no where near. Anyway, I wanted to do something to encourage my team. To say thanks for all of the hard work they have been putting in. So I baked for them tonight. I made two things. (Yes, I realize these two recipes are the opposite of what I am encouraging above... healthiness. I'm taking them to work and leaving them there. Don't you worry... Operation Bridesmaid is still on.)

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites

(My picture.)

I may have snuck a little taste of both, because, you know, I can't serve something to people if I don't know it is edible. Both of these recipes were indeed edible... for sure.

365 Photo Challenge: Week 8.

Day 58.

Only two more days of navy! And then I'm on to August's color... "turquoise." My friends and I have decided we're going to call it teal because teal is easier to spell than turquoise. Yep. We're awesome.

This week in navy... Day 53: really expired half and half that was in our fridge. Day 54: my beloved Timbuktu... maybe someday I'll have a job that actually requires me to use a laptop bag like that. Day 55: Le Creuset aka the first thing I register for should I ever get married. Day 56: navy nails... don't judge me for the mistakes. Day 57: some cool windows in the West Bottoms in downtown Kansas City. Day 58: my alma mater's domination. Day 59: a skirt of mine.

Day 53.

Day 54.

Day 55.

Day 56.



Day 57.



 Day 59.