Things I Like...and a blog award!

You may have noticed that I stopped with the numbers for my titles. At the rate I was going I feared I may never get to three hundred and sixty five....

ANYWAY...Here's what I like this week!

1. My new iPhone. I did it. I bought one. And I love it. After being a blackberry user for the past four years I had my reservations. But I have decided that iPhone is clearly a superior device. And aside from having my entire personal and professional life on this hand-held device. I get to play addicting games like Angry Birds and Words With Friends.

2. Snow Days. It feels like everyone is itching for spring EXCEPT me! I love the snow and the cold. I will remember everyone complaining about the snow and cold and be sure to throw it in their face when they're complaining about how hot it is in July!



3. For the First Time - The Script. This is the first single off of their new album Science & Faith. I am in love with this song and album. I've had it on repeat for about 2 weeks now. I wasn't a huge fan of their self titled first album, aside from the two singles (Breakeven and The Man Who Can't Be Moved). This album has definitely matured from their first. I encourage you to check them out. And what can be better then good music made by sexy men with Irish accents?

In other news, I was passed a blog award from my friend Alyssa over at Fleur de Lyss. THANK YOU ALYSSA! I'm glad someone finds my ramblings interesting.

As I'm still new I don't have very many people to pass this award to, and I can't pass it back to Alyssa (right lol?). And when I say I don't have very many people, this means I only have one person to pass it along to...and that is my dear dear friend Leanna at OMG, I moved to NYC

Now here is this lovely questionnaire to go along with the award...

What inspires you?

Music, Art, My Friends & Family

What is your favorite season and why?

Late fall/early winter. I love the fresh cold weather. Where you can utilize cute cold weather accessories such as scarves and hats but the cold doesn't hurt your face as you walk to the subway.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Being 100% financially independent from my parents

If you could write a book about anything, what would you write about?

I write little drabbles frequently. So instead I would love to have a book of my photography.

What is your greatest passion?

Um, Everything? I guess aside from the obvious, friends, family, life. I say music and art.

If you could change one thing about your life or yourself, what would it be and why?

I over analyze EVERYTHING. Sometimes I wish I could make a decision without thinking about the "what if..."

Lastly, What is your favorite novel?

This is like asking my what my favorite song is...impossible to answer. But I can give you two The Great Gatsby I read this in High School like every other person, but it really stuck with me. I think that this was one of the few books I really enjoyed in any of my high school English classes. Harry Potter, okay, you have to admit, This series made it cool and acceptable to read as a child and I think JK Rowling changed how our generation thinks and feels about books and reading.

Top 2 Tuesday

Top 2 Healthy Recipes and Snack ideas!

About 4 years ago, I did weight watchers while on summer break from college. I had a lot of success with it but unfortunately didn't have the time to commit to it once I went back to school.

Here are two recipes I have continued to enjoy.

Diet Soda Cupcakes Recipe

Makes 24 servings

Cake mix combined with diet soda makes yummy cupcakes!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces of any diet soda
• 1 package of cake mix

Directions
Combine cake mix and can of diet soda; cook as per directions on cake box. Makes 24 cupcakes.

For frosting I like to use Coolwhip. You can mix it with cocoa powder and use Splenda to sweeten.

And if you're doing Weight Watchers, if I remember correctly a cupcake is only 1 point.

Orange Crumbed Baked Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole wheat crackers, crumbled
• tablespoon orange zest, grated
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, freshly ground
• 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, mustard and salt. On a sheet of wax paper combine the cracker crumbs, orange zest, shallot, and pepper. Brush the chicken on both sides with the mustard mixture then dredge in the crumbs, firmly pressing the crumbs to coat both sides. Place the chicken on the baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes, turn over and bake until cooked through. 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Enjoy!

Seventeen

This past weekend was my roommates birthday. We fit 10 people in our little New York apartment. We even ran out of room in the refridgerator for the booze...

...and had to use the deck to keep everything cold.

We did an eight course tasting menu. Yes, you read that right, 8 courses.

The menu varied from shrimp and grits to ribs. Everything was delicious.

My duty was dessert.

Are you ready?

1. Cake Truffles. Red Velvet and White Chocolate & Devils Food Cake and Dark Chocolate.

Ingredients

• 1 standard cake mix (homemade or pre-packaged)

• 16 oz of the frosting/filling of your choice

• 4 oz Chocolate (dark, semi-sweet, or white) to coat the truffles

Directions

Bake the cake in a 9x13 pan as directed by the recipe/package selected. Tear the cake into small pieces while still warm (do not let the cake cool completely). Add the cake and frosting to a bowl and combine. Do not over mix - the cake/icing mixture should not be homogeneous. Use a spoon and form the mixture into balls. Let cool completely. I actually put mine in the freezer for about an hour to help them harden. Melt the chocolate over a double-boiler and use two forks to roll the truffles into the melted chocolate. Place the truffles on a cookie rack or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to rest. I put them back in the freezer/refrigerator until we were ready to eat them.

2. Apple Dumplings. Don't judge the ugly plates, they were really cheap and we needed 8 of them!

Ingredients

• 1 10-ounce can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

• 2-3 apples, cored

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Roll each biscuit into a circle about 6 inches in circumference. Place 1/2 of an apple onto each circle. Wet the edges of dough, then pinch them together with your fingers. Place dumplings in an 8-by-8-inch square pan. Combine sugar, water, vanilla and butter; bring to a boil. Pour syrup over dumplings. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until dumplings are golden. Baste the dumplings with the syrup a few times throughout the cooking process.

Sixteen

Outfits for spring!

1. During the spring time I love playing with colors and patterns. I can't wait to get out of boots and into my flats. And you always need a coat for the days it's still a bit chilly out.

2. It rains a lot in the spring time. Sometimes in the city it feels like it's constantly raining. You NEED a waterproof trench. You NEED rain-boots, preferably ones that have a ridiculous pattern or are an outrageous color. You NEED a waterproof bag. Most NYers commute to work, school, and play. This means walking in the downpours. There is nothing worst then the rain ruining your favorite purse. I recommend LeSportsac. I have a plain black one like the one above and get tons of compliments on them and when you have one in a solid color it can look more like a purse. They hold so much and are extremely sturdy. Lastly, you NEED NEED NEED a good umbrella. I recommend getting a bubble shaped umbrella as they last the longest. There is nothing worst then investing the money in an umbrella and having in break after one use. Bubble shaped umbrellas are the best. Because of the shape the wind can break it within minutes of walking outside. You might pay more for one of these umbrellas but they are so worth it.

Fifteen

This morning the Today Show mentioned that there was snow in 49 states today. While we didn't get as much snow as expected here in New York City (the weather man said at least 14", we maybe got a foot) I still get to enjoy a paid snow day.

Here is my remedy for the snow day blues.

1. A cozy blanket


2. Hot chocolate with a lot of whipped cream (anyone notice my mug?)


3. Trashy television


4. Lots of movies (this isn't my movie collection however)

Fourteen

Strange Addictions....

1. Popping Pimples. Yes, it's true. I can barely refain from popping pimples. I know it's gross, I know it's bad, but I can't help it! If I haven't fully disgusted you yet, proceed to the next obsession (it's not gross).


2. Mugs with snowmen. No really. If you open my cup cabinet it looks like a winter wonderland threw up in there 365 days a year. Majority of my mugs have cutesy snowmen on them. And whenever I'm out shopping and I see a mug with a snowman on it, I buy it. And the last thing I need are anymore snowmen mugs.

Thirteen

Did Everyone have a happy holiday and a great new year? I did, aside that I was sick through Christmas weekend. It was great to visit family and friends in Massachusetts. I got to enjoy the blizzard with my mom, bad lifetime movies and hot cocoa.

Did anyone make any new years resolutions? So far I have 4;

1. Be more frequent with my blog updates. I want to give my three readers something good to read ha ha! Plus, I'm pretty sure I've said this before. But this time I mean it. I'm going to try and make sure I update at least once a week to start.

2. Continue to lose weight. Okay I know, cliche. But in the past year I've lost about 45lbs. Slowly but surely. I'm considering starting weight watchers again, which I did a few years ago, and was extremely beneficial.

3. Eat out less. I really need to start bringing my lunch/dinner to work. Eating out is expensive, and not very healthy. This includes coffee.

4. Writing more. And I don't mean blogging. I've always written little bits of fiction and poetry. I want to get better at it and practice and brainstorm more often.

what are some of your resolutions.