Ughhhh! So many updates!!

UGH.

Again, I am MIA for waywayway too long! My apologies!

Classes have picked up, obviously since the last time I posted was a day or two after they started. And since then, German 101 has TAKEN OVER MY LIFE.

Seriously. It's awful.

Don't expect me to be spouting off in fluent German any time soon.

Buuuuuut anyway....

UPDATE TIME!!

1. I found out, speaking of German, that I get to go to Germany (Berlin to be exact) in November!! How cool is that?! I guess my natural awfulness will have to get over itself.. Otherwise I will have no idea what I'm doing the entire time I'm there... I'm still super excited though and I plan on making the most of it, and even possibly seeing some family while I'm there!

2. My personal favorite update.... I GOT ENGAGED.

Yeah. How awesome is that?!

My boyfriend (fiance now?) flew in from North Carolina to surprise me for my birthday, and proposed while he was here! Talk about the best birthday present EVER.

I could seriously talk about it all day.. Really.

So, in lue of the new updates, I DID SOME CRAFTING.

I've chosen my two best friends as my Maid of Honor and my Bridesmaid. So, naturally taking any excuse to craft something, I made these:

Friggin' adorable, right?

Not only did they turn out great on the inside...

Outside looks great too! (:

My colors are going to be yellow and different shades of blue. My fiance and I love the state of Texas with a passion. So naturally I picked yellow rose and bluebonnet colors..

I'm adorable.

Or obsessive..

What can I say?

Well, as short as this post is, I have a German study group to go to!

(Yay.)

Have a great night, and look for more updates soon! Life lesson coming up in the next one! (;

[ Thanks & Gig 'Em ]

NEVER thought I'd be this excited to have internet!

Oh. My. Goodness.

I FINALLY HAVE INTERNET NOW!

So, first off, I apologize for the insanely long absence! We have finally moved into our duplex, and I for one didn't realize we didn't have internet included with the property. So, we called to get it set up as soon as we could. Understandably though, the internet providers were SO BUSY this week with students moving back to the area, so it took until yesterday evening for them to have the time to come by.

So, lesson number two for college living. If you are living off campus, MAKE SURE you have access to an internet source! Very important! In our case, we called the internet company ASAP, and in the meantime, used the Wifi on the A&M campus, or went to coffee shops in the evenings. One of my roommates even set up a hotspot on her phone. 

Basically, my best suggestion is to call ahead of your move-in date, and set up and appointment to have the internet set up soon after you move in. Maybe not the first day, since you'll have boxes upon boxes everywhere, but maybe the second or third day, after you've had time to tidy the place up and find some organization. 

If you don't, it's not the end of the world. Just know that there is a LOT of preparation you have to do to get ready for classes, such as making sure there haven't been any last minute changes to your schedule, professors haven't made any weird last minute changes, that you have all the books you need, and in general just that you're good to go.

Anywho. Enough of that.

MY PLACE IS AWESOME.

Chinchillas, Gizmo and Mogwai, have both settled in pretty well.

Gizmo (top) has gotten used to having another chinchilla in the house, but he's still a jealous little turd. When I had to take Mogwai (bottom) to the vet, he threw a fit that I was giving Mogwai so much attention and not him. What a butt head. But he's always been a butt head. Haha. On the other hand, Mogwai has got to be one of the sweetest chins I've ever met. He's just extremely lovable. (: And it's a good thing he's cute, because is vet bill was THROUGH THE ROOF (for a college student, anyway).

On another note, I have finally gotten the hang of our kitchen, and let me tell you, I've been having the BEST time trying new things out! I bought a Crock Pot, which I've never used one of those before, and I was very pleased with how my first Crock Pot recipe turned out! So, naturally, I'm gonna share the recipe. :D

Excuse the pictures. They're not as high quality as I would like.

Okay. So this soup was the PERFECT thing for dinner the other night. The weather was really overcast all day, and by the time it was ready to eat, it had started to storm outside. I LOVE soup on stormy nights! And it was literally one of the easiest meals I've ever made.

So, here's how it goes:

Ingredients:

For the first step-

• 2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes, with the juice
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely diced onions
• 1 tsp dried oregano, or one T fresh oregano
• 1 T dried basil, or 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 a bay leaf

For the second step-

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups half and half, warmed up (or you can use skim milk if you want it to be a little healthier)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

[Step One - Prep and Cooking Time]

Okay, here goes! SUPER easy!

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and the bay leaf to your crock pot.  Put the lid on the top of the crock pot and set it to cook on low for any time between 5 and 7 hours. I put mine in the crock pot while I had a few hours between classes, and left it to cook while I was gone. Perfect for when you don't have the time to sit there and work on a meal for an hour. You'll know when it's done because the vegetables will be cooked down (I prefer them to not be soft, but cooked well) and the flavors will be blended throughout. FYI, it smells SO GOOD while it's cooking!

[Step Two - Last Minute Prep and Putting it All Together]

About thirty minutes before you're planning on serving, prepare a roux. I honestly had no idea what that even meant before I made this recipe... So, never be afraid to look things up if you don't know what they are!

So, melt the butter over LOW heat in a skillet and add the flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for about 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup of the soup from the crock pot. After that's stirred in, add in another two or three cups of the soup and stir it until it's smooth. After, add it all back into the slow cooker. Stir in the parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Definitely add extra oregano and basil, because the crock pot does some serious damage to the flavor of spices and they get pretty bland. So season to taste. Now, after you've added these in to the crock pot, put the lid back on and let it cook for another 30 minutes. Then, dish it out and eat up!

My roommates both seemed to really enjoy this recipe, and I did too! It's also nice because you can save the leftovers in a tupperware container and eat it for dinner another night! Or breakfast...or lunch.....or for a snack.....whenever.

That's what we did... haha.

Also another really good thing to have with this soup, copy-cat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits. (:

Tried to make these the other night to have with the soup, but it was an utter fail... I found a recipe that called for vanilla and sugar in the mix, and it did not sound right AT ALL, but I went for it anyway since they said it tasted JUST LIKE THEM. But they came out as this awkward quiche-like substance. Not what I was aiming for..

So today I decided I'd try Cheddar Biscuits Round 2!

Also super easy.

 Ingredients:

For the actual biscuits- 

• 2 1/2 cups Bisquick bakings mix
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, finely grated 
• 3/4 cup Whole milk (I used about 1/4 cup buttermilk and the rest just 2%, since I don't like whole milk and it would be pointless to go buy it for one thing)
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
• 1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder**

For the "glaze"-

• 1/4 cup butter (melted)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder**
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes**
• 1 dash of salt

**I used the garlic powder that already has parsley in it, and that seemed to work out just fine. I also used a LOT more than what the recipe called for, and I think it could have used even more. That's just me though...

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the ingredients for the biscuits into a medium sized bowl. Mix it up until everything is pretty well distributed. If the Bisquick isn't sticking into the mix (like some is still on the bottom of the bowl) you can add a dash more milk. Just don't put too much in, or it'll get runny and gross.

Drop spoonfuls of the mix onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I dropped HUGE spoonfuls, so adjust accordingly to what size you'd like. Feel free to use mine as a reference. (:

Combine the "glaze" mix together and use a basting brush to brush the glaze over the uncooked biscuits.

Now, pop em in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, give or take depending on the size of the biscuits you're making. They're done when they're an awesome golden-brown.

They're delicious warm, but taste good warmed up or at room temperature too!

So.Dang.Good.

Well, there's my latest delicious college meal! Not to expensive to make, and both of these can last a few days and still taste great! That is, if it lasts that long without being scarfed down. (:

Hope ya'll have a great night, and let me know if you ever try these recipes out! I want to know how they turned out for you!

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

Move in day! Yay!

So, not much tonight, but I have officially moved into my new place!! Yayyy!!! More on this new adventure later, since our duplex actually doesn't have Internet... And I'm using my phone Internet for everything.

Well, everyone have a great evening!

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

So Many Updates!!! AHHH!

Howdy ya'll!

Soooo did I say "tomorrow"? Totally meant "day after tomorrow".... Yeaaahhhh. My bad.

Regardless, I have so many things to tell yooouuu!

Firstly. I DYED MY HAIR PINK.

Not all of it. Though that'd be pretty nifty..

See, it's not noticeable from the front. Especially when I have it pulled up.

Buuuut when I turn to the side....

Isn't that cool?!

Yes. I did manage to get...a ton...of it on my neck. But that'll wash out soon enough. But even with the extra color on my neck, I think it looks pretty neat!

This is the third time I've done this. Third or fourth... And I think it turned out really really well this time.

Anywho, now that I'm a total badass, time for update two!

I GOT ANOTHER CHINCHILLA.

WHOOP!

I do understand, ya'll more than likely didn't know I had one in the first place. Well I did. And he's my baby. And for those of you who have noooo idea what a chinchilla is, here you go!

It's almost like a rabbit and a squirrel had a love child.. And it came out the cutest rodent ever imaginable! But seriously. I'm a little obsessed with these little guys. AND NOW I HAVE TWO. <3

Since the other one is still very new (I got him on Friday), I haven't tried to take pictures of him yet. This little one is used to it, but the new guy might get stressed out. And he's had a busy few days as it is. So hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll have pictures to share. (:

So, with all that excitement aside, how about some baking? 

I don't know about ya'll, but I LOVE cooking! 

It's such a great stress relief. And, as I'm sure you're beginning to figure out, anything that gives me an opportunity to be creative is cool in my book. And since I have the biggest sweet tooth on the planet, I made cheesecake! Not just any cheesecake, though. I'm talkin' Key Lime Cheesecake "Cupcakes" with Oreo Crust. How delicious does that sound, right???

So. Here's how it goes!

Ingredients:

• 3 packages of cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1 & 1/2 cups of sugar
• 2 tsp. Key lime zest
• 1/3 cup Key lime juice
• 1 & 1/2 packs of oreos (the plastic wrapped "tubes")

Also need:

• Large Aluminum foil muffin baking cups
• A food processor of some kind (I use a Ninja)
• A blender
• Muffin pan
• Vegetable cooking spray
• Cool Whip (optional, I think it's a tasty "frosting")
• Blackberries, raspberries, cherries, whatever. (Also optional, but good garnish ideas.)

Got what you need? Awesome.

[Step One] - Overall Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place aluminum cups in a muffin pan, and coat them (well!) with the vegetable cooking spray. These little buggers do NOT like being separated from those dang cups. So spraying them down well is helpful. Also make sure your cream cheese is out of the fridge, to begin softening.

[Step Two] - Making the Crust!

This part is kinda gross, to me. Unwrap your Oreos and scrape all the filling out of them. It's a tedious, mushy process, but it must be done! You will eventually have this nasty, lumpy collection of what I imagine is what a chunk of a whale's blubber would look like. Ewie.

Next, get all of your de-blubbered Oreos and put them into a food processor. I like the Ninja because....well....it's a Ninja.

Blend those suckers up!

You'll want the Oreos to be a nice, smooth texture when you're done. Make sure there are no lumps left over. If there are, just shake it a little and blend it up again.

And if you're a klutz like me, you'll probably make a mess. Sh*t happens. Make sure you have a dust-buster or vacuum handy to clean up any spills.

Yeaahhh... Oops.

Next, melt the butter and combine it with the Oreo crumbs.

Mix it together well, until it has a muddy texture throughout. It will literally look like you're making a mud pie. A delicious, warm mud pie. Mmmm.

Now, take this mixture and press it into the aluminum cups, covering the bottom and a little more than halfway up the sides.

[Step Three] - Making the "Batter"

 Next, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a blender on a medium speed until it's all mixed together. This is the beginning of a basic cheesecake batter.

Looks tasty, right?

Now, to make it extra delicious, add the lime juice and zest to the mixture and blend it together on a low speed until it's evenly dispersed.

Ignore the nasty, chunky looking batter stuck to the mixer... That part looks pretty gross. It will most likely look like that RIGHT after you add the lime juice. I blended the juice in a bit before I added the zest, which caused it to look half chunky, half smooth. Weird. Also, I added a bit more zest than what the recipe I found called for. I like the lime flavor to pop a little bit more.

For the eggs, add one at a time, beating juuuust until the yellow color goes away.

[Step Four] - Putting it all Together

Now, spoon the mixture into the prepared cups. Fill them all the way to the top, since these won't rise the same way a cupcake or muffin would. Try to keep it as tidy as you can. They won't spontaneously combust if it's a little messy, but it keeps them from having burnt edges. I obviously didn't follow my own advice... Oh well!

Lastly, pop 'em in the oven for 20 minutes, or until they look set. When they're done in the oven, let them cool off on a cooling wrack for about 15 minutes. After that, stick them in the fridge for at least 3 and 1/2 hours, or until they're completely chilled. 

And there you have it! Plop a little Cool Whip on top and add a fresh cherry, and you have a great desert for any occasion! I made these for my boyfriend's family, and his mom and sister absolutely LOVED them! You can also make some bite-sized ones for finger food at get togethers. Only difference is about half the cooking time, and make about twice as much Oreo crust. Made bite-sized ones for an Aggie luncheon not too long ago as well. Was a big hit!

Hope you enjoyed the update and the little cooking how-to! 

Have a great night everyone!

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

MIA

My bad y'all! I've been missing in action the last couple days. Since its relatively late and I'm dog tired as it is, expect a nice, long post tomorrow! Plenty to share! (:

Thanks and Gig Em!

Money Hungry!! RAWR

Not really, but it sounded kind of humorous in my head.

Howdy gents!

Since this blog hasn't exactly been out there long, I assume there isn't much of a way for you to be able to tell that I am way too artsy-fartsy for my own good.

Unless you're a stalker.

But! Restraining orders aside, yes. I like crafts. A lot. Like, way way way too much. And I'm sure at least some of you have looked at either a piece of clothing, jewelry, painting, WHATEVER and thought to yourself,

'I could sooo make that myself...'

Aka, you might possibly be a cheap-ass like me, and maybe a tad bit stubborn, and feel like anything artsy that someone else managed to make, you could do better. And cheaper. I have that problem a lot. 

Example of the FIRST necklace I ever made.. Aka it looks a tad shitty, but hey. I tried.

So, in the last six months or so, I have started making stamped metal jewelry. It's, in all honesty, super cute and soo flexible when it comes to designing it to fit your style. It was, however, expensive as HELL to buy the necessary tools and such to make all this stuff. So, in the last maybe three months, I've been selling jewelry.

Now, I promise not to be one of those assholes that CONSTANTLY posts their merchandise and all that alllllll over their blog. But hey. Advertisement is advertisement.

XPress Yourself is completely run by me. And being a broke-ass college student, having some means of bringing in money is nice. 

SO. Keep this shop in mind if you're ever interested. I specialize in Military girlfriend/wife/fiancee pieces. But again, I can make preeeettttyyyy much anything.

And any order can be shipped anywhere in the USA. Hoping to expand it eventually (I have family in Germany), so keep in touch to hear updates and such.

FYI, there's currently a contest going on. Have a Facebook? Look up the page, like it yourself, and refer friends to like it as well. Person to refer the most people and get the most "likes" for the page gets a free piece of jewelry!

Nice right??

I thought so.

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

**** XPress Yourself Custom Jewelry - Facebook Page ****

Lesson Number One.. Aka: Someone tell me why I'm up at 2:11am anyway??

Holy.

Shit.

Anyone else afraid of spiders?

Because I sure am.

I literally just killed one HUGE wolf spider, and two smaller "unidentified" spiders in my kitchen. And I about peed my pants.

Greatest part, I'm currently watching The Grey and I find it "fitting" that a massive wolf spider be lurking in my kitchen doorway.

Does anyone else have that "stand off" when they see a spider? Or a snake or whatever unsightly critter you might be accustomed to stumbling upon in your neck of the woods. I don't know about ya'll, but EVERY TIME I see a spider, it's like a switch is turned off and all body function ceases. I have this stand off with it, like the creepy little bastard is about to shout "DRAW!" and whip out a tiny little revolver or something.

Cue old-school Western music.

Worst part of it all?

FRIGGIN' FLY SWATTER WAS MISSING.

Lesson numero uno in what I'm sure will grow to be quite the list; when it comes to ANY living situation, I don't care if you're in a dorm, an apartment, a house, hell even a treehouse in BF Nowhere, always have some way to take care of pests. Either make sure that your college dorms/apartment complex/whatever has a pest control service that they notify, allows you to do it yourself (bug bombs, Raid, etc.), or that in some way shape or form, those little shits can be taken out. Sooner the better.

Seems far fetched, but the "Infested" shows they have on Animal Planet and such are very possible. Like any problem, when left untreated it can go from a relatively small issue into a BIG, icky, nasty, crawly mess. Nobody wants bugs and shit ninja-ing around their living space. Not only is it just plain gross, bugs carry so much nasty crap that you can get preeeettttyyy sick, pretty fast once they set up shop. And having to find a doctor (possibly in a different town) can be a hassle as well as an unneeded expense.

You're in college. You're broke. Don't be dumb and kick it with bugs. That's icky.

Instead, do what I do and (after the initial stand off) go all 300 on their ass.

Then bug bomb the shit out of your place because their family WILL COME AFTER YOU.

It's like the spider Mafia.

Can't say you didn't see that one coming....

Well anywho, my movie is over and I am officially creeped out. Now to watch SNL and pretend the last two hours never happened.

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

[Night Ya'll]

Ps. Why are all title sequences and end credits accompanied by the creepiest music imaginable these days??