Homemade Facials & A Semi-Crisis

A few things. Thing number one, my blog is having an identity crisis. It's not me, it's my blog I swear. We simply can't agree on anything right now. Mainly appearance-wise. This font or that one? This color or that? There are just too many things. So if you either have a suggestion or see something you just love or hate, please comment and tell me! I love opinions. I am an opinion leach. That sounds disgusting. An opinion vampire. Let's just say I eat opinions for breakfast, then let them digest, and finally make my own decisions based on the ideas of others. 

Thing number two: I tried a homemade facial today. Honestly, it felt awesome but I can't indefinitely conclude that it did anything. I took photos just in case to record this momentous moment (seriously, it's like the third or fourth facial I've ever done) so you can see for yourself and decide if it did anything.

At any rate, I had fun doing it and it was really simple.

Needed: 

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. baking soda

It looked like this no matter how much I mixed it. Stinking honey. But it worked out fine. 

Before:

Don't forget to put you hair up! For real. 

During: (After you've plastered it all over your face)

It looks like a troll sneezed on my face

It did NOT taste good thanks to the baking soda

Side Profile

Pause a moment to check out this cutie while waiting for the facial to "soak in" ;)

After rinsing it off:

That's it, folks. I saw ones where you can substitute an avocado or egg yolk in, and while I happened to have both of those things on hand today, I wasn't in the mood for cracking an egg on my face (though admittedly, the honey and olive oil looked and felt pretty much the same as an egg). 

Happy day! 

What do you think?
Did the facial do anything at all? 
Do you have a facial recipe that seems to help your skin? 
(Also, don't mind my lack of make-up. I didn't go out today so I was kind of like whatever.)

Pretty Much Authentic Thai

I'm telling you right now, this stuff is good. And if you ask me, it really tasted like authentic Thai (which was really exciting!!!).

I was pretty apprehensive to try this out to be honest, being a lover of Thai food and doubting my personal ability to match the distinct taste of Thai, but after successfully executing the last couple of new recipes I tried, I figured, why not? Now the only con with this dish that I can think of is that some of the ingredients required are not ones you would typically purchase. So if you're a cheap-o like I usually am, you may want to save this dish for a special occasion when you feel like splurging (it wasn't that much though, and at least with a few of the ingredients, they should last you a while once you buy a bottle or jar.)

The recipe I was looking at came from Pinterest (of course) and suggested making it in a slow cooker. While I had originally intended to do that, after reading the comments, I decided I wasn't going to be able to wait four hours. So, as per usual, I improvised. And either I got really lucky or I'm just a decent chef because it turned out stupendous! I am only saying this because I was very surprised that it was as good as it was. Also, I cut the recipe in half possibly because I did not expect it to live up to my high expectations of Thai food but I'm giving you the full recipe because you will most likely want to have more. Anyway--no time to waste--here it is: 

Ingredients*

Chicken. I bought just regular old sliced chicken in a package. I think normal people slice up raw chicken meat before cooking it but well, frankly I hate touching raw chicken so I wait until it's cooked mostly and then sever it into pieces (which is way harder, but at least I'm salmonella-free). Also, I would probably have liked to have more chicken next time because it was really good, but any amount will suffice if you cut it up enough. 
2 cups chicken broth. The original recipe said chicken stock. I didn't know what that was, but chicken broth worked like a charm so I don't see the problem.

1 onion, chopped

1 heaping Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 red or orange bell pepper, sliced

2 Tablespoons fish sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 12oz. cans of coconut milk

2 Tablespoons red curry paste (with a sprinkle of regular curry--at least, that's what I did)

2 Tablespoons peanut butter (or peanut oil works I've heard, but hey, I wasn't buying that when I already have 4 containers of peanut butter here)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 fresh limes (for juice)

Fresh cilantro

Salted cashews, chopped

White rice OR Maifun rice sticks (which are noodles)

*Truthfully, I was a mad woman with this recipe and didn't measure anything except the brown sugar (as shown in the picture). I completely estimated, which is kind of dumb and risky for a first-time attempt at a new recipe, but, like I said, it turned out so I probably got lucky. I felt like a real chef though just tossing junk in so that must be worth something. 

Instructions

I cooked this recipe in a skillet (awesome wedding present--thanks Jared and Maren!) because it has a lot more space than a frying pan and I don't like dirtying up multiple pans or dishes unnecessarily (well, who truly does when you are the dishwasher...). 

Add the chicken (sliced) to your pan or skillet and cook, flipping it over to cook it through. Then mix in the chicken broth, chopped onions, minced ginger, sliced bell pepper, and let cook for a little while. Next, mix in the fish sauce (which smelled horrible at first--I thought, Oh no! The dish is ruined!), the brown sugar, the coconut milk (which was part liquid, part condensed stuff, which worried me that I got the wrong thing, but I think that's how it's supposed to be), the red curry paste, and the peanut butter. Stir things around quite a bit. (I read that the coconut milk can curdle if you don't stir it well). You're sauce should be a creamy orangey color and will start to smell amazing if you're doing it right. 

Meanwhile, in another pot, cook up some white rice or if you want to perpetuate the Thai theme, use rice sticks, which are inexpensive and very good with the meal. Rice or rice sticks take about ten minutes to cook so plan accordingly. 

Once you feel that things back in the pan or skillet are cooked through well, stir in the frozen peas and cook for a while longer. I tasted a pea to decide when they were done. Just make sure that they're squishy to the touch at least. 

The last ingredients may seem like they are just for appearances, but I would not skip out on them because I think in some ways, they make the dish. They can, however, be added after the sauce is complete. I did squeeze lime juice in while cooking and also after I dished it. The fresh cilantro on top was awesome, as were the salty cashew pieces. And the lime juice definitely creates noticeable zest. 

The flavors of this dish are incredible. If you like pad Thai, I'm fairly certain you will love this. It made it into our top ten favorite dishes that I make. That's a pretty impressive feat in itself. 

Shopping List- Here is a list of ingredients and locations to help you shop:

I bought the Thai ingredients at Wal-Mart in the Raman Noodles aisle and they were all in the same location (the can of coconut milk, fish sauce bottle, jar of red curry paste, and rice sticks--which cost about the same as regular spaghetti but seems to make a lot more). The fish sauce and red curry paste should last a while and were less than $3 each. If you wanted to make the dish again, you would probably just need to get coconut milk, possibly more rice sticks (though next time I won't cook the whole package), and the fresh stuff.
I bought the ginger root, onion, bell pepper, cilantro and 2 limes in the produce section. 

I bought the sliced chicken breast in the meat department. 

And don't forget the chicken broth and cashews! 

I already had brown sugar, peanut butter, and frozen peas (and the chicken broth, bell pepper, and lime, but that was just by chance). 

Picture of all the ingredients together

And one more pic of the final dish for good measure. 

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions about this recipe in the comments below! 

Also, I would love to hear if you try it out or make any changes. (You won't regret it!)

Perfect Party Punch

This drink is so easy (and so delicious), you won't know what to do with yourself. My mom always made this for parties and it was always my favorite. Plus, after bringing it to the last two get-togethers the little Gunnell family has gone to, everyone loved it so I thought it was only fair that I share it.

Ingredients: 
1 can frozen pink lemonade
1 can frozen grape juice
1  2-3 liter bottle of 7-Up OR Lemon Lime Shasta OR Sprite

Optional-
Sherbet Ice Cream
Fresh raspberries

Instructions:
In large punch bowl or large juice serving container, dump the frozen lemonade and 1/2 (or more depending on how much you like grape) of the frozen grape juice. Then add the lemon-lime soda of choice and mix with a spoon. That's it! It's amazing. If you want to fancy it up--especially if you're serving your punch in a bowl, add scoops of sherbet or fresh raspberries. Sherbet ice cream goes PERFECTLY with this drink.

Note: If you find the drink to be too sugary for you, you can always water it down without ruining the flavor--the frozen drinks are intended to be used with water.

I have to admit, I always thought that this drink was self-explanatory and that everyone knew how to make it until I brought it to those gatherings mentioned above and everyone wanted to know what I did.

So tell me, have you had this before? 
What's your favorite party drink?

Turning 30 and Easy Green Bean & Tomato Side Dish

I realized something kind of depressing a while ago but just got reminded of it again today.

I turn 23 this year, my daughter turns one, and next Wednesday, my husband turns 24. 

That means in seven years, I turn 30. SEVEN YEARS. Maybe it's just me, but that is no time at all. And 30 sounds ancient (no offense to my family members and older readers...). So after thinking this, then I start to think, "Gee, I want to have seven kids...how am I going to do that in seven years?" I think the answer is clear--I can't. It's not possible. I'd have to have twins to make up some time, but after being pregnant with one regular eight-pound+ baby, I can't even imagine carrying twins (even though we do have the fraternal twin gene in my family, yikes!). So I'm thinking I'm going to have to re-think my Ultimate Life Plan (which is not an official document or anything, but it is an official idea...in my head). It looks as though I will have to have a kid or two after 30. Which honestly, is not that big a deal, I just wanted to be done by then. Also I'm scared of turning 30 because then I'm a real adult. Yeah, apparently I'm an adult right now at 22 but it doesn't really feel like it--even married with a baby--because I am still in love with Disney movies and Harry Potter and pretty much love all the same things I did when I was 16.

But let's put that aside for now because I have other important completely random things to discuss.

Two weeks ago (was it that long?!) Dalin, Tenley, and I went to a little get-together with three other married couples and had some delicious pumpkin chili/soup for dinner and then played a fun game and chatted afterward. We were asked to bring a side and so naturally I googled "side dish" and got
89 million results. Literally 89 million. So then I decided to narrow it down a little and typed in "green bean side dish." (Green beans seemed easy-ish to cook and also I wanted them.) That search got me 10 million results and that seemed manageable. I clicked on the first result and this came up. Well, actually a homepage came up, but after browsing just a tiny bit I saw the picture with those juicy cherry tomatoes in it and I was sold (I love cherry tomatoes. And regular tomatoes). So I ran to Macey's and filled a bag with green beans (Dalin was like, "Why can't you just used canned ones?" and I was like "Ha! YEAH RIGHT!" Good one, honey...), grabbed some cherry tomatoes, and a lemon (because I love adding lemon to stuff). I already had basil leftover from making my yummy bruschetta.

When I got home, the gathering was going to start in 25 minutes so I kind of panicked and forgot the original recipe--I just made it my own. I grabbed my biggest frying pan and hurriedly put some water in--about halfway. I turned the stove on and set the pan of water on it. I grabbed a cutting board and as efficiently as I could, chopped the stem ends off and then cut the green beans in half and tossed them in the pan. It took a while to chop them all so I figure the first in and the last ones were cooked quite differently though it did not seem to effect the dish. Once they were all in, I covered them with a lid to let them steam in the pan. I sliced a yellow onion next and chopped up a few garlic cloves and tossed them into a smaller frying pan with a little butter. Then I started slicing cherry tomatoes in half. I also started cutting up basil leaves (which was basically just slicing them into strips and calling it good). I grabbed my garlic salt and sprinkled it over the tomatoes to let it soak in to the juices. The green beans seemed done and I tossed them into a large serving bowl. I only wanted the tomatoes to be lightly cooked, so I saved them for the end. When the onion and garlic were about cooked, I dumped the cherry tomatoes and chopped basil in with them for just a minute and I put a little bit of sugar in with them. I think I read that a tablespoon would be good, but I was in a hurry and just scooped a little into my hand and sprinkled it on top and mixed it in. After a minute, I dumped everything in with the green beans and mixed it around. I peppered everything heavily and mixed it in, then, in last-minute inspiration, squeezed some lemon juice over it all. I had no idea if my dish was going to be a hit or a disaster. So we went to the dinner and all I can say is I got lucky because everyone loved the side dish. Everyone complimented me on it, especially the lemon taste. It was gone before I knew it (and I had filled a pretty large serving bowl). I was very pleased that it had been so well received and that it was so dang easy to make, which is why I decided to share it with everyone.

This does not belong to me but I had no time (or thought) to take a pic of my own until it was too late.

Easy Green Bean & Tomato Side Dish Recipe

Ingredients: 
fresh green beans (lots! depending on how many people you are feeding)
cherry tomatoes - one container will do
fresh basil leaves
1 yellow onion
a few garlic cloves
tsp. butter
garlic salt
pepper
1 Tbsp sugar*
1 lemon

Instructions:
1. Fill a large pan halfway and put on stove (which should be on medium to medium-high heat).
2. Chop stem ends off of green beans and slice in halves.
3. Put green beans in the pan with water on the stove and cover to let simmer (reduce heat).
4. Chop onion and garlic cloves and sauté in butter in a separate pan.
5. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and shred basil leaves.
6. Lightly sprinkle garlic salt over tomatoes.
7. When green beans are done (they should simmer about 10 minutes), scoop into a serving bowl.
8. Add cherry tomatoes and basil leaves to the onion and garlic mixture in the pan.
9. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of sugar and mix pan ingredients.
10. Dump pan ingredients in with green beans and stir.
11. Pepper to taste, then squeeze lemon well over the entire dish.
12. Serve warm preferably.

*I eat pretty healthy (not because I really try, I just happen to like fresh foods more) and don't usually cook with sugar (I bake with sugar of course) but I truly believe this step was crucial to the dish's flavor.

Also not my photo, but still looks good! 

What is your easy go-to side dish for dinners or parties? 

Will you be trying this recipe with dinner or otherwise?

Do you feel like 30 is kind of old?

Fresh Bruschetta Recipe and My Day

I have an awesome appetizer/snack recipe for you today that I hadn't had in forever but this blog post by my friend Elisabeth reminded me of how simple and delicious it is. (She also did a variation with mint leaves, which is cool).

First though, someone commented on a post recently saying they feel like I don't let my real self shine through enough in my blog posts. What they really meant was that I don't always share the negative things in my life. Mostly, that's because I try to focus on the positive in my life. I don't like talking about my failures and mistakes (who does?). But they seemed to feel that I can be difficult to relate to when I only share the positive. So today was a perfect day to fix that.

I wouldn't call my day sucky, but some sucky things definitely happened today.

For example,

I woke up to my little girl coughing. It sounds like she has her first cough. I hope it isn't bad and she was smiling through it, but it's so sad to hear her little throat clogged up. I gave her her vitamin liquid and a tiny, tiny dose of grape baby medicine in case it helped her at all. I don't know what else I can do for her really, so hopefully it'll disappear quick.

I was not very nice to Dalin last night. I admit it because he knows it and I know it. I didn't talk to him all last night because I was being selfish. He didn't do anything wrong. I was mad at him for something that he didn't do and something that probably, being a guy, he didn't even think about doing. I told him I'm sorry before he went to work and in a minute I need to text him and tell him I appreciate him taking the trash out and picking up his things while I was at the grocery store. I also appreciate him helping me carry the laundry and groceries in before leaving for work.

Yesterday, I went to take a final for an Independent Study course at 4pm. I thought two hours would be plenty of time. By the time they got my test ready (and after sending me out to move my car closer, which was super obnoxious because I didn't really care where I was parked) it was 4:30pm. I started the stupid exam and got cut off at 6pm. They close then. I was so stressed about it. It was seriously the worst couple of essays I've ever written. And it was my FINAL. Ugh, I'm so glad it's over with though. I just hope I didn't fail.

At the grocery store today, Tenley spilled an entire container of blueberries in the checkout line. It was my own dumb fault for setting them right next to her in the stroller seat, but my first instinct was to blame her, which is stupid and makes no sense because she's five months old. Two other people helped me pick them all up and then I ended up buying them anyway because I figured I could wash them really well and, I don't know, I would have felt guilty wasting Macey's blueberries...

When I pulled our laundry out of the dryer I noticed that Dalin (again!!!!!) had left his chapstick in his pocket. I grabbed it from the bottom of the dryer and opened it to see how much was missing or what it looked like (I don't really know why I felt I had to open it) and hot waxy liquified chapstick flew everywhere, including on my hand (where it instantly solidified) and on some of the clothes I'd just finished washing. I was pretty ticked and threw the stupid chapstick at the laundry room wall (in the general direction of the trashcan) then proceeded to carry our big Ikea bag of laundry out in the snow to our car.

Tenley has thrown up all over me every single time I've fed her today. That is not normal at all. And it's gross. And smelly. And it makes me worry she's sick. We've gone through three burp rags which is a bummer since I just did laundry.

So, it's been a messy day so far. I'm not sure if these are the real-life details that people want to hear about my life but I'm trying to take your advice. My life is still good in spite of all the things that have happened in the last 24 hours. And hopefully, after I finish this post, it will get even better.
* * *
Now--all that aside--here is the recipe for fresh bruschetta (which is basically just Italian-style bread with olive oil and other deliciousness on it to make a fancy appetizer or snack).

Ingredients: 

fresh baguette or crostinis (sliced in about 1/2" to 1" pieces)
tomatoes--heirloom are my favorites (diced the best you can--I'm a bad dicer)
fresh basil leaves (can be chopped if you'd like)
Queso Fresco or goat cheese or some other similar substitution (sliced or crumbled)
lemon (or lemon juice)
olive oil
garlic salt
pepper

I poured olive oil over my baguette slices on a baking pan, then put them in the oven at 325 degrees for 7 minutes. Then, I flipped them over on the pan and put them in the oven for another 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, I sprinkled garlic salt lightly over my diced/chopped tomatoes. Once the bread was ready, I put sliced of Queso Fresco on the bread, put two basil leaves down per slice, then put a dollop of diced tomatoes on top. Last, I squeezed fresh lemon juice over it and peppered it.

Voila! The easiest, most delicious appetizer imaginable. I made them for myself because I've been craving them. And apparently it's so easy you can do it while holding a baby (though I wouldn't chop the bread and tomatoes with one in your hands).

Please let me know if you try this! It's seriously so good. I could hardly stop myself from consuming them all (but I did, don't worry...). Also, tell me if you think I need to share more real life experiences on here. I hope people who know me don't truly think I'm fake because I'm pretty sure I'm one of the most down-to-earth people I know...but maybe it gets tiresome hearing me be positive about everything all the time. Oh well. As I've learned many times already in my mere twenty-two years of living, you can't please everyone. Thankfully, I have a forgiving husband and daughter that look past my many flaws.

But seriously, comment.

Easiest Chicken Sandwich Ever

I am all about fast and easy meals--especially when I'm home alone. Something about Dalin being gone from the apartment just sucks the motivation to try right out of me. I try sometimes, but usually not for myself. So this chicken sandwich is perfect because it is freaking delicious and takes about two minutes to make. 

What you need:

sandwich bread (preferably Dunford's--best bread ever--which they sell at Macey's if you live out west!)
1 tomato
spinach or lettuce
cheese (I like pepper-jack or provolone)
salt and pepper/ lemon pepper
1 can chicken breast
a few spoonfuls of mayo (to mash into the chicken with a fork)

I bet you can see where this is going. If not, here are some pictures to help you. 

It makes a crazy (easy) delicious sandwich and is perfect for those of you who are as lazy as I am when it comes to making dinner for yourself. I made two sandwiches because I had enough so I guess Dalin can have a late-night snack when he gets home from work at 11pm! (Or, at least I'll have a decent lunch at work tomorrow).

Have you already discovered the easiness (and awesomeness) of this sandwich? 
(I highly doubt I invented it.)

Katie Moss's Perfectly Moist Banana Bread

Whenever I get a great recipe from someone, I copy it onto one of my cute little recipe cards and give credit to the creator (or founder) of that recipe. A great girl in my ward that I happen to visit teach gave me a loaf of delicious banana bread one time...and it blew my mind! It was so stinking good! It was perfectly moist and flavorful--I'm pretty sure I ate the entire thing that night. The next Sunday at Church I had to ask her for the recipe because I was craving it. 

She gave it to me, and that is what I made today. (She also was kind enough to give me some walnuts, too because for me, those aren't optional!). 

Here it is for your eating pleasure. (It's so easy! You can make it right now if you have a few bananas and shortening!)

Ingredients
3-4 bananas (preferably overripe)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup shortening

Blend these together using a mixer. 

Then add: 
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour

Mix it up, and get your bread pans ready. I used three small foil loaf pans from the store because I didn't have any loaf pans. Flour them (or PAM them) so that the bread will come out easily once baked. I filled the pans halfway and sprinkled them with smashed walnuts (I smashed them under a paper towel with a hammer). You can mix the walnuts in if you want, but I wanted them on top. 

pre-baking

Bake them at 325°F for about 45 minutes. Bake time will vary on the size pans you use, your oven, and on the amount of batter you put in the pans. I had one that had a little less batter and it was done in 40. The other two, I had to wait an extra five minutes for the toothpick to stop coming out wet. (Well, I left them a little wet because I like when they are really moist!)

About twenty minutes in the oven

You can let them cool, or if you're impatient like me, you can carefully help them out of the pan so you can have a warm slice right away. Tastes extra good with cold milk. I could easily eat an entire loaf (or all three...), but I have to save some for friends! 

Do you love banana bread and have a great recipe? Share it with me!
Also, let me know if you try this recipe! :)

Grammy Hill's Strawberry Jam

Who knew that making your own strawberry jam could be so simple? I'm all about homemade. I always use homemade pie crust, despite the extra work because the taste is seriously so much better. I also love learning to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining. There is something so satisfying in knowing how to do something on your own. Now that I know how easy it is to make jam, I will very likely never buy Smucker's again!

Dalin's wonderful Grammy Hill always makes her own jam, and last weekend in Boise she taught my sister-in-law Shaina and I how it's done.

Ingredients:*
3 1/4 cups strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 box MCP pectin
1 cup corn syrup
4 1/2 cups sugar

*Note: We used two different recipes--one was found on the box of pectin, the other on the box of MCP pectin. Truthfully, I don't have a preference between the two recipes though the pectin one literally only contained strawberries, sugar, and pectin, so if you don't have corn syrup or lemon juice, that one will work just fine.

Instructions: 
We bought two flats of strawberries. (Basically, that is the equivalent of four large containers--and we didn't even use them all!)

Here is a picture of one flat.

Wash the strawberries with cool water, placing them in a strainer after their top are chopped off. 

Use a chopper preferably to chop the strawberries to the desired consistency. I like my jam to have little strawberry chunks in it so I made sure I did not over blend. 

Picture of box of MCP Pectin. I had no idea what this was until we tried this recipe.

Measure 3 1/4 cup crushed and chopped strawberries into large bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Stir in MCP pectin and let stand for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. After 30 minutes, stir in corn syrup. Gradually add sugar, stirring until blended. Stir for an additional 3+ minutes (after all sugar is added) until the sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy.

Have several jars with lids prepared--clean them out with hot water and let dry prior to making jam. Fill containers within half an inch from the top, screw lids on, and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Last step!
Freeze jars for 24 hours, then let thaw one at a time in fridge as needed. Enjoy!

The two jars that are redder than the others are the ones that had thawed in the fridge. The rest are still frozen.

That's it! This particular recipe requires no boiling, though the one with regular pectin does. It is so easy and so useful. With three large containers of strawberries, we made about twenty jars of jam. Shaina took ten and we took ten. Two are now thawed out in our fridge (the rest are sitting in the freezer) and we used some for toast this morning! It tastes AMAZING. Very sweet, but that's how I like my jam. I can't wait to make my own raspberry jam, and I'd even like to try doing a strawberry-rhubarb version.

If you have any questions about this recipe or if you tried it yourself and loved it, let me know by commenting below!