Penne Rosa

I haven't done this in far too long.  I'm going to try to start again so I can keep track of the recipes I make.  Plus, it is way fun baking and cooking in the fall/winter!  I'm so ready for fall, this heat is killing me.  Yuck.  I love pumpkins and apple picking.  Halloween.  My birthday.  Jake's birthday.  Thanksgiving.  Christimas.  Decorating for holidays.  Baking cookies.  Dressing cozy.  Scarves.  It is simply the best time of year! 

I want to learn how to cake decorate.  I also want to get into photography.  I am so busy though with work and school.  It is so hard to do it all.  I have to make school a number one priority right now.  I'm going to try to get a start though.  I have thought about taking a cake decorating class at Michael's.  

So I adore Noodles & Company...it is one of my all time favorite places to eat.  Specifically, the Penne Rosa!  YUM.  I love the Bangkok Curry too...so I'll be trying to make homemade curry sometime soon.  Jake and I are trying to only go out to eat once a week.  We always save so much money when we don't eat out.  This recipe was super easy to make.  Plus, I like how I have left-over spinach leaves now to make a dish tonight.  Also, I was excited this was my first time cooking with wine!  Something about cooking with wine make me feel like a professional cook. I'm really trying to get away from the same dishes.  If I have a kid ever, I need to know more recipes! 

So the recipe I used: 

1 box Penne Pasta

1 tspb white cooking wine

2 tbsp EVOO

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional , but part of what I love of this dish is the spicy kick.  Plus, I've read spicy foods boost your metabolism :]   )

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (I used way more)

1/4 cup baby spinach

1 14oz can italian-style diced tomatoes

Garnish with fresh feta or parmesan cheese

1.) Boil pasta and set aside.

2.)Heat wine,oil, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, crushed pepper, and tomatoes over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes.  

3.) Add pasta, mix well.  Add cream and stir.  Add spinach and stir until wilted.  

A lot of people add meat as well, such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or whatever you'd like.  Make sure you cook it first though.  

Here is the final product! 

It was delish.  Next time I will make more sauce, just because I love sauce!  I think a person who likes a normal amount of sauce would like this though.  

Pearl Bracelets!

What an exciting week I have planned!

I'm getting back on the wagon again!  By back on the wagon, I mean I am changing lifestyle choices.  By life style choices, I mean I am going to get back into shape.  I'm going to start eating right again.  I was doing SO well for a while there, and then life happened.  I haven't been dedicated to the gym since.  I don't just want to be skinny...I'm already skinny.  I want to have ABS!

Every year I claim I'm going to have abs.  This year is different...I can feel it!  I have Jake to come with me.  May I take a moment and applaud my husbands new muscular arms...yes I can, because it is my blog...and if you don't like it, then tough!  I really enjoy this new job of his where he lifts every day.  I've noticed they are bigger (I am an arms girl), but he flexed for me the other day...and HOLY SMOKES!  There is a giant lump where the bicep is...a GOOD lump. Holy smokes!  I'm so excited about these lumps.  Anyways, Jake is wanting to lift more too...so we are going to be accountability partners.  That is why it is going to be different this time.  We are going to push each other...no slacking!  Today I had mostly fruits and veggies to eat.

I have a confession..I broke down and went tanning today.  I couldn't help it!  It makes me feel good...and the gloomy, cold weather makes me depressed sometimes.  Also, I have been noticing horrendous dark circles under my eyes lately because the color in my skin seems to be gone.

So!  A complete stranger liked one of my makeup Pins on Pinterest the other day.  That was cool and made me excited!

Anyways...I am excited for this weeks festivities...

I get my bonus Wednesday.

Thursday, I have the YPGP social.  I am excited for this because we get to go through the Peoria Riverfront Museum for free.  I have been wanting to go, but I felt it was more money than I was willing to spend.  It should be a fun one.

Friday--I was invited to a Bradley University MBA program dinner.  So I will be having free dinner and a fancy schmancy restaurant in The Heights.  Also, the favorite band is back at Crusen's.  I will be seeing them and loving it.

Saturday, off to Chicago we go!  Jake, brother Nick, some friends and I are traveling 2 hours north to the Chicago auto show.  I'm quite excited!  I've never been...but I heard it is a blast.

Sunday is my best friend Ashley's open house.  Her and her boyfriend Zach recently purchased a home.  That should be fun.

So...I tried making my own bracelets.  I must say they came out quite well.  What I used:

Jewelery wire, white pearls, and ribbon!

ahh!!

I can't wait to tan myself with black tea bags!  I'm going to try it tomorrow night.  I have to go to the store anyways and get ingredients to make pasta salad for work.  I'm going to make it Mexican inspired!!  Taco seasoning, ground beef...the whole sha-bang!

I just can't bring myself to using a tanning bed all of the time.  It is great and relaxing sometimes, but I really want to have nice skin when I'm 40.  I don't want to be captain leather bags.  I know it is insanely unhealthy. I'm really hoping this tea bag thing is as great as it claims!

I'm so ready for this weekend. We have been insanely busy this week getting our home ready for our first open house on Sunday!  OF COURSE, there is a snow storm scheduled that day! Just my luck..but hey, maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. :]  My brother-in-law texted me about this weekend and told me I better suit up, because it is going to be legendary!  So I am literally going to "suit up" (the best I can) and wear my blazer...Barney wouldn't have it any other way.  

Oh how I love that show :) One of my favorite cover bands is playing in town, and I need to go get my hockey fix.  

Today, pale ghost.  Tomorrow, bronze goddess.  Fingers crossed!  

Also, should I dye my hair a light blonde, a light brown, or a dark brown with light brown highlights??  So many choices...and I can't decide!  

Well, off to bed. 

Until next time... 

Eyeliner...nails...lip gloss...oh my!

What a great weekend!  I spent the weekend being out in the community.

Charity event Friday night for the United Way.  It was a masquerade theme.  I found a gorgeous red dress from JC Penney's on clearance for $20!  SCORE!  

Saturday I got to dress up yet again for a chamber of commerce annual dinner.  I love volunteering and doing things within the community.  We haven't been out in over a month, so it was nice to get a night out with Jake!  We went to Martini's with everyone afterwards.  Martini's is officially my favorite bar in downtown Peoria.

Anyways, I went and got Jake a light pink tie so we would match!

Sunday we went and looked at open houses.  No one has put in any offers on our house yet, which is discouraging, but I guess it hasn't been on the market that long. I shouldn't be stressing out yet.  Although, the  dream house had an offer put in on it today.  How DEPRESSING.  I know I shouldn't get emotionally invested into a house until I know we have it, but it is hard when you walk in and love it.  I guess it just wasn't meant to be and something else will come along.

Today I worked on school work and had beauty testing day!  I experimented with different ways to wear eyeliner and took pictures so I could decide what I like best. No eyeliner on the left, tightlining, and then obviously on the top lid.  Surprisingly, I like the no liner look more than I thought I would.  Plus, I love my new Benefit liquid foundation.  I like it even better than Bare Minerals...I didn't think that was possible.  Tightlining always tickles my eye...but pretty cool.  I should have combed my lashes first.

Next, Essie Nail Appliques!  Love them.  Super easy to do, even someone nail art challenged like me could handle them. Check out my lacy nails!

Essie Nail Appliques

Finally, after pining Revlon Pink Petal nude lip gloss on Pinterest, and almost immediately getting 46 repins, I decided it was worth the chance.  It claimed to be the "perfect nude lipgloss," and for $7 bucks I thought it was worth the try.  I have been wanting a new nude gloss anyways. I am very happy with my purchase.

Revlon Pink Petal Lip-gloss