Laynee June

I was going through some old pictures and came across one of my favorites.  I kept it framed in my bedroom.  This is Laynee when she was just a little round thing.

She turned 8 last week! I missed going to her house for birthday celebrations and homemade ice cream as requeseted by the birthday girl {a girl after my own ♥ .  Ice cream addict for life!}.

This gal is super smart.  One Sunday evening I remember teaching her the word 'putrid.'  She never forgot it and whenever she would see her me, she would say something like, "Meme, don't you think Bobby {troublesome-filled little brother} is smelling putrid today?!"

Laynee's Great Grandma (on her mom's side, so not my Grandma) has always said Laynee and I look alike.  I can only hope I am that cute!

I am super proud of your decision to get baptized and will be with you in ♥ . 

Love you Layne-Bop!!

Fleming's Macaroni and Cheese

Jordan's job comes with some fabulous perks.

A few weeks ago we got to go to dinner with one of the guys he has been working with and he took us to Fleming's.

Everything I ate was fabulous, but the Macaroni and Cheese was the best I have ever had.

I found the recipe online and tried it out.

It was so tasty & I am so glad we have a whole pan full of the stuff so I can nibble on it for the rest of the week!

I have been searching for a 'go to' mac & cheese recipe & here I have found it.

Fleming's Macaroni and Cheese:

1 lb pasta (cavatappi or curly) ---I found it called "Twists"

2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup onion, 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup butter 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 lb smoked cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder (chipotle chili powder)
3/4 cup panko

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and pasta and cook for 8 - 9 minutes

2. Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Pasta should be slightly firm. Toss drained pasta in oil and reserve.

3. Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute for
4-5 minute.

4. Add flour and cook 1 - 2 minute but do not brown.

5. Add cream, half and half, salt and white pepper.

6. Bring pot to a simmer. Cook until sauce is thick, about 5 - 6 minute Blend cheese into sauce and add cooked pasta.

7. Pour pasta and sauce into a 9 x 13" baking dish. Reserve.

8. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil and chipotle chili powder. Heat for 30 seconds, until pan starts to smoke. Remove from stove and stir in bread crumbs.

9. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the pasta and bake for 15 - 20 minute until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

Another great recipe I've recently tried out is something totally out of the ordinary for me.  Our friends left us with a fridge full of free food {at least them moving left us with one advantage}.

One of the items was 8 packets of ahi tuna steaks.  I found this Teriyaki Tuna recipe and it was scrumptious!

Teriyaki Tuna:

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1 1/2 pounds sashimi grade tuna steaks

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sea salt

ground black pepper to taste

1 carrot, grated

1. Pour the teriyaki sauce into a shallow dish or bowl, and place tuna steaks in the sauce to marinate. Cover, and allow to marinate for about 45 minutes at room temperature. The steaks will cook more evenly if they are not cold.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place tuna steaks in the hot oil.  Use teriyaki sauce, don't throw it out (see step 3). Squeeze juice from the lemon over the steaks, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. When the bottom is light brown (approx. 3 minutes), flip the steaks, and cook until browned on the other side (approx. 3 minutes). The center will still be slightly red. Season with sea salt and pepper.

3. While steaks are cooking, pour teriyaki sauce into small saucepan and bring to slow simmer.  Once you've removed the steaks from large skillet pour the teriyaki sauce into the skillet to pick up leftover drippings.

4.Place the tuna steaks onto serving plates, and garnish with grated carrots. Serve the teriyaki sauce as a dipping sauce.

Hope you'll try these out so your stomachs can be as happy as ours have been.  :)

P.S.  Somebody likes to sleep on their back...

Cadbury Cream

A lot has been going on around here!

A couple weeks ago we went to Dallas with our friends.

Unfortunately, we all went because they are sadly moving there. 

It was fun going back to Texas.  I love Texas!

I told Jordan, "I like Tulsa, but I love Texas!"

All the fun memories from last summer came flooding back to us...through our stomachs.

Rudy's BBQ,

Chuy's Tex-Mex,

& pinkberry

 were all located in the same shopping center in Arlington.

Heaven!

We had a really fun time together.  We all stayed at the Adolphus Hotel (the Queen of England herself has stayed there).

Jordan & I went to the Sixth Floor Museum.  It is the location that Lee Harvey Oswald set up his rifle & shot President Kennedy.  It was really neat to learn all about it & see the spot where it all took place.

We are really going to miss the Mason's! 

I will especially miss smuggling their dog Ralphie

into Target when Natalie & I are on a Cool Ranch Dorito's & Chocolate Gelato run.

As soon as we got home from Dallas we were welcomed home by an ENORMOUS storm. Tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma City, then headed through Tulsa, & beyond.  Luckily, we ended up being in a portion of the storm that wasn't as violent as it was everywhere else.  We could hear some nearby tornado sirens going off, but ours never did.  Nevertheless, I hung out bravely in a closet until it passed.

Then the week after that Jordan's sisters & mom passed through on their way to move Lindsay (Beauty on the right) to Tennessee.  They were only here overnight, but it was good to see their beautiful faces. 

I know Jordan enjoyed showing them around town!

The MOST exciting part of the past few weeks was this last weekend.

We finally got a dog!!!

Meet Cadbury Rogers ♥ ♥ ♥

He is 5 months old & as precious as can be. 

{Look at that Buddha belly!} 

He really is a sweetheart.

{He poops out wherever he feels the need.  He'll be walking next to you one minute & the next he plopped down to take a break.}

We found him at the Tulsa Animal Shelter.  He wasn't available yet, but he must have really worked his magic on Jordan because Jordan went back a few days later to put our names on the waiting list.  We were #2.  Then the day he became available, Jordan & I made sure to get to the shelter as soon as it opened so we could get first dibs.  Lucky for us #1 never showed so Cadbury (the Carin Terrier mix)was all ours!

I am so glad he has joined our little family.  He will be able to keep Jordan company when I go home to Arizona this coming week so I can meet my newest nephew, Drake.

See you soon little guy!