Crockpot Mac + Cheese.

When the idea of Friendsgiving first came up, I knew immediately I wanted to make something that was going to be super easy and that would please both the guys and the gals. I came across a crockpot mac + cheese recipe on fellow southerner Stephanie's blog, Newlyweds:North, and a light bulb went off. This is the one! Can you believe in all of my 29.90 years on Earth this would be my first attempt at mac + cheese, other than the little blue box?? Me either.

Anyway, if you're looking for an easy side dish to throw together in the crockpot, try this one! Super yummy and super cheesy, just like mac + cheese should be.

Stephanie's picture

Crockpot Mac + Cheese

Recipe found here. 

16oz (1 box) large shells - I used penne

3 cups grated sharp cheddar - I only used 2 because that's all that was in a bag

Block of Cabot Razzor Sharp White, shredded or cubed

Block Cabot Monterey Jack, shredded or cubed

1 large can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups regular milk

1 stick of butter, melted - I only used half

2 eggs

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Spray crockpot with pam.

Cook noodles according to package and drain.

Add cheese and noodles to crock pot and stir together.

Add melted butter and stir again.

In separate bowl, beat eggs and milks together. Add to crockpot.

Add salt, pepper and paprika, and mix well.

Cook on low. After 1 hour, stir again. Cook for 2 more hours, or until milk at bottom is gone.

Enjoy, and soak in all of the compliments you will be receiving!

Weekend.

 

 Whew, what a fun, jam-packed weekend! I have a feeling every weekend until the end of the year is going to be just as busy.

Friday night, Cameron and I went to the Palmetto Society's oyster roast. I felt like an old maid when we got there just a few minutes after the event started so we could beat the lines at the oyster tables, seeing girls wearing next to nothing and high heels, and yawning multiple times before the clock even struck 9pm. Get it together, Megan. We did have a great time though, seeing a lot of friends we don't get to see very often, enjoying the yummy oysters, and listening to the awesome band!

Saturday, Emily and I woke up bright and early to make the drive to Columbia for the USC / Coastal 1pm game! Having your best friend in the car sure does make the drive go by a lot faster! It was her first game of the season and her last one before she becomes a mom! We had great seats and a lot of fun!

We had our 1st annual Friendsgiving last night and it was amazing! More to come on that later this week! 

 

Oh, and I paid off a credit card this weekend! Is that not the best feeling?? I have to give major credit to my money-smart husband for lighting a fire under my ass to get these things paid off. I am so motivated to get the rest paid off ASAP! My goal is to be credit card debt free by the middle of 2014!

 

Also, best of luck to Natalie today as she gives birth to her sweet baby girl!

Friday Five.

I took a brief hiatus from 5 on Friday, mainly just because I didn't think I had anything interesting enough going on in my life to talk about, but I am back today! Linking up with April, Christina, Natasha, and Darci!

{one}

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that I got to snuggle not one, but two precious babies yesterday! Ashton, who I can't believe is already 2 months old and Cate, who wasn't even 24 hours old yet! To answer the thought in your head, yes, I am definitely getting the fever, but no, it will not be happening for a while.

 

{two}

As you may (or may not) have noticed, my hair is a smidge darker. I also got it taken up in the back just above my shoulders so that the angle is more dramatic. LOVING it!

 

{three}

I hit 700 followers yesterday! Woohoo! Thank you all for reading my random shenanigans. I'm thinking a giveaway is going to happen soon!

 

{four}

Yesterday morning, I found myself looking at the Grateful Goldens Rescue website. Obviously, having a golden mix right now and two growing up, I have a soft spot in my heart for these special dogs. When I came across this beautiful white golden named Mickey, I was touched by his story and just had to make a donation towards his care. He has had seizures since he was 2 years old (not sure how old he is now) and they are trying to regulate them with medicine. There hasn't been an update on him since June so I've contacted the rescue for one. Hoping he's doing well and will find a forever home soon!

 

{five}

Rent the Runway has a new service called RTR Pro. For $29.95 a year, you receive free shipping, free insurance (shipping + insurance runs $14.95 a rental), and a free rental for your birthday (valued up to $50). Perfect for someone who frequently attends weddings/events!

 

{five and a half}

I love these guys.

Doesn't Brady just look thrilled?

 

Have a great weekend!!

Three Years on Tiffany - Living Room.

Back again this week with another installment of Three Years on Tiffany! Today I'll be showing you around the living room. It's obviously the room where we spend the most time, so I am constantly tweaking things in there to try get it just the way I like it. Yet, I still have more I want to do!

Here it is the day Cameron closed on the house.

A lovely shade of salmon.

The hardwood floors were in great condition, and we loved the brick fireplace!

Painted the walls a neutral tan.

Hung a sheet over the window until we bought curtain rods and curtains. Keepin' it classy!

Pay attention to this framed map. You will see it again.

Making some progress..

Couldn't decide on a large rug for the longest time, so the floors went bare for a while.

Hi Brady.

And pictures of how it looks today!

The map was re-framed and matted for our wedding guest book!

What I'd still like to do:

-Paint walls again, this time a lighter color.

-Buy a larger console table to go on wall under map.

-Couch pillows! I am so bad about pulling the trigger and buying some!

-Convince Cameron to put the owl in his office.

Previous posts:
Office
Dining Room

Small update thanks to a wonderful suggestion of a reader - 

Randomness.

Here's a good ol' fashioned brain dump for you on this chilly Wednesday.

 

-I realized last night that I forgot to post this week's meal plan. So here you go!

Monday - Tilapia with a kick! and PW's roasted butternut squash with pine nuts and parmesan

 

Tuesday - Pioneer Woman's perfect pot roast (it really was perfect)

 

Wednesday - Chicken yakisoba

 

Thursday - Chicken scallopini

 

Friday - Palmetto Society's oyster roast

(Any of you going??)

Saturday - Megan in Columbia for USC vs. Coastal game

Sunday -  Supper Club Friendsgiving!

 

----------

 

-I saw these decorative Christmas trees in Target last weekend and was tempted to buy. But then I realized how freaking easy it would be to make them. Shelby - craft and wine night soon?

 

-So, I have this chaise lounge that is currently being stored in our junk room because there's nowhere else to put it. It is so comfortable, and the fact that it's from my grandma makes me love it even more. It's a creamy white and almost has a light snake skin print on it. I came across this photo on Instagram the other day and thought everything about it was gorgeous - the chaise, curtains, pillows, everything! Will definitely be saving this as inspiration for our next house where the chaise lounge WILL be used.

 

Tasty Tuesday: Greek Marinated Chicken with Lemony Cucumber and Couscous Salad.

These two recipes just happened to come from they same website and they were both a hit. The chicken was so flavorful and moist, and the couscous was refreshing. I couldn't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. If you're looking for a simple and yummy meal, this is it!

 

 

Greek Marinated Chicken

Photo and recipe from Budget Bytes.

 

1 cup plain yogurt

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 Tbsp dried oregano

1 medium lemon

1/2 tsp salt

freshly cracked pepper

1/4 bunch fresh parsley

3 1/2 to 4 lbs chicken pieces

 

To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to scrape the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon skin into the bowl. Also add the juice from half of the lemon (about 1-2 Tbsp). Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Roughly chop a big handful, or about 1/4 bunch, of parsley and stir it into the marinade.

 

Add the chicken pieces and marinade to a gallon sized zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible, close the bag tightly, and massage the bag to mix the contents and make sure the chicken is well coated. Refrigerate the bag for 30 minutes.

 

After marinating for 30 minutes, either cook the chicken on a grill OR preheat the oven to 375 degrees in preparation to bake the chicken.

 

To bake the chicken, place the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish (9x13). Bake the chicken in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

 

 

 

Lemony Cucumber and Couscous Salad

Photo and recipe from Budget Bytes.

1 1/2 to 2 cups Israeli couscous

2 medium cucumbers

1/4 bunch parsley

1 medium lemon

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

freshly cracked pepper to taste

3 oz. crumbled feta cheese

 

Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the couscous and continue to let it boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the couscous is tender. Drain the couscous in a colander or wire mesh sieve (if the holes in the colander are too big). Rinse briefly with cool water to cool off the couscous, then allow to drain while you prepare the rest of the salad.

 

Cut the cucumber into quarter rounds and place them in a large bowl. Take a big handful (or about 1/4 bunch) of parsley and pull the leaves from the stems. Roughly chop the parsley and then add it to the bowl with the cucumber. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to remove the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon and add it the bowl with the other ingredients.

 

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl (you should get 2-3 tablespoons of juice). Add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine and then pour the dressing over the cucumber, parsley, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.

 

Add the cooled and drained couscous and crumbled feta to the bowl. Gently stir to combine all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or chill until ready to eat.

 

Notes:

If you are substituting regular couscous for Israeli couscous, be aware that the cooking instructions are different. You can find instructions and step by step photos in this recipe post. You can substitute orzo for the couscous without any adjustments.

Garnet & Black Weekend!

Aside from Cameron being sick the whole time, it was a great weekend!

 

Since he was sick starting on Friday, we had a very low key night at home to kick off the weekend. He grilled the most delicious steaks and I baked sweet potatoes, then we kicked it on the couch.

 

Saturday it was game day! I finally got to go to my first Carolina game of the season. Cameron stayed home so I rode up to Columbia with my parents, sister, and her friend.

 

We lucked out and got awesome seats from my sweet friends, Jenny & Tim!



 

In true Gamecock fashion, it wasn't a pretty win, but it was a win. And being that Georgia lost to Auburn on Saturday, we need Missouri to lose a game so we can be on our way to the SEC Championship!

 

Sunday was spent running errands, visiting Emily to check out the progress on Baby L's nursery, and visiting my grandma who tripped and fractured her shoulder last week.

 

Cheers (with my coffee) to a great week ahead!

Five Years Ago Today...

Five years ago today I met my husband.

 

Florida stomped South Carolina that night so I went to Johnson's to drown my sorrows and meet a cute guy.

 

The next day, he took me skeet shooting and stole my heart.

 

 I love you, Cameron!

 

I could not have hand picked a more perfect match for myself. Oh wait, I did hand pick him. :)

 

Read story here.

A Few Tidbits About Me.

One of my favorite bloggers, and good friend, Shelby from Recent Somethings, tagged me in a get to know me post, so here are my answers! Feel free to join along!

 

FAVORITE FLOWER? 

Immediately my mind says peony. Isn't it everyone's? But there are a few close runner ups when peonies just aren't available. Hydrangeas, sweet peas and garden roses. Basically everything in my wedding bouquet.

 

 

MOST / LEAST ORGANIZED SPACE IN YOUR HOME?

The most organized would probably be my craft / gift closet AKA the guest bedroom closet.

One rainy day off it went from this...

To this!

 

The least organized room is definitely our other spare bedroom, lovingly called the junk room. Left over wedding decorations, Christmas decorations, and pretty much anything else that doesn't have a place to go gets thrown stored in this room.

WHAT BOOK HAVE YOU READ RECENTLY THAT REALLY MOVED YOU?

..........crickets..........


WHAT DISH ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THANKSGIVING DINNER? There is no way I can pick just one! Turkey covered in gravy, my aunt's cheesy twice baked potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole will always make an appearance on my plate. Often times twice.

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE?

"Milkshake" style as Cameron likes to call it. He thinks I put too much sugar and creamer in it. In reality, I only put about half a spoon of sugar and some flavored creamer in it.

 

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

 My metabolism and lack of bills.

MOST MEMORABLE CONCERT?

The Darius Rucker concert this summer had to be it. Not only did we get backstage passes with amazing seats, but we got to meet Darius after the show! Being a fan of his for just about 20 years, it was a pretty big deal. 

 

HOW DO YOU UNWIND BEFORE BED?
On the couch under a blanket. Watching one of our favorite tv episodes, while also having my phone in my hand. Just keeping it real. In my other hand, an after dinner cocktail.

DOTS OR STRIPES? 

I really do like polka dots, but if you looked in my closet, the clear winner would be stripes. 

LAST MEAL? 

 Filet Mignon, truffled mac and cheese, cucumber sushi roll, fried pickle chips (duh) guacamole, and some type of dessert with chocolate / peanut butter combination. Might as well go out stuffing my face till I'm uncomfortable.