Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers

A couple weeks ago, I was texting my wife about dinner plans. I had some ground beef defrosting. Below is the text conversation:

I had never heard of that so I went to pinterest, searched for "meatloaf stuffed peppers", and found this recipe.

Basic Recipe:

Make meatloaf, fill bell pepper with raw meatloaf mixture, bake, and enjoy.

Full recipe here.

Here are my thoughts:

The bell pepper definitely enhances the taste of the meat loaf. I skipped the salsa in the pan from the original recipe. I think this meatloaf recipe will become my go-to. I like the flavor and the texture of it better than the one I used to make. I even made it the next day for the company we were expecting.

 

If I were to make this again, what would I do differently?

• I would like to get a rack to cook the meatloaf on so the fat can drain. 
• I would like to add some jalapenos to the meatloaf to give it a little kick.
• I would like to make the pepper rings shorter and try eating in as a hamburger (on a bun)

 

Have you ever tried combining two recipes ideas together?

How did it turn out?

Do you have any ideas of recipes to combine?

Bucket List #2 - Graduate college

Item #2 from my bucket list is complete. Here is the story:

On May 16, 2008 I participated in the School of Engineering Graduation Ceremony. Below is a lovely picture screenshot of a proof of me receiving my diploma. That day I thought, "18 years of school and I am never going back." I think one day in the (distant) future I may go back to school to get an MBA but not anytime soon.

 

It only took 5 years, but I graduated! I passed 136 credits and completed the requirements for a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University. Sadly I was only 1 credit hour away from a minor in mathematics and 4 credits away from a minor in physics. My GPA will remain unpublished but it is safe to say it was not on my resume.

I am a first generation college graduate. For this I am very proud. Although, it must have been and act of God that I graduated. There were a couple classes that some friends really helped me through and I barely passed them. There was (maybe) one class were I was helping people through. Actually, that is probably because I was repeating it since I failed the first (or second) time. There was one class, in my final semester, that I struggled through all semester; After the final (which I am convince I bombed) I talked to the professor to inquire about extra credit or so something to ensure I would graduate. He told me not to worry. A week later, my grade was posted - I got a C!

Richmond... we have a love-hate relationship. As a student, it was great that everything was walking or biking distance. I never had a car in college so I bought groceries one backpack at a time. I love all the local restaurants; they have so much variety. I really enjoyed the river and the mountain biking trails near by. I don't think I would move back there. Numerous friends were mugged, robbed, and had car windows smashed. I always carried a knife when I was in Richmond. I am glad I never had to pull it (thank God) but I was always prepared to. I never felt scared when I was there but I didn't feel safe. I wouldn't want my family to feel that way on a daily basis.

 

If I were to do this again, what would I do differently?

This is a really hard one. I definitely enjoyed my time at college. I definitely matured and grew but at what expense? If I knew what I know now when I graduated high school, I don't think I would have gone to VCU or maybe even college. When I was a senior in high school the decision was pretty easy: I was accepted to GMU and VCU, the only schools I applied to. GMU was too close to my parents and I wanted to get away. Nothing else came into the decision making process. I did not know anything about finances or how I would pay for school but I was set on getting out of my parents house. Every month (when I pay my student loans) I am forced to remember how important and costly that decision was.
I think my life would be drastically different if I had gone to GMU (or no college at all) but I am so thankful for everything in my life (wife, kids, job, etc.) that I wouldn't change it.

Did you go to college?
Do you look back and think that is a huge decision for a 18 year old to make?
Do you plan to go back to school?

Nutella Hot Chocolate

One evening my wife and I were wanting some chocolate. Okay, this probably happens every night, but there no chocolate to be found! No ice cream; no brownie mix; no cake mix; nothing. I did find some chocolate chips and some Nutella. Before scarfing down the chocolate chips, I searched pinterest to find a recipe to try. Nutella Hot Chocolate to the rescue.

 

A list of other recipes I have made here.

Basic Recipe:

Heat up some milk. Melt in some chocolate chips and Nutella. Top with whip cream. Enjoy!

Full recipe here

Here are my thoughts:

• Awesome!
• This is very rich and chocolaty

If I were to make this again, what would I do differently?

• Make more! (Only made enough for 2 cups)
• More Nutella; less chocolate

Do you enjoy hot chocolate?
Have you had Nutella hot chocolate?
What is your favorite way to eat Nutella?

Fresh Pepper Salsa

Pinterest recipe review for Fresh Pepper Salsa
See the other recipes I have made here

Basic Recipe:
Chop up peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, etc. Add corn, lime juice, olive oil, and black beans. Mix everything together.
Full recipe here

Here are my thoughts:

• Not bad but nothing special
• Peppers over-power everything
• Couldn't taste the cilantro (the reason I made it)

If I were to make this again, what would I do differently?
I doubt I would make it again since there are so many recipes for salsa with cilantro in it. I don't think that reducing the amount of peppers in the recipe would make a difference. Maybe I will try a salsa with fruit in it...

What is your favorite salsa recipe?
What kind of salsa do you like? (i.e. spicy, mild, sweet, chunky)

Redskins recap

There are 2 teams I root for:

1. The Washington Redskins
2. Anyone playing the Dallas Cowboys

That being said, this has been the most exciting football season in some time. We currently don't have TV service at our house so I probably only watched about half of the games this year. The remaining games I streamed the radio broadcast through my phone. Growing up we used to listen to the radio broadcast as we watched the game which is far superior to the announcers on the network stations. You can't be a Redskins fan and enjoy listening to Aikman commentate on the game.

I think any (and every) Redskins fan was excited going into this season; primarily because of RG3. I know I was. I named my fantasy team "In RG3 we Trust" and bought an RG3 t-shirt before he even played a single down.

The season started off a little shaky but you could tell there was still the excitement throughout the area.  I tweeted when they were 2-2 and 3-3, very exited to be at .500. Three straight loses going into the bye week put a damper on everyone's spirits. Then the party started! Seven wins in a row including: two wins agaist the Eagles (who have the worst fans), a win against Baltimore in the "Battle of the Beltways", beating Dallas on Thanksgiving day and finally another win over Dallas (thanks tony turnover) to win the division, make the playoffs, and finish the season at 10-6 (a far cry from the 2-14 that was predicted by ESPN)

Unfortunately, the post-season for the Redskins ended last night. "At least we have hockey now!" is what everyone is saying. Everyone is second guessing the decisions to keep RG3 in the game last night; STOP! You are only doing this because the outcome of the game. If the Redskins would have won, none of this would be taking place. It is easy to look back and blame a single decision for the outcome but it is not that simple.

A quick shout out to my wife who told me to pick up RG3 in fantasy football in the 10th round of the draft after drafting Matt Stafford in an earlier round. This made the season even more exciting because with each successful play, my fantasy football team exceeded as well.

I hope that the off season will be a chance for the Redskins to heal, continue to build, and develop as a team. I can't wait until August! HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!

Prius

People aways ask, "How do you like the Prius?"  The short answer is, "I won't trade it for something else."

The story of how we got it:

I have a 2004 silver Prius that I bought used in 2009 that had 45k miles on it. The transmission and a few other things were going bad on my previous car (Jetta) so we started to look for a replacement.  My wife found a great deal on the Prius and said let's go check it out. Her best friend drove a Prius so she was already sold. We get there, the car looks good, works well, and has all kinds of gadgets. Next thing you know, I am signing paperwork and driving off in my "new" car.

The long(er) answer:

• I drive a lot! (75+ miles per day average since I bought the car; 100+/day for the last 6 months) For this reason, I love the car. You cannot get a car from the factory with MPG (and range) this high. I have averaged over 50MPG for the life of the car.
• I don't drive the car to be green; but rather to save green ($$$)!
• I don't care for the look of the car or the performance of it (76HP). If money was no object, I would probably drive a lifted pickup with huge tires and a plume of black, diesel smoke.
• I have tried to make it look "cooler" by adding a shark-fin antenna and wind deflectors (both Christmas gifts), some Redskins window stickers and a vanity plate. Next upgrade: tint? rims? Maybe a sweet paint job with flames!?
• For our family (of four) it works great for us. Adults in the front. Kids in the back. Junk in the trunk hatchback. We have taken several road trips (DE, NC, NE) in it and it worked just fine.
• I don't get respect in the Prius:
• on multiple occasions, I have been passed (with double yellow lines) while driving the Prius.
• I have gotten a couple notes (nasty-grams) left on my car about my parking abilities

I love to hear people make fun of the Prius. (i.e. Jeff Dunham, The Other Guys, Bedtime Stories)

What is your opinion of the Prius? Do you have any Prius jokes?

Can you figure out the license plate?

Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken

Pinterest recipe review for Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken
See the other recipes I have made here

Basic Recipe:
Saute garlic in olive oil. Add brown sugar. Top chicken with garlic/sugar mixture. Bake at 500F.
Full recipe here

Here are my thoughts:

• Excellent!
• Never any left overs
• I serve this over couscous or quinoa (the juice makes an awesome sauce)
• My 3 year old eats it (he calls it brown chicken)
• The olive oil started to burn at the end (a lot!)
• time to learn about smoke point... (wiki)

If I were to make this again, what would I do differently?

• I have probably made this a dozen time (including several times for guests) so I already have some recommendations:
• Use grape seed oil (or any higher smoke point oil)
• Cook at 450F
• Don't be afraid you use more garlic (I use a whole head of garlic)
• Line the pan with foil for easy clean up
• I would like to try it over rice
• I would like to try a different oil (peanut or corn oil) to see how it affects the flavor

Do you have any experience with smoke points?
Have you had any issues cooking at higher temperature with oil?

Bucket list

I started a bucket list in the summer of 2007 with 100 things on it. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason for the order. The goal was to complete 5 things and add 10 new ones each year. I have added each year but the completion thing is a little behind track. (Mostly because they involve spending more money than I care to right now)

As of publishing this post, I can cross #1 off the list! Click the links to read about the completed ones.

First 100 compiled in the summer of 2007:
1. Publish this list on my own website and put photos and stories of the completed ones [completed]

2. Graduate college [complete]

3. Get Married [complete]

4. Become a Professional Engineer [test scheduled for April 2013; similar to the Bar exam for lawyers or the Boards for doctors]

5. Obtain a six figure salary

6. Swim with dolphins [complete]

7. Swim with sharks [complete]

8. Deep sea fishing and eat my catch

9. Go hunting and eat my kill

10. Ski in the Alps

11. Go Heli-skiing

12. Play poker in Las Vegas

13. Go all in (see #12)

14. Make a Final Table (see #13)

15. Give my mother a dozen red roses and tell her that I love her

16. Buy my father a beer and tell him that I love him

17. Ride the Bullet Train

18. Play Pachinko in Japan

19. See the Great Wall of China

20. Shower in a waterfall

21. Drive from NY to LA via the Cannonball route

22. Drive the Autobahn in an exotic car

23. Spend Christmas on the beach drinking pina coladas

24. Raft through the Grand Canyon

25. Buy my own house and then spend time and money making it into exactly what I want [semi-complete: I bought a house. Now I just need to spend the time and money... slow process.]

26. Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef

27. Scuba dive in the Blue Hole, Belize

28. Visit the Pyramids and the Sphinx

29. See the Northern Lights

30. Take a trip in a hot air balloon

31. Visited all 50 states [semi-complete: 15 of 50] (excluding the ones I have just driven through)

• Virginia
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• Delaware
• New Jersey
• New York
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Ohio
• Indiana
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Minnesota

32. Get fit: 50 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, six-minute mile, and bench my own weight

33. Run a 10K (under 60 minutes)

34. Swim five laps

35. Ride a gondola in Venice

36. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge

37. Visit Alcatraz

38. Go on an African photo safari

39. Live on a boat for a week

40. Visit a volcano

41. Take a stunt driving class

42. Apply it while avoiding police (see #41)

43. Climb Mount Fuji

44. Have a car for each day of the week

45. Restore a Mustang

46. Get it published (see #45)

47. Auction it off (see #45)

48. Spend New Year's in an exotic location

49. Go to Disney World with my kid(s)

50. Spend a day in Disney being a kid

51. Surf the waves in Hawaii

52. Spend $500 on dinner for two

53. Take gourmet cooking classes

54. Prepare a 7 course meal (see #53)

55. Float in the Dead Sea

56. Ride a leg of the Tour de France

57. Solve a Rubik’s Cube

58. See Niagara and Victoria Falls

59. Drive a steam car

60. Go parasailing

61. Get an autograph of someone famous

62. Drive the Bonneville Salt Flats

63. Watch all 23 (and counting) Bond films [semi-complete]

64. Set off a fire extinguisher [complete]

65. Set off a chemical shower

66. Watch the launch of the Space Shuttle (missed out on this one)

67. Witness Old Faithful Geyser

68. See the Redwoods

69. Go on a whale watching tour

70. Go skinny dipping

71. Drive a jet ski

72. Learn to drive a bus

73. Organize an event with over 1000 people

74. Organize a family reunion for at least three generations

75. Fell a tree [let me clarify: a Christmas tree doesn't count. I mean a huge tree using a chainsaw. Or least a decent size tree using an ax (like johnny appleseed)]

76. Start a bonfire without matches or accelerant

77. Go on a fishing and camping trip with my son(s)

78. Dance with my daughter(s) on her wedding day(s)

79. Attend a PBR rodeo

80. Go sled dogging

81. Collect sea shells/glass from around the world  [semi-complete] (I don't know if this has a completion point)

• Vieques, Puerto Rico
• Top Sail Island, North Carolina

82. Stay in an over water bungalow

83. Rent a limo and be VIP for a day

84. Relax in a natural hot spring

85. Fire a Desert Eagle and M-16

86. Fire a 50-cal sniper rifle

87. Help a stranger change a flat tire

88. Sail a boat across an open body of water

89. Hot wire a car

90. Ski and sit on the beach in the same day in Chile

91. See the Taj-Mahal

92. Watch the sun set of the west coast

93. Watch the sun rise on the east coast

94. Wish on a shooting star

95. See the Redskins play beat the Cowboys in person

96. Go hang gliding

97. Go ice climbing

98. Jump off a bridge

99. Picnic in the middle of the lake while drifting

100. Learn to dive

 

The next ten were added in the summer of 2008:

101. Cruise on the Odyssey

102. Snorkel the pier in Vieques, Puerto Rico

103. Be an extra in a movie

104. Drive a jeep on a beach

105. Off-roading with lots of mud

106. Sail a catamaran

107. Play 18 holes of golf

108. Build a custom poker table

109. Win the construction cost  (see #108)

110. See a kangaroo in the wild

 

The next ten were added in the summer of 2009:

111. Go caving

112. Visit Luray Caverns

113. 100 mile bike ride

114. Learn Spanish

115. Plant a tree

116. Grow a garden

117. Cook dinner for a week straight

118. Learn to Juggle

119. Attend a Rascal Flatts concert

120. Donate my whole paycheck 

 

The next ten were added in the summer of 2010:

121. Celebrate New Year’s twice in one night

122. Ride a camel

123. Ride an elephant

124. Cliff diving

125. Snow shoe adventure

126. Learn one song on guitar

127. Learn one song on piano

128. Live in a hotel for a month

129. Become a regular

130. Give everything to a panhandler

 

The next ten were added in the summer of 2011:

131. Walk 20 miles

132. Save something from the dump and fix it up  [complete]

133. Pass something down to my son(s)

134. Coach a team

135. Write “Just in Case” letters to my family and loved ones

136. Become debt free

137. Call Dave Ramsey and scream, “We’re debt free”  (see #136)

138. From Financial Peace Plaza  (see #137)

139. Buy a car with cash  (see #136)

140. Visit Lake Tahoe

 

The next ten were added in the summer of 2012:

141. Visit the all the Great Lakes
142. Take a homeless person to dinner

143. Take the kids and grandkid(s) on to the beach for a week

144. Pay for someone’s groceries

145. Take a vacation on a train

146. Take a vacation on a bus

147. Work a labor job

148. Work a food service job

149. Work a retail job

150. Be a contestant on a game show

 

Then pinterest came along and I added another 50 to make the list a cool 200:

151. Become a season ticket holder

152. Go to a monster truck rally

153. Get a commuter car and a weekend car

154. Customize the weekender (see #153) with:

• Paint job
• Wheels and tires
• Custom seats
• Tinted/Mirrored windows
• Body Kit
• Lights
• Exhaust

155. Grow fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, etc.)

156. Watch a meteor shower

157. “Hold up” the Leaning Tower of Pisa

158. Carve initials in a tree

159. Revisit 10 years later (see #158)

160. Walk into the airport and buy a ticket on the next flight

161. Attend the Summer Olympics

162. Attend the Winter Olympics

163. Rent a glass igloo

164. Stay in the Ice Hotel

165. Pull the fire alarm (should have thought of this when I added #64 and #65)

166. Camp in the snow

167. Visit all the continents [semi-complete]

• North America
• Asia

168. Swim in the Oceans [semi-complete]

• Atlantic

169. Sail the seven seas (Adriatic, Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, Persian, Arabian, and Red)

170. Learn to ride a motorcycle

171. Commute with it (see #170)

172. Attend all 3 Triple Crown Events

173. Pick the winners correctly (see #172)

174. Bet on the long shot (see #172)

175. See Stonehenge

176. Build a tree house

177. Order 1 of everything (i.e. girl scout cookies)

178. Visit Dubai

179. Go a week without technology

180. Create an App

181. Eat clean for a month (no processed food)

182. Leave a $100 tip

183. Participate in St. Baldrick’s

184. Be in the audience of a TV show

185. Go on a second honeymoon

186. Ride in a helicopter

187. Own a pinball machine

188. Be in a parade

189. Go on an unplanned vacation

190. Photograph lightning

191. Take a month of vacation

192. Cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge

193. Have 1,000 followers on twitter (follow me here)

194. Prepare dinner for a month at once (i.e. freezer meals)

195. Create a cookbook

196. Create a family recipe

197. Create a lemonade stand with my kids

198. Complete an extreme race (i.e. Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, Spartan race, etc.)

199. Build a computer

200. Build a bike

 

My goal is this list to evolve as I add more items and complete others. Ideally, this will become a list of links to other blog posts that summerize each completed item.

Have you started a bucket list?
What is on your bucket list?
What should I add to mine?
Which one should I complete next?

Bacon wrapped omelet

This will be my first recap of something I made from pinterest. You can browse through the rest of the things I have completed in my "Made it!" board.

I saw these bacon wrapped omelets and thought, "This looks simple and delicious." So I set out to make it.

Basic recipe:

Put bacon strips in muffin tin and then add whipped eggs with a little cheese about 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min.

Mine (right) don't look too much different than those from the pinterest recipe (below).

Here are my thoughts:

• There was a lot of prep work and dishes
• crack the eggs and whip in a bowl
• cut the bacon on cutting board (see below)
• shred the cheese
• It was very salty
• 1/2 slice of bacon wasn't enough to wrap around all the way so I had to use the whole slice
• only about 1/2 an egg fits once the bacon was in the pan
• 1/2 egg to 1 slice of bacon; not the ideal diet
• The bacon wasn't crispy
• if you like crispy bacon, this won't be your favorite thing.
• I ended up removing the "omelet" from the pan, flipping it over (more dishes), and broiling it to get the bacon to be somewhat crispy.
• They are hard to eat
• not bite size
• not finger food
• since the bacon wasn't crispy, you need a sharp knife to cut them (more dishes)

If I were to make this again, what would I do differently?

• Try 3/4 of a strip of bacon (less bacon will leave room for more egg)
• Add onion or tomato to the egg
• Partially precook the bacon

Don't get me wrong, these were excellent but I am always looking to improve things. I think with a little tweaking, these could become a hit and a regular occurance.

What have been your experiences with pinterest recipes?

Have any suggestions to improve this recipe?

What is your favorite thing to cook for breakfast?

iPhone

First of all, I was hesitant about getting a smart phone because I didn't want to pay for the monthly data usage. This all changed when my bride (her blog) got an iPhone for Mother's Day. I would use it here and there and was beginning to think, this is pretty cool! After three months of telling myself, "I don't need this." and "I only need to talk and text." I caved in. I need one of these!

After what seemed like an eternity (a weekend) my iPhone arrived on a Monday. (I might have left work early to get it) Still in the parking lot of fedex or ups, I activated my phone and called my wife. This thing is really cool!

This is where the downward spiral started. I use this thing for everything now:

• Calling
• Texting (not while driving)
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Facetime (talk to the kids while I am at work)
• Calendar
• Pictures (1500+ pix/vids in 3 months)
• Videos
• Fantasy football
• Music (anyone want to buy my ipod mini? i haven't used it since I got the iPhone)
• Podcast
• Pinterest 
• Email
• Directions (won't need to buy another GPS)
• Weather
• Alarm clock
• Time-out timer
• Gas Buddy (saving green: $$$)
• Instagram
• Craigslist
• eBay
• PayPal

The list goes on and on.


What is your favorite or most used app that you recommend I download?

Welcome

This is (obviously) my first blog post. I have never done this before but I want to create a digital footprint to share my ideas, experiences, and opinions.

I will share my ideas for saving money, creating an organized household, and conquering the world. I will write about my experiences as a husband, father, and provider. I will chronicle my opinions about recipes, child-rearing, and home-ownership.

You can follow me on:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest