So my husband and I stayed home this past Sunday instead of going home for our regular Sunday Dinner. We figured since we were going to be there for the holidays we might as well get some things around the house done. Well that meant I needed to cook something for Sunday Dinner, which is always a little more special/extravagant then a everyday dinner. We decided on Snow Crab legs, home made cheddar biscuits, and brussels sprouts! I know what you are thinking, brussels sprouts??? Whenever I hear brussels sprouts, I think of the famous vegetable in movies and books that is known for being the worlds worst vegetable. The vegetable all children dreaded... the one they cried over and hid under beds to keep away from! I can honestly say I had no desire, until recently, to try this mystery vegetable! So, I did my usual research and found the most mouth watering recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse on FoodNetwork.com - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/bacon-brussels-sprouts-recipe/index.html
I love cooking, so this new found vegetable and of course the complimenting ingredients (onions, garlic, butter & BACON) got me extremely excited! I started off my preparations by making the biscuit dough, SUPER EASY and DELICIOUS recipe - http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/easy-bake-cheddar-biscuits-106088.aspx. I also started my HUGE pot of boiling water for the crab legs at this time. After the dough was ready I set it aside to rest while I prepared the ingredients for the brussels sprout dish. I tend to modify recipes according to the size and of course our likings so... I used 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of sweet onion, 6 slices of smoked bacon, butter, s&p, and sugar. Bacon first then remove, add garlic & onion, remove, brown brussels sprouts, then add bacon and G & O and cook with lid on until tender. While that was cooking, I added 1 lemon's juice and rind, and salt to my boiling water. Then I added the crab legs and let simmer for 10 min. While that was going, I rolled my biscuit dough out and put in the over for 10 min (with a pinch of butter on each biscuit). THEN it was time for dinner...
WAIT - we had to spend 10 minutes cracking the shells of the crab legs with a meat tenderizer and cutting them with scissors! OH there is nothing like being under prepared for cracking crab! We didn't have any of the fancy tools they give you in the restaurant, but believe me, we got every single piece of meat out of there! LOL.
The first bite of brussels sprouts blessed with BACON, butter, onions, and garlic was HEAVEN! And you wouldn't believe the difference a pinch of sugar made! I mean these mystery vegetables were absolutely delicious! Bobby and I raved over them for at least 10 minutes while we ate! The cheddar biscuits were also delectable if I say so myself. The crab legs... well who has had bad crab legs? Not anyone I know!!
So, next time you are looking for a new vegetable try this brussels sprout recipe! I mean, technically its a vegetable so its great for you (just forget about the fat in the bacon and butter, LOL)! But literally, it is probably one of the best vegetable dishes I have had in a long time (unless you consider bacon or cheese a vegetable!)
Oh to my new found delicious bundles of goodness... the Brussels Sprout!
As always... Keep it real, keep it positive, keep it FABULOUS!!!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Life Questions: Are you just being nosy???
Ok, I'm sure I am not the only one out there who gets the life questions... I am not sure if anyone ever thought about this, but it seems like something totally worth talking about.
Here are a few of the life questions I am talking about. (in a high pitched, irritating voice) "When are you going to get married", "When are you going to have children", "When are you going to buy a home", "When are you...". Listen people, these are questions that not only make people extremely uncomfortable, but they make the people receiving the questions feel like they aren't meeting "Societies" standards! Because they aren't married or starting a family in a new home, something is wrong with them and they are failing at life? Think about what you are asking... You are asking someone to tell you very personal information about their lives. You are asking people to talk to you about things they don't even want to talk about with their partners, parents, or friends. What gives you the right to hear that information? Are you just being nosy... Are you trying to make yourself feel like you have a more "successful" life?
Think about it for a moment... What if you asked someone "So, when are you going to get married? What are you waiting for?" and that person replied, "Well, my boyfriend cheated on me with a skank at a strip club and then left me with a $10K debt and took everything we owned with him". OR what if they replied "Sorry, they haven't actually made it legal in this state for me to declare my happiness." WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY NOW?? What will your reaction be when you have just asked that person something that requires their personal life to be explained in 2 min answer? Did you just ruin their day, their week, their month?
What if you asked someone "So, when are you going to have kids? What are you waiting for?" and that person immediately started sobbing and walked away? OR what if that person replied "I have had 3 miscarriages over the past year and my doctor just told me I couldn't have children". OR "Actually we have been trying for over a year, thanks for asking (smart ass tone)." What do you say now???
What if you asked someone "So, do you still live in the same place? Are you all planning on buying a home anytime soon? You know with that tax credit now is the time to do it" and they replied "We are actually broke, we owe the IRS $64K and they are garnishing our wages... we can barely keep the heat on". OR "We are seperated and filing for divorce" OR "My identity was stolen a year ago and now my credit score is 385, I cant get a loan"! What do you say now?
If you think about it, you just asked someone the most personal issues in their lives. Do you think you have a right to ask them that? Do you really want to know the answer?
Here are some examples to think hard about before you ask:
1) When are you getting married
2) When are you having children
3) When are you buying a home
4) Are you ever going to find a boyfriend/girlfriend
5) How much money do you make a year?
If you just want to make small talk and make people feel like you are genuinely interested in what is going on in their life, try asking some basic questions.
Here are a few of the life questions I am talking about. (in a high pitched, irritating voice) "When are you going to get married", "When are you going to have children", "When are you going to buy a home", "When are you...". Listen people, these are questions that not only make people extremely uncomfortable, but they make the people receiving the questions feel like they aren't meeting "Societies" standards! Because they aren't married or starting a family in a new home, something is wrong with them and they are failing at life? Think about what you are asking... You are asking someone to tell you very personal information about their lives. You are asking people to talk to you about things they don't even want to talk about with their partners, parents, or friends. What gives you the right to hear that information? Are you just being nosy... Are you trying to make yourself feel like you have a more "successful" life?
Think about it for a moment... What if you asked someone "So, when are you going to get married? What are you waiting for?" and that person replied, "Well, my boyfriend cheated on me with a skank at a strip club and then left me with a $10K debt and took everything we owned with him". OR what if they replied "Sorry, they haven't actually made it legal in this state for me to declare my happiness." WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY NOW?? What will your reaction be when you have just asked that person something that requires their personal life to be explained in 2 min answer? Did you just ruin their day, their week, their month?
What if you asked someone "So, when are you going to have kids? What are you waiting for?" and that person immediately started sobbing and walked away? OR what if that person replied "I have had 3 miscarriages over the past year and my doctor just told me I couldn't have children". OR "Actually we have been trying for over a year, thanks for asking (smart ass tone)." What do you say now???
What if you asked someone "So, do you still live in the same place? Are you all planning on buying a home anytime soon? You know with that tax credit now is the time to do it" and they replied "We are actually broke, we owe the IRS $64K and they are garnishing our wages... we can barely keep the heat on". OR "We are seperated and filing for divorce" OR "My identity was stolen a year ago and now my credit score is 385, I cant get a loan"! What do you say now?
If you think about it, you just asked someone the most personal issues in their lives. Do you think you have a right to ask them that? Do you really want to know the answer?
Here are some examples to think hard about before you ask:
1) When are you getting married
2) When are you having children
3) When are you buying a home
4) Are you ever going to find a boyfriend/girlfriend
5) How much money do you make a year?
If you just want to make small talk and make people feel like you are genuinely interested in what is going on in their life, try asking some basic questions.
Here are some great examples to try:
1) Hi, how is your day going?
2) So, do you have any plans for the weekend?
3) How is it going? How is everything in your world, anything new or exciting?
4) Hey! I saw you got a dog (on FB), how is that working out for you?
5) How are you?
So, hopefully next time you see someone and just want to be nosy... You will look back and think about this blog and realize that if those people wanted to talk to you about something personal, they would have. If those people don't want to talk to you about something personal, they wont. A great conversation always starts with a simple "How are you", where it goes from there depends on the amount of trust/compassion/comfort. Remember, you cant force trust, compassion, or comfort. see "Keep it real or keep it moving" for more about this ;), it has to happen in time. Try to think about the things coming out of you mouth before you say them...
As always... Keep it real, keep it positive, keep it FABULOUS!!!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Day 2: Keep it real or keep it moving!!!
What is "Keeping it Real"? If you Google the term, you get a wide variety of answers to this question. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1CHNB_en___US338&q=definition+of+keeping+it+real&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
What does keeping it real or keep it moving mean to me? It means that I stay true to myself and use honesty (not cruelty) as my greatest tool, and I try not to say anything about someone that I wouldn't say to their face. If I cant do that, I dont waste my time pretending, I just move on.
A couple examples to get us started:
Question: Leeann, how does this shirt look with these jeans?
Answer: Hummm... It looks ok. Why dont you try this pair of jeans though.
What that person got out of my answer: It looks ok, but not fabulous. CHANGE
Question: Leeann, I slept with 4 people in the last week. Do you think people consider me a hoe?
Answer: Well, you aren't making the best impression on people or the best decisions for your life. Maybe you should practice abstinence for like...EVER
What that person got out of my answer: Ummm yea!!!
Question: Leeann, did you see Pam's status on Facebook. Wow, she is so ridiculously stupid. I hope she looses that fancy new job and wrecks her car into a tree (laughter). I mean, out of all people SHE got that job! I cant wait until her new boss figures out shes a big trash bag and will sleep with every man that walks by!! Have you talked to her lately?
Answer: Megan, is this what you do all day? Stalk people on Facebook (mutual laughter)??? Yea, I talked to her and told her congrats on the new job. You know she has been out of work for like 3 months. I think she almost lost her car! I would hate to be in that situation wouldn't you? I'm sure their were a lot of people more qualified then her for that job, and yea sometimes she is a big trash bag but she still beat everyone else out of that job... Guess she has something good to offer.
What that person got out of my answer: Grow up and stop hating on other peoples accomplishments. If you aren't happy, don't bring everyone else down with you! And FYI - I probably just cut you out of the circle for at least 1 month (Im just keeping it moving)!
So, now that you know what I mean when I say "Keeping it Real" we can continue with our conversation. I like to think of myself as an expert, and expert at being ME. This came with 28 years and a MASSIVE amount of time spent with trial and error! And over those 28 years, I learned (often the hard way) that you have to keep it real. If you cant keep it real with someone, what is the point in even continuing the relationship. Whether the relationship is friend, family, or acquaintance... If you cant keep it real with them, isnt it a big fat waste of your time and theirs?? So, if you are wasting your time as we speak with that annoying co-worker who you feel like you have to be nice to, STOP. Instead of "acting" like you want to be their friend, try just a quick smile or hello and keep it moving. Doing this, you saved yourself 10 min of pointless conversation followed by 10 min of frustration because you just wasted 10 min!
People who don't keep it real are often surrounded by karma, bad karma! These are the people who sit around and talk about other people, but would never say anything to their face. They are the people who choose to gossip and stir the pot just because! If you take a good look at these people, they are often unhappy with something in their life and rather than confronting their issue, they chose to highlight other peoples flaws or problems. This type of behavior starts a chain of events, which usually ends horribly bad. You have to realize and understand that life is always going to be easier if you communicate, say it with me people COM MUN ICATE, your views/problems/issues with those people. They will not only value you for your honesty, but they will respect you for coming to them. Yes, it is true... Good Communication = Mutual Respect. You respect the person for listening to your view, and they respect you for coming to them in a professional/adult manner. So keep it real, or keep it moving!!!!!
Remember, there is a difference between venting and gossiping. Venting should be done with someone that will only listen and understand, no opinions should be shared. Venting should also be kept to a MAXIMUM of 5 minutes. Anything longer than 5 minutes is now considered gossip. Keep that in mind people, its very important.
Remember, there is a difference between venting and gossiping. Venting should be done with someone that will only listen and understand, no opinions should be shared. Venting should also be kept to a MAXIMUM of 5 minutes. Anything longer than 5 minutes is now considered gossip. Keep that in mind people, its very important.
So, after reading this entry... Do you feel like you can "Keep it Real or Keep it Moving" with the people that surround your life?
Remember... Keep it real, keep it positive, keep it FABULOUS!!!
"How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours." - Wayne Dyer
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Day 1
So, I thought I would use my first blog entry to tell you a little bit about myself...
Me: My name is Leeann and I am a 28 year old licensed Cosmetologist, Administrative Assistant at the University of Missouri, wife/sister/daughter/aunt, and self proclaimed foodie... I use the word Fabulous to describe pretty much anything that has to do with food, hair, or my life (hence the name of this blog). I LOVE FOOD!!! I love everything that has to do with food. I love grocery shopping for great food, I love chopping/slicing/shredding food. I love thinking of new recipes. I love cooking food, and of course eating that food! And to answer the question in your head right now, NO I do not weigh 300lbs!
My Outlook on Life: 5 years ago, I decided to look at everything in life with a different view... a better view. I decided to force myself to be positive and upbeat about everything, with 1 day a month to be grouchy for 24 hours (if I choose). Since then, I have challenged myself every 6 months to make an effort at something new. Last self challenge: Greet Every co-worker, ex co-worker, or person I knew with a hello, smile, & call them by their first name. Current Challenge: Volunteer for events/tasks that force me to interact with people I normally wouldn't (while keeping the last challenge)! I know to many of you this sounds pointless and a waste of time... but I can HONESTLY tell you that this view & self challenges has made me grow into a person I can actually say I think people enjoy!
My Family: Often, I wonder how I ended up with the most incredible husband in the world? What made me so special that I found my soul mate, my best friend, my heart!!! Either way, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world and I love it! My sister (30 yrs) is my best friend and I try my hardest not to kill her everyday of my life! My parents are ridiculously entertaining and crazy, but I was told I couldn't exchange them. My niece (husbands sisters daughter) is 6 going on 21 and I taught her at a very young age how to say fabulous and listen to Beyonce as much as possible, PRICELESS!!! My entire family is great, every member is unique and I love spending time with any one of them. We see our families every Sunday for dinner. Sunday dinner is a tradition my husband brought me to know and love and both sides of our family enjoy it as much as we do.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have this fabulous life, and plan to enjoy it to the fullest every day I am blessed to do so!
SO... My new goal is to make this blog entertaining, informative, and keep you reading!!!
www.Facebook.com/LeeLeeCravens
Me: My name is Leeann and I am a 28 year old licensed Cosmetologist, Administrative Assistant at the University of Missouri, wife/sister/daughter/aunt, and self proclaimed foodie... I use the word Fabulous to describe pretty much anything that has to do with food, hair, or my life (hence the name of this blog). I LOVE FOOD!!! I love everything that has to do with food. I love grocery shopping for great food, I love chopping/slicing/shredding food. I love thinking of new recipes. I love cooking food, and of course eating that food! And to answer the question in your head right now, NO I do not weigh 300lbs!
My Outlook on Life: 5 years ago, I decided to look at everything in life with a different view... a better view. I decided to force myself to be positive and upbeat about everything, with 1 day a month to be grouchy for 24 hours (if I choose). Since then, I have challenged myself every 6 months to make an effort at something new. Last self challenge: Greet Every co-worker, ex co-worker, or person I knew with a hello, smile, & call them by their first name. Current Challenge: Volunteer for events/tasks that force me to interact with people I normally wouldn't (while keeping the last challenge)! I know to many of you this sounds pointless and a waste of time... but I can HONESTLY tell you that this view & self challenges has made me grow into a person I can actually say I think people enjoy!
My Family: Often, I wonder how I ended up with the most incredible husband in the world? What made me so special that I found my soul mate, my best friend, my heart!!! Either way, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world and I love it! My sister (30 yrs) is my best friend and I try my hardest not to kill her everyday of my life! My parents are ridiculously entertaining and crazy, but I was told I couldn't exchange them. My niece (husbands sisters daughter) is 6 going on 21 and I taught her at a very young age how to say fabulous and listen to Beyonce as much as possible, PRICELESS!!! My entire family is great, every member is unique and I love spending time with any one of them. We see our families every Sunday for dinner. Sunday dinner is a tradition my husband brought me to know and love and both sides of our family enjoy it as much as we do.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have this fabulous life, and plan to enjoy it to the fullest every day I am blessed to do so!
SO... My new goal is to make this blog entertaining, informative, and keep you reading!!!
www.Facebook.com/LeeLeeCravens
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