Downton Abbey

If you thought Pinterest was an obsession, you haven't seen anything yet!
Let me introduce you to a little semi-well known British drama called... Downton Abbey.
Aka the best television show I have ever seen in my entire life... seriously!

I have to admit, I stumbled upon this greatness through unusual methods... Prince William and Kate Middleton recommended it to me.  Okay, maybe not directly to me, but I read an article last year that they were really into the show.  After much persuasion, Daniel agreed to watch it with me, because we had found the first season on Netflix.  Much to his surprise we LOVED IT!


Well flash forward to January 2012 and we have anxiously been awaiting the second season.  Unfortunately, we were forced to wait much longer than British audience who got to see the show back in September.  I tried to reroute our IP addresses on our computer to make them British IP addresses so I could get the videos online.  I failed.  Nevertheless its here now and we are two episodes into the season and it is absolutely fabulous!

I want you all to watch it.  Its rare that you find a show that has an amazing story line, witty humor, brilliant costuming, and its a historical period piece!  Lets look at some of the reasons why you should tune into PBS Masterpiece Classic on UNC-TV at 9 p.m. on Sundays:

1. The Costumes- The success of a period piece is reliant on many factors, with the costuming being the primary element.  The men and women of Downton not only exude the era with their acting and speech, but their clothing is absolutely fabulous and true to form of the early 1900's. 


2. Lady Mary- Love her or hate her, you have to give it to the woman- she speaks her mind.  I love Mary's seeming obsession for the standards of tradition, yet she assumes a air of independence that is completely out of character for the women of the time.  She knows that she must secure a position for herself in society, but admirably refused to marry for nothing less than true love.  I just wish she would act on her feelings a little more!

3. Professor McGonagall- What? Now I'm pretty sure your all confused and no I am not getting this show confused with Harry Potter.  It just so happens that the two best things in the entertainment world share a common thread- Maggie Smith aka Professor McGonagall aka Dowager Countess of Grantham.

I could go on and on, but I only want you to be intrigued enough to check it out on your own!
I promise you will NOT be disappointed.

Oh The Places You'll Go

I, like the rest of the world, have become slightly addicted to Pinterest.

One of my favorite borads recently has been one that I entitled "Oh The Places You'll Go"

Dr. Seuss' much beloved book has been my inspiration for researching all the places in the world that I want to travel to one day.  

Daniel and I have great dreams of being world travelers before we become parents.

Some of my favorite places:

London- I traveled there in January of 2009 and it was the most amazing city.  I always tell people that its the best place to start in Europe, because your introduced to the European culture, without the task of a new language. 

The Maldives- If its good enough for William and Kate, then its good enough for me!  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent their honeymoon in this amazing island nation surrounded by the Indian Ocean.  When I have the spending allowance they have, then it will be first on my list!

Paris- Who doesn't love Paris?  I must say that the brief glimpse I got in 2009 though was certainly not enough to fulfill my desire for Paris in the springtime. Daniel and I strolling down the Champs-Elysees and eating the fresh Parisan bread fills my daydreams often!

The Lighthouses of North Carolina- While on our honeymoon, Daniel and I unintentionally began a quest to see all the lighthouses of North Carolina.  We stayed at an amazing B&B near Cape Hatteras and climbed all the way to the top- its the tallest lighthouse in North America!  On the way home we stopped at the Bodie Island Lighthouse and back in October we went to see Old Baldy on Bald Head Island.  

Only a few left!

Mont St. Michel, France- This enchanting castle is often compared to Hogwarts by Harry Potter fans, but this abbey is located on the tidal island that experiences extreme high and low tides throughout the day.  I stayed in a hotel in France that offered a free shuttle to the island, but time did not permit, so I cannot wait to go back and actually see it!

Ireland- While in Disney World we were stranded in a gift shop in the "United Kingdom" and had the privilege of talking with a young girl named Lindsey from North Ireland.  In the short time we spent with her, our curiosity and desire for Ireland grew and now it is on the top of the travel list for the Penningtons. 

So where are your favorite places to travel or what's your dream vacation?

Chicken & Biscuits

i'm getting a little boring on here i think.
your starting to think my life only revolves around the few recipes i share.
your probably right, since my internship started up this week! yikes!
5:30 a.m. i have NOT missed you!!!!

well today went off without a hitch, but the exam testing schedule is kicking my butt!
i am ready for the normal classroom again, but i'm enjoying my planning days.
tonight is a rarity in the pennington house... daniel and i are both home.... crazy i know!
anyway, chicken & biscuits is on the menu and its going to be amazing.
check it out!

Chicken & Biscuits

Recipe courtesy of Food & Family magazine 

what you need

1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup sour cream, divided

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

1 pkg. (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, carrots, corn, and garden peas), thawed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup all-purpose baking mix

3 Tbsp. milk

how to make it

preheat oven to 375 degrees

combine soup and 1/2 cup sour cream in baking dish.  stir in chicken, veggies, and cheese.

mix baking mix, milk, and remaining sour cream until mixture forms soft dough

spoon into mounds over chicken mixture and bake 35 minutes.

Notes: I use fresh veggies sometimes and they taste even better!  Also, if you make a little extra dough then you can spread the mixture across the top and make a chicken pot pie.  It's so easy and delicious! You have to try it!

The timer just went off, so i'm gonna go make myself a huge bowl full!

Mom's Potato Soup

Last night I tried out a new recipe... new to cooking, but not tasting.

My mom's amazing potato soup.  

Its not only amazingly good, but easy as pie!

I hope y'all enjoy it!

what you need

4lbs of potatos, peeled and diced into cubes

water, enough to cover the potatoes

1 small onion, diced

1 can evaporated milk

1 can chicken broth

1 stick of butter

salt to taste

how to make it

Cover diced potatoes with water and add salt to taste.  

Bring to a boil and then let simmer until potatoes are fork tender. 

Ideally, your suppose to cook your diced onion with the potatoes, but I forgot them, so lets skip to the next step.

If you forgot to boil the onion, saute it in canola oil until the onions are soft and transparent.

Once potatoes and onions are finished cooking, combine them together.  

If you have a lot of water left in your pot you may want to pour some of it out.  

I left enough so that my potatoes were almost covered, but not quite. 

Then you need to add the chicken broth, evaporated milk, and butter to the onions and potatoes.  

Bring the contents to a boil and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until everything is well combined and creamy.

Add your choice of toppings, such as bacon, cheese, or sour cream.  

I like to add a little ranch to my bowl!

Enjoy!

This was absolutely perfect last night for dinner, because with the high temps hanging in the 30's this week it was a bone chilling kind of day.  I have not tried this recipe in the crockpot, but its simple enough that I am sure it would work, you just want to make sure to add enough water so that the potatoes are well cooked.

Before I go, I just want to give a shout out to my father-in-law who's birthday is today!  

Happy Birthday Mr. Rex!!

Grad School Barbie

With school quickly approaching I'm starting to feel the pressure of being back in school. I was surfing Pinterest the other day and I found this link to an oddly assumsing story about Grad School Barbie... Enjoy!

A new gift idea for your loved ones: Graduate School Barbie (TM).

Graduate School Barbie comes in two forms: 

Delusional Master's Barbie (TM) 

and 

Ph.D. Masochist Barbie (TM).

Every Graduate School Barbie comes with these fun filled features guaranteed to delight and entertain for hours: Grad School Barbie comes out of the box with a big grin on her face that turns into a frown after 2 weeks or her first advisor meeting (whichever comes first). She also has adorable black circles under her delightfully bloodshot eyes.

Comes with two outfits: a grubby pair of blue jeans and 5 year old gap T-shirt, and a floppy pair of gray sweatpants with a matching "I hate my life" T-shirt. Grad School Barbie talks! Just press the button on her left hand and hear her say such upbeat grad school phrases like, "Yes, Professor, It'll be done by tomorrow", "I'd love to rewrite" and "Why didn't I just get a job, I could have been making $40,000 a year by now if I had just started working with a Bachelor's. But noooooo, I chose to further my education, I wish somebody would drop a bomb on the school so that I'd have an excuse to stop working on my degree that's sucking every last drop of life force out of my withered and degraded excuse for a soul..." (9V lithium batteries sold separately)

Grad School Barbie is anatomically correct to teach kids about the exciting changes that come with pursuing a higher education. Removable panels on Barbie's head and torso allow you to watch as her cerebellum fries to a crispy brown, her heart race 150 beats per minute, and her stomach lining gradually dissolve into nothing. Deluxe Barbie comes with specially designed eye ducts. Just add a little water, and watch Grad School Barbie burst into tears at random intervals. Fun for the whole family!

Other accessories include:

Grad School Barbie's Fun Fridge (TM) Well stocked with microwave popcorn, Coca-Cola, Healthy Choice Bologna (99% fat free!),and a small bottle of Mattel Brand Rum (tm).

Grad School Barbie's Medicine Cabinet comes in Fabulous (pepto-bismal) pink and contains Barbie sized bottles of Advil, St. Johns Wort, Zantac, and your choice of three fun anti-anxiety drugs! (Barbie Medicine Cabinet not available without a prescription).

Grad School Barbie's Computer Workstation. Comes with miniature obsolete PC (in pink of course), rickety desk, and over a dozen miniature Mountain Dew cans to decorate your workstation with (Mountain Dew deposit not included in price. Tech support sold separately).

And Grad School Barbie is not alone! Order now and you'll get two of Barbie's great friends! GRADUATE ADVISOR KEN, Barbie's mentor and advisor in her quest for knowledge, higher education and decreased self esteem.

Grad Advisor Ken (tm) comes with a supply of red pens and a permanent frown. Press the button to hear Grad Advisor Ken deliver such wisdom to Barbie as "I need an update on your progress," "I don't think you're ready to defend yet", and "This is no where near ready for publication."

Buy 3 or more dolls, and you can have Barbie's Thesis Committee! (Palm Pilot and tenure sold separately.)

REAL JOB SKIPPER, When Barbie needs to talk, she knows that she can always count on her good friend Real Job Skipper (tm), who got a job after getting her bachelor degree. Press the button to hear Real Job Skipper say, "Sometimes I wish I went for my masters degree" and "Work is so hard! I had to work a half an hour of overtime!" Real Job Skipper's Work Wardrobe and Savings account sold separately.

WARNING: Do not place Grad Student Barbie and Real Job Skipper too close to each other, as there have been several cases of children leaving the room and coming back to find Barbie's hands mysteriously fused to Skipper's throat.

Just a little fun grad school humor... Hope you liked it ;)

Christmas, New Years, and all the things we need to catch up on

I took a little blogcation... i'll blame it on the holidays.

Christmas was amazing!  Daniel and I got to spend a lot of time with our families and we were reminded of how blessed we are to have such a great support system.  He spoiled me again like he always does with some amazing gifts and we really just had an awesome first Married Christmas!

We started our own traditions this year for our new family.  We were booked solid throughout the weekend of Christmas, so we woke up really early on the morning of Christmas Eve to celebrate our Christmas together.  The morning consisted of breakfast casserole and monkey bread, watching Christmas movies and opening gifts.  It was a wonderful and relaxing way to spend Christmas together.

We spent Christmas Eve with my mom's side of the family and then spent the night with my parents... I wanted to make sure Santa could still find me... he did!  My brother forced me to contain my excitement and I wasn't allowed to get up until 8 am Christmas morning for presents.  After a fun filled morning of gifts and family time we headed to my dad's parents house for lunch and then on to Daniel's parents house for dinner.  If we didn't do anything else over Christmas we definitely ate well!  It was really the nicest Christmas, but I say that every year since it keeps getting better and better!

Betsy wanted to say "Merry Christmas"

Many of my presents this year were "teacher" themed and my mom got me this amazing bag!

New Years was not quite as busy.  My brother-in-law and his wife are moving into their house this week, so we spent the afternoon helping them out and I think everyone was pretty pooped by 10 pm that night.  We all perked up in time to see the ball drop, but no pictures resulted from our quiet evening.

2011 was a year to remember... lets recap all the adventures in pictures

Top 11 of 2011

1. Got married!

2. Went to Disney World

3. Quit my job and started graduate school

4. Moved out of my childhood home and into my first apartment with Daniel

5. Watched my little brother graduate from high school and start college

6. Ran my very first 5k!

7. Went to the Outer Banks for our honeymoon!

8. Started this blog

9. Taught my very first high school classes and loved it!

10. Went on an amazing family vacation to see the Atlanta Braves vs. the Texas Rangers

11. Became the proud own of an IPad 2!

Thanks to everyone who reads my little blog.  My new years blog resolution is to spend a little more time on my blog and build it up.  I hope you all had an amazing holiday season and are super rested as you return to the real world! When's the next holiday break?

Jingle All The Way

Yesterday, I ran in the Jingle All the Way 5k with my friend Jessica.
It was Jessica's second race and a first for me.
My mom was on hand to cheer for us and she was such a trooper in the freezing cold weather.  

My race number!

The race wasn't an overly crowded one, so it was a great introduction to the racing scene.  I decided to take things slow in the beginning, because my over all goal was just to finish the race.  I had only ran a 5k once before and that was Monday on a practice run.  Much to my surprise I completed the race with much more ease that I anticipated and I really enjoyed it!  I'm ready for the next one!

My final time was 32:10, so I averaged just over 10 minutes per mile.  

For the next race I am shooting for 9 minute miles and to finish under 30 minutes!

Elation!  I was so proud of myself!

I haven't really competed in any sports since college,
so it was really cool to feel my competitive spirit coming back.
I am even trying to convince Daniel to get back into running and try a 5k out with me.
Who know's maybe a half-marathon is in my future!!  

Freedom!

Today was the first day of Christmas Break! Sweet Freedom!

I was so unsure of what to do with myself since 

I haven't truly been free from obligations since the middle of June.  

I decided to take a little trip to visit my old workplace and see some friendly faces.

It was so good to be back there and it reminded me of how much I miss everyone.

Then I got to have lunch with my mom and that was awesome!

I love visiting her at work and when I can bring her some food its double happiness.

When I got home I had the most ridiculous sweet tooth!!

I never crave sweets, maybe its that 5k glooming in my mind?

No worries though, because I found the most delicious recipe here.

Chocolate Crinkle Cake Mix Cookies

what you need

1 box Devil's Food cake mix

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

powdered sugar for garnish

how you make it

preheat oven to 350 degrees

combine cake mix, oil, and eggs in a large bowl and mix until combined

(you may need to use your hands...i did)

roll cookie dough into small balls and roll around in a bowl of powdered sugar

place dough balls on a greased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 12 minutes

enjoy (while listening to christmas music)!

well, tomorrows the big day

the day i put myself through unnecessary torture

also known as the "Jingle All The Way 5k"

Goal: Finish... with a pulse

I'll let you know how it goes!

Creamy Cheese Tortellini

Well its been a while... but school is coming to a close so free time is in my future!

Tonight's menu was maybe a new favorite for the Pennington's

I was searching through a Christmas cookbook for some holiday goodies and 

came across this one... its pretty amazing and super easy!

what you need

1 package (7 oz) cheese-filled tortellini

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices

1/4 cup butter

1 small green bell pepper, chopper (1/2 cup)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

8 baby carrots, sliced

1/2 cup frozen garden peas

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded monterey jack/colby cheese

how you make it

Cook and drain tortellini as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil, stirring frequently, until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from saucepan; keep warm.

In same saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook bell pepper, shallots and carrots in butter, stirring frequently, until bell pepper is crisp-tender. Stir in flour and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk and frozen garden peas. 

Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in cheeses until melted. Stir in tortellini and chicken until coated.

I was extra happy tonight, because it was the first time I got to use my AMAZING Le Creuset dutch oven!!  I ogled over these pots for years watching Giada de Laurentiis on the Food Network.  Earlier this year Daniel and I broke down and purchased this little beauty and I must say it was well worth it!

In other news, I have a 5k coming up in only a matter of days.  You may remember that I started training for a race last month.  However, with school and the holidays I have had way too much going on to run.  My friend contacted me yesterday though and said a race was coming up this weekend and wanted to know if I was interested.  

Call me crazy, but I agreed!  I gave a 5k a try today for the first time ever and I made it!! Well, I did have to walk just a little bit, but I finished which is my main purpose for Saturday.  I am so happy to give this a try, I just hope I make it!