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2012 – Hopes, Dreams and Goals

January 9, 2012 By 3 Comments

OK — maybe my title for this post is a little excessive. I always have hopes, dreams and goals but sometimes a fresh new year coming on the coattails of a very busy holiday season makes us reflect and think about what we’d like a fresh new year to bring. I am trying to keep it real. I mean, of course I’d love to lose 20 pounds and become debt free but is that TOTALLY realistic? Hmmm, depending on how hard I work I guess. Unfortunately I like to bake. Oh well, so much for losing 20 pounds icon wink 2012 Hopes, Dreams and Goals

A friend recently told me that she was inspired by her yoga teacher to choose a word at the start of the year and to focus on becoming that. She chose patience last year {I should probably pick that one for myself this year!} and this year she chose faith. I like this idea. It gives you something to work towards but it is not so big that you lose sight of it. Tonight at dinner we discussed goals. I have many, my hubby hasn’t really thought about it much but said he’d try to help with dinner prep more {mmm, hmmm .. heard that before!} and the kids ranged from silly to easy to lazy. My oldest said he exercise more even though he is plenty active. I think it was a much easier one then say, “I will do my chores with a smile on my face.”

I have a few attainable 2012 goals. By putting them out there — it makes me more accountable.

  • Work with our new pup, Ollie. I need to get out and walk with him, teach him basic commands, etc.
  • Meal plan and grocery shop more efficiently. Convenience becomes too easy and very expensive.
  • Budget — cash only baby!
  • Work on this here blog — I love what I do but I need to focus on growing it and hopefully making some money.
  • Grow Buffalo Hill Designs by continuing to market through Etsy and social media networking.  With this, I want to attend more craft fairs this year not only as a guest but also as a vendor.
  • Exercise. I started 2011 so well with yoga and then fizzled a few months back. I am not sure if I will go that avenue again or get outside more. Maybe both? I know it is SO good for me mentally and physically.
  • Be present. It is so hard for me to be present. I feel like I am constantly doing 5 things at once.
  • Spend more time with friends and family. Over the holidays, Steve’s sister pointed out that she hasn’t seen us in 6 months. Wow! How did that happen? She only lives 1.5 hours from here. Life gets busy but still — face time is important.

Do you set goals or make resolutions for the new year?

Filed Under: Bee Inspired, The Hive Tagged With: ,

Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach

January 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Oh thank you Pinterest for all of the yummy recipe ideas. I planned my last weeks worth of meals based on what I have pinned on my Foodie Love board. The most recent was these yummy stuffed shells. I added a big scoop of minced garlic and pesto and left out the ricotta due to my hubby’s dislike for it. I also sprinkled some parmesan on it before and after baking.

Baked Shells with Sausage Recipe 2 300x200 Stuffed Shells with Sausage and SpinachPhoto Source 

Baked Shells with Sausage and Spinach Recipe – recipe adapted by Inspired Taste

The filling for these stuffed shells are not too gooey or soft, so not only do they make for an excellent dinner served with a salad on the side, they double as finger food for your next party. Substitute pork sausage for chicken sausage, just add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the chicken sausage so it does not stick to the pan.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

  • 16-18 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 pound fresh pork sausage links, casing removed
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes {I
  • 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeeze dry
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook according to package directions. Drain well then add to ice water until ready to stuff.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork sausage then use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, cook 5-6 minutes until browned.
  4. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds then add tomatoes and spinach; cook 1 minute.
  5. Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese.
  6. Using a spoon, fill pasta shells with pork filling and arrange in a baking dish (9-inch x 9-inch  baking dish works well). Sprinkle tops with shredded cheese then bake in the oven 25-30 minutes until cheese has melted and tips of shells begin to crisp and brown.

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: