Hey girls! I know that we probably won't have another du girl's trip for a while, but I have an idea for deciding where to go next time! We can all think of like 3 places that we'd love to visit (affordable of course! no Hawaii or Europe here girls! even though those are awesome and we can go when we're rich! haha) and post them and then we all vote on our 3 fav places out of ALL the suggestions and then figure out which one got the most votes! I don't know about you girls, but I love looking up trip ideas!

This recipe is so delicious! It is a homemade spaghetti sauce recipe with olives in it. It is really easy to make too :)

MARATHON PASTA

INGREDIENTS:

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 cups chopped onions

· 1-2 cloves garlic (according to taste), chopped

· 1 28-ounce can chopped or crushed tomatoes

· 8 small to medium bay leaves plus a few more for garnish

· ½ teaspoon dried thyme

· ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

· salt and pepper to taste

· 2 dozen pitted Kalamata olives

· 2 teaspoons Greek rigani or oregeno

· 1 pound penne or pasta of your choice

· 1/ 3 cup Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour the oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook gently for about four minutes until they have softened.

2. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and fennel seeds. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until some of the tomato juice has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.

3. Stir in the Kalamata olives along with the rigani or oregano and cook for another five minutes, or long enough to heat the olives through. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pan. Add a tablespoon of salt, then the penne or other pasta. Stir to separate the pieces and cook for 7-8 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain.

5. To serve, toss the pasta with about half the sauce and transfer to a warmed platter or to individual plates. Top with more sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve more at the table.

bloggin'

hello du world. i have a blog now thanks to husband who set one up for me. :)

check it yo.

jillian.farriswheel.net

LOVE YOU!

Jewelry

Hey Girls,

Cory's mom sells beautiful jewelry so I thought I'd post her website so ya'll could take a look if you want for gifts/yourself/husband to buy you/whatever :)

http://www.jewelsbyparklane.com/field/phurn/index.html <---her individual page

http://www.jewelsbyparklane.com/ <---- The website where you look at all the jewelry

There's some pretty stuff! She gave me a pair of earrings for Christmas.

Christmas at the Ritchies'

and the boo tree! now the jingle tree...

Margaritas!

6 shots Jose Cuervo

3 shots Triple Sec (orange flavor)

(or you could do 4 and 2 if that is too strong!)

Regular Margarita mix

ICE.

Mix some ice in a blender for about 6 seconds. Then add some margarita mix and mix again. Then add 3 shots jose cuervo and 1 shot triple sec and mix. Then add a lot more ice so it's frozen and not watery, and the rest of the ingredients.

Put in a glass with a lime and straw...and DRINK UP!

karen's christmas tree

christmas decor

My christmas tree :) and the fabric wreath i made! Ya'll should try it it's super easy! Just cut the fabric you want with pinking shears and tie the strips on a ring from hobby lobby or a wire hanger. My mom came up with the idea!

cute yarn wreaths

we could totally make these :)

www.etsy.com/shop/knockknocking

karen's doggies' christmas pics

CHRISTMAS!!!!

Merry christmas!

El & I put up our christmas tree with the decorations Sarah got us for our wedding gift! Can't wait to see you girls in about a month for our reunion! Miss you so much! Here is what it looks like:

yum.

http://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/content/AUSLKES/media/pdf/AUSLKES_breakfast.pdf

Take a look-the bfast menu for the embassy suites we will be staying-we can eat the Sunday of the girls trip. YUM!

karen c's verde enchiladas

KC tried to post this but it wasn't working so i'm posting for her :) (because it's delicious!)

karen c's verde enchiladas

1 roasted whole chicken (can buy
pre-made at store) or 4-6 chicken breasts
2 cans verde sauce (HEB preferably)
20 fresh HEB tortillas
2 packages shredded cheese

1. Boil chicken if uncooked. Shred.
2. Roll shredded chicken and cheese in tortillas.
3. Place open side down in 13x9 pan.
4. Pour sauce over rolled enchiladas and add remaining cheese on top.
5. Bake in oven for 20 min at 425 degrees.

Nacho Chicken

2 Tbs mayonaise
2 Tbs Ranch dressing
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
1 C or more crushed Doritos
2 Tbs melted butter

Combine first 4 ingregients, spread on both sides of chicken. Dredge chicken in crushed chips. Place chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is done.

Fantasy Fudge

Jamie-Congratulations on your new job. I'm so freakin' excited for you!! You better post one of the new designs you make for them!! Maybe if I live in Austin (ever...) I'll go to church there haha. Do you church there or just work there?

I also wanted to post an amazing recipe.

FANTASY FUDGE (Also on the back of the Marshmallow Creme)

NEED:
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
1-1 1/2 pkg BAKERS Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1 jar (7oz) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla

LINE 9-inch square pan with foil. Bring sugar, butter, and milk to full rolling boil in large saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
ADD chocolate and marshmallow creme, stir until melted
POUR into pan. Cool.

NEW JOB!

hey! So I got a job!!!!! I figure this is the easiest way to tell everyone. It is at Hill Country Bible Church, and I am the graphic designer there!!!! I am way excited. It is still paid hourly, so it is not a full time job- which is the only downside. But I will be working 30 hrs/week, which allows me to keep my internship that I have right now. So ya! They hired a web designer too, so I won't have to do web design... thank goodness! I will be doing their print materials. So I will design the logos and designs for their sermon series, events, youth group or college stuff. things like that. And I get to meet with "clients," (who are really the ministry leadership in the church - like the children ministry or whatever), and discuss their design needs. ANYWAYS... just wanted to let y'all know! I am so pumped! I start on Monday, so I will let ya know how it goes.

lovvveeeeeeeeeeee youuuuuu!

Banana Pudding

5 or 6 Bananas

Box of Vanilla Wafers

1 1/2 cups of cold water

1 Can of Eagle Brand Milk (original )

1package of Instand Vanilla Pudding Mix

( it is either 5.6 or 6 oz. box)

1 - 8oz of Cool Whip

Mix together the cold water, eagle brand milk and the puding mix.

with electric hand mixer for about 3 mins until it is mixed well.

Then set it aside for about 5 mins ( it will gel)

Then by spoon mix the Cool Whip in.

Slice the bananas up. Then in an 8 X 8 square pan or casserole dish

put a little of the pudding mix and spread lightly on the bottom of pan.

Then put a layer of wafers on that and then put a layer of bananas on that.

Then gently spread half of the pudding mix on top of that.

Then take some wafers and stand all around the edges of this.
Repeat with layer of wafers and then bananas and top off with the pudding mix

after you have done this take about 4 or 5 wafers and put in a jip lock bag

take a cup or glass and roll over the bag and crush the wafers fine

then spread the crumbs lightly over the top of the Banana Pudding.

will serve about 8 to 10 if you double this recipe then use a 9 X 13 pan.

Pat Green-What I'm For

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j43qZK_GZqs

one of my fav songs

Toll House Pie

1 9inch pie crust
3/4 C butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
6 oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add flour, sugar, and brown sugar; beat until well blended. Blend in room temperature butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Pour into pie crust and bake until set, about 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Flavored Coffee

I'm sure you (Jill) know already...haha! I just bought some of the new VIA from starbucks. It's not nasty like the regular coffee-it's flavored ones like vanilla, mocha, caramel, and cinnamon spice...and it's delicious!! And you can get a free drink if you buy a pack-ya'll should try it I love them! haha

KT