For a family party with my in-laws this weekend, I decided to do something new for a change–I made an appetizer instead of dessert!
I’ve had these roll-ups bookmarked FOREVER, so it was nice to dig it out of the “to try” archives and give them a whirl. They were super simple to put together, and really tasty, too!
I mixed everything together for the filling the night before the party, then made the roll-ups on site at the party. I’d suggest waiting as long as possible before making the roll-ups to prevent them from getting soggy.
The original recipe apparently was meant to be a dip–so if you don’t want to roll up the mixture into tortillas, just set it out in a bowl with some tortilla chips! We taste-tested the filling with some chips right after we made it, and it was definitely great both ways. The roll-ups make for a nice presentation, though, and are easy to eat at a party as they make a great finger food.
Chicken Enchilada Dip Roll-Ups
(Source: Adapted from Delicious Meliscious)
Ingredients:
– 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened (I used light cream cheese)
– 1 1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
– 1 tsp. garlic, finely minced
– 1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
– 1 tsp. cumin
– cayenne pepper to taste
– salt to taste
– Approximately 12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
– 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
– 4 green onions, chopped
– 1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
– 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
– 1 package tortillas (any flavor you like–we used plain flour tortillas)
Directions:
1. Mix cheeses together until well blended.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Spread filling evenly onto entire tortilla (all the way to the edges). Roll and cut into slices. Repeat with tortillas until filling is gone.
Have I told you all about my love of potatoes? I’ll eat a potato in pretty much any form. I don’t think you can do anything to a potato that I wouldn’t like.
Still, one of the best ways to eat a potato is in its truest form–baked whole. We usually bake up a couple of potatoes as an easy dinner on a fairly regular basis, but just recently realized we hadn’t done it in a while. In preparation for a busy weekend and on a night when we didn’t have much time for cooking, we decided to bring the good ol’ loaded baked potato back into the rotation. And I’m so glad, because I think I had forgotten just how much I love them!
You can vary the toppings based on what you like, but our favorite way to “dress” them is with a little butter/margarine, broccoli, some shredded cheddar, and Bacon Bits.
Whoa, baby.
This is not a complicated “recipe,” but I’ll include it just the same.
Loaded Baked Potato
Ingredients:
– Russet potatoes
– Broccoli crowns (or frozen broccoli)
– shredded cheddar cheese
– Bacon Bits (or bacon, cooked and crumbled)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes. Pierce potatoes with a fork or knife. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes, rotating halfway through cook time.
3. Wrap hot potatoes in foil. Place them on the center rack of your oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove potatoes from oven. Remove from foil and place on plate. Cut them down the center, then top with a little butter. Spoon broccoli, cheddar cheese and Bacon Bits on top.
I hate technology.
It sounds funny coming from a blogger and writer, right? From someone whose job relies on computers, the internet, and e-mail? I know it does. So let me explain.
The thing is that I really do *love* technology. I love shiny new electronics. When I started my job, I got a little giddy when they handed me a MacBook. I love new cameras and lenses. New iPods, TVs, cell phones, and even game consoles. If I’m walking by an Apple Store, I go in just to stare at the beauty of the iMac. I can’t even tell you how badly I want to cancel our Verizon contract and switch to AT&T just so we can have iPhones.
But the reason I hate technology?
It seems that as soon as you buy it, it’s not good enough anymore. For instance, the laptop from which I am writing this post is only three years old, but it may as well be a dinosaur. It runs as slow as hell, the 140 GB hard drive is constantly full, it freezes frequently, and the battery is completely dead and does not hold a charge. New computers these days offer twice as much memory, and hard drives are often 1 terabyte. TERABYTE! It’s sickening.
I think the worst part of it all is that technology is so disposable. When we upgrade to the latest and greatest, there really isn’t much you can do with the old stuff. Who wants a computer that barely works?
Aside from the computer situation (we’re living on borrowed time, I fear… keeping our fingers crossed that this thing holds out), we are currently looking at video cameras.
I bought a video camera back in November 2001 when I was in college. At that time, they still used the little Hi8 tapes. I’m glad I have the footage that I have from those years, but it sucks to have to hook everything up to the TV and fast-forward through things in order to watch them.
At Christmas 2005, Michael bought me a DV (digital video) camera. It was amazing to be able to take video and then transfer it right to our computer. Video! That was digital!! Awesome. But now? Now, there are tiny little video cameras that take way better video (High Definition!) than we can, and they’re relatively inexpensive, too.
*sigh*
And so it is time to upgrade again. We figure that with a new baby coming, we need something that will take the kind of video that we’ve become accustomed to seeing everywhere.
My DSLR camera actually takes HD video, which is awesome, but there are two drawbacks: 1) It’s not as portable as the new video cameras available, and 2) You have to manually focus, so it is difficult to keep focused when you’re following around moving subjects (i.e. toddlers!). Although we love that the DSLR has that capability and plan to continue using it, we need something that we can throw in a pocket, purse, or diaper bag and use on an everyday basis.
We’re in the market for a “pocket” HD video camera. I’ve been collecting recommendations; does anyone have ones they want to share?
After some research and reading reviews, we’ve earmarked a couple of Kodak cameras as favorites:
…or the Playsport (Zx3)
As far as I can tell (so far), the Playsport has the same features and specifications as the Zi8, except for one cool “extra”–it’s waterproof up to 10 ft. deep! And given that it’s in the same price range, why NOT go for the waterproof one? It appeals to us because of our vacations, but it’s also kind of nice to know we can easily take video of our baby at “water babies” classes, in the kiddie pool, or even in the bath.
I’ve been looking into the Flip brand cameras as well, but all of the reviews I’ve found that compare the Flip to the Kodak always seem to pick Kodak as the “winner.” And I saw some side-by-side comparison video and I think I like the result from the Kodak better.
Anyway, still open to hearing what you all have to say. Pocket cams in general–yea or nay? Specific cameras you like/dislike?
I think I’ve been a really “positive” pregnant woman. When people ask me how I’m feeling, I always say “really good,” and “great.” In truth, I haven’t had much reason to complain about anything. Aside from the anticipation of meeting our little one, I’ve enjoyed pregnancy and have even made a point to try not to wish it away.
SO… would it be horrible if I whined a little today?
Ever since–oh, I don’t know… Friday?–something has shifted and things have changed.
First, let’s observe:
32 Weeks Pregnant
Is it just me, or am I all of a sudden carrying this baby REALLY high? I feel like my ribs have been invaded. And that, my friends, is the source of much of my complaining these last few days. There’s a general discomfort associated with having your organs squished up into your rib cage, along with an active baby who likes to practice somersaults in there. Shocking, right?
My totally comfortable, love-them-so-much full-panel maternity pants? Not so comfortable anymore. Not really loving them at the moment. The elastic band at the top of the panel cuts into the top of my belly (again, because it is SO HIGH), but if I fold it down, it feels like it cuts into the bottom of my belly. This is a no-win situation, I feel. The only solution, it seems, is to live in dresses and skirts for the next eight weeks. Not easy to do when you only have three dresses and two skirts.
Oh, and let’s talk about my bra. My bra has turned into a torture device. I wish I was exaggerating. These bras that I bought in April to accommodate my growing pregnancy boobs, and thought would last until I had to switch to nursing bras? NOT SO MUCH. Because of this baby’s migration up into my ribs, my rib cage is seemingly expanding, and the bra band, even on its loosest hooks, digs into me and makes me feel like I am wearing a corset around my ribs ALL DAY LONG. I just about cried last night when I went into Target to buy bra expanders only to find that they were completely out of stock. (I went and checked again today, and they were out again. *sob*) And let’s not forget about the underwire! The underwire is taking up permanent residence in the skin at the top of my belly. At this rate, I think it’s eventually going to leave permanent marks.
The problem is that I can’t stand NOT to wear a bra, either. (Um, just to be clear, I’m talking about at home. I wouldn’t subject poor, innocent members of the general public to the sight of THAT, I assure you.) So I suffer all day, right up until the moment I’m about to crawl into bed for the night. At that point, I can’t even tell you how good it feels to be free of the constriction of the band and the discomfort of the underwire.
As if all of these developments haven’t been enough to deal with over the last couple of days, I think it’s time to officially retire my engagement/wedding rings. And maybe I’m hormonal, or maybe I’m just a sap, but it makes me want to cry because I *LOVE* my rings. Yes, I know they’re just material possessions and don’t actually mean anything when it comes to my marriage but I *LOVE* to wear them and I *HATE* my naked fingers.
*deep breath*
OK, now you can start to ship me mass quantities of cheese (cheddar, please!) to go with all of my WHINE. Because I know! I know I’m being a crybaby, and I’m only going to get bigger and more uncomfortable. But if any of you experienced pregnant ladies and/or mothers have any tips on how to get me through these last few weeks, I would love to hear about them.
Moving on, trying to return to my normal, chipper self…
We had a doctor’s appointment this afternoon. I’m up 21 lbs. total, with approximately eight weeks to go. I’m really hoping I can stay at or under the 30 lb. mark for total gain, but we’ll see how it goes. They say that you’re supposed to gain at least a pound a week at this point of pregnancy, so if I stick to an average of a pound a week, that would put me right around that 30 lb. number when this is over. Everything else looks good. Really low blood pressure (she said it was 100/68!), good heartrate, and baby has done some catching up and I’m now measuring right on time again.
Last night, we finished our birth preparation classes. Now that they’re done, I think I can be honest and say that they weren’t tremendously beneficial. I don’t regret taking them at all, as I do think it was nice to review everything and be given a few tools to help with the labor process, but it wasn’t like I had any crazy “lightbulb moments” or anything like that. In related news, we did our hospital tour on Sunday. That was actually really nice, as it made us feel more comfortable knowing exactly where to park, where to go once inside, etc. We got to see one of the birthing center rooms and hear all about the hospital’s processes and services. All good stuff to know.
Wrapping up… thank you so much to everyone who has entered the Heather Drive Baby Pool so far! It has been fun to see all of the guesses come pouring in, and I look forward to being at the point where the baby is out and we can determine a winner! :) One thing–if you entered and did NOT include an e-mail address, please let me know in the comments or via e-mail so I can go in and add your e-mail address for you. If you don’t have an e-mail address attached to your entry, we won’t be able to contact you if you win! And if you haven’t entered a guess yet, what are you waiting for?
The time has arrived! At 32 weeks pregnant with only 8 (maybe?) weeks to go, it is time to announce the start of the Heather Drive Baby Pool. And, we figure that a contest surrounding the birth of our baby is the perfect time to do our very first giveaway. In other words, if you make the best guesses? There are *prizes* to be won. :)
So here’s the deal: Hop on over to our Heather Drive Baby Pool page on Expectnet.com and enter your guesses for our baby’s sex, birth date and time, weight, and length. We’ll leave it open to new entries until 9:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday, August 22, at which point the contest will be closed. (I’ll be 36 weeks pregnant at that time.) Then, all we do is wait for the baby to be born. After that, I’ll enter the baby’s stats into the system, and Expectnet.com will determine a winner based on all of your entries.
Now you’re probably wondering what you might win, right? Well, you’re in luck because it is super cute, people. Etsy seller Terrace Hill has agreed to sponsor this contest, and she’s offering one of her vintage aprons to the Heather Drive Baby Pool winner. Not only that, but I’m throwing in a copy of this Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book. So you’ll have something to bake up in the kitchen AND you’ll look cute while doing it!
How cute? Well, just take a look at some of these Terrace Hill aprons…
Every girl needs an apron, right? Gah, there are so many adorable ones that it is difficult to choose a favorite! Click on over to Terrace Hill’s Etsy shop and take a look around, as the aprons are affordable and make unique gifts! And if you don’t end up winning the pool, perhaps you’ll still want to treat yourself. ;) Also consider becoming a fan of Terrace Hill Shop on Facebook so that you will be notified when new designs are added to the shop!
A couple of important things to note:
1) You do NOT need to register to enter a guess with Expectnet.com, so no worries. It is super simple! Enter on our Heather Drive Baby Pool page.
2) When you enter through Expectnet.com, YOU MUST ENTER A VALID E-MAIL ADDRESS in the “A phrase or two describing how you know the parents” field. Otherwise, we will have no way of validating who “Karen” or “Anne” is and will have no way of contacting you to let you know you have won.
3) If you are determined to be the winner, you will work directly with Chadley at Terrace Hill to arrange shipment of your apron. Also, you must choose among Terrace Hill’s current stock of aprons at the time of the contest’s official end (i.e. when you are notified).
4) Only one entry per person, please. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
5) Make sure to enter a guess for ALL of the fields (sex, birthday, time, weight, height), otherwise you will be hurting your chances at winning!
6) The contest is open to all, whether you live here in the U.S., or outside of it. My international readers are more than welcome to participate! :)
7) Again, all entries MUST be entered into the Expectnet.com system by Sunday, August 22 at 9 p.m. EDT. The contest will be closed to entries at that time.
8) You’ll notice that Michael and I have entered our own guesses. We are just as clueless as all of you (we don’t even have any “feelings” about the sex of the baby), so we thought it would be fun to venture guesses of our own. However, please rest assured that we are NOT eligible to win.
Questions? Please ask in the comments. Also, if you just HAVE to know whether my pillow faces north or south in order to make your guesses, ask those types of things in the comments as well. ;)I’ll answer everything in the comments so everyone is privy to the same information!
A few basics: The due date calculated by my doctor’s office is September 18. The due date calculated based on my ovulation chart is September 19. I was 10 days early, and Michael was born on his due date. (Supposedly this stuff is supposed to help? HA!)
We look forward to your participation and seeing all of the entries come rolling in. Happy guessing!
About
I'm Heather. I'm 33 and have been married to Michael for seven years. Together, we have two beautiful little girls we love more than anything, and a miniature dachshund who drives us crazy. I'm a full-time working mom who has very little time for my own "stuff" these days, like home improvement, cooking/baking, cake decorating, and photography. Despite the team not making the playoffs since 1999, I'm STILL a Buffalo Bills fan, which I think speaks to my loyalty AND sense of humor. I can't wait to pick up the pace with travel again some day... you know, when we're done being ruled by tiny fists. Welcome to my blog.
