Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

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I hope it is filled with watermelon margaritas, sunny days and cool nights, country music, red white and blue outfits, and good food. 

My neighborhood has 3 pools and they all just opened this weekend! Perfect timing for Memorial Day Weekend. I can't wait to have the pool opened for the hot summer days approaching!

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Texas is all about lovin' your country, family, and beer. So it is only fitting that I celebrate Memorial Day Weekend Texas style with a country concert at Billy Bobs in Fort Worth, TX. Tonight, my family and I  are going to see Joe Nichols. His songs are perfect for a day filled drinking margaritas and at night two stepping. 

Here is one of my favorite songs: Tequila Makes Her Clothes Come Off 

(you should really listen to this by the pool drinking your favorite tequila drink!)

I will miss my friends even more this weekend because we are always about the themed parties. We look forward to holidays just so we can all come together and have a party! We had our fair share of American themed parties and socials. 

Have a great Memorial Day!!! 

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This is by far one of my favorite holidays. I love anything and everything mexican. Its true, most of the dishes I make at home and the drinks I drink are mexican inspired. I am what you call a mexican-junkie.

Over the past couple years, cinco de mayo has become a huge holiday among my friends. Boating, bubba kegs, island hoping, and sun. Its the holiday we look forward to most after a long year of school - Cinco de drinko. Yes, this holiday has a lot of historical meaning but we use it as a celebration of good friends, food, and drinks. Its a holiday were the only stress is running out of limes or getting sunburned. Its a holiday were you just stop and relax. Like I said - it's my favorite.

I hope you all enjoy a fantastic holiday! Eat great food, drink a margarita, and lay in the sun with friends! Here is a recipe to my favorite margarita - the Mandarita. Its perfect by the pool or beach any day of the week!

The Mandarita

Ingredients

1 can of frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate

1 can of tequila

1 can of sprite

Ice (depending on if concentrate is thawed)

Salt

Lime wedges

Directions

1. Empty frozen concentrate into blender. Use empty can to measure tequila and sprite. Add ice if needed.

2. Blend until frothy.

3. Use lime wedge to coat rim of a margarita glass. Coat the rim by dipping the glass into plate with salt.

4. Pour margarita into the glass and enjoy!

This year I am celebrating this wonderful holiday in Texas with my family. My dad and I went to this local mexican meat market called La Azteca. Its a local market that sells mexican products, produce, baked goods and marinated meats. IT IS DELICIOUS. The moment you walk into the market you can smell the freshly baked goods, cilantro, and delicious cooked meats. 

My dad picked up marinated fajita steak and chicken. Tonight, we are making fresh steak tacos on homemade tortillas! We made our own salsa and guacamole too! My little sister Lauren works at Chipotle, and she whipped up some delicious secret recipes, she didn't tell me the recipe so I just had to watch her make it! Sneakyyyy! Below are a loose versions of the classics!

Lauren's (chipotle mock style) Guacamole

Ingredients:

4 Avocados

Cilantro to taste

1 TBS Salt

1 cup Red Onion

1/3 cup Lime Juice

Directions:

1. Put lime juice and salt in the bottom of the bowl before you put in the avocados.

2. Cut the avocados in half and scoop out the inside. Make sure you use ripe avocados!

3. Mince the red onion. Add to the avocado mixture. Mix well.

4. Add cilantro to the mixture and loosely mix in. 

5. Enjoy with some chips and salsa!

Mom's Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

Roma Tomatoes

Red Onion

Kosher Salt 

Cilantro

Lime Juice

Directions:

1. Seed and dice the tomatoes.

2. Dice the red onion.

3. Chop the cilantro.

4. Add equal parts cilantro, onion, and tomato into a bowl and mix well.

5. Add lime juice and salt to the mixture.

6. Enjoy!

Have a great holiday! Ole!

Amanda

We Are Young

Why Being In Your 20s Is Awesome

MAR. 22, 2012 By RYAN O'CONNELL

I know I talk crap on being a twentysomething but I’m only half-kidding. In actuality, there’s no age I’d rather be. (Besides maybe seven years old because they don’t do anything besides eat ice cream and poop themselves. That sounds like an ideal life to be completely honest.)

Being in your twenties is all about discovering which things hurt you and what makes you feel good. You go in blindly, practically pricking yourself with a dull blade, and then you walk out with tougher skin. One day you’ll stop pricking yourself altogether. Maybe. I don’t know. How would I? I’m just a twentysomething, remember?

This is what your twenties are for — to feel and see as much as you can, to take advantage of not being tied down to anything and anyone and to go balls to the wall with everything that you do. You’re a raw nerve. You hate getting upset over little things, about being constantly unraveled by ignored text messages, parents, grades, and friends, but you have to remember something: you don’t know yourself entirely yet. Before the age of 20, you were mostly under your parents care, a reflection of what was going on around you. You didn’t have the option to make your own choices. You were merely living the life someone set out for you.  Being in your twenties allows you to start carving out the life you want for yourself. Everything is on your terms now which seems daunting but is actually liberating. For the first time in your life you’re the boss.

It’s important to talk about why your twenties are great because it seems like we spend so much of our time wanting to be somewhere else other than where we are. Think about it. Why the hell are we in such a hurry to live some boring grown up adult life that we saw at a Crate & Barrel? Because once we do get there, we’re stuck for a long time. The novelty’s going to wear off, we’re going to get married and have babies, and everything will be amazing but don’t think for a second that you won’t be nostalgic for this time. Don’t think for a second that you’re not going to miss those nights you spent putting on your make up, changing five million times, drinking wine, smoking cigarettes out your apartment window, and going to some silly party, a party that feels like all the others you’ve been to but still has the right to feel special. You will miss all of this. This is a luxury. It’s going to leave us eventually so you better freaking enjoy it. You better enjoy every lame ass party, every awkward kiss, every 5 AM hangover, every drug experience, every crappy apartment, because one day it will all be gone and you’ll just be left with the pictures and the bruises and nothing else. Youth is fu**ing magic. Don’t you get it? Look at your skin! Touch it. Look at your smooth legs and stomach. Grab it. When you’re older, you’ll want all of this again so bad. You’ll possibly spend so much money to get some semblance of it back. Now it’s yours for free.

We’re not stuck. Even if it feels like we are, it’s not true. We’re the opposite of stuck. As twentysomethings, we’re constantly moving — apartments, relationship, cities, jobs. Anything is possible. People are ready for you. They want to hear what you have to say. They look at you and are curious about what words are going to come out of your mouth. You’re the new generation. What do you have to say? Don’t bite your tongue. One day you’ll be pushed aside for a younger “fresher” perspective so you better get it out now. Make a mark. Make a stain. Make something.

I want to remember the fear, I want to remember the promise, I want to remember the nights I wanted to curl up in a ball, I want to remember the people I’m not supposed to remember, I want to remember not knowing myself, I want to remember the moment I started to feel safe and like this life I’m leading is really mine. I’m going to be scared, I’m going to bruise my knees and not know how they got there, I’m going to try to fruitlessly forge a connection with someone who won’t ever get it, I’m going to lose the person that means the most to me and find my way back to them. I’m going to be a twentysomething because that’s what I am and all I know how to be.  And you should too. You should love every single moment of this hot mess of a decade. Chances are you’ll miss it before you even get to say “I’m 30.”

Celebrating my Sisters!

Happy Sibling Appreciation Day!

today is the day you honor the many memories you have with your siblings

I would love to introduce you to my lovely little sisters:

Meet Lauren (left) and Emily (right)

"Sisters are probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship."

"What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?"

Lauren the middle sister and is 18 years old. She is a troubled teenager who thinks the world is out to get her. Lauren and I have probably the toughest relationship because we are so different but yet so alike. We fought constantly as children but are starting to develop an adult relationship that starts with a friendship. She is incredibly creative and smart even though she doubts herself when doing a task. She has a commanding presence and always tries to be a leader in the kitchen or on the softball field. She is absolutely beautiful and has grown up to be such a strong young woman. I know she will do great things in her life and I am so proud to call her my sister.

Emily is the youngest and is 14 years old. Emily is the artistic and sensitive sister. She loves photography - its a tie for her favorite thing to take pictures of - nature and herself. She is so compassionate and sweet. Emily is always trying to fix problems and wants the world to be a happy place. I love watching her grow up to be a stunningly beautiful young woman. I cannot wait to see how much she grows.

"Sisters annoy, interfere, criticize. Indulge in monumental sulks, in huffs, in snide remarks. Borrow. Break. Monopolize the bathroom. Are always underfoot. But if catastrophe should strike, sisters are there. Defending you against all comers."

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

"For there is no friend like a sister, in calm or stormy weather, to cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands."

"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child."

I cannot wait to see my sisters in 2 weeks!

Graduation is an exciting time because as one door closes another one opens.

I can't wait to spend the ENTIRE summer in Texas with my family.

TWO. WEEKS.

Friends Forever

You know those nights when you just look around at the people with you and you just have that overwhelming feeling of comfort? It's a feeling of warmth and love that could stay with you forever. I believe that great friends can provide that feeling.

Two nights ago, a bunch of my friends got together and had a fish bake! One of my friend's boyfriend, Ben, is a spear diver and caught over 30 pounds of grouper! He served two versions, baked with lemon and a crusted version with breadcrumbs and lime, it was so yummy!

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I made a cilantro lime rice to go along side of the grouper and it was super delicious and easy! Did I mention it is the "skinny" version of Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice? Uh, Yeah! Guilt free and coming in about 204 calories for 3/4 cup of delectable rice! I got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs: Skinny Taste! You should definitely check it out. She makes tons of guilty pleasures skinny!

I have found this weekend that I have some of my best memories of college relaxing with good food and friends. I feel like people think that in order to have "fun" in college, you need to go out every night, get drunk, and hang out at fraternity houses. I believe that I have had the best time in college by doing the things a little differently. My friends and I always are having dinner parties, themed parties, pool parties, movie nights, ect. Don't get me wrong, I definitely experienced all of the "fun" things above but I just have learned that I have the most fun just enjoying that low key personal atmosphere! And boy do we have fun! There is never a night that we aren't laughing and smiling. I just love my friends and I know that I have made the best friendships I could have ever asked for. Senior year really gives you insight into the person you have become, the people you are friends with, and the memories you have made. I know that no matter where we all end up that we will keep in touch and meet up often. It will feel like we never left each other!

I am so happy to have made such amazing memories with my friends in college. I cannot wait to see what else we will experience this semester!

P.S. Don't forget to make that rice! :)

A New Approach

Hi, sorry I have been gone for so long. I am in a bit of a dilemma. I know I want a blog. I know I love reading blogs. But I don't know if I am good at blogging. What is it that gets people interested in reading what I have to say?

I am not your typical college senior. I would rather lay on the couch with red wine, candles lit, classical music on the television, reading a book with my roommates on a Friday night than hit the local strip. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't have a good time. My roommates and I are always entertaining, exploring, trying new things. This past weekend we went to Torreya State Park and hiked 7 miles with a couple of my Phi Mu sisters, the weekend before we learned to paddle board , and last night we made an Indian dish called Chicken Tikki Masala!

My problem is keeping the blog sassy, exciting, and fun to read. I started this blog primarily as a food blog. But, I think it may take a slight detour. I am going through a lot of change in my life right now. Being a second semester senior tends to make you think about your future...a lot. It also makes you want to try and experience everything the University and city have to offer. So I think this blog is going to be dedicated to completely my senior spring bucket list. There is everything on it from restaurants, outdoor activities, new bars, shows, concerts, ect. I think this will be new approach to cooking with love.

But don't worry, I will still be posting recipes and my friend Jen's blog will have a lot of similar recipes as well (since we are roommates!).

Our apartment has turned into a blogging household and we aren't ashamed of it! So come join us on our blogging adventure and lets go :)

God Bless America. Never Forget 9/11

Its been 10 years. It feels like just yesterday I was in the sixth grade, sitting in a portable watching the second tour fall. I didn't know exactly what was going on. I just sat there in shock as my math teacher frantically called her relatives in New York City. They let the entire middle school go home early. As I got off the bus, both of my parents were home early, crying and staring straight into the television screen. Our generation got to experience firsthand how strong our country is. We didn't just read about it in a history book, we lived it. Its our job to continue the remembrance of those we have loved and lost and honor this day for the rest of our lives. Never forget 9/11/01.