The 4th of July is easily one of my favorite holidays of the year. Nothing beats family, friends and food in the summer heat (and here in FL, most of the activities revolved around or in the water). Here’s a brief recap of our weekend:

We starting things off on Thursday night by having dinner with our friends Natalie and Kevin at their house.

They made an impressive spread of grilled beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes and roasted asparagus for us.

Check out this awesome clock Natalie and Kevin have in their kitchen. Their last name is Schmidt, so they made this clock on the wall!! I’m obsessed.

Friday night we had a bunch of folks over for a shrimp boil, but I didn’t really take many pictures. I need to get better at documenting events at our house. I guess I get overwhelmed with all of the cooking and entertaining.

Saturday we loaded up the dogs and headed over to the Duke’s Grandpa’s house (on the bayou) for a backyard BBQ.

Can you believe how much Pearl has grown in one week?

The Duke was feeling quite patriotic.

We spent Independence Day on the beach, running in and out of the pavilion, trying to dodge the rain. Let’s just say we got soaked! After coming home to dry off and freshen up, we headed down to Destin Harbor to catch the fireworks from my father-in-law’s big charter boat.

The boat was rocking pretty bad in the harbor…we nearly fell over!

In true family get-together fashion, there was tons of food. I made a fabulous corn pudding and roasted veggies. I loaded up my plate with a bit of everything…including fried chicken.

The fireworks display was amazing…it started pouring just in time for the grande finale, though.

Looks like someone is worn out from the weekend’s festivities:

Hope you all have a great Monday! See you soon. The Duchess

So, if I were a truly awesome blogger, I would have been giving you a minute by minute account of my NYC trip while I was actually there. Since I’m too lazy to lug my laptop across the country and stay cooped up in my hotel room writing posts, I’m now bringing you the goods a few days late. I sincerely hope you don’t mind.

Let’s start at the very beginning…a very fine place to start.

The Duke and I arrived in NYC last Thursday evening. We were starving by the time we arrived and decided to go to Cuba Cafe for some latin spice. We visited this place the last time we were in NYC (in 2006) and remembered the killer mojitos.

We shared a tamale that was topped with pulled chicken and peppers in a spicy broth, which was really good. It tasted like cuban comfort food.

Friday morning we made our way to the Lower East Side in hopes of finding the Clinton St. Baking Company.

This modest breakfast joint was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay for their pancakes. I remember drooling during the episode, and knew we had to go.

The wait was really long, but this cute little pup kept us company.

After our hour-long wait, I ordered a biscuit with homemade raspberry jam while our breakfast was prepared.

This was seriously the BEST jam I have ever tasted. I would have eaten an entire bowl of it. For my main course, I had the huevos rancheros with chorizo and the Duke ordered the famous banana nut pancakes.

Both meals were delicious! The Clinton St. Baking Co. was definitely worth the wait. This was probably one of our best meals.

After breakfast, we walked around the American Museum of Natural History while we digested. This place was huge! We were in there a good two hours and walked at least a mile or two.

Since we were already in the Upper West Side, we ventured to Levain Bakery for a mid-afternoon treat.

I’d seen their gigantic cookies on Food Network, and put them at the top of my must-eat list. HOLY COW. Best. Cookie. Ever.

I ordered the chocolate with peanut butter chips and the Duke picked the oatmeal raisin. Each cookie was as big as my hand and worth every penny of the $4 that they cost!

After this large dose of sugar, I was one happy Duchess!

We dined at the swanky Fig & Olive Friday night, but I didn’t snap any photos I was too busy catching up with my friend Hunter. I’ve known Hunter since Kindergarten, and he now calls Manhattan home. He joined us for dinner and we had such a great time!

Stay tuned for the Grand Central Station Market, Bar Americain, Little Italy and so much more! The Duchess

I’m so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. He gives me more than I’ll ever deserve and treats me like a princess. We have our share of struggles, but we communicate about everything and remain very open with each other. If our first year is any indication, we’re in for a wonderful marriage. Here’s to many more years of love and laughter.

I hope you all have a blessed Easter! See you soon. The Duchess

Like yesterday, for instance. I pulled out the mini slow cooker, dumped two chicken breasts in with a cup of chicken broth and almost an entire packet of chili seasoning. I set the pot of poultry on low for 3.5 hours and out came perfectly cooked and moist chicken.

Now, these may not be the most beautiful breasts that ever were, but this method is perfect for cooking chicken for salads, casseroles and soups. And soup is exactly what I intended to use my chicken for.

Jenny at Picky Palate posted a copycat version of Chili’s new Green Chili Chicken and Lime Soup the other day and I immediately started salivating. I new the spicy and lime-y broth that she spoke of would be right up my alley. My favorite restaurant in Destin is a little Mexican joint called LaPaz. They make a killer Tortilla Chicken Soup which is very similar to Jenny’s recipe. I knew I had to try it ASAP.

The original recipe made a boatload of soup, so I only used half of the chicken, garlic, broth and rice called for, but kept the original amount of onions, Rotel, green chilies, lime juice and seasonings. Holy Cow!! This soup was incredible, and thanks to my CrockPot chicken, it came together in about 15 minutes.

Most slow cooker chicken recipes say to cook breasts on low for 4-6 hours. I say that’s a load of rubbish. Without a bone or skin, the chicken can easily dry out. I cook mine with the broth and seasonings for 3-4 hours max. Especially if I know it’s going to get heated again, like this chicken did in the soup.

I seriously can’t get over how good this soup is or how much I love the baby CrockPot. If you’re a vegetarian, this soup would be great sans chicken. My best friend, Jessica, always orders LaPaz’s soup without chicken and she loves it. Shrimp would also be great!

I’ll leave you with a picture of my precious baby Ruby. I mean, could you ever get tired of seeing that sweet face??

This was taken after I got back from the gym last night, so excuse the rough appearance.

Tata!! The Duchess

I have to admit, I wasn’t the hugest fan of the movie. I don’t like scary and suspenseful movies at all, so I was nervous before the film even started. I hid behind my jacket most of the time! You didn’t know I was so brave, did you? There was a major twist at the end of the movie that kept the Duke and I thinking and talking about it. He loved the movie, but I thought it was just so-so.

Before the movies, the Duke dished up his famous quesadillas. I mean to tell ya, this man can cook a quesadilla!

He sauteed his onions and peppers with a bit of chicken broth, cumin, salt and red pepper. All of the flavors work so well together. I’ve been begging him to make them for a while, and since we had leftover chicken from last night’s dinner, it all worked out.

Alongside the ‘dillas I served a quick take on Frito Salad. I first had Frito Salad at the Duke’s mom’s house. It’s just fritos, tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese and Catalina dressing. I slimmed mine down by using Romaine lettuce, sliced cherry tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, kidney beans and lite dressing.

The sweet dressing goes really well with the salty cheese and chips. My favorite part are the soggy chips covered in cheese. Gross, I know.

No Mexican date night meal can be complete without chips and salsa.

All in all, it was the perfect evening. And, with an 8:00 movie, we were back home and in bed at a decent time.

We’re off to church this morning, then we’ll be straightening up the house this afternoon. We’re going to try to make it to an open house in our neighborhood today. We love looking at houses! Have a fabulous Sunday. See you tomorrow with another tasty recipe. The Duchess

As you know, I’m usually fairly health-conscious while cooking. I always cook with lots of fresh produce, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. I will continue to do so…and of course, I’ll still indulge myself every now and then Now that the white elephant is out of the room, let’s move onto the plan. I’ve divided it into three sections, but they really all intertwine. The sections are Diet, Exercise and Life Style.

Diet

1. Incorporate lots of fresh fruit, veggies and lean proteins into diet.
2. 1-2 vegetarian days per week
3. Try to eliminate white starches from diet (white bread, rice, pasta, tortillas) and replace with whole grain and whole-wheat options.
4. No more Diet Coke or artificial sweetener- use agave nectar instead.
5. Limit peanut butter and nut intake to a few times per week (I eat too much of this now. Even though they’re healthy fats, I sometimes will eat more than one serving per day).
6. Have a “healthy” dessert twice per week (frozen yogurt, low fat graham crackers, etc.)
7. One true dessert (slice of cake, cookie, candy, etc.) one time per week.
8. Two alcoholic beverages per week. Just two!!
9. Allow myself one splurge day every now and then. Not every week, but just for special occasions like a birthday, wedding, or holiday.
10. Try to stay within 1700-2000 calories per day.
11. MOST IMPORTANT- Eat when I’m hungry, STOP when I’m full!

I know this seems lengthy, but most of these “rules” I already live by. For example, I always cook with whole-wheat, but can be tempted to eat white bread when out to dinner. I really want to stop that sort of thing where the calories really add up.

Exercise

1. Strength training with our personal trainer, Zoli, two times per week.
2. Cardio 4-5 times per week.

Here’s the goal:
Monday- 30-45 minutes of cardio
Tuesday- 15-30 minutes of cardio plus strength training with Zoli
Wednesday- off
Thursday- 15-30 minutes of cardio plus strength training with Zoli
Friday- 30-45 minutes of cardio
Saturday-off (or 30 minutes of cardio if I really think I need it)
Sunday- 30-45 minutes of cardio

This is the plan, but the days may switch around, depending on Zoli’s schedule. Also, since I work at a school, I’m active all day. Teachers are more active than most other professionals. This is a great thing for me! It means I burn more calories just doing what I do.

Lifestyle

1. Don’t get overwhelmed by my busy life! Everyone is busy-I need to be thankful for all of my blessings and find joy in everything.
2. Limit computer time after work to 30-45 minutes (this is going to be difficult for me…since I don’t have internet access all day at work, I spend hours catching up. But I also spend a lot of time doing a bunch of nothing online, which I need to stop).
3. Spend more time with my the Duke and my puppy, Ruby (instead of wasting time online!).
4. Try to be in bed by 9:30 on weeknights.
5. BE POSITIVE AND HAPPY ALWAYS!

So that’s it. Nothing really ground breaking, but it feels great to see it all laid out before me. I know this is a plan I can truly stick with. I’ve been pretty good with it this week, and already feel GREAT about myself! I’ll be rocking that bikini in no time.

Please let me know what you all think and if you have any questions/ comments/ suggestions/ etc. I love, love, love hearing from you guys, so keep it coming! Love, prayers and kisses to you all.The Duchess

So, I’ve had a bag of dried lentils in my pantry forever. They stare at me every time I look inside, begging to be cooked. After weeks of ignoring them, I finally pulled them out during our unseasonable cold snap last week. I’d never cooked with them before, but the thought of a warm and hearty lentil soup was dancing in my head. I did a quick internet search and found this simple recipe from Bella on the Beach. I knew I didn’t want anything difficult-just something where I could dump all the ingredients in the crock pot and go. Bella’s recipe was a great foundation for me. I made some minor tweaks and it was delicious!!! So simple and absolutely perfect on a cold Winter night.

Just thinking about this soup makes me want to make it again! I can’t even tell you how perfect and comforting it is after a long and cold day. You should definitely make some soon!

Alright, I gotta run. Lots of studying today. Catch ya later! The Duchess

Happy Monday everyone. How is 2010 treating everyone so far?? Can’t complain here. I’ve had the last two glorious weeks off from work, but now it’s back to reality. I’m really looking forward to seeing the students again. I feel like it’s been ages since I last stepped foot in that school. On another note, the highlight of my entire winter break happened Saturday night when a lady at the karaoke bar told me I had a rockin’ body. I was like, “Who? Me??” That doesn’t change the fact that I need to lose about 5 lbs. (if not 10) before bathing suit season.

I can’t believe I’ve been putting this off for so long. Right after Thanksgiving Dorothy from FuzzyKoala’s Caketastic Adventures awarded me the Kreativ Blogger Award. This is my first award and I’m so excited! My sincerest apologies, Dorothy, for taking so long to post this. It really meant a lot that you would consider me for the award. The rules of the award are to post seven facts about yourself, then nominate seven other bloggers you feel are “Kreativ Bloggers.” Here goes:

1. I am an only child. My husband is also an only child. Isn’t it weird that our kids won’t have Aunts or Uncles??
2. I love to sing karaoke (lately I’ve been going about once per week!) but I’m not very good at it.
3. Despite living in the South (where it goes on everything), I hate mayonnaise. I really think it’s the most disgusting thing EVER created. My mom swears I can’t be her daughter since I won’t touch the stuff.
4. I got my degree from the University of Florida in Advertising, but had a change of heart post-graduation and am now becoming a teacher. I’m an aide for Pre-K this year while I work on my certification, and hopefully I’ll have my own class next fall! Teaching young people is the most rewarding career I can possibly think of.
5. I am a big theatre dork. I grew up performing in plays and musicals and even competed in Thespian festivals in middle and high school. I cried when I finally saw Wicked on Broadway.
6. I never cooked a thing until my junior year of college. Growing up I hated cooking and thought I’d have to hire a personal chef when I “grew up.” Look at me now!
7. I absolutely adore Carrie Underwood. I think she is a beautifully talented woman with such grace and class. I would die to meet her!

Here are the seven bloggers I’m passing on the award to. These are but a few of my favorites. I love keeping up with each of you and drooling over your delicious creations!
1. Jessica of How Sweet It Is

2. Meghann of The Inner Workings of a College Graduate

3. Jessica at The Novice Chef

4. Kevin at Closet Cooking

5. Lindsay at Cookin’ Lean Like Paula Deen

6. Kim of Stirring the Pot

7. Elizabeth of Musings of the Waspy Redhead

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I’m off to school. See you Thursday with a delicious veggie pasta recipe. You won’t want to miss it!The Duchess

I just love the cable cars. They’re much larger than I imagined.

The famed Pier 39…this is where the seals usually hang out, but there were only a handful sunbathing when we were there.

We did the Alcatraz audio tour. It was pretty cool! The tour was narrated by former Alcatraz guards and prisoners. It was freezing cold and really creepy.

Don’t you just want to dive into this Dungeoness Crab Mac and Cheese? It was sinfully good! I think it was my most fattening meal on the entire trip.

We ate at Boudin’s, which is known for its sourdough bread. The Duke got the Crab and Corn Bisque that was served in one of the delicious sourdough bread bowls.

Of course we had to visit Ghirardelli Square. We were too full from Mac and Cheese and Sourdough bread to eat anything, but it was a really cute place.

The Duke posed for me in front of the Painted Ladies, also known as the houses from Full House. I just had to see them!

My dad hooked us up with a private tour and VIP tasting at Rubicon in Napa. This winery is owned by Francis Ford Coppola. It was just gorgeous and the wine was pretty darn good, too!

Between touring wineries the Duke and I stopped at a roadside Mexican market and taqueria. He ordered the Carne Asada Quesadilla…a bit different from the way we know quesadillas, but it was delish! Maybe our best (and cheapest) meal.

I ordered the Carnitas Burrito which was equally as good.

Our best dessert was at Mustard’s Grill in Napa. Our entire dinner there was fantastic, but dessert was a home run. Caramel Apple Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Ice Cream. Yummo.

Here I am in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. Can you believe how gorgeous the weather was?? We really lucked out!

My first trip to San Francisco and Napa was wonderful. Many thanks to the Duke for giving me this fabulous trip for my birthday. Hope you enjoyed these pictures. I’ll be back Thursday with an actual recipe! Have a great week. The Duchess

This is my mom’s Thanksgiving table. I thought it looked very nice. How cute are her veggie flower vases??

My Uncle Bill (mom’s oldest brother) made two gorgeous Challah loaves. These were fresh out of the oven, and I could not believe how beautiful they were. Of course I had to snap a picture. They were perfect for sopping up Granny Flash’s gravy.

Speaking of gravy, I know this isn’t a great picture, but look at all of our gravy! My dad loves Granny’s gravy and requested lots…so that’s what he got! The only container it would fit in was a punch bowl…and we wonder why we’re a chunky family.

Granny’s turkey is also fabulous. She lathers it with tons of butter and herbs and bakes it off. Simple and oh, so good.

My favorite foods at Thanksgiving have always been Granny’s Cornbread Dressing (background) and simple White Rice and Gravy. We live in the South and do more of a traditional Southern Thanksgiving. No mashed potatoes or stuffing in this house. No way. There is nothing better than Granny’s cornbread dressing. It is to die for, especially with a ladle of gravy on top. I mean, I imagine it would be. It’s not like I’ve actually tried that before.

Here’s a close up of that famous gravy…boiled eggs, giblets and all. That’s right. I said giblets. You know you wanna try.

We don’t do the traditional pumpkin, sweet potato or pecan pies. I made Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (I’m sharing the recipe Monday). Forgive the poor quality of this picture. I think the Turkey coma was slowing taking over. This cake was so incredibly rich and delicious, so of course the only thing to do was top it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing our family’s favorite Thanksgiving foods. I just love when everyone gathers under one roof and counts their blessings together. Even though this has been a tough year for many, we’ve still got plenty to be thankful for. Here’s to many more Happy and Healthy Thanksgivings from my family to yours!

The Duchess