Easy Peasy Dinner

The makings of a beautiful friendship

A few people have asked me for this Mexican Lasagna recipe, so here it is! I have made this just for Doug and I (makes great leftovers) or tonight we had some friends over and it made plenty with just a little bit left over. Seriously, this is sooo easy to make and delicious and pretty healthy to boot.

Mexican Lasagna
*adapted from Cooking Light magazine

2 jars of your favorite salsa (make sure it's thick/chunky)
1 cup diced red peppers
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup frozen corn
3 cups shredded chicken (I personally tend to do less meat and more veggies)
1 4-oz can chopped green chilis
1 10-oz can green enchilada sauce
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (I used cheddar because it's what we had - do what makes you happy here!)
1 cup feta cheese
12 tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and over medium-high heat saute the onions, zucchini, corn, and red peppers for about 6 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, chopped green chilis, garlic, enchilada sauce, and spices to the mixture and cook until fully warm and mixed in, about 2-3 minutes. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray and coat the bottom of the pan with salsa. Place half the tortillas on the bottom of the pan. Put 2 cups of the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Put another cup or so of salsa on top. Sprinkle with half a cup of both cheeses, and continue with another layer of tortillas. Follow this same pattern for the layers, ending with the final cheeses. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until things just start t bubble.

There's so many ways to create variations to this recipe: more spices, more cheese, more veggies, experimenting with different salsas and sauces, etc.

If you make this, leave a comment and let me know how it turned out! ;) We had friends over tonight for dinner and this meal was a bit hit!

I never claimed to be a great photographer! This was a delicious meal, though!


Dessert - Jello pudding Cake

This is a very light summer dessert, my mom made this a lot for my dad's birthday in July:


1 box white cake mix
one large box jello
1 box vanilla pudding
1 container cool whip

Make the cake according to the box directions. Dissolve the jello in 2 cups of boiling water. When you take it out, use a fork to poke holes inside the cake, pour the hot jello all over the cake.


Let it cool completely. Make the vanilla pudding according to the box directions and spread, top with cool whip on each slice individually or all across the top. You could also top with fruit like in the picture (stolen from google.) Enjoy!!

Fall Sneak Peek

WHO'S excited about the new fall line of Stella & Dot jewels coming out?!! Me me me! The line debuts in one week...so in the meantime here's a little video to get you excited about what's to come.



I'd love to host a trunk show for you to debut the new line! For those of you who aren't in Nashville...we can do an online party and as you collect orders you get FREE jewelry for yourself!

Thank you, BMW

This NEEDED to be said!

Triumphant Return*

Yes, my blog still exists, but you wouldn't know it by my lack of posts. :) Please forgive me and excuse my absence. I was out taking care of things, trying new things, traveling, enjoying spring and all that Nashville has to offer.

A few random factoids of what I've been up to:

-Doug and I celebrated our two-year anniversary at a b&b in the Smoky Mountains. Thank you, Living Social, for a ridiculously awesome deal on a 5 star place!

amazing dinner one night!
this porch overlooked the mountains!

on a tram heading to a park in gatlinburg

dinner!

hiking...i am pretty sure this branch broke off pretty soon after this pic was taken :) it was old
there was an unbeliveable view from our bed & breakfast




-I overcame my "great bike wreck of 2008," got a new bike (think beach cruiser rather than road bike) - Doug and I have been pedaling all around Metro in the evenings and weekends.


-My parents made their inaugural visit to Nashville over Easter. We went and visited the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's home (among other things!)




-Over Memorial Day we went to Alabama for my younger brother Michael's graduation from the Air Force officer training school. Here he is getting his official first salute and another picture of his squadron marching. After celebrating his success (same day as Doug's birthday) we all headed down to Gulf Shores for a long weekend. Awesome.....!

watching the marching
rebecca, michael's friend from atlanta and my mom









-My nephew Wyatt was born 10 weeks early in Dallas. Quite a surprise to the family and not what you'd consider a "good" surprise on first glance. But he is quite a champ and is currently a rock star in the NICU. He is suuuch a cute baby and looks so much like my brother Randy. We got to come in to DFW when he was born and I went back this weekend for the baby shower - here's my bro and his fiance Janice:
future red raider
the onesie says "my aunt is awesome"

janice and randy!
and of course precious little wyatt! i love him!

-Doug and I signed up for a local organic produce co-op and have been bringing in a haul each week of kale, lettuces, veggies, and fruits of all kinds. I heart cooking and have expanded my repertoire more than ever.

-Doug is working this summer at a local real estate firm and has seen a lot of opportunity from the job. He is rocking P90X and is on week 5 right now. I am so proud! He is also contributing to the Vanderbilt Owen School blog with an Excel tip of the week - if that floats your boat or if you're desperate for help with Excel check it out here: www.owenbloggers.com - Oh and since the title of my blog is "texas2nashville" I MUST mention the PRIDE we felt last week when the Mavs upset the Heat to become CHAMPS! Tons of excitement from this side of the country...Texas IS biggest and best!!!!

-Next week we're headed to Vegas baby! Watch for more pics and I will start updating my little texas2nashville blog much more frequently! Please come back for more!!

*this title was chosen by Doug!

A few other rando pictures:
work would be 1,000x less fun if it wasn't for my awesome friends from work!

downtown for the owen formal in may

this day i probably felt more southern than i ever have: rainboots and a big hat for the steeplechase horse races


movies in the park in nashvegas

dinner with a few besties in dallas over the weekend

dallas - evil eyes!
my hubby swinging a croquet stick as a golf club on our anniversary trip. i think he's cute. :)

ciao for now!

One More For Today...

I'm sorry but this is just hilarious!!!!

“Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called "walking."” - George W. Bush



Happy Independence Day TEXAS!!

Shiny.

A few reasons to GET EXCITED

1. It's spring (ish). The highs this week have been in the 60s, which makes my heart happy. Seriously... I went to the park this week when it was in the 50s and I saw: hula hoopers, puppies, roller bladers, bikers, puppies, corn hole-players, puppies, babies in strollers, puppies, people with inappropriate displays of affection, puppies, skateboarders, hackey-sackers, and even more puppies. Seriously, Nashville is ready to get out and play!!!
2. Because of the spring-ish weather I have walked to work twice this week. Amazing!!
3. DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE IS GETTING A CHUY'S. No need to say more.
4. Doug has been on a few exciting internship interviews lately. He flew to Atlanta for an interview with Delta (free flight benefits for BOTH of us, holla!) and he's been interviewing with the U.S. Environmental Defense Fund for summer opportunities.
4. I started my own business.
5. Number four still surprises me! But yes, I am now working as a stylist for Stella & Dot. (Which, if you haven't heard of them before, is the most fabulous jewelry EVER!) I hosted my business launch party last night and it was FABULOUS! I had the support of good friends here in Nashville to introduce and launch my business. If you ever need a piece of jewelry for an event or need a great gift for a friend or your mom... I'd love to help you! In fact, for the rest of February, if you comment on this blog what you want to order I'll give you 10% off your entire purchase! www.stelladot.com/stephaniemidkiff
6. I ran a half marathon on Saturday and beat my current fastest time.
7. I still get excited about Stella & Dot. I am the epitome of girly girl!! I'd be lying if I didn't have Doug take my picture in front of my display the morning of my launch...

Happy Heart's Day!

I love Valentine's Day ... it reminds me of all the roller skating parties I would go to when I was little and passing out little Valentines to all my friends. My mom would make these candy bouquets out of shortbread cookies and gummy jujube hearts that I loved! This year, Doug gave me a pair of Ugg slippers/house shoes since I always manage to steal his in the mornings, and he was up at the crack of dawn to start on an extra-special dinner for tonight. All I know is, at one point he was toasting hazlenuts and the apartment smelled amazing. He is wonderful. :) We have lots of updates, I will be posting more soon! Enjoy the day and tell someone you love them. :)

Lastly, to my wonderfully amazing husband, I love you! I can't imagine life without you and I am so blessed to call you mine.

Smile

The Year of Doug (err, the Rabbit)

When I started working at Vandy I signed up for a program where I'm matched with a student who came from a foreign country. It's sort of a friendship exchange program. I was matched with Sophie, who is from Taiwan but did her undergrad at Purdue. I went into it thinking I would teach her all about America but not only is she totally at home here, she's taught me TONS about Asia! She's in a one-year master's of finance program at Owen, sort of like what Doug's doing but sort of not really. Anyway, Sophie is awesome! We had her and her roommate Wei over for dinner one night (I hope I'm spelling your name right!)


Sophie invited me to the annual Chinese New Year's Celebration which was last night on campus. It was awesome! They had an amazing dinner of Chinese food and while we ate they broadcast the New Year's Show, sort of like Rockin New Year's Eve here in NYC. I learned this is the Year of the Rabbit, which is what Doug's mom has called him since he was tiny. (He had more energy than the energizer bunny, still does!) So ... it's the year of Doug. :) Anyway, after dinner came the performances, singers, student films, tiny kiddos doing cultural dances, ballerinas with swords, it was all very entertaining! I have learned tons about the Chinese/Asian culture and have made a new friend too. :)

Doug and I at the New Year's Celebration

Sophie and some of her friends (terrible picture quality, I know!)

The tiny dancers. What could be cuter than little girls dressed as bunny rabbits?