JUNIOR YEAR

JUNIOR YEAR! 

Yes, I am an upperclassman.

go BIG or go home! 

That's all.

Favorite Recipes: Take it or Leave it

Texas has been SO hot! I haven't seen any rain all summer!

 

My sister and I have been cooking a lot this summer!

My roomate  gave me some very tasty recipes!

Here are a few that are very easy and quick! Thanks MHC!

Hot Caprese Dip

serves 2-4

10 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped into cubes

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and juiced

3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil (or about 1 tablespoon dried) + more for garnish

Preheat oven to 375.

Make sure tomatoes have as much juiced squeezed out of them as possible – this will prevent the dip from becoming soupy. In a small baking dish, combine chopped cheese, tomatoes and basil and mix. Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes so cheese becomes bubbly and golden. Serve immediately with crackers or melba toasts.

Note: dip may appear “watery” which is why it is VERY important to get as much moisture out of the tomatoes as possible. Also make sure dip is consumed immediately, as the longer it sits, the more juice that develops. Don’t worry if there is a little bit of juice – it is still delicious!

Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella

• 2 medium sized (or about 5 small) zucchini
• Johnny’s Garlic Spread & Seasoning (I found it at Costco or Sam’s)
• salt
• 2 C shredded mozzarella cheese (thought I had mozzarella but I didn’t so I used a bled of Monterrey and cheddar and I didn’t measure the cheese, just put on what looked good)

1. Slice your zucchini up into 1/2 inch rings.
2. Lay them out flat on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Johnny’s Garlic Seasoning and a bit of salt.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until crisp tender.
4. Take the hot pan out of the oven and sprinkle the zucchini with cheese. Turn the oven to broil, throw that cookie sheet back into the oven and let the cheese get all bubbly and a bit browned. This should only take about 3-5 minutes. Be careful here. Broiling things in the oven can get out of control in a fast hurry. (my trick for broiling is to not move the rack up, I just keep it in the middle of the oven and things are less likely to burn.  It may take a minute longer, but no burnt food)

Baked Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 2 • Serving Size: 1/2 • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 108 • Fat: 4.7g • Protein: 1.1 g • Carb: 15.8 g • Fiber: 2.0 g  

• 1 sweet potato, (about 5" long) peeled and cut into 1/4" fries
• 2 tsp olive oil
• sea salt
• ground chipotle chile
• garlic powder 

Preheat oven to 425°.
In a medium bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, garlic powder and chipotle chile powder. Spread potatoes on a baking sheet. Avoid crowding so potatoes get crisp. Bake 15 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Ovens may vary so keep an eye on them and be sure to cut all the potatoes the same size to ensure even cooking.

 Mozzarella, Tomato and Avocado Salad

These flavors are just perfect together - juicy, crisp cherry tomatoes, soft creamy mozzarella, rich avocado, fresh parsley and basil, lemon juice and olive oil. Serve it with a warm, toasted baguette and you'll be done for too!

Ingredients

1 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 carton fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1/3 cup basil, julienned (I used my frozen basil I had on hand, it was perfection)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Baguette - optional

Directions

In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and parsley. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. 

Pour over tomato mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Just before serving stir in the chopped avocado. Serve with a slotted spoon and toasted baguette. 

Only a few more days until school starts back!
Hope you enjoy the recipes!
Take it or leave it!

Don't forget....
Pray for Rain in Texas!

Tiffany and Briana

Summer in July

I've been back from Europe now for a month....

And July has gone by WAY too fast!

Everything I have planned to do...

hasn't happend.

But everything I didn't have planned has created the best part of the summer!

SUMMER Camp!

Ginny and I with our own batman!

Two Weeks ago, I got the chance to be a sponsor at a church youth camp called Sonday’s Camp!  The guy that leads Breakaway at A&M, Ben Stuart was the pastor of the camp.  Dutton Band was the band for worship! It was a really good experience to see how God is working in others lives!

Taco Tuesday Night!

A few great Dutton Band Songs to Download

Welcome Home

No One is Higher

Joyful

The Youth Group

For Tiffany's  birthday...

We went to Sprinkles and went on a Segway Tour!

READING

We finally finished the book The HELP!
My grandma, mom, sister, and I finished it! 

It is an amazing book that everyone should read!
We can't wait for the movie!

The movie comes out August 10!
So read it in the next 10 dayS!

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

London, England

LONDON LONDON LONDON

 

These cars were EVERYWHERE around London. Aren't they cool!?

The Famous Red Telephone booths!

Pine Cone building in the financial area of London.

We went to go see Mamma Mia! on Broadway!

It was so entertaining! The broadway in London is SO laid back. People wear whatever they want and they get up and clap, dance, and sing whenever they want during the musical.

It was really fun and such a different experience from New York or Dallas! I was so glad we decided to do something fun and relaxing before we left Europe. Mamma Mia was the perfect show because of ABBA and they spoke in an English Accent!

 

The guard by the Crown of Jewels!

 

We went to TEXAS EMBASSY! 

It is a restaurant that has TEX MEX. Texans also write on their wall!

I signed my name by my BIG is tridelta! And my other sisters! The plaque below is the actual sign when Texas had the embassy created after the Battle of Alamo!

TEXAS is the best state!

 

 The whole group ate at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese!

It is the oldest running restaurant in London. Charles Dickens and Samuel Johnson used to eat here! After we ate, our professors gave out special awards! The group voted on most likely to....

I won....

MOST LIKELY TO OVERPACK! haha.

The sad part is it is a very accurate statement!

Baylor University

E3 GROUP JUNE 2011

European Entrepreneurship Experience

Courtney Yankowski

Thank you so much for being the best traveling friend EVER! Thanks for sharing a bed with me, helping me pack my suitcase, shopping for many souvenirs and everything else!

LOVE YOU!

SIGHTSEEING!

I got really sick in London. I was SO ready to go home... but it wasn't going to stop me!

I saw Westminster Abby but didn't have enough time to go in...

I guess that means I have to go back soon!
We saw Big Ben, Towers of London, Lilly Whites, Mamma Mia, visited the Bank of England,
ate fish and chips and walked all of London.

BIG BEN

BUCKINGHAM PALACE!

HARRODS!

I Could live here! The store was unbelievable! I've never seen anything like it!

They literally had EVERYTHING! I couldn't resist. 

After Paris... now London...

My suitcase was definitely overweight!

London was fun. But America was calling my name!

I got home on July 3 just in time for July 4!

There's no place like Texas! I finally have my family, sister, brother, Tex-Mex, homemade ice cream, roomates, best friends, Miss TEXAS!,  a reasonable phone bill, free internet, free restrooms, private transportation, my pets, bed, shower and no more living out of a box!
 GOD Bless America!
Everything is Bigger in Texas!

E3 has been a great experience and I have learned a lot about myself, my beliefs, the world, friends, business and so much more! I'm so blessed to meet new friends and share my trip with my old friends.

I still can't believe I was gone for 5 weeks. The first 5 an experience of a lifetime and I can't wait to see what the 2nd half of summer bring.

Summer 2.... here we go!

Caen, France

Caen! Caen! Caen!

It has been extremely cold here in France. I was not expecting this. I know Texas is going to be HOT but I am READY! I am ready to get home and run up and down my street, sleep in my canopy bed, eat some Hook Line and Sinker, El Finex, and spend all day swimming on the Forth of July until I turn into a prune! Today is Sunday... and in one more week I will be HOME! God Bless America.

Life Lessons

Courtney and I joke that when we land we are going to kiss the ground and the first American we find give them a huge hug! Europe is amazing and it has been amazing being a able to see so many sights but I think they have skipped a few lessons. Like having to pay for water, ketchup, not being able to match their clothes, not having any good food to eat, and other essential and basic lessons to life. 

On the bright side...

We are staying in Caen for a week!

Finally! A little bit of down time and relaxation, right?

Ummm. No. Well it is nice being in one spot for a long period of time, but here we are suppose to finish up our coursework that we started in Prague.

School

We have to write a group business plan that is about 20 pages single space and also a personal business plan that is about 10 pages.

Group

My group is writing a elderly service businesses plan. We are going to provide an assistant to the elder. It is a great business since the baby boomers need more care. It isn’t medical or anything but strictly a service where we can get grocerys, make dinner, bring them to events, hair salon, and etc. I think it would be wonderful and it will provide a great relationship! Who knows? Maybe I will start it one day! But for now... the plan must be written. We have to finish writing it and present it on Wednesday in front of everyone so... Pray that we finish and do well on the presentation!

Personal

My personal business plan is a pizza restaurant called Peachy Pizza. Long story short you build your pizza through a line like a FROYO place.  Cook it and eat it. That is the short version. Fast. Friendly. And great for busy families like mine. I would love to start some sort of business when I graduate but who knows what will happen. I think my plans change daily.

D-Day

The first day we arrived in Caen we went to the D-Day museum. It was interesting. We got to watch a movie. And I am really glad me and Courtney watched Saving Private Ryan in Geneva because I would have no idea what was going on! Haa. So much for public school history.

We went to the artificial harbors make during the war. The Americans and British created two different harbors to load and unload supplies and it is still kind of standing. We saw an underground bunker and the old radar concrete slab.

We went to the Normandy beaches where the attacks took place and the American memorial. The memorial and rows and rows of crosses and the Jews had their star of David. The two flag poles had eagles on top. The eagles and the head stones face America. We found the Nylon brothers (saving private ryan) and we found the Teddy Roosevelt’s two sons. Those are the most famous people buried at the memorial.

Hotel

We are staying by a McDonalds with wifi and a big supermarket. We are staying in an apartment style so we have groceries. I make me a sandwich for lunch. I found hot salsa and guacamole sauce but its not the same. I think their taste buds are messed up.

Schedule

The past two days we would get up. Have breakfast.

 AKA.... croissants with butter or nutella.  (we have croissants for breakfast everyday for 5 weeks. How about a Whataburger taquito?) Nutella has definitely grown on EVERYONE! Nutella and crepes.

Then we would work on our business plans from 9-12.

Have lunch from 12-1:30. Take a nap!

Then work from 1:30 – 5 on more business plans.

We have to finish because we present on Wednesday!

Dinner

One night we decided to go into town to eat dinner. The town is bigger than I expected but it looked a bit deserted. There were people walking around but it was just very quiet. We found some water and some boats. Where there is water.... there are restaurants. They LOVE muscles in France. The restaurant basically gives you a big pot filled with muscles and you pick the sauce or cream you want them to marinate in. I picked a tomato and parsley with oil and Courtney had some sort of goat cheese or something. I don’t know if I just really hungry but they were really good! You would crack them, Let them marinate at the bottom of the pan and then eat them. Bon Apatite!

On Saturday we went to two places, St. Michel and St. Malo. I’ve never been to anything like it.

St. Michel

St. Michel is in the middle of the French Countryside. We are driving along flat, green countryside and a random single mountain pops up. It is a lonely mountain in the middle of the plain! The other side is the English Channel. When the tide is low you can drive up to the mountain, but when the tide is high, the water surrounds the mountain! There is one narrow street to the top. That is it. We walked up to the top and there is a HUGE abbey.

You can see the sand and water and the French countryside. It was gorgeous. We toured the abbey and then walked around the mountain. The narrow street has souvenir shops and restaurants. I had a omelet basically inside of a crepe. The street and village looked like something Disney would have created. It was really cute.

St. Malo

St. Malo is considered a wall city. The city is surrounded by a huge stone wall that you can walk around and the Ocean surrounds the city depending on the low and high tide. I thought it was going to be cold but it was really hot. I even got a little pink. We walked in the sand and then walked around the city and looked a the cute little shops. It was so pretty but I know why we couldn’t stay there....

I would never finish my business plan!

Sunday

We had a small church service in the hotel this morning. We sang, my professors husband is a reverend so he preached. Laundry and going to McDonalds to work on the business plan is on the agenda.

TV

we finally learned how to change the languages on the television! Hallelujah! One night we watched charlie’s angels one and two! Today...Bride and Prejudice! At least we have a tv to keep us company!

Monday Night

We have girls night with Dr. Reed in town! Should be fun!

Texas in one more week!

ahhhhvvveee waaaaaahhhhhhhh!

MCDONALDS has free WiFi! Hallelujah!