Parlier Pie Perfection

I’ve recently come to the conclusion that I immediately associate social gatherings with the need to overindulge on yummy food. Forget who will be in attendance, I want to know what there will be to eat, and can I bring I anything else! Like I’ve mentioned before, I have little to no control over my consumption of sugary treats, or delectable comfort foods. Out of site, out of mind. In site, in my mouth. Sorry! I would like to say, I’m working on it, but really, I am provoking it, by this season’s instantaneous desire to start baking! Last year around this time, I was withstanding all tasty temptations in preparation for my contest. This year, although still watching what I consume, I have to make up for lost time as I didn’t get to indulge in some of my favorite autumn dishes. With that being said, I have committed to trying a few new (and simple) recipes to kick off the fall season, but under one tiny stipulation. It cannot stay in my house. Luckily, our social calendar warrants a new recipe here and there for me to share with friends at THEIR houses. It’s also better that I am supervised; otherwise I will eat 5 pieces of pie because no one sees me in my own kitchen.   Two weeks ago, Vicki and I made Pumpkin Oatmeal (white) Chocolate Chip Cookies. YUM. I made the mistake of buying Pumpkin Pie Filling, not Pumpkin Puree, so I

 need to get rid of it before it becomes a sweet tooth disaster and gets eaten by the spoonful. I know, that’s gross, but I wouldn’t put it past me at my low points ;)

This recipe is simple with only 4 ingredients, but I have never made a pie before, so I see it as a challenge.

Fixins:

12oz. can Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Filling

2/3 cup (5 oz.can) Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 Large Eggs-Beaten
1 Unbaked pie Crust


Directions:
MIX pumpkin pie mix, evaporated milk and eggs in large bowl.
POUR into pie shell
BAKE in preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F.; bake 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Super Easy right!? Well, apparently I used a little more of the pumpkin pie filling than I thought when making the cookies, because my pie mix was SUPER runny when I put the ingredients together.  Having ZERO experience in Pie Perfection, I had no way to remedy this, so I prayed that cooking it longer would do the trick.  Add that mini disaster to  a super slow heating/cooking oven and "whipping" up a pie to take to a friend's on Friday became a 2.5 hour ordeal. GEEZ. Needless to say, my husband wasn't diving in for the first bite that night!  BUTTTT, to my disbelief, after a few hours in the oven, then an overnight stay in the fridge, the pie got raving reviews! So my Slushy Pie turned out to be alright and my plan worked, as I only had one piece....well maybe two ;)

                                                        

Freshman 15

Love is Sweet!
photo by Kacey Luvi

We’ve all heard the rumors, and hoped they wouldn’t come true….but it’s inevitable that newlyweds have a long running history of packin’ on a few extra lbs now that they’ve sealed the deal for “Happily Ever After.” Unfortunately, I have finally fallen victim to the freshman 15 of our first year of marriage, and it’s only been four months! According to studies, I am predicted to possibly gain 15-30 lbs over the next few years! OUCH! (read here!) Staying in bed until the last minute, late night ice cream dates on the couch, trips across the world eating blocks of cheese and pints of beer, and a fresh tapped keg within an arms reach to name a few of our downfalls. Over the years, both Tim and I put serious emphasis on maintaining our beach ready physiques, all of which is now two sheets to the wind! We have overindulged, gone back for thirds (notice I didn’t I say seconds), had an extra scoop, and took one for road any chance we got. It’s been fun stuffing our faces in the name of love and it’s been something we have both wanted to do for years now. BUT, it’s time for this Gluttony to end! Perhaps the June gloom that has taken over our entire summer is to blame as an excuse to not get into a bikini at the drop of dime, but the weather is a changin’ and I refuse to not change with it! I’ve never been one to not be happy in my skin…but I’m watching that slip ever so quickly, so it’s time to get a move on to ensure I can take full advantage of the beach days ahead without feeling the need to lather in spray tan and hide under an umbrella. I’ve decided (Tim claims these are my infamous words) to commit to being active for AT LEAST 30 mins each day. If you know me, I am a gym rat, and my usual goal is 60-90 mins 5-6 days a week…but let’s not rush into things just yet! I still plan to keep my work out regiment, but want to enhance it with consistency. My 30 minutes of activity could be running sprint intervals like the NY Jets til’ I puke, or it could be a nice walk with Tim on the beach. Both of which have their appeal, but regardless of the caloric burn, I am moving in the right direction. I’m going to Call it 30 for 30. Thirty minutes a day for 30 days…and I will see where I am at. I know enough to know that 30 mins a day isn’t going to take me be from Drab to Fab, but paired with sensible eating (maybe just seconds, not thirds) I think it will get me pumped up to get back on track, while still being relaxed and having fun indulging. The truth of the matter is this, I am not single, and I am not competing (Bodybuilding) anytime soon, so why not have an extra scoop and feel good about it? I am on a mission to find a happy balance between Queen of the Beach and “Fat and Happy.” :)
Now if you will excuse me, someone brought Donuts to work today and they are calling my name ;)
xoxo

1st Quarter Results are In!

Today is our THREE month Anniversary!!! Although insignificant in years to come, it marks the end of the first quarter of FOREVER…..and so far, the future forecast looks promising.

Tim is taking me to Europe to Celebrate ;) HA!

LOVE YOU HONEY!

"Lifey as a Wifey" Wednesdays!

As you know, I am attempting to document our life as newlyweds, in particular my developing role as a wife! Well, I certainly wouldn’t be a wife, without a husband, so once again, Lifey as a Wifey Wednesday will be about my awesome husband Tim…aka DJ Parliyay.  
I have emails spanning back to 2006 when Tim and I first started our courtship where he mentioned his passion and interest in electronic music. Being somewhat of a deep house enthusiast myself, it was something we bonded over and shared an interest. Over the years, Tim’s love for music became more serious and developed into a true hobby. I must admit there was a point where I didn’t take his passion seriously, but he quickly proved me wrong. When it came down to buying Tim a wedding gift, I wanted it to be more than a piece of jewelry or just something fancy and overrated. I thought about who he is as a person, the dreams that he has and the passions that made him into the man I love. With my creative juices flowing at an all time high during wedding preparations, I decided on a gift that although didn’t seem very sentimental, has turned out to be the ultimate dream catcher; a MAC book Pro. I truly feel that I didn’t just give Tim a computer, but I enabled his dreams to focus on a passion of his. Although at times I feel like I’m competing with computer for attention, I know deep down that nothing makes him happier than to listen, create and now share his music with tons of people. Check out his site at http://www.djparliyay.com/. Clearly, I am his #1 Fan!

SOUND THE TRUMPETS!! Wedding pictures are here!

Photo by Kacey Luvi

At last, our most prized possessions of the best day of our lives have finally arrived! I came home from a grueling Dr.’s appointment last weekend to find that my sweet husband had placed a PINK package on our bed.
A) Who doesn’t LOVE getting a package!? (Tim knows to let me open the good ones!) B) Who doesn’t love PINK!? And C) to my (somewhat) surprise, they were our wedding photos, OMGoodness=ECSTATIC!!! Not only were they in a cute electric pink shipping box, they were wrapped in a custom craft box with fun bright yellow tissue paper and tied with raffia and a pink bow! Unfortunately for that wrapping, it didn’t last long through my anticipation of getting those pics!
Kacey Luvi (pronounced Love-Eye) our INCREDIBLE photographer and now friend, was loved by all at our wedding. She made things so easy and fun, and the best of all, makes you look and feel like a model. Who doesn’t L-O-V-E that!? As promised, our wedding pics will be up on her site for viewing and purchasing, http://www.kaceyluvi.com/. Just click on “See my Pics” and the password is Cargo.
Thank you to Kacey for capturing what feels like a blink of an eye in all these amazing photos! Tim and I will have these to cherish (and for me to obsess over) for many years to come and we couldn’t thank you enough for being a special part of our special day!
ENJOY!!!!

"Lifey as a Wifey" Wednesdays

Today marks the first installment of “Lifey as a Wifey" Wednesdays! I’ve decided to cure my mid-workweek blues by writing about a subject that is new and exciting to me: BEING A WIFE! Lucky for me, this new title comes with a handsome, sweet, and loving husband that, so far, has made my Lifey as a Wifey Saaawwwweeettt! ;) So my first post as a wife is a Standing ovation, Round of applause, High clap and Fist pump to my AWESOME husband,Tim. You don’t have to ask my mother to know that I can be a handful, and Tim has held on tight and close through my rollercoaster of emotions these past few months…or maybe years ;) I don’t ever want him to feel under appreciated or have the sweet things he does go unnoticed, so I try my best to express my thankfulness and count my blessings. We hung a white board in the kitchen last week, and after it hung blank for a day, I decided to start a new practice. Across the top I wrote, “I love my husband because he cooked me dinner.” Obviously I love Tim for many more reasons, but I felt it was a lovable gesture that he cooked for us that night. Later he saw what I wrote and had a big grin on his face. Since that night, I fill in the blank when the opportunity presents itself. I’m happy to say that my cup runneth over with gestures to be thankful for! Just a few from this past week: “I love my husband because he brought me Peonies (my fave!)….he did the dishes…..put together my new computer desk while I was at work….bought us a new book shelf.” Perhaps these little notes are more for me than for Tim, but updating the board has become my favorite part of the day. Behind every great Wife, there should be a caring, giving and loving Husband and I am so blessed to have Tim fit the bill. ;)

Ms. to Mrs.

Getting engaged=THRILLING

Planning a wedding=STRESSFUL, but Fun and SOOO worth it!

Wedding=AMAZING! Forever together began ;)

Honeymoon= UNREAL

Ms. Cargo to Mrs. Parlier =NO one told me it took so much time, effort and $$!

The wedding is over, we are all moved in, and we are heading to Europe in less than two months. To change my name legally before then or not, WAS the question at hand. After living a double life as Ms. Cargo and Mrs. Parlier for a few weeks, I decided to take the final plunge with the name change. There was so questioning whether I was going to be a Parlier, I just didn’t know WHEN I would make the switcha-roo. It wasn’t until I unsuccessfully tried to cash a check made out to Allison Parlier at the bank did I realize that my double agent life was beginning to be an inconvenience! Other than a white hoody that said, “Mrs. Parlier Est. 4.16.10” (which btw, the bank does not accept as a valid form of name change) I didn’t have any legal documents proving my union to Tim or my rights as a Parlier! My only hesitation for starting the process now was being stopped by the Italian Government while at Mike and Stephanie’s Wedding because my passport said Cargo, but my ticket said Parlier. Uggh…what I nightmare! After a little research, I took the chance it would be done in time.
First things first, where is our marriage license!? Come to find out, that unless you pay ahead of time, you have to physically go and request a copy (or notarize request my mail). I fill out my paper work, get to the front of the line, and the lady behind the desk at the County Recorder looks at my form, pulls our records up on the computer, and says, are you sure this is the date? I asked her what date are you referring? She says, your wedding date. I looked at the form and saw April 16th, and said, “Yep that’s it!” She said, “ARE YOU SUURREEE??” I said “YESSSSS”…..I wanted to say, “Look lady, just shy of tattooing that date on my body, I know that’s my wedding date ok!?!” She said, “Well that doesn’t match the system.” She shows me a copy of our marriage license and our Pastor had written in April 15th! After confirming it doesn’t really mean anything, and it can be changed, I said, Ok, give me 3 copies and I was on my way. Next up was Social Security, which luckily didn’t take long at all. Thankfully, I actually planned ahead and made a DMV appointment the week we got back from our honeymoon, so I had a week for my SS Card to come before I headed over to that nightmare of a government institution.  Luckily, my SS card came in a timely manner and I cruised into the DMV with my appointment like I was on Easy Street. All I have to say is, by the Grace of God I brushed and curled my hair that day, because yes, they make you take a new picture!
Next up on the list was my passport. This was the easiest, but most expensive of them all. All they need is a new photo, (this time I prepped for it and it came out great! Yess!), a copy of the marriage license, your old passport, and the application for name change-all sent via snail mail.
And now, I play the waiting game…..and pray my passport comes in less than 5 weeks before we leave for our trip. So 8 weeks later, I am now officially a Parlier, but I have a feeling I will be chasing Ms. Cargo out of my life for years to come ;)

Marriage license copies $42

DMV Name Change $25

Passport Name change $75

Passport Pics $7

Becoming Mrs. Parlier PRICELESS!

My Father, the Hero

 My husband Tim is by far Numero Uno in my life (only second to Jesus), but it hasn’t always been that way. Before Tim, there was another man that I always ran to for a shoulder to cry on, called for advice, and found safety in his arms. His name is Dad. He was my first Valentine, the first man to buy me jewelry, the first hand I held, and the hardest thing to let go of as I started my new chapter with Tim. In Genesis 2:24, the Bible says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

As we celebrated Father’s Day yesterday with the family, it had a new meaning to me. I still have the utmost appreciation and admiration for my father, but this year it was different. Two months ago, he had the honor of giving his baby girl “away” to a man that he trusted, respected, and honored as much as I do. I know it wasn’t easy for him to do, and if you have seen any of our wedding pictures, I wasn’t exactly holding it together either! But I believe that if you asked him, and certainly if you asked me, we were ready for this. Our relationship as Father-Daughter has come full circle as his “little girl.” Obviously, at 27, I haven’t been much of a “little” girl for quite some time now, but over the past few years as my relationship with Tim has become more serious, my relationship with Dad has evolved in its own way. At times some might differ, but I feel getting married as made me that much more of a “grown up” and with that, my relationships are maturing as well. This Father’s Day, I celebrated my amazing Dad and everything he has done for our family, but also I cherished it as the next installment in my new chapter of Married life. I cannot praise my Dad enough for all the joy, laughter, respect, triumph and admiration he has brought our family. I would not be the woman I am today without him. I love you dad!

Father's Day 2010...Debbie, where are you!??

"She Makes a Mean Bowl of Cereal"

One of the many thrills of getting married is being showered with so many fun gifts. Specifically, the culinary gadgets and do-dads that you’ve never needed prior to getting married, but always saw in your mother’s kitchen; So you registered for them! I have a new fascination with using as many as possible while cooking every meal. Why do it the old college way, when you can have the cuisinart do it for you right!?

When asked if I was a good cook, Tim used to always say, “She makes a mean bowl of cereal.” Although funny, I felt it was an injustice to my womanhood, as well as being an obvious backhanded compliment. I love you dearly Tim, but other than milk to cereal proportions and deciding to use the big or small spoon, what’s to making a bowl of cereal anyway!!!?? To my defense, it’s not that I am or was ever a bad cook; I just didn’t do much “cooking” at all. As Tim like to call it, I “prepared” food from Trader Joe’s delectable frozen food section or made egg whites….all the time ;)
Little does he know that it’s these comments that have driven me to explore the world of cooking in hopes to win the ultimate honor of my husband’s Parlier Stamp of Approval.
All to say, I have been married for 8 weeks (and counting) and have happily broadened my culinary skills to the utmost, having even constructed my own creations! I find it relaxing, yet challenging, sometimes irritating, EXPENSIVE, but so wonderfully rewarding when we sit at the dinner table together over a home cooked meal. I also find that the more gadgets and utensils I use, from putting my ingredients in tiny bowls (like on the cooking shows) to experimenting with my steamer, it makes it so much more fun!
I have to thank my Mom, Dad, Step mom, Ashley and my new neighbor Katy as my cookery resources/recipe owners ;) And of course, all the generous people that gave us new fun toys like our waffle maker, steamer, Pyrex set, and Bullet blender! 
I will keep you posted as I embark on this Top Chef Journey of being the Ultimate Wife. So, far, I think only my Enchiladas and Wine Cake (both family recipes) have received the stamp of Parlier Approval, but there is no stopping me!

In the meantime, any advice for this newlywed cook is appreciated!