Skyline Dip

The cravings have finally started to hit me which is a nice change from having to force feed myself because absolutely nothing sounded appetizing. For the past week I have been craving this recipe and Tuesday night I finally broke down and stopped at the store to purchase the ingredients. I first had this dip while growing up, my Aunt made it for almost every family function. Unfortunately due to heart issues that the family has been diagnosed with due to genetics she has stopped bringing the dip and now brings salads...lol. Fortunately for me this is my step-dad's side of the family so while I should be protective of my heart, now more so than ever, I don't have to worry about the problem quite as much. I do still find the urge to dip into this wonderful unhealthy goodness from time to time...obviously.

Skyline Dip~

Ingredients:

2 8oz. blocks cream cheese, softened

1 bowl of frozen Skyline Chili, thawed

3-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

tortillas chips for dipping

Directions:

1.) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) In a 9x13 baking dish, evenly spread softened cream cheese.

3.) Pour chili over cream cheese. You may need to microwave the chili for about a minute to make it pourable.

4.) Sprinkle on shredded cheese, bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and the sides are bubbly.

This dip never lasts long whenever I bring it to other family functions, not my step-dads. The sad thing is it just doesn't photograph well as you can see by the picture I took.

Cravings

I think it's safe to say that the cravings that most pregnant women experience has finally hit me. How do I know this you ask...the list below is what was purchased last night at the grocery. Please do not judge me, remember "what the baby wants, the baby gets."

• Regular Pringles
• Sour cream and onion pringles, which are sadly already gone.
• Microwave popcorn, extra butter
• Brownie mix
• Reese's minis to put in the brownie mix
• The ingredients needed to make Skyline dip, recipe will be shared on my food blog.
• Chocolate pop-tarts, the big box!
• 2 cans of vegetable beef soup, Campbell's edition
• Tortilla chips for the Skyline dip
• 2 slices of cheesecake
• The latest People magazine to read while stuffing my face full of these very unhealthy foods.
• I also bought some bananas so I wasn't completely bad.

The worse part of this list is that what is listed is all that was purchased. This trip to the store was purely to indulge the junk food cravings that I have been having. What isn't shown is the big box of Lucky Charms and Trix that was bought about two weeks ago.

The funny part about all of these cravings is that my hubby has also started to have them, please see below conversation.

Daniel: "Are you bringing home anything for lunch?"

Katie: " I hadn't planned on it, why?"

Daniel: " Just wondering"

Long Pause

Katie: "Would you like for me to bring home lunch?"

Daniel: "If you want...McDonald's sounds good."

Katie: "You want your usual?"

Daniel: "Yeah"

Daniel: " Man, last night I was cravings Wendy's so bad."

Katie: " Well there isn't really a Wendy's on my way home or else I would get you some."

Daniel: "Yeah, I know, McDonald's is fine."

Daniel: "The night before then I was craving Taco Bell, and then the other night I was craving me some fried chicken. I think I have your pregnancy cravings."

Katie: " Sounds like!" (Insert giggles)

I wonder which one of us is going to gain the most weight during these next 6 1/2 months?

Stuffed Pepper Rings

So last week I promised that I would be sharing a new recipe with everyone and low and behold it never happened. I didn't forget on purpose nor did I really forget I just never got around to it. The sad thing about buying fresh produce from Super Wal-Mart is that by the time you do get around to it, the produce needs tossed. We don't even want to discuss the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that have been thrown away at our house because they haven't been used in time. I think with a little one on the way I really need to get out of the horrible, horrible habit and remember to slice and dice and then freeze for later use. I didn't get to make the recipe therefore there is no picture but I thought I would share it with you anyway. The original inspiration for this dish came from Sunny Anderson, one of the many chefs on Food Network. I improvised quite a bit and came up with this winner. My Dad and Uncle Dan love this dish so I hope that it is a hit with your family as well.

Stuffed Pepper Rings~

Ingredients:
6 Large Peppers- Red, Yellow, and Green
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground turkey
2 eggs
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
salt and pepper
hot sauce
worchestire sauce
1 C. Bread Crumbs
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tbsp. dried basil
olive oil
1 16oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 C. cooked white rice
Shredded mozzarella and mild cheddar cheese, optional

Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix together the ground chuck, ground sausage, and ground turkey.

2. Add the two eggs and mix well.

3. Add the dry ingredients consisting of bread crumbs, dried basil, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder, and onion powder.

4. To that mixture add a dash or two of hot sauce, and about three dashes of the worchestire sauce. Depending on how spice you want the mix you may add or subtract the hot sauce. I find that it gives the mixture a nice little kick.

5. Lastly combine the cup of cooked rice.

6. I allow this mixture to sit off to the side while I am cleaning my peppers. I core the peppers and then cut them into horizontal slices so that they stay in nice little circles.

7. In a large saute pan drizzle a little olive oil and then set to medium high heat.

8. Begin taking your stuffing mixture and adding to your peppers making a nice little patty. It reminds me of hamburgers just surrounded by a pepper ring.

9. Add to your saute pan the stuffed rings and brown evenly on each side. After they have browned on each side add them to a 9x13 baking dish which has been lined with a thin layer of your crushed tomatoes. After adding your peppers top them off with the rest of your crushed tomato mix. Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until meat is cooked all the way through.

10. During the last few minutes of the baking time I usually sprinkle on top some shredded mozzarella and mild cheddar cheese and allow to melt on top.

Pregnancy Symptoms so far...

The symptoms that I have experienced so far, and please keep in mind we are only ten weeks in to this almost ten month journey, are listed below.

• Nausea/vomiting
• Headaches
• Indigestion/heartburn-the kind where you think you are breathing fire
• Frequent need to go "poddy"
• Loss of appetite
• Cravings of either fruits such as pears or junk food such as potato chips
• The need to cry at every T.V. show or commercial ever as well as all of the Mommy blogs I am now following.
• Hormonal...I will apologize now to my Husband because sadly, it's probably only going to get worse.
• Fatigue
• Laziness, similar to fatigue but now quite.

Now as I said we are only ten weeks into this journey and I must admit, no one ever warned me of these "issues" before hand. I was vaguely familiar with the nausea/vomiting thanks to my sister but stupid inexperienced Katie just assumed that the need to pee every hour on the hour didn't come until later in the pregnancy, and don't get me started on the laziness part. I swear people, if I didn't have to shower and occasionally feed myself or do laundry/dishes, I probably wouldn't do it. I have absolutely no motivation to do anything and the real kicker is that I don't give a hoot.

Now on to the emotions; I knew I was in trouble the other day when I made the mistake of turning on TLC. During the day is when TLC plays all of the baby shows, A Baby Story, etc. Please take my advice ladies, if you are expecting please do not turn on any of these shows!! You will cry and cry, and cry some more. You will blow snot all over your sleeves, it will run down and out of your nose, you will use up all of your Subway napkins that you require to eat the sub you are attempting to get down. It is not a pretty scene and another piece of advice, if you must watch these shows, please do so while your husband is either napping or not home. Husbands find crying over "stupid" T.V. shows the most hilarious thing ever.

The one symptom though that seems to be bothering me the most this week is the heartburn. Nothing helps this heartburn and I am seriously afraid to start a conversation with anyone at work for fear of toasting their eyebrows right off their foreheads, it's bad, real bad. What scares me the most is that I have around six and a half months left of this and something tells me these symptoms are only going to get worse and that I will probably have to expand my list to cover the new ones yet to be experienced.

Motherhood, it is just lovely and I have a pretty little ultrasound picture that I can't quit starting at that proves to me that at the end of these next six and a half months I will have the most beautiful baby in my arms and all of these miserable symptoms will have been worth every second.

Someone you might be interested in meeting...

There is someone I would like for you to meet, please click on the link below to find out who!!

http://katieplusdanielequalsbaby.blogspot.com/

Introducing...

for the very first time, my little peanut. We finally got to see our little sprout on the big screen today, proof that there really is something growing in my belly. They have moved our due date up to February 11th due to the fact that at nine weeks and 5 days our little miracle baby is measuring in at ten weeks and 4 days. The moment the words viable, healthy baby came out of the ultrasounds techs mouth, I lost it. My little baby who then waved for their audience and then proceeded to hiccup on several different occasions causing it's tiny little body to fling upwards is healthy, active and ready to make their mark on the world. The tech informed us that its pretty unusual for the baby to be this active this early on...does this mean I am going to have my hands full or what? The heart rate was 160, which according to the old wives tale means we're having our little princess. My sister though, being the party pooper that she is, casually informed me that the heart beat for her baby was 160 as well and he has an extra limb if you know what I mean. I am going to pretend that she is crazy and believe what I want. She also informed me as did our lovely cousin Heather, that they have both had a dream now that it was a girl, so I am thinking since I have also had the "it's a little girl" dream, that maybe I am having a girl. I just have this gut feeling that it's a little princess and for now that is enough for me.

I finally broke down and bought our first baby items on Friday. I had to buy myself a new pair of tennis shoes thanks to a Great Dane named Lennon, or a Lab named Bandit, or heck it was probably both of them so I stopped at Kohl's and of course the baby section is right across the aisle from the shoe department. I bought the baby several different neutral outfits and I had to fight the urge to not buy any of the cute little pink and purple sundresses that are currently available. Lord I can't wait to find out what we're having so that I can either start buying the dresses or hold out hope for the next little one. I can picture it now...our little lady dressed in her Sunday best with her frilly little headband on holding down all of her light colored fuzz, those big blue eyes that I hope my child gets after my Dad and I, followed by those chunky cheeks and fat rolls for thighs. I can't wait to chew on those cheeks and rub baby lotion on the rolls. It's not quite time though, someone has to continue baking for several more months. On another note, we have just over two weeks left during the first trimester, I am confident in the fact the baby and I will make it through these next few weeks and next several months for that matter, healthy and ready to go. It will be a relief though to know that we have made it through the most crucial time and that our chance of miscarriage is so low it's almost non-existent. I will continue talking to the baby and rubbing my belly, willing this baby to stay strong and to stay healthy. Mommy and Grammy are ready for you little one, Grammy wants a boy though so here's a $100 smackers if you come out being a little lady.

Morning sickness and everything else that goes with being pregnant

When my sister was in her first trimester back towards the beginning of the year, she had morning sickness bad. Take for instance when I had my first Remicade treatment in February and she went with me for moral support, the nurse got a kick out of Nikki flying out of the room to throw up on several different occasions. Another priceless morning sickness moment for Nikki was when Uncle Dan was admitted to the hospital, we had all stopped by after work and she along with her hubby and me decided we would head to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. I promise you, two bites into her hamburger she took off like a bat out of hell for the bathroom only to come back saying that she didn't make it. Now let me tell you, it's one thing to throw up in public, but its a whole nother ball game when you throw up in the hallway of a hospital surrounded by nurses. Their first thought is that you are seriously ill and need to be seen stat. Poor Nikki had to explain she was just pregnant and her dinner hadn't gone down well. The situation didn't become funny until we had finished our dinner and were headed back to the room when Nikki about lost it because the nurses were still in the hallway cleaning up her mess. She was mortified that we were going to have to walk past them. We pulled ourselves together and she walked by with her head held high, while Kevin and I tried desperately to contain our ever growing giggles. As her older sister I should have taken that little bit of information to my grave but as the elevator doors opened to a crowd of our family chilling in the waiting room I couldn't help but shout "Guess what Nikki just did?", to which I had I to tell everyone the wonderful story. If I only knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have giggled so much or been desperate to tell her horrid tale. Now Nikki is the one giggling and while I don't yet have a public humiliation story I think she takes satisfaction in knowing I am just as miserable as she was and my time may still be coming. Morning sickness, isn't it just grand?