A Very Special Bit's Birthday

~Happy Birthday~

 to 

Joy Marie

~The best friend a Bit could ever ask for...

~The most beautiful girl 

{inside and out}

~Someone so genuine and caring to everyone she meets

~The smartest, most dedicated and driven person I know

{She's graduating from Law school in 1 week}

~The friend i always admired and wanted to be like

~The funniest, wittiest and most fun loving person to be around

~Joy~

since 3rd grade we were destined to be BFFAEAE

See how Joy and i are the only girls not wearing jumpers. Kindred spirits from the get-go...

{8th or 9th grade?}

Joy brings out the crazy in us all, 

Yet she remains gorgeous...

Joy is the funnest person to take trips with

Even if it's just you two...

She's the perfect maid of honor

Animals are even drawn to her

She can shake that laffy taffy

I just love her so much! 

 Happy 25th Birthday

We are Johnnies forever!!

Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese Dip and Celery

Delicious! I ate it with sweet potato fries too, but these were frozen not homemade.

I have never been a big fan of "buffalo" flavored things. I don't know why but for some reason I never got on the buffalo bandwagon. However, I was in VA beach recently and had buffalo shrimp, and it rocked my buffalo world. I will never be the same.

Ever since then, I have been craving buffalo anything. When I saw the recipe for these buffalo chicken burgers, I just felt like my world would not be complete if I didn't make them. I made them, and I must tell you, 2bit's life is so much better and more complete! It's pretty amazing how that happened, but all 2bit can do is go with it and keep making these buffalo chicken burgers.

Click here for the original recipe tasty kitchen.

The peeps. Gotta go check on my peeps. AB RIPPER X!! Google it and you will know what I'm talkin' bout.

For da boiges (say it like you are from NY or Jersey. "The burgers" if you are confused)

• 1 pound Ground Chicken
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Pepper
• ½ Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• ¼ cups Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ cups Buffalo Wing Sauce
• Sandwich buns. (I used thin buns from Earthgrains. I like them much better than normal buns)
• Blue cheese crumbles and / or cheddar cheese.
• Tomato slices (optional)
• Celery and Blue Cheese Dip (below)

Preheat grill or skillet.

In a large bowl combine ground chicken, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan, buffalo wing sauce, and the blue cheese crumbles (optional). Mix until just combined. Form into patties.

Grill or pan-fry patties until brown on both sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, place cheddar cheese on your boige (optional). Place burgers on whole wheat buns and top with a tomato slice or drizzle of ranch and buffalo wing dressing.

2bit made da boiges two different ways. For half, I added blue cheese crumbles to da boiges before cooking them on the skillet, and for the other half I did not add blue cheese but put cheddar on top at the end. They were both delicious. I loved them equally. You could even do both if you are feeling extra cheesy :) (A 2bit example of feeling extra cheesy- placing cheese on your friend's car and writing messages in it or putting a cheeto bag on a walking barbie doll and leaving it in front of your friend's door as it sings to "I'm a barbie girl"). 

Da Blue Cheese Dip (Adapted from Gourmet.com)

• 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

Mix all ingredients. As simple as that yo.




Yummy in 2bit's tummy.. Here are the sweet potato fries. They are excellent and all natural babay. 

Lexington's Top Picks of the Week

                  

If you have never eaten at Jonathan's at Gratz Park, you must! It is exquisitely delicious. Maybe you can't afford to eat out for a while after, but it's so worth it. You MUST request to be seated out on the beautiful patio. The streamed lights and cozy placement in between two exposed brick walls creates quite a romantic ambiance. AND they hand-make their spinach noodles that are out of this world!

              *As Always- The Arboretum

{http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/lexington_arboretum_garden}

Go for a run, a walk or to throw a frisbee; go on a picnic or just to lounge with your Beloved...

                  *Keeneland

                                                                                                       {2Bit}

It's that time of year again. Keeneland has been open and will be until the 29th. If it's a pretty day, you should definitely go! Gates open at 11 a.m. Wed-Sun, except for Easter Sunday! Admission is $5.

{http://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-central/lexington-kentucky-weekend-vacation-00400000053771/}

              

*Go on an Adventure

Meet Gracie, our little snake hunter!

We have to take the snake away from her or she will carry it around for hours so proud to show off her prize!

                 

               *Look Around

{2Bit}

2Bit loves to stop and take in all of God's beautiful creation. 

If you can't go to any of the above places, I bet you could find beauty wherever you are. 

This is at the Henry Clay Estate Park across the street from our house!

 Just take the time to STOP & admire.

 There is not a better time than Spring! 

Happy Passover!

{http://www.partizane.com/node/1927}

2Bit made her first leg of lamb and Matzo ball soup. Twas quite an experience.

{http://www.indyposted.com/146499/top-10-cold-weather-soups/}

Lowfat Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala and Do-it Yourself Garam Masala

2bit Joy LOOOOVES chicken tikka masala. But she does not love all of the fat that is in it, but she really does bc that's what makes it soo darn good. Well this recipe is simple, easy, and a lot healthier than normal chicken tikka masala recipes with the addition of lots of veggies and omission of heavy cream. It isn't as savory, but it does the trick.

The stages of crockpot chicken tikka masala

The Recipe:

Adapted from group recipes. 

• Around 3 regular sized boneless chicken breast, diced into large cubes
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 ounces milk
• 5 ounces plain yogurt (Greek is great)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1/2 can chopped green chilies
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons garam masala*
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• Red, yellow, and / or orange bell peppers, sliced
• Frozen peas and cauliflower

Whisk together all of the ingredients (until you get to the onion) then add chicken in your crockpot. Turn the crockpot on low. Put the onion, peppers, peas, and cauliflower after 3 hours. Cook another 3 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked throughout (6-8 hours total).

Serve over couscous or basmati rice.

*Make your own garam masala by mixing together:

1 tablespoon coriander; ground
1 tablespoon cumin; ground
1 tablespoon fennel seeds; ground
1 tablespoon ginger; ground
1 tablespoon cardamom; ground
1 tablespoon nutmeg; ground

1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; ground
1 teaspoon cloves; ground 

Taken from Pioneer Woman

Gluten Free Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies!

I didn't take any pictures of the cookies. But I leave you with pictures of SPRING!! Look at this beautiful Magnolia tree by a 2bit house.

These breakfast cookies were pretty fluffy and muffin like. They were really cookie muffins- cuffins or mookies if you like. These were a great healthy and pretty hearty breakfast cookie and not something you would eat for dessert (I tried). My favorite part about this recipe is that I made the oatmeal flour from scratch! It sounds impressive, but it was so easy and that's what is so exciting about it.

If you have someone in your life that has gluten allergies, these will be the perfect start to their day!

The Recipe:

• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Apples, Diced with or without the skin on
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
• ½ cups Unsweetened Fat Free Greek Yogurt
• ¼ cups Apple Sauce (optional swap: sweet potato puree / or pumpkin puree)
• ½ cups Almond Milk
• 1 whole Large Egg, Lightly Beaten
• 4 Tablespoons Crunchy Peanut Butter (optional swap: almond butter)
• 2 cups Gluten-Free Oat Flour******
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 drop Vanilla
• Around 3 tablespoons of honey or agave or maple syrup (do it to taste)
• I also added chocolate chips to my cookies because I believe that anything called a "cookie" should have some sort of chocolate in it. That is my only dream for this world, that every cookie would have chocolate in it. You may call me a dreamer, but I am not the only one.

Preheat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the middle.

Melt butter in a medium non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add apples, cinnamon and salt, stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5-8 minutes until apples soften. Transfer mixture to a bowl to cool.

In a medium sized bowl mix together yogurt, apple sauce, milk, egg and peanut butter. In a separate bowl whisk together oat flour and baking powder. Combine the yogurt mixture, flour / baking powder mixture, apples and your sweetener (agave / honey). Drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Bake about 18 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Let cookies cool on racks.

******To make your own oat flour, grind old fashioned rolled oats in a food processor. Make sure to use gluten free oats such as these (Bob's Red Mill Oats). (Oats are naturally gluten free, but they can become contaminated if they are stored or processed in places that also process foods containing gluten.) Use a little bit more than the recipe calls for (place about 2 1/2 cups in the processor where recipe calls for 2 cups). So easy and sooo exciting! It's gotta be cheaper to do this than to buy gluten free oat flour. It's just gotta! And that, my friends, is exciting.

What's your favorite beauty products??

Like everyone, 2Bit has her choice products she routinely uses. But even with my favs, I love knowing other people's choice products and why they use them. So please leave a comment and share, if you feel so inclined. We all may just make a switch-a-roo to yours. Please read the *** at the bottom if you want to give 2Bit any product suggestions..

This stuff is my newest obsession. I am almost out of my beloved Burt's Bees Carrot nutritive lotion I have had for a really long time and can't find more anywhere. Yeah, it's because Burt's Bees discontinued it!!! So this Carrot Day Creme is the next best thing. I love it. A little goes a LONG way! I order it from Amazon.

Been using this face wash for years! Get it at Marketplace Kroger's organic section or at any health food store. Another good Alba face wash I used to get is this...

Coconut oil is all natural and great for your skin.. Just slather it on. It's a little oily at first but your skin will absorb it making it supple and smooth. Be sure to get "unrefined." This also can be found at the organic section of Kroger or any health food store. 2Bit made the switch from lotion to this oil BECAUSE we all know our skin is our largest organ, right?!. Since our skin is absorbent, everything you are applying to it is getting into your body. Which is why the lovely motto, "If you would not eat it, do not put it on your skin," makes so much since! I agree that there is only so much natural stuff at your disposal, or that it is pricey or that there is that one lotion that you just love its scent. Just try to make more natural choices where you can and always check that any skin product is free of parabens, which are chemical preservatives in many products...no bueno!

Ohhhh, I just love this stuff. It has so many uses, but specifically beauty speaking- it's great to dab on a zit to help heal it or dry it out. It also really helps infected piercing. I used to put it on my nose ring when it was infected. You can even use it as a mouth wash, diluted with water of course. Lavender oil is another essential oil that is great for little scratches or wounds that need quick healing.

Love love love this bronzer. Oh and their Mineral Veil is awesome for keeping your face from getting oily. 

The peppermint oil in this gloss make it so minty fresh.. I love this in colors, "Slaphappy" and "Unwined"

I go back and forth between these two.

Bedhead makes the best eyeshadow. This one has lasted me years! You can order it from Amazon.

***Now, Bit-Cara, here needs your help. I need to know what's a good for:

-Bronzer brush 

- Concealer, specifically for dark circle under my eyes?????  I had been using Chanel concealer but am ready to hear what else is out there.

-Dry shampoo, sometimes baby powder just don't cut it if you're a brunette

-Any other recommendations? Don't hold out on me, ya'll!

Carrot Cake

                What You Need:

            3 cups grated carrots

            2 cups all-purpose flour

            1 1/2 cups white sugar

            2 teaspoons baking soda

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            1/2 teaspoon salt

            2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

            4 eggs

            1/2 cup vegetable oil

            1 cup apple sauce

            1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

            1(8 ounce)can crushed pineapple with juice

{recipe adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/awesome-carrot-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/Detail.aspx}       

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. 

3. Stir in eggs, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, pineapple. 

4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool.

                 

        2-Bit Cream Cheese Frosting:

          -2(8oz)packages room temp. cream cheese (one was low-fat)

          -1/2 stick of room temp. butter(not 1/2 cup, that's right, 1/2 a stick! 2Bit gets excited about less butter)

          -1 tsp vanilla

          -2 1/2 c.sifted powder sugar

          -Toasted pecans (optional)

Be sure to allot quite a bit of time and energy to grate those dang carrots.

2Bit added the grated carrots last. Since it takes a while, I combined all the ingredients while Bit-Joy grated away. 

Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Then add sifted powder sugar, a little at a time.

We added toasted nuts to half of the icing.

Happy Birthday Rachael!