mangia mondays 51: midterms!

hello my lovely readers!

welcome to another edition of

a blog hop i co-host each week with the

ever-so-charming & lovely

lisa from shine your light.

this week...

i have midterms,

so i didn't prepare anything!

i've been busy stuudying/menu planning/plate designing.

erg.

wish me luck, sweet friends!

i love being inspired by your posts every week,

so link on up!!

how mangia mondays work:

. add a link to your recipe or food post & visit some others who have linked up before you .

. link back to mangia mondays anywhere on your blog .

. thanks for not linking up to giveaways or items you're selling .

. help spread the word about mangia mondays by sharing this post with others .

until next time,

dowlings, out!

baby bump: week 22

how far along: 22 weeks... oh man! it's going by so fast!

baby size: at our ultrasound yesterday,

the tech said our little girl is 10.3 inches long

& an itty-bitty 14 ounces!

she's in the 32nd percentile.

total weight gain/loss: up 3 pounds! gosh...

maternity clothes? still in love with my gap maternity jeans.

... & i'm dying to get some new "spring-y" clothes!

i just know that dresses will be my best friend.

stretch marks? not yet. let's hope it stays this way!! :D

sleep: i've been having some pretty bad back pain,

but it's not constant. it seems to happen every few nights.

i just don't know what to do!

best moment this week: getting to see my tiny girl yesterday

via ultrasound. we just love her so much already!

& seeing all of the cute little things my mommie has been buying

for her first grand baby!

pluuuuussss... i got a SUPER SWEET diaper bag from my mom:

miss anything? sleeping on my tummy!

movement: i'm convinced she's a ninja or some sort of karate master!

she kicks all over the place & i absolutely love it!

food cravings: sourdough toast. m'mm!

anything making you queasy/sick: not really! thank goodness!!

have you started to show yet: for suresies! this baby is here to stay!

{ for a few more months, at least ;) }

gender: she's a sweet little girl. 

labor signs: no

belly button in or out? innie!

wedding rings on or off? on

mood? overall, really happy.

i've had a couple of mini-meltdowns this past week,

but nothing too terrible. :)

looking forward to: getting our new carpet installed!

we decided on new carpet once we found out i was pregnant,

and it should be installed withing the next couple of weeks! yay!!

mangia mondays 50: easy parmesan knots

hello, all!

welcome to

a blog hop i co-host each week with

the stupendous

lisa from shine your light!

this week,

i'm sharing another recipe i found on pinterest!

{umm... i love, love, LOVE pinterest...

the only problem is that i get lost in the pins for hours!}

easy parmesan knots

1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/4 C canola oil

3 TBS grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp italian seasoning

1. preheat oven to 400 f. & line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. roll each biscuit into a 12-inch rope & tie into a knot; tuck ends under. 

3. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

4. in a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; brush the warm knots with the mixture.

for realsies, these are SO good

& really couldn't get any easier.

i LOVE that! :D

now it's your turn -

link up those recipes & food posts!

how mangia mondays work:

. add a link to your recipe or food post & visit some others who have linked up before you .

. link back to mangia mondays anywhere on your blog .

. thanks for not linking up to giveaways or items you're selling .

. help spread the word about mangia mondays by sharing this post with others .

click here to check out all of the amazing blogs i'm linking this post to!

until next time,

dowlings, out!

baby bump: week 21

how far along: 21 weeks!

baby size: the length of a carrot! she's 12 oz, & about 10 1/2 inches long.

total weight gain/loss: up 1.5 pounds, maybe 2.

maternity clothes? i've been living in my maternity jeans, & gap (non-maternity) leggings.

if i could, i would wear pj's all day long. :)

stretch marks? not yet. i've been sure to put lotion on!

sleep: i've been sleeping really well the last week & a half!

i've been really congested, though,

{apparently, a common symptom when you're pregnant!}

& this humidifier by vicks has been extremely helpful!

you can buy it via amazon by clicking here!

best moment this week: on sunday morning, we finally felt our little

charlotte kick from the outside! it was such an exciting moment for hubs!

i've been feeling her wiggle for a few weeks, but those kicks sure are somethin!

miss anything? i really miss my caffeine. while i'm feeling great & have more

energy than i did a few weeks ago, coffee definitely acted as a pick-me-up.

ahh... coffee! how i miss you grande coffee with a quad shot & room!

movement: tons! she's already so active!! i can't wait to feel her even more!

she especially loves hearing her daddy's voice. she gets so excited & wiggles

all over the place when he reads to her at night. i love it!

food cravings: peanut butter crunch. oh man.

i've literally gone through 2 boxes in a week & a half.

don't judge! :)

anything making you queasy/sick: i've been pretty sensitive to smells this past week.

it hasn't been too bad, but i'll get a wicked headache or my tummy will get a little upset.

have you started to show yet: definitely.

gender: little charlotte is my tiny princess!

labor signs: no

belly button in or out? innie still, but i can tell it's only a matter of time

before it's flush with my tummy & then popped out!!

wedding rings on or off? on

mood? wonderful! i've been feeling great this week!! :D

looking forward to: picking out molding & paint for charli's nursery!

i'm so excited to decorate!!

mangia mondays 49: grilled chicken with dijon & lemon

howdy, ya'll!

welcome to another round up of all things delicious

{a.k.a.}

a food-centric blog hop i co-host each week

with the outstandingly incredible

lisa from shine your light!

this week i'm sharing

grilled chicken with dijon & lemon

4 lemons; 2 zested & juiced, 2 halved
1 C dijon mustard
2 TBS finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 (3-lb) chickens, cut into 4 pieces each

{or you can just do breasts, thighs/legs, whatever tickles your fancy!}
extra virgin olive oil
salt

1. combine the lemon juice, zest, mustard, rosemary & crushed red pepper in a small bowl. add 1-2 TBS of olive oil to the mustard mixture to loosen it. paint this mixture generously all over the chicken & let sit for up to 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. {i let mine marinate overnight & i think it really makes a difference!} if you have any of the mustard mixture left over, save it for repainting while the chicken is cooking.

2. preheat the grill to medium; we want the chicken to cook on the grill as long as possible without burning to develop lovely crispy, tasty skin. make sure you oil your grill so the chicken won't stick {something we totally forgot to do... oops!}. season the chicken lightly with salt & arrange gently on the grill. if there are flare-ups, move the chicken out of the way so as to not have a sooty film on the chicken {it tastes terrible}. put the lemon halves, cut side down, on the grill also & do not disturb until they look brown and caramelized.

3. once the chicken has started to get brown & crispy & has developed grill marks in 1 direction, rotate the chicken a quarter turn in the other direction. the chicken should cook on the skin side for 10 to 12 minutes & then get turned over & cooked for the same amount of time. if there is any of the mustard mixture left over, the remainder can be used to paint the skin of the chicken once the chicken has been turned over. {if you are using the remainder of the mustard mix, be sure to give it plenty of time to cook again as it will have touched raw chicken. if not sure, skip this step.}

4. the chicken is done when the juices run clear when the pricked in the thickest part of the thigh. remove the chicken from the grill to a serving platter and serve with the grilled lemon halves. squeeze the grilled lemon over the chicken before eating for extra lemony goodness.

**if the chicken isn't up to temp {165 f!} but has a delicious looking exterior, you can always finish the cooking process in the oven!**

this chicken...

whoa.

the marinade is incredible!

i really want to try this in the slow cooker...

i think it'll turn out ahhhhhmazing!

now it's your turn -

link up those recipes & food posts!

how mangia mondays work:

. add a link to your recipe or food post & visit some others who have linked up before you .

. link back to mangia mondays anywhere on your blog .

. thanks for not linking up to giveaways or items you're selling .

. help spread the word about mangia mondays by sharing this post with others .

click here to check out all of the amazing blogs i'm linking this post to!

until next time,

dowlings, out!

baby bump: week 20

how far along: 20 weeks

baby size: a banana! 10 1/2 ounces & 6" top to bottom, 10" head to heel!

total weight gain / loss: +1.5 lbs.

maternity clothes: still just my maternity jeans! lots of dresses,

flowy tops, sweaters, & longer t-shirts!

stretch marks: not yet.

sleep: sleeping has been better, but every so often i get terrible back pain

& can't get comfortable for hours. {thus my lovely, sleep-deprived picture!}

best moment this week: finding out that we're having a baby girl!

i'm so so so so so so so excited!

& buying baby her first outfits!

miss anything? not really! :)

movement: lots of little wiggles and a couple of swift kicks to my hip area!

food cravings: root beer, pickles, anything spicy...

have you started to show yet? definitely. egads!

gender: girl! we can't wait to meet you little charlotte olivia!

labor signs: no

belly button in or out? in, but i can tell it's getting shallow-er!

wedding rings on or off? on

happy or moody most of the time: happy! 

looking forward to: getting started on charlotte's nursery! i can't wait!!!

until next time,

dowlings out!

mangia mondays 48: churros!

hiya everyone!

welcome to another edition of

a foodie blog hop i'm lucky to co-host each week

with the absolutely lovely

lisa from shine your light.

this week i'm sharing

churros!

1 C milk

1/2 stick unsalted butter

pinch salt

1 C flour

4 eggs

3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

cinnamon & sugar, for topping

1. in a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter & salt & bring to a medium heat. when the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk to combine. switch over to a wooden spoon & cook the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and it has a slightly sweaty sheen on it, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. transfer the dough to a mixing bowl & let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. using an electric mixer, beat in the eggs 1 at a time. do not add the next egg until the last one is completely combined.

3. place the batter in a pastry bag outfitted with a large star tip.

4. in a large saucepan heat the oil to 325 f.

5. pipe the dough into the hot oil in sticks or desired shapes {it's difficult to get them straight! but i just say  they're "rustic" :) }. fry the dough until it is brown and crispy on all sides, 60 to 90 seconds total, turning frequently. fry in batches.

6. remove the churros from the oil, blot on paper towels for a second & then toss in the cinnamon sugar. be sure to do this while the churros are still hot. serve immediately.

these are SO yummy!

& they're perfect as dessert for:

steak fajitas

queso fundido with roasted poblano vinaigrette

tomatillo salsa verde

spinach enchiladas

now it's your turn -

link up those recipes & food posts!

how mangia mondays work:

. add a link to your recipe or food post & visit some others who have linked up before you .

. link back to mangia mondays anywhere on your blog .

. thanks for not linking up to giveaways or items you're selling .

. help spread the word about mangia mondays by sharing this post with others .

click here to check out all of the amazing blogs i'm linking this post to!

until next time,

dowlings, out!

baby bump: week 19

how far along: 19 weeks

baby size: a large heirloom tomato {delicious!}. 8 1/2 ounces, 6 inches.

total weight gain / loss: probably a pound or so. i feel like i was eating a lot this week!

i'll find out on friday for sure, though. :)

maternity clothes: just my maternity jeans!

the last button on my chef coat is getting a bit tight.

good thing i wear an apron over it!

stretch marks: not yet.

sleep: i started sleeping with a regular pillow between my legs

instead of the body pillow i bought & it has helped a lot...

but i've been pretty sick the last week &

really congested. so sleeping has been a bit of a challenge!

best moment this week: buying baby's first books so hubs can read to cupcake.

isn't this perfect?!

i may or may not have cried my eyes out at the book store while re-reading this.

miss anything? tuna salad, caffeine, sleeping on my tummy!

movement: still just feeling sporadic wiggles!

food cravings: potato salad, pickles, chocolate cookies.

have you started to show yet? i keep growing & growing... it's nuts!

gender: i'm 99% sure it's a boy.

we find out if i'm right on friday as long as cupcake cooperates!

labor signs: no

belly button in or out? in

wedding rings on or off? on

happy or moody most of the time: happy, for sure!

looking forward to: my ultrasound & checkup on friday!

and being able to buy cupcake his/her first outfit!

until next time,

dowlings out!