Africa

Lately I have really been missing one thing...Africa. Two years ago I spent 10 weeks in Tanzania. It was the most amazing trip I have ever been on. I learned to speak Swahili, had some unbelievable experiences, learned so much and made amazing friends. I worked at an orphanage and a nursery school, teaching English and other subjects. I absolutely adored my kids and still think about them often. I stayed in Moshi, a town at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Kili was the backdrop of my stay, and took my breath away every single day I was there and looked up at her. I got to climb to the first camp of Kili, and want to return some day to make the 6 day trek to the top and back. Being there for 10 weeks gave me a special advantage. I became more than a tourist. I became part of the culture and community. I made friends who I still keep in touch with. If you don't know, Tanzanian's are the most friendly, welcoming and warm people on the planet. Moshi became my home, and I miss it dearly. I can't wait to return and bring Kevin with me. Africa is a special place. Before I left, people told me that I would leave a piece of my heart there, and they were absolutely correct. This trip was very special to me because in college my major was Global Studies (essentially global political science) with a focus on Governance and Politics in Africa, and I was working and learning in the place I had studied for so long. I have been very lucky and have been many places in my life. I love to travel, and my parents made sure that  my sister and I were able to do so growing up. I traveled to Germany alone when I was 17 to meet my sister, who was studying there, and had my 18th birthday there. We traveled from Germany to Austria to Italy to France. I got to study at La Sorbonne in Paris for a month in the summer between my 2nd and 3rd year in college, and had my 21st birthday there. I also got to stay for an extra two weeks and travel around France and Germany with my sister, who had been living and working in Greece and Germany. Besides my oversea's travels my parents also made sure that we saw all that the US has to offer. We made more than a couple of road trips through the Black Hills and Badlands, to Colorado or Wyoming, visiting the sites along the way. I really want to make this trip with Kevin, because he has never been to the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and those fun places like The Corn Palace and Wall Drug. My mom made sure to make time to take a trip to NYC with me to see the sites and go to a Broadway play. There have also been trips to Washington D.C. (where my sister lives now), California, Florida, North Carolina, a road trip to Georgia (high school senior spring break and one of the funnest trips ever) Dominican Republic (once for our honeymoon, and another time along with other tropical stops like the Virgin Islands on a cruise), and I'm sure I'm missing some more. Once you've traveled, you become addicted to traveling, and want to see everything and go everywhere. Some places are more memorable or meaningful than others, and some stick with you so strongly that they become part of you. That's how I feel about Africa.

I have, in the past, started a list of places I'd like to travel. I've given up because I end up putting everywhere I can possibly think of on the list. Like I said, I want to go everywhere, AND go back to those places I've been.

The two peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The most famous is on the left.

Moshi town

Ngorongoro Crater. This was where we had part of our Safari

Small picture but here are my adorable kids!

On Safari

Your turn...

What was your most memorable vacation/trip?
Do you plan to go back to that place?
Do you love to travel like I do?
What places on your "to go" list?


xoxo
Dory

A day to catch your breath...

Sometimes we all need one, and today is my day to catch my breath. It has been SO crazy at work, and I feel like I have been way too stressed out lately. I'm taking today off because I have to go to work on Saturday (only for about 4 hours, so I'm ok with it). So, I'm taking today to catch my breath, and get things done around here that I just haven't had time to do. I'm cleaning the house, doing lots of laundry, FINALLY blogging (it's been over a week!), getting a good work out in, taking Diesel for a long walk, paying bills, and cooking and baking. I know some of those may not sound fun, but I feel so much better after getting all caught up with my "to-do" list. I love having the house clean, knowing all bills for the month are paid and being able to put a tasty meal on the table for the hubs. Although it's a little chilly, it's sunny and the perfect temp to take Diesel for a very long walk. Because he's a boxer and has a shorter muzzle, he can't pant as efficiently as other dogs, so he overheats quickly. This weather is perfect for him. I also have about 7 magazines that have been stacking up, waiting for me to read them. I finally started on Glamour last night. My mom also got me a subscription to Vanity Fair, one of her favorites (thanks, momma!), and I plan to start on those. I also get Health and Woman's Day (I know, I'm an old married lady who loves Woman's Day, and I'm not ashamed!).

I plan to snuggle up with these after my productive day is done...

So, needless to say, although it's my day off I plan to be very busy. I'm going to continue my search for a tasty, healthy dinner recipe for tonight now, but first, a few questions for you.

Do you have days you dedicate to catching your breath?
What do you do on those days?
What is your favorite meal to make when you have a bit more time?
What are your favorite magazines?

xoxo
Dory

Turkey Burgers

Kevin and I are pretty healthy eaters. We both love to cook, and Kevin came up with this yummy turkey burger recipe the other night. We used to buy turkey burger patties, but no more. These babies are delish, and healthy too! Super easy for a weeknight meal.

Start out with your lean ground turkey

While your turkey is thawing a bit, grill some onions and green peppers. Add seasoning if you like...we use greek seasoning (these onions and peppers are also awesome to snack on by themselves after you're done grilling them)

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs (we use Italian seasoned)...

...garlic (if you are in the Herman household, we add lots and lots and don't really "measure")...

...Worcestershire...

...egg...

...paprika...

...sea salt...

...parsley...

...stir, then add in the turkey and minced veggies. Mix together with your hands just until combined

Form them into patties. Push small indentations in the middles so they cook evenly

Get them on the grill

Add cheese when they are just about done

Add your fixin's.

We put on tomato, lettuce, ketchup annnndd....

...this stuff. AMAZING. Momma-in-law got this from a winery she just visited. YUM.

Voila. We eat our burgers on wheat sandwich thins. Serve with your favorite vegetable to keep it healthy. We love edamame with sea salt.

Yummy.

Turkey Burgers:

Approx 1 lb lean ground turkey (we use Jenni-O, 1.25 lb package)

1/2 green pepper

A few dashes of Worcestershire

1/2 onion

1/8 cup bread crumbs (we use Italian seasoned)

1/8 cup diced onion

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/2 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika (we use smoked and it has a great flavor)

1/4 tsp parsley

Greek seasoning

Start by thawing out the turkey if it's frozen. Cut up the onion and green pepper. Season with Greek seasoning, or whatever seasoning you like. Grill until fork tender, then mince. While the veggies are grilling, combine the bread crumbs, diced onion, egg whites, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and parsley in a bowl. Add the turkey and the grilled veggies. Mix with hands just until combined. Form patties, leaving an indentation in the middle for even cooking. Grill until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Add cheese (optional) toward the end of grilling. Assemble your burger with your choice of toppings and condiments. Enjoy!

xoxo

Dory

I'm a work in progress...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about things I need to work on to lead a healthier, happier life. The biggest one is working on how I handle stress. I am a worrier. I am a planner. I am a list-maker (I feel lost at the grocery store without my list). I am a bit of a control freak. Uncertainty stresses me out. I have always been like this. I've always known what I wanted. It does not take me long to make a decision, and once my mind is made up, that's pretty much that. I'm like this for both big and little decisions (in dressing rooms, clothes are on me for only seconds before I decide if it's a yes or a no; I decided to transfer from UMD to UofM in less than a day). I tend to stress over the little things, not just the big things, things that should not get me stressed out at all, things I can't control. I always get so worked up, yet everything works out in the end. It is especially stressful for me to accept that there are some things I have no control over. I am a fixer. If there is something I don't like, or something I want, I will adapt, make changes, work harder, do what it takes to make it happen. The fact that there are some things you just can't control is very hard for me to deal with. One of my favorite sayings is the Serenity Prayer, just because it is something I strive for in my life:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

I think that recognizing this fault in me is a step in the right direction. I am learning, and trying every day to live by these words. There are things that help me manage my stress, including working out/running, reading, spending time with Kevin and Diesel, and blogging. I know my mental health is just as important as my physical health, and I hope I'm on the road to becoming a more calm, serene person.

In the Outer Banks, NC...this is pure bliss for me...

Is there anything about yourself that you would like to work on?
What steps do you take to reach that goal?

xoxo
Dory

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter! Kevin and I traveled to Hartland, MN to spend the day with his family. It was a beautiful, sunny (but windy) day and we enjoyed seeing the fam and watching the kids run around and find their Easter eggs. For the occasion I made my Mom's amazing Deviled Eggs, and Sopapilla Cheesecake, recipe from Krysten at Mrs. Schwartz's Kitchen. This dessert was seriously the easiest one I've ever made, and it was a HUGE hit. I made two batches, one for Easter and one for Kevin to take to work. He told me that they were gone within two hours, and some of the guys were mad they didn't hoard more for themselves. Seriously delicious, so you should give them a try! Check out the recipe, and the rest of her blog here!

Below is the recipe for my Mom's Deviled Eggs. I'm pretty picky about Deviled Eggs, because sometimes they can be bland. These babies are absolutely amazing. If you like Deviled Eggs or are looking for a good recipe for any occasion, give them a try!

Start by peeling a dozen eggs

Cut them in half and take out the yolks

Mash them up really well

....this part I was in a hurry and a bit sleepy (6 am is very early to be making Deviled Eggs) and forgot to take pictures...but this is where you grate and add the onion and celery and add the finely chopped banana peppers

Add your apple cider vinegar and Sriracha

It should look like this

Stuff your eggs....if I had had more time I would have gotten a pastry bag and used that to fill the eggs and make them look pretty, but this is just fine because you sprinkle the top and can't really see the messiness

Sprinkle the cayenne pepper and smoked paprika on top. Isn't my little egg carrier cute?

Ta da! Sorry for the bad pic....I had to snap one quickly before the hubster started digging in

And as a bonus picture...

...my hubby, the good sport, dressing up as the Easter Bunny to snap some pics and hide eggs for the kids...and isn't my nephew adorable?!

Deviled Eggs:

12 large hardboiled eggs

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated celery. I use a paper towel to "wring" them out so most of the moisture is out of the celery. If you don't do this your mix may be too watery

6 Tbs mayo (use the full-fat version...it isn't that much and it adds flavor)

1 Tbs grated onion

1 clove garlic. I use the minced garlic from the jar and use a pretty big spoonful, because I LOVE garlic. Put as much as you like in

2 Tbs minced sweet/mild banana peppers

A couple of dashes of Sriracha (I usually put more in, but it really depends on how spicy you want it...taste test as you go)

A couple dashes of lemon juice

A couple dashes of apple cider vinegar

A couple dashes of yellow mustard

Cayenne pepper

Smoked Paprika

Peel the eggs. Cut them in half and remove yolks. Mash yolks. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pile into the cavities of the egg whites. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Enjoy!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend!

xoxo

Dory

Hubster

It's a cold, rainy day at my house. So, it's a good day for getting things done around the house, blogging, baking and cooking and squeezing in a work out.

I just have to take a moment to brag about one more thing in my life (not trying to be obnoxious with all the bragging here): my hubby Kevin.

Hubs and I at the fair

What a wonderful guy I have. First off, he puts up with me. Anyone who knows me knows this can be difficult. I am a very strong-willed lady with a bold personality. Secondly, he truly does love me unconditionally. He is always there for me, no matter what. He knows me better than I know myself sometimes. He does things like buy me "I know you had a bad day" and "just because I love you" flowers. This morning I woke up with a chai tea latte sitting on my bed side table just waiting for me to drink it. He always lets me know he loves me through his words and actions, and I couldn't ask for a better partner.

Another reason I need to brag. He is a true handy man. Seriously, he can fix anything. He went to school at the Universal Technical Institute in Chicago for automotive technician/diagnostics. He furthered his education there after his program was complete with a specialty program in diesel engines, namely the International brand. He is a diesel tech/diagnostician at an International dealership in Minneapolis. He is one of those guys that can look at something that's broken, and figure out how to fix it even if he's never done so before. In his spare time he likes to work on his "toys", including my snowmobile, which he currently has in pieces in the garage, because "it needs a new clutch and a whatchamacallit and a hoodibigig" (ok, so a few of those words are mine, not his, but when it comes to that stuff I'm pretty clueless!). He also likes to make stuff. For Christmas last year, he made these:

Cribbage boards (including one more not pictured). They are made from African Mohagany. The top one was for his brother. The "M" was for my momma, and he made another one for his dad. All from one big piece of wood. Wow. He also made this for me this past weekend:

Sorry it's a bit hard to see, it's not a good picture, but it's a coat hanger (which I have wanted and needed in our entryway). The picture doesn't really do it justice. The black stain actually makes the board look antique, and the words around "welcome" say things like "family", "love", "peace", etc.

Remember that post about my top 10 products? Here it is if you want to check it out. My #1 product was my Asics running shoes. At the bottom I commented on the brand new, just in stores, 2170's. Well, this is what I got from Mr. Herman on Thursday night last week:

Sooooooo in love! I didn't realize how much padding I lost in my old shoes (not a bad thing, means I'm running enough!) until I put these babies on. Can you tell by the bottoms that I didn't waste any time to put them to use? I feel spoiled rotten.

Ok, ok...enough of the mushy "I love my hubby stuff". I just had to have a little brag session, but I'm done now. But I'd love to hear about your hubby/boy and what he does for you. So...here are some questions for ya!

What does your hubby/boyfriend do for you that makes you feel special?

Do you have a special date night or thing you do together? (One of ours is church followed by bowling on Sunday mornings).

How long have you been dating/married?

Well, I'm off to cook, clean, and get a work out in. Check out my post tomorrow about what I made for our family Easter celebration!

xoxo

Dory

Smushy Face

Hi All,

Sorry for the hiatus I took for the week, it's been a busy one!

Two weekends ago was my wonderful hubby's birthday. He's an old man at 27 ;)
I got him the Kindle Fire (which is awwwweesssommmme by the way!), a case and gift card to go with it, a french press for coffee (he's a bit of a coffee snob), and a big f-ing mug. Seriously, that's what it says on it. He's always wanted a mug that can fit an entire pot of coffee and my good friend Sarah actually found one for him. His parents and brother drove up from Rochester and took us out to Chino Latino. Then we went out to Wild Bill's in Blaine with some friends for a fun night. On Monday (the 26th of March), his actual birthday, I took him to Acapulco (YUM! Seriously, YUM!) and then to Cold Stone. I just adore my hubster and was happy he had such a great birthday.

Another update: I've started getting up in the mornings to work out before work again. This is good and bad. I still take Diesel dog for runs in the afternoon throughout the week so he isn't missing out, and he isn't a morning pup so he just sleeps when we work out in the morning. The whole working out before I go to work thing sucks when my alarm goes off at 4:30 am, but rocks when I'm done with work and don't have to head to the gym. Waking up at 4:30 is necesssary since I live in Blaine and work in Eden Prairie (hello, 50 minute drive). I love the energy working out in the morning gives me, and I have more time in the evenings for new cooking experiments and projects around the house, so after the initial crabbiness wears off I'm good to go.


I just wanted to take a minute and brag about my smushy face baby boy Diesel. He is such a good puppy. We took him to the vet for his check-up, shots, etc. last week and he got an A+ on his report card. The vet said he looks absolutely perfect and we shouldn't change a thing. In his notes he wrote that Diesel is "a wonderfully well adjusted fellow and the perfect example of good socialization". He's one thing I'm so proud of because he is "our" first dog, totally and utterly ours, and we try our best to take good care of him and give him the best life ever. And believe me, he is the most spoiled dog I know. As Kevin says, Diesel has enough bones in the house to put an entire cow back together. He goes for runs with me, to the dog park, runs errands with us, goes on trips with us and he runs alongside Kevin while he rollerblades or bikes. He lives in the lap of luxury and has more than a couple dog beds in the house (he also is allowed on the furniture and sleeps in our bed with us). We feed him the best dog food we could find (Orijen...check it out!), and he goes to see his buddy the vet regularly to make sure he is the perfect picture of health. He is so spoiled that he likes to drink out of the bathtub faucet, because he likes fresh water. He gives us a little bark and waits for us to turn the water on. Yeah...spoiled...but he's worth it! He's the best cuddler and lover puppy on the planet and we wouldn't trade him for anything.

Here are a couple pictures of my pup from this past week and weekend.

This is my little bed scammer (and yes he uses pillows)....but what a snuggle bug!

Last Sunday at the house. Sunshine, a pig's ear, and mom and dad hangin' outside with him. He's a happy boy!

What are some things that you're proud of?
Are your pets like your children?
What do you do to spoil your pet?

xoxo
Dory