Memorial Day Blogger Bash Sneak Peek...

Wait...
So, you mean, I have to go back to the real world?
Crap.

I guess me and Billy's 5 day "staycation" had to end at some point. I can't be totally selfish and expect the best 5 days to last forever, right? or can I? All of our visitors have left and it's definitely a little lonesome in the Krysh household. Even Rocky misses all of his new friends he made (which, by the way, Rocky was the star of the show this weekend.) But, I can tell you this much, this was one of the best birthdays I've ever had (and a special thank you to each of you who sent me sweet messages and wishes!) and this weekend couldn't have gone any better.

Seriously...it was the best. I'm over the moon happy all the girls (+BBFT) decided to come here and stay with us. We had such an amazing time from our days spent at the pool and the zoo, all the sunshine we soaked up, the ridiculous amounts of food and drinks we consumed, the games in our backyard we played, the inside jokes we now all have together, and our late nights with crazy cab experiences that we were up until 3am or after (which was almost every night). The girls spoiled me rotten with all of the gifts they brought, and everyone got along so well. It was like we've been friends for years. I'm in denial they are all gone and the weekend is officially over.

While I don't have the full blogger bash recap to share with you today (I still need to go through all the 700, yes 7-hundo, pictures Steph took and loaded onto my computer), I do have a short video + sneak peek, and then the amazing friend, mother, and chef, Krysta, is taking over to make you laugh, entertain you, and then make you really hungry with an amazing taco salad recipe of hers. She's going to win you over with this one, I'm telling you. She always makes me hungry before 10am even hits and I pin 99.5% of her recipes on Pinterest.

Anyways, here's what you have to look forward to this week....

So much goodness to come.

All these pics make me so happy, yet sad because I miss them all already!

Now please give my good friend Krysta, from My Life in Food, a warm welcome.
You will be thankful I introduced you to her blog, trust me.
I mean, just LOOK at her full list of recipes. AMAZE, I tell you.
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Hi there. I suppose this is the part where I'm supposed to say something like this:

"Hi all you Keep Calm and Carry On-ers! I'm Krysta, from My Life in Food, and I'm so happy to be taking over Katie's blog today"
But honestly, it sounds super weird coming from me for some reason. It doesn't sound strange when I read it coming from other people, but when I write stuff like that? It's like I'm popping into a room full of people I don't know all wide eyed, crazy smiles and jazz hands.  


Shudder to think


I'll just stick to the "Hi there". One thing I don't feel goobery about is thanking Ms. Katie for having me. KC&CO is one of the best blogs I read, and I am really glad to be here.

I'm a food blogger, and normally my posts revolve around the food I make along with the in's and outs of my daily life. But today I thought I would take you through some pictures that mean something to me.


All pictures herein shall begin with "I love this picture because..."

because this is me and I suppose you should know who I am. Plus I was just treated to the best hair blow-out ever at a spa in Phoenix, May 2009



because my daughter was actually posing like this for the picture and I think it's hysterical



because my two favorite boys, my husband Jeremy and son Jeremiah would get up really early in the mornings before everyone else and on Saturday they drank "coffee" together. Black for Jeremy. Heavily milked for Jeremiah.



Because my husband brings me incredible bouquets of flowers and I like to take pictures with them, and...



Because my sister, Kaylee, likes to take pictures with the flowers also, and pretend they are for her



because this was my favorite Christmas card that we ever sent out



because this was one of the last times I cooked with my only daughter before our son was born



and it made her really happy



because I was checking out my newborn son for the first time



because this was the most fun costume party, ever.



because I dressed my son up as cupid on Valentines day and set him lose in my husbands office



because we won tickets for box seats and our own catered suite at a Broncos game on New Years Eve and invited all our friends and had an absolute blast, baby and all



because I let my son wear lip gloss when he asked and I'm a mean mom for posting it



and as long as I'm being mean...



because in our house, we pull our kids shirts up over their head and yell "Mother Theresa, Mother Theresa!"



because this picture was taken before we drank one too many vodka raspberry lemonades



And these were taken after...






because this was our wedding day












because this was my Grandparents wedding day, July 4, 1958



because this is my cute mom as a kid



because my friend Melissa and I kicked Emerald Mountain's ass one morning



because this was my surprise 30th birthday party, and that pretty thing to the right of me is Danielle, who kicks Emerald Mountains ass on a mountain bike. Dang, girl.



because my pretty little girl who used to dress like this



is now in a stage where she likes to dress like this. Sigh



because this is the recipe I'm going to share with you. I can't stop thinking about food for too long.






Vegetarian Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
serves 6-8 dinner size salads

 for the salad:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1-15oz can corn, drained
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained
1-15oz can black beans, drained
1 can of Rotel
6 romaine hearts (about 24 oz or 1 heart per person)
2 packets store bought taco seasoning
3-4 avocados, chopped (or 1/2 an avocado per person)


optional toppers: Jack cheese, jalapeno rings, black olives, salsa, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, tortilla chips, grilled shrimp

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and red bell pepper and saute until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add corn, and both beans and stir to combine. Continue to cook until beans are heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the packets of taco seasoning plus 1/4 cup of water and stir to combine. Let cook together until heated through. It should be saucy. If it's too thick, add more water. Turn the heat off and leave to cool for a few minutes.


Chop the hearts of romaine and divide the lettuce among six large bowls, and top each evenly with the bean and pepper mixture. Garnish each bowl with 1/2 a chopped avocado, and drizzle with the cilantro lime dressing and any additional topper you desire, especially more plain Greek yogurt. You can freeze any leftover bean mixture.


Tip- You can add taco seasoning to leftover chili (vegetarian or otherwise) to use as your bean mixture for taco salads instead of making one from scratch. It works just as well. 



Cilantro-Lime Dressing:
adapted from simple food healthy life

1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 head of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt


Whirl everything together in a blender until smooth


Tip: If you are particularly short on time and you can't make the dressing, just top your salads with cilantro springs, plenty of plain Greek yogurt and salsa, and you don't actually need it, but it's really yummy if you do.

 Now if you'll excuse me, I've got this delicious man waiting for me as soon as I'm off the computer



Bye!

BLOG // TWITTER// PINTEREST
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Now, I suggest you come back if you want in on the amazing Memorial Day Blogger Bash...
epic. But hey, it's up to you.

PS-Raquel, from Dream Out Loud, you are the winner of my Kintage $25.00 shop credit. Congratulations! I will be emailing you soon.

Over and Out!