Mac N Cheese

Thank you to my dear friend Maggie for helping me with this recipe. I know it is crazy but I do not often make pasta and when I do it is not like this that is for sure. When I was buying the ingredients I kept saying to myself "this is special... this is not a normal thing you make... it will be okay you will not have a heart attack of you eat a little of this." There is nothing healthy about this recipe so go ahead and run away if you are looking for that in this post. It was my Grandpa Cliff's 90th birthday this weekend and I was asked to bring mac n cheese. It turned out really good and I was pleased with myself. I was a bit embarrassed to ask for help with the velvetta cheese purchasing at the store because I never buy it ever. The lady laughed at me.  I am lucky to have friends that know there way around a good recipe. So sharing the recipe with the Maggie adds. So yum! So holiday!





What you need~
1 pound of elbow pasta
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups of shredded monterey jack cheese
2 cups half and half
1 can of cheddar (Campbells soup)
8 ounces (cubed) velvetta cheese
1 stick of butter (cubed)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
Seasoning to taste (Natures Seasoning and Lawrys seasoned salt)









Start by making your pasta. If it is going to sit in the crockpot like mine you can let it cook a little under if you want. I shredded my cheese with my food processor and cubed up the velvetta then set that aside. I whisked together the half and half with the cheddar cheese. Lightly whisked my eggs separately and set aside. I turned the crockpot to high and put butter in. Once I cooked the pasta and strained it I added the pasta. Poured in the cheese, half and half/soup mix and eggs and mixed really well. I seasoned the pasta and let that cook on high for an hour and half before we went to the party. It was easy to transport.

Butter melting.

Shredded and diced cheese.

Seasoned half and half/ soup mix.

Yum!

It was really tasty and I would make it again for a special occasion.

Until next time~
XoXo Emily

YELP event: Holiday Flavors

Just so fun! This event at Green Bay Olive Oil Company was delight.

Here are some picture highlights from the event:

My flavors I loved:
Olive Oil: Butter & Lemon
Balsamic Vinegar: Maple & Honey Ginger

We tried a mocktail with cucumber lime balsamic vinegar. Heaven.

So many snacks!

YELP table.

Their wall has all the flavors. I like how they colored them clearly and color coded everything. Super easy to follow.

I legit learned so much at this event. I love how passionate they are about their products and if you want to support any one local business to buy gifts for this maybe perfect for you. Who does not love olive oil?

Until next time~
XoXo Emily

Refreshing: A Step Back From Social Media

I took a big step back from social media this weekend not posting to any of my social media profiles on either Facebook, YELP, Instagram or using snapchat hardly at all. It was needed. If you follow me at all you know my beloved cat BE passed away last Wednesday and I had some wonderful friends surround me with laughter love and a ton of booze this weekend. I often find that using social media and keeping up with it can induce some stress so I needed to omit that from my life. I checked on others throughout the weekend and watched my fair share of cat videos but it was nice to just be able to do that randomly.

Here are the only pictures I took this weekend.

I made French onion soup in the instant pot last night. Yum!

Yep... My life this week.

We went out to breakfast at Golden Basket. I love that place.

Gosh I love OJ.

Maggie and Steve thank you for visiting and brightening my weekend with way too much booze. I may have had too much Gin, Bourbon and other distilled beverages. We laughed and had a blast all weekend.

The ER vet that took BE body for us to cremate her sent us a card. So sweet.

 I got to see a lot of my friends this weekend. I got to spend time with my two old lady pets. Cleaned my house really good. Got Christmas lights on the house. Did some shopping and prepping for the holiday this week. Got to cuddle up on my couch with a fire going.

I am looking forward to this week and to reflect and be grateful more this week.

Until next time~
XoXo Emily

When you have to say goodbye: BE (Bagheera)

I wanted to wait to write this till I had more time to grieve. But at the same time I need to be able to tell everyone how important you were in my life and a short Instagram post with some pictures was not going to cut it because you were more important than that. I remember taking you home about a year ago and you hid in my closet behind my clothes for days. How it took me months to gain your trust and you truly became my cat. I know it was only a year and you had such wonderful years with Liz and Brandon Kussow your first parents who loved you so much they let Ryan and I take you into our quiet and slow moving home. You really came into your own watching the birds in your window seat and hunting the mice that would slip into the house. The firm rule of two pets was followed by all for sure. You lived a full life and having you taken away so swiftly today was heart breaking. I know the seizure that took you was quick and you passed within 30 seconds but it does not make your passing any easier for us. You filled the room with your tubby belly and little random chirps and that will be missed. I will strangely miss Stella hissing at you when she noticed you running around. Animals are special they fill parts of our hearts we did not know we needed filled. I know I am like ugly crying right now while I type this but I needed to tell and put down how much of the world you made a better place. Sleep well my baby BE.

Here is a thousand pictures of this wonderful kitty who left us too soon.

We love you BE--