Ingredients of a Wife

What are some of the qualities of a good wife? I may have only been married for 2 and a half months before my hubby deployed but I think of this year as a way to tweak some skills. One of those skills that needs a lot of tweaking is cooking! I love baking and I'm very capable of following instructions. My list of recipes is short. Therefore, I've made a goal to learn one new recipe a week while Zack is deployed. This Thursday will be 4 weeks so I'm still on track as of now.

Homemade Meatballs

 I love meatballs. I love spaghetti and meatballs...I love meatball sandwiches...I love meatballs by themselves! However, I got the idea to make them from an email from The Nest (sequel to The Knot). I learned to switch over to other sources. These weren't bad, but I've had some really great meatballs and these just didn't compare. I will definitely be trying a new recipe!

Moroccan Carrots

This recipe was also from The Nest. It involves a lemon-based sauce over the carrots with hints of honey and cumin. I dipped the carrots in the sauce first and I had to try 5 pieces before I decided to nix the sauce and just eat cooked carrots. I love the taste of carrots and lemony carrots was kind of a weird flavor. However, I'm so used to eating raw carrots that it was a nice reminder that I should add cooked carrots into my meals too.

Baked Ziti

 Thanks to Kate for commenting on my last post and directing me towards some of her favorite recipes on her blog! This baked ziti is amazing! This is another one of my favs so when I saw it on her blog (today), I decided to go to the store to get the ingredients. I made it with all fat free cheeses, wheat pasta (Barilla plus), and the recipe already calls for Italian turkey sausage. Zack and I enjoyed the baked ziti at an Italian restaurant in Copperas Cove and this is a less sinful way to indulge in some delicious pasta.

 Madison

 In an unrelated topic, this is my adorable dog bumming out at my parent's house over the weekend.

Decor

A wife is also in charge of beautifying the house. I love this excuse because I love shopping for decor. These are my new candles. One of my end tables needed a little something extra. Over the next year, I'd like to replace some of my decor on a budget. I'll be a regular at Hobby Lobby (and I refuse to buy anything for less than 50% off!).

Love, Heather

xo