10 Mostly Realistic Resolutions for 2014

Well, it's that time of year, folks. It's New Year's Eve eve. You know, the almost-dawn of a dandy new year that always seems to require us to make useless resolutions that will prompt new goals for the year ahead. I personally tend to avoid resolutions. I mean really, why do we need to resolve to do things just because a new year is starting? I'm perfectly capable to making easily breakable resolutions on any of the other 364 days of the year. But whatevs. 

In the spirit of feigned enthusiastic participation, I'm going to bite the blogging bullet and set some mostly realistic resolutions for myself for 2014. None of that "lose weight" or "get fit" or "quit cursing" nonsense either. After all, I'm nothing if not original. So get ready. Buckle yourself in. Ready???

1.   I'm no Adele, but dammit I'm gonna sing. I love music, and I love to sing. But when I do sing, I sing very quietly, because frankly, I don't sing all that well. Whether I'm in my car, or in my office, or doing some housework, I usually sing only loud enough for myself to hear. But that's about to change. Why should I worry about what anyone thinks of my voice? Who cares if it sucks?! YOLO, as my grandson would say. So brace yourself, world. Sing loud and proud--that's my new motto. Spread the word.

2.  Conquer my fear of spiders. And Ian Somerhalder.  OK, maybe just the spiders.

3.   I will stop procrastinating. Like, as soon as possible. Or tomorrow. Or when it's most convenient. Stop hounding me, OK?

4. I'm gonna stop blaming the cat when I fart. I mean, that's just not cool, right? And sooner or later someone is going to realize that I don't even have a cat

5.  I will do less laundry. Just as soon as I figure out precisely how long I can wear the same clothes before they really start to stink. Or maybe I just need to stock up on Febreze. And shop more.

6.  And speaking of laundry, I will be much more proactive about shart marks. Because ew. Just ewww.

7.  I'll stop laughing so loudly every time I hear someone say the word, 'Pivot.' (This may be my biggest challenge of the year.)

8.  I'm gonna write like Dr. Seuss once in awhile. After all...

     I really like his writing style

     it makes me laugh, it makes me smile

     and life is short, we're short on time

     so why not write with words that rhyme?

 (If the Seuss man says it, it must be true!)

9.  At least once, I will remove the empty toilet paper roll and instead of replacing it, I will just leave it empty so that "someone" else has to get up and get a new toilet paper roll for themselves. That ought to teach 'em.

    

    

10.  I will watch more Vampire Diaries. Because I can. And because it's harmless and fun entertainment. And because life is too short to miss out on dancing hot vampires.

There now: 10 mostly realistic resolutions for 2014. I feel quite confident I can attain all of them too. Just keeping it real, don'tcha know. ;)

Happy New Year from me, Tina, at Tinalicious!

 

My Life in Movies

I was reading a guest post on the Dooce blog the other day, in which the guest blogger (Sarah) posted about movie-milestones in her life. It was quite the fun read, and it inspired me to steal borrow her idea and give you all the Tinalicious perspective of My life in Movies. And it's perfect for a Flashback Friday. So grab some popcorn and lets get to it, shall we?

First animated movie that made me cry, even though I denied it at the time, that I watched at the drive-in from the back of my grandparents' station wagon:

Bambi

Movie that I saw at the theater with my mom and my sister, which I didn't want to go see and raged quite a protest, only to fall in love with it:

Gone With the Wind--it was a special showing at our local theater at the time, probably due to an anniversary of the movie or something. I was around 10 years old at the time, I believe. And dang that movie was long! It even had an intermission.

 
Completely inappropriate movie that my mom took me to, thinking that is was a movie about a superhero, and that she had to cover my eyes in several parts before we finally left the theater:

Superfly.  Note: it was not about a superhero.

One of my favorite movies as a teen, that was just a random movie pick when several of my friends and I hit the theater one weekend, that we almost didn't want to see, and yet we loved so much during the show that when the film broke during a crucial moment we all went wild in the theater in protest:

On Golden Pond

Least favorite movie I saw as a teen, in which I WISHED the film would have broken so I would have had a good excuse to leave the theater:

Absence of Malice

Movie my best friend and I tried to go see at the theater, even though it was rated R and we were under age, and that we lied to our parents and told them we were going to see something else when they dropped us off at the theater, and still tried every way possible to sneak into, to no avail:

Endless Love

Movie I have still never seen to this day after the underage, rated R movie fiasco:

Endless Love

Movie that I saw repeatedly in the theater, and that still is my most viewed theater movie (10 times) to date, and that my sister, my cousin and I sang and danced to its soundtrack album in our living room to the point that our neighbors must have thought it was the only album we owned:

Grease

First action movie that I ever loved, that my awesome Uncle Bobby took me to, and that made me want to become an archaeologist for awhile:

Raiders of the Lost Ark

80's Movies that I adored that I still watch to this day:

The Breakfast Club

Pretty in Pink

Say Anything

16 Candles

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Movies that made me fall in love with the leading men back in the day:

Risky Business

Lethal Weapon

Dirty Dancing

Die Hard

Movies that I hated, and I do mean HATED, and that I would never, ever--don't even bother to offer me money 'cause it ain't happening--watch again:

Pulp Fiction

Gone Fishing

What Dreams May Come

Any of the Star Wars "prequels"

Recent movies I can't stop re-watching:

Bridesmaids
Pitch Perfect

Not-So-Recent movies that I love to re-watch, no matter how many times I've seen them:

National Treasure
Tomb Raider
Titanic
The Mummy
The Big Chill
Pirates of the Caribbean
Ghost
Charlie's Angels

Chick Flicks I can watch over and over, that the Hubs can't stand, so I watch them after he goes to bed (unless I'm mad at him, in which case it would do him good to watch them so I have a chick flick marathon instead):

Hope Floats
Ever After
The Notebook
Message in a Bottle
The Twilight Saga
Pretty Woman
Never Been Kissed
Notting Hill
Sweet Home Alabama

Movies I probably shouldn't like, but I actually love:

What a Girl Wants
Peggy Sue Got Married
Xanadu
Along Came Polly

Some movies I absolutely adore, but that you probably haven't seen--but should:

Paradise (starring Melanie Griffith)
The Man in the Moon (starring a young Reese Witherspoon)
Mystic Pizza (starring Julia Roberts, in one of her first movie roles)
While You Were Sleeping (a sleeper hit, starring Sandra Bullock)
Somewhere in Time (starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour)

OK, well, that's a LOT of my life in movies, isn't it? I should end this here, because hopefully, I've inspired you to watch--or re-watch--a movie or two after reading this. As for me, the next movie I'll be watching this weekend is Meet the Millers. How about you?

 

Your Move, Internet

Just a little meme for your Semi-Wordless Wednesday, peeps.

Dude. I know. It's either hilarious, or just stupid enough to be funny. I'm still debating it.

Mini Dutch Apple Pies

The Hubs' favorite pie is Apple. Dutch Apple, to be precise. And though he may eat the occasional slice of pumpkin pie around the holidays, he loves Apple Pie the most. Like, the mostest. What does he want?

And if there is no apple pie?

And if I should happen to eat the last piece of his pie?

Yeah, he just loves his pie. So I decided to make him an apple pie over the weekend, but I wanted to change it up a bit. I mean, anyone can make a regular old apple pie. I can do that in my sleep. OK, not really, but still. It's boring. So I decided to go out on the edge and instead make 12 mini apple pies.

Oh yes, I'm serious.

And since they turned out so yummy, I decided to share my easy peasy Mini Dutch Apple Pie recipe with YOU! Dude, I know. Awesomeness.

So here's what you need for the Pie Crust and Filling:

2 Pillsbury Pie Crusts (because making your own does not = easy)

1 Can of Apple Pie Filling (again--easiness)

And for the Streussel Topping:

1/2 Cup of Flour

1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup of Butter, cold and firm

And:

A 12-Muffin Tin

Lid or Cup to use as a cutter 

And here's how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 425° (or 400° for darker pans). Let your pie crust come to room temperature and then roll it out (I did that on wax paper). Use a large cup or lid as a "cutter" for your crusts--use whatever makes a crust big enough to fit inside and fill one muffin cup in your tin. Just cut out the crust dough until you have 12 circles. I had a little dough leftover. 

Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray and then gently press in your crust dough. Be careful not to rip them, and work out any air bubbles. I poked the bottom of mine with a fork to be sure to get the air out.

Open your can of pie filling. I cut most of the apple slices in half so they'd fit in the tin better, then I just spooned in the filling into each of the 12 cups of the muffin tin. It took my entire can to fill all 12 muffin tin cups.

Make your Streussel Topping, combining with a fork (or a pastry blender) until it's good and crumbly. Then sprinkle it over the top of each awaiting pie.

Pop your pies in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool and then remove from pan.

Your Mini Dutch Apple Pies should look something like this:

And after you feed it to your hubby, he should look like this:

And if those delicious little pies don't make for an incredibly Tasty Tuesday, then seriously, nothing will. Now go forth. And get baking.

What's In a Name

After joining in a linky party on my last post, I was reading some other bloggers' posts and one inspired me to check out my name on the Urban Dictionary site. I checked out 'Tina,' since that is the name I go by most often (even though my given name is Christina--but I only ever got called that by my mom...when I was in trouble). And according to the Urban Dictionary, Tina means several things.

Apparently, my name is slang for Crystal Meth. So I guess you need to be a little suspicious if any of your friends say they're gonna meet "Tina" at the club this weekend. Word to the wise: they may not be talking about moi. On the plus side, this does make me think of a line from one of my favorite movies, Pitch Perfect.

Fat Amy is the best. And I can't wait for Pitch Perfect 2, which is due in 2015. Prepare to be pitch slapped again! Yay!

But back on topic...Tina also means "little one, a leader, independent, strength, creative, and original." One of those things is completely inaccurate. I'll leave it to you to guess which one.

I looked a bit further on the U.D. and found something else related to my name. Example:

"You just got Tina'd."

Meaning: When a girl gives you a "WTF?" look.

So, when someone gives you this look:

You've just been Tina'd. So yeah. Think of me.

I'm not even gonna tell you what Tinahead means. Just use your imagination. 

And then there's Tina Bong Bong, which means someone who is "totally crazy random, mad as a box of frogs, but loveable, likeable, sincere, and special." I guess my conundrum with that description is: how did the box of frogs get mad in the first place?

Ahem.

That was an interesting bit of education for your Friday, courtesy of the Urban Dictionary. But since they were missing "Tinalicious" from their database, I submitted it to them and it's pending review. It'd be wrong of them not to add it, don't you think? If they refuse to, they are soooo gonna get Tina'd.

Obligatory Thankful Post

So it's November, folks. And you know what that means, don'tcha? No, I'm not talking about turkey, or parades, or football, or the award I deserve after I yet again endure 3 days of cleaning, baking, and cooking for a meal that will take all of 15 minutes to consume and that will be enjoyed by everyone but me. 

No, no, I'm talking about gratitude, and the obnoxious onslaught of gratitude posts that appear on Facebook and Twitter and the like as the countdown to Turkey Day continues throughout the month. Everyone is posting what they are grateful or thankful for. Repeatedly. Like, every day. And while that's all well and good, it can get a bit...annoying...to say the least.

People are spreading the virtual love and thanks for their families, their homes, their dogs, their health, their jobs, their kids, and all their many bountiful blessings. And don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for all those things too. But I thought I'd create just one post to share just a few little things that I'm thankful for that are, perhaps, overlooked by the rest of you.

So here goes.

I'm thankful for Fall and Winter--because not only do they mean a break from heat, humidity, and sweat that the warmer months bring, but they also mean that I don't have to shave if I don't want to. You ladies can't pretend like you aren't thankful for that too.

I'm thankful that November is Sweeps Month--because that means some good sh*t is gonna happen on my favorite shows. And The Vampire Diaries is at the top of that list. Ah, who am I kidding? It's the only show I really care about right now. So bring it on, Julie Plec: shirtless Damon, Damon in a towel, or maybe Damon playing Naked Twister. Surprise me. I'm waiting.

I'm thankful for International Delight Iced Coffee--because that stuff is just freaking G-O-O-D. And alternative ways to drink coffee are always something to be thankful for--especially considering there is no Starbucks in my town. I know. The horror.

I'm thankful for Game of Thrones--because Winter is coming. And because it makes me like people I hate and root for the Mother of Dragons and want to answer every question people ask me with, "Not Today!"  And if you don't understand any of that, I highly suggest you watch Game of Thrones. Like right now. Go ahead. I'll wait.

And finally, I'm thankful for turn signals. Or, more precisely, for people who actually bother to USE their turn signals. Because it's just kind of cool to know when the car ahead of me is going to suddenly change lanes or direction. You know, just for sh*ts and giggles. 

So there you have five things I'm thankful for. I'm sure I could come up with more. Lots more really. But I don't want to overdo it.

You can thank me later.

Linking this post up to Mama Kat's

Reality Check 80s Style

As a former teen of the 80's, I've gotta visit The 80's once in awhile, so for today's Semi-Wordless Wednesday I thought we'd go 80's at the same time.

Now put on some Madonna, grab some leg warmers, and lets kick this Hump Day's ass, 80's style!

Dreamcatchers Meme

I found a funny meme last night that I want to share for your Semi-Wordless Wednesday. Something to chase those nightmares away.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled Hump Day.

My Friday Confessions 10-25

OK, peeps. The Friday confessional is open. Let's get to it.

I do not wear lipstick. Like, ever. I don't even own a tube of lipstick. I remember telling someone that a few years ago and they just looked at me with this confused look on their face, like they were trying to understand a foreign language or something. 

And while we're on the subject of things I don't wear, I also don't wear high heels. I don't even own a pair of heels. No seriously. 

That last time I wore a pair of heels was on June 23, 1984. The day I got married. And those were very low heels. Heels are just not comfortable. And since I seldom have the need to wear a dress, I don't really have the need for heels either. And besides, I can wear flats with a dress. I'm just cool like that.

I have never tried Nutella. I should try it. I mean, it's got chocolate. It's got hazelnut. It definitely sounds like something I could eat too much of like. Which is probably a good reason to never try it. I hear that stuff can be addicting.

And lastly, I finally got Ian Somerhalder, aka Damon Salvatore, to show up at my house. He's right behind me in my office as I type this.

OK, yeah, he's a poster. But I'll take what I can get.

That's the sum of my wild confessions for this week. I hope it wasn't too much for you. ;)

Twice Around the Block

Just a quick post for your Semi-Wordless Wednesday--before it's too late and it's actually Thursday! Very few words necessary, to be sure. It's self-explanatory.

See? My new workouts are a piece of cake. I'll be losing weight in no time.

Mexican Shells and Chicken Casserole

OK, peeps. It's time for another Tinalicious Tasty Tuesday. This week's recipe is a casserole with a hint of Mexican flavor and flare. After all, a little spice in your life is good, right? Admit it. You're excited.

So here's what you need to make this oh-so-fabulous dish:

• 3/4 LB of Small Shells pasta
• 2 Cups of Cooked Chicken, chopped
• 2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Can (10oz) Rotel Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chiles (I used Mild)
• 1-1/2 Cups of Sour Cream
• 2 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
• 1-2 TBSP Chili-O Seasoning (to taste)
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

And here's how create this tasty bit of Mexican-flavored heaven:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Cook the pasta, per the package's directions.
3. In a large bowl, mix all the other ingredients (you can reserve 1/2 Cup of the cheese to sprinkle on top of the casserole, if you like--it's up to you). Add the cooked pasta. Mix well.
4. Put in a 9x13" baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.

When it's finished, you'll have a bowl full of this deliciousness:

And really, the only thing that could make this better is if you had this guy sharing the meal with you after you've made it.

But naturally, I shared mine with the Hubs. I may or may not have called him Damon during dinner.

To Sweat, or Not to Sweat

Yes, it's true. I hate to sweat. But being that I'm quite the cow these days, I figured it was high time to get off my cow-sized butt and try to do something about it. I really don't eat that much, as much as the appearance of my cow-sized butt would make you think otherwise, so my diet isn't the real problem.Though I do have a sweet tooth, I am pretty good about not letting it control me.

Really, it's pretty much about the exercise, or lack thereof. Fact is, I despise exercise. And I can't even begin to tell you how much I loathe to sweat. And exercise = sweating. Sweating is gross. And exercising is not even remotely fun. So how else can I feel about either one?

But hey, you know what they say..."suck it up, sunshine and just do it." 

OK, maybe they don't say that exactly, but you get the idea. I need to watch what I eat, and gasp exercise. Even if I hate it. Even if it makes me sweat. Even if I hate the skinny biatches who can eat whatever they want and never workout and still be a size 9, while I have to workout for a month just to lose one freaking pound. I have to do it.

So that's what I'm doing. I'm in week two, which is nothing really to brag about, I guess. But hey, it's something. And it's one small step closer to decreasing my cow-sized butt. I don't expect miracles though. I'll never be a size 9.

And that's OK. I'll be happy to lose some extra pounds, get healthy-ish, and have a little bit of an easier time getting my cow-sized butt up off the floor after playing with my granddaughter. Gotta keep the expectations realistic, don'tcha know.

Hopefully, in a year from now, I'll be able to look back at this post and smile at how far I've come.

Stay tuned. I'm just gonna take it One Calorie At a Time.

My Daily Workouts Meme

Since I'm trying to eat right and do daily workouts in my attempt to lose One Calorie At a Time, I thought I'd create a little meme to share with you today. And it will work for your Semi-Wordless Wednesday too. :)

Semi-Wordless 80's Wednesday

The 80's.

What can I say about the 80's? Well, you know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words. So...

It wasn't a perfect decade by any means. 

But it had E.T.

And Back to the Future.

And Pac Man.

And California Raisins commercials
And Princess Diana's wedding.

And "Who Shot J.R.?" T-Shirts.

And legwarmers.

And an MTV that actually played music videos.

And Michael Jackson.

The 80's rocked.

The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup Ever

I've been searching for a really good--scratch that--really GREAT Broccoli and Cheese Soup for years. Years, I tell you. It's been exhausting. And a little maddening.

I mean, really. How hard should it be to find a Broccoli Cheese Soup that is so delicious that it makes you never want to eat any other Broccoli Cheese Soup ever again?

Well, at long last, my search is finally over. That's right. I found it. And to think, the Hubs said that Pinterest is a waste of five hours a night time. Hmph. I showed him.

Anyhoots, I thought I'd share the recipe with you, in case any of you have been on the same seemingly life-long search for Broccoli Cheese Soup satisfaction. I found it on Pinterest, but the source is Jenn at the Peas and Crayons blog. So click the link below if you'd like to visit the original recipe source. Note: I omitted the shredded carrots and cayenne pepper that Jen's recipe called for.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP RECIPE

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Chopped Broccoli
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock (or Vegetable)
• 1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded, plus extra for topping
• 1 Cup or Regular Gouda Cheese, shredded
• 1 Cup of Diced White Onion
• 2 Cloves Minced Garlic
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 3 TBSP  All Purpose Flour
• 3 TBSP Butter
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/4 TSP Garlic Powder
• 1/8 TSP Allspice
• 1/8 TSP Ground Nutmeg
• 1/8 TSP Dried Basil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Add your Chick Stock, Broccoli, Onion, Garlic and Bay Leaf to a medium pot. Simmer, covered, over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
2. Once the broth is done, start your roux in a large pot. Add the Butter over medium heat and whisk until it's melted; then slowly add the flour as you whisk until well mixed. Then turn off the heat.
3. Add the broth (leaving out veggies for now) to the roux and stir to mix. Then add the veggies, and slowly pour in the Heavy Cream. Pull out the Bay Leaf.
4. Return the pot to low heat and add your herbs and spices. Once the soup is heated back up, add in your cheeses and stir until it's all melted.
5. Serve and enjoy!

A couple of notes: I doubled this recipe since Jenn said her version only made 2 large bowls worth. I wanted a nice big pot of soup, so I just doubled it all. But with the Sharp Cheddar Cheese, I also used extra--I used a full 2 Cups of it in the soup. What can I say? I'm a cheese fiend. I served mine with some fresh hard rolls from the bakery in the local grocery store.

Sadly, I have no photo of my soup a la perfection! I was so hungry when I got done that I started eating and forgot to take a photo. But hey, we all know what Broccoli Cheese Soup is supposed to look like, right? And you can always pop over to Jenn's blog and see her fabulous pics. :)  And rest assured that after you eat it, you too will be saying...

 

WTF Kitty

Just a quick picture post today for your WTF Wednesday. It just fits.

I feel exactly like that sometimes. 

Exactly.

Baked Parmesan Chicken

Well, what do you know? It's Tuesday. And since it's been far too long since I've done a Tasty Tuesday post, I think it's time to change that. I've got a great recipe to share that I just made for dinner this evening. It was truly tasty! So let's have a peek at the cast of characters, shall we?

Ingredients

• 6-8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (you can use breasts, but we're thigh people)
• 1 Stick of Melted Butter (I never said this would be a healthy recipe, after all)
• 2 TSP Minced Garlic
• 1 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs
• 2/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese (I used Kraft grated, but you could grate your own)
• 1 TSP Dried Basil
• Kosher Salt, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. After you melt your stick of Butter, add the Minced Garlic to it in a bowl and set it aside. This gives the garlic a chance to flavor the butter.
2. Gather all your other ingredients and rinse your Chicken.
3. In another bowl, combine the Bread Crumbs, Parmesan Cheese, and Basil. Mix well.
4. Dredge the chicken in the butter/garlic combo, then into the Bread Crumbs/Cheese mixture, and place in a 9x13" pan. Once all my chicken was in the pan I poured my leftover butter into the bottom of the pan too.
5. Sprinkle the chicken with Kosher Salt. I love Kosher Salt, but feel free to use whatever salt you like, or leave it out. 
6. Bake in a 350° oven for 40-45 minutes. Time will vary according to your oven. Mine was probably done at 40 minutes, but I gave it an extra 5 minutes to brown the crumbs a bit more.

When it's finished, your Baked Parmesan Chicken should look a bit like this:

And once you've finished eating it, you should feel like this:

I know I did. :) Oh, and as I recall, at the last minute I decided to sprinkle on just a wee bit of granulated garlic on top of my chicken before I stuck it in the oven. I know, I already used minced garlic, but I just had this feeling that it needed...more. Yes, we're garlic people too.

On a side note, I'm curious as to why I got 7 thighs in my package of chicken. Not 8. Not 6. But 7. It's weird, no?  Just something to ponder while you're copying this recipe down. Enjoy!

You Forgot Your Pants

When I saw this photo the other day, four things came immediately to mind:

1. I wonder if this person shops at Wal Mart.
2. This could be the poster child for What NOT to Wear.
3. I have to use this for WTF Wednesday.

And 4. You forgot your pants, lady.