The baby of our family will begin her senior year.
We will celebrate the third high school graduation of our four teens.
And we will navigate new health and diet protocols as a result of some of the health challenges of 2017.
But... we will give thanks for so many blessings.
I wish each of you a very happy, healthy and joyous New Year!
As always, thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I have exciting plans for this site for 2018, so I hope you will check back in!
I leave you with a little snippet of my 2017 highlights. According to Instagram, these are my top nine photos of 2017! Good memories indeed.
(Top right - the transformation of Bella from little girl to sweaty soccer player, Homecoming 2017 for Bella, Prom 2017 for Connor, Bella turns 17, Puerto Vallarta July 2017, Connor 's first day of kindergarten to senior graduation, geocaching in Sunriver, summer outdoor music festival, Mother's Day with my mom and kids 2017).
A few other family highlights included my in-laws 50th Wedding Anniversary pictured below with the 53 family members celebrated in November.
Photo by Brooke Beasley Photography.
Connor qualifying for the State Golf Tournament as an individual and graduating from high school!
Exploring (and eating our way through) Puerto Vallarta as a family and loving the Vallarta Food Tours!
One of our favorite inventions of 2017 was the Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cooker!
It helped Todd get a hot, healthy breakfast each day using eggs and whatever leftover vegetables, meats, or cheeses - not to mention, a "Paleo-friendly" option that stayed warm for his hour-long commute! This microwavable egg cooker made breakfast on-the-go a daily reality and also helped him achieve a weight-loss goal over the summer months. His love for the egg cooker led to an office-wide interest ending with sales of over 20 Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cookers for his office.
We love this product! I use it to make oatmeal and Todd (and countless coworkers) use theirs at work and rave about how the food stays warm in the cooker while they make their commute (it fits in the cup-holder of a car) or eat at their desks.
This contraption makes the perfect scrambled eggs (2 eggs with 2 Tablespoons milk or water, shake with a finger over lid). It makes omelets (sausage crumbled, cheese, onion, red peppers) in under 4 minutes! We put eggs (with add-ons or leftovers such as bacon, spinach, and cheese) in for 1 minute, stir and then add 15-second intervals until you get the consistency that you want. You can also make a lighter version with 1 cup of egg whites with 2 teaspoons of salsa microwaved for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The eggs are amazing!
This is a great gift for college students who have limited access to kitchens as you only need a microwave to make healthy, quick breakfasts or snacks.
The Ceramic Egg Cooker is easy to clean and you don't have to add oil, butter or cooking spray.
This is another great option to make in the Ceramic Egg Cooker - this Chocolate Mug Cake (flourless, gluten-free) that can be made in less than 5 minutes! Dark chocolate chips, milk, cocoa powder and one egg yolk create a decadent treat you can top with berries, whipped cream or powdered sugar.
You can alter the recipe with two swaps and make an Orange Chia Microwave Muffin by substituting the blueberries and lemon zest with 1 Tab. of chia seeds and 1 tsp. of orange zest.
About Pampered Chef
I went to my first Pampered Chef party over 18 years ago, when my first-born was a month old! I fell in love with the products and I can say that the items that I purchased at that initial party have stood the test of time and are still used and loved! I had been a customer over the years, and in early 2017, I attended my first online Pampered Chef Virtual Party on Facebook! From the comfort of my own home (dressed in my pajamas, I'm sure) I participated in my friend's Virtual Party online while I learned new techniques, watched videos of the products, and fell in love with the idea of becoming a Pampered Chef Consultant.
I took the plunge and signed up to become an Independent Pampered Chef Consultant as it aligned with my love of helping families find ways to make mealtime easier, cost-effective, and healthy so they can spend more quality time together. I love that a staff of home economists, food scientists, chefs, and dieticians develop, test, and edit more than 200 recipes each year while creating the tools, training, and tips that give everyday cooks confidence in the kitchen. Each product goes through extensive testing in the Test Kitchens and Quality Labs.
For more than 35 years, Pampered Chef has helped create countless mealtime moments with friends and family through high-quality, everyday cooking tools and inspiration, while providing cooking consultants with a flexible opportunity to build a business around his or her own lifestyle, goals, and passions.
Please visit my Independent Consultant Pampered Chef website at https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/nicoleengstrom to learn what Pampered Chef has to offer!
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A girl in love with the seasons who wants to cram as much as she can into the 365 days of the year to live a life of bliss. Welcome to What Matters Most Now! I hope you will find inspiration and recipes you love.
