Item #1 - Cook More = #1 "Crust-less Pizza"

Okay - So the first item on my "29 while 29" list was to use my cookbooks to make more recipes. This past week I made one of them for dinner, but I changed a few things in it based on how my mom has been making this recipe for a while.

I absolutely love pizza but we all know the crust is the worst part for us to eat. So we found this recipe for a Crust-less Pizza! And honestly, it is very good. My mom has been making this for years, but this was my very first attempt at making it on my own.

Here is what you need:
Hamburger (I used like 1.75lb I think in mine)
Eggs (amount of these will depend on how much meat you used - I needed 3 eggs)
Pizza Sauce
Your choice of pizza toppings (I used mushrooms & pepperoni this time)
Pizza Cheese (I found that Kraft makes a Pizza blend, which I used)

All you do is brown your hamburger. Drain it and then place it in a baking pan. Mix the eggs together in a bowl and then pour over the hamburger. I mixed it in to ensure that the egg got all over the meat and would help it stick together. Put the pizza sauce on it and cover the whole pan. Then add your toppings of choice. Cover with the cheese (the more cheese the better in my mind!) and put it in the oven. Bake it for 30min at 375. Once I took it out of the oven I let it stand for about 10 minutes before trying to cut into it which seemed to help me serve it up a little bit better.

Very simple, very good, and reheats very well as well!

The finished Pizza!

So there you go - there is the first recipe I have made so far and I think it turned out pretty good! Enjoy!

#11 - Read More

Okay - I wanted to ensure I updated where I was at on my list. So far, I can say that I was able to read a book in a week. Of course, since it was the 3rd book in The Hunger Games, I really couldn't put it down! I guess that helps.

Even though I read the first 2 books in the series before I turned 29 (okay, I finished the 2nd book the day before my birthday!) I thought I would include all of them in my little summary of the book for anyone who would like more information on it and possibly read the book themselves. (I have already gotten my mom to read them and she has had a few of her friends read them too!)

THE HUNGER GAMES - TRILOGY

From the moment the first book started I was hooked. It is like instant action going on and you just want to keep reading to see what happens and how things pan out.

Basic overview of the books is this: They are set in the world of Panem and there is the Capital and 13 Districts. These Districts really do not have any names other than their number. The majority of the story takes place in District 12 where Katniss Everdeen lives with her mom, sister (Primrose, or Prim for short) and Prim's cat Buttercup.
There was a point in the history of Panem when the Districts tried to revolt against the Capital and District 13 is destroyed in the process. When the Capital regained control, they started what is known as "The Hunger Games" as a way of controlling the Districts and reminding them that the Capital is in charge.

What are the Hunger Games?: Every child in every district from ages of 12-18 has their name put in a bowl one more time each year. (So if the child is 12 their name is in their once; if the child is 18 their name is in there 7 times.) Now, since there is such famine in the land, the children can have their names added more times in exchange for food to feed their families, which happens a lot in District 12.
Every year the Capital comes and draws 2 names from the bowls - one boy and one girl to be that Districts representative in The Hunger Games. These children are forced to fight to the death in an arena set up by the Capital.

It gets better: This might sound like a harsh book or a rough story line to read, but as you continue through the books you start to better understand what is going on. The Districts do not like the way things are and the children do not want to kill. Basically, think of it as the Nation is at war...just like we have been with Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. Only instead of having an all-out war, they choose to use the Hunger Games as a way of keeping the Districts in line.

Keep reading: One thing I will say is that you owe it to yourself to keep reading these books. Do not stop! I found book 2 a little rough to get through, but others I have talked to liked it the best. I cannot tell you much of what happened in book 3 though or else it will give everything away.

I know there has been some controversy over these books and how they are having children kill children, but that is not the theme of the books. It is not the main point either. If you read them all you will begin to see that there is so much more to this trilogy than the killing. Its a nation at war with itself and finding out how they handle the situations they are faced with.

Yes, I do recommend these books - but only if you stick with them and read all 3 together. It is just like any other movie or book out there about finding love in the midst of a war.

My official list...

…29 Things To Do While I Am 29…

1 - Use my cookbooks to try 29 new recipes.

I have so many cookbooks in the cabinet that have been given to me & there are plenty more recipes online that are available for free… so in the next 52 weeks, I want to try 29 different recipes that I haven’t tried before. They can be breakfast, dinner or desserts…all are fair game!

2 - Visit “Carlo’s Bakery” in Hoboken, NJ and buy a cake or cookie from them.

I have always wanted to try something they make since I started watching “Cake Boss” on TV. Just seems like fun to try something they make right from the bakery!

3 - Go camping for the first time.

Hard to believe I am almost 30 years old and never been camping! So, this year, I want to mark this one off my list! (Plus I know it is something my husband enjoys and I really want to enjoy it with him.)

4 - Go to the Ohio state fair.

I’ve gone to many county fairs, but never been to the Ohio state fair. I hear it is fun and for once I want to know this for me and learn first-hand what kind of fun it is at the fair.

5 - Run a 10K or ½ marathon…and finish without stopping.

While I was in Germany I ran quite a few 5K’s, and then in May 2010 Destry & I ran a 5K together. But last year we didn’t do any. So this year, on top of running a couple 5K’s I would like to run a 10K or even possibly a ½ marathon. The training is well under-way and now I just have to do some research for which ones I want to sign up for.

6 - Kiss my husband in the rain.

This is something that you always see as being romantic on TV, so I figure why not try it. And since I am married…well, hopefully this is on Destry’s list of fun things to do too!

7 - Learn to play guitar.

I have always loved the guitar and while Paw-Paw made me one when I was 13, it is strung right-handed and well, I am a silly one who even though I am primarily right-handed, I play guitar left-handed. Haha So a couple of months ago my husband bought me a left-handed purple guitar. While I have messed around with it a little bit, I haven’t really set down to actually learn to play. So let’s see how I do on making this point happen.

8 - Learn to sew.

When I was in middle school I loved Home Economics I loved the section on sewing. Since then I had always wanted to actually learn about sewing and possibly make some of my own stuff. So, for Christmas my husband bought me a sewing machine…which has unfortunately not been out of the box yet! But that’s okay. We think we have everything we need in order to get me started. Which is why this is on my list – I want to at least make a quilt this year. 

9 - Do 29 hours of volunteer work.

My senior year in high school I did like 150 hours of volunteer work and thoroughly loved doing it. So I thought I would bring this back into my life. Not sure what I will do yet or where I will work, but I will let you know what I decide to do.

10 - Take a road trip with my best friend.

Deidra & I went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee in July 2010 and have always wanted to take another trip together. So we are planning a trip to Savannah, Georgia in November of 2012 as of right now. We are going to continue to plan and see what we come up with. Of course there will be lots of pictures to come from whatever trip we end up taking.

11 - Read more.

College caused me to not like to read as much. So my goal is to read for me all year…which I have been doing for a few months now. I just put this on here to ensure I continue to read for me. As I read a book though, I will try to do a review on it so that you know my thoughts about it.

12 - Go to a concert.

I love going to concerts! I think that they are so much fun and you can really let loose and just enjoy being with so many people who are enjoying the same music as you!
**UPDATE** This one is already worthy of an update because Deidra bought us tickets to go see Casting Crowns in July at the Ohio State Fair (#4 on my list!!). So we will be taking care of #12 and #4 at the same time in July! J

13 - Become a military chaplain

Okay – well anyone who knows me knows that this one has been under works for like 10 years already! And it is very close to coming true, which is why it is on here because I plan on this finally coming to pass this year!

14 - Go dancing with my husband.

(Or stay in and have a night of dancing at home!) I am not a very good dancer but I love dancing with Destry! So I thought it would be fun to have a night of dancing with him!

15 - Have a baby

Yes, I know this one could actually take until I am 30, but I at least would like to consider getting pregnant sometime while I am 29. I know this one is also a little personal, but it’s on my list even though I know that it all happens in God’s timing!

16 - Keep writing my books

I love to write and have been working on writing some books over the last few years. I know that this one is a little bit involved, which is why I am just putting on here to keep writing. If I can work on getting someone to publish them, then sweet!

17 - Donate blood

This is something that I have done a few times already in my life and I feel like if I am physically able to donate, then I should. So I put this on my list as a way to remind me that I need to ensure that I am helping people in any way that I can.

18 - Have a garage sale

I think that everyone has some things in our homes that we don’t use nor do we need. I would like to go through everything in our house and take an honest inventory of everything to put things in our sale that we just do not use or need. Here’s to clearing clutter!!

19 - Donate my hair…again!

This is something that I have already done twice in my life (June 2005 & November 2007) and I would like to do this again. My hair is already long enough to donate, so really it is just a matter of when do I want to cut it! I will post before and after pictures when I do get it cut and mail off my hair!

20 - Find some way to build a memorial to Olliver

When my Olliver went to Heaven on 30 August 2011 it was by far the hardest day of my life thus far and I am still in need of some kind of closure from this. So I would like to do something to give me a memorial or something for him. Not sure exactly what this is, but in time we will figure it out.

21 - Learn to play poker

There is absolutely no reason to this one other than I have always wondered what the hype was all about. I just think it would be fun to learn.

22 - Finish a puzzle with Destry

We started a puzzle in December 2010 together and I would like to finish it this year sometime. We really don’t work on it very often, so I guess in order to have this one come to pass I will have to ensure we actually get it out and finish it! Don’t worry – I will post pictures of this when it is done!

23 - Sell a blanket

I have been crocheting for years now and have lately lad this crazy idea of possibly selling my blankets I make. Now, as of now I have given all of them away (my nieces & nephews have them – Olivia, Ezri, Luke, Annabelle & “yet-to-be-named” Baby Matthews) so I would like to sell one and see if I can maybe start to have some sort of side-business doing something that I love.

24 - Become licensed to perform weddings

Now I have been a licensed minister for 4 years already and been allowed to perform marriage ceremonies, but I have yet to do the paperwork with the state of Ohio to be legally allowed to do this. So this year I am going to do that paperwork so that I am able to do this part of my job!

25 - Write in my journal at least once a week for the whole year

I am so bad about keeping a journal but I have one that I would like to keep. Now, the details of this will not be shared --SORRY-- but I do want to ensure that I am continually writing in it. So I am adding this to ensure that I keep up with my writing.

26 - Eat a ballpark hotdog!

Now this requires going to a baseball game – which is something my husband and I have been talking about doing for a couple of years now. So I guess, in a way, this goal will be accomplishing two at once!

27 - Play more golf

I have had my own golf clubs for a few years now but have never actually taken them out to play. So this year I would like to take them out more and actually play golf. Maybe just 9 holes but this is something Destry & I have discussed doing together for a while so maybe this will be the year that we will make it happen. (I will even accept going putt-putt golfing more!)

28 - Keep up with my blog

This one I should be able to do since I plan to post about all of these 29 things this year. But I would like to challenge myself to actually blog more – I was really excited to start my blog, but I have kind of let it go. So this year, I would like to gain more followers somehow and actually spend time blogging.

29 - Take my Jeep off-road

I bought a 2008 Jeep Liberty last summer & since we saw it, Destry and I have talked about taking it off-road. I’m not talking a massive off-roading trip, just taking it off-road enough to say that we did and have a little fun in the process. So, I figure since this will be the first full summer that we will have the Jeep, it’s the perfect time to see what he can do! Here’s to a good time!