I got money in the baaaank...

Well, not yet. But soon! Because today...I got another job! I am now a proud employee of

Costco!!

Alright, so it's not a Broadway stage...but they are paying me significantly more than I am being paid now...plus it's 25 hrs a week min required...YAY! And to top it all off, I will be getting benefits! I have never had a job that gave benefits. I feel so (as silly as this sounds) grown up. I really feel like I am actually starting to change. New jobs that are actually going to pay me significant money, new attitude towards messiness, (I am very unorganized, so sometimes that leads to a mess...but you should see my room and bathroom for the last month...spick and span) and I think I am starting to skim the surface with this whole confidence thing. The job helped with that.

I'm gonna do it.

I'm gonna be ok.

I'm gonna learn how to function.

I'm gonna make MOOOOOOONEEEEEY! =)

Kiss the cook!

That's right, only the second day in and I already started on one of my goals. Proud? Well...I am! Haha. Tonight I made one of my three new recipes in my "Rachel Renovation" project. I just came up with that name now...hmmm, it's sticking most definitely. Anyways tonight I made...

"Outside-the-Box pasta pie"

It was Delicious, if I do say so myself. My family loved it as well and said it was a definite repeat recipe! I put the recipe down below if any of you are interested to try it yourself..I highly recommend it. This recipe was very easy, inexpensive (I only spent $19 at the grocery store plus I have plenty of left overs with the ingredients that will be used easily) I used whole grain pasta to try and be a little more healthy and it tasted awesome! Also, if you were to just to non fat milk, low fat cheese, and low fat cream cheese (especially because the amount of cream cheese that is used is so small) this would be a really health conscience meal! I also used turkey bacon, which again the recipe only calls for two slices spread throughout the whole dish. So...here you go! Let me know if you guys try it!! Have fun with it. Add something to make it your own and let us know about it!

Outside-the-box pasta pie

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta-cooking water

8 ounces of penne or penne rigate

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Dash Worcestershire sauce (say that five times fast! =)

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (mmm...adds so much flavor!)

Black pepper

2 slices bacon

1/2 medium onion

1/4 cup drained-oil packed sun dried tomatoes (I just used a fresh tomato and it tasted great)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pie dish (I hardly used any butter withe the veggies to keep it healthy)

2 cups broccoli florets

2 ounces cream cheese

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add penne and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk milk, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire, nutmeg, and some black pepper in a large bowl. Drain the penne, let cool for a few minutes, then add to the bowl.

2. Roughly chop the onion and tomatoes. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat until it begins to crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. (I removed the bacon from the skillet and then did the veggies, because the recipe didn't leave any chance to break the bacon into small bits before mixing it with everything else. So I took the bacon out, put the veggies in the skillet, then broke up the bacon and put it with the veggies) Add the onion, tomatoes, and broccoli to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onion is tender, about five minutes. Toss the vegetable mixture with the pasta, add the cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Stir until cheese starts to melt

3. Grease a 9 inch pie dish with some butter and mound the pasta mixture in the dish. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top. Bake until pie is set and the top is golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

All The Single Ladies...

I have officially not been single since (drum roll, please) 2006. I know, kinda crazy. I feel like my life is one string of attempted relationships. I chose the word attempted because I just really don't want to use the word "failed" when describing my past. So now, it is time to learn how to function...all by my lonesome. To help me through this oh so needed season of singleness, I am making myself a list of projects/goals for myself. I will keep you guys updated on how I'm doing on the list, and may be I will encourage some people to gets some things they have been wanting to get done too. These all will take work, of course, but not one of them is an unrealistic goal.

My time limit (because I need boundaries, this I know) is six months....So that makes the official date : January 22, 2011. (eek!)

1. Be continuing with my blogging (hey, I'm doing good on one already!)

2. Have my credit card bill paid off

3. Have outside arbor made (A DIY project my mom and I came up with)

4. Actually finish the scarf I started to knit

5. Have etsy site up and running with my sister

6. Have enough money saved to go to my friend Jessica's wedding in Pennsylvania (This one the date will have to be slightly sooner, since the wedding is towards the beginning of Jan)

7. Have signed up and started taking cake decorating classes with my mom and sister

8. Have a savings account that I am actually adding money too, instead of using it all to buy stuff...(but I love stuff!)

9. Try out 3 new recipies, and make them for my family)

10. And this one is more of a hopeful state of mind but, be content with myself without someone on my arm.

Well here I go, I'll let you know how I am doing. I am really serious about this though. Some of these may seem like silly goals, but when your life is just one unfinished project, finishing little project make you feel really good. So here is to feeling good! Hey single ladies..."Now put your hands up!!"

Penny for my thoughts...

Boy I wish it was that easy! Ever since I was little, I have been slightly obsessed with making money. I always feel like there is some magic way to my fortune that I just haven't found yet. When I was oh around five I started my first business. I would draw pictures and put them in my fisher price shopping cart and go around the house yelling "Pictures for sale!!!" I would have them marked, 1 cent, 5 cents. Well then I realized, "Hey, people think this is cute." So I would draw special pictures with specific people in mind according to their interest and then slap a 75 cent sign on there. Now that's good marketing, my friends.
Now a days I am slowly making my way to my fortune via Forever 21. It's a slow but steady climb ha. I can't wait until fall comes, two performing arts jobs in the works, so that will help. But in the mean time...I want extra cash! I feel so greedy but I can't help it. I am an AVID recycler, and coin saver. Which actually are not something to laugh at! When my jar is full of coins I get about 15 bucks each time. And the last time I turned in my recycling I got 13 bucks. At least it bought me lunch for the day =)


How do you guys make a little money on the side?

AMDA

Well, I finially made my dream of getting into, and attending a musical theatre academy true. And then...I dropped out. WTF. Lol I know. I can honestly say I NEVER thought I would ever make this decision, but I can honestly say I know it was the right one for me. I made it after LOTS of thought and prayer. As much as I am going to miss being a part of such an amazing place, I know the blessings are gonna come my way and they will fill that void tenfold because I followed what I really believe God wanted me to do. I will forever be changed by the people I met, and the experiences I had as an AMDA student. It's a little hard to think I wont be graduating next to you guys. So I wont think about it too much. I already have a bunch of new opportunities for work, and fun that have come my way. I will be the new Kids Choir and Show Choir instructor at a new performing arts academy in my town. I also may be teaching choir at another elementary school. So those are some blessings already. I'm itching for a show though. That is next on the "to do" list. I gotta go "be a monster," as the fabulous Tracy Silver would say. Just in a different way.