Last Minute Tips for a Successful 24 Hours in Las Vegas

Posted in Recipes Reel by meganandeggs

At the beginning of 2015 we made a pact that in 2015 we would focus on work. Chris & I both decided to put ourselves last & work on getting me getting a promotion & he taking classes to get certified in his field. Then December came around & we realized we hadn’t seen our friends as often as we would have liked, we had only been able to go visit Chris’s dad’s side of the family a few times & we hadn’t been to Connecticut to see my family since the year before. So although I got a promotion & Chris passed his certification test, we had no lives.

This year our “resolution” was to live life as hard as we work… So far we have been doing terribly. Chris has been working 10-11 hour days regularly & I have been working each weekend day since we’ve been back from Connecticut. So when I got one single Saturday off last week, we decided to get away & go to Vegas for a little night trip. And let me tell you, there is no better time of the year to go to Vegas last minute then in January when the high is in the 50s. Hotels are amazingly cheap!!

So how did we fly a last minute weekend trip to one of the busiest cities in the country?

Check Out What Deals You Have Available

One of the reasons we decided to go to Vegas was our M Life points got us amazing deals at half the hotels on the strip. Signing up for M Life was one of the best things we have done in Vegas. We earn points at casinos, restaurants & pools associated with MGM Hotels & in turn we get discounted prices for … well … everything. It’s great. Look into it next time you’re in Vegas!!

Make Plans

Research what is going on while you will be in town. In Vegas there are always new shows, clubs & restaurants. For us we decided we wanted to have a relaxing, but fun weekend so we decided to skip out on the club life & check out a show that neither of us had seen before. Lucky for us, we were able to get gifted show tickets to see Jennifer Lopez’s new show. AMAZING!! Best show I have seen in a long time! She is not performing right now but she will be back for a few more mini-residencies. Go! You will not be disappointed!

Pack Light

Since we were only going for two nights, & we knew Saturday our night would be taken up by the J. Lo show at Planet Hollywood packing for us was pretty easy. All I needed was a casual outfit for Friday & one semi dressy outfits for Saturday. After throwing in a simple outfit to hang around the casinos in during the day, & one to drive home in, my weekend bag was packed and ready to go.

Hit the Road

Okay, this may only really be the difference between life & well, wanting to run in front of a car, here in SoCal but making sure you leave to be Vegas bound is essential!! I have been stuck in bumper to bumper traffic in the middle of the dessert too many times!!! A few years ago there were two cars of us heading out there. My car left at 5pm and we got in 7 hours later!!! Chris’s car left at 10pm and he got there at 2am… How is this fair? We left at 9pm this time & were checked in by 1am. Just enough time for a drink at the hotel bar. Now go have fun!!! Enjoy Sin City!

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3Feb2016

Travel Hacks for a Comfortable Cross Country Flight

Posted in Travel Tips by meganandeggs

Taking a long flight isn’t always the most comfortable thing. Not all of us can sit in front of the curtain with chairs that lay back & drinks that are served to use in actual stemware. And long gone are the days where the stewardess knew each guest by name. Now it is all about sticking as many people onto a plane as possible & getting them to their destination.

I have had some wonderful flights, & then I have had some just straight terrible flights, where my planes have been delayed, my luggage was lost, I was stuck on the tarmac for hours before taking off for a flight from London. I even had to sleep on the floor of JFK airport on Christmas once. Flying isn’t always pretty. But taking a cross country, or even international, flight in coach doesn’t have to be all that bad. Especially if you follow some of these hacks to make sure your trip runs as smoothly as you can control.

Know where to sit
I used to love sitting at a window seat. It meant that I could lean up against the window & fall asleep without the scare of waking up on the chest of the stranger in the seat next to me. Lately, however, my feelings have changed. I feel claustrophobic in the window seat & want to constantly stretch my legs. My new favorite seat: the isle. Now I am able to get up as often as I want, even if the person in the middle is fast asleep. Know where you are the most comfortable. You are going to be there for a while, & it isn’t always possible to switch seats.

Wear the right gear
I need to be comfortable when I get on a plane. I am a jeans come off type of girl the second I get into my house so nothing is different about sitting in a seat for five hours. I always wear some sort of yoga pants or leggings on long flights. For a while my legs would even go numb while I was on planes, that’s where the proper footwear comes into play. Yes it’s easier to wear your heavy boots when packing, but don’t. Find a way to get them in the suitcase. Wear sneakers so your feet are supported and your blood flow keeps going.

Stay fueled
It’s easy while you are just sitting there to snack on the airplane chips & just have some soda they give you. Don’t! Always, always, always take the water they pass out. If you aren’t going to drink it now, you will later! Flying dehydrates your body, & replenishing your H2O can be a big time mood changer. Also, grab a sandwich or salad at one of the airport eateries for during your flight. It’s not fun when you land on a fun trip or vacation & all you can think about is needed to eat. Be prepared.

Have all your necessities at an arm’s reach
That book you may want to start for the fifth time, your tablet that has your latest Netflix binge on, & even your comfy sweater to keep you warm when the person next to you raises their air to full blast. Keep all of that under the chair in front of you so that no matter what you want, you can always grab it easily. The worst is being stuck on a plane with nothing to do.

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1Feb2016

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Posted in Recipes Reel by meganandeggs

I am actually pretty excited about this Super Bowl this year. I am a Giants fan & Chris is a huge Steelers fan & even though both teams are out of the running, I am pretty excited to see the Broncos kick butt this Sunday. I’m not going to lie, I am a sucker for a Manning. I have actually probably watched more Broncos games this year than Giants, a fact I am not proud of.

Anyway, I will be working Sunday night, & watching it via the NFL app updates as I am sure my store will be absolutely dead. But to get in the football spirit, I decided to watch some of my favorite football movies. A little Remember the Titans, Friday Night Lights, & We Are Marshall marathon with some homemade Buffalo Chicken Pasta. Ummm… give me a nice, cold IPA & yes please!

I made this a few weeks ago for the first time & let me tell you, the first time was not the best. This time around… way better. Amazingly creamy & spicy. I cannot get enough. And best part… no messy fingers like when you eat Buffalo wings. That is literally the worst part of eating wings. I hate it!

Chris doesn’t love creamy pastas the way I do, so for this recipe I actually cut out a quarter of what I would have liked to put in of cream cheese. I suggest you put the entire amount in & indulge. After all… it’s Super Bowl! Day of football, food, & beer.

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1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 lb linguini
1 bunch of broccoli
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz cream cheese
2 14 oz cans of chicken broth
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ cup buffalo wing sauce

1. Boil chicken breast for 15-20 minutes in salted water or until chicken is cooked through.
2. When cooked completely, use two forks and shred chicken into small pieces.
3. Cut broccoli off stalk and clean thoroughly.
4. Boil pasta to time on box, 4 minutes before pasta is done cook broccoli in pasta water. Drain pasta and broccoli and set aside.
5. Add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, chicken broth, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to the pot. Simmer on medium high mixing regularly.
6. Once the block of cream cheese is completely melted down, mix in buffalo wing sauce.
7. Mix in pasta and broccoli and stir so all pasta is coated and enjoy.

21Jan2016

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Posted in Recipes Reel by meganandeggs

We just spent a week in New England, freezing our butts off, visiting my family. What stinks is we both, & my entire family, ended up getting the flu. We tried to hide from it but no matter what, it came for us, knocked us on our asses & in bed for four days. We didn’t get to do too much with the 30 degree temperatures but it was great to go home, visit with everyone & catch up.

I got to meet two of my cousin’s new babies & one of my very best friends ask me to be a part of her wedding party. All & all it was a pretty successful trip.

One of my favorite parts of coming home, besides catching up with family & friends, is being able to eat at all of my favorite local restaurants that we don’t have in Orange County. (Check out my Instagram for posts from last week’s trip… & what we are eating @MeggOliver) There is my favorite burger joint, amazing Italian dinners, fabulous brunch places & of coarse… some Connecticut pizza.

The food in Connecticut is much different than California. During the summer we are very seafood driven along the Long Island Sound. Local clams, shrimp, and even lobster can be found in any restaurant you go to. Many seafood shacks even close up for the winter before they have to resort to using frozen fish. During the winter in Connecticut most people get back to warm comfort food.

We started our trip with a topping covered pizza, was able to try out a new brewery… which was amazing… headed for Mexican & drinks to celebrate a friend’s birthday & enjoyed a beautiful brunch with friends.

When we got back from Connecticut I went straight to work for seven days straight, & with nothing in the house it was pretty rough eating take out & mall food court food for the first few days. But now we are back into the swing of things, recovered from our sickness & I am back to cooking. One easy recipe I have made a lot this fall & winter so far has been these pulled pork sandwiches. They are super easy & well yum.

My favorite part of them is not actually the meat at all. Instead I am dying over the massive amount of coleslaw I make to top the sandwich. And good news for me… Chris hates cabbage. So I make this coleslaw & literally put it on everything for a week. I top it on salads, sandwiches, as a side…anything! I love it. Try it out & let me know which you like more… the pulled pork or the coleslaw. Beware… this is a small batch recipe. The pulled pork only makes 3-4 sandwiches. But the coleslaw can go on for days.

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Pulled Pork:
1-1.5 lb. boneless pork loin
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ cup BBQ sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp. honey

Cole Slaw:
½ head of purple cabbage
½ cup mayo
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½ tsp pepper
1 carrot, shredded

1. Mix all of the coleslaw ingredients in a bowl. Toss with tongs and refrigerate. Allow to sit for until the pork is done and all of the flavors have mixed together.
2. Place the pork at the bottom of a crock pot. Top with all of the seasonings. Cook on high 4-5 hours.
3. After 4-4.5 hours shred pork inside crock using two forks. Cover and allow to cook on low for another 30 minutes.
4. Assemble sandwich by adding coleslaw on top of the meat on a sandwich bun.

5Jan2016

Almond Vanilla Biscotti

Posted in Recipes Reel by meganandeggs

Is there any cookies better than Christmas cookies? The answer is just plain old no. There is nothing better, or more Italian, than a big old tray of cookies after dinner with coffee, espresso, & a little Sambuca or Limoncello. Ahh I love Italian family dinners.

One of my aunts does most of the cookie baking during the holidays. I think a lot of families have one person who is the cookie connoisseur, & she is definitely ours. A few years ago she made all of her nieces a little cookie cookbook & it is one of my favorite gifts I have gotten. It is such a treasure to have all of her cookies together in one place.

Now I have been pretty honest… I not the best baker. But one of my 30 goals by 30 was to become a decent baker. I feel like everyone needs to have a little something in their back pocket as far as desserts. A dessert that doesn’t come from a box. So this past holiday season I decided I was going to perfect a Almond Vanilla Biscotti.

So I made them… probably four times. My coworkers loved them, our friends loved them & Chris’s family loved them.

Baking a single cookie three times can be a little intimidating. I wasn’t sure how it as going to come out. Hell I can barely cook a sugar cookie once & have it come out right. But these came out amazing! This weekend we are going home to Connecticut & my girlfriends & I are getting together for a little girls brunch. I defiantly plan on making these & seeing what everyone on the east coast thinks of them. Maybe I will even run some over to my aunts so I can have the professional herself judge them. Wish me luck!

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½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ and lay parchment paper over a cookie sheet.
2. In a large bowl mix together butter and sugar until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time and beat into mixture.
3. Stir in almond and vanilla extract.
4. Stir in flour and baking powder until mixed throughout. Do not over mix. Add in sliced almonds.
5. Lightly flour your hands and divide the mixture in half. Shape the dough into two 10 in long rolls. Place the rolls e5 inches apart from each other on the cookie sheet. Flatten until they are about 3 inches wide.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. With a sharp serrated knife, cut the rolls into ½ inch slices. Lay the slices on the same cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.
8. Flip the cookies over and bake another 5 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy with a cup of coffee.