Creamy Vegan Artichoke Dip

Hi! I'm back! 

Today me and Carlita are pretending that it's a lazy day. 

We're both still in our jammies, cuddled on the couch, but I'm actually digging DEEP for some energy because Pat's family is coming over for a vegan feast tonight and the food well... its not going to make itself and the house... it never cleans up after itself...so rude! 

SO I need to get my lazy bum in gear...like yesterday! 

But just to put that off for a little while longer I decided to share one of my favorite recipes. 

It always impresses my meat eaters! 

I stole this recipe from a friend and I have NO intentions on returning it! 

So, now I claim it as my own! 

It's so good every time i make it I really don't want to share, I would just like to have my way with it in privacy but no such luck! 

Creamy Vegan Artichoke Dip 

{Vegan AND Gluten free} 

To serve 2 people you will need:

* 1 small jar of marinated artichokes - drained

* 1/4 cup Vegenaise 

* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 

* 1 clove garlic
* a handful of Daiya cheese

*paprika 

{salt and pepper} 

Preparation: 

* preheat oven to 350 

* Drain artichokes, pour into a bowl and mash them into smaller bits 

* mix in the vegenaise, nutritional yeast, garlic and handful of daiya cheese
* sprinkle more daiya cheese on top if you like it extra creamy!

* add salt and pepper if you please {I always do :) } 

* transfer into an oven safe baking dish and bake for 20 min

While its baking cut bread for dipping or use chips {gluten free if making if GF} 

Or get loco and use both! 

I prefer sourdough

Remove from oven and sprinkle with paprika. 

Enjoy! 

The original recipe was found on here

Photos of Your Favorite Shixa!!

Hello Lovies!!! 

How was your Passover/Easter? 

I got to celebrate both since the Hubs family is Jewish and my family is Christian! 

I'm his little Shixa wifey!

If you are not familiar with the term "Shixa" it means (according to Urban Dictionary) 

"Non-Jewish women who is desired by Jewish men." 

Yes, that is me! 

All the Jewish men just flock over me ;) 

My dad once got me this great Shixa book when Pat and I first started dating. It was called 

Boy Vey! 

The Shixa's guide to dating Jewish Men 

By Kristina Grish. 

This book was the tits! 

The bees knees! 

The cats pajamas!

If you are a non-Jew dating a Jewish man 

GET.THIS.BOOK.

cough (Brigitte) cough

(that's Pat's little brothers girlfriend) 

Holla at my Shixa sista Kristina for enlightening me! 

A little Jewish enlightenment never hurt a Shixa! 

Apparently, on the East coast I am every Jewish woman, mother and sisters WORST nightmare! 

I steal all the Jewish men from the single Jew ladies and then the boys mother and sister want me skinned and served in some Matzo Ball soup because I put an end to the Jewish Lineage. 

You see, if the mother of a baby is not Jewish the baby is not considered Jewish even if the baby daddy is! 

Luckily, Pat's family loves me regardless....right guys?

(maybe not after this post ;) ) 

But honestly marring a Jew and becoming a Shixa has been one of the best things that's happened to me! 

Here are some reasons why Jewish men are the best to date: 

1. They love their moms 

2. We don't have to fight over whose family we will spend Christmas with 

3. Adam Sandler is a Jew. Need I say more? Didn't think so :)

4. They are great family men 

5. They bring in the bucks $$ - do you think it's a coincidence that most Doctors and Lawyers are Jewish? It's not. 

6. Hanukkah  - they have 8 days of December gift giving and celebration! 

7. Bagels (obviously)

8. You don't have to wonder if they're circumcised 

9. They treat their women like GOLD 

****and the BEST reason

10. The chair dance at the wedding!! (I'm pretty sure that turned half my family Jewish!)

So lady friends, if you can nab a Jew NAB him! 

You will not regret it! 

On another note... here are some photos I took on my camera 

(remember, I am trying to step up my game!) 

The Hubs took them and I edited them in Lightroom! - I think I found a new passion! 

Take a peek! 

I'm still learning how to edit, and use Lightroom, but I'm kinda addicted! 

Happy Monday! 

Hope it's not too painful ;)

XOXO

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Happy Hump Day!! 

Boy of BOY do I have some EXCITING news for you!! 

An announcement of sorts. 

myhusbandsgf will now be featuring some adorable married couples!

I will be interviewing them and they will be sharing their wisdom, wrongs and whoopie (sex) !!!! 

yes, whoopie!

 (at least the risque ones will be sharing!) 

These short and sweet interviews will make you laugh, bring a tear to your eye, and make you wanna curl up with your lover and a latte and watch The Notebook until Ryan Gosling starts looking ugly!!! (yes, you WILL be watching the notebook the rest of your life!)

;) 

It seemed appropriate to prod these fellow married folks for their knowledge and tricks of the trade because after all... it is me and the Hubs FIRST year of being married (well almost year, in June!!) 

and as much as we think we've got it down, experts and all that jazz, I suppose some wisdom never hurt a newlywed! 

So... with that being said, our first couple will be my parents!!

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hull 

They've been married 40 years!! 

And damn do they look good!!!

Their interview will debut next week! 

Stay tuned! 

and P.S. if you want to be interviewed I would LOVE that! Shoot me an email: k.c.hull@hotmail.com 

(ew, I know, I'm still at hotmail?!? What am I? In seventh grade still?!? Girls gotta graduate to gmail!! Just put aside your judgement and shoot me an E :)) 

Do The Pony.

Hello Lovies! 

Happy Monday! 

This is a very intimidating Monday for me. 

It is my last day of spring break, and when I go back to school tomorrow it will be my last first day of the quarter at UCSD!! Once I finish this quarter (10 weeks) I am done...DONE for life! I can't even imagine what to do with myself, all I know is school, I've been going to school since I was 4!! That's 19 loooooonggg a$$ years!! DAMN! I don't know how to NOT be a student! 

So, I am excited but scared to death all at the same time... actually after typing that I feel a little nauseous. 

Anyway...

last Wednesday me and the hubs went on  a drive, with our furbaby to check the scene. 

We nabbed a couple of pics and enjoyed the sun. It was nothing too exciting but it sure was a beautiful thing to have a few hours off together to do whatever we pleased! 

later on in the week (if I can keep my panties on that long ;) ) there will be some read - worthy blog posts 

some include 

1. recipes 

2. neat pictures 

3. my quarter life crisis! 

I have a lot to share!! Until then... let these little iPhone gems tickle your fancy :) 

XOXO

XO Happy Birthday to my Husband! XO

Happy Birthday to my amazing Husband!! 

He's 28 today! 

Such a cradle robber ;)

When we first started dating I called him "Patophile" like pedophile, ya know because I am 5 whole years younger! 

Oh, he loved that :)

I'm sort of obsessed with him and I already made 2 Facebook tribute posts, but hey, what's one more, it is the mans day of birth after all! 

I'm really going to be scrounging for some new words when I have to fill out his card! 

SO... here we go

Patrick Sean O'Rourke 

you are my favorite Irish, Jew/Christian 

I love every thing about you, even though I get annoyed sometimes when you ask for back scratches over, and OVER, again I still love it, it shows your persistence which I love. I love that you think you started the tribal trends at various man stores lately, I love how the second you get home your pants come off (no not like that dirties ;) ) and you roam around in your boxers like Homer Simpson, I love how you always put me and Carlita first, I love how every time you come back from grocery shopping you have a treat for Carlita, I love how passionate you are about helping people, I love your confidence, I love that you consider my family your own, I love that you wave at every baby you see and make me look at how cute they are, even though it makes me feel creepy :/, I love that you let our bedroom be shabby chic and mostly pink ;), I love your sense of style,  I love how you make phone calls from the "oval office" ;), I love that you smell candles and look at books  at anthropologie while I scour the sale section, I love that when you go to traffic court people think you work there and when they ask you questions you can answer all of them because you've been there SO many times, I love your bad luck with traffic cops haha, I love that you're always there for me 100%, I love that you still pursue me and plan cute dates for us, I love that you're not just my husband but my best friend, I could go on and on, but I do have to save something for his card ;)

Happy Birthday my Love! 

Hope you feel how loved you are today and everyday and I hope today can be half as special as you are - ( I know some of you may have just puked, or maybe you puked a while back...but I love this man, so If my cheesiness made you gag- sorry I'm not sorry! ;) )

I love these pictures. I wish I could remember what we were laughing at!

Toot it and Boot it

Well, well, well
Another day another dolla
right friends?
I LOVE thursdays.
1. because I get to sleep in
and
2. because it's the first day of my four day weekends :)
mmmmmmhmmmmmm 
don't hate! 

So... question of the day here...
Can dogs experience shame?
All my Cesar Millans out there, please enlighten me!

Carlita, my furbaby has this stuffed animal we've named her "Piggy"
Lately I've been wishing she was a he (you will soon understand why)
but, it just feels wrong to call "Piggy" he so she's a she; which I guess makes Carlita a lesbian :) 

Anyway...
ever sense Carlita got Piggy they developed what we would like to call a "physical" relationship.
Use your imagination folks I don't want to spell it out for you.
ok. I do ;)
H.U.M.P.S... vigorously  

I never knew girl dogs had these types of needs, I always assumed it was the pervy boy dog's idea.
Same as real life... right? ;)
Surely enough, I was proven wrong.
Carlita is a promiscuous little hussy!
Naturally, I thought once we get her spayed this "use" of Piggy would stop...
I was wrong.
So, I did what any good mother would do and forbid Carlita of seeing the pork sword (or I guess it would be pork taco? (sorry TMI) ;)
Classic Romeo and Juliet... Carlita only wanted Piggy more.
Ohhhhh Piggy! You forbidden fruit you!
Carlita knows where we keep Piggy and often scratches at the door, lingers near the door, tries to claw the door open.
So... I gave in, I opened Pandora's box and Carlita and Piggy were reunited.
At best, Carlita is a rough lover... at worst, she's a wife beater.
First, she throws piggy around, rips out her stuffing... then uses and abuses her, people!
Toot it and Boot it at it's finest!

But here, is where we reach the shame.
FINALLY...it's about time!
When Carlita and Piggy are in the "act" I can't help but look!
It's like a car accident, it feels wrong looking, but I just can't look away!
Eventually, (sometimes that eventually can be uncomfortably too long);
Carlita notices she has an "audience"
sometimes her eyes get big like she got caught in the act... other times she just keeps going at it!
This morning when it happened she stopped and layed down next to Piggy avoiding eye contact with me. Is she ashamed of herself? If you ask me she should be!
Little harlot gettin' all up on Piggys sh*t!
So please enlighten me. Is shame experienced by dogs too?

Everyday's February the 14th

I know that Valentines day has come and gone and I am totally beating a dead horse

BUT 

The horse needs to be beaten!

And I am sorry to all the horse lovers I just offended.

I wanted to share some highlights with you Pretties :)

First...

On Valentines Eve I went on a LOVELY coffee date with this Pretty!

We both had the pleasure of interning together at Couture events, 

she's pretty awesome! 

And my obsession with fur rubbed off on her which only makes me love her 1 trillion times more :)

Now, she's a part of the Swann Squad! 

I'm proud!! 

We went to one of my favorites... 

The Living Room. 

Me and Pat used to go on study dates there when we were first dating.

Now we just study on our couch...

Pat in his boxers... me in my jammies...no make-up...hair in a mangie top knot.

Yeah... we were so much classier at one point.

I like us better now :)

For the much hyped up, overrated Holiday which Hallmark pimps out

Valentines Day

(I'm only harsh because I believe if you're in a good relationship then everyday should be Valentines! Men and women should step up their games more than once a year is all I'm saying! Don't be deadbeat dates!)

Ok I need to settle down! 

Anyway...

Me and the Hubs went to Searsucker.

We had been itching to try this place for months now and finally did!

I loved the decor! I tried to not make a scene of myself and limit the pics I took, but let's face it I was that girl!

The food was delish.

But I HAVE to go back because they had a preset menu for Valentines and all the desserts I wanted to try had the night off :( 

I guess they all had dates?

So a round two is called for!

Since Pat is way to good to me he upgraded my wedding rings center stone for early Valentines.

You can visit that post here

SO there was NO way I could ever get him a gift worthy enough...

(he wanted a gun, but... that's a whole other rodeo)

So I made him this totally cheesy but totally awesome gift from Pinterest!

(TGFP&P)

Thank God For Pinterest & Pat :)

And Pat... as if he hadn't already done enough gave me beautiful flowers and a sweet card.

Wow I am spoiled! 

I hope all of you had a lovely Valentines 

Lets all just keep spreading that love 

Make it rain X's and O's 

XOXO

Stuffed Sausage

Hello My dearies :)

How was your weekend? Well, I guess It's not quite over yet.. use your time wisely ;)

So... I am a little behind here and I am trying to catch up!! 

This post is about LAST weekend... not to be confused with THIS weekend, that will debut later on :)

Last weekend was overflowing with fun! Actually when I think of last weekend I think of (this may be a little sick) a ton of fun stuffed into a little sausage casing! If you're not picking up on that mental image what I am trying to say is that it was AWESOME! Jam packed with AWESOME! 

On Friday night we went out with some of our Amigos to this tasty Mexican restaurant called Ortega's - it is in Hillcrest (NO spell check! I am NOT trying to spell Holocaust, geeez! what nerve!)  its so good. The salsa... you will die.. so good! The chips were so salty just the way I like them! I am an excessive salter so to not have to add salt was huge for me! I had the Mango & Mint Margarita and I have been craving it ever since, I would like one with breakfast, lunch and dinner ;) Alcoholic much...?

I left Ortega's with a little buzz, so much so, that I decided to join my lady friends for a night out in PB! I went home put my tracks in then went to Jordyn's house; I needed her to dress me because naturally I had NOTHING to wear!! I know you ladies know what I mean! Your closet is so crowded you can barely sort through your sh*t but some how you have NOTHING to wear! 

Me and My Lady Friends 

The end of the night.... may have had one too many... or three of four :) judging by my face that I seemed to think was hilarious at the time... but I had a GREAT time! Sorry to ruin the picture ladies :) and you can't crop me out because my head is all up in therrrr, snuggled in tight! 

Any whoooo, The next morning we slept in and then went to Eastlake to hang with my parents. My parents have been in town for weeks/months now helping my aunt Laura and they were planning to leave the next day so we want to see their Lovely faces before they went back North! 

I thought I looked cute so naturally I made Pat photograph me... for the blog of course!! ;) 

I was wearing... 

Sweater: Forever, Tall Socks: H&M, Shoes: Target, Sunglasses: Anthropology 

Then Pat and Carlita had their turn... they know how to work the camera ;)

Pat was wearing...

Vest: H&M, Shirt: Volcom, Pants: Levi, Shoes: Sperry, Sunglasses: Shwood + Pendelton 

Us with our Furbaby 

Pit stop at SBUX 

 That night we hung with Laura and my parents we went on a WalMart run, got Pat some camo panties that he couldn't live without + other essentials for Laura. 

Then we had a farewell dinner at PF Changs... Gawd I love that place. Their Mojito's... HEAVEN!  We all ate wayyyyy to much but did not regret a single bite because we were living it up! 

The night ended with me and Carli snuggled on the couch watching some mindless show no doubt while Pat worked out and then soaked his rickety old joints in the hot tub because he's a 90 year old man ;) 

Now that we have Carlita I often wonder.... "what did we do before you... we must have been so bored." Now I can't imagine my life without the little critter... I'm sure it's the same when you have kids... hopefully :) 

I know, I know most of you would call it a weekend at that point BUT me and Pat... oh no... we're like the energizer bunny and we never quit, just keep going and goinggggg! 

SO on Sunday we woke up and went to Church. Then we hopped in the Element and drove to Newport to visit one of my dearest friends, we go WAYYYY back... practically back to the womb, but not quite... we met in Kindergarten. Her mom was our Kindergarten teacher... I know, right! I don't think it's fair either, I mean EVERY one should at least have a chance at teachers pet, but she had an automatic in...NOT FAIR!! 

She took us to this lovely place for Brunch, called Woodys... they had bottomless Mimosa's, need I say more? Didn't think so. 

The men watched some dumb game that was on while us ladies caught up on life! It was so pleasant! So pleasant that there was even a rainbow! (see below photo) 

Perfect weekend

THE END

Lazy A$$

Let me tell you friends -- I LOVE my days off!! Not just days off, but DAYS OFF... you know, the kind where you have absolutely NOTHING planned. They go like this:

12a.m. (night before day off): should I set an alarm? NO! I got no reason to rush my lazy A$$ out of bed!
9:30a.m.: wake up from a dream and contemplate getting up and having a productive day off, decide that's BLASPHEMY! Resume sleep
11:30 a.m.: Groggily wake from dream... Contemplate waking up.... but just can't
12:00p.m.: Feel guilty for sleeping in even though that was the plan and peel yourself out of warm cozy bed
12:02: Go pee (TMI?)
12:05: Wander around house trying to figure out why I made myself get out of bed.
12:08: Make coffee
12:12: Melt into the couch, turn on T.V. Check Facey.... almost comment or like something but then remember that I haven't responded to my Noties and if I pay others attention before responding to Noties it may upset my peeps, so...I decide against it.
12:13: Look at all my noties and contemplate responding then decide against because my morning coffee hasn't completely set in yet and I'm too groggy and won't seem Smiley enough and I mean... why rush, right? I have ALL day!
12:20: Coffee buzz... respond to noties. Paint Facebook red with Likes and Comments galore!
12:40: Catch up on tivo shows.
2:00: Think about getting out a jammies... decide against.
2:15: Feel guilty about still being in Jammies.
2:17: Think about working out, feel like I should even though I told myself the day before that I didn't have to work out because its my DAY OFF, guilt overcomes me and I decide too do some "gentle" working out on demand.
2:20: Change out of jammies into "work - out clothes"(jammies + sports bra)
2:25: Scroll through on demand for a free workout that looks easy yet will burn 2,000 calories in 10 min and make my metabolism work like magic the rest of the day! Decide on beginners Yoga with an emphasis on core toning.
2:30: Try and master Yoga breathing while Carlita stands over me licking my forehead.
2:35: Downward Dog
2:37: roll around on the floor some more doing "yoga"
2:40: water break.
2:45: More rolling.
2:50: Call it a day. 
2:55: Rinse off, give myself a free pass on hair washing and shaving because it's my DAY OFF!
3:10: Dry off, put on lounge wear ( Comfortable clothing that promotes movement and lounging but also is somewhat acceptable to be worn in public, just in case one might decide to get froyo or Sprinkles - i.e. leggings, yoga pants, sweatshirt, ugg like shoes (if shoes at all))
3:15: Think about putting on make-up.... decide against it.
3:20: Return to couch, think about what I want to eat... realize that Pat get off work in 40 min and will be STARVING (bc men are ALWAYS starving) and so I decide to wait for him, and while waiting munch on white cheddar popcorn.
4:15: Pat gets home. He is STARVING, he wants to use our Mister A's gift card for a romantic night out.
4:16: I explain that today is my DAY OFF so I am in no way prepared for that sort of outing because lounge wear is not acceptable at Mister A's.
4:18: We decide on Rubio's.

So the rest of the day is pretty much like the first part of the day except without the working out and showering and it's in a nutshell AWESOME! Some may call me Lazy, but I call me an expert rester, if you're seeking resting guidance contact me! This post was actually suppose to be about our weekend but somehow morphed into this...? Hakuna Matata :)

My Husband is a Stranger.

So I thought I knew EVERYTHING about the hubs (Jean size, bacon obsession, first job at Wendy's, passwords, the list could grow, but none of us have all day) until one Sunday when I was proved very wrong! Here's how the story unfolds...

It is Sunday morning about 8:15, I just drove back from San Juan Capistrano for the girls weekend and was going to pick up Pat and be at church at 9:00. I call the boy when I am about 2 min from home and say "I really want a breakfast burrito, what do you want? I will grab them for us." He responds with "I would rather have a bagel" and I am thinking  -- A bagel over a burrito? I mean, I know you're a Jew but c'mon! -- ( that was my first realization that I didn't know my husband as well as I thought) Being the selfless wife I am I rolled with it...

I said:"Ok, I guess I can do a bagel, what do you want I am here I can run in and get it."
Pat says: " I want a jalepeno chedder ----(pause)--- I'll just call mine in."
I'm Thinking: you'll just CALL IT IN! ohhh too good for my ordering skills... your bagels to complex, its better than me!!?!
I say: " Call it in?! I'll just come pick you up and we can go together and get our bagels ok?!"

So I head home, get the dude and while we're driving over to the daily bagel Pats says " Yeah, I go to the Daily Bagel before work sometimes, every now and then."(clearly easing me into the shock he knew I would soon experience!) I respond with "You do?!?!, you never told me that" I was surprised I thought I knew everything about this man! Pat says "Ya huh, I've told you!" Me "No no, no you haven't but it's fine."

Then we arrive at the Daily Bagel and THIS folks -- THIS is where it gets good!

We walk in there's two people in line some adorable Asian ladies behind the counter. Darling Asian ladies eyes grow wide and excited as she shouts toward the door "OH HIIII PATRICK!" I look at Pat so confused --- she knows his name? She seems so excited to see him.... weird---. Pat can barely get out a "Hiii" before she skips over the next two people in line and says "YOU WANT YOUR USUAL? YO BLENDED?" as she nods and smiles and grabs the espresso maker thingamajig and gets to work before he even has time to say "yaaa" I'm thinking ---HIS USUAL?!?!?! how often is he here!!!  And, this "habit" well, it's more than just a bagel clearly! And, if you know my husband he can't get anything normal off the menu... things must be added, adorned, deep fried so on and so forth, so OF COURSE he has some custom iced blended black and white mocha espresso drink with an add shot + whip cream!! I mean REALLLLLLY Pat!?!?!? THEN the other darling Asian lady asks "You want yo regular, wit the chive and bacon crea chee?" his regular?? Oh wowwww. Then Pat, I am sure feeling a bit awkward with his addiction just being revealed to me in all says "Have you met my wife? This is Kayla." Darling Asian lady says "Ohhhh she soo pwetty Patrick! She pwetty wife!" (my fav part of the story obvi!) The we finish up getting all of Pat's custom orders and Darling Asian lady says "Bye Patrick!! I see you tomorrow, ya?!?!" I'm thinking ---- TOMORROW? Does Pat come EVERY day?!? For heaven sakes Patrick! Let a wife know! 


That day my friends... was a REAL eye opener. Ever since, I feel like I am married to a stranger.... it will take baby steps, baby steps people to recover. One step at a time :)


Photo cred: http://lifeofmymouth.blogspot.com/2011/08/road-trippin-day-7-slc-to-reno_10.html