Introducing Foster #3 : Mr. Al

I got a call the other day about a possible foster, Mr. Al. He was dropped off at the shelter with his eye hanging out of its socket. Yes, you read that correctly. The owners of the dog said they couldn't afford to take him to the vet. Thankfully one of the vets on hand at Animal Care and Control performed emergency surgery and added a skin graft on this little pups eye. Due to the severity of his injury, it was imperative that he was put into a home so as to avoid infection. 

Of course I couldn't say no to this adorable little guy. He was named Mr. Al, based off of Al Pacino's movie Scarface. He's such a little ham! Like Daisy, he's super affectionate and also follows me EVERYWHERE i go. He may look sad (because of his eye), but he's such a happy dog. I've noticed a little separation anxiety, when I leave the house. This seems to be a normal behavior of dogs that come out of the shelter... but can you blame them?! 

After a couple of days I was notified that someone was interested in taking Mr. Al. It was like a dagger to my heart. I was already head over heels for him. How could this all be happening so quickly? After my 2nd foster, I was told that it would start getting easier. Well someone lied to me!

When the car came to pick him up, I stood on the corner sobbing. I didn't want him to go. This definitely wasn't getting any easier.

A couple weeks later, I received these awesome photos. Mr. Al's eye looks so much better!!

Isn't he the sweetest little rescue you've ever seen?!

Ikea Hack with O'verlay

As you know I've slowly been decorating my apartment. I have this small space between the bathroom and my wardrobe, which just fit this simple, slightly ugly Micke Ikea desk perfectly. Even with this little set up, the space looked so drab. That was until I ordered a custom decorative strip from O'verlay (Similar size here). 

The O'verlay is made of a sturdy plastic, which is made specifically for Ikea furniture and easily adhere's to anything with glue dots. Of course, I had to pick the Greek key! LOL

While it was pretty in white, it wasn't really standing out on the desk drawer where I wanted to put it, so I decided to get fancy and paint it gold.

 I LOVE IT! I swear it changes the entire look of the space and makes the desk look so much nicer. It might be one of my favorite things in my apartment. I want to O'verlay everything now!

When I was at Ikea, I also got this cute kitchen cart, which I'm using a bar cart. ADORABLE!!

Easily Delicious Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

I almost died when I found this recipe. Two of my favorite things mixed together. DUH Why didn't I think of this earlier?! Best part, is that the recipe is SUPER easy. Thank you Pinterest!

Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies

You'll Need:

1 cup or 2 sticks butter, room temperature
2/3 cup peanut butter (you can use creamy or crunchy)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3-2/3 cup Nutella (depending on how much you like it)

Directions:
Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt to the butter mixture.

Add Nutella in dollops over the top of the dough. Use a butter knife to swirl the Nutella through the dough, but be careful not to over mix.

Chill the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes before spooning onto a cookie sheet, in order to firm the Nutella.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Bake until slightly brown at the edges and then let cool a few minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a plate.

Enjoy!

Green Beans, Zucchini, and Tomatoes - YUM!

My mom is one of the best cooks. She has so many amazing dishes that I have a hard time picking my favorites. This is from the Greek side of the family and not only healthy, but really easy to make. 

You'll need:

1 lb Fresh Green Beans

1 can Whole Tomatoes

1 Medium Zucchini 

1/2 Chopped Onions (I like a lot)

1 Clove of Garlic

Olive Oil

Oregano, Salt, and Pepper

Start by cooking your green beans with salt, until firm (about 20 minutes). Drain. 

Add a little oil, chopped onions, and a clove of garlic to a deep pan and simmer.

Now dump in 1 can of whole or diced tomatoes (I prefer whole tomatoes) and swish the can with water. Add spices, green beans, and cover.

Simmer until color becomes a deeper red (at least 30 min) then add zucchini. Cook/simmer for 10 or so more minutes.

While this dish is amazing straight out of the pot, it usually tastes even better the next day. So even though it might be tempting, put this bad boy into the fridge until tomorrow. Trust me, it's totally worth the wait.

ENJOY! <3

Foster #2 : Daisy

Say Hello to Foster #2... Daisy. She may just be the cutest little pup ever. Daisy has the best personality and loves other dogs. She's also a total snuggle bug, I can't even go to the bathroom without her following me. 

We're not exactly sure why Daisy was dropped off at the shelter. I can't imagine why someone would want to give up this sweet little pup. After the first week, Daisy finally got a haircut. Doesn't she look like a completely different dog?!

After just 1 week I became 110% attached. The thought of giving her to someone would bring me to tears. I had to sit down and really think about why I was doing all of this. Every time I foster a dog, I pull them out of the shelter and allow another dog an opportunity at freedom. Chicago Animal Care and Control puts down hundreds of dogs and cats a month. It's absolutely heart breaking. It's a constant rat race to save animals. After a heart to heart with myself, I realized that I couldn't keep Daisy. I had to find her a new home. 

After hearing my daily stories about Daisy, a friend and co-worker Karen applied to Rain Dog Rescue, to adopt Daisy. She herself does a lot of volunteer work at Animal Care and Control and was quickly approved. 

Here she is in her new home and with her new sister. She just adores other dogs.  

Karen gave me Daisies as a thank you for her new baby, now named Sophia <3 

I'm told the pain of loosing her will get easier... :(

Honey Jalapeno Chicken Rub

This recipe is awesome. I usually buy the thin chicken breast tendreloins from Trader Joe's, which are perfect when making this dish. Since they chicken pieces are so small, they tend to cook very quickly, which helps keep them juicy, and the honey in the recipe caramelizes in no time. Remove the jalape ño seeds for a less spicy version. If you don't want to grill the tenders, they can be broiled about 5 inches from the heat for about 6 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 pounds chicken tenders
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Sour cream for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the grill and oil the grill rack.

2. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic, jalapeno, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken in the marinade and let stand for at least 10 minutes. 

3. Grill the chicken until well browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve the chicken sprinkled with the cilantro and with a dollop of sour cream on the plate.

Quick and Easy Taco Bell Jalapeno Sauce Recipe - Great for Taco Night!

I mean who doesn't love Taco Bell at 3 AM? My favorite item... Quesadillas! I think the reason I like them so much is because of the spicy Jalapeno Sauce they put on it. I knew I had to figure out the receipe...

Jalapeno Sauce - Inspired by Taco Bell

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
4 Tsp Minced Jalapenos (Jared)
4 Tsp Jalapeno Juice (from the Jar)
1 1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Dash of Salt

Mix it all together and refrigerate for at least an hour. Oh and you could also add some garlic powder to the recipe, I'd say 1/8-1/4 teaspoon, but no more because it will over power the sauce. The sauce will last up to a month, but don't worry you'll probably eat it all before then ;)