Chipotle vs Qdoba

For this week's date night we decided to do a Chipotle verses Qdoba taste test.  We went to eat place and got a chicken burrito bowl.

Here is what we decided:

Atmosphere:  Although we didn't eat in the restaurants we all went in to order and 'get a feel'.

                CHIPOTLE: Smells divine. Friendly staff (they even gave us free guacamole to pull points  in their favor) and good price

                QDOBA: Smelled like a fast food place, okay staff and much more expensive. 

Amount: We determined this by look but we decided that 'next time' it would be cool to weigh them and actually see which portion is bigger.

                CHIPOTLE: The container is smaller but they jam it full.

                QDOBA: Larger container but was not super full. 

Quacamole: We were not going to splurge for the Quac but at Chipotle they gave it to us free (they said it was the best part)- so we decided to add this category;  I am a guacamole fan- so I was okay with the addition.

                CHIPOTLE: Fresh and tastes deliciously home made

                QDOBA: Tastes manufactured- are these real avacados?

Chicken:

                CHIPOTLE: About the Same- maybe a little more spice

                QDOBA: About the Same

Taste:

                CHIPOTLE: A little more kick.  We ordered how Ben usually orders so it was not as spicy and full of flavor as I am used to- but it was still good.

                QDOBA: Queso!!- I think Ben could drink this stuff. This is the only difference in orders   from the two locations but we think without it Q'Doba would definitely be lacking. 

FINAL: This is hard because I do not think there was a unanimous vote.  I am 100% Chipotle all the way but Ben can't get enough of that queso.  But since I am writing the blog post-  

CHIPOTLE WINS!!!

Freezer Meals!!

I am a lazy person and cooking is hard for me so I love having freezer meals.  Just take them out the night before and put them in the fridge to soften (or, as it usually happens in my house, take it out the day of, thaw it in a bowl of water and cook on high).  

I have been collecting crock pot freezer meal ideas for a while. I have done this (one day prep) once before and I loved it- so last week I decided to do it again (but on a little larger scale). 

My not-so-happy helper!

1. Picked the meals I wanted to make and wrote down in a list everything that was needed.  Then I went through my pantry and food storage to see what I had and went to the store. 

2.  We got most of the meat and canned food at Costco (so it was not too expensive), all produce at Sprouts and then I got everything else at King Soopers- total was around $100

3. I wrote the cooking directions on the plastic bag and then stuck a sticky note to the outside to remind me what went in each bag- this way I do not need the recipes right there. I just went down the list on the stick note and filled each bag.

4.  I washed and cut all my veggies before hand- so it was easy to portion out (I did about 1 cup per veggie- 1 onion=1 cup chopped onions)

5. Filled the bags.  I used less meat in each (because there are only two of us) and sometimes more veggies but other than that I stayed close to the recipes and amounts written.

*Note: Last time I did this I just wrote on the bag what canned food was needed but this time I actually opened the cans and added that too the frozen bag.  I think either way works.  It is nice to add the cans later because it helps thaw but that is only if it is something you would definitely have in your food storage; It is a bummer to get out a freezer meal and realize you don't have the canned food to make it  work.

6. I cleared one section in my freezer to store the bags- they lay flat so it is easier than you might imagine to get a lot of meals in there.  Hint: If you put a piece of cardboard down on the rack first it keeps the bags from squishing down there and getting frozen to the shelf.  

 7. Just take them out the night before and put them in the fridge to soften (or, as it usually happens in my house, take it out the day of, thaw it in a bowl of water and cook on high).   

*Side Note: The next morning I was called my my compassionate service leader at church and asked to take a meal to a woman who had just had surgery.   I was going to be busy that day but I was able to swing by and take her some freezer meals! Great Service Opportunity!

RECIPES HERE!

Baby Stat Guesses

The Name Game

From the moment our doctor gave us the 'go ahead' to start trying to have a baby I had been making lists of names and by the time we found out we were pregnant I had hundreds.  We picked out and agreed on boy names but could not agree on any girl names- but I was sure we were having a boy- ha.  Throughout the entire pregnancy that was the big question, "What are you going to name her?" Uhhh- we had no idea.  Ben denied my entire list and kept coming up with names like Gertrude, Shanikwa and Evon.  It frustrated me because I wanted a name, I didn't feel like Ben cared and because I was sick of people asking me and us now knowing.  

So we finally just started saying that we were going to decide when we saw her (which still did not stop people from adding their two cents every time we entered a room).  We had a short list (of about 4 names) that we were going to decide once we saw her.  

A couple hours after she was born I turned to Ben and asked, "So, what does she look like? What is her name?" and he proclaimed, "Elizabeth!"  WHAT? You must understand that Elizabeth was not on our short list.  (It turns out that my Mom thought of the name Elizabeth when she first saw her also- but she did not tell us until later.)

Being the stubborn person that I was I rejected Ben's instinct and began calling her the other names on our list, to see if any of them 'felt right.'  It was a small blessing that she was in the NICU because it extended the time we had to pick the name (we had to have it by the time we left the hospital), although that bothered the nurses who wanted a name (and family who continued to give us ideas).  On Wednesday when they said we could take her home a day early I started to panic because we still had not decided. That entire day I thought about it and called her all different names (the poor child must have had an identity crisis her first week of life).

That night when Ben came to pick us up I handed him the form and said, "Look, she's named."  Yes, I filled out the form and named her without him even there.  He chuckled, smiled and just like that, she was named.  So at 5 days old we took home our own little baby girl, Elizabeth Marie Newson!

Our lists: ("Short List" is Bold)

Margaret- Maggie

Grace

Annie- Annabel

Isabelle

Nancy

Lucy

Rosalie- Rose- Rosie

Emilie/ Emily

Lillian- Lilly

Jane

Abigail

Claire

Mackenzie

Elizabeth

Laura

Jessica

Megan

Makayla

Sydney

Eleanore/Nora

Katherine- Kate

Marie

Julie/ Julia/ Juliana

Beth

Molly

Megan- Meg

Jill

Sophie Marie

Violet

Ainsley