Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting (and some Big Real Life News!!)

Good morning and Happy Leap Day! :) There's been so much going on over the past few months, guys, and I may need to take a break from blogging...keep reading to find out why!

Sparkling Apple Pie

Happy December, everybody! And Happy Thanksgiving! That's the holiday I missed with you guys (and the occasion for which I made this pie!) Man. Once November hits, the rest of the year always seems to fly by at breakneck speed. Goodness! Christmas parties and decorations and White Elephant gift exchanges and suddenly, it's the new year.

I had so much to be thankful for this year, as with every year--but tonight, I am particularly grateful for opportunities to learn more about myself and others. Self-knowledge is a great thing! It's not always easy to come by, but I am ever the richer and wiser for each new lesson learned.

Naked Vanilla Layer Cake

Hi, guys. Well...it's mid-October and I'm posting for the first time since August. I am terribly sorry. I've been battling a combination of work and life busyness in tandem with the "I don't wannas!" But I've also been getting some exciting things together, and I look forward to sharing them with you.

In the meantime, all of my siblings celebrated birthdays last month, and mine is next Wednesday! Life just keeps on rolling while things are rolling. You know what I mean? Things change or stay the same, but life keeps moving.

One-Pan Turkey Enchilada Pasta

And here we are, in August. How?! I last posted a month ago, and suddenly, we're in the middle of August! I'm obligated to say this: It's blazing outside...ugh. If every Texan you know isn't commenting about the weather in some capacity, they're doing it wrong!

So the last time I wrote, I had a zillion updates and reasons for neglecting you guys--and my blog. Today, there's really just one--I went to Belize a few weeks ago for a mission trip with a wonderful team from my church! We were there for eight days and spent time serving at an orphanage called Laugh Out Loud Children's Home. What a transformative, humbling experience we shared!

Elote: Mexican Street Corn

GUYS. Oh. My. Goodness. We are in JULY!! What the heck happened to JUNE? And where have I been for the past MONTH? And why have I neglected my BLOG?

There are good answers to all these questions, I promise. Here's the biggie: I totaled my car on May 31st...I hit a deer on my way home from church. The (pregnant) deer died...along with my beloved car...and thus began the circus of insurance claims, insurance settlements, Carfax searches, used car queries, test drives, pre-purchase inspections, and rental cars...the WORKS! THAT'S what happened to June. That's where I've been for the past month. And that's why my poor blog has sat, untouched, since May 21. I'm very sorry...but thanks for understanding!

Banana Muffins with Oatmeal Crumb Topping

Hello, friends. I'll keep this post short and sweet :) How are you? I hope all is well with you, wherever you are.

One Year Ago Today...

On this day last year, my life changed forever. It's completely surreal to revisit the events of Thursday, September 5, 2013, especially when I consider how quickly time passes, and also when I measure and marvel at the faithfulness of God in my life.

If you had told me that I would begin the day at work, (like normal) and end the day in the Intensive Care Unit (arguably not normal), I probably would have rolled my eyes or laughed in your face...if I'd had the energy. You see, I have diabetes...and on this day last year, I found out (in very dramatic fashion).

Spinach-Artichoke Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

So...this week, I learned that I've been typecast--in my own life. Apparently, I play the uni-dimensional role of "princess" or "diva" much better than I knew! What's the reason for this revelation? Well, this weekend, I went for an overnight camping and kayaking trip with a good friend, and everyone who learned about our trip responded in one of two ways: either, "Oh my gosh, you're really expanding your horizons this year! I'm so proud of you!" or "Really? YOU are going camping? I mean, don't take this the wrong way...but you just don't seem very...outdoorsy."

Three-Cheese Beef Lasagna and West Coast Vacation :)

Friends. We've nearly reached the middle of August. DEAR. LORD. Time just keeps flying by so much faster than I can keep up with it! Is that how it feels to you, too? I was out of town last week--I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law in Spokane and made a brief stop in San Francisco to see my uncle on my way back. Obviously, I couldn't travel without making SOMETHING delicious...

Patriotic NOT Tie-Dye Cake

Alright, I know I'm not alone in being the kind of person who becomes a bit frustrated or annoyed when the cake picture she has in her head is DIFFERENT from the cake that comes out of the oven. In the kitchen (oh, who am I kidding?) IN LIFE, I tend to get annoyed when the real thing doesn't measure up to the perfect picture in my head. Can you relate?

Kit Kat Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Hi, everyone :) How's it going? Happy June...summer is officially here (and it's officially starting to feel like it around here, too!) All is well in my world--summer orientations have begun, and I can hardly believe that the third of this month marked my one-year anniversary at my job! It's been a great year, and I look forward to more good things :)

Patriotic Cake Pops (and Bonus Funfetti Cupcakes!)

We celebrated Memorial Day this past Monday. With every year, I find that I appreciate more deeply the sacrifices that others made, allowing me to enjoy the life I live. It's so humbling to recognize how many of my freedoms were paid for by the blood of people I will never know. So special.

Homemade Bread (for Beginners)

If you know me personally or have known me closely for a long time, chances are you have either heard about or tasted my mom's incomparable homemade bread. It's ridiculous and amazing and delicious; the stuff that bready, carb-laden dreams are made of. People who ate it ten years ago (or longer) can still remember the way it tastes!

...I'm not here with THAT recipe, though. To be completely honest, I'm very intimidated by the prospect of making HER bread, mostly because the people who've been fortunate enough to try it have all developed a strong emotional attachment to it (seriously), so their expectations are always high--and rightly so. Her bread is awesome. She's got the special touch! That's gotta be why it's called "Comfort Bread" :)

Hello!

Foodie & Fabulous friends. It's me. I'm here. I'm alive. And I'm sorry! I haven't posted in over a month...because I've had a few things going on.

1) I went to Hawaii with my sweet friend Chris, who competed in his very first triathlon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! It was amazing.

Pan-Fried Salmon with a Balsamic Blueberry Reduction

Hi, I'm Esther--the most neglectful food blogger of 2014 :( *Hangs head in shame* So here's the deal: each semester, the gym changes its group exercise classes, so what worked perfectly last semester is completely different this semester, and I've had to make some accommodations to maintain my exercise routine.

Holiday Recap

Guys. It's December 31, 2013. HOW?! Wow. For fear of repeating myself ad nauseum, I'll spare you the "this has been the toughest/weirdest/craziest/most challenging year of my life to date" spiel, and just say--2014, you're going to be a better year! :)

The past couple of weeks have been busy and full of family, fun, and naturally, food! Here's a brief photo recap of the holidays as I bid farewell to 2013 in anticipation of a wonderful, adventurous, exciting, and fulfilling 2014.

Vanilla Christmas Tree cupcakes (Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting)

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Hi, friends! I've got a couple of things to report! 1) Feeling adventurous, I took a Pilates class for the first time ever last night in place of my normal Zumba class, and today, everything hurts. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that emphasizes developing a strong core and practicing good breathing. It also helps to improve muscle strength and flexibility, endurance, blah blah blah.

Though the objectives are lofty and lovely, the point is, today, I cannot laugh, cough, sneeze, or perform any actions that may accidentally engage my abdominal muscles because they hurt. *Sigh* Oh, and so do my inner thighs...come to think of it, my lower back, shoulders, and triceps are sore too. Sheesh. It's a good hurt, but it still hurts. On the brighter, less painful side, 2) I've lost a little more than eight pounds in the past three weeks :) I know it isn't much, but I think it's important to celebrate small victories. I'm excited and encouraged! :)

Turkey Chili Taco Soup...and More Real Life

Hi, friends. I hope you're well! So...since the last time I posted, there have been some substantial changes in my life, which mean I'll be making some subsequent changes here at Foodie & Fabulous.

Cracked Pepper Oven Roasted Fries

Ugh...guys, it's been too long since I last posted. I'm sorry! Since you last heard from me, I have moved to a new apartment (read: unpacking, arranging and rearranging, purging, and spending entirely TOO much money on living costs). 

The good news is, though, that I have a new KITCHEN in which to cook, bake, and enjoy life. I'm so excited to bring you new recipes from my new home! I christened the new oven tonight with these easy, delicious, healthy oven fries. Mmm. Carbs <3

Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you ever been the recipient of kindness from a total stranger? I'm talking about a situation where someone you didn't know did something totally unexpected for you, and you were surprised and overwhelmed by their good-hearted actions. This happened to me this week--and these cookies are a thank-you gift.