KitchenOfKy

So, it seems that the post back in September was what could be best described as a "false alarm" or maybe I was being a "tease"? Same same. Anyway, I don't want to start this post off with some empty promise that I'll write you all the time. What I do want to do is say thank you to the friends who've taken the time to say, "Hey Kyla, your blog? What's happened?" It makes me feel like a big deal.

I started this back in 2012 as a way to 1) publish the creations and 2) use it as an outlet during a really crappy time in my life. We aren't here to dwell on that, but I do want to give a big fist pump and a big EFF YEAH! Life is pretty sweet and the gratitude I feel almost daily (except yesterday in traffic) is because of the perspective that my series of not great experiences gave me. So yes, FIST PUMP.

Now, to the topic at hand. A year in review.. Sure, a few weeks early since there is still potential for 2013 to impress me with a few more …

PEEPS! I'm back, kinda. I'm starting off the lazy way. I'm going to put up something I wrote for all the mamas in my life back in March. Why I never did publish this, I do not know! Read it and enjoy it. Every word still stands true though the baby count has increased with a few more on the way! I'm looking forward to being an observer and sometimes participant of it! 

Feels good to be back!!

WROTE IN MARCH 2013:

Happy Sunday to my Happy 13 Followers and whoever else endeavors to read this latest post on this very snowy Sunday afternoon! 

So, I would like to write a post on a little subject that I actually know nothing about...and I mean nothing. I'm going to write it as an observer and someone who has been absolutely blown away by the recent events in her friend's lives. It's some pretty cool shit. I'm going to write about moms and I'm going to write about new moms. 
I've been on Baby Tour 2013 since I became happily and purposely unemployed. Right …

Well, this is where I open with another thousand apologies for not writing because I know you're all hanging out just waiting on my next post. Yeah...right! I don't even have a good excuse because I'm unemployed right now. Yeah, no job. That's right. What a bum. Kidding, kinda. I don't have a job again until March 4th and it's awesome. Remember in my last post back in January where I was bragging about big news... Yes, this is it! NEW JOB. I'm really excited about it because at first impressions - it's everything I want. The manager has made a great impression, it's the right size of organization and well, I get to earn a little extra cash and get a few extra days off. ALL WINNING, ALL THE TIME. 

Ok - so back to playing catch up.... I am pretty sure I am still on a holiday induced high and I've been home for approximately 2 weeks now. I don't even know how that happens, but it did and it does. My holidays started with accepting a sweet job of…

What a failed blogger. Geezus Kyla, where's the committment!? Here's the deal...the kitchen is still hot as ever and going strong but I've been so freakin' high strung with stress and excitement that I can't sit down long enough to write anything that is worth reading. But, for you guys - I'm going to try!

So first things first, its the end of January. DUH. It's awesome though and here's why:
1) My cousin had her baby last night. We have a new little baby to the family! He was born at 11:04pm and named Cohen. He's a beauty! OMGSOEXCITEDTOMEETHIM.
2) I leave tomorrow for 10 days. I'm headed to Phoenix to embarrass my grandpa with my lack of golf skills on the courses for 6 days and then I'm flying to Vegas where I'm meeting a crew of fantastic ladies and some other randos that I know to play rugby and watch some rugby for 4 days! I hope I come home alive. I know I'll come home pickled and probably go on a cleanse. YESSSSSSS. I have my mo…

Holy Hell! Ok, sorrysorrysorry! Miss me? Hate me? It's ok to do both you know. I've been slacking and have no real explanation for you guys. Christmas was wonderful, thanks for asking. I skied for 3 days of it - 1 day at Louise and 2 days at Kicking Horse. Each day was wonderfully awesome including the day I punched myself in the face while sliding feet first on my belly down a double black. Don't worry - I'm ok! I didn't do the traditional Christmas thing this year - I headed out to Banff with my little sister and her mama. We ate a lot, hot tubbed, went for some good dinners, skied and just generally relaxed. It was a nice change of pace though I did miss my Aunt, Uncle and cousins a shit ton! Then, New Years - rang in at the Rondo Motel in Golden. That place is wicked! $75/night and they have a hot tub they let you drink in! WINNER. Skiing was great, and the company was great! I'd say it was one of the best New Year's Eves I've ever had! YAY to start…

Howdy ho! ho! ho! (A little Christmas spirit for y'all) So, I've been thinking a lot lately about my current focus. I'm 6 months into going to Crossfit really consistently....and am starting to feel a bit unmotivated. I've taken another break this week because I'm on the brink of getting a full blown, awful cold....and yes, just got over strep so I really don't need to do this again. I'm a little burnt out - it's time for a mental and physical break. Then, work isn't going exactly as I had expected. That being said - I still have NO (none, zip, nada) regrets about leaving my last job. I'm not quite getting the experience that I really wanted and have been shoved back into the world of recruiting and marketing. It's been good in some respects because I've gotten to do more than I have done in my previous role and am essentially the boss of the recruitment function for the company and am now leading my US counterparts into the possibility …

HEY YOU GUYS! I'm feeling much better thanks for asking! The hives have finally cleared. It's quite an improvement. I'm going to chalk it up to Liquid Gold aka LG. What the eff is LG, right??? Well, Saturday night after 3 delightful margaritas and some delicious beef tacos from Anejo, Andi dragged Jackie and I into a natural health store called Medicine Buddha. I was so desperate for some reprieve from the itching that I asked the store owners for anything that would help cure the itch of my hives. A wise and healthy looking man suggested that I take some LG. It came in a 1 litre and 2 litre bottle and he let us all have a sample. It doesn't taste good. It doesn't look pretty. BUT, all 3 of us bought a bottle at $24.95 and felt a whole lot healthier for it. To be fair, looking at it makes me want to vomit but once you get it in you, it's not nearly as bad you would anticipate. GO Liquid Gold! I am now on Day #4 of the "program" and am anticipating som…

Another day, another dollar! Or something like that, what? Ok.. I don't even know what that means. For the record, I'm not making any dollars today (well,  I am because I'm a salaried employee) because I'm sitting at home covered in hives. Head. To. Toe. Hives. It starts at my ears and I actually have some on my feet, no joke. I've taken Reactine, spread hydro-cortisone cream all over my body (it reminds me of diaper cream), taken an oatmeal bath, itched, whined, etc. etc. and nothing has stopped it. I suppose you're wondering how I found myself in this wondrous position. Well, on Tuesday I started to get a terrible sore throat which could only be strep throat....and the hives slowly started on my neck. When I woke up on Wednesday, my neck looked like I was wearing a dickie of hives. Remember dickies? Those fake turtle neck things...yeah, it was like that but it was hives. Anyway, the clinic gave me penicillin. I took it. Turns out I'm allergic. When it was…

Hello Again Everyone! Today is Friday. And today is over a week since I've written for this! Shame, shame, shame.... But at least it's still coming along! I'm afraid to report that baking hasn't been a first priority lately. I've been doing a lot of cooking but it's been boring old repeats. I made that delicious Pumpkin Chili again and then I fed Stacy with it after spin class on Wednesday. I added extra pumpkin and honestly, I think it was better the second time I made it. The other thing I made over the weekend that is not picture worthy but delicious was a Cilantro-Lime-Coconut Shredded Chicken in the slow cooker. There was no real recipe but I imagine if there was, it was something like this:
3-4 chicken breasts
1 bunch of cilantro
sliced peppers, I used red and yellow
sliced yellow onion
garlic
1 can of coconut milk
1/4 cup (ish) lime juice
salt
pepper
cumin
Put it all in a slow cooker and cook it real slow! Once it's done, get in there and shred up the chicken. …

I should forewarn you - there isn't much about food here tonight and this post will be a rather short post, but I am trying my best to stay committed to this little endeavor of mine. Can you believe 7 people looked at my blog yesterday!? And no, I haven't even looked at it since last weekend! That's a success. I think I can thank the wonderous Foodie Penpal for this!

So, I want to talk about how friggin' cool life is getting. Many of the special people in my life (and of course myself too) are moving into the next new and exciting phases of their lives. I've talked about all the pregger ladies that are in my life and well, their babies are arriving!! On Monday, I got a happy little text from Michelle telling me that her water had broke and baby was on the way! Sure enough, later that day little Baby Cole arrived! Welcome Cole! I have yet to meet him but pictures indicate he has a head of beautiful dark brown hair. I can't wait to snuggle him. Then, I got a text …

That title is deep, hey? It's been a good weekend - just to give you the boring play by play - here's how it happened:
1) Friday - work with nothing special to report. Did I mention that I am terribly satisfied in my new gig? LOVE the work. There is no doubt that I've chosen the right profession. I went to spin class after work where the spin teacher kicked our a$$es. She's awesome. She runs the joint and she has this ability to make you feel so special and like she's known you forever and that you're actually friends, when in actuality, she's not your friend and she's running a business. But really, those are the sorts of people I want to give business to. She knows what she's doing - I'll keep buying! After spin class, I headed to Jackie's where she made me delicious fish tacos. That recipe is A-MAZING. Jackie, you do good stuff! And make me laugh really hard. You're AWESOME.
2) Saturday - woke up nice and early. I made myself some Pumpk…

AMAZING! What a super great, fantastic program! I missed it when I wasn't doing it. I got paired up with wonderful lady named Ceecee who lives in Vancouver. So, of course, being in Vancouver, she had all sorts of access to delicious finds! You can read up on her and her kitchen adventures here!

So, here we are:
Homemade Pumpkin Chia Granola - I ate half the bag upon opening it. OMGSOGOOD.Chocolate covered dried banana - Also eaten as soon as I opened the packageSea Salt Fusion Veggie GarnishVancouver's Hottest Salt and a tiny cute spoon to go with itHemp HeartsEspresso Bean Chocolate Bar
This was great! Thank you so, so much Ceecee!
I'm on Day #5 of the Whole30 (which I'll update on later) so I'll have to wait until after to enjoy the chocolate bar and the other half bag of granola! It'll be such a treat after.

I was paired up with Theresa in Delta, BC. I made the package a spicy theme - Black Bean Chips, Spicy Jalapeno Salsa and Chili Chocolate Bar. Hopefully she e…