Thoughts on Thursday

• In preparation for the impending polar vortex I decided to make a few purchases. I feel like last year I froze all winter! I didn't want to purchase "real" winter gear because I was sure last year's cold weather was a fluke. Well it snowed in South Carolina on November 1st and it'll be 31 degrees on Saturday. This year I will be ready! Long johns? Check! Hat? Check! Flannel? Check! I also snagged Chew a good half zip sweater... I love half zips on guys! These purchases were from Lands End. They are currently having a sale AND Ebates has 6% cash back! Ebates allows me to justify my online purchases.

• One benefit to the cold weather is local oyster season! Last night a some friends down the street had a 1/2 bushel so we went over for an oyster dinner. It was a fun casual weeknight meal! We grilled them, instead of the typical roasting, I loved this method of cooking! Have you ever grilled oysters?

• I've hopped on the Probiotic train and I'm happy to report I really do notice a difference. It's not immediate or a miracle but I feel like I do not get bloated, no upset stomach and just better in general. I'm interested to see if it truly helps with colds, etc. this winter! I take the TruBiotics and my mom likes the Culturelle. I have also started drinking Kombucha a fermented drink that also includes probiotics. All fermented foods have this good bacteria! I really like the Synergy brand below and Harris Teeter carries this for a decent price. 

• I cannot believe its almost Thanksgiving or that Christmas is in 6 weeks! So far I have purchased 0 gifts!! Chew and I really want Kayaks for Christmas...hint hint parents! I think it would be so great to just be able to go paddling after work or on the weekends! He wants a fishing one and I have no interest in features I would just like one that floats. 

• If you are looking for a fun and original gift you should check out Two If By Bri! Bri is a dear friend and a very talented little artist. I have a few of her pieces but my most prized was my painting of my wedding bouquet! It was such a special wedding present and I love the color it adds to our living room. I love using her for baby/nursery gifts and she will do commissions for a great price! Enter Code BLOGHOLIDAY and receive 20% off your purchase until December 10th!!

  

  Wedding Bouquet

  
  

  

  Love this one!

  
  

  

  Cute Bunny! Perfect for a nursery or Easter Decor!

• Another Etsy love is FoundHound perfect for a unique gift or for yourself! Follow them on Instagram @FoundHound !

How fun is this top for a Holiday Party!!?

I'm so obsessed with this dress but its way too small for me!

• I mentioned in my last post that I had to return my Tory Burch Fit Bit bracelet due to the gold rubbing off in one week! Boo! However the silver lining is I'm buying this bag with the gift card! Woot! The bracelet was a gift after all!

• I recently read Homeward Bound "Embracing the New Domesticity" by Emily Matchar. I loved this book! It was an interesting take on Gen X & Y and how we are reacting towards careers, corporate America, babies, marriage, foods, etc. A few tangents go a little far out for me aka you'll never find me living off the grid but all in all it is intriguing! 

Sunday Recipes and a Review!

Chew and I treated ourselves to a little Sunday Brunch - I worked all weekend and he studied so we took ourselves out to Tattooed Moose! I went once when they first opened but haven't been back in years. I had the Cuban and we split their duck fat fries - delicious! Chew has a minor obsession with biscuits and gravy and absolutely cannot avoid ordering it if its on the menu. While I loved mine, the B and G wasn't high on Chew's list of the best Biscuits and Gravy. It took me 3 years to make this dish for him and he jokes he had to give me the ring first! Haha I suppose I subconsciously knew it would be a deal breaker. Thankfully he highly approved of my version! I had Westbrook's Gose to drink, it was my summer beer, I love it! Most people make a face when I order it but I love the salty sour flavor. Have you tried it? After we ate too much we headed home and relaxed!

We had a pork tenderloin that Chew wanted to grill for dinner and we had sweet potatoes and spinach that needed to be used. I made Spicy Balsamic Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes and Spinach Sautéed with Bourbon Bacon Jam! They both were so delicious! Nothing like adding booze and bacon to your spinach to really kick up the healthiness! Seriously though this jam is The Jam! The first time I made this was for Easter last year at The Perks! It topped my deviled eggs and was divine. Last week it topped butternut squash fritters and there were leftovers so it went into spinach! Honestly, its bacon, what does it not go with?! 

Bourbon Bacon Jam

Makes 1 cup

12 oz. Applewood Smoked Bacon

1 large White Onion, minced

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

¼ Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed

2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

3 Tablespoons Brewed Coffee

3 Tablespoons Bourbon

Cook the bacon over medium heat until starting to crisp.  Remove and let cool.  Discard the bacon fat from the skillet and reserve 1 tablespoon in the skillet.  Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent.  Add the vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, coffee and bourbon.  Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes, then reduce to low heat.  Rough chop the bacon into small pieces and add to the mixture. 

Let cook for about an hour or until the mixture is a deep brown color and thickened.  Transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Let cool and then store in a glass jar.  The jam can be refrigerated for up to one month.

Recipe from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

For the spinach I sautéed a tiny splash of olive oil with some garlic in a large sauté pan and then added a large box (11oz) of baby spinach leaves. Added about 2 spoonfuls of the jam and cooked on low until the spinach was wilted! Yummy greens!

Spicy Balsamic Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes 

1 large sweet potato, cut into large cubes

1 apple, cut into large cubes

Garlic Powder, a pinch

Ground Red Pepper, a pinch

Maple Pepper, a pinch (regular black pepper would be fine)

Smoked Salt, a pinch

Brown Sugar, 1 tbsp

Olive Oil, 1 tbsp

Balsamic Vinegar, 1/2 tbsp (I used my blackberry ginger olive oil!)

Sage Leaves, 6 rough chopped

1. Place cut potato and apple in a mixing bowl and add in the rest of the ingredients

2. Mix well completely coating the potato and apple with the syrup

3. Spread out on a baking sheet and place in a 375 degree oven 

4. After 15 minutes stir around to keep syrup on the potato and apple and not caramelizing on the baking sheet

5. Continue to bake about another 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft

This side was a perfect compliment for pork! I will definately be keeping it in our menu rotation for the winter.

On a non food note I'm sad to report that after all of my excitement awaiting my Tory Burch Fit Bit Bracelet I had to send it back after one week of wearing to work! The gold started rubbing off exposing the metal below...pretty sad for a $200 bracelet! I'm really bummed because it was nice to have something that looked nice for work and going out vs the rubber Fit Bit band. Luckily TB's customer service was awesome and made the return process easy. I do hope someone develops a bracelet that can hold up though. I am loving Fit Bit's new challenges, I did the Weekend Warrior that past two weekends, the extra incentive with friends encourages a few more steps! 

Halloween, Holidays and Chilly Sunday Cooking

Its SO cold here! For people who do not live in the south it is really not that cold but we had snow in South Carolina on November 1st! Madness! However it will be 80 tomorrow so it's okay. I cannot believe that it is November and Thanksgiving is this month! Chew and I have decided to not travel home and I know our parents are thrilled by this idea of ours. We didn't travel last year because we had just returned from our honeymoon and it was just too much traveling (I know sad story). I love Thanksgiving and our families but it is such a short Holiday and it was so nice to just have the time together. However, this signs us up for what we oh-so-lovingly refer to as the great loop! Charleston to Atlanta to Sanford, NC to Charleston that encompasses five or so Christmas celebrations and 17 hours of driving.

I accomplished my Sunday cooking this weekend and the cool weather certainly swayed my recipe choices! 

Butternut & Spinach Stuffed Shells w. Sage Browned Butter

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounce package jumbo pasta shells (about 20-24 shells total)
• 2 cups of part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 cup packed fresh spinach (chop after measuring)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 a stick of butter
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves

1. Slice the butternut squash in half and roast face down on a baking sheet in a 425 degree oven. I lightly spray the baking sheet w. Olive Oil Pam first. This takes between 30 - 45 minutes depending on the size of your squash. You should be able to easily scoop it out when done. My tip would be do this a little in advance so you do not have to scoop a 425 squash. Once cool spoon into a large mixing bowl.

2. Cook the shells according to package directions and drain. 

3. Combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, garlic, spinach, egg, salt and pepper and fresh lemon zest into the bowl with your squash. Stir well. 

4. Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the squash mixture and place them in a lightly greased baking dish (I used a large and a small 9x9) this may vary depending how full you stuff your shells. Bake the shells for 18-20 minutes, until they are hot all the way through.

5. To make the brown butter sauce melt the butter in a saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat until the butter is golden brown. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Be careful as you want browned butter not burned butter. Add the sage leaves once the butter is hot and cook until the leaves are slightly crisp. Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle the sauce over the cooked shells.

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

We loved this recipe but butternut squash, pasta, sage and butter are some of my favorite ingredients. If I make again I think I will maybe add a little red pepper to the mix for a little kick or maybe follow the original directions and sprinkle parmesan over at the end for a little salt. 

I also made a double batch of Turkey Pumpkin Chili, from Skinny Taste, one to eat this week and one to freeze. We will have this tonight and will post the picture and recipe soon! 

Below is a picture of Chew and I on Halloween! Bob Ross and his Happy Little Tree!

It's just another manic Monday!

I wish it was Sunday 'cause thats my fun day! I only had Sunday off of work this week so Monday came way too fast! Luckily I have some of this yumminess in my freezer from a few weeks ago so I don't have to cook dinner tonight!

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili with Avocado

1 medium red onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
ground sea salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½+ tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo* (start with ½ tablespoon and add more to taste, I thought mine was just right with 1 tablespoon)
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
14-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the liquid**
4 cups cooked black beans or 2 cans, rinsed and drained
14-ounce can (about 2 cups) vegetable broth - (I used Swanson's Mexican Broth because I had it in the pantry - it worked really well!)
1 Avocados, diced
cilantro (optional, for garnish)

In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, sautée the vegetables (onion, bell pepper, butternut squash, garlic) in one to two tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. Stir the ingredients every few minutes.

When the onions start turning translucent, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add all of the spices and canned ingredients, and stir. Cover for about one hour, stirring occasionally. After an hour your butternut squash should be soft but not mushy and the liquid should have reduced to a chili consistency. 

Now top with avocado and cilantro and eat!

Recipe originally adapted from Cookie & Kate

Stella Nova is having their big annual sale! I almost went after work today but I held myself back. I am kinda regretting this now because I really need some of my favorites! I scored on a lot of items last year but I was in my I'm getting married and going on my honeymoon so I can buy anything phase!

Asian Vegetables & Chicken w. Udon Noodles

A healthier alternative to take out!

Asian Vegetables & Chicken with Udon Noodles

1 red bell and 1 yellow, sliced into 1” strips

1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced 

1 cup edamame, out of pod 

3 cups kale - thick stems removed, torn into 2" pieces 

1 napa cabbage, chopped

2 gloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil*

1/2 tbsp Grapeseed Oil*

1-2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce*

1-2 tsbp Blackberry ginger vinegar or Rice Wine Vinegar* 

Sriracha

Toasted sesame seeds 

10 basil leaves cut into ribbons - chiffonade 

Chicken (I used 6 chicken tenderloins), cut into bite sized pieces

Udon Noodles - they should be a thick round noodle

*You may need more of these ingredients depending on how long you cook your vegetables and/or how much water they release. You should have a small amount of "sauce" in the pan. Be careful with sesame oil amounts while delicious the flavor can take over a dish. 

Coat a large sautéed pan with sesame oil and grapeseed oil (or any neutral flavor oil) and add a few splashes of soy sauce.

Add chicken pieces cook over med high heat until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside keep cooking liquid in pan. 

Add peppers, garlic and ginger and sauté for about 3 minutes on medium low heat. Note: you may need to deglaze your pan if the liquid has turned more solid and is sticking to pan - if so just throw in a few splashes of your vinegar with a few tbsp of water and stir this will loosen the liquid from cooking the chicken.

Now add mushrooms and edamame cook another 4-5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to release liquid. Add kale and drizzle with

blackberry ginger vinegar and sriracha and stir together well and cover for 1-2 minutes to allow kale to wilt.

Cook your Udon Noodles - to package directions.

While noodles are cooking, uncover veggies, reduce heat to low and add napa cabbage mix together well.

Drain noodles and return to pot add splash of soy sauce and sesame oil to prevent noodles from sticking and give a quick toss.

Place a small nest of noodles in a bowl and top with a lot of vegetable mixture. To garnish add a sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and basil!

Milly-Bones aka Carrot & Peanut Butter Dog Treats!

These dog bones cookie cutters are so cute! The recipe is easy, cheap and I'll admit pretty tasty for a dog treat! They are also healthy and preservative free! 

Milly has been on a diet/workout regime for the past few months. She gained a few more lbs. last year than our vet liked...the culprit was Chew gave her peanut butter pretty much everyday. The peanut butter spoons have stopped, she's been getting a lot of exercise and Milly Treats! It was amazing how quickly she dropped weight (it was about 5 lbs). I walked with her so I'm confused why I haven't lost weight too hmmm maybe my culprit is wine!

Milly-Bones

Carrot & Peanut Butter Treats

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Dry Milk

2 1/2 Cups Flour 

plus some extra for rolling (Whole Wheat Flour makes it healthier)

3/4 Cup Carrot Puree*

1/2 Cup All Natural Peanut Butter 

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Blend eggs and carrots, then add salt, dry milk and flour

3. Add water to make it workable, if needed, but keep the dough stiff

4. Once the dough is well mixed and stiff roll into a layer that is a little shorter than your cutter (or about 1/4")

5. Cut with any shape cutter you choose and place on an un greased cookie sheet

6. Bake 20 mins, flip cookies, and bake for another 20 mins.

*You could also sub pumpkin puree for the carrot puree.

Cookie Cutter from Name That Cookie on Etsy

Meet Milly our Goldendoodle! 

Sriracha Kale Chips

I definitely bought a seat on the Kale train! It's so versatile and healthy and you can add it to almost any recipe. I love that it doesn't cook down to mush like spinach. The pre-cut pre-washed bags from Trader Joe's are a staple in our fridge. I have requested that Chew has kale in the winter garden plan again this year. I love having veggies right out the back door and for free! 

 Sriracha Kale Chips

A great side to a sandwich or as an afternoon snack!  

1 Bunch Kale (or 1 bag), torn into chip size pieces and large stems removed

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

4 - 6 tsp of sriracha 

Coarse Salt

Pre heat oven to 300. Wash and dry kale, I like to use a salad spinner, then place in a large bowl. In another bowl mix together oil and sriracha then pour over kale and toss to coat all leaves. Place kale in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets and sprinkle with salt. 

Bake for 30 minutes, or until edges start browning, tossing chips every 10 minutes. Once cool store in a tubberware or plastic bags at room temperature. Spicy, salty and healthy!

"The How Not to Miss the Cocktail Hour Cookbook"

A few months ago on a trip to Sanford, NC I found an amazing little gem from 1964 entitled "The How Not to Miss the Cocktail Hour Cookbook".

Not only does this allow you to socialize with your guests, if you have company, but it's also wonderful for weeknight meals to assemble in the morning or the night before. This week on Tuesday before work I made Pork Chops and Beer! This recipe was delicious and SO easy! I did have to make a few substitutions, for example, the orginal recipe called for 2 tsps MSG! 

Pork Chops & Beer

Healthy and Husband Approved 

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 tbsp. Brown Sugar

2 tbsp. Melted Butter

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

3 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced

4 pork chops (I used a lean center cut), seasoned with S&P and browned

2 tablespoons flour  

1 tbsp salt

12 ounces of beer (I used New Belgium's Fall Tour)

Layer sweet potatoes in a large greased (I did a coconut oil spray) casserole dish with a cover, like a dutch oven, sprinkle with brown sugar. Then layer pork chops and cover with apples and onions. Next mix your flour, salt and melted butter together into a "slurry" and then mix into the beer. Don't skip this part because if you mix flour into the beer directly it clumps - trust me! Now pour over the chops and cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour, remove lid and bake for another 20 - 30 mins. 

Plenty O' Time for a cocktail!

Note: I made this in advance and it was baked 5 hours later - if you do this I would suggest pre mixing the "slurry" but not pouring over until baking time. 

Additions/Substitutions: Anything that reminds you of fall or winter would do well in this dish! I am thinking fresh sage, rosemary, a hearty winter squash or brussels sprouts! 

Italian Sausage & Vegetable Soup

Chew and I's schedules have drastically changed over the past few weeks. Its been a bit weird and disorganized! Chew started his Graduate School program and I started working more events (at night) than usual. Most weeks we do not see much of each other except the hour before work and maybe an hour before bed. In response to this new schedule I am trying to cook all of our weekly meals on Sunday or Monday so that we are set for the week. I love making soups it is so easy to double the recipes and freeze for those nights you don't want to cook! They also typically require one pot which equals fewer dishes to wash...win, win.

Italian Sausage & Vegetable Soup

1lb Ground Sausage
(I used half turkey, half sweet Italian because thats what I had on hand)

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 c. Chopped Onion

1 1/2 c. Baby Carrots, diced

2 Zucchini, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced

1 can Garbanzo Beans, rinsed

1/2 c. White Wine (preferably dry)

5 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1 lb. Italian Plum Tomatoes (fresh or canned), peeled and rough chopped

2 tsp. Dried Basil

1 tsp. Dried Oregano

1 tsp. Fennel Seed

1 lb. of a Tiny Pasta (I used Gluten Free Rotini)

Brown the the sausage in the bottom of a large stock pot over a medium heat. I use a splash of olive oil here because turkey sausage is so lean I think it helps it brown better. Once the sausage is cooked through, remove sausage to a paper towel to drain. Leave at least 1 tbsp. of fat in pan and add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then toss in your carrots, zucchini, green pepper, wine, broth, tomatoes, basil, oregano and fennel. Bring to a medium boil and cook for 20 minutes (I covered with a lid but left it cracked). Once the veggies are cooked to your liking, throw in the pasta, turn down the heat a bit to a low boil/simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of Romano or Parmesan Cheese!

This recipe was adapted from The Junior League's Centennial Cookbook with changes to reduce fat, sodium and gluten.

Back to Blogging with Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry

Blogging. I started. I was excited. I got distracted with the Holidays and I stopped. Well now all the presents and decorations are put up, I've organized the house, I started meal planning and now I'm back to blogging. 

Matt and I have decided to only eat meat twice a week. This is not a resolution or a diet or anything other than because... and because I watched knives over forks again. I also have a pantry full of lentils, beans and quinoa and plenty of other forms of protein that I need to use! Its been a great experience so far I've been cooking a lot of different flavors and dishes that I didn't before. Another benefit of this is our grocery bills have drastically reduced by not purchasing so much meat. The final and best benefit... we both feel so good!

Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry

• 1 cup Red Lentils
• 3 cups Water
• 1 Sweet Potato - peeled and ¼” cubed
• 1 to 2 Carrot(s) - diced
• 1 tbsp fresh Ginger - peeled and minced
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Onion - diced
• 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 14 oz can Coconut Milk
• 1 tsp Siracha (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
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• In a stockpot or large pan combine lentils and water, bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the sweet potato, carrot, and half the ginger. Continue to simmer until sweet potato is almost tender about 20 minutes.
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• When the sweet potato is almost tender get a small skillet, add curry powder and toast until fragrant. Remove from skillet once toasted. Return skillet to stove and add olive oil. Next, stir in remaining ginger and onions to skillet over medium low heat. Sauté until onions are softened, 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Finally, stir in toasted curry powder and stir, making sure everything is mixed well.
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• Once the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender add the tomato paste mixture along with the coconut milk to the lentil base. Stir together and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

  Originally adapted from Naturally Ella (I've become obsessed with her recipes)

I served this over quinoa because I didn't have any brown rice on hand but either would be delicious! It is also perfect on its own! 

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