{Recipe} ~ Shrimp and Grits Casserole

One of the best things about being home for the holidays is that I'm able to whip up so many new recipes! It's so much easier to cook for a family of 4 rather than just me (that way I don't have to eat leftovers for days)!

When I got home for Christmas, my mom and I sat down with her iPad pulled up to my pinterest boards and some of our standard cookbooks we always use around the holidays. I had several recipes I wanted to try, so we got to work making a menu for the next few days and got our shopping list ready to go! A trip to 2 different grocery stores (and the liquor store of course), and we were in business!

The first recipe we were going to try has a bit of a back story. It was a Shrimp and Grits Casserole from Taste of the South Magazine. Now, when I followed the link from my pin, the recipe came up and we jotted down the ingredients. But that night, when I went to actually start cooking, the recipe was nowhere to be found! The link to the website was broken, as was all other recipe links on their website. Cue panic attack. It was close to 6:30 and I had yet to start cooking. So I did some quick googling, found a plain, ol' boring recipe for Shrimp and Grits and got to work (but I was still really bummed about not trying the original recipe).

While I was making a mess in the kitchen cooking, my sister was still trying to find the original recipe. She noticed on Taste of the South's Facebook page that other people were having difficulties trying to access recipes as well. They had posted the food editor's email address and was asking everyone to contact her in order to get recipes. So Katie sent a quick email to the food editor, who responded immediately after I had improvised and dinner was on the table. Boo.

All this to say, the recipe below is the original recipe I wanted to try, but not the actual one we ended up eating. My improvision tasted delicious, but I honestly couldn't recreate it because I have no idea what I actually did. I'll certainly have to make this again - the way I meant to make it originally! I would definitely use less cream/half-and-half to make this a little more figure friendly!

Shrimp and Grits Casserole
from Taste of the South
(serves 10-12; I halved the recipe!)

Ingredients

3 cups water
3 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 cups quick-cooking grits
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 slices bacon
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 pounds medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups water and half-and-half to a boil over medium-high heat. Add grits, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cheese, egg, salt, and red pepper flakes. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake until set, approximately 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon grease. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add flour, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and cream; stir until combined. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes. (I don't really think this step is necessary. Just add a splash of half-and-half and chicken broth and you should be good to go!) Add shrimp; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Add Creole seasoning, stirring to combine.

Spoon mixture over grits. Top with crumbled bacon and sliced green onion. Serve immediately.

{Recipe} ~ Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread

I have so many holiday recipes to share and only a few days before Christmas to share them! Sorry I'm not sorry for posting two recipes in the same day :)

One thing I love about having house guests is the opportunity to make breakfast! I hardly ever go through the process of "cooking" breakfast for myself, unless you count pouring a bowl of cereal or toasting an English muffin and poaching an egg "cooking."

Having girl sleepovers makes breakfast tricky though, because I knew they probably wouldn't appreciate sausage balls (my fave) with extra crispy bacon, either. My mom and I whipped up a pumkin french toast bake at Thanksgiving (which I just realized I forgot to post the recipe, dang it), but I didn't want something that sweet for breakfast this time around.

Since I was trying to stick with my festive cranberries, I started searching cranberry bread recipes online. I stumbled upon the one below, realized I had all the ingredients, and went to work!

It wasn't until I adjusted the recipe for 1 loaf that I realized the recipe was actually for mini-loaf pans. No wonder it called for 2/3 of an egg. So mid-recipe, I had to pull out all of the ingredients and start measuring things again to what I assumed would make one regular sized loaf. All of this to say, this recipe was very forgiving. It came out smelling yummy and still tasted delicious! Serve with a pat of butter and some fruit and you have a very satisfying brunch!

There's nothing worse than having 4 hungry girls sitting around your kitchen island while you stare through the oven door saying, "Well, it's starting to resemble bread, so that's a good sign!"

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread
from Food.com
Yields 3 mini-loaves

Ingredients

• 1 cup Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup fresh cranberries or 1 cup frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange rind
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and flour three 5 3/4x3 1/4x2-inch miniature loaf pans.
3. Stir together chocolate chips, cranberries, pecans and orange peel in small bowl; set aside.
4. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; with pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Stir in orange juice, egg and reserved chocolate chip mixture just until moistened; divide evenly among prepared pans.
6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

{Recipe} ~ Corn and Black Bean Chili

We're having another "cold wave" here in SC and the high temperature yesterday was only 47 degrees (but will be back up to almost 70 by the weekend). When I hunkered down to watch the Presidential election results, I wanted nothing more than to curl up with a bowl of chili and a glass of red wine.

I headed to my Pinterest board, excited to cross another item off my bucket list. I wanted something that didn't involve the slow cooker or 20 ingredients. Enter this recipe I found over the weekend. My mom had seen my pin and had already made the chili and considered it a success, so I figured I could give it a try too!

I did modify it a little bit, so I will include my changes here, but know you still have access to the original recipe if you want it! I chose to use the southwestern corn mix because I'm not a huge fan of beans and didn't want a lot of black beans in the chili. This was a perfect compromise! I also placed a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese on top, obviously.

 I had a large bowl myself but made enough for leftovers. Nothing like a comforting bowl of soup for a cold day!

Corn and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons salt-free chili powder blend
• 1 (14-ounce) can of southwestern corn (should have some black beans also)
• 1 (10-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can seasoned diced tomatoes for chili
• Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
• Sliced green onions (optional)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine turkeyand chili powder blend in a large Dutch oven. Cook 6 minutes over medium-high heat or until turkey is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and return to pan.

2. Stir in corn mixture, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Ladle chili into bowls. Top each serving with cheese, sour cream, and onions, if desired.

{Recipe} ~ Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

If you're looking for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner, look no further!

I made a run to the farmer's market last week and wanted to throw something together for dinner using some fresh veggies. I tend to eat big lunches at work since we're always eating out and usually want nothing more than a salad at dinner. But that can get old pretty quickly, so I try to balance it out with other healthy dinner alternatives. This dinner is perfect because you can eat as many (or as a few) peppers as you want based on how hungry you are! But the ground turkey and beans do an excellent job of filling you up (I ended up only eating one and saving the other for a leftover lunch)!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers
adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 1/4 lb 99% lean ground turkey
• 3/4 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cups frozen corn
• 1 jalepeño pepper, chopped
• 1 large diced tomato
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 tsp cumin
• kosher salt to taste

For the peppers:

• 2 red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise
• 9 tbsp shredded reduced-fat Sargento Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions:

In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned, add onion, garlic, black beans, jalepeño pepper, diced tomatoes, and cumin. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add corn and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until all the liquid reduces.

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and stem.

Place peppers, cut side up in an oven-proof dish. Fill each pepper with 1/2 cup turkey mixture.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the peppers become soft (personal preference as to how soft you want the peppers to be).

Remove foil, top each with 1 1/2 tbsp of cheese and bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes. Top with scallions and serve with reduced-fat sour cream if desired (optional).

{Recipe} ~ Pecan Kahlua Brie

I volunteered to bring an appetizer to the mountains to feed our hungry crew before dinner on Saturday. I always have so many recipes I want to try so it makes it difficult to narrow it down and actually make a choice! This recipe has very few ingredients and was super simple to throw together for a delicious appetizer that was gobbled up in minutes! I highly suggest making this for your next party or get-together. Trust me, everyone will love it!

Pecan, Brown Sugar, and Kahlua Baked Brie

from My Life as a Mrs.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup pecans (2.5 ounces), toasted and chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Kahlua
crackers
1-2 sweet apples (I like Honeycrisp)
13.2 ounce wheel of Brie

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Using a knife, score a circle around the top edge of the brie (leave 1/4 inch rim). Take a spoon and scrape the white rind off the center circle of the brie (to the inside of the 1/4" rim). Place brie on the center of an oven safe platter.

Mix the pecans, brown sugar, and Kahlua in a small bowl. Carefully place the mixture in the center of the brie and spread to the edges (staying within the 1/4" rim you left). Bake for 8-15 minutes until brown sugar/pecan mixture begins to bubble. Be careful not to overcook (the brie will literally melt and lose its shape if baked too long). You want it nice and warm.

Serve with crackers and apple slices.

{Recipe} - Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

As part of my fall bucket list, I wanted to make it part of my mission to test out some new pumpkin recipes. I've just recently discovered a love of all things pumpkin (thanks PSL), because I never really ate it growing up. We don't even have pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving (I know, the blasphemy)! I remember distinctly one year my dad brought home a pumpkin cheesecake from work, and it was so scrumptious. So I scooped up a few cans of pumpkin at the grocery store and started pinning every pumpkin recipe in sight.

Ryan and I are headed to the mountains this weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday with my parents and our family friends, so what better time to try out a new recipe?

I tried out a few new ones, which I'll be sharing soon, but I thought I'd post this one for the weekend in case anyone wanted to do a little baking in their free time! This recipe was fairly easy to throw together, but I did have a hard time making all the cookies the same size. The batter is much wetter than typical cookie dough, so it's not as easy to control when you scoop it onto a baking sheet. But I think that just adds some character to the pies!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
from The Girl Who Ate Everything

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Spice Cake mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 (16 oz) container Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting

1. Prehead oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, add the cake mix, butter, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, and milk. Mix slowly for 30 seconds or until combined, then beat for 1-2 minutes. Batter will be on the wet side.
3. Drop tablespoon-sized dollops onto the cookie sheet. Try to make sure that they are all the same size.
4. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Let them cool completely.
5. Frost a cookie with a dollop of cream cheese frosting and top with another cookie. Store in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to eat.

{Recipe} ~ Spaghetti Squash Jalapeño Casserole

I tried this recipe recently, and even though it didn't turn out quite right, I know it has so much potential! It's a delicioius vegetarian dish that could be served as a main course or a side dish.

See my tips below for changes to the original recipe!

Spaghetti Squash Jalapeño Casserole
adapted from The Realistic Nutritionist

Ingredients:

• 1 2.5 pound spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
• 1 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 cup light cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 jalapeños, chopped and seeded
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, part-skim
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, part-skim
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• Liberal dashes of salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Grease a 2 – 3 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place spaghetti squash flesh side down on a plate. Microwave for approximately 9 minutes, until done. Let cool.
3. When squash has cooled, use a fork to remove the spaghetti like strands. Place in a large mixing bowl.
4. Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium size pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. In another large sauce pan, heat milk, cream and chopped jalapeños in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 5 minutes, or until mixture is fragrant and thickening. Add in spaghetti squash and garlic, mix well to cover in the milk mixture. Add salt and pepper. Let cook another 2 – 3 minutes. Then, add cheese, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well to mix.
6. Pour spaghetti squash mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until bubbly and top is golden brown.

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Tips

1. Use sour cream instead of the milk/cream mixture. I never could get the sauce to thicken, so the casserole was kind of a watery mess.
2. Drain the spaghetti squash by squeezing it with paper towels after it has cooled. That should help with some of the extra water in the casserole.
3. Create a roux by mixing melted butter and flour before adding the milk mixture. This should thicken up the sauce properly.
4. Add more cheese, like pepperjack, for an extra kick of flavor!

Let me know if you give this recipe a try - I'd love to hear other opinions on it!

Fall Bucket List

Happy First Day of Fall, y'all!!

Gorgeous fall day in Cashiers, NC

It never occured to me to do a bucket list for each season, until I saw them on two of my favorite blogs, Hungry Meets Healthy and In The Pink & Green. Remember when I talked about fall being my favorite season, but it always goes by so fast that I don't get to take advantage of it? Well, I'm here to remedy that with a fall bucket list of my own! This will ensure I cross off all the things about fall that make me smile - and I have until December 21st to do it!

1. Try a Pumpkin recipe

Perhaps this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread, this Pumpkin Crunch Cake, or holy cow, these mini Pumpkin Spice donuts.

2. Go apple picking

via

This is something I've never done, which is pretty unacceptable considering how close I live to NC mountains and what I'm assuming are some pretty awesome apple orchards.

3. Carve a pumpkin

I haven't carved a pumpkin on Halloween since this little guy in 2008. Lauren and I should definitely decorate our little porch with two pumpkin friends this year. Halloween is actually my least favorite holiday (I know), but there's no harm in doing a little celebrating with this tradition!

4. Run a 5K

After dropping out of the half marathon, I'm still looking forward to running the Big Punkin' 5K this fall. I went backwards in my race distances; I started with a half marathon, then ran a 10K, now I'm finally tackling the shortest distance. Weird.

5. Visit Boston

via

In less than one week, Ryan and I will be in Boston! I'm hoping for crisp fall weather and changing leaves! I've been wanting to visit Boston for so long, and couldn't think of another perfect time than when Clemson is playing BC. I've heard the whole town is full of Clemson orange with visitors in town for the game! Can't wait! Things we're hoping to do/see: Fenway, Sam Adams Brewery, Harvard University, and take a Boston duck tour!

6. Take a trip to the mountains (or two or three)

View from our porch in the mountains

My parents bought a timeshare for a mountain home in Cashiers, NC a few years back, as my dad has always been more of a mountain person (for the colder weather, fishing, photography, and hiking) than a beach person. We get to go about 4 times a year and we always schedule a week for my dad's birthday in October. If we're lucky, the leaves have already started changing colors and the weather has turned cooler. It's one of my favorite family vacations (even though my sister has never gotten to come). We're actually spending Thanksgiving up there as well (which Katie will get to attend, hopefully)!

Our college friends are also trying to plan a mountain weekend, hopefully in November. The thought of piling into a cabin, watching football, reminiscing about college, and sitting in front of a fire with my best friends has me practically giddy.

Lauren and me in Cashiers, NC, Fall 2011

7. Make a pot of chili

via

My mom makes a vegetarian chili every year when we're in the mountains, usually eaten for dinner while watching a Clemson away game and sitting in front of the fire. However, I've never made chili myself. Maybe I'll get the chance when we go to the mountains with our friends; it's the easiest way to feed a bunch of hungry mouths! I'm not sure the guys would take too kindly to the meatless version, even if I swear to them it's hearty!

(I also want to try and make cornbread, too...perfect to go with a pot of chili!)

8. Ride bikes on the Swamp Rabbit Trail

via

I bought a Living Social deal for a 4 hour bike rental for Ryan and me. I've been saving it for fall when the weather is nicer and so we'll have a view like this on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. I haven't been on a bike since our family rented them in Sonoma and rode them to different wineries. Hopefully this adventure will be a smoother ride (I blame the wine)! 

Greenville is such a pretty city and I feel like we don't take advantage of it enough. Fall will be the perfect opportunity to soak up the trail and enjoy nature!

9. Enjoy as much football and tailgating as possible

Our last home game as students, Fall 2009

College football is probably one of the main reasons I'm so in love with fall and Clemson is absolutely beautiful this time of year. Nothing beats walking to class while crunching fallen leaves under your feet. 

We have more home games towards the end of the season this year, which I couldn't be more excited about. It's just hard to get into a football game when it's 95 degrees out. But for those October and November home games, when the air is crisp and everyone is piling into Death Valley at sunset to cheer the Tigers on, life really doesn't get any better than that.

Geez, can you tell I get extremely nostalgic for my alma mater?

10. Celebrate one year with Ryan

In the mountains, March 2012

I tend to count anything after Thanksgiving as "winter," and our anniversary is December 6th, but winter doesn't technically start until December 21, so this still falls in the "fall season." (I might have just won an award for using the most commas in a single sentence) Nonetheless, I'm excited to celebrate one year with Ryan - he's my best friend and I love him to death, mainly for keeping me grounded and making me smile every day!

11. Buy a fall-scented candle

I purchased a woodwick one from Pier 1 last year and it reminded me of Thanksgiving any time I burned it. This year, I have my eye on Rewined's fall exclusive, "Spiced Cider," which is described as "fresh apple, clove, cinnamon, and a shot of buttered rum." YES PLEASE!

12. Take more pictures

Can't help falling in love with a view like this!

Since starting the blog, I've definitely gotten better about documenting my life through photos. I did really well in college but slacked off during grad school and some of last year; I practically have no photographs from that period of time, which is a shame because we had such a great time as a group!

With lots of vacations this fall (Boston, Mexico, and several mountain getaways), I vow to take more pictures! At least I have to now, for the sake of the blog!

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I want to start crossing things off right now! Oh fall, please don't fly by, because I'm so excited you're finally here!

What are some "must do" items on your fall bucket list? Please share with me!

{Recipe} ~ Creamy Spinach Shrimp Pasta

Ryan and I stayed in last Friday night since we had to be up early for the football game. I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile, so I scooped up all the ingredients on my weekly grocery store run.

This recipe was pretty quick and really good. You'd hardly know it was a "skinny" pasta dish, as the sauce is so creamy, it definitely tastes like alfredo sauces you get in restaurants. This would be great to make for a crowd or just for two, because the recipe can be easily halved or doubled! We both ate a full plate and still had leftovers! Serve with a crisp white wine and dinner is all set!

Shrimp Pasta with Homemade Cream Sauce
from The Realistic Nutritionist

Ingredients:

•  12 ounces shrimp, tails removed
• 8 ounces of pasta (I used whole-wheat thin spaghetti)
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 5 ounces light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup crisp wine
• 3/4 cup shrimp or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup light cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Liberal dashes salt and pepper
• Lemon zest

Directions: 

1. Prepare pasta according to box. Rinse and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium size 3 quart pan over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and peppers and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add in wine, broth, cream, cream cheese and salt and pepper. Cook until mixture begins to thicken a bit, about 6 minutes. Stir in parmesan, lemon zest and additional salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer another 4 or 5 minutes to thicken up. Remove from heat.
3. In a small pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook shrimp for about 2 – 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and add to cream sauce. Add spinach to the small pan and heat just until wilted, about 3 minutes. Toss spinach and shrimp with cream sauce.
4. Pour over pasta and enjoy!

{Recipe} ~ Taco Cornbread Casserole

I'll always remember this recipe as the first one I cooked in my first apartment in Greenville with Lauren. I wanted something simple enough that I knew I wouldn't mess it up. I was surprised at how delicious it was! It also reheats really well. It kind of falls apart when you're trying to remove it from the casserole dish, but presentation shouldn't matter if it tastes good!

Taco Cornbread Casserole
adapted from Debbi Does Dinner

1 package corn bread/muffin mix (I use Trader Joe's - it's my favorite!)
3 cups cooked taco seasoned meat
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream, light
1 cup colby jack, cheddar or mexican cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded lettuce
In a large bowl, prepare cornbread mix based on instructions on the box. Spread into an 8 x 8 pan  sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove cornbread from oven and spread meat over corn bread.  Combine sour cream, 3/4 cup cheese and onion.  Spread over meat mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with tomato, lettuce and remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.  

Enjoy!

{Recipe} ~ Tequila Lime Chicken

When Lauren and I decided to have a few people over to watch the Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech game on Labor Day night, I wanted to cook something easy for dinner that didn't require a lot of prep work. (I'd much rather spend my time hanging out and enjoying my guests than trying to throw things together in the kitchen).

I've recently gotten Ryan hooked on the Food Network. I used to watch it all the time in college and last Sunday when we were being lazy, I turned it on and watched for hours. I thought Ryan was busy playing video games and/or reading about college football and/or checking his Fantasy Baseball stats on the Internet, but he would throw in comments every now and then, like "Oh that looks good!" or "Who the heck has time to make something that complicated?" Interesting, he can multitask.

Anyway, back to the point. So this past Sunday, when we were in Atlanta, and waiting for everyone to wake up/shower/find enough motivation to put on something other than pajamas, Ryan turned on the Food Network. Do you see where I'm going with this? My girl, The Pioneer Woman, was whipping up a Mexican fiesta. Remember that one time where I freakin' love Mexican food?

Moral of the story: I gave her recipe a whirl on Sunday, complete with guacamole. Everyone gobbled it up. Score.

Tequila Lime Chicken
adapted from The Pioneer Woman via the Food Network


Ingredients

• 2 limes
• 1/2 cup tequila
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cups grated Monterey Jack

Directions

Slice open the limes and squeeze the juice into a food processor or blender. Add the tequila, olive oil, salt, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro. Blend the mixture until totally combined. Add the chicken to a large plastic bag and pour in the lime-tequila mixture. Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Remove the chicken from the bag and grill it over medium-high heat. Rotate the chicken 45-degrees on both sides to create nice grill marks, and continue grilling until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Melt the Monterey Jack over the top of the chicken breasts and serve immediately.

{Recipe} ~ Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

I finally made dessert! 

It's no secret that I prefer savory over sweet, but that still doesn't stop me from pinning desserts I'll probably never get around to baking.

When thinking about what food to bring for the tailgate, I wanted to try something different (there are only so many chip & dip combos I can get excited about). That's when I figured I should probably try something sweet that could hold up in the heat fairly well. I had all the ingredients for several different recipes, but finally landed on these:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

adapted from What Megan's Making

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups quick-cooking or old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and beat just until combined. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Spread in a rimmed 10x15 baking pan, using a spatula or your hands to press into place. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool, but cut the bars while they are still somewhat warm, as a knife will go through them more easily.

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I halved this recipe and it still made plenty of bars! I actually only had one bar to make sure they tasted okay, but ended up leaving them with Jacob and Emmie to enjoy. I had to keep Jacob from eating them all before we left for the tailgate. I guess that means they were good! These were simple - I'd recommend them!

{Recipe} ~ Toasted Ravioli

When the weekend rolls around and I know I'm going to have a free night for dinner, I always want to try out a new recipe that I otherwise wouldn't tackle during the week after work. I saw this recipe and was excited to try out a new pasta dish (I love Italian food). I ended up combining two recipes (one called for frying the ravioli and the other baked it in the oven) and I bought two kinds of ravioli at Trader Joe's (spinach and cheese and a beef bolognese - the spinach was way better). This recipe was actually easier than expected, especially since Ryan and I prepped the ravioli together. It's always better to have four hands instead of two in the kitchen!

Toasted Ravioli

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

1 bag Cheese Ravioli (fresh or frozen)

1 1/2 cups of Italian Breadcrumbs (I used panko and added Italian seasonings)

1/2 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 egg

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook ravioli until al dente. Allow to cool.

3. Dredge ravioli in egg, then into the breadcrumbs mixed with half of the parmesan cheese.

4. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.

5. Sprinkle with remaining cheese before serving.

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I had to serve some sort of vegetable with the pasta, and pulled out a pretty simple recipe to try. Ryan and I always eat asparagus as our green vegetable (or a salad) so I wanted something different. When I asked Ryan if he liked green beans, he said, "Well, it's no asparagus, but it'll do." I also discovered he doesn't like the taste of vinegar. Oh well, he still cleaned his plate!

Green Beans with Walnuts and Balsamic

from Healthy Seasonal Recipes

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed (about 8 cups)

1. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until the garlic is just barely showing signs of turning brown, 30 to 90 seconds. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl to stop cooking.
2. Meanwhile, add 1 to 2 inches of water to a large pot fitted with a steamer attachment, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add green beans to steamer, and cook, covered until the beans are crisp tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the green beans to the bowl. Add walnuts, balsamic and salt and toss to coat.

Cooking Class with the Roomie

I briefly mentioned on my birthday over a month ago that Lauren had purchased a cooking class for us for my birthday. Well that class was a few weeks ago and I still haven't blogged about it!

This week has been such a whirlwind at work and honestly I've been lacking for some new material to write about, so now is the perfect time to share my pictures from the class!

I guess "cooking class" probably isn't the proper term; it was more of a cooking demonstration. We got to sit, watch, drink wine, and then eat everything the chef made. The chef is in charge of pastries at Soby's, one of the more popular and well-known restaurants in downtown Greenville. (Interesting fact: Not that I support him as a political candidate, but Mitt Romney just hosted a fundraiser there).

The theme was "Girls' Night Out" so the chef aimed to cook more tapas style dishes that you could serve to a group of your girlfriends. It was a four course meal, but they were all pretty small portions so you didn't feel overly full afterwards. We got to keep all the recipes so we can recreate them! I'm willing to try them all at some point, but maybe not all in the same night! I'll post the full recipe if I ever cook them myself (it's just too much to type them all here)!

I didn't get a picture of the first dish, but it was a Charred Eggplant on Country Bread with Goat Cheese and Romesco sauce. She just sautéed the vegetables, put a thick piece of cheese on the toasted bread, and piled the vegetables on top after stirring them with the sauce. The romesco sauce was homemade, but reminded me of vodka sauce you can buy at the store!

The second dish was our favorite. It was similar to ceviche, but had crab in it. It was a Crab and Avocado Salad Tostada. The flavors were light and fresh, perfect for summer. This would be the dish I'm most likely to make again and often!

The main course of Polenta Cakes with Grilled Beef was also delicious. It looked daunting on paper, but the chef made it look so easy! I'm sure I'd have to practice this one to get it just right, but it might just be worth the effort. 

And because we had to finish off the meal with something sweet, she made a fruit trifle, with layers of cubed angel food cake, summer berries, and fresh whipped cream. Yum!

I highly recommend trying out a cooking demonstration and/or class! You learn so much! It's like watching a show on the Food Network live! 

{Recipe} ~ Mini Maple Pancake Muffins

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. But unfortunately, I'm in too much of a hurry during the week to try out new recipes. The weekends are perfect for cooking breakfast at home.

I made these mini muffins for Holly's birthday weekend and they were a hit! I baked them the night before and we just reheated them in the morning. The 6 of us gobbled them up in one sitting. You expect them to be sweet, because they're muffins, but you have to remind yourself that it's pancake batter!

This would be perfect for company or an early morning football tailgate!

Mini Maple Pancake Muffins
from Six Sisters' Stuff

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk (I used regular skim milk and they were fine!)
1 egg
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips


Generously grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift together with a wire whisk.  In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on the tops.  Bake for 8-9 minutes.

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins. 

{Recipe} ~ Jalapeño Popper Chicken

Whenever I post I recipe, I'm usually singing its praises, saying "this was amazing!" "best dish I've ever made!" "so darn good and easy!" etc.

But this time, I really, really mean it. This dinner was amazing. I bought the jalapenõs last week before we went to Dallas, and I knew they were about to spoil. I asked Ryan if he wanted to come over for dinner, with this dish in mind. I don't like things too spicy, but this was just right. Let me tell you, make this now. Seriously, do it. It was extremely easy and the cleanup was basically nil. The chicken cooked perfectly in the oven (can you believe I've never baked chicken before?) in 30 minutes. Once you see that gooey, melty cheese inside the chicken covered with a crunchy crust, you'll die and proclaim it the best thing you've ever eaten. I promise.

Okay, okay, enough raving over this recipe. Without further ado:

Jalapeño Popper Chicken

from Elly Says Opa!

1/2 cup panko
2 tsp. canola oil
1.5 – 2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 egg
2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
2 chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 375 and place an ovenproof rack onto a rimmed baking dish (I just used a regular baking sheet). Spray with cooking oil.

In a small skillet over medium heat, combine the panko with the canola oil. Cook, stirring often, until the panko is golden and crispy. Place in a shallow bowl or dish. To the panko, add the taco seasoning and stir to combine.

In another shallow bowl or dish, lightly beat an egg. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and jalapeños.

Using a small utility knife, cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast, or horizontally slice the chicken through the center, until it is almost butterflied. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, and then divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between each chicken breast’s pocket. Use toothpicks to secure, if necessary.

Dip the chicken pieces one at a time first into the egg, and then into the panko mixture, making sure to coat the chicken completely. Place the chicken on the prepared baking rack and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.