tuesday things

1. I am lucky enough to have a job that I really enjoy. But in the summer, I love it even more. Although our office is open during the summer, our school follows summer hours. So, it's really like a part-time job for 10 weeks (three of which I have off). Not a bad gig for a non-teacher.

2. I've been much more motivated to cook since I only work 6 hours a day (minus a bit for lunch). Right now, I'm cooking my first brisket. If this things tastes as good as it smells, it will be a success. You should know that my brother makes mighty fine brisket. In fact, this spring he was invited with the rest of The Cherry Laurel to cook barbecue for Rick Perry, the Texas governor. So I decided that I'd try his method. Just 2.5 more hours.

3. Along with brisket, I'm going to make this recipe for esquites. My sister-in-law made it for Mother's Day, and I could have eaten just this. I think it will go well with brisket. (And if the brisket doesn't turn out, this will be good on it's own!)

4. We had the eaves of our house cleaned this weekend. We had a slight mildew issue thanks to humidity and the pine trees behind our house. The eaves look great. Unfortunately, whatever cleaning solution he used burned our newly planted vegetables and my pretty hydrangeas. I think I can trim back the burned hydrangea blossoms, but I think we have to replant all of our veggies. It makes me sick!

5. I'm in a major purging mode. I'm hopeful that my free afternoons will enable me to get our extra room unpacked this summer. If you're keeping track: we moved in over two years. Two-thirds of the room is boxes of stuff. At this point, I'm tempted to just donate the unopened boxes. I mean, if we don't know what's in them, will we miss it? Within an hour, our garage will be less one couch and two over-sized chairs. Yea!

tuesday things

1. I just finished reading Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist. Y'all. It is good. I've adored her previous books, and I waited expectantly for this book to release early in the month. It's a memoir, written as a series of essays with recipes scattered throughout. So far, I've made three of the recipes, with great success. The Spicy Caesar Vinaigrette was delicious, and I'm normally not a fan of Caesar dressing. I actually was able to test a recipe for the book, so it was fun looking for my name in the book.

2. My breakfast for the past week has been yogurt and granola. I found a new yogurt that I like because it isn't overly sweet. Typically, I eat the same thing for breakfast for so long that I don't want to eat it again for a year or so. Brown Cow maple yogurt with granola full of nuts and dried fruit is my go-to breakfast for now.

3. Last Tuesday, Jeremy and I went to Dallas; he gave me tickets for my birthday to see Wicked. We headed out pretty early in the afternoon so that we wouldn't get stuck in traffic. The theater where it played isn't known for being in the safest part of town, so I called a friend to get a restaurant suggestion that would be close-ish to the theater  Though he gave a few, we settled on a suggestion in the Bishop Arts District. We had dinner at Eno's Pizza. We started with salads (mine was delicious with crisp Romaine lettuce, roasted pork belly, shaved jalapeno and honey tarragon dressing), and then shared a pizza with crust as crisp as a cracker. It was so good.

And although we were satisfied, we couldn't pass up the second part of the suggestion: dessert at Emporium Pies. We took an indirect route so that I could spy a couple having engagement pictures done. When we arrived, it was so difficult making a decision from the seven or so pies that they offer. Ultimately, I wound up with key lime pie, and Jeremy with the coconut cream pie. We both favored the mine; I've never had a better graham cracker crust! Though his was tasty, I make a coconut cream pie that's hard to beat.

Emporium Pies, Bishop Arts District

When we arrived at the theater, I was at bit shocked by how good our seats were. I typically have the theory that as long as you can hear the music, it's close enough. But I have been so wrong! Sitting close was fun and definitely a treat!

me + my date

tuesday things

1. Last week was spring break, and it was such a great week. What started with not many things planned turned into a week of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, coffees, and a slumber party. It was time well-spent.

2. My intent over spring break was spring cleaning. That didn't happen. I bleached my shower and wiped the baseboards in our bathroom, and then decided I was done for the day. I never went back to it. We still have weeks of spring ahead of us, so it'll get done. And if it doesn't, I'll admire those clean baseboards in our bathroom often!

3. For St. Patrick's Day, we celebrated with cheddar and stout fondue (with bread, apples and asparagus to dip) and a chocolate stout bundt cake topped with chocolate ganache. It was delicious! And so much easier than a stew or hash.

4. At the beginning of the year, Jeremy and I set goals for us. One goal is to see 12 movies in the theater. I know. Priorities. We like movies, but saw maybe three last year. We're upping our game. This weekend, we saw Oz: The Great and Powerful. I loved it: the music, the costumes, the effects, the story. Only eleven more movies to go!

5. Last Tuesday, I returned our DVR box. It was difficult. I almost didn't do it, thinking I could convince Jeremy to keep it. But then our bill decreased by $60. I think I can do this. Plus, we have Roku that we'll use to stream our shows.

6. Our shows this season include: The New Girl, The Mindy Project, Castle, Modern Family, Top Chef Season 10, Duck Dynasty. We waited until Top Chef ended before making the break from cable--we have an obsession with that show. It's more like borderline addiction. We enable each other.

7. I am totally into memoirs right now. I love real stories. Some that I've read and loved: Crowded Skies: Letters to Manhattan by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Orange Jumpsuit: Letters to the God of Freedom by Tara-Leigh Cobble, and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. The pendulum will swing soon enough, and I'll love fiction again. But for now, I love these stories.

8. We ate dinner with my brother and sister-in-law this week. My brother is a great cook. (It obviously runs in the family.) For the first time ever, I had real artichokes--not just the hearts that come in a can. We dipped and scraped the leaves on our teeth and dug out the thistle-y part to get to the heart. Oh, man, it was good. I have it on the menu for dinner one night this week, but I can see how they could become a regular vegetable in our house!

-ing & a recipe

For me, the intimidating part about writing two thoughtful and, hopefully, thought-provoking posts (here and here) is that at some point there's a post that just normal. So, we're back to normal posts for a while at least. Here's what I've been doing this week:

Traveling:  On Monday and Tuesday of this week, me and three other chaperones took our 60ish member freshman class on a college tour. We visited two colleges, Texas A&M and Baylor. This means that I was around freshman boys non-stop for 36 hours, minus sleeping hours. What I learned? Boarding school for the freshman year is an option if we have boys.

Packing:  A couple of weeks ago at church, we grabbed two boxes for Operation Christmas Child. I love this ministry. It makes my heart to happy to pack boxes of goodies for kids who otherwise wouldn't receive anything. This year, I discovered that my dollar goes much further when I shop the post back-to-school sales. Things go on crazy clearance! I found the cutest chevron journal and striped socks, plus more. I'm convinced that the girls who receive these boxes will be thrilled.

Cooking:  As planned in this post, I cooked out of my new book, Practical Paleo. I made Blueberry  Lemon Muffins. I was a little hesitant since I'd never baked with coconut flour, but they are so good! And my house smells fabulous. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup grade B maple syrup
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk all wet ingredients together. Sift in dry ingredients and then stir until well blended. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill muffin tins half full. Makes 12 muffins.

**Modifications: 1) I didn't have a lemon, so I skipped this ingredient. 2) I used 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Because if some is good, more is better. 3) My blueberries were frozen, so instead of folding them in, I scooped the batter into the tin, and then poked the blueberries into the batter. Otherwise, they all freeze in a big clump in the bowl. 4) The recipe says to cook 35-40 minutes. Mine took about 20 minutes. Pull them out when they start browning and a toothpick comes out clean.

Folding:  Clothes. Towels. Sheets. (Actually, not sheets. I prefer to throw them into the drawer where they're stored, half-folded, half-wadded. It works.) I'm so behind on folding. I blame travelling. Or television.

So, that's what I'm doing this week. What about you?

brussels sprouts & grits

Today is the first day of sunshine after three days of (much needed) rain. The light spilling into our home feels so nice. Husby is off this week, so we're enjoying time with each other. Mainly, we do our own thing for a few hours, and then meet on the couch to watch 2 or 5 episodes of LOST, and then repeat. Perhaps we'll go on the walk we've craved over the past few days, but avoided because of the wet weather.

Yesterday, we braved the mist and headed to buy real food. It seems that with holiday treats and meals and busyness, fruits and vegetables and non-processed foods hadn't been in our home for some time. That ended yesterday. For some reason, even though I don't (or won't) shop at WalMart, I do go to Sam's Club. I mean, who can pass up those prices? Our only intent was to buy clementines. But as we walked through the fruits and vegetables, I couldn't stop placing things in our carts. We have two pounds of Brussels sprouts, a huge tub of organic baby spinach, cubed butternut squash, mushrooms, apples and clementines. That's a lot of fruits and veggies.

As evidenced by purchasing two pounds of Brussels sprouts, we love them. I saw a recipe on Pinterest recently for a similar recipe, but it calls for frying the sprouts. Because I didn't want to dodge the splatters of grease, I decided to try roasting them. It worked, and they were fabulous. I served them with some garlic cheese grits and a fried egg. It was a perfect supper: filling, but not too heavy.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha, Honey & Lime
Adapted from food52.com
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
1 lb Brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sriracha (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil and sesame oil. Spread out on jelly roll pan so that all sprouts are cut-side down. Roast until browned, about 15 minutes, turning once.

While Brussels sprouts are roasting, whisk together honey, sriracha and lime juice. Once sprouts are done, remove from oven. Pour sauce over sprouts, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Garlic Cheese Grits
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup quick cooking grits
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth, salt, garlic powder and onion powder to a boil. Add grits. Cover and turn heat to low. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

salted caramel pecan pie

Thanksgiving rocked. Spending time with both sets of family and family friends was wonderful. Lots of fun, and even more food. For some reason--my family especially--cooks enough for everyone to eat on for the remainder of the year. And while fresh veggies get soggy when reheated, veggies in casseroles don't have the same fate. So the 5 casseroles will be nice over the next few weeks. Normally, I eat one bite of turkey as an ode to Thanksgiving, but the turkey this year was really good. I even brought leftovers from my parents. Unlike Husby's family who cooked one turkey for about 30 people, mine went for two turkeys for 15 people. Clearly, we're not the best at math. But give us some canned veggies and cream of mushroom soup, and we'll whip it up into a creamy something that doesn't taste like a vegetable.

The results are tallied, and the Salted Caramel Pecan Pie was a hit. Simply amazing. Fabulous. I made it twice. Husby and I don't even like pecan pie. But we both converted to the salted caramel variety. So, we're not unequally yoked in the pecan pie department.

I merged three different recipes (here, here and here). You should know that although I know how to make real pie crust, I don't like to make it. If I can find a press-in crust recipe, I'll do it. My apple pie has a similar, non-shortbread crust, and even non-crust lovers eat it. So, I thought that rather than rolling out the crust given in the original recipe that a brown sugar shortbread crust would be great. And it was!

Salted Caramel Pecan Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

For the caramel filling:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

2 cups chopped toasted pecans

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup half and half

For the pie crust:

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

To make caramel filling: in a medium sauce pan add corn syrup, butter, half and half, sugar, and sea salt. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. While cooling, add vanilla. Once cooled, whisk in beaten eggs.

While caramel filling is cooling, prepare the pie crust. Spray pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Cream butter and brown sugar about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add in egg yolk and salt, mix well. Stir in flour 1/2c at a time. The mixture will seem very crumbly; this is normal. Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. While pie is in the freezer, preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 if using a glass pie plate).

Remove pie crust from freezer and place pecans in the crust. Pour caramel filling into pie pan and bake in the 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Thankful: Day 22

I am so thankful for a lazy day. Currently, I'm in my pajamas; I never changed this morning. We even had a friend come over to help work on the sprinklers and hang a light fixture. I brushed my hair before he arrived. Then I made us all a huge pot of coffee because fall seems to have made a comeback in east Texas. At least for the next 72 hours. Which means my plan of leggings, boots and a sweater dress will happen on Thanksgiving Day. Praise the Lord.

We celebrate with Husby's family on Thursday and with my family on Saturday. It works so well that way. For celebration #1, I was asked to prepare a green veggie. Last year, I decided on Brussels sprouts, and oh, the lamenting...FROM OUR PARENTS. I suppose there's a reason that I'd never had a Brussels sprout. 40+ years ago, in school cafeterias, the only preparation was boiling them. Guh-ross. My mom certainly didn't have those in our rotation growing up. I'm glad I didn't have to eat those. I'm happy to report that our parents and all other adults in attendance with an aversion to Brussels sprouts were happily surprised to figure out that THEY'RE NOT SO BAD. In fact, THEY'RE KIND OF GOOD. I use Alton Brown's recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries.

Speaking of pecans. I enjoy pecans in savory dishes, but I don't like them in any sort of dessert. Which makes perfect sense that I'm making the pecan pie. My aversion to pecan pie runs deep. I remember eating it when I was about 4 years old, after a trip to Red Lobster, and then suffering food poisoning--probably from the scallops. I don't like pecan pie. Or scallops.

(Other aversions because of illness include: Cherry Sours and oranges.)

(Side note: I love anything orange flavored and [no pulp] orange juice. Just not a big fan of oranges.)

(After 12 years of not eating oranges, I tried one in high school. They're okay.)

(I don't think I'll ever eat Cherry Sours ever again.)

Anyway...I can make pies. At my mom's restaurant, Thanksgiving is a big deal. This year, the count for pies is 60. It's been like that since I can remember. So, growing up in a crazy pie-making place, I learned to make just about any pie. And just a few years ago, I learned to make pie crust. However, I decided to do something a little different than the typical pecan pie. I've decided to merge three different recipes: Salted Caramel Pecan Pie, Press-In Shortbread Crust and Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust. Because it's always good to prepare something brand new for a gathering. And it's even better to attempt to merge three recipes. Right?

On the docket for tomorrow: Christmas tree goes up, grocery shopping, pie made, and Brussels sprouts prepped. Plus a movie with Husby. For our anniversary, I gave him an IOU for the first showing of The Muppets. Tomorrow will be a good day. For that, I am thankful.

Pasta with Avocado, Basil and Parmesan

By nature, I'm a planner and a list maker. So it's no surprise that my meals are planned each week with corresponding grocery lists and recipes printed. I know what we're having on the days that I cook, which are: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday. I shop on the weekend for all of our groceries and rarely have to back to the store during the week.

One day last week, I was all set to grill pork tenderloin and roast acorn squash and Brussels sprouts. I reached for the squash and found that it was rotten to the touch. Gross. If you don't cook winter squash often, you should know that it can last for weeks before cooking it, so the fact that I'd bought it two days prior--and it was already bad--was a bummer. After a quick trip to the store and chat with the produce manager, I returned home set to switch meals since time was at a premium. We'd have quiche (prepared by my mother-in-law) and sauteed mushrooms. It'd be a quick dinner. Only the quiche had gone bad.

At this point, I should have called it a night and ordered something for Husby to pick up on his way home. For some reason, I didn't. I looked through the fridge, hoping that something would present itself. I had an avocado. I had pasta. I remembered pinning a pasta recipe with avocado cream sauce. I knew that I could make dinner. The only deterrent for following the recipe was that it uses a food processor. Now, I received a beautiful food processor as a wedding gift, and I'm so thankful to have it when needed. BUT...it's such a pain to use. I don't like cleaning it. So I used the recipe as inspiration for a wonderful Pasta with Avocado, Basil and Parmesan. I sauteed the mushrooms, and we ate them and some olives as a side.

Pasta with Avocado, Basil and Parmesan

Inspired by Creamy Avocado Pasta from Oh She Glows

Ingredients

2 cups dried pasta (I used fusilli)

1 avocado

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add pasta, reduce heat to medium high. Cook 10 minutes.

While pasta is cooking, mash one avocado in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice, salt, basil. Stir together.

When pasta has finished cooking, drain, but do not rinse. (The starch left on the pasta will make the ingredients "stick" to the pasta.)

Add pasta to bowl with avocado. Before mixing, drizzle olive oil on top of pasta. Stir pasta into avocado mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until all is incorporated.

Makes 2 servings.

savannah: the food

I like to think of us as novice foodies. We like good food, wine, enjoy eating out, and love to cook. We're learning the foodie ropes. That being said, our vacations tend to have an element of food to them. I decided to keep track of our meals. We like to reminisce. About food. Our time in Savannah was no exception. I grilled the valet parking attendant at our hotel as he gave a recommendation. I wanted to know where he would go eat; not where his boss tells him to tell customers to go.

He didn't steer us wrong, even though I almost did when I asked him to give us directions. He couldn't find the location on the map, and then I discovered it was the map of Charleston. Smooth move. We walked to a pizza place called Vinnie Van Go Go's, where they make the pizza dough everyday. Although they have a multitude of toppings, we had a simple pepperoni pizza that was wonderful.

Our Ghost Tour was scheduled for that evening, but my choice of footwear wasn't appropriate for walking the streets of Savannah. We made our way back to the hotel, but along the way found Lulu's Chocolate Bar. We were both uber-satisfied with our choices. Husby ordered the White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cheesecake; I went with a Peanut Butter Cup Martini.

The next morning, I was desperate to find a non-Starbucks coffee shop. {My name is Kristina, and I'm a coffee snob.} I don't like Starbucks. I'll drink it, if necessary, but I prefer good coffee. I used a nifty app on my phone, and we breakfasted at Gallery Espresso. It was quaint and artsy. I discovered that iced coffee is big in the South. Not iced cappucinos or mochas, just plain coffee with a little cream. It was nice, since the heat wave of 2011 hit when we arrived in Savannah. We (or maybe I) loved this little shop so much that we returned for iced coffee and muffins the next day.

After our bike tour of the city, our tour guide recommended Soho South Cafe for lunch. Although the wait put us dangerously close to the reservation we made for dinner, we stayed. Husby had a rice salad, which was refreshing. I chose a panini with ham, brie and granny smith apples. It was so good, that I've recreated it at home.

Then there was dinner. We were torn at whether or not to eat at The Lady & Sons--Paula Deen's restaurant. We heard from many locals that it isn't good. BUT how could we be in SAVANNAH and NOT eat at PAULA DEEN'S? We decided to do it. Normally, there is a wait to make a reservation, but while on our bike tour, NO ONE was in line. Husby hopped off his bike and made our dinner reservation.

Oh, dear. I really wanted to like it. I mean, it's Paula Deen. Although I'd been warned to stay away from the buffet, I wanted to know what the hype was about, so I went with the buffet. Husby ordered the chicken pot pie.

Husby's chicken pot pie was beautiful, but all of the puff pastry was a little much.

He also said that mine is better. I married such a good man!

My buffet plate (clockwise from the chicken): fried chicken, mac & cheese, collard greens,

one boiled Brussels sprout, okras & tomatoes, black-eyed peas, lima beans.

The verdict? Meh. They had very few pieces of dark meat, and the white meat was dry,

my mom makes better everything, and why in the world do you serve boiled Brussels sprouts?

No wonder people don't like them. Dessert was about the same: not worth eating.

I'm glad we ate there, but any return trips to Savannah will exclude The Lady & Sons. Although disappointed, we still had a whole day of meals to eat. After breakfast at Gallery Espresso, we toured a house, visited the old cemetery and then had lunch at Caraway Cafe. I can't remember what we ordered, but I do remember that Husby had a sandwich with basil mayonnaise. I loved it so much that I ordered a side to go with my sandwich.

After lunch, we just couldn't pass up Leopold's Ice Cream next door. Oh mercy. It was good! I had a scoop of coffee chocolate chip; Husby had the coconut. Both were amazing. The best in the South. But not the best in Texas. That's reserved for Blue Bell.

That evening, we had dinner at The River House on the Savannah River. I really wanted to try Shrimp & Grits, so that's what I ordered. It was quite good. Husby was super satisfied with his steak.

I would love to return to Savannah for a long weekend. I think it's the perfect sized town for a three day getaway: not overwhelming, but plenty to offer, especially in terms of food.

Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

Husby's mom is from the Midwest. Actually, Wisconsin, to be exact: the land of (amazing) cheese and winter squash. Actually, I'm not sure that it's the land of winter squash, but I'd never had butternut squash (or acorn or buttercup) until I started dating Husby. I remember well the first time I had it. My future mother-in-law made Ina Garten's Caramelized Butternut Squash. I scooped it onto my plate; the first bite I took melted in my mouth. I'm pretty sure I had two helpings that night, and then I ate all of the leftovers that we took home. My reason? He's had it his entire life; I have some years to make up for missing out on winter squash. For all that Texas has to offer, winter squash isn't one of them.

We try to eat one vegetarian meal a week. And we're attempting to expand the whole grains that we eat. I bought a cookbook a few years ago called Super Natural Cooking. We read all about real, natural foods. Farro was one of those. I bought a bag of it, and it sat in our pantry, silently intimidating me for about a year. Finally, I decided to use it. I googled "farro recipes", and happened upon a recipe on 101 Cookbooks Blog, which is the author of Super Natural Cooking. My inaugural farro dish was Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash. And? It was fabulous; even Husby loved it. I'd consider all of the ingredients to be favorites, so it really worked for me. I often cook a bunch of whole grains like farro and barley (a good farro substitute), and then divide them into quart sized bags and stick them in the freezer. Another shortcut I take is using frozen diced butternut squash. I prefer fresh, but this--along with thawed grains--works for my busy days.

(Also, I have a weird scar on the knuckle of my right pointer finger. The pressure put on it by cutting winter squash [and other things] can become painful. Strange, right?)

Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash
from http://www.101cookbooks.com/

If you are pressed for time, opt for a lightly or semi-pearled farro (actually easier to find in some places), which will cut the cooking time for the grains down to about 20 minutes. Barley, both hulled and pearled, would make a nice substitution if you are having trouble finding farro. Also, I found the beautiful red spring onions at the farmers' market but regular red onions will work well, and will be much easier to find.

Ingredients
2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
5 cups water (or stock)
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large red onion cut into 1/8ths
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup walnuts, deeply toasted
3 tablespoons toasted walnut oil (or more olive oil)
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the farro, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, or about half the time if you are using semi-pearled farro. Taste often as it is cooking, you want it to be toothsome and retain structure. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside.

While the farro is cooking toss the squash, onion, and thyme with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a couple big pinches of salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Toss the squash and onions every 5-7 minutes to get browning on multiple sides. Remove from the oven, let cool a bit, and mince just 1/2 of the red onions.

In a large bowl gently toss everything (except the goat cheese) with the toasted walnut oil (or olive oil). Taste and add a bit of salt if necessary. Serve family-style in a simple bowl or on a platter garnished with the goat cheese.

Serves 6 - 8 as a side, less as a main.

We ate this as the main course. It would be wonderful with an arugula salad. I used a large red onion and used additional olive oil in place of the walnut oil, since I didn't have it on hand.

I just stocked up on frozen diced butternut squash and bought a ton of farro in the bulk section of our grocery. I cannot wait to make this again. It's so fall-like and cozy.

Chicken & Dumplings

A couple of weeks ago when it cooled off to 94 degrees, I decided it was time for a nice, fall meal. You know... something cozy to celebrate the donning of sweaters and boots. Since I was somewhat sickly that day, I decided that chicken and dumplings would make me feel better. Last week, Boo Mama posted her  recipe and also shared the correct pronunciation for said dish. Although our recipes differ, we agree that it is pronounced CHICKEN AND DUMPLINS. The G is silent. Trust me. It is.

I think that my grandmother made the best chicken and dumplings. I also think I make the second best chicken and dumplings. (Mom, don't worry, yours are good, too! You win third place!) Here are qualities that I like in my chicken and dumplings:

1. Creamy, not brothy. This adds to the cozy factor.
2. Slick dumplings, not fluffy dumplings. I guess these technically aren't dumplings, but more like thick, wide noodles.
3. A high ratio of dumplings to chicken. I actually use chicken for the flavor, but I just love the dumplings part of this dish.
4. Lots of fresh black pepper.
5. The option to use frozen dumplings. There are some good ones, y'all. Don't be ashamed. I make them from scratch less than half the time. Here's what I buy in the frozen bread section:

Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I usually boil an entire bag at once, shred it, and then freeze the meat.)
5 quarts chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 packages Mary B's Open Kettle Dumplings or homemade dumplings*
1 can evaporated milk
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Salt and pepper, to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon of each, I think)

Directions
Bring chicken broth to a boil with thyme, salt and pepper. Break frozen dumplings into fourths and cook according to package directions. (The important part is to keep stirring so that they don't stick!) Once dumplings are tender, add chicken. Add evaporated milk and soup. Add additional salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

*Homemade Dumplings (I double the recipe. These cook for about 15 minutes before adding chicken.)
Mix 2 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Begin pouring ice-cold water and mixing with your fingers. (You'll use a little over 3/4 cup water.) Knead the dough into a ball. Sprinkle flour over you work area and roll the dough to about 1/8 inch. Cut dough into 1" x 2" pieces.

Considering that I usually pick the chicken out of my bowl and give it to Husby, my carbohydrates for the day are usually met in one serving of Chicken and Dumplings. But I love making Red Lobster cheddar biscuits to go with them. I don't particularly like Red Lobster. In fact, I got food poisoning from scallops at RL when I was 4, so I have a general aversion to the restaurant and scallops. But the two times I've been since, I've eaten as many cheddar biscuits as possible. Lucky for me, someone figured out the recipe, and it's super easy. I usually get them in the oven while stirring the pot o' dumplings. Also, I love garlic, so I add it to the biscuits, not just the butter to brush on top. I also dislike parsley, so I leave it out.

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Ingredients
2 C Bisquick
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 C milk
1/4 C butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix Bisquick with garlic powder. Mix in cheese. Pour in milk and mix until well incorporated, for 30 seconds. Using an ice cream scoop, place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix butter and garlic powder; brush over biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

the most important meal

Lately, I've been on an oatmeal kick. I've eaten it almost everyday for the past four weeks. Twice, I've had it for dinner. Just for the record, I'm not preggo. I tend to find something I love, eat it daily, and then never want to eat it again once I'm burned out. Moderation? Not for me. A couple of summers ago, all I wanted for breakfast was Cascadian Farms Granola with Dannon Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt. I ate it all summer. And I don't eat it anymore. But I'm thinking the oatmeal thing might have better luck.

When I was younger, I thought oatmeal only came in little packets warmed in the microwave, in flavors like Peaches-n-Creme or Apple Cinnamon. I enjoyed it enough, but never attempted real oatmeal until recent years. I have a friend who eats it daily. Since she's much more healthy than me, I decided to give it a go. I bought me a canister of quick cooking oats, followed the directions, and then ate it just as it was cooked: water, oats, a pinch of salt. Ummm...it was awful and pasty. I decided that my Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Instant Oats would be the only oatmeal for me.

But then I ran across a blog or website (I cannot for the life of me remember which one) that heralded peanut butter oatmeal. You should know that my other obsession for the summer is peanut butter. So I decided to give it a go. I put some steel cut oats, water, cinnamon and salt in my tiny slow cooker, and cooked it overnight. The next morning, I added peanut butter and honey. Guess what? LOVE AT FIRST BITE! I was hooked on oatmeal, especially because it sustained me until lunchtime! I expanded the options (from just steel cut oats) to include old fashioned oats and quick cooking oats.

I have three toppings that rotate. In addition to peanut butter with a bit of honey, I also love steel cut oats with blueberries, walnuts and honey. I eat either of these every morning for breakfast. But on the weekends, I have a sugary-cereal version of oatmeal. I stir a spoonful of Nutella into my oats. Oh my goodness! It is heavenly and such a good treat. And hazelnuts and chocolate are healthy, right?

As soon as the weather begins to cool off, I plan to add pumpkin and spices. It sounds like the perfect fall breakfast! Until then, I'm sure I'll be content with my peanut butter oatmeal.

a (monthly) meal plan

If you've read my blog for a while, you might remember that last January I made a meal plan for an entire month. It was ambitious, and it worked. I love to cook, and I love recipes. I've had several people remark about my reliance on recipes, as opposed to just whipping something up. Honestly, I love recipes. I love a plan. Thus my return to a month of meals planned, inserted onto a calendar with recipes printed and in order of use.

Perhaps we don't know how to do it, but during our packing-moving-painting-unpacking time, we ate out a lot. Too much. Like when you don't ever want to step foot in a restaurant again, especially of the fast food variety. And it's expensive! We spent way too much money eating out in the last month. My declaration last night was we can eat out and stray from the meal plan, but we have to use a gift card. And there could be an occasion when we don't want to turn down an offer with friends, which will be fine. But we have to reign in the spending on food!

From now until June 30, I know what we'll have for dinner. I gathered recipes from Tasty Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman, a high school friend Lori (who's doing 30 days of cooking on the George Foreman, and has posted some great recipes) and SkinnyTaste.  It includes tons of fresh fruits and veggies. I've also decided to have fish once a week, and a vegetarian meal thrown in most weeks. Husby and I usually eat dinner with his family once a week, so that's a plus. (And we're often sent home with leftovers. Score! Since we live too far away to drive home from work, I have to make sure Husby is well fed at lunch, so this is perfect.)

This weeks menu includes:

Monday: Okay, we ate out. Last time until July 1. Unless we use a gift card.

Tuesday: Chicken & Veggie Kebabs

Wednesday: Homemade Fish Sticks, Red Corn on the Cob (yes, it really is red), Applesauce (it's yummy with fish!)

Thursday: Eat at Husby's parents

Friday: Farro Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

Saturday: Graduation Party (I'll be at the sushi station.)

When I come across a recipe that we love, I'll be sure to share it. And I'm in the market for good summer lunch ideas, so if you have any, send them my way!

Weekend Update & a Recipe

This weekend was productive for me! I did laundry, organized, took a load to Goodwill, did laundry, started another donation pile, cooked, did laundry, framed artwork we bought in Europe this summer, cooked, framed our wedding invite, and did laundry. I've decided that ever after my 100 thing purge, we still have too much stuff. This week, I'm taking about 125 magazines to a women's ministry. I sure hope they like Real Simple, Country Living, and  Southern Living!

Yesterday was our turn to take breakfast to Sunday School, so I made Sausage Cheese Muffins that are TO DIE FOR! Think sausage ball, but not dry and hard to swallow. They're so super tasty. I got the recipe from Gina--one of my favorite people in the whole world. (Whose daughter's I babysat in high school and are now old enough to drive and go to college.) Anyway, Gina is a fabulous cook, and I like to invite myself to her house for dinner. She even takes requests. Her gift is service, for sure! (Gina, if you're reading this, can I come over the next time Danielle is in town?)

Back to those Sausage Cheese Muffins. You'll have to make these the next time you have a crowd, otherwise you'll eat four at a time. And I'm thinking that sausage plus cheese means a lot of calories! Although, they freeze really well and make for an easy breakfast. Simply wrap one in a paper towel and microwave for 30-40 seconds. But be careful, the cheese gets about as hot as the sun!

They were a hit in our class. I really thought I'd have a least one left to take a picture, but that didn't work out as planned. Here's a picture from Southern Living:

Sausage Cheese Muffins

From the kitchen of Gina, and adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

1 lb. ground pork sausage

3 C Bisquick

1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup

3/4 C water

1/2 t garlic powder

Directions

Cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and cool. (I did this the day before and refrigerated it.) Combine sausage, Bisquick, and shredded cheese in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir together soup, 3/4 cup water, and garlic powder; add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into lightly greased muffin pans, filling to top of cups. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 18 muffins.

A First: Making Chili

You'd think that being from Texas, I'd have a chili recipe that I've cooked since I was three. Chili is kind of a big deal in Texas. BUT I don't always love it. Sometimes it's super greasy or really meaty. Both of these are turn-offs for me. I do realize that a card-carrying Texas wouldn't admit this, but I like beans in my chili. It kind of breaks up the monotony of eating bite after bite of meat. I finally found a recipe that I like and made chili for my very first time.

Every month at work, parents bring lunch to the faculty. It is so thoughtful that they do this. This week, they served the Upper School baked potatoes and chili. I think the intention was to eat them separately, but I topped my potato with the chili. Yum! I was blown away by how much I actually liked the chili. I mean, it smelled great, but tasted even better! That afternoon, I emailed the parent who made it and asked for the recipe (and hoping it wasn't some family secret!). Turns out, she just threw it together. Luckily, she remembered what she did for this batch.

I made it for dinner last night, and then we had it again today atop some Fritos for a nice Fritos Chili Pie. I think next time, I'll add a little more cayenne pepper to the mix, but overall it was really nice.

Chili

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch green onion, chopped
Handful of cilantro, chopped
1 T butter
2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey
Chili seasoning mix (ex: Wick Fowler's False Alarm)
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 C water
2 cans Ranch Style Beans
1 can petite diced tomatoes

Directions
In a large pot, saute onion, green onion, and cilantro with butter over medium-high heat; set aside when onion is translucent. Brown meat; drain. Add meat and onion mixture back to pot. Stir in chili seasoning, tomato sauce and water. Allow to come to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Add beans and tomatoes. Let simmer over low heat for several hours, stirring occasionally.

The Weekend

Today is a yucky day outside. The forecast calls for sleet and snow, but so far it's just miserable, cold rain. Which means we're hunkered down inside. Since icy roads were expected around noon, we decided to skip the drive to church. Our morning at home has been nice; last night we threw a party for my in-laws 40th anniversary. It was quite fun, but we stayed up WAY past our bedtime. I'm such a terrible picture taker, so it's no surprise that I don't have pictures to share. We had approximately 60 people in their house (the location was a condition of the low-key party). We miscalculated the amount of food people would eat, so my mom--a guest at the party--had to make a run for olives, cheese, fruit and such once what we'd made was cleared out. (Thanks, Mom!)

One of the favorites at the party were Little Piggies that I made. I actually got the recipe from Shauna Niequist's blog. Instead of using hot dog wieners, I used Lil' Smokies. (Like the ones you use for pig-in-a-blanket's.) These are super easy and super yummy. I actually did some ahead of time and froze them, and it worked wonderfully. I'll definitely make these again.

Little Piggies

Adapted from shaunaniequist.com

Ingredients

1 package Lil' Smokies (I used Hilshire Farms)

1 lb. bacon, cut into thirds

1 C brown sugar

Directions

Wrap each Lil' Smokie with a piece of bacon. Place seam side down in a pan. Once all are in the pan, sprinkle with brown sugar.

Cook at 250 degrees for 4 hours.

Seriously. You need to try these. They're yummy. And I don't really like bacon. (I know. I know.)

Okay, I need to get back to HGTV and to an annual upload of pictures to facebook. Here's hoping for some more interesting winter weather.

Christmas-y

Hi, friends! I can't believe it's December. And Christmas-y. And cold. Mostly, I can't believe that this semester is almost over. (For the record, my brain has always worked in semester/summer increments. Even when I had a non-school job.) If my calculations are correct--and I'm pretty sure they are--45 of my sweet students have completed about 225 college applications, and we only have about 12 more to submit. Whew! That's a feat!

Last week I spent three days on a trip with my juniors. We toured five different schools. It was a great trip, but exhausting. I think there's also an age where chartered buses are no longer comfortable. In fact, most modes of transportation have lost any comfort I once thought they had. And for some reason, this girl who could sleep ANYWHERE just a few years ago, cannot sleep in a car/bus/plane any longer. I blame it on my turning 30. It's been a good year, but things sure do change.

Oh, another change is my eyesight! Evidently, I'm not supposed to drive at night without glasses. I didn't think it was super important that I get a pair of spectacles, but Husby had an eye exam two days after mine, and our doctor/family friend asked if I'd driven at night without glasses and shared that I'm not "legal" to drive at night without glasses. Now, Husby is a little concerned and won't let me drive at night until the prescription is filled. And did you know that glasses are EXPENSIVE?! After 30 minutes of trying on an average of six frames per minute, I found a pair. But I had to have her hold them for me because this frugal lady doesn't rake over a wad of cash that easily. I'm trying to decide if I need the cutest/more expensive pair since they're primarily for night driving. I mean, I will be wearing them at work when my eyes get tired, too. And I don't want to look like a MawMaw.

Anyway...

I'm sitting in our oh-so-cute-Christmas-y living room. I just love our Christmas tree. It's a flocked tree with that pre-lit with both colored and white lights. I love it! I just wish I could take a decent picture of it. Does anyone else have trouble getting a good picture of their tree? I think it must be a lighting issue. Our stockings are stuffed for each other. Although I have a feeling that they'll get a little more full in the days before Christmas.

I had an urge of creativity tonight. I started by making Chocolate-Butterscotch Haystacks, which are easy-peasy. I got the recipe from friend, and former roommate, Sarah. They're great for a Christmas party.

Chocolate Butterscotch Haystacks
from the kitchen of Sarah

Ingredients
2 C chocolate chips
2 C butterscotch chips
10 oz (2 cans) chow mein noodles

Directions
Melt butterscotch and chocolate chips. Stir in noodles. Drop onto waxed paper and chill until firm.

And when I was still in a creative mood, I made a little something to frame in honor of Elf:

If you'd like to print it, but it doesn't print well, leave a comment with your email, and I'll send it your way.

I hope you have a great week. Nine days left until Christmas vacation. Hallelu!

Recipe: Banana Crumb Muffins

I love muffins. As we ate these yesterday, I declared that muffins are the perfect breakfast food:  filling, but not heavy; tasty, but not sugar-y sweet. This recipe was found in desperation as I hoped to use over-ripe bananas instead of throwing them out. It was a Saturday morning, and I often make some actual breakfast food on Saturdays, rather than the usual cereal or oatmeal. This recipe is not difficult, and the results are wonderful. The muffins are lighter in texture than banana bread, but taste very similar.

Banana Crumb Muffins

From allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

2.In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3.In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

4.Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

5. Enjoy!

Weekend Update

Today has been a day of rest at our home. Other than brewing coffee and making muffins, we've done almost nothing. Which is nice considering our busy day yesterday. Husby and I went Christmas shopping--and eating--with his family. A day of Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic, and World Market, sprinkled with meals at Grand Lux Cafe and Maggiano's, sounds perfect to me. However, Husby does not enjoy a day spent at stores. Luckily, he did enjoy Angry Birds and Cut the Rope on my iPhone, when The Container Store just didn't do it for him. We're quite different in that respect. I could spend hours in The Container Store, dreaming of my next organization project.

As I type this, our bellies are full from yummy Banana Crumb Muffins. Although I've claimed not to bake in my Things I Don't Do list, I am a pretty decent muffin maker. I was quite happy with this mornings result: 

I'll share the recipe later this week.

This morning, I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It is such a fabulous read! This book has been on my book list for about a year. I finally snagged it at a local used bookstore. It's written in letters, and I couldn't wait to finish one letter so that I could move to the next. Guernsey is a Channel Island (English Channel) that was occupied by the Germans during World War II. The book is set just after World War II ends; each character tells stories about the Occupation, but more importantly, their relationships with each other during this time. Now, I badly want to visit Guernsey. I want to smell the sea air and walk along the beach. I fear that I might be disappointed when the reality of the characters as part of fiction sets in. I'd love to walk along the beach with Juliet and Kit, or share tea and raspberry pie with Amelia. Although a quick trip to Guernsey isn't an option, I do think that a re-read is imminent. Here are a couple of quotes that made me fall in love with the book even more:

"I wonder how the book got to Guernsey?

Perhaps there is some secret sort of

homing instinct in books that brings

them to their perfect reader.

~Juliet

"Reading good books ruins you

for enjoying bad ones.

~Isola



Next up on the docket? A game of domino's with Husby. Then I plan to be somewhat productive. My goal to purge our home of 100 items by Thanksgiving requires some action on my part. (Read about that here.) I need to gather 10 items per day to make it a little less overwhelming. I have my eye on a few things that will make an exit.

The Best Banana Pudding Ever

A couple of weeks ago, a former teacher was on campus giving a presentation in Theology. She's just an amazing teacher. I was able to be in an audience where she presented over Islam. It was just fabulous.

(She was actually one of Husby's favorite teachers in high school. The other fave is retired from public school and now teaches at our school, too. They both like to tell me HOW MUCH THEY LIKE HIM. AND OH MY GOODNESS HE'S JUST AS GOOD AS GOLD. And do know what? They're right! Except for when he leaves the closet door open at night just to see if my OCD is in gear.)

So, this teacher always bring homemade goods to the teachers lounge. Y'all, it is HARD working in a school and avoiding things like donuts and cookies and such that are always around. Well, I successfully avoided her homemade snicker doodles the week before. Mostly because they were all eaten. But upon her return for the presentation she brought BANANA PUDDING.

And I just can't avoid banana pudding. It's just impossible. Even if it's not great, it's still worth eating. Until I had this: the best banana pudding ever. Seriously. EVER. (Sorry, Mom.) Now, no banana pudding will ever live up to just being banana pudding; it will forever be compared to Mrs. Berry's Banana Pudding.

I dipped some from the container and took one bite. I recognized a familiar flavor: cream cheese. Y'all, you can top pretty much anything with cream cheese, and I'll eat it. But to have cream cheese in pudding? Praise the Lord! Why haven't I thought of it before?!

That night was Open House. I didn't go home between the end of the school day and Open House because I was quite busy. Before the parents came, I got a little hungry. I went to check on possible snacks in the lounge, and guess what I found? That's right. The leftover banana pudding. Being the martyr that I am, I ate the remaining goodness. After all, who wants to eat brown bananas the next day?

Are you ready? You seriously have to make this recipe.

The Best Banana Pudding Ever
From the kitchen of Mrs. Berry

Ingredients
1 8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
2 cups cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
3 large bananas
Vanilla wafers
1 8-oz. Cool Whip (1/2 in pudding; 1/2 for topping), thawed

Instructions
Mix pudding with 2 cups cold milk. Blend cream cheese and Eagle Brand; add to pudding mixture. Add vanilla and half the Cool Whip. Layer with Vanilla Wafers, pudding mixture, sliced bananas. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Allow to sit in fridge for several hours.