Happy 2013!

Wide eyes.

Where did the past two months go!? (I'm resisting the urge to panic... moving on...)

Where have I been?

How was your holiday?

What resolutions have you made?

Excellent questions friends...

I know how ridiculous it is to have a blog, and then ignore it for two months. I know. But what I didn't know was how ridiculous it was to have a blog, and a job that schedules you for overtime for over a month, and be a full time student. Yeah, I didn't know how ridiculous that would be. Sure, on paper, in a calendar, it was just fine, and thirty minute breaks here and there, or that unclaimed time before bed or before rushing off to start the day, seemed like the perfect time to squeeze in a post here and there, but alas, those precious moments dry up quicker than anticipated. Shucks.

So all I have to say now is thank goodness for the new year, and the arrival of our slow season. And the arrival of time to do things like blog. And cook for fun. And sleep. I'm mostly excited about the time for sleep.

Needless to say I have made plenty of dishes in the past months, but failed to photograph them out of sheer necessity to move on to the next task on my prep list. So until I have some pretty food photography to share with you, I'll share instead a photo of my very first Christmas tree - I was such a proud mama!

Happy New Year!

Not Keeping my Cool

I had a little bit of a breakdown yesterday. Rather, a meltdown. My mom and Mommaw can both attest to this, poor sweet women caught in the crossfire of my exhaustion, stress, perfectionism, massive headache, and type A personality, all colliding to make one (excuse my French) hell of a tough day.

Chocolate wouldn't help. Soft jammies and a hot shower wouldn't help. A walk outside wouldn't help. Exercise wouldn't help. The desperate nature of my meltdown was achy, making me seem from the outside like a temperamental three year old, but on the inside feel like a steam kettle coming to a rapid boil and will not be ceased, regardless of being removed from the flame. I felt like I was walking though a haze, with nothing in focus, everything off in the distance and aggravatingly unattainable, and even the simplest of tasks were monumental and impossible, exhausting and disheartening me. And it wasn't event 10am yet.

So what did I finally end up doing to make it all stop? To bring some peace to my overloaded, under nourished, and maxed out mind? I prayed. Through tears, clenched fists, and a frog in my throat, I prayed. I knelt at the foot of my bed and prayed for a clean slate, to start all over with my sin washed away and forgiven, and for help to forgive myself for such misdeeds. I prayed for peace, to sleep soundly, deeply, and awake restful, refreshed, and calm. And I prayed to be led home, into the arms of God, for Him to watch over me, to be with me, to hold my hand and carry me. And then I went to bed and slept with abandon. I didn't set an alarm. I didn't worry about my laundry or groceries or homework. I simply said, "no more." And it was grey outside.

When I woke up, it was the most brilliant sunshiny day all week. I felt better, calmer, more rested, more put together. Was I still tired? Sure. But my heart didn't ache anymore. And my soul didn't feel like it was being torn in too many directions. And I could muster a smile without feeling like a hypocrite. So improvement to say the least. After a hard cider and a couple pieces of pizza, I went back to bed.

And today has been better and better. I was reminded yesterday that I am not walking alone, that I don't ever have to walk alone. The sun was out, I aced my Cost Control exam, finally got around to grocery shopping after work, and had dinner with my parents. Nothing to write home about, but still, there was a spring in my step today that was most certainly not there yesterday. 

I know this entry has been a bit melancholy and whiny, but I think it's important for people to know you loose your cool sometimes. No one is perfect after all, and by sharing the fact that I am light years away from perfection, I think it reminds me of the fact as well. But I was reminded of something. I am not alone. And when it comes right down to it, I would rather have a hell of a bad day than to go one more minute trying to walk alone.

I hope this serves as a reminder to you all, that being a Christian doesn't mean our path will be easy, it just means that we won't have to face it alone.

Making my House a Home

This past weekend I hosted my very party in my very own home. I wanted to invite all of you, but alas, my little home would not fit all of you. So instead, I'm inviting you to my cyber house warming party. Welcome, come on in, grab yourself a plate and something festive to drink, and make yourself at home.

Orange and Cinnamon Scented Apple Cider with (optional) Spiced Rum... I personally love this option.

Thyme Infused Iced Tea

Seared Sirloin Buttermilk Biscuits with Merlot Onions and Blue Cheese Aoili
Also pictured on the cake stand: Miniature Carrot Cupcakes with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Wine Soaked Fruit Chutney, served with Garlic Crostini,  Brie, and Gouda

Of course, besides the food, you have come to check out the place. And we certainly made it look festive.You know how great Mommaw is at flower arranging right? Of course I had to get her to participate in the party preparations! Fresh flowers always seem to make an occasion special, regardless of what it is. Look at the gorgeous arrangements!

A very fall mantel, completely created by my Mommaw.

My living room, which has turned into my favorite room in the house.

Welcome to my home!

Welcome to Fall

I am feeling especially wonderful about the change of seasons. Blame it on all the changes that have taken place in my life as of late, but I am loving this fall thus far! Gone are the days of dreading the start of the cold weather and getting back into a routine.

What else am I loving about the returning of fall? Excellent question! 

1. It is now socially acceptable to flavor everything with pumpkin, like I do the rest of the year.

2. I can layer! My favorite piece of clothing is the cardigan (more evidence to prove that I am really a grandma at heart) and I have an extensive collection.

3. I can open up the windows at night and snuggle under the covers.

4. Quick bread is now my breakfast of choice, accompanied by a cup of tea and eaten on the porch (when I have time.)

5. Orchards will be in full bloom and brimming with fresh crispy apples.

6. I can throw fall themed house warming parties, like the one I have planned for next weekend!

7. The holiday season is right around the corner, which I am also incredibly excited for this year.

I could go on and on, but the overarching idea is that I am loving fall this year. What better way to celebrate the coming of fall but with a feast to celebrate?!

Here is what was on the menu:

Roasted Beet and Granny Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Italian Pot Roast served over Creamy Parmesan Polenta

And for dessert, Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Vanilla Buttermilk Sauce

Sound scrumptious right?! Oh, trust me. It was. I am so completely thrilled to have leftovers in my refrigerator right now for later on this week... or later on tonight. The beets on the salad was my absolute favorite element of the meal though. Admittedly, this was the first time I had ever worked with beets personally, but I found some really gorgeous ones at the grocery this week and I couldn't resist. A low and slow roast in the oven with a sprinkling of salt and olive oil and I was in beet heaven.

Roasted Beet and Granny Smith Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

assorted salad greens (spinach, frisse, ridiccio, rocket, etc.)

sliced Granny Smith apples

diced roasted beets (recipe to follow)

toasted chopped pecans

crumbled feta cheese

maple balsamic vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

salt and pepper

Dress you salad greens as desired, and season with salt and pepper to taste (yes, this is how you do it.) Arrange the rest of the ingredients on top of your greens and toss lightly.

Roasted Beets

2-4 beets, of assorted colors and varieties

salt

olive oil

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Wash beets and then pat dry with a paper towel. make a pocket for the beets with aluminum foil, leaving a window in the top to season. Pour enough oil into the pocket to come up the side of the beets one third of the way. Sprinkle generously with salt. Close the foil pocket to fully encompass the beets and roast until tender, about one hour, depending on how large your beets are. Remove beets and allow to cool to room temperature. Peel and reserve the roasting oil.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

oil from roasting the beets (about 3/4 of a cup)
maple balsamic vinegar*
salt and pepper

Whisk vinegar into the oil to create a temporary emulsion. Season with salt and pepper to taste and dress greens immediately.
* feel free to substitute maple syrup and balsamic vinegar for the maple flavored balsamic vinegar. Just warm the syrup in the microwave first, to help the emulsion process.

Tasty Travelling

I have great news! There has been a ton of cooking as of recent, as I have officially taken on my first client as an (unofficial) personal chef and I could not be more pleased!

However, as I am still a student and working thirty hours a week, plus still becoming accustomed to being a new home owner, I have not had the foresight to take pictures of what I have been making. I know right? Perfect opportunities and no sense whatsoever to photograph any of it.  Not that I am making excuses, I am simply not help-able sometimes. This is one of those times. Fear not, I have a sticky note on my fridge right now to remind me to record my escapades in the kitchen this weekend.

I do, however, have pictures of my family's recent trip to Michigan to share with you all. So vacation vicariously to the northern trip of the mitten state and tune later on this weekend for a much more detailed synopsis of my escapades in my new (!) kitchen.

Here we go. Grab the keys. Buckle in. Head north.

We went to Michigan the week before my mom's birthday, and on our way back home we stopped at a fruit stand on the road side and picked up these Michigan cherries.

When we arrived home, I made her this birthday dessert!

Michigan cherry compote over vanilla  bean frozen yogurt, topped with toasted almonds, and garnished with crisp pastry.

Also on our way home, we stopped by the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit - which was absolutely amazingly fascinating. I think my dad loved it most of all of us though, being the gear head that he is.

A modern day slow plow on the front of a cargo train. Notice the plow's size in comparison to my six foot dad standing next to it... utterly amazing!

 We had the opportunity to find out what find of car we would be based on our personalities. I, according to this very scientific index, would be a 1956 Ford Thunderbird Convertible. I'll take on in blue please!

I don't know if any of you watch Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the Food Network with Guy Fierie, but my family and I love it, so we took in one of Guy's finds while in Michigan called the Clarkston Union Bar and Kitchen. It was absolutely fabulous, and only two people manned the completely visible kitchen for what looked like 100 seats, so I was dully impressed and gitty. Check out their webpage for their menu: http://www.clarkstonunion.com/#!/main

Dad got their sausage sampler (which I, of course, tried all three) with a warm potato salad. They make all their own sausages and thus this is what they are known for, so when you go, check out this plate.

Shelby, being the smart culinarian that she is, order a special, which was nothing more than a cracker crust pizza topped with mashed potatoes, bacon bits, cheese, and ranch dressing. Does Shelby know how to order or what?

 Charlevoix was one of the quaint yet incredibly charming lake towns we visited while up north. Known as one of the premiere yachting and sailing locations on this part of the globe, it was so neat to walk up and down the piers, talking to the boaters and gazing at their rigging and such. I, of course, acted like I knew exactly what I was doing and appreciated the what seemed like very hard work from afar with mixed consideration and appreciation.

We saw this food truck while in Charlevois, which was unfortunately closed when we came through, but I couldn't by-pass this sign without a picture.

I also had to snag a picture of this poster - all of the native flavors of Michigan. Cool, eh?

Even the rest stops in Michigan are beautiful! Seriously, I have never seen a prettier state.

Lastly, you will never guess what I got to cross off my bucket list while on this trip. Learn how to milk a cow? Nope. Keep a garden? Nope. Master driving a stick shift? Hardly. Nope, we all went ziplining! How freaking cool is that?! It was mom's idea, and this is something I have always wanted to do, so off we went to fly through the trees in the picturesque Michigan ski resort forests. Not only were the view spectacular, but the experience was something I have never felt before and will definitely be doing this again.

Afterwards, I treated myself to some victory food, as my first bucket list item had been checked off. Maybe next I will concentrate on paining a room in my house blue, or perhaps take guitar lessons. I shall keep you posted. 

Seared ahi tuna, seaweed salad, and umami dipping sauce with classic wasabi and pickled ginger accompaniments.

We have passed the 100 posts mark!

I hate to keep dropping in so unexpectedly, just to scribble out a quick post and then dash off again, but I have exciting news! I just realized, after logging onto Blogger to write to you all, that we have passed the 100 posts mark! How exciting!? Thank you so much to all of you out there who are stick with me through this very transitional period.

I have officially started culinary school, meaning that my life has officially been taken over by onions, portioning, and French cooking terms and techniques. Yeah! Next week is egg cookery, and once we starting doing some REALLY fun things, I will take pictures and post them straight away. Pinky promise.

I Haven't Forgotten About You!!

I am honestly scared to look up the date of my last post... it has been that long ago. I am so ashamed. But so much has been going on that there has not been time for cooking! (Ok, that's not entirely true. There have been a lot of midnight cereal dinners, and 6am microwave oatmeal happening as of late, but that is hardly blog worthy. And trust me, I am no better at taking pictures at those times than I am when I am fully awake.)

A long LONG story short, I have successfully:

• moved back to my hometown of Cincinnati from my college town of Lexington
• gotten a new job at not one but two catering companies here in Cincy
• bought, cleaned, furnished, and updated my very first home (!!!! I move in Sunday!!!)
• seen my sister off to her first year of college - I have only somewhat come to terms with this 
• registered for my first semester of culinary classes
• attended the necessary orientations and uniform fittings (I get my chef coats on Monday!)
• taken over a nanny position for a family up the street 
• went on a one week family vacation with the family before everyone went off for another busy year

And those are just the highlights. There has been a lot of painting, cutting grass, shopping for rugs, curtains, and kitchen appliances, and some precious hours spend soaking up some sun by the pool. It has been a busy month, but what a transition year for my family! Shelby is off to college for what promises to be eight (!?) years of study, I am starting culinary school, mom and dad just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, and are empty nesters.... who blinked and let up grow up so quick?!

As soon as I get moved in and established again, I will be able to start cooking some interesting things and posting on a (somewhat) regular schedule.

Thanks for hanging in there folks!

Sudden Realization

Want to know what I just realized? (Avert your eyes if you don't want to know because here it comes.) My blog acts as a diary for me. *insert thoughtful face here* I have never been one to keep a diary, even as a kid. I always loved the idea of writing down my thoughts and feelings about what is happening around me, and I especially loved the notion of being able to go back and reminisce on past times and reflect. I would try writing for a good week or so, keep my notebook secretly hidden away and only bring it out when I was certain no one was around, write down my thoughts (always dutifully starting each entry with "Dear Diary" because I thought that was the only way to do it,) but eventually keeping a diary and writing EVERYDAY became monotonous and lost its wonder and pizzazz. So I would abandon the notion in favor of playing with my Easy Bake Oven, which was much more my speed.

I have read numerous times now on the various food blogs I frequent that other bloggers use their pages as virtual diaries, even if they just choose to focus on the food that they cook and consume. Which is exactly what I do, but inevitably little snip-its of the rest of my life get woven in there too, like details about my life, family, holiday celebrations, school, and very soon my college graduation are incorporated in here too. And I very often find myself flipping back through my posts, re-reading for the twelfth time what I've written about having chocolate cravings or using tomatillos for the first time and smiling fondly, grateful for the reminder.

That being said, here are some pictures for my diary. Isn't he just precious!? His name is Lug Nut, and he is one of my sorority sister's service dogs in training. The P.A.W.S. program here at UK trains students to socialize puppies to soon be service dogs, and I have been doing my part to socialize Lug Nut. How adorable! Here, Lug Nut is riding in the car with us... and trying to drive!

**This whole notion reminds me a lot of the book Everything I Ate: A Year in the Life of My Mouth. The author took a picture of everything, and I do mean everything, that he ate for one whole year. Some days are just crackers because he was sick, and other days are much more extravagant because he had a work function or birthday party, but it really is fascinating! I definitely suggest you check it out

I Used to be Scared

I used to be scared of technology in any kind, but not anymore. (I am helping to co-host a Social Media Week here at UK - for more details, check this out.)

I used to be scared of saying no to someone, and I still have trouble doing so sometimes, but I am getting better.

I used to be scared to merge onto the interstate, but now I am a merging queen.

I used to be scared of drive thru's at restaurants and banks, but now I just avoid them all together, so it's a wash.

I used to be scared of fat and calories, but now I embrace a little here and there in my diet.

I (wish I could say) used to be scared of spiders, but I am still terrified of them and am convinced that I will never get over this fear. And I am ok with this. Spiders and I don't have to be friends. Ever.

Similarly, I'm terrified that if I ever have the misfortune to have to go to the hospital and be knocked out for something, that I will wake up from anesthesia alone. I haven't told very many people this, so simply stating this fact is a step towards getting over another fear of sharing too much.

I used to be scared of getting lost, but that has happened so many times now that I have learned to just enjoy the (usually prolonged) journey. As the old adage goes, getting there is half the fun.

When I set out to write this blog post, I was like "ok, this topic is something new and different, not what I usually post," and thus thought that it would be a breeze. I've worked on this baby for over an hour now! I know right?! Not much to show for it, but sharing what scares you is hard. It's also invigorating and comfortingly uncomfortable. It reminds you that you are human, much like watching the evening news or your memories of 9/11 do - they humble you and remind you that you're NOT invincible, you're NOT perfect, and that it is perfectly ok. You have obviously made it this far without being perfect, and what scares you is part of what makes you you. I am perfectly fine with being the Katelyn that shreaks when she sees a spider, is uncomfortable with drive thru's, and still has to consciously and consistently encourage herself to say no.

What makes you you?

* I am still working on my Easter blog post - don't think I forgot! Tune in soon for more on glazed ham and Easter eggs.

** Thanks Graceful Fitness for the theme of this post. http://gracefulfitnessblog.com/2012/04/09/i-used-to-be-scared/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-used-to-be-scared

Me: from A to Z

I have been trying in recent blogs to share a little more of myself in an effort to seem a bit less like a mystery and more like an actual person who sits down to write these entries curled up on the couch with a mug of tea in my hand (usually putting off homework until just a little bit later...) I tend to abuse the use of ellipses, I don't like air conditioning, and I get absurdly excited about odd things that most people wouldn't waste the energy on, like trying a new shade of lipstick or getting the first spoonful of a new jar of peanut butter. So in posts like this one and this one, I have tried to share little bits of myself. You are all obviously gluttons for punishment since you keep coming back for more. So here are a few more tidbits to chew on today, as you gradually weave together this vast blanket of crazy called Katelyn.So without further ado, Me: from A to Z


A is for age: 21, yippee! If you missed my birthday celebrations (yes, plural) check them out here and here.


B is for breakfast today: Oatmeal with a dollop of pear butter and a banana.


C is for currently craving: I still have my craving for barbecue pulled pork. Still. See here for more on this craving.


D is for dinner tonight: Probably an Italian chicken burger... I'll keep you posted.


E is for favorite type of exercise: I love to swim. I swam all the way through grade school and am thrilled to have gotten back into it this year. For those of you who swim out there, I am a flyer, and distance fly and IM's are my favorite events. I really miss swim meets, both competing in them and attending them, because obviously I don't have enough chlorine in my system.


F is for an irrational fear: I hate spiders, like HATE them.  Whenever I see one I shreak and holler like someone is coming after me, and I can't stand to get close enough to them to kill them so usually I just put a glass over it until someone comes along who wants to take mercy on me. I also really don't like drive-thru's. I would much rather physically go into Starbucks or the bank.


G is for gross food: Mayonnaise. I will probably never come to terms with the stuff. And avocados and I are on an uphill battle, but hopefully after some intense therapy and sharing of our feelings, we will again be able to share the same dinner plate.


H is for hometown: I'm from Cincinnati, Ohio. I was born and raised there, and about once a month I travel home to be surrounded by family like the good old days when I took them being there all the time for granted.


I is for something important: I am graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 38 days. Oh. My. Goodness. 


J is for current favorite jam: The strawberry zucchini jam Mommaw makes, hand down. I eat this stuff on everything and we should make it by the truck load. That and her bread and butter pickles, I eat those by the jar full too.


K is for kids: I love them. Hope to two of my own one day. One day far far away from today. 


L is for current location: I'm currently a senior Business Management student at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. I LOVE Lexington, with all my heart, and it kills me to have to leave here in a few months. But on to bigger and brighter culinary school things!


M is for the most recent way you spent money: Last night I paid for a carton of orange juice with nothing but change (*looks around* I know I'm not the only one who has done that...) but that probably isn't what y'all were looking for. I bought a steal of a dress on Sunday at Target, which I plan on wearing today. 


N is for something you need: Other than a good night's sleep and a few extra hours in my day, I can't think of a thing. I'm a pretty lucky girl.


O is for occupation: I'm a full time student, but I work for the Student Government Association here at UK as a program coordinator, and I work with for a distillery here in Kentucky in their banquet kitchen - so I stay busy, but it's all fun.


P is for pet peeve: People being late. And unprepared. And not responding to emails.


 Q is for a quote: I love quotes. I enclose them in cards, send them in emails, and pull them out when I really don't know how to start a paper. This one is one of my favorites: "Small minds talk about people. Mediocre minds talk about places. Large minds talk about ideas." I heard this from a speaker I attended last week and it has stuck with me.


R is for random fact about you: I've never played a video game and I've never had a Pop Tart.


S is for favorite healthy snack: I love to make smoothies because I can make them out of anything and get to enjoy them for longer than most other snacks.


T is for favorite treat: I love frozen yogurt with strawberry zucchini jam or chopped up fruit and nuts on it. Or from Fro Jo's here in Lexington - delicious!


U is for something that makes you unique: I don't match my socks. Ever. Just because.


V is for favorite vegetable: Just one favorite? Homegrown tomatoes, still warm from the garden.


W is for today’s workout: I swim every Tuesday and Thursday, but instead of a workout, we played water polo in class today. For those of you who haven't played, water polo is still a heck of a workout!


X is for X-rays you’ve had: I had one of my knee once to make sure everything was ok (as a kid I was building muscle faster than I was growing tall to make room for the muscle, which caused a few obnoxious consequences) and ones a few months ago before I had my wisdom teeth taken out.


Y is for yesterday’s highlight: Yesterday was awesome because my roommate got into Graduate school and we celebrated! It was so fun hanging out with her and celebrating her success.


Z is for your favorite animal at the zoo: Polar bears, flamingos, and babies. Any babies.


I got this template from one of the blogs I frequent called Meals and Moves, which can be found here. I made a few alterations, but the gist is still the same. 

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know

I thought I would take a blog post to tell you a little bit about myself. Though I do enjoy being "a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma," (quoted from one of my favorite hows ever - Will and Grace) I wanted to break down the walls of secrecy slightly and tell a little more than what you can already deduce: I love everything that has to do with food!

I was recently poking through some new food blogs and came across this one, who gave me the idea to share a little more about myself. Here are the questions that she asked - 

1. What made you laugh this week?  The notepads my mom gave me for Valentine's Day, which said "Advice from a Squirrel: 1. Be Active 2. Go out on a Limb 3.Plan Ahead 4.It's OK to be a little Nuts" Check them out over here!
2. If you were a dog, what breed would you be? A Sheltie, I have two cuties at home and I miss them terribly! If you want to see a picture, check them out over here (scroll all the way to the bottom.)
3. What book–any type–do you recommend most right now? I made a New Year's Resolution to myself to read The Bible, and I am giving myself a year to do it, so I have been working diligently on that. On the side, however, I just finished The Making of a Chef, which traces the life of a chef as he goes through the Culinary Institute of America's degree program. It was FABULOUS, and lent it to someone who claims he is a non-cook and he enjoyed it as well.
4. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Stewed pinto beans, cornbread, kale, and home grown tomatoes and cucumbers (I may have been asked this a time or two before, I was ready with my answer.)
5. Team Gale or Team Peeta? I have no idea what this is referring to, so moving on...
6. What’s your go-to recipe? Quick bread: banana walnut, cranberry orange, pumpkin cinnamon; you name the combination, I love quick bread!
7. What’s your favorite color highlighter to use? Blue! Though I used to be a staunch yellow highlighters only kind of girl 
8. Are you superstitious? Not really. I step on all the cracks I want, but have a lucky pair of panties.
9. What sparked your commitment to healthy living (food &/or fitness)? I was a chubby kid, but was active so wasn't unhealthy, just was too young to understand nutrition and calories and all those things.  Then in the eighth grade, I decided I didn't want to be "pleasantly plump" and took control of my health. I brought my lunch to school every day, danced and swam more, and no longer drank soda or juices. A few years later, here I am balancing all my meal, drinking water, and exercising five times a day.
10. What was your favorite childhood stuffed animal / blanket named? I had a stuffed alligator named Mr. Chomp Chomp.
11. What’s your favorite color to wear? Pink! I have a ton of pink.

And here are a few more:

1.  Almond Butter or Peanut Butter? Peanut Butter - it is a good group in my world.
2.  What made you smile today? Today I smiled at how well my "soup of leftovers" came out. A little salsa, grilled chicken, black beans, and jalapenos, and I had dinner.
3.  What’s the last thing you do before falling asleep? Read a few verses of the Bible and say a prayer.
4.  Treadmill or elliptical? Elliptical every time, though I would much rather swim laps.
5.  Favorite piece of jewelry? I love pearls, and I am especially excited for the pearl ring my mom and dad gave me for my 21st birthday. It should be finished this weekend so I will be happy to share a picture once I pick it up.
6.  First thing (not a person or pet) you’d save if your house was on fire? 
7.  If you have a smartphone, what’s your most-used app? I do have a smartphone!!! (a few more !!!! just for excitement) I love the Google App (so I can access Google Docs and my two additional Google Calendars), Words with Friends (my sister has beaten me all but twice), and MyFitnessPal (so I can track my calories and physical activity.)
8.  Which of your family members are you closest to? Oh my gosh - totally my mom, sister, and grandma all together.
9. Would you rather shave your head or get a tattoo of a baby elephant on your leg? Oh my gosh really? I can't believe this was one of the questions. I guess shave my head, at least that isn't permanent, though I think I will stay away from the shavers and the tattoo shops.
10. If you work out, what time is ideal for you? Of course I work out! In the morning, right when I get up. The gym isn't crowded, I can take a moment to stretch before and after my workout, and then shower and be done with it for the day. I always feel so accomplished afterwards and I can just concentrate on homework or studying in the evening.
11. Sweet or savory? Sweet. Every time.

What do you want to ask?

I'm Thankful for Sunday Mornings and Patient People

I hope this blog post finds you all stuffed with Thanksgiving cheer (and food!) and fully in the spirit of the holidays. I know my family has already booked our tickets to see The Nutcracker ballet (a yearly tradition,) scheduled our Christmas party and sent out invitation, and will be getting our Christmas tree today to decorate. This time of year is also a time in my family to reflect on the year and prepare for the next one. I am surprisingly proud of myself sometimes by being able to stop and be thankful for everything that I have been blessed with. Sure, the days are long. And of course, some of them don't go the way I would prefer. But everyday is a beautiful day because I have my health and the health of my family and friends. I have the opportunity to get an education and pursue my dreams. I have the love and support of my family, my biggest cheerleaders. And I have a well instilled work ethic and sense of self that helps me be successful everyday. Thanksgiving Thursday especially was an opportunity for my family and I to reflect on all the wonders for which we are thankful. Here are just a few things we shared with each other as we enjoyed our Thanksgiving day feast and festivities.

1. Having so many things that I am passionate about, like dancing, cooking, healthy living, and promoting campus involvement, just to name a few.
2. Perfecting the art of Euchre, a card game almost my entire plays now, and sometimes on a rare occasion being able to beat my dad.
3. As mentioned above, the health of my family and friends, and more specifically, the fact that the only pain in my butt is the fact that I am blind as a bat - it could be so much worse.
4. Curling up with a good book next to one of our fireplaces with a mug of tea and blanket. And how it is now the season for such relaxation techniques.
5. Starting our Christmas cookie baking... and listening to Christmas music whilst mixing and measuring.
6. Having the opportunity (and time!) to catch up with old friends while I am home and rekindling the connections that weaken over time and distance.
7. Planning and prepping for my family's upcoming Christmas party - and using this excuse to devour even more cookbooks and blogs for recipes and decorating ideas.
8. Having fresh cranberries available for EVERYTHING, from muffins and quick breads, to marinades, chutneys, and pan sauces. I love cranberries!
9. My mom's incredibly well stocked kitchen. And her willingness to allow me to hog it every time I come home. Enough said.
10. Starting classes again tomorrow after a five day break. Call me crazy but I am so fortunate to be able to better myself to make my dreams a reality. (I will work to keep this in mind when I get up for class tomorrow morning...)

I hope you all take a moment to also be thankful for all you have in your lives as well. 'Tis the season to be thankful.

What the Heck are my Favorite Foods Anyway?

A close friend of mine asked me the other day "if you had all the time and the money in the world, what would you cook?" My eyes just got really wide as I considered my options... and my mind went blank for a second or two. No response to this question could possibly sum up what I wanted to say. Granted, I had been asked this question before, but for some reason this time I wanted to give a good answer, the absolute truth answer. I wanted to take the time to actually figure out what my favorite foods were to cook. And thus began a trail of thoughts that have now spilled out onto a blog post.

Millions of recipes soon flooded my head when I was asked this question, along with snippits of fond memories I have collected over the years: of dog-eared cookbooks and standing at the counter with Mommaw;age three with flour all over my hands, spilling more down the front of me than I had in the bowl; the first time I grilled pizza on the grill and thought (and still do think) it's the best thing since sliced bread; the fact that Boppaw is the only one in our family that can make peanut brittle the "right" way... Hundreds of memories are so strongly attached to my fond connection with food. So how can I possibly pick my favorites?

But why separate the memories from the foods? That's usually what makes them so delicious! So I started honing in my favorite food memories and low-and-behold my favorite foods were nestled in there as well. Here are just a few:

• Grilling whole wheat pizza dough with my Dad, brushing it with homemade garlic oil and spooning on fresh chunky tomato sauce, piling on toppings, and topping it all with fresh buffalo mozzarella.
• Every dish of my family's Thanksgiving dinner (which Mommaw and I have made together for as long as I can remember) and eating Pumpkin Pie for breakfast. (see here for more on this memory.)
• The first time I ever encountered an avocado: my dad ordered a salad with avocado and he didn't like them so he gave them to me to try - oh the wretched face I made! (I still hate avocados, but the memory is nice.)
• The first farmers markets of the spring growing season, when I can't wait to just go and browse the tables upon tables of tender baby greens, sweet peas, early sweet corn, and berries. 
• Mint chocolate chip ice cream on a cone and walking on the beach almost every night while on our yearly childhood family vacation to Myrtle Beach.
• The dinner that had a profound influence on my career of choice. It was a birthday dinner of mine probably five or six years ago now, where I felt adventurous and ordered Monkfish with a parmesan sweet pea risotto. Not only did I fall in love with seafood that night, but also the beauty and wholesomeness woven into every piece of a well executed dish, and decided that I too would learn to do these awe-inspiring things with food.
• My first taste of Champaign while on a cruise ship in Alaska. There is photographic evidence of what I thought about that encounter.
• Picking blackberries at my grandparent's home, and always walking out of the briers with half as many as everyone else - and stained fingertips so I couldn't even hide the evidence of my "one for the bucket, one for me" motto.
• Mom and I making cookie trays filled with dozens of our homemade Christmas cookies that we start baking the day after Thanksgiving in a marathon month of flour, butter, and sugar for our family, neighbors, friends, clients, contractors, roommates, annual Christmas party, and of course a couple to to keep at home.

So there you go, a little trip down my memory lane. Hopefully this encourages you to think about your favorite  foods as well, so when someone asks you, you'll be ready. 

Shelby, my younger sister, and I. Obviously she is in almost all of my fondest memories so I thought I would include this picture in my post.

Healthy vs. Skinny

Since we are taking a trip down memory lane as of late, I wanted to post a comment that was left after one of my blog entries a while back. I think the battle between a "healthy" diet and a "skinny" diet is one that will forever (and unnecessarily) be raged. Healthy has never meant skinny. In order to be healthy, you must eat some of everything, including fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. In fact, the definition of health is "The overall condition of an organism at a given time.  Soundness, especially of body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality." Nowhere in there did it say "skinny", "thin", or on the flip side "fat", or "obese." Healthy is not a number on a scale, it is a physical and mental state. Healthy is how you see yourself and whether your body can do what you need it to do. I wish more men women, adults, and kids all embraced this notion more readily, knowing deep down that a size 2 pant size is not the overall goal, but instead a balance diet, moderate, consistent exercise, and positive self worth should be what we all destine for. I'll get off my soapbox now but this is certainly one of my passions in life. Feel free to comment on any of these concepts to share your personal opinion on the topic.

(Note about the funny formatting of this post - I have idea how to fix it! I really am technologically challenged so I am not going to worry about it and instead chalk it up to my quirky imperfect charm.)

Below is the anonymous comment to a previous post and my response:

i like that u focus on a HEALTHY lifestyle, not necessarily a "thin" one...too many young girls are told that there natural body shape isn't "right" and it's a shame.

 Anonymous

Confession time: I was one of those girls for a really long time too. I thought I was heavy and I hated my thighs and raged a war again the mirror every time I put on a swim suit. I saw all the other girls in my classes who got to wear extra smalls and small sized clothing and wondered what it would be like to always have something that fit you perfectly. But then I started to consider the opposite of my situation. I was always a healthy kid, exercised (I dance and swim religiously,) and had healthy and supportive relationships with family and friends. I always got gold stars at the doctor's and dentist's offices and never missed more than a day or two of school every year for sick days. I looked at the big picture and realized that the size on your tag is hardly a reason to have a bad day. When I was in the eighth grade I started taking control of my health by really being concerned with what I put in my body. I made smarter choices (wheat bread over white, spinach over lettuce, those kinds of things) and really educated myself on nutrition and health. Heck, there for a while I wanted to be a nutritionist because these things genuinely excited me. I liked feeling in control of my health.

Fast forward a few years and I still have my sights set on a food related career, and I still plan on helping those who want it to eat better. You don’t have to deprive yourself in order to be healthy, that’s not the goal at all. Just think about the big picture. That’s what I did and it turned me into a secure and healthy young adult. So many adolescence are constantly comparing themselves to super models and the “skinny” girls at school, but what they don’t realize is “skinny” does not automatically mean “healthy”. I would much rather be healthy, hands down, and ever since eighth grade I have kept that in mind anytime I have a "fat day." And yes, those happen still from time to time. How do I cure it? Get a good nights rest and start over in the morning.

10 Things that Make me Terribly Happy

This is a beautiful time of the year - leaves are turning, crunching under your feet as you (or rather, I) walk to class every morning. It is cool in the morning, cool enough to wrap your fingers around a mug of hot tea, but warm enough in the afternoon to shed your jacket and be warmed in the sunshine. These feelings of complete and utter joy, accompanied with my recent surfing on my numerous favorite food blogs, I am borrowing the very smart idea of sharing my favorite parts of this time of year to help encourage you to take a moment to do the same. Maybe that can be the topic of conversation at dinnertime, like it was in my apartment tonight!


So onto 10 things that make me happy this time of year:

10. How pumpkin flavored everything is both appropriate and tasty.
9. I no longer run the risk of my make-up melting off my face throughout the day.
8. As soon as I come home from class, I throw open my windows and enjoy the fresh air and
7. How Earl Grey tea seems to taste better when you can see your breath.
6. I just stumbled upon roller skating as exercise; effective and fun.
5. My family is coming for a visit this weekend! And that is always a reason for happiness.
4. Visits to farmers markets, orchards, festivals, and pumpkin patches and capping off the trip by sticking your head through the funny cutouts and taking pictures.
3. I can now wear my dark purple nail polish that makes me feel edgy and sweet at the same time.
2. Soups, stews, mac n' cheese, muffins, quick bread, cinnamon rolls, hot cocoa, and all those other yummy fall foods I have been indulging in.

and the number 1 thing that makes me more than ecstatic this time of year:
Thanksgiving!! A holiday completely devoted to food, is on the way! I holiday where Mommaw and I can just cook and laugh and cook some more for a good two days! But more on this a little later.


By the way, sorry for excruciatingly long time it took me to post again, I was on a conference for my school Student Government all the way in Rhode Island! Talk about exciting! It was a technology conference (and I know you can't tell from my expert blogging ability (chuckles to self) but I am the last person to adopt any piece of technology) but I had a fabulous time! Networking, representing my university and Student government program we were there to present, and getting to know, through a delayed flight and another delayed one getting home, my fellow colleagues, I had a blast! I could go on conferences every weekend, what fun! Especially if they are in such quaint towns as Scenic Newport, Rhode Island.

We have a New Addition to the Family!

And nope, it's not what you are thinking either. No bouncing baby boys or cooing baby girls, but a brand new English Labrador puppy! My grandparents (affectionately names Mommaw and Boppaw and will be referred to as such from here on out) have an affinity with "labies" and make sure that their acreage out in the country is kept company by a couple of them at all times. I personally could not be happier for them! Not only does that mean that they have more puppy love to pass around but I get to live the puppy life vicariously through them!

His name is Del's First Mate, or Mate for short. They live right on the river and it would be inappropriate to name his anything other than a swaggering sea name. I love it! Doesn't he look like a Mate to you?

These pictures are my sister's handiwork too. She really is phenomenal at what she does and you can certainly tell a difference between her photographs and mine. This one is my favorite of hers.

That is Mate with my dad, just chilling and loving the attention. He will be a lovely addition to our family. Fits in already!

Look at that cute little pink puppy belly. And of course he has already been in the mud, in true boy form.

Oh I can't get enough of him. There is nothing like a puppy to make you smile from ear to ear until it hurts... and then rub your cheeks a bit so you can smile some more. But this blog entry isn't just about new puppies. It is about food too! And what better time to make an entry about burgers and salads!? It is that time of the year that I can't wait to get to, savor, cherish, and then cry a bit when it is all over. Grill season. When I was still living at home we would grill almost every night when the weather was warm. We would spend the days at the pool, doing yard work (yes, we all did yard work together, even us girls) at swim meets, but we always seemed to have time to take a moment and grill up a tasty dinner. My dad is the true grill master in our family, and between him and I we have grilled pretty much anything. Veggies, fruits, pizza dough (you HAVE to try this and there will be an entry all about grilled pizza in the very near future,) angel food cake, and of course any manner of protein you can think of.

But of course, some of these "traditional" offerings get monotonous, so if you have hit the proverbial bar-b-q wall already, try this variation. I made a stuffed turkey burger with broccoli salad. It was different, packed with flavor, and of course, grilled up perfectly (though these will do just fine inside on a grill pan or in a skillet as well.)

A few notes about turkey burgers - Usually people choose turkey over beef to cut calories and fight back some fat. But unless you are buying all white meat ground turkey to make your burgers, then there is really no nutritional difference between beef and turkey. And I know there are probably a few of you readers saying "But dark meat has all the flavor and juiciness." That is precisely why I chose to stuff and season my burgers with mozzarella cheese, Italian breadcrumbs (extra credit if you make your own,) sage, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and fresh parsley. All of these elements come together to make one lip-smacking burger, and once you top it off with some juicy tomatoes and crispy lettuce, you might as well banish all those worries of "dry turkey."

And about that salad - No need to get burnt out of the same old potato, macaroni, cole slaw, or green salads. Pick out some of your favorite veggies and make it shine in a salad of it's own. Love carrots? Make a shaved carrot salad with tarragon vinaigrette. Squash more your taste? Saute up some with some garlic and fresh basil and you're good to go. This is a great way to experiment in the kitchen (something I am always trying to encourage people to do) in addition to using some of the plethora of fresh vegetables and fruits ripe for the picking this time of year. I chose broccoli but in order to keep some of the intergrity of the vegetable, served it raw with a plain yogurt and vinegar dressing. With a few raisins, slivered almonds, and diced red onion, it had me coming back for seconds.

Happy grilling all!