Cherry Tomato Salad.

Italian Salsa.

I made this recipe with pasta (recipe to come tomorrow), and it can now be compared to an Italian salsa. Was that confusing? Let me explain. Because I have been sick this week, I haven't been in the greatest mood to cook every night. I changed around some of my planned meals so I wouldn't waste any food. This was one of them. The pasta I made had tomatoes in the recipe already, can you say tomato overload? We found out quickly that the salad tastes really good on top of the pasta. Therefore, Italian salsa. The colors are also pretty perfect for the Christmas Season. 

Cherry Tomato Salad

What you need:
- 2 Pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 Red Onion, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- a pinch of red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix with tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Serve cold.

This salad is pretty tasty and does a good job without the pasta, its a versatile dish. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 14:

Real or artificial tree? This is such a toss up for me because as a kid we always had a real tree. Even living in New York City, we would drive out to a tree farm and chop one down. Now, for the better of my cleaning ocd and anxiety I prefer fake. The mess of the thistles is too much stress, I know I'm crazy. 

Cucumber Dill Salad.

Very hungry= Bad pictures.

I can't always make my meals look like works of art. But I can make them taste like it. This one is an old favorite that I used to enjoy as a kid. I did a little healthy substitution and it still tasted great. Have no fear there will be a lot of great recipes coming up where the pictures came out great.

The roads are slowly getting better. The temperatures rose and the ice has started to melt. Don't get me wrong, as much as I hate it, Snow is beautiful, but not beautiful enough for a two hour commute to work. I have a really hard time managing the stresses of traffic.

I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping! Yea that's right... How jealous are you? My secret was not purchasing everything online, which is what I have heard from many, rather making a list and checking things off as I went along. I was very tempted to end that sentence with: Making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty or nice, Santa Claus is coming to town!

Cucumber Dill Salad

What you need:
- 6 Kirby cucumbers
- 4-5 sprouts fresh dill 
- 3 oz light sour cream
- 3 oz plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper

Slice cucumbers in 1/4 inch pieces. In a bowl, whisk sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add cucumbers and dill, tossing to combine. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 13:

What's your favorite Christmas book? I can't think of the name but it is a really old large book that is comprised of many short stories. There are classic stories about Santa  the elves, recipes, and lots of beautiful pictures. I also really loved the Eloise at Christmastime stories.  

Sweet and Spicy Crock Pot Chicken.

Traffic Sucks.

You know what sucks? Spending over two hours to commute under 20 miles. We had a huge snow storm this past weekend totaling over 15 inches of snow, therefore the roads are awful to drive on. Gotta love living in Minnesota. I'm not a snow person at all, maybe if I drove a Hummer my feelings would be different. I made this dinner in the crock pot, which sounds great in theory because I didn't have to cook when I arrived home but it wasn't. My chicken was WAY overcooked, an hour and a half overcooked to be exact. Oh well, it happens. The flavor was still really good! 

Sweet and Spicy Crock Pot Chicken

What you need:
- 4 Chicken leg Quarters 
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced in wedges
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup raisins

Combine cumin, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat chicken and place in bottom of crock pot. Top with Onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, and raisins. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 12:

Wrapping presents or gift bags? Wrapping presents! I am a master wrapper and love all of the varieties/colors of the paper. I like gift bags better for birthdays or other celebrations. 

BBQ Pork and Potatoes.

More BBQ.

I made this dish last Wednesday, before I knew it was going to be a week full of BBQ. The one downside of making food in the crock pot is commitment. I like eating foods as fresh and warm as possible so I try not to switch up meals after I have started to cook them. The first Wednesday of every month is our staff meeting followed by lunch. We were treated with Famous Dave's catered in our office! I love Famous Dave's so this wasn't too much of a problem. BBQ twice in one day? Ok, I can do this. What I couldn't do was the lunch leftovers and second trip to Famous Dave's the next night for Eric's birthday. I think I might be needing a bit of a "BBQ break". 

This is the most tender pork I have ever made. I honestly don't know what I did differently but it came out amazing. The texture reminded me of string cheese because it fell apart instantly. I would definitely make this again. I threw some potatoes in the crock pot to soften and soak in all the delicious flavors.

BBQ Pork and Potatoes

What you need:
- 3-4 lb pork loin
- 6 baby red potatoes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup water or beef stock

In a small bowl, mix chili powder, oregano, cumin, brown sugar, garlic powder, and paprika. Cover meat in spice mixture and place in crock pot. Pour water or stock in bottom of pot, top with potatoes, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 11:

Favorite Christmas Tradition? My favorite Christmas tradition would have to be going to the movies. Do your families do that? We always go see a movie on Christmas day after the dishes are done and the food is put away. Surprisingly, my family has a pretty easy time choosing a movie.  

Butterscotch Schnapps Heath French Toast.

Yep, that a real thing!

On Saturday morning, I woke up with a craving for french toast. I usually would rather an English muffin or egg in the morning but I decided to get creative. I was out of vanilla, my french toast go-to, so I thought substituting with butterscotch schnapps would be good. It was good, really really good. I have a ton of schnapps left over from my hot toffee chocolate recipe, so you might see it pop up in some new recipes. This would be a really great holiday breakfast, it's very festive. 

We had a lot of snow this weekend, almost 15 inches! It was nice to have a relaxing weekend indoors, despite my sore throat. We ended up watching 5 Christmas movies! Tis the season. 

Butterscotch Schnapps Heath French Toast

What you need:
- 4 pieces whole wheat bread
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons butterscotch schnapps
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
- Heath bar pieces 
- Non stick spray

Set the stove to high heat. Add non-stick spray to a medium skillet so the bread does not stick. In a small bowl, mix eggs, schnapps, milk, and cinnamon. Once the pan is heated, turn down the heat to medium. Dip bread into egg mixture, coating on both sides. Place each slice into the pan and toast on both sides. Top with syrup and heath bar pieces. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Days 9 and 10:

Who is the easiest person to buy for? Damian. He likes just about everything so it's easy to come up with a long list to choose from. 


Favorite holiday Scent? Vanilla. I love the smell of regular vanilla or spiced vanilla, especially candles. 

Strawberry Banana Soft Serve.

We sound like a commercial.

Damian: So what your telling me is that this is completely healthy?
Me: Yep, its just fruit and a few tablespoons of milk
Damian: This is unreal. It's healthy and delicious!

I wish I was kidding when I said that was the conversation we had when I gave him his portion. I went months without having soft serve but now I just can't get enough of it. I'm sure 90% of the internet already knows how to make this but I thought I would show what we like to eat for desert. It also doesn't hurt to have a reminder every once in a while. 

Strawberry Banana Soft Serve

What you need:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberry's
- 2 Tablespoons of skim milk/ almond milk/ coconut milk

In a blender or food processor add all ingredients and pulse for 2-3 minutes. Be patient, the secret is to pulse it for the whole time. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 8:

Post a picture of Christmas decor. 

We don't have a Christmas tree in our apartment so I thought I would post the one at my office. Last Friday I helped decorate it for the season! 

Green Bean, Tomato, and Feta Salad.

Some bumps in the road. 

Damian wanted me to make a green bean salad that his mother has basically perfected. I thought I remembered the recipe until I began to make it. I forgot onions, didn't have the correct recipe, and realized at the last minute it is supposed to be cold. The rest of dinner was ready to eat, how would I have enough time to cool the green beans? I didn't. Nonetheless I think it turned out pretty well. Next time I will just ask for the recipe. Because the beans were so warm, the feta began to melt, hence the messy looking food. Better luck next time. 

Green Bean, Tomato, and Feta Salad

What you need:
- 2 Lbs green beans
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 4 scallions, chopped thin (forgot this in mine)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons white-wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper

Cook beans in boiling water for about 6 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking process. Whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Toss all ingredients together.  

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 7:

Most memorable Christmas? My most memorable Christmas is probably one that we went in La Crosse while we were living in New York. Most of the extended family was able to make it and it was such a treat to go to La Crosse twice that year. 

Spicy Sun dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Pasta.

Yum.

That's the only word to describe this recipe. All my favorite things in one spot- pasta, olives, spicy flavor, and goat cheese. It can't really get much better than that. Ok, I may have gone a little overboard with the cheese, yolo. This recipe is creamy, hearty, filling, and delicious. I don't want to ruin it anymore with my poor writing skills. 

Can you believe it's already Thursday? Can't wait for some fun celebrations this weekend. I will finally be reunited with some of my old phone center friends- it's been too long!

Spicy Sun dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Pasta

What you need:
- 1 box bow-tie pasta, cooked
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 15 pitted kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/2 small lemon, juiced

After boiling the pasta, pour 1 cup of pasta water into a glass measuring cup. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. When hot, add red pepper flakes and garlic, stirring constantly for 45 seconds. Pour into a small bowl. Add sun dried tomatoes to the pan and pour 1/3 cup pasta water on top of sun dried tomatoes. cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add drained pasta and drizzle in bowl of oil garlic mixture. Stir and add goat cheese and Parmesan  Add an additional 2-3 tablespoons pasta water, chopped olives, and lemon juice and mix well. 

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 6:

Your favorite tree ornament? This is such a tough one! I would have to say it's a tie between a homemade ice skate my mom made when I was younger and matching Bert and Ernie ornaments. I wish I had pictures to share!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos.

Straying from the Plan. 

I have to admit, I tend to plan and schedule almost every aspect of my life. I think its more of a comfort level thing then anything else. When I stray from the plan, I tend to become anxious of the unknown. I have always liked to be in control of the situation I am in. As I get older and learn that it's going to be ok, I discover some amazing things. While I was waiting for my rice and beans to finish cooking, I decided at the last minute to bake the tortillas for the tacos. Not only was it easier to fill the tacos, the slight crispness was amazing. Sometimes even straying just a little makes a big difference. 

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

What you need:
- 1 1/2 Lb chicken, frozen or thawed
- 16 oz salsa of choice, I used Green Salsa
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 1 taco seasoning packet (I forgot to add this)
- Tortillas and additional toppings of choice

Whisk 12 oz salsa, chicken broth, taco seasoning, and garlic powder in bottom of crock pot. Add chicken and cook on high for 6 hours for frozen chicken, 4 hours for thawed. Take chicken pieces out, drain remaining liquid, and shred chicken with a fork. Heat tortillas in oven and serve warm. 

I saw this on Pinterest one time and thought I would try it. I preheated oven to 375 degrees, placed tortillas as seen in the picture above and heated for a few minutes. They were a delicious mix of soft and hard tacos. 

I served the tacos with Rice and Beans.

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 5:

What is the best gift you have ever received? When I was younger I received a gold necklace with my name on it. It was custom made and beautiful!  My mom let me open it early, which rarely happened, and I fell in love with it. 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries.

The secret is in the paper.

The other day I was asked how to make a sweet potato fry crispy. I have to admit the batch made below was not even slightly crispy. The packer viking game was on Sunday and I attended a work party at my office where we all made food. One of the things I brought were these sweet potato fries. I only had about an hour to make four batches so they ended up overlapping a bit in the pans. The secret is easy, parchment paper and no overlapping. If you use both of these methods your baked fries should come out perfect. 

This will be my first semester in many years where I won't have any final exams. It's oddly nice to not feel an immense amount of school pressure right before Christmas. I still feel like I'm just on break and any day now I will return to school. I wonder how many years it will take to finally hit me. 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

What you need:
- 3 medium sweet Potatoes, sliced into strips
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place fries leaving room between each one. The fries will not turn crispy if they are touching. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.

Suggested dip: Garlic aioli - mix mayo, garlic, salt, and lemon juice.

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day 4:

Favorite Christmas Song? My favorite Christmas song is very cliche, All I want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey. It's hard not to sing along when you hear it playing. 

Hot Toffee Chocolate (With Butterscotch Schnapps).

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Well sort of... Despite the lack of snow, which I am ecstatic about, all of my surroundings are being lit up or turning red and green. To kick off the holiday season, I, with help from Caitlin, made this delicious hot chocolate recipe. We decided to make it an "all ages recipe" with the optional addition of butterscotch schnapps, try and say that one three times fast. After drinking hot chocolate mix for so many years, I forgot how rich the real thing is. This recipe was a major hit for this holiday season. 

Hot Toffee Chocolate (With Butterscotch Schnapps) 

What you need:
- 4 cups milk
- 4 ounces butterscotch chips
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- whipped cream (optional)
- 1 shot of butterscotch schnapps (optional)

Pulse butterscotch and chocolate chips in a food processor until fine. Heat milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add chocolate mixture, salt, and sugar. Whisk and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Top with whipped cream and extra toffee pieces. 

*** Add butterscotch schnapps at the end to make individual glasses alcoholic***

Caitlin made a batch of stir sticks using Trader Joe's Honey Wheat pretzel sticks, chocolate, and toffee pieces. They were to die for!

Christmas Blogging Challenge Day Three:

When/how did you learn that Santa wasn't real? I actually figured it out (I don't remember the age) because the handwriting on the gifts was the same as my Mom's. When I questioned it, she told me that Santa did not have time to wrap all of the presents so he would drop them off for her to wrap and put under the tree. I don't think I bought the story...