on the road: snack time!

cinnamon almonds // energy bar // celery & peanut butter // rosemary & thyme roasted chickpeas 

This weekend we are heading to Bloomington, IN to see my sister graduate from college (!!!). While my parents are heading down Thursday, Ryan, my brother (TJ) and his lady (Danielle) take off Friday morning for our own little road trip. As we have been making our travel plans, it has been agreed upon that two things are at the top of our road trip essentials list: 1. music and 2. snacks! 

I will fully admit that I am using the term "road trip" very loosely, since this drive is only about 6 hours BUT that doesn't change the fact that some good tunes and tasty snacks can totally make any drive a little more enjoyable. I thought I would round up some good lookin' snack ideas that I have been wanting to try out. So check out the links above and then get ready to hit the road with your new favorite snack! As far as music goes...I've got a few favorite Pandora stations in mind and I might just have to make a "mix tape" too...

christmas traditions

I think that one of the best parts about any holiday are the traditions that come along with it, especially over Christmas. Whether it is a certain dish you make for dinner, singing carols, or watching your favorite holiday movie-all these little things bring us together and remind us to appreciate the time we have with one another. When we were little we used to get new pajamas on Christmas eve (gotta look your best on Christmas morning!) and even though that tradition has come and gone, we still have a few that we continue on with....

1. On Christmas Eve, we always have a simple meal of two kinds of soup. Of course, when I say simple, I don't mean boring! My dad makes our favorite seafood stew, Cioppino, and usually a mushroom soup. This year my dad asked if my brother, sister, and I would make the second soup, so we decided to try this Roasted Corn Chowder soup...I think it will be delicious! And of course, we have our homemade French bread. 

2. Hanging our stockings. I'm sure this is a pretty standard tradition in a lot of homes over the holidays, but I love that we still take the time to hang them up and of course, say what we hope for in the coming year. We still tease my mom for her classic line of wishing for "world peace", but I'd say it's a pretty perfect wish. 

3. Monkey bread. Who ever invented this delicious breakfast treat, gets a big ol' high five and two thumbs up from me! I can't remember a Christmas where this sugary dough treat didn't make an appearance and I wouldn't want it any other way! 

4. Christmas day=afternoon at the movies! After all the presents have been opened, we head out to the movies. This year, we voted to go see Les Miserables and I am SO excited to see it. I have been a huge fan of the play since I was little-still have the cassette tape around here somewhere :) 

I hope that you have some holiday traditions of your own to enjoy these next few days...stay warm, happy, and merry! 

in the kitchen: foodie find!

Some of my favorite things to peruse on the web are different cooking blogs and cooking websites-there are just so many great ones! Because there are soo many great spots to find new recipes to test out, I wish I had a better way of condensing it all together....POOF! Wish granted.

I have no idea if this is old news, but my mom's good friend mentioned a great foodie website that she knew I would be into and boy was she right! It's called Punchfork-have you heard of it? If you have, then I guess I am jealous you have had this lil gem, but if you haven't then I highly recommend taking a gander at their one-stop-shop for great recipes from a lot of talented cooks. Another useful feature is the ability to sort through the site by your type of diet: vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and even paleo! Of course you can always leave the filter off for us meat eaters :) Here are a few of my latest finds that I hope I can test out soon! 

zucchini-crust vegetarian pizza

greek yogurt pancakes

kale, white bean, & potato stew (fall is right around the corner!)

creamy avocado pasta (I'm curious!)

pinterest finds

gold tube bracelets via Honestly WTF

red lips, polka dots...can't go wrong

divine looking chocolate cake

great DIY via I Spy DIY 

anchors away!

gorgeous wedges

cheddar jalepeno spoon bread...yes.

Feel free to check out more pins here! Hope your week has been going well

in the kitchen: Peach Oatmeal Muffins

image from Scaling Back

Good morning! 

I had come across this Peach Oatmeal Muffin on Pinterest (of course) and thought it would be perfect to try out over the weekend while we were at our friend's cabin. The recipe was pretty simple and didn't take too long to whip up. I think I added just a teensy bit too much sugar to the peach/butter/sugar topping, but certainly didn't ruin anything! I was happy with the final product-the sweet peach top made a perfect balance for the just slightly cinnamon flavored muffin. I would definitely recommend adding this to your recipe box-perfect for everyone AND I think you could switch peaches out for some other fruits if peaches aren't your thing....

Peach Oatmeal muffins from Scaling Back

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs

For the topping:

• 2 medium peaches
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup sugar

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees

For the topping:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the sugar and grated ginger and cook until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the peaches to the pan and cook until they start to release their juices.  Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the batter.

For the muffins:

Place the cup of oats in the milk and let soak for at least 15 minutes (you can soak them the night before if you want to make them first thing in the morning).  Mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.  Add the eggs, vanilla and oil to the milk and oat mixture then pour the wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Mix just until combined, don’t overmix or you will have tough muffins.  

Fill cups of a lightly greased muffin tin two-thirds to three-quarters full.  Top the muffins with 2 slices of peaches and spoon any remaining juices over the top.  Place muffins in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 400 degrees.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and firm to the touch.

Enjoy! 

in the kitchen: Baked Turkey Egg Rolls

The other day Ry accidentally got egg roll wrappers as he was on the search for spring roll wrappers, so naturally we couldn't let those puppies go to waste! I know how egg rolls, despite their small size, can tend to be an unhealthy meal choice, so I wanted to make sure I could find a good tasting, but somewhat healthy recipe. I was in luck and found just was I needed at one of my favorite blog stops, Iowa Girl Bakes! I used her Baked Egg Roll recipe as a guide, making a few changes based on what ingredients I already had etc. Overall I was pretty pleased with the way they turned out...I did forget to tell Ry to put olive oil on them before baking, so they had a slight resemblance to E.T. when they came out, BUT I added the oil and threw them under the broiler for a bit to crisp them up and they looked much better!

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Makes 14 rolls 

2 cups cabbage (I used purple, but you can use the white kind or pre-packaged mix)

1lb ground turkey

2 tsp oil (vegetable or olive oil)

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 carrot, shredded

1 tbsp ginger + 1 tbsp garlic (I had the pre blended kind with garlic)

2-3 tbsp soy sauce

Dash (or two) red pepper flakes

Egg roll wrappers (I used up one package)

Directions

1. If you have a head of cabbage (purple or white) you will want to chop up about half of the head, depending on how big it is or how much you like cabbage. If you are using the pre-cut "cabbage slaw", then you're good to go! Put the cabbage in a micro-waveable bowl and heat for 5mins. Note: for the purple cabbage you might need an extra minute or two to get it soft enough)

2. Chop up onions, mushrooms, and shred carrot. Set aside.

3. In medium skillet, heat oil and then add your ginger/garlic mixture. Let this heat for a few minutes, but if you are using fresh garlic be careful it doesn't burn! 

4. Cook turkey until it is no longer pink. Add mushrooms and onions, sauteing until both are soft. Then add in carrots and cabbage, mixing all together. Add red pepper flakes and soy sauce, stir in and then set aside to cool for a bit.

5. Pre-heat oven to 400. Get your egg roll-makin' station ready: small bowl of water, clean surface and your egg roll fixings!

6. Lay out your egg roll wrapper, like a diamond (see below) and add about 3 tablespoons of your filling on the wrapper

7. Fold the bottom corner up. Then fold the left and right corners in toward the middle...

8. Wet the top corner with a little bit of your water, then roll the egg roll over one time and seal with the corner that is wet! (sorry, hands were full and forgot to grab a shot!) Continue this procss until you have used up your filling or your egg roll wrappers-whatever comes first :)

9. Before putting in the oven, lightly coat with oil on both sides. Bake for 10-15 minutes on one side, flip over and then bake for another 10 minutes or until they are a golden brown. *Like I said before, I originall forgot to put the oil on before baking, but was able to remedy the situation by adding the oil after they had baked and putting them under the broiler (low) for about 3 minutes!

10. Serve with a dipping sauce, we used Annie's Shitake Sesame dressing or whatever side dish you are in the mood for! 

Bon Appetit!

TGIF, for real.

A crazy few days at both jobs, massive rains, getting the house somewhat ready for visitors, and everything else in between have made it one heck of week! I am SO looking forward to Ry's parents coming up...we will also be celebrating his cousin's high school graduation, so lots of quality time and hopefully enjoying some well deserved gorgeous weather and relaxation. 


What will you be up to this weekend? Anyone going on a weekend getaway? If so, take a peek at Refinery29's adorable & always fashionable "What to Pack: Pack Like a Pro" feature...this combo is my favorite, mainly because a tropical getaway sounds divine!

Here are a few other of my favorite finds....

Since we got our blender, smoothies are the name of the game and this watermelon & mint smoothie looks so refreshing! 

Overnight, no-cook oatmeal...yes please!

Adorable delicate necklace DIY via Cupcakes & Cashmere

this dress (too bad the price is so steep!)

Have a happy, relaxing, blissful weekend! xo

Comfort food: grilled cheese!

The other night Ry decided to whip up one of our favorite comfort foods for dinner...grilled cheese! Best thing about grilled cheese has got to be all the fun ways you can "jazz" it up. This time used white cheddar cheese, ham, and blue cheese...perhaps it was more like mix between a panini and a grilled cheese with the ham on it, but it was so tasty! And of course, paired with some old fashion tomato soup, you can't go wrong. In fact I made another one for dinner last night :)

Here are some other really great ideas for how to "jazz up" a classic grilled cheese...

bon appetit!

Mozzarella Grilled Cheese via An Edible Symphony

Beet, Arugala, and Goat Cheese grilled cheese via BS' in the Kitchen

Fancy Grilled Cheese: 9 Ways via A Beautiful Mess

have a happy weekend

ahh yes, Saturday. So nice to see you...I hope all of you have had or are having a great start to your weekend! I hope to find some time to catch up on some reading, probably a bit of cleaning, but overall just taking time to relax! 

Julia Child and husband Paul

What will you be doing? 

Feel free to check out my web "round up" if you are laying low...see you Monday! 

A great resource for business cards, stationary, and even personalized stickers!


Sometimes I wish my life had room for nights out on the town in these


I've been debating about taking the plunge into the "ombre" hair world-my inspiration here...


These look delicious! (via Cup of Jo)


Some really great "food for thought" on the issue of modern day racism and guess what? It's still not cool...


Have time for some DIY this weekend? Check out these mason jar crafts  or this pretty hair comb from P.S. I Made This


xo, Maggie

sweet n' spicy salmon tacos

Last night I whipped up some tasty salmon tacos for dinner using a modified version of this recipe I found. I had intended on grilling up the fish but I decided to just bake it instead which worked out just great! 

I put the rub on the salmon; a mix of brown sugar, chili pepper, and garlic.

While I let that sit and let the oven preheat to 400, I decided to use some left over purple cabbage to make a salad as a topping for the tacos...I shredded carrots, jicama, chopped red peppers and some red onion. For a light dressing, I used some of the leftover mix from the rub and added lime juice and oil, which turned out really well and added a nice lil kick to it because of the chili pepper.

I baked the salmon for 20 mins and it turned out perfectly! It flaked really nicely to divide up for Ry and I to add to our tacos (used corn tortillas from the Co-op) and I also diced up a bit of avocado to add on top as well. All in all, I'd say this was a success and we will definitely make these again. I would even have just the salmon with the rub on it's on with a different side.

Try them out and let me know how it goes! Bon appetit!

awkward...nope, just awesome!

I sat down to gather my thoughts today and realized that there really has been nothing awkward going on in my life this past week...very weird...I bet next week will be real interesting! Still, I figured there is nothing wrong with just acknowledging the "awesome's" so far this week!
Awesome
-the feeling that spring really is just around the corner...breathe in that fresh air!
-hikes in Chester Creek, a hiking spot right in the middle of town (going to make this a regular thing on my agenda)
-my shellac manicure staying strong, no chips at all! I'm impressed.
-new puppies at work (new foundland, golden retriever, black lab mix-I die.)
-sippin' on tasty Pagan brews outside, soaking up the sun
-late night chats with the roomies (and by late night I mean 9:30...we're old!)
-Anytime Fitness's new & improved facilities...hallelujah! 
-countdowns in my planner til seeing friends in Chicago


-this lil' number that I decided to cook up tonight: Spinach and Chicken Tortilla Bake! 
Here's the recipe if you are looking for something easy for your dinner tonight

Spinach and Chicken Tortilla Bake (adapted from Rachel Ray)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 chicken cutlets (about 1 pound)

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups store-bought salsa verde *I plan on substituting this for a slightly less spicy salsa

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

4 large (8″) flour tortillas

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

3 cups baby spinach (about 1/4 pound)

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese *Going to use a combo of cheddar and pepper jack

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then shred the meat.

Whisk together the salsa verde and ricotta; season with salt and pepper. In a greased 9-inch square baking dish, layer one-third of the salsa mixture, tortillas, chicken, onion, spinach and pepper jack; repeat twice. Bake until golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with side of salsa and sour cream!

Yield:  4 servings

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Ina Garten is one of my favorite chef's to get recipes from...they are almost always really approachable and are most definitely crowd pleasers! 
My sister requested that I make the Wild Mushroom Risotto as a part of her birthday dinner, so with my mom out of town, I stepped up to the plate. And let me tell you, it was a home run! The combination of the mushrooms, shallots, and pancetta make for such a delicious taste-I was surprised there were even left overs! We enjoyed the risotto along side some perfectly cooked steaks, salad with homemade dressing and of course, bread.

Wild Mushroom Risotto, adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh or dried porcini or cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 pound portabella mushroom (the smaller sized ones)
• 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 ounces pancetta, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots (3 shallots)
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Directions

If using dried porcinis: Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Set aside for 30 minutes. Scoop the morels from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. You should have 2 cups; if not, add water to make 2 cups. Drain the porcini mushrooms and rinse once more. If some of the mushrooms are large, cut into 2 or 3 pieces.  Set the mushrooms and the liquid aside separately.

Meanwhile, remove and discard the stems of the portabellas and rub any dirt off the caps with a damp paper towel. Dont rinse them! Slice thickly and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of reserved mushroom liquid (if you used the dried porcinis) and bring to a simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the portabella and  porcini mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of the chicken stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls with extra cheese.
Bon appetit!