Hello! + Homemade Ramen Recipe

Hi everyone!

So, it has been a while... I've been meaning to get back in the habit of blogging, but life seemed to keep getting in the way.  My husband and I dealt with a lot of changes all at once - moving, starting a new job, selling an old house, buying a new house, starting law school (him, not me), etc.  We've been getting used to our new routines and a new city.  Here are some of the highlights:

Chopped 10 inches off my hair!

Best friend Pam came for an Autumn visit!

We discovered Dram Apothecary - a new mountain fave!
More on this awesome place in an upcoming post...

I attended my first ever NBA game!

 Earlier this week, I posted this photo of some homemade ramen I threw together for dinner - people seemed intrigued.  So, I thought the recipe may be a good start for getting back into this blogging thing.... Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

Sesame Oil

4 garlic cloves, pressed

2-3 tsps of freshly grated ginger

4-5 cups of broth (chicken/beef/vegetable/etc.) - homemade is best, store-bought boxed broth is next, boullion cubes in a pinch (those go from lowest to highest amounts of sodium)

4 cups of water

1-2 tsps of cayenne pepper 

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 Package of sliced shiitake mushrooms (can used dried)

2 packages of ramen noodles (throw away the flavor packets!)

Shredded carrots (optional)

Bacon, coarsely chopped

Green onions, chopped

Cilantro, coarsely chopped

Poached egg

Sriracha (optional)

Directions:

Put a few tsps of sesame oil in a pot on light/medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook for a couple minutes until aromatic - be sure not to burn!

Next, add broth, water, cayenne, and pepper flakes

If using dried mushrooms, go ahead and add to the broth with the spices. If using fresh mushrooms, let the broth simmer about 10 minutes, then add. While the broth is simmering, you can fry up your bacon and place on paper towel to soak up some of the grease.  I used about 5 or 6 strips of thick cut bacon, but you can do less or more depending on how much meat you want. 

Let the broth simmer for about 20-25 minutes total, then add carrots and noodles. 

While the noodles are cooking, poach your egg(s). I'll add my poaching tips below just in case :). You could always use a fried egg, if that's easier.

Once the noodles are tender, you are ready to combine!  Add broth/noodle mixture to a deep bowl, top with bacon, green onions, cilantro, and poached egg! Top with some Sriracha, if you want a little additional kick. 

Egg Poaching Tips:

- Use only lightly bowling water - if the boiling gets too violent it will rip the egg apart

- Add a little white vinegar to the water before you start boiling, this will help keep the egg together

- Before dropping the egg into the lightly boiling water, create a little whirlpool with a spoon and drop the egg in the center (this will help the egg white stay wrapped around the yolk)

- Once the egg starts cooking, it may get stuck at the bottom of the pan - use a spatula to peel the egg off of the pan, so that it's floating in the water

Light Stuffed Poblanos

I've made these a few times and I think I've perfected the lightest, yet heartiest, version of Stuffed Poblano Peppers!  It's a great low-carb, gluten-free meal for those of you with those diet restrictions.

Here are the ingredients you'll need:
5-6 Poblano Peppers
1 lb of ground meat of your choice (I prefer turkey, and that's what I use below)
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 can of black beans
1 block/bag of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 onion, chopped (use other half for Guac below!)
Spices (all optional):
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- tsp of chili powder
- tsp of garlic salt
- tsp of chipotle
- tsp of cumin
- 1/2 tsp of Ancho chili powder
- tsp of cilantro (dried or fresh, chopped)
- salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:
Sour Cream
Chunky guacamole:
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tomato, diced
- 1/2 onion, chopped

First, turn your Broiler on high to preheat. 

Next, slice Poblanos in half lengthwise and place on a greased cookie sheet with the skin-side up.  Put in the oven for 10-15 mins until the skins are nice and bubbly and a little charred. They will end up looking something like this:

While the Poblanos are roasting, start browning the turkey meat (you can also use ground beef, chicken, or chorizo).  While the turkey meat is cooking, chop 1/2 an onion and add to the meat. Once the meat has started to brown and onions get soft, go ahead and add your preferred spices.  I have listed the ones I like above.  Also, feel free to add some salt and pepper for taste. Once the meat is all cooked and all pink is gone, it should look like this:

At about the same time your meat is done, your peppers are probably done roasting!  Go ahead and pull them out of the oven.  Then, you want to change your oven settings to bake at 400 degrees. Put the peppers in a Ziploc bag (I had to use several small ones since I was out of my big gallon bags).  This will help the peppers to steam and make the skins much easier to remove!  Let these sit on the counter for about 10 mins, until mostly cooled.

While the peppers are cooling, go ahead and rinse the corn and black beans and add to the turkey:

Mix that around and your filling is pretty much ready!  In the meantime, you can make some chunky guacamole for a topping. Just combine the avocado, chopped onions, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro!  Feel free to add a little salt, pepper, and lime juice for extra flavor.

Once your peppers are mostly cool, pull out of the bags and peel off the skin.  Then, line au gratin pans like below.  You can also put into a small casserole dish if you don't have any small baking dishes like this.  It's much easier than trying to actually stuff the peppers, close with a toothpick, etc.

Then fill with the turkey mixture and top with cheese!

Pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is all melted and little golden on top:

Then, top with sour cream and guacamole!  Enjoy!!

This has quickly become one of my favorite meals - it's actually really light, but very satisfying at the same time!

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Veggies

You may have seen spaghetti squash all over Pinterest lately - I know I had never thought twice about the vegetable before people started posting it as a healthy alternative to pasta.  A couple months ago, I decided to buy one of these mysterious veggies at the grocery store.  Then, I googled how to cook it and threw together a little recipe that ended up being uber tasty and easier than expected!

So, here's the recipe I threw together and have made on pretty regular basis ever since.

Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash - one squash will feed two people easily, but I always cook two so that I have left overs!
Olive Oil
1/2 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, pressed or chopped
1 package of Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tomatoes on the vine, chopped
1 package / bushel of Spinach
2-3 cups of shredded Chicken (previously cooked)
1-2 Tbsp of Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan for topping
 (Feel free to use any veggies you have on hand! These are just the items I had around the kitchen.)

 To cook the squash and get the tastiest results, I prefer baking it in the oven.  But if you are pressed for time, microwaving works too. Here are directions for both methods that I've used:

Microwave
- Pierce the squash in several places with a knife
- Wrap in saran wrap
- Microwave for 10 mins turning the squash every few minutes
- Let squash cool, then cut in half lengthwise and deseed

Oven
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cut squash in half lengthwise
- Deseed and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Bake for 30-45 mins until squash is tender

Here is a photo after I baked some squash this past weekend:

 

Now, it's time to prepare all the 'fixins.' First, you want to heat up a few tbsps of olive oil in  rather large pan.  Then, go ahead and saute the chopped onions and garlic in the hot oil for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.

Next, go ahead and add the sliced mushrooms.  These will take about 5-8 minutes to caramelize.

While the mushrooms are cooking, this a good time to pull out the spaghetti squash (as long as it's cooled off!).  To pull the 'spaghetti' out, just use a fork and scrape it along the squash lenthwise.  You'll be suprised how easily it comes apart!  Then, just set it aside for later.

Once your mushrooms are cooked to your liking, then you can go ahead and add the tomatoes.

After the tomatoes have cooked for a minute or two, add the spinach.  Don't worry if it looks like a lot!  The spinach will wilt pretty fast into a quarter of it's original size.  At this point, you can also add a little salt and pepper to the mix.

 
Once the spinach is cooked, add in the shredded chicken.  I just used a rotisserie chicken from the market, and it works really well.  But you can also boil some chicken breast while you are baking the squash, as well!

Make sure the chicken is warmed up and mixed in well with all the 'fixins.' And then, add in the squash you've already shredded and set aside.

Heat up everything together for a few minutes.  Add a little more salt and pepper.  This is where I also add a little pad of butter, but you can also add more olive oil as a healther substitution.  Serve with a little grated cheese and fresh cracked pepper on top! Voila! Healthy and delicious meal!

Enjoy!

The Lou | Weekend Recap

This past weekend, we took a quick trip across the lovely state of Missouri to visit St. Louis.  This was my first time in this lovely metropolis, and I had a great time thanks to some wonderful recommendations!

Our first stop was, of course, the Gateway Arch!  We traveled all the way to the top and got a great view of the city - I had no idea this was possible before I started researching.  But beware, this little trip up to the top is not for the claustrophobic!  You travel by steel pod (with only 4 foot doors) using some sort of pulley system that is a mix between an elevator, escalator, and maybe a forklift.

Next, we hit up the Central West End area - this is an uppity little area with great food and shopping.  We had brunch at a little spot called Crepes Etc.  I didn't get any photos of our food because I was starving and forgot.  Oopsies!  But, believe you me, this place is delish!  I had a savory crepe filled with sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, goat cheese and topped with gravy. YUM.

Next, we joined the rest of Garrett's family to watch the National Cross Country Championships that his dad and brother were officiating.  Those were some fast people, y'all!  And one guy was running without shoes on in sub-20 degree weather (the wind chills were below zero)! You can probably tell how cold I am in the photos... I was doing my best to use my hubby as a wind blockade.

 

{btw, you can totally see my 'ombre' hair in this photo} 

Following the race, we did a little shopping on the Delmar Loop. Highly recommend!  Then, we headed to a place called The Scottish Arms for dinner.  This restaurant, as alluded to by the name, serves wonderful Scottish fare (think pork, lamb, haggis) and has a huge selection of Scotch. Oh, and all the waiters wear KILTS.  Pretty amazing.

Phew!  We fit a lot into one day!  But I'm glad we made the trip, and I look forward to going back... maybe sometime when it's warmer.

Hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's day!  I'm looking forward to dinner at home with the husbalicious!

Put a flower in your hair...

I was in lovely San Francisco all last week for work.  I definitely got to see many different parts of the city thanks to my local friends and coworkers who gave me rides everywhere!

The first night I was there, I poked around downtown Burlingame - my home base for the week.  I found this great shop with unique (but affordable) clothing called Therapy.  They have several locations, so you should check them out if you're in Cali.

The next night, I went to a Giants game. I made it a point to ride The Guzzler (a Coca-Cola slide usually reserved for children).  It was totally worth it!  They also had a Fist Pump Cam that I thought was pretty genius.  Everyone got really into it!  Please notice the brilliant graphic...

I had the wonderful chance to hang out in beautiful Sausalito!  We had the most delicious meal at Fish, a seafood restaurant right on the water dedicated to serving sustainable fish.  The crab roll was absolutely splendid.  It melted in my mouth... like butta'.

After spending the afternoon in Sausalito, I spent my evening in the Marina District.  There was some great shopping - including a whole Benefit store.  A WHOLE STORE of the stuff!!  If you know me, you know my love for Benetint (see here and here).  I stopped in and fell in love with their new lipstick shade for Fall called No Competition.  It's a nice berry color, but not toooo dark that it scares me.

After I finished my shopping, I met a dear old friend and her lovely family at a taco place in the area called Mamacita. It was wonderful!  I had the fish tacos (I couldn't get enough seafood on this trip), and my friend raved about her carne asada tacos.  Here's a cute pic her husband took of us outside the restaurant (notice all the shopping bags I'm holding. Oopsies!).

All in all, it was a fun trip!  It reminded me how much I love true urban life. Can't wait for the next time I'm back in this blissfully foggy metropolis - hopefully, I can bring the hubby along (he was super jealous of all the amazing asian food and seafood I was having).  There's just so much more to do and see!  Alcatraz, anyone?!  

Pinterest (ing)...

I'm recently obsessed with Pinterest.  It's such a great way to organize, save, and find great new links on the web.  I'm currently using it to log furniture finds for the new house we have a contract on (yay!) - more on that when it's all a done deal.  I also have a board full of recipes I want to try!

Here are a few things I've pinned....

Source: laylagrayce.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

Source: arhaus.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

Source: ezrapoundcake.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

Source: natalieskillercuisine.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

So, yeah. BIG FAN.  Follow my pins here!

Peeeeeeeeeeeeps!

With Easter almost here, I thought I'd share a fun way to eat an easter classic, the peep...S'MORES IT.



via Poppytalk

 If I were a peep, I think I would want to be shoved between chocolate and a graham cracker too...

Later, jellybeans!

Scouting KC : You Say Tomato

 
In the past week, Garrett and I have been to You Say Tomato THREE times.  That's right... we've gone to eat here three times in seven days. We visited YST for the first time, last weekend, as the result of a little internet research.  We quickly decided to become regulars after we discovered some delicious food and very welcoming, attentive service.

Now, on to what you really want to know about - what did we EAT?!  We both had the Breakfast Casserole, made with egg custard, sausage and mushrooms.  Oh, and guess what? It's topped with sausage gravy. I'll just let the photo do the talking....

With our casseroles, we ordered a side of Jalapeno Cheese Grits (only served on the weekends, fyi).  And yes, they were as amazing as they sound.  When we went back for breakfast during the week, we had a quiche that was absolutely divine and chock full of vegetables. I have a feeling you can't order a bad dish at this place.  Every item on the menu at this little unassuming cafe is homemade with local farm fresh ingredients.  And the pies!  Did I mention the pies?!  YST also carries a large assortment of homemade pies - we tasted the rhubarb and the peach-apricot.  Delish!  I can't get enough of this local joint....

White Turkey Chili

After seeing this post about healthy recipes by Ellie Krieger on Black Eiffel, I decided to try the White Turkey Chili last night.  Not only was it delish, it's good for you and your New Year's diet too.

So, here's how it went down...

First, the ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 medium poblano peppers (about 4 ounces each), seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste
• 1 pound ground white meat turkey
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannelini, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
• Salt
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges

To start, I heated the oil, onions, celery, and peppers in a large pot until the veggies softened.

Next, mix in the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper.  I just guestimated this part - just a few even shakes of each throughout with a little more cumin and a little less cayenne.

Then, add in the ground turkey meat.  Make sure to blend it all well as the turkey cooks until it's no longer pink.  It should look something like this...

Now, add the white beans (I used one can of navy beans and one can of cannelini for a little variety), broth, and oregano.  For the broth, I used chicken bouillon cubes, because I hate having left over broth that ends up just sitting in my fridge for a month.  Let this simmer, partially covered, for about 25 mins while stirring occasionally.

Next, add the hominy, salt (I added a little fresh ground pepper too), and cayenne to taste.  Let this simmer for another 10 minutes, partially covered.

Then, I served the chili with a spoonful of non-fat greek yogurt (you could probably use sour cream here if you wanted to be a little naughty) and cilantro, as the recipe suggested.  I also added a little bit of monterrey jack cheese for fun and flavor!

Scrumptious! And healthy to boot!