Bites of My Life

I'll be honest, I'm putting together this post as fast as I can so I can get my eyes off the computer. It's currently Sunday night, I'm laying on my couch with my computer on my stomach, the Emmy's in the background and a raging migraine in my head. This little sucker arrived around lunchtime and has yet to leave. What a way to end a week. 

On the brighter side, it was a great week. Two new restaurants crossed off my list, a little birthday celebration for my Lindz, and lots of feelings of fall. Not pictured is the incredible new yoga classes I got to try, a softball win for the work crew and the much needed rainy Sunday we had.

-Just one part of our amazing meal at OKC's newest spot.

-Everything A Good Egg Dining touches is gold.

-Late night appetizer dinner.

-Latte a day keeps the doctor away.

-I really wish I wasn't that person, but I am.

-Checked another new spot off my list. Must try the cubans from Cafe Condesa.

-No monkeying around. Tucking this recipe away to save for another day.

-Breakfast tailgates FTW.

-Sunday supper in front of the TV to wind down before a new week.

Annie

Fig and Tomato Orzo Salad

Hi! Say hello to my lunch I've had all week! Spach the Spatula's Instagram of this fig and tomato orzo salad popped up on my feed a few weeks ago and I was sold. Rachel is fueling my fig frenzy and totally on the same page about this fab fall fruit. This fig quesadilla, nutty fig smoothie, like OMG.

I made a big bowl of this salad Sunday and have been enjoying it all week in my lunch. Such a good change of pace from my lamo spinach salads.  Components include fresh figs, tomatoes, goat cheese, basil and a balsamic reduction poured all over it. Rachel used blue cheese instead of goat cheese which I'm kicking myself for because I am so pro-blue cheese I just read the recipe wrong. The goat cheese was great it sort of melts over the warm pasta, but next time it's blue cheese for sure! I also used basil for my herb because I'm pretty proud of  baby basil plant in my backyard. I try and sneak it into whatever I can.

Fig and Tomato Orzo Salad

Adapted from Spache the Spatula

 

Ingredients:

1 cup dry orzo pasta

2 Tbsp. good-quality olive oil

1 cup halved cherry or plum tomatoes

1 cup quartered black mission figs

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or goat if you don't like blue)

2 Tbsp. fresh basil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to your package directions. Drain and put into a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil.

Over medium heat reduce your balsamic vinegar by about half to create the glaze.

Add in the tomatoes, figs, cheese, and basil to the orzo, and toss to combine. Season, to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with the balsamic glaze.

 

 

Makes a great lunch, perfect side dish or for a bite here and then straight from the bowl in the fridge... Take a bite amiright? Oh also good heated up a bit, just a tip.

Annie

 

Bites of My Life

From the looks of it I took a few too many bites last week. Reality is my food was just really pretty. I was scrolling through my camera roll for today's bites post and it was food, only food. Except for one puppy visitor we had at work last week!

I got bit by the fall bug this weekend. With our glimpse of cooler temps, I was immediately off to the store to by fall flowers for my porch and pumpkin puree for new recipes. I'll admit that I even went all basic white girl and got a PSL on Saturday. Let's just accept it and move on. Fall is here and I'm crushing on this season change. 

-Tried recreating my pitaya bowl I had in Newport. Not bad but needs some tweaking before I share the recipe.

-Unveiled my secret signature sugar cookie recipe last week. This recipe is so special to me and y'all are just special enough for it to be shared with!

-Tricky Tuesday! I disguised my morning green smoothie as a chocolate shake with spinach, almond butter, coconut water, strawberries, bananas and cocoa powder.

-Has anyone tried Hello Fresh? If not I highly recommend it! We tried out the 3-box meal for 2 people and fell in love. First night we made the Spice Rubbed Chicken with roasted figs and onions over basmati rice and green beans. 

-Night two was surprisingly our favorite. An interesting mix of freekah, brussels and crisp apples. 

-Our last night was seared salmon over farro and roasted beets, topped with a horseradish beet dill salsa. Each night we looked forward to putting together our meal. We felt like we were playing a game, putting together the puzzle pieces to create each recipe. 

-With one of my co-workers fostering puppies, we get occasional visits from his baby furry friends. Say hello to Winston Carlise!

-On a soft boiled egg grind after my breakfast at Zinc in Newport. 

-Tried creating my own pumpkin zucchini bread recipe. Tried to make it a little too healthy and it failed. It looked really pretty but more recipe testing is in my future.

-Fresh vine ripe tomatoes and figs are the star ingredients of a new lunch recipe coming up this week.

-Recreated another Newport recipe for dinner Sunday night. Panko crusted fish tacos inspired by Bear Flag Fish Co.

-And because every week should end on a sweet note, a little froyo acted as the cherry on top. We felt a little better about it knowing our dessert was benefiting No Kid Hungry with Orange Leaf's limited edition cups!

Annie

Mark Your Calendars

Target - known as the place where you go in for a pack of paper towels and few groceries and leave with a new sweater, workout leggings, front door mat, coffee mug and the new seasonal flavor of Chobani. Essentially a death trap for your wallet. Well Target is about to put a another dent in your wallet with there new designer collection. This is just a fair warning. 

Most images via Refinery 29

Designer Adam Lippes was chosen for Target's next designer collection. Lippes got his start at Polo Ralph Lauren, then Oscar de la Renta, before starting his own collection ADAM + EVE in 2004, now known as ADAM. They challenged Lippes to create a whole collection using only buffalo check plaid. From Stacy's Pita Chip to ponchos and jogger pants, Target is about to be covered in plaid. The collection debuts in stores everywhere September 27th. 

My sights are set on the oversized sweaters and home goods. You can bet I'll be in line bright an early to storm the store. I was there at 7 AM for the Missoni and Phillip Lim collections and I'll be there for Lippes too. (Please look back at those Missoni and Phillip Lim links to see how embarrassing Kathleen and I are). 

Target hit the "bullseye" with this one, "check" it out. Okay that was one two many puns in one sentence. But really, you can view the whole collection here. Oh and p.s. Adam Lippes is pretty nice on the eyes, you can check him out here.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Why is it that it takes forever to make it to a long weekend then they just end so quick? Coming out of Cali vacation mode and chugging through the days to make it to the weekend, it felt like a relatively long week. Madewell and H&M's opening helped a bit. Both made their debut in Oklahoma this past week. We are slowly gaining more street cred.

By the time the weekend rolled around it was go time. Football is back, my friends were back in town and all was right in the world again. Spent the rest of the weekend grilling, swimming and wearing as much white as possible before we have to wave goodbye to summer. You were a great one summer 2k15, you're welcome back anytime.

-So in love with my egg cup breakfast from Zinc, I picked up a couple for myself before we left Newport. First meal back was breakfast for dinner to use them up. 

-Madewell finally came to Oklahoma and the grand opening was a mad house. I'm thrilled it's here but my wallet is about to suffer.

-New recipe post for my perfect overnight oats.

-Gameday ready with spirited sugar cookies!

-Best part of college football starting back up is having an excuse to reunite with sweet sweet friends.

-Midway's sandwiches = one of the things I miss most about Norman.

-I've been dying to try Half Baked Harvest's bourbon peach bbq baked beans since she posted them. They are AMAZE. Paired with skirt steak and chimichurri (by dad) and a fig and walnut salad, Sunday dinner was a home run. Mom's caramel cake was the sweet finish. 

-Somehow my Sundays always end up looking like this after weekends of indulgences...

-Lovely end to the long weekend with leftover baked beans and grilled salmon.

Annie