Bites of My Life

Friends with babies and friends getting married, this weekend had me feeling way to young for all of that. It also made me realize I am totally fine with feeling young. I'm at that perfect middle ground stage where I have just enough responsibility to feel mature, but not enough where I can still lay in bed till noon and not feel bad about it. After catching up with sweet friends this weekend, and getting to gush about life after graduating, I was repeatedly reminded how much I love it.

-When your past and present job come together, insert clapping hands emoji.
-Return of one of my favorite breakfasts, savory oatmeal with a poached egg and hot sauce.
-I didn't plan it, but I think Thursday's popcorn and wine filled Shonda Rimes watch party, crosses #5 off the TDL!
-Oh lordy, Kathleen made this cashew cream and it's pretty much the most amazing thing I've had in a while. She made it as a dip for fruit, but saved me a little jar for snacking. The jar was way to small because I finished it off before I even got home from her house, did I mention she lives right around the corner from me? This is your push to make more Kat!
-Friday morning with me, myself and I. My local Whole Foods is offering $0.25 oatmeal through the 27th and you can bet I'm going to take them up on this deal a few too many times. 
-The perks of being obsessed with food results in friends dropping off grocery sized bags of farm grown green tomatoes for you. These are being turned into tonight's dinner!
-White chicken chili packaged up for an easy dinner for my favorite new momma.
-Dropping off dinner meant a chance to finally meet baby Juniper!
-A big bite shoutout to these two!

Annie

Fall TDL

New season, new TDL. I had a more than perfect summer, but I wasn't very accomplishing at checking things off my summer to-do list. Fall is always bit more productive, so I have high hopes of checking everything off this season's TDL. I'm printing it off and putting a copy where I can see it. Everything on the list are things I really want to do. Some I've wanted to do for a while, some that go with the season and some that have carried over from summer. Ready, set, lets do things!

1. Make unconventional pumpkin recipes. Like thisthisthis and this.

2. Have a fall themed cookout outside by the chiminea. S'mores and hot chocolate must be included. 

3. Rent bikes and ride around town. We have this little bike rental program in OKC and I have yet to take advantage of it! ( I stole this from my summer TDL because I still haven't made it happen).

4. Make at least three cookbook recipes.

5. Have a full-fledge Thursday night Scandal watch party. Lots of popcorn and lots of red wine. 

6. Finish a book. I've been reading the same book since February...

7. Plan a friendsgiving!

8. Take a day trip to Tulsa. A city just an hour and a half a way with tons of hidden gems.

tulsa.jpg

9. Take a food photography class. 
Brit+Co has one for $20! (I also stole this one from my Summer TDL because it needs to happen).

10. Cozy up in a cabin for a weekend. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

A perfect little short week followed up by a perfect big fun weekend. Just had a few days of work to get through last week before I was Dallas bound for the annual Red River Shootout. A special visit from a friend, a sushi making class and Hello Fresh meals to cook made the week skip along quite quickly. 

Woke up at the crack of dawn to head south Friday morning. Got our shopping out of the way early before it was a full fledge best friend reunion. I was skeptical of how my first post-grad OU/Texas weekend would go, but it was easily one of the best. It's now a built in weekend every year where all of my friends will be in the same place at the same time. It even meant a reunion with my sweet Molly! Her team may have won, but we aren't letting our schools get in the way of things. It was a year too long since our last meet up, and we are not letting that happen again. Molls says she is coming to OKC and I am telling all of you to help hold her accountable. 

My Sooners may have lost, but the weekend was an overall win. Until next time Texas, you always show me a good time.

-A much deserved visit from a best friend called for a delicious new salad recipe. Recipe can be found in my Recipe Dump post.
-Quitting my day job and become a sushi chef. Finally got to mark "learn how to make sushi" off my cooking bucket list.
-Hello Fresh arrived on our doorstep again this week. The cumin spiced chicken with zucchini pearl couscous was my favorite from the box!
-Scurried through the week to speed down to Dallas for OU/Texas weekend. First stop Nordstrom for lunch and new shoes.
-Get us all back together and it's guaranteed good time. 
-Highlight of the weekend. Hi Molls!!! We may be rivals, but blogger besties comes first.
-Fletcher's we meet again. #teammustard
-Recovered from the Sooners loss and a long day at the fair with copious amounts of Torchy's Tacos queso.
-Couldn't make a trip to Texas without a stop to Trader Joe's. Pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds, pumpkin cornbread mix, pumpkin soup and pumpkin body butter filled my basket.
-Last stop before Oklahoma was for an Eatzi's breakfast.
-Another batch of carrot ginger dressing whipped up for a friend who is obsessed as I am. 
-Finished off a great weekend with a Mexican style quinoa homemade from our last Hello Fresh package. 

Annie

Recipe Dump

Today I'm dumping five new recipes on you guys. Yes, five recipes, in one post. I love to come home after work and unwind by getting dinner together then plopping down on the couch to watch Scandal or Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives #guiltypleasures.

I've been cooking up some good stuff, but nothing that has quite formulated itself into a recipe post. Today is sort of a cheated recipe post. I'm sharing some great meals, but all recipes I've grabbed from other food bloggers of just thrown together. If you follow me on Instagram you'll recognize these meals. From shrimp stir fry to oatmeal, the gangs all here. Scroll through for five recipes, with links, notes and how-to's, to get a few great meal ideas!

Harvest Produce Salad with Sriracha Cider Dressing recipe via Love and Lemons

Changes I made: I did not roast the apple. These seemed strange to me and I like the crisp crunch of a fresh apple. I also used frozen corn and just roasted it on the same pan as the tomatoes and potatoes for the last 10 minutes. Instead of chipotle paste I used sriracha. I also used blue cheese instead of feta. 

Middle Eastern Chicken recipe via Camille Styles

Changes I made: I used fresh mint in the marinade instead of dried. I did not skewer the chicken, I cut it into small pieces and then grilled it. I added some cherry tomatoes to the dish by roasting with olive oil, salt and pepper at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I also made white basmati rice and added turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and a little butter to serve the chicken and tomatoes on. Lastly, I topped the whole thing with a little garlic yogurt and lemon sauce I made and more fresh mint!

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry recipe via  Damn Delicious

Changes I made: I used tamari instead of soy sauce and didn't add oyster sauce, only because I didn't have any. I also almost ate the whole pan in one sitting, the recipe didn't say to do that...

Pumpkin Oatmeal recipe via Purely Elizabeth

Changes I made: I used water instead of milk and added in some nutmeg as well!

Acai Bowl recipe via me

Ingredients:
1  Sambazon frozen acai pack (Oklahomies you can find these at Sprouts)
1/2 cup frozen berries
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 to 1 cup almond milk or coconut water
toppings - granola, more fruit, cocoa nibs, coconut, gogi berries, hemp seeds etc.

Directions:
Starting with a half cup of liquid, blend everything in a blender. Add more liquid if needed but you want it to be thick! Pour into a bowl and load on the toppings. Extra granola recommended. 

Molly said it best yesterday when she described this stage of life as a wonderful whirlwind. Their are new adventures, new challenges and new ways to manage time. Just because I don't have the same amount of time to put together a legit recipe post doesn't mean I can't share some wonderful bites from this wonderful whirlwind!

Annie

The Restaurant Style Ginger Dressing Everyone Loves

I love going out to get sushi, but my favorite part is that lick-the-plate-good carrot ginger dressing most Japanese restaurants serve on their house salads. Back at the beginning of the summer my roommates and I went out for sushi and we got to talking how much we loved the dressing. At this point I knew I had recreate it. Last Friday we went out for sushi again. Not my best example of manners, but I couldn't stop dipping my chopsticks in the little dish of dressing. I even saved a little to dip my sushi in. 

I'd done some research on recipes a while ago and tt was time to finally whip up my own. Lot's of fresh ginger and some carrots processed together with asian oils and seasonings and you get carrot ginger dressing just like your favorite Japanese restaurant! I added some ground ginger as well to give it a little more ginger kick. I could eat this by the spoonful. I sort of did while I was making it...

Japanese Style Ginger Dressing adapted from Pure Wow
yields 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. chopped shallot
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt

Directions:
In a food processor, process the carrots, fresh ginger and shallot until finely grated. Add in the ground ginger, oil, rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, sugar and salt. Process all ingredients until everything is incorporated. Then taste test, the best part! I needed a little more soy sauce, but it's up to your taste buds. Add more if needed and combine until it tastes perfect. Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge. Dressing will stay fresh for one week.

Perfect dressed up over some fresh greens, edamame, tomatoes, red onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Restaurant style at home yo!

Annie