Bites of My Life

A pretty easy and fun week last week that led up to another weekend in Dallas. Started the weekend with #NationalMargaritaDay and a copious amount of tortilla chips (I have zero restraint). A beautiful day Saturday catching up with friends getting to meet our Lo’s baby girl. It’s wild being the age where your friends start having babies, but it’s incredibly fun too! Finished the weekend with the Oscars which in my opinion was one of the best in years. Having seen zero nominated movies, the show was entertaining and the pink moment was everything!

-My friends and I have officially started a book club and I can’t wait for our first meeting. We’ve been talking about it for forever, but finally committed to getting together monthly to discuss our chosen book. First up, the book of the moment, Educated. Anyone else in a book club?
-The makings of my one of my favorite Defined Dish meals!
-Fun morning with work getting to prep, cook and serve at the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance!
-Samoa Popcorn. It’s a thing. Figure out how, here.
-No story behind this picture except that his corner of my room was just looking cozy and cute.
-When you work in hospitality marketing and national food holidays lead you to taking vibey drink pictures and mentioning margaritas about 100 times in one day.
-It’s a crazy thing I tell you when your friends start having babies, but loved getting to meet sweet little Grace this weekend.
-A baby weekend kind of weekend apparently. Stole my little bestie for some on one aunt Annie and Elle time on Sunday.
-And the Oscar goes to… Samoa Popcorn of course!

Annie

Oscar bite: Pink for the win at the Oscars! My favorites were Gemma Chan and Julia Roberts!

Samoa Popcorn

Girl Scout cookies, you can’t, not, love them. My top three are Samoas, Thin Mints and Trefoils. Yours?

With it being peak Girl Scout cookie season, I wanted to repurpose the coveted cookies. I’m taking the flavors of Samoas, and actual Samoa pieces and turning it into a decorated popcorn recipe. With the Oscars this Sunday, it will be the perfect snack at my watch party!

My sister, Kathleen and our two best friends Jillian and Taylor get together for almost all award shows (and pageants), especially the Oscars. I never do as well as I set out to, when it comes to actually seeing Oscar nominated movies, but you can bet I’ll be in front of the TV Sunday evening filling out my ballot and snacking on all the appropriate snacks. Exhibit A, this Samoa Popcorn.

Are you watching the Oscars this Sunday? Hit up your local scout before the big show, so you too, can make this popcorn for your viewing and tastebud pleasure!

Samoa Popcorn
yields 6-8 cups

Ingredients:
6-8 cups air popped popcorn (I used 1/2 cup kernels and 1 tbsp. coconut oil, prepared in my Lekue popcorn maker)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips*
2 tsps. coconut oil
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
5 Samoas, roughly chopped

Directions:
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Pop your popcorn and evenly distribute on your prepared cookie sheet.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt your semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tsp. of coconut oil in 30 second intervals. Stirring well between each interval to keep the chips from burning. Once melted, set aside. I did 30 seconds, another 30 seconds and then about 10 seconds at the end. In another microwave safe bowl, do the same with the butterscotch chips and 1 tsp. of coconut oil, then set aside.

Toast your coconut in a small sauté pan, over medium heat. Stirring often, until light brown. Don’t take your eyes off of it, this happens fast. Once light brown, take off the heat and set aside.

Now it’s time to put it all together. Using a small spatula or spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the popcorn. Repeat with the melted butterscotch. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the popcorn. Finish by evenly distributing the Samoa cookie pieces. Let sit until the chocolate is hardened, about an hour. Break up the big chunks of popcorn and serve!

*you can use melted caramel instead of butterscotch chips, but I just really love butterscotch and prefer the way it hardens on the popcorn.

Annie

My Oscar Ballot is from Studio DIY!

Bites of My Life

News and noteworthy moments from this past week. My company moved office spaces, I ate a lot of quinoa again and pretended like it was Annie's diet circa 2015, RIP my daily entertainment, The Morning Breath (I can't and I shant), I completed my third book this year (I haven't read more than 3 books in the past 3 years), all of my best friends were together this weekend and I hit a personal best in Cyclebar despite being exhausted and thinking I was just going to "take it slow."

-Week 3 of Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living means included the 7-day cleanse into my daily routine. I'll be honest, I'm not sold on the program yet (yes-yikes) but I still have a week left and will give more details as I have them.
-New views coming soon for The Social Order Dining Collective.
-A riff on last week's meal post, twisted with a greek spin! Lite bite recipe post is now up!
-Whole Foods lunch with my Lex girl, too much girl talk, not enough time. 
-Book 3 of 2018 done! Second time reading this amazing book by Shauna Niequist and it's still just as great. I'm currently using it as a guide for a bible study I'm in and I love discussing it in a group setting to compare other perspectives and opinions on Shauna's writing. 
-First Friday with the best happy hour partners.
-Brandless is one of my favorite new discoveries. Everything on their site is only $3, often organic and fair trade. For every purchase made they donate a meal to Feeding America. I got to partner with them for 3.3 day and just placed another order for dish soap, parchment paper, popcorn and agave. All $3 each. 
-@moprivy and I back under one roof where we belong. MISS YOU!
-The cutest spread and shower for #KatieFoundHerMattch. I loved offering my house for the morning, gave me a major bug to host more upcoming events.
-All my gals together two weekends in a row!!
-Mom and I love popping into open houses together. Sunday's house was particularly eye catching. 
-"No one legitimately eats rice cakes," says my best Margaret. Ughhhh I love rice cakes TBH. And I love hours of Oscar Red Carpet footage.

Annie 

Bites of My Life

And Best Picture goes to...I'm still confused. Anyone else deja vu-ing to Miss Universe 2015? Congrats Moonlight, but I'm still #teamLaLaLand. I'm honestly only team La La because it's the only Oscar nom I saw...oops. Shout out to Emma Stone, Bri Larson and Michelle Williams for best dressed in my book. Now time for sleep since these Oscars kept me up way passed my bedtime. 

-Matcha Mint Smoothie oh how I love you so much. Ultimate post yoga remedy.
-The most adorable cheese board from the most adorable friend.
-Food and drink photo shoots for our new concept were on the work agenda last week. Keep up to date with The Jones Assembly here.
-Give me all the nuts (sans peanuts) and I'm a happy girl. The new mixed nut butter from TJ's is everything it should be.
-Photo shoots are so pretty and taste even better when you work in the restaurant industry.
-These kids are having a girl! Cheers to s'more girls!! #AuntieAnne is in full prep!
-I've been all about the acai bowls these days. My recipe is something like 1/2 acai packet, mixed frozen berries, 1/2 banana and a handful of frozen cauliflower. Yup that's right. Steam it then freeze it. Makes your smoothies or smoothie bowls extra thick and doesn't change the taste.
-Had a massive craving for Chae, luckily my family did too. Seriously good Korean comfort food, for those who haven't been.
-Spaghetti squash with sautéed mushrooms, tons of parsley and green onions. Dinner everyday last week and by the looks of it will be dinner this week too. 
-My main side chick. 
-A little late night pancakes never hurt anyone, or did it?...
-Lemon Cayenne Popcorn for Oscars viewing. Not pictured: charcuterie, crudite and hummus, artichoke dip, and churro puppy chow. There were four of us. 

Annie

What I'm Listening To...

Have you seen La La Land yet? It was just released in theaters nationwide on Christmas, but I urge you to get out and see it asap. It's already won arwards, predicted to win more and got 94% on rotten tomatoes, so that can help sway you too.

It's different from a typical movie, but it works. The story follows to California dreamers Mia and Sebastian as they strive to live out their goals, falling in love in the mean time. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling (heart eyes) are amazing. There is a lot of singing and dancing, but if you aren't into that don't let it scare you. If you are into that, run to the nearest theater. Since seeing it I can't get the songs and tunes out of my head. Especially John Legend's Start A Fire. On. Re. Peat.

Annie