Best of 2009 - Day 1 through 7

I love blogs. I generally start my morning by reading recent posts on the blogs I follow. (Good way to waste work hours.) Today, while reading my childhood friend Elizabeth's blog, I decided to steal an idea that she stole from someone else, who stole it from someone else... The idea is called the Best of 2009. There is a list of blog topics for each day of December where you recall your "best" in each category with a simple entry, a photo or both. I'm a little behind but decided to play catchup and get on board. I feel like this time of year goes by so quickly and often look back wishing I had taken time to relax and enjoy. What better way to do that than by remembering my favorite moments over the past year.

December 1 - Best Trip of 2009: Point Reyes National Seashore, California.

On the hike to the lighthouse at Point Reyes

Hiking to Drakes Beach and Elk Reserve

Brent and I are blessed in so many different areas and one that I cherish is being able to take some pretty awesome vacations. This year we decided on Napa Valley, CA. We were only going to be in Napa for 5 days and needed entertainment for the rest of the trip. We decided to spend the first two days in Point Reyes, CA. Point Reyes is a tiny town (population 350) about an hour outside of San Fran. I was really excited about going to Napa but ended up loving the time in Point Reyes so much more! We rented a small cottage off the beach area which also happened to be surrounded by pasture land. We spent our days hiking the Point Reyes National Seashore where we saw sea lions, elk and numerous birds and sitting on the shores of rocky beaches just enjoying the peace of it all. We spent our nights hanging out in the hot tub, playing scrabble in front of the fire and drinking wine. We could hear the farm animals and the sound of the water all at once.

December 2 - Best Restaurant Moment 2009.

This one is easy! Without question, The Woodlands, Summerville, South Carolina.

The Woodlands is home to South Carolina's only five star, five diamond restaurant. The culinary staff creates a new menu every day using fresh, local ingredients. Brent and I went with his parents in July and enjoyed the best culinary experience thus far!

December 3 - Best Article of 2009

My husband stumbled on lunatic farmer and author Joel Salatin this year. I too became hooked. The article Natural Patterns of Farming is just a tiny snippit of Mr. Salatin. I highly recommend his books.

December 4 - Best Book of 2009

I haven't read as many books this year as I normally do. I don't really have a valid excuse other than I chose to do other things. I feel a New Year's Resolution coming on. My favorite book of this year is The Shack. You can read my blog on it here.

December 5 - Best Night(s) Out 2009

I couldn't pick just one! Two nights come to mind. The first, Brent and I went to the Georgia Tech v. Virginia Tech football game and the Jackets pulled off a win that no one thought would happen which resulted in the goal post coming down. The second, the U2 concert held at the Georgia Dome. U2 never disappoints with a show and this year was no exception.

At the GT v. VT game

December 6 - Best Workshop or Conference 2009

I don't attend seminars in my line of work mainly because when you've been to one, you've been to them all. That's all I have for that topic.

December 7 - Blog of the Year 2009

As I said, I read lots of blogs. This year I stumbled on Design Mom and instantly fell in love. Check her out!

Brought to you by the letter "P"

Big P, little p, what begings with P? Pet Peeve.

All of you know that I have plenty of pet peeves. I could write a book on the things that annoy me. (Don't worry, I'll spare you.) This time of year brings about a pet peeve near and dear to my heart. The horror begins on Thanksgiving and lasts until Christmas Eve...

SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGERS!

I know these precious people are donating their time to do good for others. I just wish it didn't involve a bell. Seriously, their incessant noise pollution has got to stop!

Happy Christmas and Merry Holidays!

~The Grinch

29 Years, 364 Days and a Decade of Memories

There was a time I thought 30 was old. On the eve of leaving my 20's behind, I’ve come to realize that either I was wrong or I am officially turning OLD tomorrow. I think I’ll go with being wrong.

It's a cliché often cited that "I don't know where the time has gone," or "It feels like just yesterday that I was 20." A part of me feels this is true and I find myself being incredibly nostalgic (and a little sad). I made memories in my 20's that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I was fortunate to find a handsome, caring, and amazing man who became my husband. (He also happens to be the smartest person I know.) I love how he inspires me to be better in every facet of my life. I am so blessed to have found him and appreciate all that he is, with all that I am. I learned to accept myself for the person God made me and in my 30's I hope to be a little more like Jesus.

Still, life stands still for no one, and trillions of people have successfully and gracefully turned 30 before me. So "ever forward," as they say. No regrets about my 20's, I’ve had a darn good life and can’t wait to see what 30 holds!

So Dear 20's, I leave you with my favorite quote and a few snapshots of my favorite moments over the last decade:

My first trip out of the U.S. to London

The love of my life, Brent

The day we brought Anders home

Our first trip to N.Y. (engagement ring shopping)

Back across the pond with Brent.

Engaged! - Sept. 29, 2006

Married! November 3, 2007

I gained the best in-laws anyone could hope for!

Honeymooning in Milan

Honeymooning in Florence

The Roman Coliseum

Honeymooning - The Trevi Fountain in Rome

Honeymooning in Venice

Surprising my sister with a trip to NY for her 21st birthday!

Cheering on the Jackets

Game Night and building lifelong memories with my siblings

Sharing good food and wine with those I love.

"I want to keep my soul fertile for the changes, so things keep getting born in me, so things keep dying when it is time for things to die. I want to keep walking away from the person I was a moment ago, because a mind was made to figure things out, not to read the same page recurrently." ~Donald Miller

Here's to 30 being the new black!

Caprese Insalta Arrosto

Mmm...just the thought of this dish makes my mouth water! I love a traditional caprese salad but rarely are the tomatoes at peak perfection for the dish. Who wants to eat bland, mealy tomoatoes? Not me! One day while watching the FoodNetwork, which is on at least 365 days a year in my house, I saw Ina Garten (the queen of cuisine) make a roasted version of the old Italian classic. So the next day, I made it too. Such a simple and elegant dish that is perfect as a side to deliciously roasted meat (chicken, lamb, pork) or as an appetizer served with peppery crackers and wine.

Ingredients:

12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds (not cores) removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tspKosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling.
16 ounces fresh salted mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Method:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Arrange the tomatoes on a large sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 2 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.

Cut the mozzarella into slices slightly less than 1/2-inch thick. If the slices of mozzarella are larger than the tomatoes, cut the mozzarella slices in half. Layer the tomatoes alternately with the mozzarella on a platter and scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve at room temperature.

Mangia!

Turkey Day Tonight

Cooked Meatballs

Decadent Pan Sauce


Voila!

Thanksgiving is my favortie holiday. It not only marks the beginning of the Christmas season but it's also a day filled with wonderful food that I generally don't eat the rest of the year. I once again found myself with an abundance of ground turkey as it was on sale. In an effort to keep it interesting in the kitchen, I decided to make turkey pasta with all the great flavors of Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small Spanish onion, diced
1 T Herbs de Provence
1 egg
1 package cremini mushrooms
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp ground thyme
2 T unsalted butter
2 to 3 T all purpose flour
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I so cannot pronounce that word)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 chopped, flat leaf parsley (for garnish)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling/cooking
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Bring water for pasta to a boil and set aside but keep warm.

Place ground turkey in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add celery, onion, apple, herbs de provence, lemon juice, bread crumbs and egg and mix until combined. Don't over mix or you'll have dry meatballs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form meat mixture into meatballs using your hands and place on parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and cook in a 425 degree, preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes. You want them firm and browned.

Add salt to the pasta water and drop the pasta. Cook according to package directions and drain when done.

In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium/high heat. Add mushrooms and thyme and cook until tender. Season with salt & pepper. Move mushrooms to the side of the pan creating a small circle in the middle. Add butter into center and whisk in flour to melted butter. Cook for about 1 minute and slowly whisk in stock until there are no lumps. Add the Wocestershire sauce. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens.

Toss the pasta with sauce & cheese. Serve with meatballs on top and fresh parsley.

Bon Appetit!

Is My Blog Burning?

No, its just the BBQ.

One of my favorite, go-to summer recipes is my White BBQ Chicken. This dish is not for those who can't take the heat but it does require you to get out of the kitchen!

Ingredients:

Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Sauce:
1/2 cup light mayo
1/3 cup vinegar
1 T fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Zest of one lemon and 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

Method:

Combine salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chile powder and cayenne pepper. Trim chicken of visible fat, place on a clean, dry surface and pat dry. Rub all sides of the chicken breast with the spice mixture, cover with plasitc wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let the rub sit on the chicken for at least 4 hours. I usually put the rub on the night before I plan on serving it.

Preheat grill on high. Place chicken on grill and turn temperature down to medium and cook approximately 4 minutes per side (this varies depending on the grill and size of the chicken breast).

While the chicken cooks prepare the sauce. Whisk together the mayo, white vinegar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and sauce. Finish the chicken on the grill by brushing both sides with the sauce. Remove chicken from grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Place on platter and drizzle with white bbq sauce.

Happy Grilling!

Pefectly Portioned Pizza

I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I have a husband that not only listens when I ramble but also remembers what I say. Eat your heart out ladies! So, I mention to Brent that I need marinated artichoke hearts for a new recipe I had written and planned to try out in a few weeks. My mention of needing artichokes did not fall on deaf ears. The very next day, I had a jar of marinated artichokes so big (thank you Costco) I could have cooked my way through The California Artichoke Cookbook.

Due to my bounty of artichokes despite making a new artichoke chicken recipe and many, many Greek salads, I figured I had better come up with another use for them. I HATE waste! I looked around the kitchen and spotted garlic, mushrooms and basil. I also had some lemon aioli chicken I had grilled the night before to toss on a salad. Hmmm... Then I saw the Flat Out wraps. Aha, I will make pizza! The pizza turned out delish and will definitely be making another debut in my kitchen. The recipe is as follows (to the best of my memory, I was just winging it):

Ingredients

2 light Italian Herb Flatout wraps

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup Italian blend cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 T unsalted butter

3 T flour

1/2 C half-n-half

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, diced

6 oz shredded chicken

2 cups marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place wraps on a baking sheet and ligthly brush with extra virgin olive oil. Place in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp.

Heat 2T olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions, garlic, artichokes and mushrooms for 10 minutes or until tender. Move all ingredients in the pan to the outside creating an open circle in the middle. Place butter in the center and stir until it melts, whisk in flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly add in half-n-half, keep whisking. Mix all ingredients in the pan together. Stir in salt and pepper. The mixture will thicken as it sits. Note - you can add chicken stock if the sauce becomes too thick.

Place 1/2 sauce mixture on each Flatout wrap. Top with shredded chicken and cheese. Place back in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly-browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with julienned basil. Serve with wine.

These could also be made just as easily on the grill!

Bon Appetit!