Soul Food Sunday

I've taken on a rather intolerable commute to the office recently and it is really kicking my butt.  I know good, hardworking folks do it every single day and this is going to make me sound terribly spoiled, but I've never worked more than 15 minutes from my home.  Depending on traffic, it can take up to an hour and forty five minutes to get home some days and it's been a trial and error situation to figure out the best times to leave.  Adding ridiculously expensive tolls and gas for my guzzler, it's been an all around mess to say the least.  The drive affects many things, but mostly my ability to get to the gym, and to eat at a decent hour.

I love to cook.  It's therapeutic for me and extremely gratifying.  I'm used to having enough time after the gym to prepare a fresh, delicious meal, that is for the most part healthy.  While trying to figure out this commute, I was so exhausted that I wasn't making it to the gym as often as I wanted to, and I was just stopping to grab something on the way home.  Waste of money and simply not good for me.  I just didn't feel good.

Last week I decided to take control of the food situation.  I made two crockpot recipes that were delicious and  gave me enough for leftovers and freezing.  I made a huge pot of quinoa and veggies that has proved to be a new staple.  The ultimate discovery, though, was these Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.  Holy sh*t.  These are freakin' phenomenal.  I have to credit Pinch of Yum via Pinterest for the original recipe, although I doctored it a little bit. My secret ingredient is salsa verde instead of chilies. I made a big batch of them last night at a friend's house for dinner and they were a huge hit, then I took the left overs to my bestie's house this afternoon.  To tell you the truth, I didn't even care for sweet potatoes until now, but this has drastically changed my mind.  I'll be making these on a weekly basis from here on out.

Do y'all have any good week day recipes??

Find the recipe here!

xoxo,

sarah

Shrimp Ceviche

For today's Sunday Dinner I whipped up a quick and refreshing shrimp ceviche.  The colors of the ingredients create an impressive presentation and the simple recipe makes this dish perfect for an intimate gathering or a large group.

Shrimp Ceviche

2 pounds peeled, cooked shrimp

4 small avocados

1 mango

1/2 red onion

1 tomato

1/2 cucumber

1 bunch of cilantro

4 limes

1 lemon

dice all vegetables, cut cilantro as small as possible and combine with shrimp in mixing bowl.  squeeze lemon and limes into mixture.  chill for 30 minutes.  serve in martini glasses.

xoxo,

sarah

Comfort

It looks like the winter weather affecting the rest of the country has finally arrived here at White Owl Drive and I couldn't be more thrilled.  I LOVE SNOW!  I think it's beautiful and magical and I love the way it looks dusting everything outdoors. Definitely one of my life's little pleasures.

After the hound and I ran around in the back yard for a few minutes, we came back in to make lunch.  Cold weather always puts me in the mood to cook and today was the perfect day for homemade Chicken and Rice Soup.  I'm not one to toot my own horn, but damn! was it delicious.  I've included the recipe below in case you get a hankerin'...

Sarah's Easy Chicken & Rice Soup

Ingredients
1 can organic chicken broth
1 family size can of Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups skim milk
2 cups water
3 cooked, shredded chicken breasts
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 bag carrot chips
1 small can mushrooms
2 packages of instant wild rice or whole grain rice
2 tablespoons ground pepper
1 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon low sodium Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Directions
Combine everything above in a large pot, boil on medium for 25 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 35 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

I'm full, the kitchen is clean, and I'm settled in on the couch.  Hope you enjoy your Sunday :)

xoxo,

sarah

The Best Damn Coleslaw Period

Now, I'm a southern gal, tried and true, so the only coleslaw I've ever known is cold and creamy, packed with full fat flavored mayonnaise and sugar.  I won't lie, I love it, but I am extremely picky and generally will only eat it if it's made by my grandmother.  I was a little timid in trying this new fangled coleslaw, which is vinegar based, no mayo, and made with Splenda, but once I started, I couldn't stop. I thought I'd share the recipe!

Paulie's Chinese Coleslaw

1 package of tricolor coleslaw mix
1 package of slivered almonds
1 package of Chicken Flavored Ramen Noodles
3 green onions, sliced
3 packets of Splenda
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp of pepper

Crush the Ramen Noodles before you open the package as much as you can.

In a large mixing bowl or tupperware, combine coleslaw mix, almonds, green onions, and the Ramen (noodles only, not the mix).  In a seperate small bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, Splenda, pepper, and the chicken flavor from the Ramen package, and whisk.  Pour over the coleslaw mix and stir.  Chill for 20 minutes.  Yes, the noodles will soften :)  This was my first question, too!

Sorry for the craptastic Blackberry phone pic.

Yum in the tum folks!  You can add chicken, shrimp, fish, just about anything you like. 
xoxo-
sarah

Happy Birthday to Me!

In honor of the holiday, I will be sharing the recipe to Sarah's Amazing Birthday Cake, as stolen adapted from Southern Living magazine). It is the best cake I've ever had, and I would consider myself a cake connoisseur, for sure. You don't get a bootie like this from eating lettuce, friends!  We did change a few things from the SL recipe, like more pecans and dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.  I'm a dark chocolate girl.  Love it, love it, gotta have it daily.


Chocolate Chip Pecan Pound Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Other Time: 2 hours
Serves: 12 (yeah right)


Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 (12-oz.) package dark chocolate mini-morsels

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, using a fork. Sprinkle in a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 3 to 5 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Beat in chocolate mini-morsels. (Mixture will be thick.) Spoon batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Here is the one tip I can give you:  it's really good just a few minutes out of the oven because it's hot and the chocolate just melts all over you.  It's also good as a coffee cake, if you're into sweets in the a.m.  I don't discriminate.  However, it is best a full 24 hours after you make it... if you can make it that long.

Enjoy your day :)  I know I will!

xoxo
- sarah