photo of the week

If you had known any of the three of us in college or PA school, you would have probably laughed at the idea of us running 13.1 miles for FUN. A 5K was exceptional. Especially if the reward did not involve Bojangles, sweet tea, or a bloody mary. 

Fast forward a few years, and we are all seasoned half-marathoners! I did not say fast. I am so proud that we have evolved into DISTANCE runners...AKA an excuse to get together on St Patty's Day weekend and run a race together. We had a BLAST. In case you are wondering, YES we are all wearing sparkly green sweaty bands, Lucky t-shirts with a clover, and temporary 13.1 mile theme tattoos! 

Quick Sesame Soba Noodles

Soba noodles are a Food With Benefit (FWB). If you have no clue what I'm referring to, head over to Candice Kumai's webside (the stiletto chef) or Amazon and purchase her cookbook, Pretty Delicious.

I love this cookbook, and read the forward every month or so. She believes in FWBs: foods with benefits. Instead of eating foods that are devoid of nutrition (potato chips, french fries, candy, etc.) she believes in choosing foods that taste good AND are nutritious (sweet potatoes, avocado, greek yogurt, SOBA NOODLES!) She is inspiring, gorgeous, and motivating. 

I purchased an entire 12-pack case of soba noodles from Amazon, and am excited to feature a soba recipe. This one is from Eat, Live, Run, and was a tasty weeknight dinner. 

Quick Sesame Soba Noodles
from Eat, Live, Run

Ingredients for sauce - 
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup hot water (depending how thick you like your sauce)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp freshly minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic

Ingredients for noodles - 
sliced raw sugar snap peas
thinly sliced green onions
sesame seeds
8 oz soba noodles

Directions:

1. Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. When done, drain and rinse noodles in cold water. Set aside.
2. To make sauce, combine all ingredients (tahini through garlic) in a food processor and process until very smooth. Add the hot water last, while the motor is running. You may need less, just add enough until desired consistency is reached.
3. To serve, pour sauce over noodles and top with snap peas, green onions, and sesame seeds. 

* I topped our noodles with cayenne roasted shrimp, as follows:

Cayenne Roasted Shrimp: 

1 lb frozen shrimp, peeled and de-veined (thawed)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne

Mix all ingredients in bowl, then spread on a baking sheet, and roast at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. 

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Low Country Boil

I have been enviously listening to my parents chatter about doing all sorts of fun things with their 50-quart bayou stockpot, including deep-fry turkey, and host many a friendly neighborhood oyster roast and low country boil. 

Joshua and I adore steamed oysters and seafood. Thus, when birthday season rolled around, I batted my lids and asked Josh for my own big bayou stockpot and the accessories to go with it. 

Allow me to introduce my newest kitchen item, along with my very own "Cajun Stir Paddle". It's so big I have to wash it in the bath tub! Last weekend, we decided to turn on the propane and cook up a small version of a low country boil for 2 (recipe would easily feed 4, we had lots of leftovers). 

Low Country Boil
adapted from a few different recipes, including Dave's low country boil on allrecipes

Ingredients:
2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package kielbasa sausage sliced into chunks
1 package of frozen corn on the cob niblets 
3 lbs red potatoes
1 lb crab legs, thawed
4 lemons, halved
2 onions, quartered and unpeeled
1 package Louisiana crawfish crab and shrimp boil (can substitute Old Bay)
Drawn butter and cocktail sauce for dipping (optional)

Directions:

1. Fill stockpot full of water (about 3/4), bring to boil over propane heater
2. Add lemons, onions, and seasoning packet and allow to dissolve for a couple of minutes. 
3. Add potatoes, cook for 10 minutes
4. Add kielbasa sausage, cook for 10 minutes
5. Add crab and corn, cook for 5 mins
6. Add shrimp, cook for 3 mins
7. Drain off the water and pour the contents onto a table covered with newspaper. Serve with lots of cold beer! 

Elvis Pound Cake

My mom's great friend Charlie has always surprised me with the best foodie gifts. He is one of the best chefs I know, and his tiramisu is famous in South Carolina. I would drive down there in a skinny minute for a single slice! When Charlie gives a recipe or cookbook his stamp of approval, its status rises to top tier, no questions asked. He won my heart when he gifted me my very first bottle of good vanilla extract (Nielsen-Massey) and steered me away from the imitation vanilla. 

Last year for Christmas, I was so excited when Charlie gifted me one of his favorite cookbooks. It felt like I was part of the insider chefs club! Of course, he included another bottle of Nielson-Massey vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon extract, for me to make Elvis Presley's favorite pound cake. I know, I am one lucky girl.

I woke up this morning, and decided today is the day. Is there ever a day when baking a homemade pound cake is not the best idea ever? I think not. This recipe does require a 10 inch cake pan, I purchased mine on Amazon. (here)


Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake
from Gourmet Today cookbook

















Ingredients: 
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
7 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon extract *
1 teaspoon almond *

* the almond/lemon extract are Charlie's additions and highly recommended!

Directions: 

1. Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.
2. Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
3. Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).
4. Beat together butter (2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.
5. Spoon batter into pan and rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Bacon Fried Rice

After investing in a really nice wok (here) a few years ago, I realized that I rarely use it! I was feeling a tinge of guilt, when I came across a Shutterbean recipe for fried rice. Most importantly, it would give me a chance to dust off my wok AND make Josh a dinner recipe with his favorite ingredient...bacon! This recipe is a total home run, and I would strongly recommend adding the siracha if you like spicy food. 

Bacon Fried Rice

from Shutterbean

4 cups cooked jasmine rice (pre-cook the day before for sticky rice). 2 cups of uncooked rice yields 4 cups cooked rice

6 slices bacon, diced

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for topping

3 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp finely grated ginger

1 cup frozen peas

4 large eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp Siracha sauce for topping (optional)

1 carrot, thinly sliced or ribboned for topping

1. In a large skillet or wok, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until it is browned and fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Drain excess fat from your pan. Leave a thin layer coating. Push bacon to sides of pain. In the center, add onions and cook until softened, about 2 minutes
2. Stir in green onions, garlic, and ginger and cook for 3 minutes, taking care not to let the garlic brown. Stir in peas and cook for 2 minutes, or until warm. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
3. Lower heat to medium, add eggs, and scramble for 2-3 minutes until fully cooked. Add eggs to bacon mixture. Wipe out skillet, add vegetable oil, and return to medium-high heat. 
4. When oil is hot but not smoking, add cooked rice and spread in an even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until rice is heated through and slightly crispy. Stir in bacon-egg mixture. Season to taste with soy sauce and siracha. Top with green onions and carrots, serve right away. 

the BEST sangria

The drinking of sangria is an event, like watching the Oscars or going to a movie. It implies that you have plenty to share, and plan on putting your feet up for a few hours. I learned from a sangria connoisseur (Elisabeth) who gave me permission to share her famous recipe. It's the only one you will ever need to know.

My great friend Sue surprised me on my birthday with a travel pitcher of Elisabeth's sangria. She is the Queen of giving the best gifts! I always look forward to opening her presents, and believe me I will be giving away a pitcher of two of sangria this year and making a lot of ladies very happy! I can only begin to describe the JOY I felt this morning after opening the fridge and seeing a tissue wrapped pitcher of my favorite beverage, marinated to perfection and ready for our Sunday Funday. 

Sangria
from Elisabeth Powell

1 large botte red wine (we like Yellow Tail big bold red)
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup triple sec
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
chopped fruit (lemon, lime, orange, green apple)

* Variations *
can change around fruit combinations - try peaches/pears, or the classic above.
can add 2 cups carbonated water OR 2 cups diet 7up for fizz
can add 1/2 cup peach schnapps for summer flavor

Directions:

Mix together top ingredients (everything except the optional fizzy water/7up) and allow to rest overnight in refrigerator, 8 to 12 hours. Optional - add fizzy water/7up right before serving. Serve in glasses over ice. 

on turning 29.

If you know me,  you know that I am always hurrying to do something. Hurrying to Starbucks before the gym, hurrying to make lunch in the morning before I am late for work, hurrying to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner, hurrying to do a lot of little things that don't really matter. On a glorious run today, I realized that in my constant state of "what's next" I forget to show gratitude for all the amazing things that I have; I forget to enjoy the small beauties every day brings; I forget to actually enjoy the daily pleasures of this ephemeral life.

This year, I am going to marry my darling boy. The boy I have been dating since I was 24 years old. This year, I am going to take time to express gratitude for all of my blessings. This year, I am going to slow down and appreciate the beauty of a patio herb garden, of hearing a particular song at the perfect time, of having a conversation with a stranger, of spending my time deliberately but not in a hurried fashion.