Vegetarian Pot Pie

On this snowy Tuesday, all I want is something warm and comforting in my tummy.  So, I decided to make a pot pie.  I wanted Bri to be able to eat it and so it became a veggie pot pie with tofu instead of chicken.  It was super yummy and crazy simple.  Here is what I did:

I mixed a bunch of delish veggies in a pot.  Then, I poured said delish veggies into a 9 by 13 inch pan.  Then, I put unrolled crescent rolls on top and baked it in the oven for 15 minutes.  The result:  A Vegetarian Pot Pie Casserole.  Yes, I am serious.

This was super easy and now I have some awesome comfort food that incorporates a bunch of vegetables and some solid protein.

Today, I keep looking out the window while at school and I am not looking forward to my drive home in all this snow.  At least I have a yummy dinner ahead of me!

Vegetarian Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup chopped tofu
6-8 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
8 crescent rolls

Directions:
1. Melt the butter over medium-low heat and add in the celery, carrots, and onion.  Let cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add in the garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.  Add in the potatoes and tofu.  Let cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add in the veggie stock and increase heat to medium-high.  Add in the frozen peas.  Let cook until mixture starts to boil.
4. In a small bowl, place flour.  Ladel some veggie stock from your vegetable mixture into the flour and whisk to combine.  Then, pour the flour/veggie stock mixture back into the pot and stir to combine.
5.  Let cook while simmering for about 5 minutes or so.  Pour the mixture into a 13 by 9 inch pan.

6. Lay the crescent rolls on the top and cook at 350 for about 15 minutes or until crescent rolls are cooked and browned.

Enjoy :)

Autumn Minestrone Soup

Today is the first official day of winter break! I stuck to my typical schedule of going to boot camp class at 5:45 am because I figured it was good for me.  I know I'm a little crazy.  However, it was a nice way to start my day and now I have the whole day ahead of me!  

What is really weirding me out is the fact that it is raining...on December 21st...in Chicago.  What???

So, I figured it would be lovely to share this soup recipe with you all because it is a soup kinda day.  

I made this soup as part of Bri's and my vegetarian Thanksgiving.  This was just a dinner for the two of us where I went all out and made a ton of delicious vegetarian things.  This Autumn Minestrone was super easy to make and it was amazing!  If anyone else out there is looking out the window and thinking today is going to be one dreary Monday, make this soup!  It will totally brighten your day!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:

15 baby carrots, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable broth

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed sweet potato, peeled first

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed butternut squash

1 zucchini, quartered

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cinnamon

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups kale and spinach mix

1 14.5 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

parmesan for topping

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium and add in the carrots and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add in the garlic and cook for another minute.  

2. Add in the vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes can be pierced with a fork.  

3. Add in the kale/spinach and the kidney beans.  Cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and serve with parmesan if you want!

Enjoy :)

Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad

I just spent a really great weekend up in Minnesota!  Bri, Lauren and I all went there to visit our friends Patrick, Tommy, and Braden.  It was the second time I had ever been there and the first in four years!  Last time I was there it was for the State Fair (which is a crazy awesome State Fair) and so this time I was excited to just sort of hang out and explore Minneapolis.  

We drove there (6.5 hours each way) which means that my weekend felt really short!  We had a great time, but now I feel a little crazed.  I'm up at 5:15 (instead of 4:45) and instead of going to my workout class, I decided to sleep a little longer and get to school a little earlier to catch up on some work and get ready for the week.  

Today is going to be exhausting.  I have school and then after school cheer practice and then after practice we are cheering at a soccer game.  It's an away game so that means I have to go on the bus with the team and then come back.  Last time we did this, I did not get to leave school until after 7:30.  I guess it could be crazier.  Like if this was a night football game it would be much later.  But, after my whirlwind weekend, I know I am going to be beat later.  

Anyways, it has been a little over two weeks since I decided to be healthier, lose a few pounds, and focus on strength training as well as running.  That means that I am running less (way less compared to marathon training) and I am focusing on what I eat more and more.  This recipe is the perfect thing to share.  Plus, Bri has the day off and promised to go grocery shopping and I want to make sure he has a good list of things to buy...(so if you're reading this, Bri, make sure to get these ingredients!).   I made this Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad a while ago, but I never got around to sharing it.  Today it is the perfect thing to share!  This recipe is super simple, the ingredients are awesome for you and on top of it, it is Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and Vegan! 

Thai Quinoa Veggie Salad

(adapted from Avocado Pesto)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to directions

1 red onion, diced

1/2 cup grated carrots

2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped, to taste

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

4 tbsp peanuts, chopped

Dressing:

1 lime, zest and juice

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp tamari (make sure you use gluten free if that is what you are going for!)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to directions and then when it is done, place in a large bowl to cool and combine with the broccoli, red onion, grated carrots, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts.

2. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together.  Then, add half the dressing to the bowl and toss everything with the dressing.  Give it a taste and add more dressing as needed.  

Enjoy :)

Crock Pot Vegetable Pot Pie

Happy Marathon Monday! For the past few weeks, I have shared some of my fun running experiences.  Today, I don't really have much to share.  I did realize that I am officially a crazy person as I ran 9 miles in the rain on Saturday.  Now, I know I could have waited for it to stop raining, but I really wanted to get my run in before 9 in the morning, so I just decided at 7 am that a 9 mile run in the rain wouldn't be that bad.  As I was running, it hit me: I am a little crazy.  And you know what, I am okay with that!  In other running news, I find out TOMORROW about the 2015 Chicago Marathon, so I'm gonna get back to you with that when I find out....

I just love Sundays.  I know it's Monday now, but Monday's are typically not my favorite so I'm gonna focus on Sunday for a little bit longer.  Here is a list of why Sundays are great:

1. I can sleep in
2. I go to a kickboxing class that absolutely kicks my butt
3. I have time to cook
4. GOT (aka Game of Thrones!!!!! yes, I am a total geek)

Those four reasons make Sundays absolutely fabulous.  Plus, there is a fifth reason, but it only happens one Sunday a month and that is: Book Club.  I am in a wonderful book club with a bunch of 20-something girls from the Chicago area.  We take turns hosting and we chat about a book that we read.  Every meeting, we pick a new book and a new place/date.  It is always a really nice time and I look forward to these meetings when they come around.  This book club was about Cutting for Stone, which I highly recommend.  And, our next book is The Rosie Project.  This last book club was also extra special since it was one of our members birthdays! I, of course, baked her a Monster Cake! Yum!

Besides book club, game of thrones, and sleep.  Cooking is one of the activities that make the weekend special.  Bri and I try to find a recipe to make over the weekend that will lend us leftovers during the week.  Today's recipe is perfect for that!  I was inspired by a recipe on My Recipes and then I adapted it from there.

Crock Pot Vegetable Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/4 cups carrots, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 tbsp whole wheat flour
3 cups skim milk
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups frozen peas
1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
16 oz package of frozen cauliflower
Topping:
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper
4 1/2 tsp unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tsp chopped fresh chives
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions:
1. Heat about 1 tsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add in the potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Then, add in the garlic and cook for an additional few minutes.  Pour vegetables into your crock pot.
2. Put 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil into your skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add in the flour and whisk until it starts to brown.  Pour in the milk and vegetable broth and cook for about 5 minutes while whisking.  Pour sauce into the slow cooker and add in the frozen peas, cauliflower, and thyme.  Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
3. To make the topping, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Cut in the butter until your mixture looks like coarse sand.  Stir in the cheese and chives.  Finally, stir in the buttermilk until your mixture just starts to look damp.
4. Once the veggies are done cooking, drop spoonfuls of the biscuit mixture over the top.  Turn up the heat on your crock pot to high and cook for an additional 1 and a half hours or until you biscuits are done.

Enjoy :)

Healthy Vegetarian Soup

Oh my! It has been a while! I became super wrapped up with camp and running!

Today is the last day of camp! I could not have asked for a nicer summer.  Everyone I work with has been great and camp has run super smoothly.  All the kids are so much fun! Just yesterday, I played dodgeball so much that now my arm hurts! Today I am brining in Inception Cookies for all the staff members to thank them for one awesome summer!

My marathon training is also off to a great start.  This weekend I am running 13 miles (a half marathon) and I am officially entering week 9 of my 18 week program.  I have been running my long runs on weekends with a group called CARA.  This group has really helped me to have fun and run better because of it.  I am running with the 10:00 minute mile pace group.  Every Saturday, we meet at 6 a.m. and run as a pack.  It's great because we get to chat about our lives/running/whatever and it makes the runs go so much faster.  Plus, since we start early, we beat the heat and get home with our whole Saturday still in front of us.  I can't believe I'm already halfway through the training and I know it is going to get pretty intense here on out.  I will keep you posted!

Today I am sharing a really great healthy, vegetarian recipe.  I have been trying to shed a few pounds this summer and get in shape and this soup helped me to do that! Plus, it is great to make a huge batch of because the leftovers are awesome and I like having something planned out to take in for lunch.

Healthy Vegetarian Soup
(adapted from Favorite Family Recipes)

Ingredients:
2 containers of vegetable stock
3 cups low-sodium V-8 juice
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 onion, copped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
2 cups fresh green beans, chopped
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups shredded cabbage (I used red)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large frying pan, sprayed with olive oil spray, sauté the chopped onion with the garlic over medium heat.  After about 5 minutes, add in the carrots and mushrooms.  Continue cooking over medium heat until vegetables soften (about 5 minutes).
2. In a large crock-pot, pour in the vegetable stock and V-8 juice.  Add in the sautéed vegetables and the rest of the ingredients.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the cabbage has softened.

Enjoy :)

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup

I've been really into soup lately.  It is great to have when it is so freaking cold out and it is a super easy lunch for me to take to school.  Since Bri is a vegetarian and since I am always so busy, I have started looking for vegetarian soup recipes that I can make in my crock-pot.  This way, it is a low maintenance meal and we end up with tons of leftovers.

Minestrone soup is one of my favorites and this recipe is just like the Olive Garden minestrone.  It is vegetarian and the noodles and beans make it a filling meal.  Plus, you can make it in a crock pot!  It is perfect!

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:
32 oz vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 small zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups small shell pasta, whole wheat
5 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained rinsed
14.5 oz can green beans, drained
2 cups packed baby spinach
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Add vegetable stock, water, diced tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sugar to your slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2.  Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans, cannellini beans, green beans, and spinach.  Cook for another 40 minutes on high or until pasta is tender.  Season more with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with shredded parmesan on top.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Today is a pretty big day.  Besides being my half birthday, I am starting my first day of second semester!  This means it will be the longest I have ever been at the same school during the year.  I'm not sure if this has truly hit me yet.  I am still feeling like a student teacher and at any moment I will switch to a middle school!  I am excited about second semester and I really have been having a great year.  Today is all about Triangle Congruence! I have a lab for my students to experience over the next two days and I am excited to see how it goes!

Also, today is my first day of two online classes that I am taking to continue my education.  I am less excited about this, but the classes do seem interesting and I have never taken an online class before.  I was sort of enjoying the whole graduated thing where I didn't have to worry about personal homework or grades.  However, I do need these classes to get a permanent license for teaching and so it is totally worth it.  The first week, all I have to do is submit an introduction of myself to an online discussion.  Not so bad.

I am also still attempting to be healthy and today's recipe is perfect for that.  It is a lightened up, vegetarian version of Pad Thai.  Bri and I made this as one of the first recipes in our new apartment together.  It was super delicious and I'm actually craving it and considering making it again tonight!

Vegetarian Pad Thai
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
8 oz fresh pad thai noodles
4 limes, for juice and serving
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Siracha sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
14 oz firm tofu
1/2 cup shredded carrots
8 green onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt
roasted peanuts
fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Soak noodles according to directions, drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tsp of canola oil over medium heat.  Add in beaten eggs and cook, undisturbed, until eggs are just set.  Place eggs on a cutting board.  Roll the eggs up and then slice into strips.  Set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add 4 tsp of canola oil and cook the tofu until golden brown, flip so that you get both sides.  This should take about 6-8 minutes for each side.  Place on cutting board and cut into small cubes.
4. In a small bowl, place 2 tbsp lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar.  Whisk to combine.
5. Add 1 1/2 tsp of oil to your skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add in the carrots, green onions, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add in the lime juice mixture and let simmer.  Add noodles and, stirring constantly, cook for another minute.  Add eggs and tofu, toss to combine.
6. Serve mixture with lime wedges, roasted peanuts, and fresh cilantro.

Enjoy :)

Bibimbap

Well, Happy New Year! I can't believe 2014 is here.  2013 was always such an important year in my mind because of my graduation, job search, and move to a new apartment.  Growing up, I always thought of myself as a member of the "Class of 2013."  I never really thought about 2014, but here it is!

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, I am trying to be healthy and happy in this new year.  While I'm not sure that I believe in hard-core dieting to lose weight, I do want to focus on maintaining my health and keeping up my workout routine.  I downloaded a cool app yesterday that encourages a healthy lifestyle.  It is called Lose It! and it is about weight loss.  You log what you eat and how you exercise.  What I like about the app is that it creates a calorie budget for you based on your age, height, and weight.  Then, you get to set your personal goals, join communities, and record your progress.  I like that this app is personalized and allows me to create a totally manageable goal.  I don't want to do anything extreme, just stay healthy and this app is great for that purpose.  Plus, this app is available for iPhone and Droid as well as a website if you don't want to get the app!

In the spirit of healthy choices, today's recipe is super healthy and easily adapted for any diet.  Bri and I made this to use up a ton of veggies that we had on hand and it ended up being a fantastic meal!

Bibimbap
(adapted from Snapfood)

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice, cooked according to directions
sesame oil
light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
assorted fresh vegetables, your favorites!
(I used mushrooms, green onions, shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach and sweet onion)
2 eggs

Directions:
1. All you have to do is sauté the veggies in the sesame and soy sauce.  Use as much oil as you like, less if you want to be healthier!
2. Serve mixed vegetables on top of the cooked brown rice in a bowl.  Top with a fried egg, more soy sauce, and siracha (to taste).

Enjoy :)

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins

It's the weekend! Finally! This week of camp seemed to go on FOREVER and I am so excited to rest for a bit.  Of course I didn't sleep in today, but I have been having a great weekend so far!

I went downtown to the Taste of Chicago last night and it was a blast!  My two friends and I tasted a ton of stuff because we shared everything!  The food was great and I can't wait to share here what I tried.

Today I'm not sure what I will be up to, but tonight my friend Alyson is turing 21 and we are all going downtown to celebrate!!  I can't wait to celebrate the special birthday girl and I am super duper excited.

Today I have a fun Gluten Free recipe to share that is perfect for breakfast or as a yummy snack.  I saw Giada make these Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins while working out one day and I just had to make them.  I adapted the recipe slightly to fit with the ingredients I had lying around and they were amazing!  I brought these in for my camp counselors as a breakfast treat and they were a huge hit!

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 heaping tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup light maple syrup
1 egg
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/2 cup dried blueberries or chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a mini muffin pan with liners.
2. Drain the zucchini by placing the grated zucchini on a paper towel, wrapping it in the paper towels, and squeezing dry. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg with the canola oil and maple syrup.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Mix in the carrot and zucchini.  Mix in the blueberries.
5.  Fill muffin wells almost to the top.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Enjoy :)

Pasta Bolognese: Daddy's Favorite

I am once again up way to early.  I have a camp field trip today to a waterpark and then I have people coming over to celebrate the 4th and go to the fireworks! All my friends are putting together a little potluck and I can't wait to share what I am making for it! I am going to make a Veggie Flatbread, but I haven't worked out all the details yet.  Please, I have until 5...

I am also planning on running this fine morning before I get ready for camp.  We will see how that goes since my knee has been feeling a little stiff.  When I am running it feels okay but after I run it stiffens up!  I have been stretching/resting as much as I can so I am hoping that this will just go away.

Today I wanted to tell you about the Bolognese Sauce that I made for a special Dad's dinner.  I wasn't able to see my dad for actual Father's Day so I made him his favorite dinner for another night! Pasta Bolognese!  It was super delicious and you should definitely give this recipe a try.  However, make sure you allow plenty of time to make it or make it the day before since it takes so freaking long!

Pasta Bolognese (adapted from the Food Network)

Ingredients:
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
5 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt
3 pounds ground chuck
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups red wine
3 bay leaves
a bundle of thyme (tied together with string)
1 lb. spaghetti
fresh parmesan

Directions:
1. In a food processor, process the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until you have a smooth paste.
2. Place paste in a large pan coated with oil over medium heat and stir until it reduces and begins to brown, about 20 minutes.  Season with salt.
3. Add the beef and continue to cook until browned, another 20 minutes.  Season with salt.
4.  Pour mixture into a large pot over medium heat and add in the tomato paste.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Add in the wine and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add water to the pot until it is about 1/2 inch above the beef.  Add in the bay leaves and thyme and stir to combine.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for 4 hours and add water, about 2-3 cups at a time, when mixture reduces and looks thirsty.  I added water two more times after the first addition.  Season with salt.
7.  Store the bolognese sauce until ready to use or prepare your spaghetti to al dente and drain.  Serve spaghetti with a generous topping of bolognese and garnish generously with freshly shaved parmesan cheese.

Enjoy :)

Thai Turkey Burgers

I GOT A JOB! Well, I haven't signed anything yet and I don't know many details, but I do know that I got a job offer at a high school to teach math! I am crazy excited and can't wait to start getting ready!

Also, now that I know where I am going to be, Bri and I are moving forward on looking for an apartment! I can't believe all of this.  I feel a little too grown up right now.  

Since, it is Monday, I also have a Half Marathon Monday update for you all.  I got up to 12 miles and now I get to taper off a little.  My long run this week was 9 miles and honestly it felt like a breeze.  I love getting out there in the morning and getting in a long run.  During the week I didn't run as much because of how busy I was, but I am still feeling great.  The run is only 2 weeks away and I can't wait! 

And, of course I have a recipe to share! This is a super yummy recipe and I found it over on How Sweet It Is.  These Thai Turkey Burgers are full of flavor and super healthy.  I had them for lunch at school and everyone was jealous of how yummy it smelled! I love the flavors here and it was a perfect little meal to have for dinner and then leftover for lunch.  

Thai Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean turkey

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup shredded carrot

salt and pepper

4 whole wheat buns

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup light coconut milk

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp natural, creamy peanut butter

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tbsp soy sauce

2-3 tbsp hot sauce or chili sauce (depending on taste)

3 cups coleslaw mix

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. Make the sauce: whisk together the rice vinegar, coconut milk, garlic, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and hot sauce.  Pour into a small sauce pan and heat until simmering.  

2. In a large bowl, combine the turkey meat with the carrots and green onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour about 3/4 of your sauce mixture into the turkey mixture and combine.  

3. In another bowl, place the coleslaw mix and toss with the peanuts. Pour the other 1/4 of the sauce over the coleslaw and set aside.

4. Form the turkey meat into 4 patties.  Place in a grill or saute pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until browned, flip patties and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  

5. Place burgers on buns, top with coleslaw and serve!

Enjoy :)

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

With Spring Break right around the corner, I am having a hard time staying focused!  This is actually okay as I have already come up with a plan for every class I teach this week and I am on top of grading! Plus, I am really motivated to keep up with my half marathon training and this is helping me stay on track.  I am super busy, but in a good place!

Also, I have a great recipe to share today! This is perfect for Easter since it features a bunny's favorite food: carrots!  I recently made mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting for my friend, Lauren's, birthday.  This is one of her favorite desserts...I made her a cake last year.  And so I wanted to do something "sweet" for her again this year.  Also, how cool is this? I had these mini cupcake papers that you do not need to put in a cupcake pan! They stand up on their own!

Lauren's birthday was a fun night out complete with dinner and cupcakes for dessert.  Lauren says that they are the best dessert I have ever made...quite the claim! I love my Mom's Carrot Cake recipe, so I made half of that, made cupcakes instead of a whole cake, and then whipped up some amazing frosting.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 
1/2 Carrot Cake Batter
8 oz low-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare cupcake pans.
2. Make carrot cake according to directions and fill cupcake wells about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 minutes and let cool.
3.  To make the frosting: beat butter and cream cheese until creamy and well combined.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in cinnamon.  Frost cooled cupcakes!

Note: The frosting is not super thick and is more like a glaze.  For a thicker frosting, add another cup of powdered sugar and 2 tsp milk.

Enjoy :)

Restaurant Week: Fresco

Another snow day?!?!

Seriously, one might start to wonder if I am actually in Wisconsin.  When I was a kid we never had this many snow days.  But, here I am for the third time, enjoying a lovely snow day.  I woke up and had breakfast before I found out about the day off so instead of sleeping in, I ran 5 miles, showered, and now I'm making cupcakes!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about another fantastic restaurant I tried for the first time.  This was my second Restaurant Week dinner and it was amazing! Max and I went to Fresco and for $30 dollars, we both had an amazing meal complete with appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  Plus, we got to sit above the Overture Center and look out on snowy, State Street.  It was pretty amazing.

We both had the same appetizers and entrees: the Wisconsin Apple Salad and the Seared Mahi Mahi with Cauliflower Risotto in an Almond Raspberry Vinaigrette.  It was all delicious.  For dessert, we ended up splitting the Homemade Kit Kat with Peanut Butter Mousse and the Carrot Cake Cupcake with Maple Buttercream Frosting.

It was an awesome meal followed by Modern Family and skyping my bestie Caryn who is all grown up and working a real job in DC! It was so nice to turn a boring weeknight into an amazing one.

Now, it's time for me to take my cupcakes out of the oven! They smell amazing and I can't wait to share the recipe with you later! Have a nice day!

Champagne Glazed Carrots

I am so so so so so so nervous.

I have a Recruitment Fair in one hour and I am crazy antsy.  I just want to get it over with! After work today, I am going over the union for the K-12 Recruitment Fair.  A bunch of districts from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota have sent representatives over to talk to prospective teachers and interview them.  I have never done anything like this before and so I am nervous! I am also pretty excited, but the nerves are mostly taking over.  I also have a busy week where I am teaching, working, having staff meetings, and going out of town for the weekend! Why does this always seem to happen?  Thanksgiving is over and so everything gets piled on!

In other news, I made some super yummy carrots to bring to my sister's house for Thanksgiving.  I am sharing them today because this post is helping me keep busy and de-stress while I wait to go over to the fair.  Enjoy this recipe and wish me luck!

Champagne Honey Glazed Carrots (adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp unsalted butter
4 lbs. baby carrots
2 shallots, minced
2 cups champagne
4 tbsp honey
4 sprigs fresh thyme
kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Once butter has melted, mix in the carrots and stir to combine.  Cook on medium-high, uncovered for about 20 minutes.  Carrots should be just starting to cook and become soft.
2. Mix in the champagne, honey and thyme.  Season with the salt and white pepper.  Let cook until the liquid is reduced by about 3/4.  This should take another 5 minutes.  Remove the thyme and remove from heat.  Serve immediately, or place in fridge and warm up when ready to serve.
This can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

Enjoy :)

My First Turkey

I participated in making my first turkey this past weekend.  The Little Sisters of Delta Theta Sigma threw a Thanksgiving Feast-Harry Potter Style for an event we call, Dinner/Auction.  We have dinner, we have an auction, and its a great fundraiser.  We dressed up like Harry Potter characters and it was a blast!  For the next few days, I will be updating this menu with posts on the Thanksgiving recipes that we made for this awesome feast.  Stay tuned...

The Menu:

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Roasted Herbed Carrots

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Golden Snitch Cake Pops

Butterbeer

Foodie Friends Friday Thanksgiving Party

For this Foodie Friends Friday, come link up some of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes! This is going to be such a great way to share good ideas, plus you have the chance to win one of three prizes from three different sponsors! I'm linking up my favorite Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust , a great Butternut Squash Pie and my favorite Carrot dish.

Last week, two lucky winners won great items from our sponsors, Home Matters First and Adorned Well.

And here are the winner's from last week's party!

Most Votes:

1. Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2. How to Can Apples

3. Pumpkin Pie Martini

Most Clicked:

1. Cabbage Rolls Redone

2. Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

3. Veggie'd Meatloaf

This week is sponsored by ArtisEverything, KraftiesbyKasey, and Sageandkai.  You can win a coaster set, a Thanksgiving plaque, or a table runner.  All perfect for Thanksgiving!

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Jutta at HungryLittleGirl http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Ericka at Chef PickyKid and Me http://www.chefpickykid.com

Kelly at http://www.adornedwell.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On the Side: Pommes Dauphinois, Herbed Carrots, and More!

This weekend was really great and I can't believe it's already Monday again! From the Taste of Chicago, to a fun Girl's Night Sleepover, to a cute Birthday Brunch, this weekend was just plain awesome.  Al Pal's bday brunch was really cute and I made my Strawberry Cake, but instead of just strawberries, I did strawberries and raspberries! It was really yummy and perfect as a "Breakfast" Cake.

I'd like to give a huge shout out to the Awkward Kitchenette for giving me another award! She gave me the Awesome Blogger award and I am so honored! Her site is so fun to read and her recipes are always really great! Thank you so much!

Also, it's monday so it's time for another Half Marathon update.  This week and next week are all about tapering off a bit before the big race.  I am not actually signed up for a race at this point as I was going to do one in Madison, but the timing didn't work out.  My brother is moving to college that weekend and I am going to be helping with that.  So, I am just going to map out my own! I think this will be good for me as a first "race" since races tend to stress me out a little and I get all nervous.  This week I did 2 4 mile runs, a 5 mile run, and a 9 mile run.  Yesterday, Bri and I even worked out together at the gym (a first!) and it was nice to have him there to chat with! I am looking into registering for an actual race, but I'm not sure which one to do! Any suggestions for good half marathons in the midwest?

And of course, I have the sides to share from The Dinner Party! Chris decided that the perfect thing to accompany the Boeuf would be some simple potatoes and carrots and I totally agree.  They were great additions to the meal, but they were also simple to make and did not overshadow the amazing main entrees.

Pommes Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and a Pinch of Garlic)

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (we used a food processor to get perfectly thin slices)
1 clove garlic, halved
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 cup milk, boiling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and rub a casserole dish with the halved garlic.  Smear 1 tbsp of butter over the inside of the casserole dish.
2. Peel and slice the potatoes and place in a large bowl of water.  Drain when ready to use.
3.  Spread half of the dried potatoes in the casserole dish.  Sprinkle half the cheese, salt, pepper, and butter over them.  Place the rest of the potatoes on top and then the rest of the cheese, salt, pepper, and butter.  Pour the boiling milk over the entire dish.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, milk is absorbed and cheese is nicely browned.
Enjoy :)

Herbed Carrots

Ingredients:
2 lbs. carrots
olive oil
herbs de provence
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Peel and wash carrots and place in a casserole dish.  Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the carrots and season with herbs de provence, salt, and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.
Enjoy :)

Clean out the Kitchen Quesadilla

I hate lunch.  I never know what to eat and I always end up eating a bunch of random snacks instead of an actual lunch.  It's boring and uninspiring and that is why I hate lunch.

This morning I was putting together my lunch for camp training and feeling annoyed at how un-creative I was being.  Then, I had a great idea! We had a bunch of random leftovers in the fridge: fish from fish tacos, grilled veggies, beans, and cheese.  I was going to make a quesadilla!!!

It was crazy good and it made me like lunch a lot more than usual.  I was actually excited to eat lunch when we had our break at training.  This is a great way to use up leftovers, but in a new and creative way.  Plus, it was healthy and I felt good about what I was eating.

Clean out the Kitchen Quesadilla

Ingredients:
2 small corn tortillas
2 tbsp seared fish, shredded (or other form of protein)
1 tbsp black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp cheese (I used pepper-jack and cheddar)
1/4 cup cooked veggies (I had squash, zucchini, carrots, and red peppers)

Directions:
Lightly grease a small fry pan and place 1 tortilla in the pan over medium-low heat.  Top with the fish, beans, and veggies, and then sprinkle cheese all over the top.  Place the other tortilla on top and, using a spatula, press down to glue everything together with the cheese.  After 2-3 minutes, flip and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes or until everything is hot and the quesadilla is staying together.
Enjoy :)