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 :)

Fun with Greek Yogurt

Today is Sunday and I have to get ready to go back to school.

This break has been so nice and much needed.  After all the Thanksgiving festivities and Black Friday shopping, I also got to go freeze my toes off at the Northwestern v. Illinois game.

Then, I got to help decorated Bri's Mom's Christmas tree. So pretty!

Also, of course, I indulged in a lot of awesome frozen yogurt with my friends and family.

Yogurt is quickly becoming one of my favorite treats.  I have done a little experimenting lately with yogurt and made some yummy and healthy snacks.  For both of these little treats, I used Chobani Greek Yogurt.  Today I am sharing pumpkin yogurt and peanut butter yogurt.  I am pretty sure that these would make awesome frozen yogurt options.  If only I had my ice cream maker at school!

Pumpkin Spice Yogurt

Ingredients:
3/4 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
3 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp agave nectar

Directions:
1. Stir everything together.  Add more pumpkin or agave to taste.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Yogurt

Ingredients:
3/4 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp honey
Toppings: I used mini m&ms, but oreos, reeses, chocolate chips, etc would work well too!

Directions:
1. Mix the yogurt, peanut butter, vanilla and honey together.  Add more honey or peanut butter to taste. Top with toppings or enjoy as it is!

Enjoy :)

Sweet Potato Pie

So, I know that everyone is probably suffering from some sort of food coma today, but I just had to share this fun recipe that is perfect for Thanksgiving or the Holidays.

Also, I am not suffering from a food coma.  Don't get me wrong, I went to a great Thanksgiving dinner.  First, Bri and I stopped over at his families thanksgiving dinners for a few hours and then we made our way over to my sister's house for my family's thanksgiving dinner.  It was so nice to see everyone.  I haven't been home with family since the summer and this was just amazing to be around everyone once again.  Plus, I got to meet my new baby nephew who is just the cutest thing ever! The food was delicious and the company was even better.

I ate a ton, however, after dinner, Bri, me and my brother Zack went home around 8 and then I took a "nap" from about 9:30 to 11:30.  Then, we got in the car with my mom and drove over to the mall for Black Friday shopping that started at midnight.  The entire mall was opened and we got some great deals at a bunch of stores.  I made a killing at the Limited and seriously stocked up on some much needed teacher clothes.  I am totally ready for interviews and high school.  I also was able to get a bunch of presents as well as a new pair of cute shoes! I just love Black Friday.  The mall was busier than I have ever seen before and they were playing music throughout the stores.  It was so much fun.  We got home a little after 3 and went back to sleep.

Now, I am writing this after sleeping in later than I have in ages (9...woah) and deciding whether or not I should go shopping again.  I do need a bunch of groceries so Super Target is currently calling my name.  I am also planning on a great lunch at Portillos and then an evening out with my friends.  I can't wait for another lovely day of break!

Sweet Potato Pie (adapted from All Recipes)

 Ingredients:
1 pound sweet potatoes
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla
1 9-inch pie crust (recipe-I left out the lemon juice for this pie and added a dash of cinnamon)

Directions:
1.  If you are making the pie crust, you can follow the recipe link and do this a day or two in advance.  Then, just leave the dough out to soften a bit and then roll out into a circle, 12 inches in diameter and place in your pie dish.  Fold dough over the side a bit and then take off any excess dough.  Place in fridge until ready to use.
2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3.  Microwave the sweet potato until it can be easily pierced with a fork, about 5-6 minutes.  Remove the skins and then mash the sweet potato.
4.  In a large bowl, beat the mashed sweet potato with the butter until well combined.  Beat in the sugar and brown sugar until well combined and then the half and half and eggs.  Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla.  Pour the filling into your prepared pie dish.
5.  Bake the pie for 60 minutes or until sides and middle are firm.  Let cool and top with whipped cream.

Enjoy :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving!

We all have so much to be thankful for and I can't wait to share this day with all the wonderful friends and family in my life.