peaches and southern summers



It is safe to say that summer is on full blast. The beaches are packed, it feels like 600 degrees, and summer showers grace us every afternoon. Most importantly (in my very humble opinion); however, peaches have arrived! They have bloomed, been picked, and are now waiting on shelves and in crates everywhere to be consumed. I would love to tell you that I bought a basket of peaches and turned them (by hand of course) into a delicious homemade pie. This; however, would be a lie. I have honestly never attempted to make a pie as I am certain that it would explode in my oven or simply refuse to bake. What I did do, was find a simple recipe for a peach crisp. It is much easier to make and takes less time! It is also delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 3 to 5 large peaches

- 1 cup sugar

- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour

- ½ cup oats

- 2 tablespoons cinnamon

- ½ cup cherries without seeds (optional)

- 2 sticks butter (softened)

Recipe:

1)      Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2)      Cut peaches (with the skin still on) into slices and layer in the bottom of a 9x13 pan

3)      In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon (stir until blended)

4)      Place butter in bowl with sugar mixture

5)      Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mash the butter and the sugar mixture together until it is well blended and crumbles (this will take 3-5 minutes)

6)      Crumble the mixture over peaches

7)      Bake at 350 for 40 minutes

8)      Serve with ice cream

surviving black pudding

Incredible is about the only word that can describe my trip to Ireland and London. We saw amazing castles, made countless friends, and were very often drawn out of our element with regard to food. The most specific of these cases would be the infamous black pudding of Ireland. Also known as blood sausage, this tiny little morsel that was often found on the breakfast buffet line can make or break a day. My own experience with black pudding came the morning after we visited Clontarf Castle in Dublin. I had decided to try this apparent delicacy and had put it off until our very last meal in Ireland. It took all the mental strength I could muster to actually pick it up off of my plate. As I was about to eat it I had a moment of panic in which I was unavoidably aware that the entire table was waiting for my reaction. Lucky for them, I did not disappoint. While I could stand the look and even possibly the taste, it was the consistency or texture that I could not bring myself to appreciate. By the laughs that reverberated around the table, my face reflected as much. I cannot wait to share more pictures and stories but for now I leave you with a quote from a small girl on our plane, “that was fun… but I would like to go now…”

going to europe and eating pigeons

In 4 days, 6 hours, and 11 minutes, my family will be leaving for Dublin, Ireland. Naturally, I am excited about the castles, the cliffs, and the pints of Guinness (# 34 on the Bucket List). What I am REALLY excited about; however, is the food. Nothing takes you out of your comfort zone more than eating something that seems unusual. Having been unable to curve my enthusiasm into something productive at work, I have looked up every possible dinner menu along our route. After we land in Dublin, my father will be braving turn-abouts to drive us to Ashford Castle . The next day, we will be in the car again on the way to Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of Moher. After that, we are back in Dublin before we fly to London for 5 days. Everything along the Ireland route read the same way: meat and potatoes. The menus in London; however, had a different story to tell. From smoked pigeon to spotted dick, my family should have an interesting time exploring alternative cuisines. One particular restaurant in London that I am excited about is avenue. I cannot wait to share pictures and stories! See everyone after the trip!

summer tomatoes and being somewhat sophisticated

Major League Baseball is in full swing (haha… full swing), fireflies can be seen at night, and the community swimming pool is now running full hours. So, how do I know that summer is about to begin? Clearly because my tomato plants, that I have affectionately dubbed Thelma and Louise, are BLOOMING! I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my first tomato but my plants are flowering none the less! This exciting time, in my backyard’s otherwise rather boring existence, got me thinking about all the ways that I could use my new produce. After my mother convinced me that chili is for cold weather and I did not need to make that, I came up with SALAD! What is better during the summer than a fresh salad? Nothing, right? Therefore, I offer up this feeble attempt at sophistication with a fresh and healthy summer starter! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-tomatoes (sliced)

-fresh mozzarella (sliced)- I usually buy a large chunk and slice it myself

-romaine lettuce

-basil (I grow this in my kitchen but I used to just buy a few leaves and slice them up)

-balsamic vinaigrette

Recipe:

1)      Cut tomatoes and mozzarella to similarly sized slices

2)      Place romaine lettuce on serving dish

3)      Alternate the tomatoes and mozzarella in a diagonal across the dish (one on top of the other)

4)      Sprinkle basil and then balsamic vinaigrette on top of the dish

5)      Season with salt and pepper (optional)

a bucket list at 23

Last year, when I was about to graduate, I had an “AHHHHH” moment when I realized that I did not have any idea where my life was going. I did not have a job lined up and I was thoroughly convinced I would end up living in my parent’s basement forever. One of my professors seemed to at least understand my sentiment and suggested that I come up with a Bucket List. His argument was that this list would be everything I had to look forward to after college. One year later, I can say that I have successfully marked three items off my list (and I am not living in my parent’s basement…):

1.       Go skydiving

2.       Publish a book

3.       Keep a plant alive for over a year

4.       Go see the redwoods

5.       Shoot a pistol*

6.       Sell a photograph

7.       Ride a horse on the beach

8.       Find my soul mate

9.       Write a romance novel

10.   Read the Bible start to finish

11.   See the great lakes*

12.   Win a cooking contest

13.   Change someone’s life

14.   Climb the pyramids

15.   Get a tattoo

16.   Go to a strip club

17.   Go cage diving with great whites

18.   Take flowers to a stranger

19.   Adopt an animal at the zoo

20.   Go on a ghost tour in Edinburgh

21.   Spend a sleepless night in Seattle

22.   See the Amazon

23.   Buy myself a car

24.   Ride an elephant

25.   Flash a crowd for beads

26.   Take a huge risk

27.   Get a good night kiss on a good night

28.   Make my child laugh

29.   Go hunting

30.   Work for a non-profit*

31.   Find the faith I have been searching for

32.   Live in Maine

33.   Dance to Tale as Old as Time with someone I love

34.   Drink beer in Ireland

35.   Hold a koala bear

36.   Run a marathon

37.   Buy my mother lunch

38.   Shoot my age in golf

39.   Pick wild lavender

40.   Learn how to tango

41.   Watch the sun rise on a beach

42.   Go scuba diving in a shipwreck

43.   Visit the catacombs under Rome

44.   Go to the carnival festival in Venice, Italy

45.   Become a cheese connoisseur

46.   Stitch a replica of my Grandmother’s city scene stitch

47.   Stop worrying about things that are out of my control

48.   Donate Blood

49.   Act in a community play

50.   Run my own business

51.   Go to all four Major golf tournaments

52.   Play Augusta National

(*) Indicates that I crossed them off last year! I hope that this list grows as I grow and I look forward to completing them all!

fried chicken and Alabama tornadoes

At first glance, fried chicken and Alabama tornadoes have absolutely nothing in common. After a deeper look; however, you might understand that to me, one has everything to do with the other. Last week, a series of tornadoes devastated the southern states. Alabama was hit the hardest and the death toll is still rising. As we watched the footage, I couldn’t help but think that this begs a question. How do we recover? The answer that kept popping into my head was: we go home. Not home in the sense of a house or town. I mean home as a feeling.  For some, this means picking up the pieces in Pratt City. For some, it means taking a class to be a certified responder. For others, it means taking trucks of supplies to Tuscaloosa. To all of us, this means helping. It means believing that we are a part of something greater than ourselves. And it also means that when the dust settles, we are still proud. We are still believers. And we still like our chicken fried…

the not so secret garden

the not so secret garden

Between 5 Ingredient Fix and Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals, it is hard not to notice the influx of fresh herbs around springtime. As clumsy as they are delicate with their knife skills, I was not exactly overjoyed with this undertaking. Not to mention that buying fresh herbs can be fairly expensive. I decided to resolve this issue by growing my own! Much to my surprise, they have been thriving! (Even though they are currently on my kitchen floor in various cereal bowls… One step at a time) Rosemary has become my favorite because it is so refreshing! Below is a simple recipe that I have tried with rosemary and chicken! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

- ½ tablespoon olive oil

- ½ teaspoon salt

- ¾ teaspoons seasoning (I used something spicy like Cajun)

- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary

Recipe:

1)      Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2)      Place chicken breasts in a glass baking dish with a cover. Add oil, salt, and seasoning.

3)      Mix with your hands until chicken pieces are evenly coated.

4)      Chop and sprinkle rosemary over chicken.

5)      Mix together coating chicken evenly. (I use my hands!)

6)      Cover dish and bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is brown and cooked through (25 to 35 minutes)

let's lent

regardless of the meaning behind Lent and the warm fussy feelings when one passes up on forbidden fruit, those 40 days are difficult. They are made even more difficult if your forbidden fruit happens to be white starch. I tried to think of the hardest thing to give up and decided that I love my potatoes, rice, pasta…etc way too much! Now, for everyone that follows the latest food trend and loves eating healthy, this might not be such a bad month. HOWEVER, if you have no idea how to go without said starch, it proves more difficult. I started by making a list of foods that I cannot eat! I then tried to find yummy alternatives to my favorite staples. Here is my list:

Potatoes

Grits

Chips

Fries

White Bread

Pasta

White Rice

to crock or not to crock:

I would say, “that is the question”, but it would make this blog both cheesy and ridiculous. Instead, I will say that it is a personal preference. There are some that live by their slow cooker, while others have never taken it out of the box. I inconspicuously straddle the fence on this one. There are times when I love my crock pot and times when I would rather throw something on the stove and call it a meal. Therefore, I am giving you two recipes. The ingredients are almost the exact same. It is only the directions that are different. One of these recipes calls for a crock pot and the other calls for a stove. Good luck and enjoy!

Sauerkraut and Sausage a la Kelley

Ingredients:

1 package of polska kielbasa sausage

1 jar of sauerkraut (some would argue to buy it in a bag but I prefer the jar!)

1 can beer (12oz)

2 potatoes cut into cubes

Recipe:

1)     Cut the sausage into 1 in thick slices

2)     Drain the sauerkraut

3)     Put the sausage, sauerkraut, and potatoes into the slow cooker

4)     Pour the beer over the mixture

5)     Cook for 5-6 hours on low heat

Sauerkraut and Sausage a la Kelley 2

Ingredients:

1 package of polska kielbasa sausage

1 jar of sauerkraut (some would argue to buy it in a bag but I prefer the jar!)

1 can beer (12oz)

Recipe:

1)   Cut the sausage into 1 in thick slices

2)     Drain the sauerkraut

3)     Put the sausage and sauerkraut into a pot on med heat

4)     Gradually introduce the beer while stirring the mixture (You may not need the entire can with this version of the recipe

5)     Cook until the sausage and sauerkraut are warm (about 12 minutes)

6)     Serve over mashed potatoes

the work-lunch competition:

If your office dynamic is anything like mine, you understand the concept of what I have dubbed the “work-lunch competition”. You, like most other job holders, value the allotted time placed aside for the consumption of our lunchbox contents. As much as we are friends around the office, there is a silent albeit present contest that begins everyday around 12 p.m. This quiet battle is typically initiated with the ever-so-sneaky, “What did you bring?” If you were not previously aware of the WLC, do not be fooled by this tactic. Your co-worker really means, “Is what you brought better than what I brought? Why do I just have a sandwich when you have a perfectly crafted casserole?”… The goal of said contest is to be the center of food envy attention. To achieve this goal, follow the recipe below. This light pasta not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also tastes amazing! It makes a lot of pasta so you can cook it for dinner and take the leftovers to work! Enjoy!

Party Pasta a la Kelley

Ingredients:

2 cloves of garlic diced

1 container of fresh cherry tomatoes

¾ cup olive oil

1 pound penne pasta

1 tablespoon sugar

1 loose sausage roll

2 small zucchini, sliced (you can add more vegetables depending on preference)

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Recipe:

1)     Wash the cherry tomatoes and put them in a large saucepan or pot with the garlic on low/med heat

2)     Pour ¾ of the olive oil over the tomatoes and cover the pot

3)     Leave this for about 30-40 min or until the tomato skin is coming apart

4)     In a large pot, boil your pasta (usually 9-11 minutes for penne)

5)     Drain the pasta and set it aside

6)     While the sauce is cooking (after you cook your pasta), brown the sausage (this will take about 10 minutes)

7)     Take the sausage out of the pan and set aside

8)     In the same pan, place the zucchini and other optional vegetables

9)     Sauté them until the edges are brown (about 3 minutes)

10) After 3 minutes, add the artichokes

11) Take the vegetables and drain, set aside

12)  When the 30 minutes is over for the tomato mixture, add sugar and crush the remaining tomatoes until the mixture is sauce-like

13)  Pour all of the ingredients into the sauce pan (when I tried this, it would not fit so I went ahead and poured all of my ingredients into my large serving bowl)

fish, potatoes, and the art of being simple

One of the newest trends in the cooking world is the numeric ingredient promise. There are shows dedicated to it. There are books written about it. The idea is that by providing a maximum of 5, 4, even 3 ingredients, the dish will be easier to make and by default more difficult to screw up. Also, one could argue that less ingredients means spending less money. Sounds great, right? Having partially bought in to this craze, I did what any logical person would do… I googled “5 Ingredient Cooking”. One of the first recipes to arrive on my screen was affectionately called, “Easy Lobster, 5 Ingredients”. True to its name, the recipe only required me to purchase 5 items at the grocery. However, (and I stress the word however) one of those items was LOBSTER! I am all about the convenience of shortening my shopping list but not at the expense of my pocket book. Therefore, I modified this recipe for those of us without shellfish in our budget.

Also, it does not take long to make so it is perfect for a quick weeknight meal! Enjoy!

Simple Fish a la Kelley

Ingredients:

1 filet of fish per person (I used tilapia but any flat fish will work!)

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

Almond crumbs (You can find a small container of these for around $1.50 at Whole Foods or Publix… Also, you can exchange with any breading)

3 bowls

1 baking sheet

Recipe:

1)     Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2)     Place flour, milk, and almond crumbs in the 3 separate bowls

3)     Dunk the filets in the following order: milk, cover with flour, back to milk, cover with almond crumbs

4)     Place on greased baking sheet

5)     Cook until the fish flakes off with a fork (about 4 min each side)

**The fish goes nicely with roasted or mashed potatoes and a salad