You know that feeling of utter and complete relaxation? When your muscles are loose and your nerves have taken a vacation? Well that feeling hasn't payed me a visit in quite sometime. Basically if you live with anxiety that feeling never really comes until you have two or three days of absolutely no responsibility, living in a cave, netflix marathoning bliss. But who has that luxury? I love having alone time with my favorite shows, a great meal that I just made, a nice beer and snuggling with my cat. This is how I unwind, this is how I feel relaxed. Call it introverted, or socially awkward, or what have you. I honestly just don't care, I'm still coping with Bowie and Rickman dying.
I'm in the mood for some good 50's vocalists. June Christy is over looked a lot, probably because she lived amongst the Ella's and Judy's of the world, but the girl can hold her own. So here's one of my favorite Duke Ellington songs, performed by the lovely Mrs. Christy.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread BBQ sauce on flatbread
Add your chicken and onion evenly over the flatbread.
Sprinkle your cheese on top, then bake for 8-10 minutes or until flatbread is crispy.
When cooling, add your cilantro and slice the flatbread.
I have been knee deep in prerequisites. That is, I have started school and it's been a tad overwhelming. It's been four years since I was a student and I am learning to be in a classroom again. All I know is that it's about time, my dreams of becoming a teacher are about to become a reality. In the meantime, I will try not to leave you dangling without delicious new things to try! I found this recipe and knew instantly that I did not have all the ingredients but that I wanted it right away. So I improvised and think I stumbled upon something just as good. Let's do this thing.
Ingredients (makes one drink):
2 oz gin
4 oz tonic
1 tbsp blueberry jam
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
I have been listening to almost too much Motown lately, I say almost because there's no such thing as too much. Sing it Jackie! Love cooking/shakin' drinks to this.
Directions:
In a martini shake, shake all of your ingredient together.
Holy cow, it's been a whirlwind the past three weeks. Sinus infections, last minute gifts, power outages on Christmas, no heat, a crap ton of snow, ect. It's all been fun winter but can you give it a rest? If these events have reminded me of anything it's that sometimes things just don't go as planned or the way we wanted them to go. The holiday season is not something I take lightly and when you're forced to have christmas morning by candlelight because the power is out you just have to think 'se la vie', and enjoy the fact that you get to have yet another beautiful morning with the people you love.
Something sweet to keep us upbeat!
Christmas Morning :)
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup cool whip
1 tbsp gingerbread coffee creamer
1 cup ginger snap cookies crushed into crumbs (set aside)
wax paper
I just need some good old fashioned nitty gritty music to help ease the anxiousness:
Directions:
Line a 9X13 pan with wax paper.
Mix with an electric beater the cream cheese, sugar, cool whip and creamer.
Pour into your lined pan. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
After freezing start scooping the mixture into little balls and roll them in the ginger snap crumbs.
Freeze them again or serve right away. Take them out 30 minutes before you want to serve if you're re-freezing.
I also found that if you just wanted to skip the freezing and making them into bites, you could just mix everything together and serve as a dip with graham cracker!
It's a grand thing when you find a new way to serve alcohol, all it takes is a bit of curiosity and a little bravery. In this case it was more of a 'I bet that would taste good' moment, so I went for it. This drink is very much for curling up next to the fire watching a good flick and getting a bit sleepy with a sweetheart, be it your man, woman or pet. A couple nights have been spent like that here at the William's household and I have nothing to complain about, except maybe this dumb cough. Anyway, please enjoy responsibly, this wonderfully simple cup of cheer.
Ingredients:
1 cup dark hot chocolate (or one that is 'rich')
2 shots bird dog maple whiskey (I've also tried the cinnamon one and it was good)
Marshmallows (if you're so inclined)
Watch these too drunkards we know as Martin and Sinatra, it'll get you in the right kind of mood for a whiskey winter night:
It's been a while since my last post due to it being cold season and I was busy sleeping the past two weeks. Who doesn't absolutely abhor being sick? Not only do you fall behind on the things you need to do but you're constantly tired ALL THE TIME. This weekend I am sucking it up, popping those cough drops and having a good time dammit. Before I can let the 'I'm ignoring the amounts of mucus my body is producing' fun begin, I thought I'd leave a nice little treat for you. I prepped this dish for Thanksgiving and it was positively scrumptious, people who don't sprouts liked this simple recipe, I hope you enjoy it too.
Ingredients:
2lbs brussel sprouts washed and cut in half
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 heaping cup + 1/4 set aside shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp pepper
This weeks posting will not include music, but the beautiful and epic video of a man we have all come to love and hold dear to our hearts. Enjoy the silence, maybe try this at home, good for the soul and all that.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large stock pot bring water to a boil and blanch your brussel sprouts. They should only take about 2 minutes to blanche correctly, too long and they become soft. Strain the sprouts.
In a large skillet, heat up your butter, quickly stir in your flour until the clumps are gone, then remove from heat.
Next add your milk, 1 cup warm, salt, mayo and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted fully.
In a large bowl mix your cheese mixture in with your brussel sprouts and coat evenly. Pour into baking dish.
Sprinkle your 1/4 cup parmesan over the top and bake for roughly 45 minutes, or until browned on top.
It has begun. The Christmas season is upon us, I am starting the day off right with a peppermint mocha, maple sausage and writing my christmas cards. In the background White Christmas plays on the TV and a fire roars. I can't help but to feel so full of the spirit, soon the decorating will ensue! Everything about the season makes me feel cozy, even though its only a whopping 29 degrees outside. We have to ensure a warm belly, so here's a recipe to feed you and a whole dinner party! Enjoy each other's company and have a meal together.
Ingredients:
12 ounces baby red potatoes, scrubbed
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 of a large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups water (more to thin if needed)
4 oz tomato paste
1 short container of half and half
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1" chunks and softened
1 canned whole kernel corn, drained
1 pound smoked salmon shredded
salt to taste
2 tbsps your choice of hot sauce
Hey! Let's dance!
Directions:
In a large pot boil your potatoes until soft. Drain and set aside to cool.
When cooled down, dice your potatoes and keep to the side.
In a large stock pot, add your butter and onion, cook until translucent.
Add your flour and stir until thick.
Next add your water and bring to a boil. Add your half and half. Then slowly add the rest of your ingredients. Keep stirring until cream cheese is is melted, and tomato paste is broken up.
Add your diced potatoes and mix well.
Serve hot!
Have a wonderful Holiday Season and happy eating everyone!
Everyone around the world is feeling the weight of the harsh attacks happening throughout the Middle East and Europe. I hope we can all agree that we hope for peace soon. We hope that the Syrian refugees find homes, Beirut can rebuild, Paris can overcome and most of that ISIS becomes a thing of the past very soon. It's hard to imagine the heartbreak these nations are feeling right now, we in America tend to forget just how removed from the rest of the world we are (this excludes our nation's armed forces), but me, as a citizen in the Pacific Northwest, can't even begin to grasp the pain of being displaced or of losing hordes of the people I love because of extremisms.
So as we sit down to the table, let's take a moment to look at those around us, remember those who can't be with us and reflect on just how much we love them, but also to hope and pray that everyone being effected by these attacks soon finds a table for themselves to sit down at and bask in a good meal and those they love.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground venison, or venison sausage
2 cups plain bread croutons
12 eggs
8 oz shredded cheese
1/4 diced yellow onion
salt and pepper to taste
I know a lot of you will yell at me that it's too early, but if you just take the time to really listen to this beloved holiday song you'll recognize just how much we need this type of message right now, and although we don't all recognize "Christmas" per say, I think we all can relate to the sentiment. Maybe it's a little naive of me, but the optimist in me refuses to believe the world can't find some kind of joy soon.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a fry pan, crumble and fry up your venison. When cooked well (no pink), drain the fatty liquids and place in a bowl.
Next add all your other ingredients and whisk until eggs are scrambled.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it starts to brown a little on top.
