Hump Day

I'd be lying if I said that this week hasn't been a little rough. My iPhone is broken, so I took two trips to the Apple store yesterday to try and sort it out. Keyword: try. I still have my broken but functional phone, despite 3 hours in vain with the nice people at Apple and two aggravating phone calls with Verizon...but at the end of the day, it's just a phone. Top that off with nearly 18 months of long-distance with Rob and then coming home this evening to find that Tuck had chewed up three of my favorite shoes, and I was more than ready for a BAGoW (Big Ass Glass of Wine). I scratched my workout and got to cooking.

My CSA this week is freaking gorgeous. From the left: bok choy, lettuce, apples, rutabaga, butternut squash, some unknown herb, and incredible mushrooms. I knew that I wanted to use the rutabaga and also finish up the leftovers from earlier this week, but definitely wanted to repurpose everything in a fun way.

Brett had mentioned earlier that he was having stuffed peppers for dinner, and since he is so smart, I decided to copy him. I carmelized onions then added in jalapenos, mushrooms, spinach, the rest of the spaghetti squash, and leftover chicken sausage. While that was heating up, I boiled the pepper for about 10 minutes so it got nice and soft. I put the good stuff into the pepper and topped it with some goat gouda before popping it into the oven for about 5 minutes. On the side is a roasted rutabaga and carrot medley. This was actually really delicious, and everything but the cheese, carrots, sausage, and onions is from the farm. Not too shabby.

I also whipped up some pumpkin granola bars because I was still feeling a little down. Yes, the corner is missing. Yes, it went straight to my belly.

As crappy as I've been feeling these past few days, all it takes is looking at pictures of the people I love and miss the most to bring me back to reality. A broken button on my phone shouldn't rattle my chain. Instead of being frustrated by the 5 days we spend apart every week, I should be happy that I get to see Rob almost every weekend. And most of all, there's only about a month and a half until I see these silly girls again -- and that might be the most exciting thing of all.

Toggy Tuesday Part Deux

1) My obvious obsession this week is Revenge. I watched the entire first season last week and Season 2 premiered on Sunday night. This show is a mix between The OC, Gossip Girl, and...something with guns.

Not to mention, I have a huge crush on Jack Porter. We'd make a great couple, right?

2) This cheetah shift dress from Loft. I got it for 40% off and now it's 50% off so go buy it. Now. I'm promising myself not to buy any clothes or shoes for the rest of October since last month was a bit...out of control...but as soon as this dress arrives, I'm sure all the guilt about spending money will fade away. I'm hoping it's fabulous enough to wear for Thanksgiving dinner! My sisters should get the same one and we can match. We used to have three long-sleeved cheetah print leotards and this is sort of the same thing, right?

3) This White and Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap. It's scary expensive, but I was lucky enough to win one at a silent auction last winter. Mine is cobalt blue with white stripes - which I love - but I think the neutrals this season are even better. It is ridiculously soft and comfortably. There's a video on the website showing all the different ways to wear it, too. If you need any more reasons that this is God's gift to scarf-wearers everywhere, Blake Lively is often photographed rocking W&W.

So cuddly. So soft. So warm. This gets me so excited for cooler weather!

Playing Catch-Up

Sorry for the long absence; I'm sure all four of you have really missed reading these posts! I spent the weekend in Winston Salem with Rob and his accounting friends (more fun than that sounds). Meg and Caroline were there, too, so it was definitely a blur of fun. Meg and I cooked dinner for the boys on Friday night (recipe to come later, but it was absolutely amazing) and we went to the Duke-Wake game on Saturday. By "went to" I mean we tailgated for a few hours but never actually went inside the stadium...oops.

Sadly, I had to leave Winston-Salem before noon on Sunday to get back in time for our company BBQ. I hate that weekends go by so quickly! To make myself feel better, I grabbed dinner Sunday night with Brett, Joe, and Stephen (one of the funniest guys I have ever met, hands down) at Cuisine Malaya. Now, I've heard pretty good things about this place but have never been. Food was pretty good, but the service was so uncomfortable. The waiter came to our table probably 15 times during the meal, and then when he brought the check, handed out mints and said: "Clean yo' mouth." It was bizarre. Needless to say, I stayed in last night and filled up on some much needed veggies -- roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, and a fried egg. Looks kinda nasty, but it was good.

Dinner Parties and Roasted Chicken

Last night, four of my Charlotte buds, Brett, Joe, Ricky, and Lindsay, came over for dinner and I wanted to make something delicious but easy. I raced from work to get my CSA and stop by the Teeter to pick up the chicken and other necessary ingredients.

Now on to the good stuff. My mom used to make "Chicken in a Pot," which is basically a roaster in a Le Creuset with some veggies. The chicken is so moist and lets off so much juice that it basically becomes a soup. I revamped her recipe, and I think it turned out great.

I got a 4.75 pound chicken (free range, organic, duh), rinsed and dried. I stuffed the chicken with a peeled and quartered lemon, onion, and rosemary (fresh from my CSA). Then, I put a mixture of melted butter, rosemary, chopped lemon peel, and garlic underneath the chicken skin. I coated the entire chicken in garlic olive oil, salt, and pepper, and placed it on top of chopped carrots, onions, and baby bellas in my very own Le Creuset (a Hanukkah present from a few years ago). I put the bird in the oven at 475 for 20 minutes, uncovered, then lowered the temperature to 400 for about an hour. Easy. The meat was cooked perfectly and no one got sick from it, so I'll count this culinary adventure as a success. The chicken skin was crispy, and no, cooking it uncovered did not sacrifice the moistness of the meat. Pure deliciousness. Who would guess I was a vegetarian for two years until June?

I didn't cook potatoes in with the chicken (which is a good option) because I wanted something with a different texture than the carrots. I boiled 10 red bliss potatoes in water with salt and pepper. When they were done enough that a knife slid easily into the flesh, I put them on dish towels to cool slighty. Then, I mashed them down so they looked flat. I put a dab of butter on each potato with salt and pepper, then stuck them in the oven with the chicken until they got crispy. Seriously, SO delicious. I only have a before picture, but they were amazing and you should go home and make them tonight. Bonus points: healthier than mashed potatoes (no cream, less butter) but you still get a very creamy texture from the boil + roast technique.

Lindsay brought a super yummy salad with lettuce, chickpeas, tomatoes, feta (I think?), avocado, and croutons. The dressing was phenomenal...I think it had some sesame oil in it? Whatever it was, it was perfect. We also had some french baguette topped with a goat cheese / basil / lemon mixture. Holy yum that was good. Brett brought wine which obviously made the food taste even better. For dessert, I wanted to use up some of the apples from my CSA, so I made this super easy crisp. Just cut up apples and mix them with lemon juice and vanilla.

The crumble on top is just brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and apple sauce. Easy peasy and not too sinful.

I loved having people over for dinner, especially since the apartment has been so lonely this week. The best part of the night might have been when Brett asked if a maid had been to my apartment earlier in the day -- I guess I am neater when the guys aren't around! I'm so glad it's Thursday because tomorrow I get to FINALLY see Tuck and Rob. I hate these two week spans and am glad this one is almost over. We are definitely lucky enough that our long-distance is only 90 minutes, but it is definitely not ideal. See you soon, Robble Gobble!

Revenge

I'm all about using ingredients on hand to make something weird and wonderful. On Monday night, I paired the leftover pasta sauce full of veggies (tossed the noodles - they were kinda bland) with pesto chicken sausage from TJs. The sausage comes in packs of 4, and while they're only 170 calories each, I can't stomach more than one at once. Maybe the salt content? Anyway, that left me with leftovers. I put some in a salad for lunch yesterday, but wanted something different last night.

I popped a Flatout flatbread in the toaster, then topped it with farm-fresh butternut squash and tomatoes I had just roasted, goat gouda, spinach, and some more sausage (needless to say, I still have enough sausage for about two more meals...yikes) then popped it back in the toaster until it got all melty. I poured myself a glass of wine, doused this flatbread in fresh basil and Texas Pete, and dug in. It was delicious. The flatbread got crispy on the outside and the squash was sweet and amazing.

The flatbread held up very well under the weight of all those goodies, despite being pretty thin. I like these a lot more than wraps - they're kind of a mix between pitas and tortillas, but also very healthy. Thanks, Meg, for the recommendation!

While nomming on dinner, I watched another couple episodes of Revenge. I am hooked. Emily and some girls at work watched last season but I never got into it...until now. I'm embarrassed to admit how many episodes I've seen in the last two days, but am totally excited that I'll be all caught up on Sunday for the Season 2 premiere.

Toggy Tuesday

Although I'm sure posting pictures of my dinners every day is thrilling for some of you, I'm going to spice this blog up a little bit with Toggy Tuesdays wherein I'll post my current obsessions.

1) Uber Lara Bars: These crunchy, textured Larabars are really, really good. At around 200 calories, they make a substantial morning or afternoon snack. Like traditional Larabars, these treats boast natural and wholesome ingredients. My favorite flavor, Cherry Cobbler, just has almonds, dried cherries, brown rice syrup, pecans, cashews, raisins, dates, honey, and salt.

2) Monogram necklaces: I've had my eye on these for a while and am officially obsessed. I like gold ones the best, but there are some fun colored ones that could be very cute for the fall. I've seen them on their own and paired with statement necklaces and love both styles. This will definitely be at the top of my Hanukkah wishlist!

3) This Bob Dylan cover by Miley Cyrus: I used to think Miley's most valuable contribution to society was "Party in the USA," but then I saw her singing a duet with Dolly Parton and realized that her raspy voice can do some good stuff without the dreaded audio tune. 

4) J.K. Rowling's new book: As someone who devoured the Harry Potter series, I am beyond excited for The Casual Vacancy, Rowling's first attempt at a novel intended for adult audiences. 

5) Homeland: New season starts Sunday! This show is incredible, just swept the Emmys, and is filmed in Charlotte. Need more reasons to watch? Claire Danes is a total babe and used "holla" in her acceptance speech. 

Home Alone

So now that Richard has moved out and is safely in Wisconsin, I have the apartment to myself. I miss him already, but on the bright side, I can make coffee and smoothies and eggs in the morning and not worry about waking him up. Tuck is on pup-cation this week in Winston-Salem, too, so it does feel a little lonely in my apartment...but I'm also really looking forward to a few days of no responsibility. I can't wait to go for a few long runs without having to worry about Tucker all alone in the apartment.

Last night for dinner, I desperately needed veggies. My weekend of debauchery didn't exactly include the healthiest food choices (enter late night falafel and nachos). I was craving comfort food and was so tempted to just order Thai Taste, but my credit card bill took a hit this weekend so I resisted with great difficulty. Instead, I pumped up a frozen TJ's meal (Rigatoni Alla Siciliana -- basically, just penne and eggplant with nothing chemical/sketchy on the ingredient list) with kale, onions, spinach, and tomatoes. This hit the spot.

I have about 2/3 of the meal leftover which I'm planning on re-purposing tonight with some ground turkey that is defrosting in my fridge.

Later this week, I'm cooking a big ol' dinner for Brett and Joe which means meat has to be the centerpiece. Joe is notorious for ordering steak whenever we go out, regardless of the meal, so I can't disappoint him. Time to start brainstorming ideas!