Bites of My Life

I started my Monday morning and one of my favorite spots in the city, Kitchen at Commonplace. They promoted having free coffee on Monday’s and it seemed like the perfect place to start my week and get some things done before heading into the office. Well, on the way there I realized I left my phone at home. I opted out of going back to get it and decided I could live a day with out my phone (really testing myself here). I then got there to find out the “free coffee” special was for networking purposes. The idea was to have a cup of coffee and mingle and meet with like minded people. I missed that message. I wasn’t quite in the mingling mood, I had things to get done for goodness sake! So I grabbed my cup of coffee, said hi to the business owners and a few others I saw and knew, and then settled into a corner of the Kitchen.

I pulled out my computer and couldn’t find the wifi. Second realization of the day, they don’t have free wifi for guests. While I can appreciate that I was slightly annoyed. I needed to finish this blog post and reply to emails. All things that require wifi. And, let’s remember, I didn’t have my phone so I couldn’t connect to my hotspot. Instead of getting up and leaving, I was taking the no phone and no wifi as a sign.

I had brought my bible study and book club book, thinking maybe if after finishing my post and emails I may work on my study or read a bit. But let’s be honest, I knew I wouldn’t. Although, it was the thought that count! Well, I had no choice. No wifi, I couldn’t leave I already said hi, no phone. It was time to read, time to write, with actual pen and paper. So I drank my coffee and went through three days of my study. It was wonderful honestly. No distractions, no screens. I think I might start leaving my phone at home once a week and going places that don’t have wifi. A perfect slow start to a Monday and new week.

-Last week I went to the store with no idea what I was buying. I never do that. I always have a list. I mentally knew I wanted to cook vegetarian for the week, but I just let the store speak to me (LOL) as far as what I ended up putting in my cart. It was slightly stressful and I don’t plan to just roam the aisles without a plan again, but I ended up with a great meal. I made a batch of lentils and did a composed salad of romaine, cooked red lentils, chickpeas, avocado, marinated onions, cherry tomatoes and topped with Trader Joe’s Turmeric Almond Butter dressing and black sesame seeds.
-My bestie is now a proud new homeowner! Bonus: she’s right down the street from me!
-I posted a picture of my room in bites last week too, but I’ve just really been loving this space lately!
-Old episodes from The Hills and a glass of wine in bed from 5pm Friday until I fell asleep.
-Fun Saturday popping up at Madewell to promote upcoming shows at The Jones Assembly!
-Always always always my go to snack. Apple with cinnamon and fresh ground almond butter.
-Ready to get these two married so I can get my liver back!
-Prior comment aside, we had a great time showering Alex and Graham!
-Panera delivery. I hate that I’m becoming that person to order food delivery, but its v necessary sometimes. And the $2 delivery price is hard not to pass up.

Annie

Meal prepped this for lunches this week and it’s going to be the perfect lunch for this cold weather that won’t go away.

Bites of My Life

A pretty easy and fun week last week that led up to another weekend in Dallas. Started the weekend with #NationalMargaritaDay and a copious amount of tortilla chips (I have zero restraint). A beautiful day Saturday catching up with friends getting to meet our Lo’s baby girl. It’s wild being the age where your friends start having babies, but it’s incredibly fun too! Finished the weekend with the Oscars which in my opinion was one of the best in years. Having seen zero nominated movies, the show was entertaining and the pink moment was everything!

-My friends and I have officially started a book club and I can’t wait for our first meeting. We’ve been talking about it for forever, but finally committed to getting together monthly to discuss our chosen book. First up, the book of the moment, Educated. Anyone else in a book club?
-The makings of my one of my favorite Defined Dish meals!
-Fun morning with work getting to prep, cook and serve at the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance!
-Samoa Popcorn. It’s a thing. Figure out how, here.
-No story behind this picture except that his corner of my room was just looking cozy and cute.
-When you work in hospitality marketing and national food holidays lead you to taking vibey drink pictures and mentioning margaritas about 100 times in one day.
-It’s a crazy thing I tell you when your friends start having babies, but loved getting to meet sweet little Grace this weekend.
-A baby weekend kind of weekend apparently. Stole my little bestie for some on one aunt Annie and Elle time on Sunday.
-And the Oscar goes to… Samoa Popcorn of course!

Annie

Oscar bite: Pink for the win at the Oscars! My favorites were Gemma Chan and Julia Roberts!

Samoa Popcorn

Girl Scout cookies, you can’t, not, love them. My top three are Samoas, Thin Mints and Trefoils. Yours?

With it being peak Girl Scout cookie season, I wanted to repurpose the coveted cookies. I’m taking the flavors of Samoas, and actual Samoa pieces and turning it into a decorated popcorn recipe. With the Oscars this Sunday, it will be the perfect snack at my watch party!

My sister, Kathleen and our two best friends Jillian and Taylor get together for almost all award shows (and pageants), especially the Oscars. I never do as well as I set out to, when it comes to actually seeing Oscar nominated movies, but you can bet I’ll be in front of the TV Sunday evening filling out my ballot and snacking on all the appropriate snacks. Exhibit A, this Samoa Popcorn.

Are you watching the Oscars this Sunday? Hit up your local scout before the big show, so you too, can make this popcorn for your viewing and tastebud pleasure!

Samoa Popcorn
yields 6-8 cups

Ingredients:
6-8 cups air popped popcorn (I used 1/2 cup kernels and 1 tbsp. coconut oil, prepared in my Lekue popcorn maker)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips*
2 tsps. coconut oil
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
5 Samoas, roughly chopped

Directions:
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Pop your popcorn and evenly distribute on your prepared cookie sheet.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt your semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tsp. of coconut oil in 30 second intervals. Stirring well between each interval to keep the chips from burning. Once melted, set aside. I did 30 seconds, another 30 seconds and then about 10 seconds at the end. In another microwave safe bowl, do the same with the butterscotch chips and 1 tsp. of coconut oil, then set aside.

Toast your coconut in a small sauté pan, over medium heat. Stirring often, until light brown. Don’t take your eyes off of it, this happens fast. Once light brown, take off the heat and set aside.

Now it’s time to put it all together. Using a small spatula or spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the popcorn. Repeat with the melted butterscotch. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the popcorn. Finish by evenly distributing the Samoa cookie pieces. Let sit until the chocolate is hardened, about an hour. Break up the big chunks of popcorn and serve!

*you can use melted caramel instead of butterscotch chips, but I just really love butterscotch and prefer the way it hardens on the popcorn.

Annie

My Oscar Ballot is from Studio DIY!

Bites of My Life

I’ve kind of gotten back into running the past few weeks. I used to run all the time in college, but weak knees and getting burnt out, had me write it off completely. Until recently. While in Newport Beach a couple weeks ago, and seeing people out running along the beach and all through the city, I had a craving for it. I bought new running shoes and jumped on the treadmill (it’s still middle of winter here). I’m a short distance kind of girl only running 2 to 3 miles at a time, only a few times a week. However, it feels great. I have to be cautious of my knees because they don’t love it, but it feels so good to just take off and get the endorphins flowing. I had also been in a workout rut and running is helping pull me out of that.

It’s a nice balmy 26 degrees today…I’m one to enjoy all seasons, but winter you can go now. I would kill to go on a walk or run outside! Anyone else craaaaaaving spring?

-Started the week with lunch with mom, featuring one of my favorite salads. No really, I named it my fave in my quest for the Best Salad in OKC.
-Got asked to teach a photography class for the bartenders at The Jones Assembly. So fun getting to share my trade secrets and to see them really absorb what I was saying. Here is me with my open mouth breathing-means business-serious picture-taking face.
-Saving this recipe for a little longer, but let the anticipation build for these Thin Mint Brownies!
-Valentine’s Day steaks with our favorite sauce and not pictured pound cake with strawberries and homemade whipped cream. BIL John was out of town, so mom, dad, Kat and Elle and I cherished our little Vday dinner together!
-Book 2 out of my 24 goal done. This one was great!
-Valentine flowers not from mom and dad ;)
-Dallas for the weekend to see Rainbow Kitten Surprise and other things…
-When you partake in an organized 500 person bar crawl you are bound to see a few people you know!
-A little health after a day of bar crawling. The Sunrise Bowl from True Food Kitchen did the trick.

Annie

Extra bite: Discovered Jess Ann Kirby after Ellen linked to Jessica’s post about body image. Jessica is a lifestyle blogger but goes beyond just fashion and food. She touches on so many topics pertinent to my life. I spent all morning going down a rabbit hole reading some of her recent posts.

Sound bite: can’t stop listening to Mt. Joy after they opened for RKS on Friday. Do yourself a favor and listen in. My favorites are I’m Your Wreck, Sheep and Dirty Love.

Bites of My Life

Last week looked like breakfast for dinner and chocolate for dinner, combined with busy work days gearing up for a fun weekend. Looking into this week, I think the week may be very similar. Emphasis on the chocolate for dinner with Valentine’s Day being this week. Cue the sweets! I’ve already made a batch of Perfect CCC’s to share at work and at a meeting I have tonight. More cookies and Thin Mint brownies are also on the baking menu for the week.

-S_B is for beauty!
-Fun fact: I highlight my hair about twice a year, but I’ve only professional colored my hair once. Yes that is right, anytime I color my hair, my sister does it. It’s amazing what a $15 platinum highlight kit from Walgreens can do. I wanted a more all over color this time so I used Madison Reed. Anyone heard of it? This was my second time using their at home color kit. It’s extremely easy and foolproof in my opinion, but both times the color has not turned out how i wanted. It’s a little hard to tell but my hair is now taking on more of a strawberry blonde affect. Looks like we need to add some blonde highlights back in after all Kathleen!
-Dinner last week was breakfast for dinner. Sautéed “breakfast” sweet potatoes with 2 scrambled Vital Farm eggs on Siete tortillas with avo, salsa and chives!
-Not lying when I say I genuinely look forward to my morning celery juice. I do 8 oz over ice every morning post-workout, pre-food.
-Any sunbutter fans out there? I have tried but I am not. I wanted to love these sunbutter cups from TJ’s but I took one bite then threw them away. I’ve even bought a jar from TJ’s and returned it because I hated it.
-Year two judging Chocolate Decadence benefiting Automobile Alley with these two OKC foodies.
-Finally got to try Osteria this weekend. I went with the special, but for mainstays I would recommend the octopus, truffle potato skins and lemon and thyme cocktail.
-Leaning tower of tuna for a Saturday sushi lunch.
-Target impulse buy/Saturday snack was this Mint Chocolate Chip Cado ice cream. Texture was on point for being dairy free and vegan but would not buy again.
-Celebrating our Cali couple Oklahoma style.
-What Sunday morning should look like: eggs with a big side of hash browns!
-And what Sunday evening should also look like. I’ve been getting into a self-care routine of taking an epsom salt bath every Sunday night and it truly is the best way to detox from the weekend and start the new week.

Annie

web bite: Seth Meyer’s get’s Ina Garten drunk and it is amazing.