Take A Bite Turns Three

Three years ago, I was 19 years old, sitting in the kappa house dining room, reading up how to start a blog and creating amateur blog graphics on an internet photo editor. Three years later, a lot has changed. 

I've written 147 bites of my life, over 150 recipes, and too many blog posts to count. Take A Bite has gone through my time in college, my summer in DC, graduation, and now real world life. I've grown up with this blog. 

I'm so thankful for the experiences, opportunities, and friendships I have gained from starting Take A Bite. It's helped me develop something that I truly enjoy, and I love it for that. I'm so interested to see where TAB heads in the coming years. 

And now for my favorite blog birthday tradition. Birthday toast. The only way to celebrate a website turning one year older...

Birthday Toast

Ingredients:
bread of choice
almond butter
sprinkles
candles (optional)

Directions:
Toast your bread, spread on almond butter and decorate with sprinkles. Sing happy birthday and take a bite!

Why does my hand make that look like the smallest piece of bread ever?? I promise it wasn't. Anyway, see more blog birthday posts here and here.

Annie

Somebunny is Thankful

How great is my mom's table? She always has the prettiest set up!

I love Easter, I've always loved Easter. Every year seems to be full of different traditions, but it's always a really nice day that falls at that time of year where you are itching for something to celebrate. 

We were sitting around the table finishing up Easter lunch on Sunday and got on the topic of what a good holiday Easter is. First and foremost it symbolizes what God did for us to have this amazing life on earth. His resurrection hits a little harder than a baby being born on Christmas. It hasn't been overly commercialized and it's relatively low stress. It's a great holiday if you have plans, but also not a huge deal if you don't have some extravagant day planned. It's kind of a make it what you want holiday all done for good measure. It's just a good holiday. 

Growing up most Easters consisted of dying eggs then scrubbing for hours to get the multi colors off our fingers so mom could paint out nails! A fun treat when you were under the age of 12 or so. Then Easter morning we would wake up to a basket full of goodies the Easter bunny brought us. Only to dump it all out to use for the egg hunt around the house using our dyed eggs from the night before. 

Then it was time to put on a special new dress we had spent extra time shopping for, head to church for a traditional Easter service, then typically go out for brunch or cook lunch at home. 

The past couple of years our Easter has consisted of a beautiful church service then an afternoon of cooking and enjoying the meaning of the day with family and friends. This year it was mom, dad, middle sis and brother-in-law. Brother-in-law's family, one of my cousins and one of my closest friends. A motley crew, but a great crew!

We sipped mimosas and stuffed our bellies with ham and cheesecake. 

There was a little bit of miscommunication between Kathleen and I. I blame it on our generation of only communicating through text messaging. We had been planning to make this Coconut Carrot Cake Cheesecake (a check off the Spring TDL) for about a month now. While going over who would make what and when everything would get made, I thought Kathleen was on homemade oreo duty and I was on cheesecake duty. Through our cryptic messages, Kathleen thought she was in charge of both. 

We showed up having both made the cheesecake...It's better to have more cheesecake than no cheesecake right? With competitive nature we turned it into a "who made it best competition." If I were the judge, Kat won for best exterior and I won for best interior, but I'll let our guests be the judge. 

My cousin just moved to the city and he loves our homemade oreos. We knew with his attendance at Easter, oreos had to be apart of the menu. It's a recipe from the archives, it was actually the first recipe I ever posted, so bare with the authenticity.

It's not a holiday at the Tucker's without a feast. To counteract all the sweets we had spiraled ham, healthified green bean casserole, cheese grits, strawberry salad, deviled eggs and my brown butter herb gruyere scalloped potatoes. I recently received this Thick & Thin Mandoline from Kuhn Rikon and I've been holding out to use it until Easter! I've never made scalloped potatoes because the task of having to hand slice 3 lbs. of russets didn't quite appeal to me. This mandoline makes it so easy. Just make sure to use the guard! I sliced a liitle piece of my finger amongst the potatoes...

All these Easter bites were pretty sinful, but a big thanks to the man upstairs for washing our sins away. And for that I am ever thankful!

Annie

Spring TDL

These seasonal to-do lists are starting to become some of my favorite posts to come up with. Cue Summer TDL and Fall TDL. Sorry winter, you got left out. Some of the things on my list I've been holding to out to do, but others I had to think about. These posts let me sit down and think on what I want to enjoy in the coming months. I'm a planner as I've shared before, so it also gives me a plan on what the spring season may look like. Also, there really is no better feeling than crossing things off your to-do list. And when everything on your TDL is fun, why not strive to get them done!

1. Host a spring dinner party

2. Attend the Oklahoma City Arts Festival.

Because as much as it's about the art, it's really more about the food.

3. Take some kind of cooking, pastry or coffee and latte making class.

4. Go to a crawfish boil/convince a friend to have one.

5. Eat outside as much as possible.

6. Cheer on the OKC Thunder at a playoff game.

7. Make this Coconut Carrot Cake Cheesecake.

8. Perfect how to poach an egg.

9. Host a Cinco De Mayo taco party.

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Anything on your spring to-do list this season?

Annie

BB Weekend

Meet my friend Molly. She's my blogger bestie, soul sister, sweet to my savory and this past weekend, my getaway gal. Molly and I met on the internet. Laugh to yourself for a second because I am too. It wasn't in a creepy dating site kind of way, but that's what is so cool about the blog world. The people I have met and discovered since starting Take A Bite has made it so worthwhile. Molly and I found each other through the crazy world wide web and instantly new we could be friends. Our amount of similarities is numerous and the way our brain works is almost telepathic.  

We were strictly internet friends for a while, but claimed each other as blogger besties. Always commenting on posts, sharing blog tips, and swapping ideas. Same age, attended rival schools, are in the same sorority, and have a handful of mutual friends, we knew we would meet up eventually. So far we have caught up at Austin City Limits and OU vs. Texas. This past weekend we met halfway between our two cities. I drove down from Oklahoma City and Molly bussed it up from Houston, to meet in Dallas. 

It was a quicky 24 hours, but we packed in loads of blogger bestie goodness. First stop was at Flea Style that just so happened to be taking place this weekend. Honestly...it was slightly underwhelming, but it was fun going booth to booth checking out the specialty food goods, catchy greeting cards, whimsical home goods and vintage clothes. 

Post Flea Market, I was about to eat my arm. We headed to the Knox Henderson area for lunch. We left it up to wherever the wind blew us and we ended up with rose` and greek noshes from Ziziki's. We were those horribly obnoxious people hovering over our tables and moving dinnerware around to get the perfect shot all weekend. Although, it was nice to not be judged for my obsessive foodgramming... 

After lunch and more shopping a little caffeine was needed. Vanilla lavender lattes from Sip Stir fit the bill. Again with the food pics. I'll let you in on a little secret (this is totally posed), but shhhh don't tell the other bloggers. 

Drinks and dinner were at HG Sply Co. which doubles as my new favorite Dallas restaurant.  

A little salmon curry bowl for me and the cauliflower grit bowl with a quinoa patty for Molls.

The weekend was idyllic, with the addition of a few spaz moments as we called them. A Mega Bus "experience", a slightly dazed shopkeeper, a few wreckless uber drivers, a waiter switcheroo and the icing on the cake...getting my car towed. Tip: don't park in a fire line. This seems simple, but take my advice. I'm now a pro at "regaining your vehicle after getting it impounded." Memories, ya know?

More lattes (the best too might I add) and my favorite meal from Ascension Coffee, made for the last stop on our 24 hour excursion. So much real talk, blog talk, job talk and life talk over the weekend. Thank you internet for helping me find one of my besties! If you haven't already, take a peek at Molly's blog. She brings the words and intellect, while I just bring the food. 

Annie

Countdown to the Oscars

It's finally Oscar time! I love a good award show, but you can't deny the glamour and prestige that the Oscars hold. I barely saw any of the movies up for awards, but I still can't miss it. I've made plans to catch a showing of The Big Short tomorrow night so hopefully I'll be a little more educated. 

brown sugar sriracha sesame popcorn // rocky road milkshake // oscar ballot

I fully plan to be staked out on my couch for most of Sunday. You have to start early to see all the red carpet action (the real reason we watch the Oscars). Fancy popcorn, milkshakes and most likely a glass of wine will all be attendance! Make sure and print out your Oscar ballot too! It's the Super Bowl of award shows.

Annie