January 14, 2015

Turtle Turtle

January 14, 2015/ Annie

Alright, it's been two weeks, time to cheat a little on that New Year's resolution of eating healthy.

Every year my family typically gets that same kind of things in our Christmas stockings. Socks, underwear, jewelry, gift cards, and candy. My sisters and I always get the Lifesaver Christmas Storybooks, mom gets her Russell Stover French chocolate mints, and dad gets Turtles. Homemade Lifesavers and mint chocolates seemed a little daunting, but I'd seen this recipe for homemade turtles and knew dad needed the homemade version this year!

Homemade Turtles adapted form Averie Cooks
yields 12 turtles

Ingredients:
4 oz pecan halves
15 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/8 cup half-and-half
12 oz chocolate chips
sea salt, optional for sprinkling

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Choose one that will fit in your freezer or fridge.

Make small piles of pecans, about 5 or 6 pecans on the baking sheet. Overlap them so the caramel doesn't seep through.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the caramels with the cream. Microwave on 30 seconds intervals stirring each time between. Will probably take about 2-3 minutes. Spoon about a tablespoon over each pile of caramels.

Now time to heat the chocolate. Use the same method for the chocolate that you did with the caramels. 30 second intervals, stirring between. Once it is completely melted spoon about two tablespoons over the caramel and pecan piles.

Add a pinch of salt to the top, then place the baking sheet in the freezer or fridge to firm up. Store at room temperature for a week or up to a month in the fridge!

They were pretty much amazing and tasted just like your traditional chocolate, caramel, pecan turtle candy, only better! My dad is probably my favorite person to cook and bake for. I think every time I make something new he says "I think this is the best thing you've ever made!!" Let's see if I can keep impressing him!

Annie

January 13, 2015

Resolving

January 13, 2015/ Annie

A New Year's resolution post seems a little cliché in the blog world, but I feel like if I write my yearly goals down for the world wide web to see there is a better chance I'll stick to them. I guess I feel like people may judge me if I don't stick to my word, which when it comes to resolutions, I think everyone could use some accountability.

I have four resolutions this year. To not text and drive (this is carrying over from last year), eating more whole foods and less processed foods, cooking or baking at least twice a month from my cookbooks and lastly, to revisit calligraphy.

I sat down the other night with my stack of cookbooks in front of me and started sifting through the pages of recipes, making notes and marking pages with sticky notes. I love collecting cookbooks, but in the internet world today I usually cook from Pinterest and food blog recipes. Not a bad thing, but it's time to put my cookbooks to better use!

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As far as texting and driving, I was really good about this at the beginning of last year. It's a horrible habit I have and I committed not to do it. Toward the end of the year I got lazy. It's such a dangerous act and there is no reason to put myself and others at risk. No text is that important. I'm giving myself a second chance and pledging again to not text and drive.

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More whole foods in 2015 instead of processed foods, because why not? It's better for you, whole foods are delicious and because I would rather take the time to make a great snack or meal instead of grabbing the closest sugary or salty processed food. When you think about what you're eating before you find yourself scarfing down a bag of chips, it's likely you'll go for something more nourishing and fulfilling.

I read a great resolution about moving slower this year. Moving slow by, stopping your day to make a great breakfast or moving slow when working on something important. I get in such a rush about everything. It's time to move slow and enjoy the days little moments. This can be in cooking, working or spending time with others.

And finally, I want to revisit calligraphy. I took the beginner and advance class form Blue Eye Brown Eye and learned incredible skills. I still have all of my supplies but I haven't practiced in so long. Calligraphy is a lost skill I want to out back in my bag of tricks!

Now help keep me accountable people! I can do this.

Annie

January 12, 2015

Bites of My Life

January 12, 2015/ Annie

Enjoying the first couple weeks of the new year and the last couple weeks of being off from school, led to more family and friends time, then blogging and internet time. Break is officially over and I'm currently writing this post from the kitchen table of my sweet Norman home.

Since we last met, I went to Dallas for New Years, fell down the black hole that is One Tree Hill on Netflix, skied the mountains of Breckenridge with 23 of my friends and as always, took lots of bites.

I love the fresh feeling of a New Year. New classes, new experiences, new opportunities, a new internship, new goals, new trips, new weather, new clothes etc. The normal is still there, but the new excites me!

-A catch up session with my dear friend over smoothies and wheatgrass shots. I might have rookied her into the wheatgrass.

-Trying to prove to my mom quinoa ain't so bad with this tri-quinoa salad with avocado, shallots and spicy roasted butternut squash.

-One of the things on my Christmas Break to-do list was to cook Greek food again. I made it a little easier and made half and bought the other. This big fat Greek mezze platter was a sure hit. Homemade kafta (lamb meatballs), homemade tzatziki, hummus, feta, grape leaves, olives and tomatoes!

-Ventured down to Dallas to ring in the New Year with my best friends.

-Mom's black eyed peas have already brought me good luck this year. Anyone else call this dish Hoppin' John?

-A send off breakfast with dad and a preparation for the cold Colorado weather. Ordered the Chilly Crunch, at The Red Cup. A concoction of yogurt, frozen blueberries and granola.

-Me and my fellow ski bunnies for a week in Breckenridge, CO.

-The sous chefs of the group who proudly cooked three full meals for 24 people, there was a lot of ground beef involved...

-The whole group (almost).

-By golly I found it. The most amazing breakfast combination, an oatmeal latte. Have your latte and eat it too!

-My smoked salmon crepe in Downtown Breck, was worth the two hour wait.

-Back home with a day to spare before coming back to school. Mi familia, good wine, great pasta and a super stuffed belly to end my last Christmas break.

I have what you may call a "fun semester" or senioritous semester" being that I'm only in 9 hours. It's going to be a pretty laissez semester as far as school, but I have that whole get a real job after school and find a house thing weighing over me. Now I better wrap this up before I'm late to my first/last day of school ever.

Annie

December 30, 2014

Farewell Twenty Fourteen

December 30, 2014/ Annie

In 2014, I started the new year in New Orleans watching OU defeat Alabama in the Sugar bowl

I learned a new skill

I channeled my inner cowgirl at the Fort Worth Rodeo

I met my new best friend

I experienced the charm of Charleston

OU Kappa turned 100

Take A Bite turned 1!

I was published for the first time

Take A Bite did it's first giveaway

I made some of my favorite bites, like these Sea Salt and Lavender White Chocolate Chip cookies

and Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

and corn cakes

and Verde Turkey Chili

and Lucky Pecan Pie Bars

and Quina Salad Acorn Squash

and finally, Christmas Crack.

The Tuckers moved from my childhood home in the suburbs to the big city

I turned 21

Then did my first big girl thing by moving to Washington D.C. for the summer

I moved in with these roommates who quickly became some of my dearest friends

I had one of the finest summer internships that sometimes led to standing on chairs to get the perfect shot

I discovered all the amazing bites D.C. had to offer, like the mediterranean goodness of Cava Grill

Good Stuff Eatery turned me into a burger person

Ted's Bulletin took pop tarts to a whole new level

and Farmers Fishers Brunch left me in a food coma for hours.

I took a side trip to New York City

spent the 4th with these crazies

mom and dad came to the district

and then I had to say goodbye.

I moved into my first little college house which is now my happy place

I started my last sorority recruitment

and after two weeks of hard work, it ended.

I welcomed senior year with multiple gamedays

I went back to D.C. for a weekend

went to my first music festival

finally met up with my blogger bestie

we beat Texas

Barre3 came to OU

I dressed up like a circus freak and came out a winner

played fake bridesmaid

then sis got engaged and now I'm going to be a real bridesmaid!

She said yes to the dress

I ended first semester with the best roommates

and also with my best friends

months of hard work with this group led to a Capstone success

realized how much has changed in just a few short years

but also, how much has changed from this...

to this.

And finally closed out the year with a winter wonderland. A sign of peace from the past year and hope for the new year.

Annie

December 29, 2014

Bites of my Life

December 29, 2014/ Annie

The months and weeks and days that lead up to Christmas are all gone. Christmas is a bittersweet holiday. All the joys it brings are so quickly over after just one day.

Catching up with friends new and old, scarfing down multiple scrumptious eats and treats, putting the finishing touches on holiday traditions, then rounding it out with Jesus' birthday!

The countdown to 2015 is short and it's mind blowing to recap my year, sifting through the ups and downs, the joys the triumphs, the success the failures and the ends and beginnings. Here's to the last bite of 2014!