Bites of My Life

So it was like 65 degrees everyday in Oklahoma this past week, not okay. Where is the snow and the brisk winter days? I'm boycotting and still wearing cozy sweaters and drinking hot chocolate. I've got the holiday spirit running through my bones. Cookies, treats, presents, happy hours and holiday parties. Keep it coming Christmas. 

-Eating cookies for breakfast is totally acceptable with all the holiday treats lying around.
-Jumping on the persimmon bandwagon and adding them to my morning oats, although, still on the fence about them.
-Not many things get me going in the morning like a warm cup in the a.m.
-You can't miss these Merry Berry Scones. The flavor combo is unreal. 
-The outside is almost as important as the inside!
-So proud of sis and her new job, already kicking butt one tailored suit at a time.
-If you haven't tried tahini in your smoothie, it's time to take a walk on the wild side.
-All the veggies.
-A swanky Saturday with the best of people.

Annie

Merry Berry Scones

Have you ever loved Christmas so much you wish you could eat it? Is that weird to say? Gingerbread, peppermint, hot chocolate etc. all remind you of Christmas, but these scones taste like a Christmas tree wrapped in a sweater, with a santa hat on, drinking hot cider while watching a Christmas movie. Short version, they taste like a bottled up edible version of Christmas. 

It's sure to be a Very Merry Berry Christmas with these cranberry and rosemary scones. I'm a scone person when it comes to breakfast pastries. My parents and I had this conversation the other day when I brought them some scones to try. My mom claims she is a muffin person, my dad and I are team scone. I like the crumbly texture of a scone compared to the cupcake wannabe that you get from a muffin. Are you team muffin or scone? 

Merry Berry Scones
yields 8 scones

Ingredients:
2½ cups flour
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. dried cranberries, chopped small
4 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk), plus 2 tablespoons more for brushing on top
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 to 3 Tbsp. water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, dried cranberries, and rosemary in a large bowl.

Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, using two butter knives, or your hands until it looks like coarse meal. Whisk together the milk and vanilla extract, and stir it into the flour mixture. The dough will be a little sticky, but not too wet.

Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk; wrap it in plastic wrap and chill 10 minutes in the freezer.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a circle about 7 to 8 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Cut the circle of dough into 8 equal wedges.

Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with a little milk, and bake until puffed and light golden brown on top and bottom, about 14 to 16 minutes. Cool completely.

Once cooled, whisk together all ingredients for the glaze, adding the water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Dip the tops of the scones into the glaze, letting it run down the sides; decorate with a few cranberries and sprigs of rosemary. Place the scones onto a wire rack and let the glaze set completely before serving.

Have a Merry Berry Christmas!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Typically coming off a holiday I always feel a little sad and a case of post-holiday depression. Although, I love this time of year because after one holiday there is another around the corner to get excited for. Trees and lights going up, Christmas hymns at church and Christmas movies on tv, festive food and lots of friends and family time. There just isn't that much not to love about this time of year. 

Yes there is the stress from all the hustle and bustle, but there is too much good and cheer to let it get me down. Yes mom, I'm still mad you had the tree delivered instead of letting us go out to the tree farm to pick it up, but getting to hang up all of my homemade kindergarten ornaments with you made it a little better.

-Kale, Quinoa and White Bean Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe up last week and leftovers on repeat.
-This combo never gets old.
-Roommate date with this picnic plate from Packard's.
-These scones. Just wait.
-I've had a bottle of Trader Joe's red curry sauce in my pantry forever. Finally used it up to make some amazing chickpea curry.
-After a full day of work, Saturday night was spent unwinding doing my favorite thing.
-Spent Sunday afternoon touring the most quaint houses in one of my favorite OKC neighborhoods.
-Their houses Christmas decorations made it even better, like this adorable chalkboard wall ready for Santa to come down it's imaginary chimney. 
-Dad killed Sunday Supper with these braised eggs and lamb. We licked the whole pan clean with big pieces of naan that now I'm mad we didn't leave any leftovers.

Annie

Stuffed

There is no better way to describe "stuffed" than the way you feel after Thanksgiving. I feel like i have pecan pie and dressing and all the other food I ate last weekend coming out my ears I'm so full. In attempts to tone it back a bit this week, I found myself stuffed in a different way. Stuffed acorn squash that is. 

Roasted acorn squash filled with protein packed quinoa, white beans and nutrient dense kale has me feeling a little better about what I'm stuffed with. Check out a similar recipe from last year, for a little more acorn squash goodness.

Kale, Quinoa and White Bean Stuffed Acorn Squash
serves 4

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups chopped kale
1, 15 oz can white beans, drained and washed
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy parts and discard. If your squash has a little tip on it, cut it off to create a flat bottom so the squash can sit up on a plate. Drizzle with a tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash face down on roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes or until tender. 

In the meantime, heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add in the kale and let it cook down. Add the beans and quinoa and combine. Squeeze in the lemon, add in a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or as much as you can handle, and season with salt and pepper. Add the filling to each crevice of the squash, garnish with chopped parsley and serve!

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Annie

It's Getting Chili

Once the temperature drops I pretty much crave chili for every single meal. It's the ultimate cold weather, warm you up meal. Chili is easily one of my favorite foods. I've attended too many chili cook-offs to count, made several pots myself and eaten an unhealthy amount of Fritos all for the sake of an excellent bowl of chili.

I've rounded up a pretty stocked list of different kinds of chili. Turkey chili, white chicken chili, veggie chili, etc. I adore all kinds of chili, buuuuut if you ask me nothing beats my momma's. I know everyone says that, but I'll fight you on it that her's really is the best. It even won my high school chili contest back in the day. No beans, ground beef, lots of spices, and tons of Fritos. Scroll through for some pin worthy chili recipes, but keep scrolling for momma Tucker's chili recipe!

1) Quick Bison Chili

2) Carne Asada Beer Chili

3) Chipotle Turkey Quinoa Chili

4) Spicy Chicken Chili with Pumpkin Beer Biscuits

5) Lentil and Quinoa Chili

6) Crockpot Chipotle Pulled Pork Pumpkin Chili with Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

7) White Chicken Chili

8) Salsa Verde Turkey Chili, made by me here.

9) 5-Ingredient White Chicken Chili, made by me here.

10) Warming Lentil Chili with Pumpkin

11) And now, the only chili recipe you need.

Mom's Chili

Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean chili meat
1/2 lb. lean ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 heaping Tbsp. chili powder
1 heaping Tbsp. cumin
3/4 heaping tsp. oregano
1/2 heaping tsp. sage
2 heaping Tbsp. cornmeal
1-1 oz. Williams chili seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce
1-6 oz. tomato paste
1-1 lb. can fire-roasted tomatoes
Fritos, sour cream, cheese, green onions to garnish

Directions:
Over medium heat, add a little bit of olive oil to a large stockpot or dutch oven. Sauté ground meats, onion, green pepper, and garlic until veggies are tender and the meat is almost cooked through. Add remaining ingredients, combining well. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover your pot, and simmer for 2 hours. Add more seasoning if desired. It's all up to your taste buds. Garnish with lots of cheese and Fritos. I like to do a bottom layer of Fritos, then a big helping of chili then lots of cheese, sour cream, green onions, and more Fritos!

Annie