So one thing you may notice about me currently, I am a bit of a carb-addict! (Something that is going to change upon returning home from vacation) I am also a big fan of pre-cooked/cleaned shrimp and crab. More readily? Krab. What’s not to like?? Anyways, a quick meal for me to prepare a while back was sitting right in the fridge and it took only about 10-15 minutes to throw everything together. Not too bad, eh? Enjoy!

Crab Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 Box Macaroni and Cheese (whatever you like best. I use Kraft homestyle Mac, the one that comes in the bag!)
• 1/2 container Krab, flaked
• 1 small roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (opt)

Directions:

1. Prepare macaroni as directed

2. Stir in krab and tomato

3. Top with shredded cheddar, if desired!

Tomato Bruschetta

• 1 french baguette
• 1-2 roma tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon pre-made pesto
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (note, in photo I used shredded cheddar!)

Directions:

1. Slice loaf of bread into 1/2-1/4 inch slices, place on lined cookie sheet and put under broiler for 5 or so minutes, until browned.

2. Mix together tomatoes and pesto and separate mixture evenly over all slices.

3. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Place back under broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned.

If you know me, I’m sure you know that I have a soft spot in my heart for elephants. These (often) gentle giants are absolutely adorable and I love every little hair on the top of their heads. I would like to pet and/or ride one, someday. In the meantime, I am content looking at them from afar and purchasing things adorned with their adorable ears/trunks/tails. This addition of “happiness is” includes me, my new mug, and a little french vanilla hot tea with…uhmmmm, cream. Can you get over how adorable this mug is?! HEARTS for EARS!? Love it. 

After watching a cooking show in which shrimp and feta cheese were both utilized, I decided that I really wanted to try something new! Couscous is something that I, personally, have never cooked with before but I wanted to give it a go and I came up with this recipe! As always, the measurements are not exact as I prefer to just cook by hand and by taste! Feel free to adjust amounts and flavors as you see fit! Enjoy!!

Mediterranean Shrimp Couscous

• 12-20 shrimp, deveined, tails removed, roughly chopped
• Boxed couscous (I made 4 servings worth)
• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 5-8 kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 Green Onions, chopped
• 1/2 bunch of spinach, finely chopped
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice from one medium-sized lemon
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions

1. After chopping shrimp, squeeze the juice from 1 lemon over top and allow to marinate while finishing remaining ingredients.

2. Prepare couscous as directed, allow to cool.

3. Combine all ingredients, including liquid from shrimp/lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Refrigerate (I had it warm and cold…MUCH better cooled)

5. ENJOY!!

So, if you have never been to a Home Goods store, you have GOT to check this place out! It takes a good amount of will-power to not grab everything in sight and buy it all. Of all the things I found on this specific trip about a month back, I am most in love with my new bowl! (Yes, only one….hehe) As you will see in the foods to come, I use this a lot. I love this bowl. It seems like Peter Pan and the Lost Boys should be scattered across the skyline. What can I say? It makes me happy!

With the new year quickly approaching, I thought to myself, “self-what better way to end the old year than waking up at an early hour to meet your grandma to bake!” Now, normally I would say, “meh, too early…staying in bed sounds good,” but in an attempt to make this new year a great one, I decided to break my ‘sleeping-in when I can’ tradition and get up early to head to grandma’s house to bake! To start, let’s be frank….I am no baker. In fact, I choose not to bake for many reasons! I’ve always relied on others to cover that department for me because I figured everyone would be better off without me poisoning them with burnt, under-cooked, rock-like materials that are sad excuses for baked goods. Well, I am happy to say that I ended the old year with a new tradition: baking with my nana! Not only did I have a lot of fun getting my hands dirty, I also learned how to make some killer scones! Note to those attempting this recipe: I would strongly suggest that you just cut the butter in and mix it all by hand until it resembles a sand-like mixture. For me, the grating was messy and in the end the butter was still melty and I had to mix it by hand anyways! Hopefully you’ll give these a try, I think you could really add in any flavor to this base and it would work out just as well. Enjoy!

Apple Ginger Scones (8 servings)

• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 2 Gala apples, peeled and finely chopped
• ¼ cup candied ginger, chopped
• 1 egg
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3.  Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter into the flour mixture. Stir.

4.  Add chopped Gala apples and candied ginger.

5.  In a small bowl mix together the egg, cream and lemon zest.

6.  Gently mix into apple mixture. Stir until dough forms. Knead dough 6 times.

7.  Place on parchment paper, form into an 8 inch round. About 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges, separate slightly.

8.  Bake for approximately 15 minutes until just lightly golden. Cool slightly.

9.  Combine powder sugar and lemon juice, drizzle over scones.

Source: Nadine Mesch of Mount Healthy, Ohio, Modified by Amanda

As you’ll start to see, I’m not always looking to create the healthiest of foods, although this one could easily be converted into a healthier meal by swapping out the butter for extra virgin olive oil. Wanting to go through what I found in the fridge and cabinets, I decided to try throwing some ingredients together and I was happy with the result! Although I found this to be pretty tasty as is, I still felt it was missing something. I think next time I may add in either a little brown sugar or a teaspoon of molasses to help sweeten it up a bit. With the basting, it helps to create a sort-of crust on the chicken, so it just needed a bit more flavor! (I’d also suggest lining your baking sheet with some good ol’ aluminum foil…makes clean-up SO much easier!) We served ours with green beans and potatoes au gratin, yum! Enjoy!

Garlic Soy Chicken (6 Servings)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 boneless chicken thighs, with skin

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking pan.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes on High in the microwave, or until butter is melted.
3. Arrange chicken on the baking pan, and coat with the butter mixture, reserving some of the mixture for basting.
4. Bake chicken 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until juices run clear, turning occasionally (every 15 minutes or so) and basting with remaining butter mixture.

Source: Allrecipes.com, Modified by Amanda

Again, one of my wonderful creations whilst living with friends. I quite fancied this one because I quite literally looked at what I had on my shelf of food in our pantry, checked out what leftovers I had in the refrigerator, then threw them all in my crock pot as I headed out to class. I was pretty happy with the result and it was SUCH an easy meal that tasted even better as leftovers the next day! Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Serves 2)

• 1 8oz can black beans
• 1 8oz can tomato soup
• 1 shredded, cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 small vidalia onion
• 1/2 package taco seasoning
• 1/2 package fajita seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (more or less for desired consistency)
• sour cream (opt.)
• green onion (opt.)
• diced avocado (opt.)
• shredded cheddar cheese (opt.)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to your slow cooker, stir, set on low and cook for 3-4 hours. Top with cheese, sour cream, green onion, and/or avocado. Delicious served with corn bread or tortilla chips!

So, once upon a time I lived in apartment with my closest friends, Megan and Lindsay (Dave, too!). This was one of the funnest times of my life and I definitely miss living in that apartment with these people. They are all amazing! One of the things that I did quite often was cook while living there. It was my “vice,” if you will. Now, I am no 4-star chef, but I still enjoyed trying to create new things and even more, I loved using those three as my guinea pigs to try everything! I’d like to think that I never made anything too terrible! (Guys, please comment and correct me if I’m wrong! Apologies now if I ever made you eat something that you later decided to make “disappear” in the garbage disposal…) None the less, one of my weaker areas of cooking is with soup. I don’t know, I guess I never found soup to be something worth making, until I tried! It was during this time that I experimented with flavors that I was familiar with and, luckily, I was able to create some soups that I still stick to today! If you try any of my recipes, be sure to see how many servings there are! (Either I was making enough for me or for an army!) Enjoy!

Crab and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Serves 2)

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 large stalk celery, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can white crabmeat, drained, flaked
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry potato flakes
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven’s broiler, and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the peppers, cut sides down, onto the prepared baking sheet.
2. Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, about 5 minutes. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl, and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Once cool, remove the skins and dice. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the celery, garlic, and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted red bell pepper and crabmeat, and season with rosemary and lemon pepper. Pour in the chicken stock, and simmer for 10 minutes. Slowly stir in the dry potato flakes, and cook until thickened.
4. Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
5. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan. Stir in the milk and sour cream, and cook over medium-low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Top with Asiago cheese before serving.

Hello readers! First off, thank you all for visiting and reading today. I am SO excited to get started on this adventure and I am even more excited to see where it will take me! I hope that through my posts you will get a sense of who I am through what I am doing! For those of you who don’t know me, I’d like to share a little bit about myself so you can start to get a sense of who I am.

My name is Amanda and I am a recent college graduate obtaining my BSN (Bachelor in the Science of Nursing) and I will hopefully obtain my RN license here in the next few months. As some of you may be able to identify with, nursing school is hard. (Understatement, I know.) Over the past 2.5 years there is one thing that I have realized: I have lost myself. I am so thrilled about my degree and my future as a nurse, but at this point I feel as though I’ve lost my passion for life. After sitting down and thinking about it for a good, long time I realized something important about me that I have been missing and I would like to get back to doing: cooking. When I’m upset, I cook. When I’m happy, I cook. When I’m in love, I cook. The thing that all of these have in common besides cooking? I do it because it is a part of me that I wish to share with whoever cares to try my foods! I bare my soul through my cooking. To me, food truly does feed the soul. Hopefully you’re in the mood for some great adventures, because…here we go!