Spicy Sausage Pasta

I've had this recipe pinned for over two years! About time I decide to make it!

From Kevin and Amanda

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb smoked sausage (I used Johnsonville mild Italian sausage)

1 1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oz penne pasta (I used elbow maccarroni because 3 years ago, Christian bought 10 boxes

"because they were on sale"--and I've been trying to get rid of them ever since)

1/2 tsp salt and pepper, each

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I used the last of the Fontina cheese)

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Directions

1. Add olive oil to skillet and cook sausage and onions til light brown.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.
2. Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt, and pepper. Stir together and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer for about 15 minutes (or until pasta is tender).
3. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 of your cheese.  Top with the remaining cheese and scallions (do not stir!) Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

6 layer salad

This year, we introduced a new recipe into our typical "Easter with the family" food spread. I've seen several recipes for this 6 layer salad before, all with slight variations, but since I'd given up mammals for Lent, any recipe including bacon was out of the question.

Mom found this recipe at Taste of Home online. We both get the magazine in the mail, but I'm glad she is starting to use her iPhone for more than just group messaging!  I particularly like this recipe because of the chicken, it's super simple, and also because you make it the night before and less worry in the morning.

From Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked small pasta shells

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cups shredded lettuce (I recommend red leaf or romaine)

3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1 package (10 oz) frozen peas, thawed

Dressing

1 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Toppings

1 cup (4 oz) shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese (we used Colby)

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package; drain and rinse with cold water.  Drizzle with oil and toss to coat
2. Place the lettuce in a 2 1/2 qt. glass serving bowl; top with pasta and eggs. (It could look more aesthetically pleasing to stand your eggs up sideways against the glass if you're into the whole presentation thing!) Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Layer chicken and peas.
4. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients until blended and spread over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese and parsley.

Easter Olympics

I'm really missing my cousins today :-( 

3 years ago, we started an Easter tradition dubbed "The Easter Olympics"

Complete with a cut throat egg hunt and, seen here, the "Fluffy Bunny" competition.

I haven't eaten Peeps since.

This is hilarious

"There was no greater test for manhood...than the Easter egg hunt"

Last year, we took it up a notch and our parents hid 75 eggs along with 10 mini bottles. Most eggs contained dollar bills but a few held slips of paper labeled Starbucks or Subway to be traded in for gift cards!

 The competition was fierce, but we were ready. We'd been training all year for this event. It was a fight for the finish, as you can see Christian already reaching for his first.

For several minutes in the beginning, I was actually fearful. I think the feeling can be compared to the first 10 minutes Katniss must have felt once entering the Hunger Games.

His feet are not touching the ground

When the stakes are this high, it doesn't matter if you're a girl in a dress. You can and may get hip checked. Eggs scattered and your dreams of coming out on top shattered? Too bad.

There's no crying in Easter Olympics

We of course started the morning going to Easter mass together  and no lecture needed, we know the true meaning of Passover.  Every holiday is spent with my family, and with each year that passes we are building some wonderful memories. This year everyone is kind of doing their own thing though.  Ashlyn has exams, Morgan is back in CO, and Christian is finishing up some final projects. 

It's not the Hunger Games-esque "Easter Olympics" that I'm missing this year, it's the change and growth our family is doing. Christian is graduating college next month and who knows if he'll be in SC next holiday or working in TX. Who knows when we'll all be together for Easter again?  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for next year.

We might celebrate a different way than your average family

...but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Salad

Listen to my words carefully: You NEED to make this soon!

Today's recipe is so easy! I love crock pot recipes. Set it in the morning, and dinner is served when you get home. Often I get so busy at work that I forget it's cooking, so it's an added bonus when I remember before I leave work that I don't have to cook 

I made several phenomenal changes to this Crock Pot Chicken & Black bean taco salad recipe that I highly suggest adopting. It is hands down the best chicken recipe I've ever eaten. So yummy, this definitely gets 2 thumbs up!!

From Skinny Taste

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp reduced sodium taco seasoning 

(Instead of taco seasoning I used 1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp oregano)

1/2 tsp cumin

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed

1 cup salsa (Consider using a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies)

For the salad:

6 cups chopped romaine or red leaf (I used red leaf)

1/4 cup Mexican cheese blend (I still had shredded Fontina and Cheeder cheese left over from this recipe)

1/2 cup avocado cilantro buttermilk dressing 

(y'all know I hate cilantro, I completely nixed that ingredient) 

Directions

Place the chicken in the slow cooker (I cubed the chicken so it cooked a little faster than the recommended 4 hours) and season with taco seasoning (or the substitutes I used) and cumin. Pour the beans over the chicken and top with salsa.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with 2 forks. (You could cook it on high for 2 hours if you forgot to set the crock pot before leaving in the morning...which has definitely happened to me before!) Shred the chicken and combine with the beans and sauce. 

Keep warm until ready to eat.

To serve

I crushed up blue tortilla chips (leftover from this recipe) and regular tortilla chips and placed them at the bottom of a bowl. Then, I topped with a handful of lettuce, then a few scoops of chicken, then topped with cheese! The Fontina cheese instead of the Mexican blend was ahhhhmazing!

Prepare for heaven in your mouth. Bon appetit!

3 rules to make everything awesomely okay

I read this article by yoga teacher, Alanna Kaivalya, in the 2nd issue of Mantra magazine a few months ago. I LOVE it and wanted to share it with you here.

"In the 13 years I've been teaching yoga, I've been around the block enough to witness people trying to fit themselves into a yoga box- one that tells them they "should" act or behave a certain way in order to be a yogi.  Some fall prey to yoga dogma and force themselves into an inauthentic mode of self-expression that wears Lululemon pants and is stuffed with kale.  Let's cut the bullshit, get out of the box, and start living authentically. Here are some rules to follow:"

1. Don't get weird. If you're already weird- in whatever way that might manifest itself- let your freak flag fly. And don't go changin' simply because you get the impression that you "should" to fit in with yoga.  There are few things that are a bigger bummer than leading an inauthentic life, like trying to fit yourself into a rainbow filled sparkling box of yoga sunshine if that ain't your gig.  No need to trade your motorcycle boots for hemp flip-flops or your bangles for a bindi...unless you sincerely feel moved to do so.  Yoga can help you to feel more authentically you.  Let yoga fit into your life, not the other way around.

2. Just try to be less of an asshole. Let's be honest.  We are all human.  There are gonna be good days and there are going to be bad days.  As much as we move around on our mat, life's challenges will push us to the brink and occasionally kill our yoga buzz.  Can we all just allow ourselves to be human and agree to try to be less of a jerk in those stressful times?  It won't always work, but it sure is more possible than trying to be a perfect ray of sunshine all the time.  That's a standard no one can achieve and will only result in greater frustration.  Quit it.  Do your best and keep on keepin' on.

3. Always be ready. You never know when it's going to happen.  And, by it, I mean your life.  Always be ready.  Say yes to the opportunities that arise, because interestingly, everything that appears before you is meant just for you and is an opportunity to engage in and participate with your life.  It's like that quote by Joseph Campbell, "We are not looking for the meaning of life, so much as we are looking for the experience of being alive."  Well, this is it.  Start saying a hearty "yes" to all the moments of your life- the good, the bad, and the ugly, because they're all yours.  Engage in the experience, don't shy away, and what you'll find is that life will unfold itself as a perfect expression of your active participation.

Charleston Paddler

Looking for something fun to do this weekend?? With the new warmer temperatures, it is the perfect time of year to get out in the sun and try something new. May I introduce to you, Charleston Paddler

Find them on Facebook here

Located on Shem Creek right in Mt. Pleasant, Charleston Paddler offers Paddleboard and kayak rentals and tours, mini boat rentals, and surf lessons. They also offer boat tours/charters where you can visit the little islands surrounding the peninsula, view the historic sites near the battery, go on a bar hop booze cruise, or hop on board an inshore fishing charter. Have I mentioned their prices are excellent?! 

The closest I've ever come to a headstand on water

I met the owner, Harry, last Summer when I was looking up places to do SUP (stand up paddle) yoga. He was super nice and it was so much fun trying this new "sport" out.

A SUP yoga class is $25 and includes a 2 hour paddleboard rental (only $10 if you BYOB...board, not beer. Although Harry might be open that as form as payment hehe), where you paddle out to a dock, there's a short yoga class on the dock led by one of the fabulous instructors, then paddling back in for a flow session on the board.

My favorite part of the class might just be the sunset yoga class on the dock. Sooo relaxing after a stressful day at work!

The SUP yoga classes are every day at 6pm (except on Saturdays), as well as Wednesdays and Fridays at noon! The classes are all levels so if you have never tried yoga, this is a really neat way to start your practice.

Paddleboard and kayak rentals are always available so if you're not into yoga, it's OK you can still enjoy padding around. And no shame if you have to paddle from a seated or kneeling position!

The views once the sun begins to set are breathtaking

If you haven't seen Charleston from a Paddleboard yet, you're missing out 

Give Charleston Paddler a call!

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Believe it or not, this was the very first chili recipe I've ever cooked. A meatless chili.....I know. My father is shaking his head, I'm sure of it. One thing he and I will both quickly admit though, this is hands down the best smelling pot of goodness we've ever inhaled. Literally, and figuratively!

From Two Peas and their Pod

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped (I would've liked having one more carrot)

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

2-3 tbsp chili powder, depending on your taste (I used two)

1 tbsp ground cumin

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Click the link in the above picture for full directions! Enjoy :-)

Sunday Fundays at Holy City Brewing

There are 3 things I'm loving about my Sundays lately: yoga, beer, and brunch!

If you didn't brunch, did Sunday even happen?

Check out her Facebook here

Beth, one of my favorite yogis and founder of Bendy Brewski Yoga, teaches at various locations around the Charleston area. She's teamed up with local breweries to bring yoga to beer lovers! Every Sunday at 11am, Beth comes out to Holy City Brewing an hour before they open to the public, to teach a class and share in a 4 flight beer tasting. It's a 45 minute all levels class, so if you've never done yoga before, this is a great class to start...then reward yourself with beer :-)

A few of my favorites have been Graveyard Shiftee, Doppelbock, and Pie face.

The staff at Holy City is friendly and knowledgeable, and the brews are excellent!

Check out their Facebook here

They have specials during the week, live music and a food truck every Friday evening, cornhole, darts, 

and a pool table!

Obligatory selfie while I beat one of the regulars
(jk, I've lost every single game I've ever played here)

There's always a different food truck and the past 2 weeks have been so good.
If not for the yoga and the beer (as if that wouldn't ALREADY be convincing enough), come for the food!

This weeks food cart, Pep Rolls (yum, in more ways than one). Find them on Facebook here

See you there next Sunday!

Cheesy Black Bean + Quinoa Taco Bake

For Lent this year, I've given up eating meat red meat ..ok, mammals. I started off saying red meat when explaining my decision to family and friends, and apparently there's a bit of confusion of what is considered red meat. So to clear all confusion (unless you're my friend Layla, who actually was caught saying 'Birds are mammals' hehehe), let's just say I'm giving up eating mammals, because..well, baby steps. I really REALLY love seafood and chicken :-)

One of my veg friends sent over this recipe and I must say, it was very tasty! I had Shannon over because this recipe makes enough for a family of 6 and I definitely can't eat that many helpings. 

Just kidding Shannon! Her one duty was to chop the avocado only because I don't know how to! I've never used an avocado in my cooking before, I don't even know how to peel it. (Do you even peel it?!?) But there is an apparent window of opportunity when an avocado is "ready" and this one, was not yet ready. Oops. Anyways, here's the recipe:

Cheesy Black Bean + Quinoa Taco Bake

From Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 red bell peppers, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded + chopped (I only used one)

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika (I used regular)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

a good pinch of  cayenne pepper (more or less to your taste)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups quinoa (use 2 1/2 cups for a larger dish)

2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if using canned

1 lime, juice (I did not use this)

1 cup Mexican beer or water (I used Dox Equis)

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

1/3 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

1/3 cup sharp white chedder, shredded

1 cup fontina, shredded

Toppings

1/2 cup fresh cilantro (I did not use this, I hate cilantro)

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, diced (Oops, I didn't use this)

1 head butter lettuce, chopped (I just used Iceberg shreds)

Queso fresco, crumbled

Blue or yellow corn tortilla chips

Click the link above for directions. It's quite easy once you've done all the prep work.
Bon appetit!