Vacation

Entries Tagged as 'vacation'

Searchable Saturdays

2.09.2013

Hellooooooo, Weekend! What to do with you? I’m planning to turn our heat and humidifier way up to pretend like I’m in Florida. Or maybe I’ll embrace the cold and build a fort / drink gallons of hot cocoa? Hmmm, choices choices!

Anyhow, here are some inspirations from the week…

1. Vacationing has been on the mind. I’ve already started planning all of our summer camping trips. I’m thinking 3 day weekend to the Smoky Mountains and a 9 Day trip out West (Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Colorado Monument, Santa Fe, etc). And then, as always, our yearly weekend trip to Turkey Run.

2. Another trip I’ve been planning is Florida…and, by planning, I mostly just mean clothes / accessory shopping. I want a high-waisted swim suit SO bad but am worried about weird tan lines? Oh no…functionality or fashionable? Sounds like I’ve got some real life problems here.

3. Salted Honey Almond Butter. Do I need to say more? A lovely commenter suggested making your own almond butter for my No Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Bites and I could not agree more!

4. You have no idea how much I really really really want new glasses and I really really really want these! Yes, please.

Okay, a whole lot of lusting over places, items, and wants this week. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I’m off to try to calm this consumerism craving with some homemade cleaning supply making.

My Mikal Cronin crush is becoming a problem:

Peppermint Dipped Brown Butter Shortbread

12.11.2012

We put our tree up the Saturday after Thanksgiving but my Christmas spirit didn’t really kick in until I whipped up these cookies. There is something so calming about waking up on a sunny, snowy day and hiding from the cold in your warm kitchen with the lingering smell of butter cookies. We haven’t had any snow yet here but the weather was certainly chilly enough for me to stay inside and bake this past weekend.

We had a few friends over on Sunday night to watch ‘Christmas Vacation’ and I made these cookies to go with it. Nothing like a Christmas comedy and overloading on sugar to get you ready for the holidays! The movie put me in the spirit and I am now ready to Christmas shop, wrap gifts, and drink peppermint lattes. Hmmm… if only my family would tell me what they want already….

Peppermint Dipped Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

2 sticks of butter (1 cup), divided & at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box of peppermint candy canes, unwrapped and crushed
8 ounces of white chocolate

Start by browning half (one stick) of the butter. Place butter in a small saucepan over low heat and let cook until small brown flakes form. Stir often so the bubbles don’t bubble over the pan or so that it doesn’t burn. Once the butter has browned, immediately pour it into a glass cup and let cool completely.

Beat together the butter (browned and regular) and the brown sugar. Next, add in the flour and salt and continue to beat until a thick ball of dough forms. Wrap dough (with parchment, wax paper, etc) and let chill for at least 30 minutes (this will help keep the dough together).

Once chilled, transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or the top of a round glass to cut out circular shapes. Transfer to a greased cookie sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the cookies in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes while the oven preheats (this will help the cookies keep their shape). Cook cookies for 15 minutes or until they are golden brown around edged. Let cool completely.

Crush the peppermint candy canes anyway you see fit. I put mine in a ziploc bag and went to town using a meat tenderizer (also known as the kitchen hammer!) until they were in tiny pieces.

Melt the white chocolate in either your microwave or over a double boiler. I don’t have a microwave so I used the double boiler method which consisted using one saucepan inside the other and letting water simmer under the first pot while I constantly stirred the white chocolate over it until melted (this was a terrible explanation. If it is your first time using a double boiler, use this as a reference). Once melted, dip half the cookie into the chocolate and then roll in the peppermint chunks. Place on wax paper (this prevents sticking) and repeat with the rest of the cookies. Let cookies chill in fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.

Enjoy with a peppermint latte or some eggnog and baileys!

Brie, Arugula, Apple and Fig Jam Grilled Cheese

10.30.2012

Heyyya! So I’ve been a bit MIA the past few days because we took a snappy trip to Denver over the weekend. It was both exciting and exhausting. This means that I’m feeling a bit out of it still and will most likely be taking the week to get my baring back in order (people say that – don’t they?).

On that note, I have not had a chance to cook anything fancy or extensive this week (see: Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons or Muesli Bread) but that doesn’t mean that a girl just doesn’t eat at all! So here is a recipe for one of my favorite types of grilled cheese that is so simple yet a “treat yo ‘self” delight (Parks and Recreation, anyone?).

Also! Did you guys check out the giveaway that I’m hosting? It’s lasting through the week and I’d love for you to enter for a chance to win!
Lastly, I’m going to very vague about the measurements for this recipe since it should be total personal preference. I like mine on the sweeter side so I add a bit more fig jam but do whatever your taste buds are feeling!

Brie, Apple, and Fig Jam Grilled Cheese

2 slices of thick, rustic bread
1 apple, thinly sliced
arugula
fig jam
butter
brie, sliced

Spread butter on one side of the bread and fig jam on the other. Place the apple slices, arugula, and brie on top of the jam and sandwich them between the bread.

Place on a skillet over medium heat and cover with a lid. Let cook for about 5 minutes on each side (also, this will depend on how fast yours brown and how crispy you like your bread).

***Note: If you have some extra time, feel free to soften the apples up first by sauteing them in the pan before-hand for a minute or two

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

9.03.2012

Happy Labor Day! It’s Monday morning and I am still at home instead of out camping. This tropical storm Issac has caused rain, rain, and more rain for the whole weekend here in the Midwest. We had everything packed and ready to go for camping and then woke up Saturday morning to a storm…followed by all day of rain….and the same thing again on Sunday. Perhaps it was not meant to be because the thought of having to spend the weekend cooped up in a tiny tent with a muddy dog is probably not ideal. Plus, it gave us time to be lazy around the house and spruce things up around here a bit (in the form of soooooo much plant shopping! Yay!) and finally framing all those posters we have hung around the house.

Anyhow, It’s been too long since I blogged about focaccia (since last fall, to be exact). It’s one of those breads that we eat within the first two hours of it being baked because it’s just that good. And eating a whole loaf of bad is just not that good for you. So I try to resist as much as possible only make it on special occasions. The special occasion this time was that I hadn’t made it in a while and had beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes…that’s good enough, right?

This bread is delicious by itself, used with sandwiches, dipped in oils, or served with soup.

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil

For the topping:

10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, sliced into long strips
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt/Pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let sit for five minutes or until it becomes foamy. Next, add in the sugar, salt, olive oil, and flour (add 1/2 cup of flour at a time). Use your hands (or a mixer with a dough attachment) to knead the dough for five minutes or until the dough has come together (add more flour if it’s sticky and add more olive if it’s too dry).

Grease a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with a clean dish range. Let sit for an hour in a warm place or until it’s doubled in size.

Grease a sheet pan with olive oil (I used a 9×12 pan so that our bread is thick enough for sandwiches but use whatever works best for you) and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Fit the dough into the pan and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While it is rising the second time, prepare the toppings. Heat a tablespoon of olive in a skillet over medium heat-low. Add in the onions and sauté until just starting to caramelize (about 10-15 minutes).

Make dimples in the dough with your fingers and top the bread with olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread has browned at the top and the cherries have roasted.

Serve warm with every meal!

Moody Monday: Puppy Party

8.13.2012

Good Morning! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. It finally cooled off around here this weekend which meant that my tomatoes are finally almost done ripening! Yay! In other news- this is going to be a very very busy week for VV. Hope you are all ready for it!

This weekend was a busy one! Wyatt’s parents came to visit and they brought Tuko’s 10 week old little brother (SOOOO ADORABLE) and their other boxer dog. This meant that it was a puppy part allllll weekend long.

Pictured above: Tuko’s little brother & me, Slaw veggie dog, the [empty] dam at the dog park, and Tuko & his little brother (looooook at how big tuko is compared to him!).

Moody Monday: Sunburns and Live Music (vegetarianventures.com)
Moody Monday: Lazy Days (vegetarianventures.com)
Moody Monday: Staycation (vegetarianventures.com)

Moody Monday: Staycation

7.30.2012

So I went into this weekend basically having no plans (outside of Friday night) and was almost kind of nervous about it. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have a long list of things to do on the weekend. I mean…don’t get me wrong- there are dozens of awesome things to do in Bloomington in the summer (farmer’s market, quarries, drive in, canoeing, wine tasting, brewery tours, etc) but I just was not feeling any of the usual spots that I like to spend my free time. So, instead, I approached Bloomington as if I was an outsiders looking to visit it (a well-known practice for anyone who has been ‘taking’ those trendy Staycations this summer).

What I found through my research was that there are DOZENS of trails, lakes, and nature preserves all within 30 minutes from Bloomington that I have never heard of. WOAH! How awesome is that? I picked out the closest one with waterfalls (I have the biggest weakness for waterfall picnics) and planned my whole Saturday around it.

And it was the perfect day adventure! The trail was only a little over a mile but we crossed paths with waterfalls, evergreens, caves, and swamps. So beautiful and only ten minutes from my house! It blows my mind that I’ve lived here for 5 years and I am still discovering new beautiful spots all the time.

In other weekend news, my Ma stopped by on her way back from a business trip. It was nice to finally show her the house that we had put so much work/time into. I am hoping they can come down for a longer visit in the coming weeks. Oh! And Wyatt played his first show with his new band which went perfectly!

Two of the pictures above are from our little day adventure on Saturday (bottom left and top right). The top left one is from some cacti shopping I did at my favorite nursery a couple of days ago and the bottom of is Tuko and I sleeping in on Sunday (much-needed!).

Well, these “moody” posts are seeming less and less moody and more just little, nice peaks into my life. Perhaps I am not as cranky as I always had told myself I was! And perhaps I need to consider renaming this column…hmm…

Lake Dinner Picnic

7.18.2012

;

As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, we went on a lovely dinner picnic last Thursday. It was nice because we have been so busy with moving and getting our house organized that we haven’t been taking that much time to just chill out and enjoy summer. Plus, this heat wave has been making it awfully hard to want to hike to the lake when just standing in it makes you sweat and uncomfortable. That’s okay though because it’s made us get creative with our usual summer activities (like go at sunset instead of at midday). Anyhow, it was wonderful to just sit on the rocks and watch Tuko/Taco play in the water as the sun went down.

;

This was an impulse picnic so we just packed up a few things that we had around the kitchen. I whipped up some deviled eggs (so simple yet such a perfect summer staple), backed an array of sliced strawberries, brie, and sliced baguette, and then had Wyatt whip up some Nutella and Strawberry sandwiches. I was a little stressed that I didn’t have more time to plan our a menu but it ended up being perfect finger food for an impromptu adventure!

;

I am not even sure what we did for entertainment before we had Tuko. I really enjoy watching him love on the lake and get excited about being free to run and explore.

Hope everyone is making the most out of their summer and taking a little time to enjoy their food outside and stick their feet in the water!

Moody Monday: Extra Extra Long Weekend

7.09.2012

Well, I hope everyone had a fantastic previous week and a great 4th of July. After five wonderful days of sleeping in, lying around the house, and getting to know my new kitchen…it is back to work. Ah, oh well.

I may still be posting a little less this week because we are still lacking in internet at our new house and I don’t always feeling like trekking my laptop down to the local coffee shop (although my bike has a little basket that fits my laptop perfectly so I really should not be complaining). This is such a shame because I made soooo many yummy things over my long vacation and I cannot wait to share them with you!

Here are a few snapshots from the long weekend: We watched the 4th of July fireworks in a big ‘ol, wide open, corn field (ooooh, Indiana). Also, Tuko and I indulged in many afternoon naps on our new couch so that we could enjoy the outsides late at night when it was cooler. Oh, and lastly that is my tomato plan with its first few signs of color! Yay!!

Well, I hope everyone has a great week ahead and I will hopefully be posting some delicious recipes in no time!

Vegan Blueberry and Peach Cobbler Cake

7.06.2012

I am feeling a bit off because I am writing you from my favorite coffee shop, Soma, instead of my usual spot; this is because we are officially moved into our new home and are currently without internet. But really, it is okay because Soma littered with inspiration: from its Iced Chaikovsky (Chai + Coffee), maps paper mached all over the walls, and TV fish tanks- it is nothing short of a creative mecca.

Speaking of our new home being without thing…this is officially day 6 of my new life without a microwave. It has been going very well so far. Wyatt and I have decided to try to “untrain” ourselves from nuking thing in the microwave (see why here) and instead turn to the oven/on the stove top to warm things up. Wyatt was not happy about his coffee going cold the other morning (ohhh, the drawbacks of using a french press) but if that ends up being our biggest problem then I think we shall survive.

Oh, Yes! And back to the recipe! I decided to try this cobbler cake instead of a regular cobbler because we were having people over for a grill out and my thought was that it would be way easier for guests to just grab a square instead of messing with scooping a cobbler into bowls and getting spoons and what not. It was a huge success! The stuff was REALLY REALLY delicious. If possible, I think it may have been even better the next day because the humidity is so high in the Midwest right now that it made the cake moist enough to melt in your mouth. Ah, heaven!

And totally feel free to mix in whatever fruit you’d like or have on hand. I adapted this from ButterMeUpBrooklyn and she didn’t even specify a fruit to use.

Blueberry and Peach Cobbler Cake

1 cup almond milk
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 Tablespoons earth balance, cut into chunks
dash of vanilla
1 cup blueberries (I used fresh but I am sure you can use frozen as well)
1 peach, pitted and cut into small chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the almond milk and lemon juice. Set aside and let it curdle (you are making vegan buttermilk right now!) for about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinmamon, and nutmeg together. Toss in the Earth Balance and use your fingers to work into the dry ingredients. Next, fold in the fruit. And finally, fold in the buttermilk just until everything is combined (you don’t want to over mix!).

Pour into your prepared pan and bake for about 3o minutes or until you can stick a tooth pick in the center and it comes out clean. Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.

Let cool and then slice into squares.

Serve to all your friends and watch at how excited they are about your new twist on cobbler!

June Wrap Up

7.02.2012

Well Mondays are when I usually post about being moody …but let’s be real: I have a TWO day week since my company is giving us Wednesday through Friday off for the 4th of July… so do I really have that much to complain about? I think not.

Instead, since July snuck up on us over the weekend let’s have a June Wrap up instead!

My favorite posts from this past month:

1. I am a picnic fanatic and had soooo much fun enjoying these Southwestern Veggie Sliders with Avocado Mayo while soaking up some fresh air on a lovely dinner picnic with my puppy and boyfriend

2.I am not sure where you live but this 100 degree weather refuses to let up over here in Bloomington, Indiana. Popsicles like these Berry Mango Yogurt Pops are the only things keeping me cool when I attempt to adventure outdoors.

3. Oh! My adventure with this Summer Potato Salad was pure bliss! Potato salad just screams summer and this was a great way to kick off our first grill out of the season!

4. Pizza Pizza Pizza. I cannot escape it no matter how bad I tell myself it is! I’ve come to accept this and have at least turned to making my own pizza so that I know exactly what goes into it. This Savory Breakfast Pizza was part of a two segment post that also included yummy Blueberry Lime Pizza.

In other news, June was ridiculously busy with us moving into our new house (which we are still not completely settled into) and being out of town for almost every weekend.

Also, I managed to learn a lot from my Blogging 2.0 class (which ends this week!) and can’t wait to start applying what I learned to VV.

And onto July! What to expect? Well I am hoping to spend July settling into our new place; this means starting to make lots of new memories at our new home in the form of cocktail parties, movie nights, and creative time in our new studio. I am very excited for things to calm down around here so we can enjoy the simple pleasures of summer (now if only this 100 degree weather would calm down a bit…).

Moody Monday: Move In Time

6.25.2012

Why hellooooooooooooo, Monday….not gonna lie, I was not prepared for you! We spent all weekend moving (drove 10 hours between Friday and Saturday to pick up furniture in Chicago) and I feel like I have been going non-stop since we got the new place two weeks ago!

Anyways, no need to complain! I love it and I really do enjoy redecorating and making the place our own. Although a big portion of the weekend was spent putting together ikea furniture, we did managed to find some time to have a little fun!

Top Left: We have “happy hours” at work on most Fridays. It’s always a great way to start off the weekend and last Friday they brought in ice cream and root beer for a “Root Beer Float Happy Hour”. It was a great change of pace from the beers they usually supply.

Top Right: Movin’ Movin’ Movin’. We managed to fit our entire living and bedroom in Wyatt’s car to bring down from Chicago on Saturday.

Bottom Left: We took Sunday afternoon off and went out to the lake. Wyatt played chess with his brother and I swam in the lake with Tuko. It was a much needed break from the constant traveling we have been doing lately.

Bottom Right: And lastly, I took a quite walk to our local bookstore (Boxcar Books) and picked up some of these gems. Can’t wait to whip up a few of these recipes for my blog ASAP!

Moody Monday: Pool Party Weekend

6.11.2012

Monday, I cannot believe you are here again already! I feel as though I am starting off the week on an off note because we did not get back from our weekend trip until late last night and I am not prepared for the week. However, this is okay because we had a great time at my parent’s house and going into Chicago for my brother’s graduation.

This week is going to be crazy busy with my etsy shop finally getting rolling, packing, Tuko getting neutered, and more packing. We are (!!!) finally moving into our new house on Friday which means several things for VV:

1. there should be some VERY interesting recipes within the next few days while I attempt to use up what we have in our pantry so we will have less to move into our new place

2. Things may be slow around here (hopefully not) recipe wise as I transition into my new kitchen. However, that may mean posts will be substituted with fun glimpses into our moving/decorating process…which could also be exciting!

Anyhow, hopefully memories of an awesome weekend by the pool (with blueberry cocktails and my amazing family) and having our new home to look forward to will get me through this week!

Oh and here is an adorable music video to get you through your morning!

Weekend Adventure // What’s In My Bag?

6.08.2012

Hey everyone! Hope that you are having a fantastic friday and getting geared up for the weekend. We are going on ANOTHER weekend trip to Chicago which means pool day tomorrow, sunsets at Lake Michigan, and adventuring in the city on Sunday!

The only drawback to this is that we have to drive 4 hours North first. Luckily, I have my travel bag packed full of supplies! Although this includes cards, CD mixes, and magazines..I will only show you a glimpse of the snacks I am bringing (hey…this is a FOOD blog, after all).

1. Primal Strips. These things are my FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE snack food. They are so freaking delicious! It’s like having teriyaki flavored beef jerky without all those gross thoughts about ‘what really is beef jerky?‘. They come in a variety of flavors (and other brands but none that I have found with as much flavor and appealing texture). This hits my savory craving every time.

2. Hummus! It’s the perfect snack for summer because it’s relatively healthy and very fillings without making you feel bloated. And the variety of flavors are endless!

3. Although I prefer my hummus with warmed pita, unless you are willing to stick the pita on your dashboard to heat up, these pita chips are a pretty darn good substitute. They are super crispy and contrast the smooooooth hummus perfectly.

5. Can’t have all this savory without a bit of sweet! We packed some Pocky for our sweet treat but that is sometimes substituted with homemade muffins or cookies (depending on how much time we have before-hand).

And we’re off! Hope everyone has a wonderfully delicious weekend and we’ll see you Monday!

May Wrap Up

5.31.2012

Woah, can you believe it is the last day of May already? This month FLEW by!! Luckily it was because I was having so much fun over here.

Here is a wrap up of my favorite recipes from this month:

1. Veggie Sloppy Joes. These brought a whole new meaning to what I thought a sloppy joe could be. They were flavorful, stocked full of nutritious ingredients, and oh so easy to whip up! This is becoming one of my new ‘go to’ recipes for sure

2. Cherry Beergaritas: It’s a bit embarrassing how many times we’ve whipped these up since discovering this cocktail. It’s ridiculously refreshing on a hot summer day and the simplest drink to mix up when you have a crowd!

3. Tofu Thai Lettuce Wraps: These wraps are as fun to eat as they are delicious. We ate them on the porch so that we didn’t make a mess but assembling them is half the fun!

4. Summer Pasta Dish: there is nothing better than fresh produce being the reason a dish stands out so much. This pasta dish is light, colorful, and packed full of flavor.

As for favorite adventure this month? Well, I would say it would HAVE to be our trip out West (or..well, maybe Graduating- that is kind of a big deal as well!)

My biggest lust this month? I am crazy about these Chasing Delicious posters that tell you when fruit//veggies//herbs are in season. Would those not be adorable//useful hanging in the kitchen??

Well, enough looking back! How about what we have in store for June?! I am very very excited for this month; Wyatt and I move into our new home (expect lots of pictures updates of the remodeling process!), my brother is graduating from Grad School (which means road trip to Chicago), and I am just too excited for all the new things I will be learning from the Blogging Your Way E-course which starts tomorrow!

No Moody Monday

5.28.2012

Good Morning! No Mood here! We spent the last two days up north visiting Wyatt’s parents. It was a very relaxing break from the usual routine. We went to their local farmer’s market, visited a very cool music store (that we, at work, distribute to!), took naps in the hammock, drank margaritas, grilled out, and had a bonfire. A perfect first half to Memorial weekend!

Well, I am off to make a quinoa salad for a grill out at the lake today. Be back tomorrow with the usual (and delicious) recipe posts! Have a great Monday!

Moody Monday: Summer Sun

5.21.2012

Good Morning, Monday! This weekend came and went much too fast. Although, I have to admit that this is the first time in 6 months that I did not have homework looming over my shoulder all weekend (Yay for having two full days to do whatever I want – minus some laundry doing)!

Anyways, I spent those glorious two days in the sun and at the lake with friends. We grilled out for dinner BOTH Saturday and Sunday. And I made some amazing [mango and pineapple] sangria to go with our Saturday funsies which went over fabulously.

Altogether a successful weekend! If this wasn’t enough to get me through the week, I also have a 3 day weekend coming up! What to do with all that free time? Host a cook out? Take a mini trip to Nashville, TN? Organize a group camping trip to Turkey Run? Oh, the possibilities!

Veggie Hoagies

5.16.2012

So vacation was awesome but I am feeling a little sluggish from all the gas station munchies and PB&J road sandwiches. I’ve decided to dedicate this whole week to “cleansing” my body and trying to pack it with as much veggies as possible. So far this week, every morning has started off with a Green Monster [smoothie] and a big veggie sandwich for lunch. I am hoping to post about my Green Monster creations soon- as soon as I can get an appetizing picture of green slushiness (maybe this won’t be anytime soon..)

Anyways, as an attempt to keep my boyfriend from breaking up with me from a veggie overload, I’ve tried to expand and get as creative as possible with our sandwiches this week. The other day I whipped up these oven toasted hoagies and they will for sure become a new staple in my lunch routine. So perfect because you can use whatever veggies you have on hand and then load them with the melted cheese and tangy dressing.

As usual when I post a sandwich suggestion, feel free to substitute whatever veggies and cheeses you think sound good.

Veggie Hoagies

2 ciabbata buns
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
5 button mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
4 slices of Swiss cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer- omit if vegan)
1/4 cup Italian dressing
salt/pepper
tin foil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the sliced ciabbata rolls on a ungreased cooking sheet and stick them in the preheating oven for 5 minutes (or until they start to become toasted).

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes. Then add the peppers, mushrooms , basil, oregano, salt, and pepper and saute for another 10 minutes or until all the veggies have softened.

Divide the cheese and dressing between the two rolls. Top with the veggie mixture and the tomatoes. Spray tin foil with cooking spray and wrap the sandwiches in two pieces.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted.

Serve warm with chips or coleslaw or whatever sounds yummy!

Moody Monday: Back From the Wild Wild West

5.14.2012

And I’m back! After a much needed week-long adventure to Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, I am back at work and back into the routine.

The trip was absolutely amazing and we experienced soooo many amazing things including camping on the beach, hanging out in mountain logging towns, and exploring New Mexico thrift shops.I am hoping to have a full post of pictures later this week so stayed tuned!

As for Moody Monday, it’s not so moody around here with all the exciting happenings (still on cloud nine from my trip and officially starting my full-time job at Secretly Canadian Distribution today).

Hope to be back into action with recipe posts tomorrow! Happy Monday!

Southwest Road Trip

5.06.2012

Hey Everyone! Just letting you know I will be MIA for the week because we are taking our annual cross country road trip.

Be back in a week or so! I will be documenting a lot of my trip through instragram so feel free to follow me (username: shellywest) if you’d like to follow along!

Moody Monday: Graduation

4.30.2012

This Monday is a bit strange for me. It does not really feel like a Monday at all because I have been busy all weekend writing papers and getting ready for my post graudation trip (we are taking Tuco on his first camping trip to Arizona!). Anyways, what is going to get me through the week is knowing that after 4 years of this routine, I will officially be a graduate next weekend. Yikes!

My pictures for the post are a picture of me with friends from each year I have been in school. I usually try to not be so self absorbent (by posting so many pictures of myself) but it was just too much fun to see the changes over the years. I feel like a completey different person than I was four years ago and it’s so strange to imagine that I am about to start a new and different growth period in my life. Anyways, this post was suppose to be fun and to see the evolution over the years (top left is freshman, top right is sophomore, bottom left is junior, and bottom right is this year). Exciting things!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Sweet Berry Tart

4.05.2012

You can probably expect to see a lot of baking posts in the next month. Things are winding down with school which means stress is at an all time high as I finish this chapter in my life and begin to prepare for a new one. This entire year has been a game of decision making and I am constanly hoping I make the right ones. The time is nearling where I will begin to see where my decision takes me and I feel like I have been holding my breath waiting. In the meantime, I’ve turned to yoga and baking to cure my anxiety.

This tart was influeced by how beautiful I thought the Galette was that we made the other month and this could almost be considered a sweet spin on that recipe (although I am going to continue to call it a tart because I have a diffferent “sweet spin” in mind that I plan to recreate for a sweet Galette ASAP- stay tuned for that!).

Anyways, this tart did turn out beautiful and absolutely delicious! I have become a big fan of these “free form” type crusts instead of the traditional because I just love the rustic look it gives to the pies; it just gives off more of a home cooked feel than standard pies that mimic the same kind you purchase in the store.

For the crust:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp ice water

Filling:

1 pint strawberries
1 pint blueberries
2 tbsp cornstarch
dash of lime juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 tsp water, beaten together

1 tsp strawberry jam
1 tsp water

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your hands, rub the butter into the dry mixture until it all resembles coarse sand. Then, add in the ice cold water and form a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 5 minutes or until chilled.

To make the filling, combine the berries, cornstarch, sugar, lime juice, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Let sit while you roll out the dough to help make a thick syrup.

Take the dough out of the freezer and use a rolling pin to make a 12 inch circular crust. Scoop the filling into the mixture and make sure to leave an inch or two empty to fold over. Next, fold over the edges and brush them with the egg/water mixture.

Cook for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 375 and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the berries have softened and the crust has browned.

Combine the teaspoon of jam and water together and crush on top for a nice glaze.

Serve with ice cream or whip cream.

Make sure to share with your puppy and roommates!

Moody Monday

3.26.2012

Here it is again! Oh Mondays…you seem to come up so quickly these days. Luckily, this weekend was filled with cooking, family, and music shows so I have no reason to complain.

Today’s Moody Monday is about all the sprouting going on! Ahh! It’s March and my blueberry bush has already sprouted and all the trees are practically in full bloom! It’s crazy but gorgeous and it’s the kind of simple pleasure that can’t help but make you feel relaxed (even if it is Monday).

Moody Monday or Tortured Tuesday?

3.20.2012

Moody Monday on a Tuesday? Yeah, it doesnt make sense but I was just having too much of a Moody Monday to even post about it! I know that seems strange but I was just in a really negative funk and didn’t want to write a negative post.

But now it’s Tuesdays! And Tuesday is my longest day (classes from 10 am to 9 pm) so why not think of something to get me through my “Torture Tuesday”?

Today’s Tortured Tuesday is pictures from the Lake this weekend. Not only was it 80 this weekend (Hellooooo…March??) but it was also sunny and just begging for us to have a lake day. We have this spot in the middle of the forest that is known to only fishers and other young college students (no squares allowed!) and we had it all to ourselves this weekend which meant playing our tapes extra loud and introducing our puppy to the chilly water.

Why is it not Saturday again already?

Sparkling Blackberry Lemonade (Alcoholic or not!)

3.18.2012

Some days you have to just let yourself sit out on the porch all day and not feel guilty about it. To be honest, I’ve been doing this a lot lately but I am hoping that the charm of this weather will wear off within the next few weeks and I won’t be a total waste of life all summer (but if it doesn’t then so what? I’ll survive!)

There’s nothing like lying around on a warm day and drinking some lemonade. I, personally, am a little addict when it comes to Andre (or any cheap champagne) so I used that to give this drink some fizz but feel free to keep it alcohol free for the kiddies or what not.

Make lemonade according to the package directions. Then mix everything together in a cute vintage pitcher and enjoy with all your friends (PS- I suggest smashing the blackberries a little because they release more color that way!)

My roommate thought she would be able to write her thesis paper over Spring Break. Yeah, don’t worry, I didn’t let that happen.

Part 1 of 3: Seattle

3.01.2012

On our four day mini-vacation, we managed to tackle Seattle, Portland, and “Twin Peaksville” (as we liked to call it). We thankfully had friends in both locations to point us in the right neighborhoods that fit to our kind of lifestyle (record stores, cheap drinks, artistic spots, etc etc). This is a post about some of the pictures and places we tackled on our first day in Seattle. Enjoy!

Pike’s Place, Alley Graffiti, Alexander Calder sculptor, The Needle

We decided to get the ‘touristy’ things out-of-the-way right off the bat. We woke up early (the four hour time difference made our sleeping schedule so out of whack), grabbed a cup of ‘legendary’ Seattle coffee, and took a long walk down to the Olympia Sculptor Park. On the way we passed the needle (didn’t bother to go up in it…I just felt TOO touristy at the thought of that) and eventually ended up at the museum. The sculptor park is located on a hill behind the art museum and looks out over the water (absolutely beautifullll). We pretty much had the place to ourselves (it being so early on a Saturday morning) minus a few dog walkers (PUPPIES!). The winding walk past dozens of giant figures was a bit chilly (I mean it was February) but dry none-the-less and nothing short of breath-taking.

Me (top) and Wyatt (bottom) in ‘The Stinger’ by Tony Smith

My favorite part of the sculptor park was a small part of the trail that was secluded from the city by a small patch of trees. Within this “forest” there was some large black rocks and this enclosed structure made out of black metal; once inside, it excluded you from the hustle and bustle of the city. I’ve always been a fan of zen gardens and this sculptor/room reminded me of the formations of the meditations areas in some zen gardens we’ve visited before.

Produce, Seafood, Pasta.

Next, we adventured to Pike’s Place public market which was a wonder in itself. I really didn’t know what to expect…I had been told by dozens of people that we had to go and I had this vision of a large farmer’s market but it was so much more. There was dozens and dozens of booths consisting of produce, local art, seafood, homemade pasta, honey, cheeses, etc etc. It was absolutely overwhelming in the most wonderful way. All the produce in the Northwest is so cheap (and vibrant) compared to the Midwest…this alone is reason enough to never want to leave. We sampled some chocolate pasta and ended up buying some homemade garlic and chives pasta (expect a yummy macaroni and cheese recipe soon with it)!

Grims

We then spent the afternoon in the Capitol Hill area where we ate at Grim’s for brunch (Pictured above). It was this adorable restaurant/bar filled with brick walls and thrifted chairs. This adorable place makes a mean Bloody Mary and absolutely scrumptious egg dishes.

I got a french omelet with spinach, Gruyere, and caramelized onions. Mmmmmmmm. And Wyatt got eggs benefit with some of the best hollandaise sauce I’ve ever sampled.

I started out everyday on the trip with a Bloody Mary (hey…I was on vacation, why not?) This one was super spicy with pickled asparagus, onion, tomato, and olive and served in a mason jar (I have such a soft spot for drinks in mason jars…they just create such an elegant vintage feel). This drink had a fruity initial flavor and then a spicy after taste kick that made it practically a meal in itself.

The Value Village

My favorite major shopping spot that blew me away was this Northwest chain ‘Value Village’; It is a thrifters heaven. I was worried that a large city like Seattle would be completely picked over but I was wrong. Both Wyatt and I found so many goods finds including an over-sized textured cream sweater, 2 dollar high-waisted black levi shorts, pair of heeled boots, and a floral spring dress. Scooooore.

We also adventured more in the Capitol Hill neighborhood by exploring Everyday Records (overwhelmingly huge record shop), some local book stores, and even a local cupcake bakery.

Bimbo’s

We ended our day in the city at Bimbo’s; this eclectic Mexican/wrestling bar was my favorite place we went. We got a huge serving of vegan Nachos and margaritas (they had a whole side of the menu dedicated to the different types of margs- I ended up getting an orange juice one and Wyatt got their special). This was a great place to end our journey of Seattle.

It’s kind of crazy how we managed to only tackle to small areas of Seattle and already saw so many awesome things. We sadly only had a day here before we moved on to our next journey destination.

Hotel Max

Lastly, we stayed at this modern hotel located downtown called ‘Hotel Max’. It was super elegant and had artwork at every corner. I had to include this picture because Wyatt lost those glasses the next day at “Twin Peaksville”. RIP.

Entries Tagged as 'vacation'

2.09.2013

12.11.2012

Peppermint Dipped Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

10.30.2012

Brie, Apple, and Fig Jam Grilled Cheese

9.03.2012

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

8.13.2012

Related articles

7.30.2012

7.18.2012

7.09.2012

7.06.2012

Blueberry and Peach Cobbler Cake

7.02.2012

6.25.2012

6.11.2012

6.08.2012

5.31.2012

5.28.2012

5.21.2012

5.16.2012

Veggie Hoagies

5.14.2012

5.06.2012

4.30.2012

4.05.2012

3.26.2012

3.20.2012

3.18.2012

3.01.2012

Pike’s Place, Alley Graffiti, Alexander Calder sculptor, The Needle

Me (top) and Wyatt (bottom) in ‘The Stinger’ by Tony Smith

Produce, Seafood, Pasta.

Grims

The Value Village

Bimbo’s

Hotel Max