Master Mixologist of All Things Mixable

My sister and I both LOVE to cook.

My love of cooking began the week Brent and I got back from our honeymoon :)

My SISTER, however, was the only thing that kept my cousin and me from eating mac 'n cheese with a side of Poptarts for dinner every night when we all shared an apartment together at Baylor.

She cooked delicious and nutritious meals for us while we were off shopping and having romper-induced photo shoots.

She made us eat our greens. She made us go to bed. She was our WendyBird.

But on a serious note, I have always dubbed my sister as "Master Mixologist of All Things Mixable". 

She can take the most RANDOM food items and make an incredibly delicious mish-mash of greatness. 

When we were little, she would make us these crazy delicious bowls of ice cream, mixed with lord knows what, and call it "mush mush souffle".

To this day, my bowls still do not match up to her mush mush souffle. I miss.

I may not be able to recreate her delicious souffle, but I DID borrow her title of "Master Mixologist of All Things Mixable" after whipping up this very delicious succotash for dinner tonight!

Don't you just love it when you throw everything into a pan that you need to use before it expires, add a touch of this and a little of that and it is actually GOOD?

I love that. 

That just happened...with a side of teriyaki salmon and cornbread.

NOM!

Broccoli Corn Succotash

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large shallot, sliced
• 2 large broccoli crowns, florets removed
• 4 ears fresh corn, husks removed
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 cups fresh spinach leaves

Directions:

1. On a cutting board, slice corn kernels off of the cob by standing the cob upright and running a sharp knife down the cob.
2. After the kernels are removed, take a spoon and scrape it down the cob to remove all of the milk and excess kernels from the cob. (this is a MUST!)
3. Set the corn aside.
4. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a large skillet.
5. Saute garlic and shallot until tender.
6. Add broccoli florets and saute until bright green and tender crisp.
7. Add corn, cashews, honey, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly.
8. Once corn is heated throughout, reduce heat to medium low.
9. Add spinach and stir until wilted and mixed in.
10. Serve warm and ENJOY!

For the teriyaki salmon, I preheated the oven to 400 degrees, placed two large salmon fillets in a glass baking dish, seasoned them with a pinch of salt and pepper, then poured about 1/3 cup of Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce over the top of the salmon. Baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Easy and delicious!

SWEET Houston

I recently had the GREAT pleasure of interviewing the owner (and genius) behind SWEET in Houston, TX for the blog!

A few of the reasons I love SWEET can be found in the image above.

But SWEET is not just an eco-friendly bakery. 

Oh no no. 

Upon arriving at SWEET, I was greeted warmly by the employees and immediately asked what they could help me with, despite the fact that the bakery was bustling with "SWEETies".

After feeding myself visually with all of the SWEET treats on display, I decided to go with my tried and true...the red velvet cupcake.

The great thing about SWEET, however, is that they are not just an amazing cupcake bakery. 

They offer equally amazing (and 100% homemade!) coffees, teas, espresso, tapioca, and...MACARONS.

Me with my macarons at Macaron in NYC

I LOVE MACARONS.

WHY I did not grab one of these little gems while visiting SWEET is beyond me. Stupid.

ANYONE who has attempted to make a macaron knows that they are not the easiest things to bake.

Macarons are sassy, delicate, and tempermental.

But once you master the great art that is macaron making, the finished product is SO WORTH the time you put in to them.

And then there was my red velvet.

Due to the fact that SWEET does not use any artificial colors or flavorings, their red velvet has more of a brown tint to it than that bright, artificial. food-colored red that you see in most red velvets.

I loved this. 

Food should never dye our mouths.

Everything about this cupcake was utter perfection. 

The cake, moist with a hint of cocoa. 

The frosting, sweet (but not too sweet!) and rich.

And that sugar crystal topping added a perfectly crunchy texture my overall cupcake party-in-my-mouth experience.

Total bliss.

What I also loved about SWEET was that there were no interior designers hired to create the overall concept and design of SWEET. 

Everything you see and taste came from the raw creativitiy of The SWEET Family.

Overall, I loved every second of my SWEET experience from the moment I walked in to the second I left. 

SWEET is a place where you can relax, indulge, laugh, and smile in the midst of a crazy but wonderful life.

Loved loved loved.

INTERVIEW with SWEET

EmLoves: What made you decide to start a bakery?

SWEET: We've always had a passion for all things sweet and for years, we felt Houston lacked a great bakery that was not only inviting, but provided all the sweets we're currently addicted to.

EmLoves: Have you always loved to bake?

SWEET: YES.  We baked with our moms and our grandmothers and it's been passed on from generation to generation.  It's always been a hobby among our families, though.  So this is the first entrepreneurial endeavor!

EmLoves: How long did it take to create your perfect SWEET cupcake?

SWEET: With no professional or culinary training, we couldn't even begin to calculate the time it took for us to learn from not only our mom's but also self-teach ourselves through endless trial and error's all the techniques of baking, and understanding the immense preparation and the science behind baking the perfect SWEETS.  Let's just say it took YEARS.

EmLoves: Where did your design inspiration come from (cupcake & bakery design)?

SWEET: We've always had a passion for all things creative and artsy.  Our inspiration came from our personal taste and all our travels.  There were no professional designers hired behind our bakery design.  We literally brought to life what we envisioned in our mind based on our likings.  As for the cupcake designs, after countless hours in the kitchen, we wanted to keep our cupcakes not only original in design, but simple and natural.  This also means we didn't want to pursue the "all modern, all uniform" and "perfect" looking cupcakes.  We wanted them to not only taste REAL, we wanted them to look real and natural in their own unique way.  

EmLoves: What was your first step you took after deciding to start SWEET?

SWEET: We wanted to keep our name simple and original.  Hence the name SWEET.  So first thing was to make sure we could legally make that name our business name and incorporate it.  From that point, we spent an immense amount of time developing our business model.

EmLoves: What is your favorite bakery item that you sell?

SWEET: MACARONS.  Purely because this is something our mom's didn't teach us and we spent hours upon hours learning and losing sleep until we not only got the recipe down, but perfected it.  It's hand down the TOUGHEST bakery item to make.  But it's purely out of passion and appreciation for macarons that we make them and sell them.

EmLoves: What made you decide on Houston for the original location?

SWEET: Houston is where we're born and raised!  We will always be loyal to Houston!  Many may think that we're so "behind" compared to other cities....  but we know Houston has more than meets the eye and is definitely capable for so much more.  Hence why SWEET came about!

EmLoves: What is your favorite part about owning a bakery?  What do you love most about SWEET?

SWEET: All the generous compliments we receive from all our customers - from cute little kids to adults!  There's nothing more gratifying.  That makes all our work so worth it.  What we love most about SWEET is that it was built purely from passion and though it may seem like we're just joining the bandwagon with the current "cupcake craze", we actually started it to be different from everything else in Houston, and when customers and visitors come in and actually see that and express their appreciation for our uniqueness, that is what we love most about SWEET.

EmLoves: Where do your ingredients come from?

SWEET: Whenever and wherever possible, we get the majority of our ingredients from local suppliers.  However, high quality and extremely unique products are often hard to come by which requires a lot of research and development to procure such ingredients for our products to pass on to our customers!

EmLoves: Any horror stories?

SWEET: Plenty. Being a business owner and building one from ground up is not easy.  And that's an understatement.

EmLoves: What does the future of SWEET look like  (new flavors, bakery items, drinks, locations, etc)?

SWEET: The future is VERY EXCITING!  We haven't even gotten close to bringing out all the new items we'd like to offer!  So definitely keep an eye out!  Our menu is and will always be changing!  We're never bored at SWEET!

If you are ever in the Houston area, make sure to stop by SWEET and savor.every.bite!

Pricey, But Worth It

Soooo, it happened. 

While I was having breakfast with my mom at Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen this past Saturday, I ventured into the market area of the cafe and found....this.

Now, don't be discouraged by the price tag on this baby. 

YES, it is $12 for a jar of almond butter.

NO, it will not read you a bedtime story nor tuck you in at night.

But after tasting this amazing, mapley, nutty, buttery goodness and feeling the creamy yet gritty texture on your tongue, that $12 price tag starts to look very much like a BARGAIN.

And after seeing my four little sampler packets disappear all too quickly, I knew it was time to take the plunge on the full-sized jar.

...or get my mom to buy it for me. You know how that goes.

See that nice pink tint I have going on in my face and upper chest area? It's the sign that a nut butter booty shakin dance party has just come to a close. This only happens a few times a day...so consider yourself lucky.

And since we are on the topic of "Your Mom You Paid How Much For That?!?", I feel the need to talk about these new running shorts that I am currently obsessed with.

Ever since I started running my freshman year at Baylor, I have worn Nike Tempo running shorts. However, one of my colleagues recently introduced me to these Lululemon Run: Speed Shorts.

I mean, EVERYTHING that Lulu cranks out is simply amazing, but these shorts...incredible.

It literally feels like you are running in your undies.

Lululemon: Rundies

It could catch on.

And again, at $54 a pop, these will seem like a bargain.

Now I will update you on last night's dinner, for it was one that cannot be surpassed.

My sister makes this INSANE King Ranch Chicken Casserole, and in the attempt to use the rotisserie chicken that had been sitting in my fridge for the past 2 days (I have NO IDEA what my intentions were behind buying that thing), I decided to call her up and get the recipe.

As always, dinner started off with a big pile of greens.

And then, the magic happened.

(FYI: I did not plate myself almost an entire dinner plate's-worth of casserole. The above and below plate is a salad plate. Just felt the need to say that. Mk, moving on.)

I tweaked her original recipe just a tad, but not enough to change the overall concept of this amazing casserole.

Cheesy, creamy, easy nom-ness. I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 can low fat cream of mushroom
• 1 can low fat cream of chicken
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 small can diced green chiles
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 15 corn tortillas
• 3 cups freshly grated, smoked cheddar cheese
• sour cream, hot sauce, and/or salsa for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, chicken broth, green chiles, salt, pepper, cumin, and onion powder until thoroughly combined.
3. Grease a 9X13 baking pan with cooking spray.
4. Line the bottom of the pan with 5 corn tortillas (you may have to tear a few in half to fit properly).
5. Sprinkle 2 cups of chicken on top of the tortillas.
6. Pour 1/2 of the sauce mixture of top of chicken.
7. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top of the sauce.
8. Repeat this process one more time.
9. Place the last 5 corn tortillas on top of the casserole and sprinkle the last cup of cheese on top of the tortillas.
10. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbly and the corn tortillas are golden and crisp.
11. Serve warm with sour cream, hot sauce, and salsa for topping.

ENJOY!

Nicknames & The Last Party

Saturday began with a 5:30 AM wake up call for my 9 mile group run. I had a good run, but started dragging a little bit towards the end. Dang you, Anemia!

My mom and I grabbed breakfast at Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen after completing our respective Saturday morning runs. LOVING this tradition! :)

I also love it when I eat bread topped with Greek yogurt in public and everyone around me thinks it's heaping spoonfuls of cream cheese.

Even my mom forgot it was Greek yogurt when she said, "Careful, all that cheese is sliding off of your bagel!" when I went in for a bite :)

Greek yogurt > cream cheese

After breakfast, it was time to start preparing for that evening's festivities!

My Uncle Russ and husband, Brent, have the same birthday!

Their birthday is actually on July 19th, but we decided to celebrate this phenomenon with delicious food, amazing family, and the best cake ever, this past Saturday. 

My mom is always the hostess with the mostess, so of course she had the apps ready to be snacked on upon arriving: Crackers & Spinach Dip and Chips & Salsa...Brent's all time favorite apps!

Mom let Brent choose the menu. His response to this was "steak".

I made the side recommendations :)

The feast included NY Strips, Center Cut Sirloins, Brats, Chicken Spinach Feta Sausages, Jalapeno Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignons, Grilled Asparagus, Roasted Potatoes, Sharp Cheddar Cheese Grits, Salad, Fruit, & Rolls.

My plate: A Chicken Spinach Feta Sausage, salad, asparagus, potatoes, grits, and a roll.

Ummm, yes. It was amazing.

Happy Birthday Uncle Russ & Brent!

Make a wish!

They are probably wishing that I will stop calling them Uncle Russell Muscle Bear Pants and Breadstick.

I kind of love nicknames.

And then it was time for the only reason I attend weddings and throw birthday parties...cake!

But this isn't any cake. It is RJ Goodies cake, and it's the best in the land. Yes, even better than mine.

My lovely grandparents were in attendance. They are the best and make my heart a happy one.

The birthday gang!

After too much food, copious amounts of sugar, and talking way too much about our puppies, we all decided to call it a night, including Lucy Goosey Tutu Head.

Nothing like celebrating life with family!

Are you a nickname freak, like me? Is that normal?

I call my bro-in-law James "Jamesy Poo Muffin Bear". So annoying...I know...but I have yet to see someone frown at me when they hear the nickname I made up for them :)

Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Back To Life & Better Shoes

After a wonderful break from real life, it was back to my normal routine today with a delicious batch of overnight oats in a leftover Crofters jar:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/3 cup 1% organic milk
• 1/2 cup organic nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 1 Tbsp dried cherries
• 2 Tbsp nuts (cashews and peanuts) 

I'm obsessed with this stuff.

Lunch (at 3:30 PM...helloooo retail) was a pb&j with a side of apple slices. Deliciously simple.

And an Oreo. Scandalous.

Dinner started off with a big bowl-a-greens, topped with carrots, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes, then drizzled with poppyseed dressing.

Nom.

Then it was time for the entree...Shrimp Penne!

This is Brent's favorite pasta, which is great for me because it is also the easiest.

But before I share the recipe, I must take a moment to talk about my....

Photo property of www.saucony.com

New running shoes!

I FINALLY purchased a new pair! No more bloody-toed Asics! No sir! 

I've always run in a stability shoe, and these Saucony's are pretty neutral, so I was surprised at how comfortable they were! I'm planning on testing them out tomorrow on a 9 mile group run with Woodlands Fit, so we shall see!

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful weekend! Any fun plans??

Here is the recipe for my super simple Shrimp Penne!



Shrimp Penne


4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 large cloved garlic, minced
• 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• zest from 1 small lemon
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4 small lemons)
• Fresh parsley for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water, season with salt, and cook penne pasta until al dente.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
3. Saute garlic in butter and olive oil until fragrant and softened.
4. Add shrimp to skillet and cook over medium low heat until barely pink.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
6. Pour lemon mixture until skillet, stir to combined with the garlic and shrimp, then pour over the cooked pasta.
7. Sprinkle leftover fresh parsley leaves over the top and serve.

ENJOY!