From That to This: Watermelon Salad

Summer is coming to an end and I intend to take advantage of every last minute of it. I want to soak up all of the sun, play all of the lawn games, go to all of the farmers markets -

-- and eat ALL of the watermelon!

Elissa shared a picture of a watermelon salad on her Instagram a few weeks ago and I have been eating it non-stop ever since.

It's been a hot minute since I've posted a recipe, so I thought I would share it with you guys. Fair warning, you will become addicted. It's really that good.

Ingredients (Single Serving)

1 cup Watermelon 

2 tbsp Feta Cheese

2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze (or just balsamic)

5-6 Chopped Mint Leaves

Place your watermelon in a bowl, sprinkle on the feta, balsamic and mint and voila! You have a super easy, super delicious and healthy dish. And if you make enough to share, you'll definitely be the hit at a potluck.

What recipes are you loving this summer? Any seemingly odd combinations that you can't stop eating?

Peace,
Sarah

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How To Make A Latte - At Home!

Y'all I spend way to much on coffee at Starbucks, Peet's, and just about every other coffee shop out there #caffeinaddict. And apart from the seasonal fancy-drink (I'm looking at you PSL), I typically just order a plain latte which is really just espresso and milk. Cheaper than many options, yes, but still overpriced and those cups add up!

I was talking about this to a friend of mine and she told me a secret that has since blown my mind and saved me money. You can make a latte at home - without a fancy machine! And it is incredibly easy!

Begin by brewing your espresso - or really strong coffee if you're like me and don't have an espresso maker (though then it's technically a cafe au lait with a lot of foam...)

To make the hot milk and foam, you will need a tall, microwaveable container with a lid. This could be a mason jar (you'll remove the cap) or even a plastic Tupperware.

Pour the desired amount of milk into the container, but be sure to leave a good amount of room for the foam to expand. Put on the lid and shake until you notice it's becoming foamy - roughly a minute. Then remove the lid and microwave the milk for about 45 seconds. Once it's done you will have a good amount of foam and some nice hot milk.

Next, fill your mug with the desired amount of espresso/coffee. Hold back the foam with a spoon as you add the amount of hot milk you would like. Then use the spoon to add your desired amount of foam and voila!

(If you want to get fancy, you can also sprinkle on a topping like cinnamon or cocoa. Yum.)

And there you have it. A quick, simple way to drink your coffee at home and save some extra cash.

Are there any other caffein addicts out there who've tried this method or know of any others?

Peace,
Sarah

**Linking up with #RecipeoftheWeek, Two Cup Tuesday, Whimsy Wednesdays and Create-Link-Inspire

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From That To This: Christmas Cookies

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted a recipe here on the blog! I have still been working on my culinary skills, I promise. I just apparently haven't taken the time to document any of them.

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, last Wednesday I was graced with a bit of free time and decided to bake some cookies to share with my students. I may or may not have watched a cheesy Christmas movie via Netflix while doing so...

When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do around Christmas time was bake cookies with my grandma. Each year she made trays upon trays of different, delicious cookies ranging from mini pecan tarts to "snowballs". Now that she's a bit older she doesn't bake as much, but she has me to carry on the tradition.

Of the many types of cookies she taught me to make, my favorites have always been the classic peanut butter cookies with a chocolate kiss in the middle. It's not the fanciest, or even the most original, but gee are they good!

And chances are, other than the Hershey kisses, you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry already!

Ingredients:

Creamy Peanut Butter

Sugar

Brown Sugar

Butter

Egg

Vanilla

Flour

Baking Soda

Salt

Hershey Kisses

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 F.

Blend 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter until creamy. (You may want to make sure your butter is soft, especially if you do all of your mixing by hand.) Once smooth, mix in one egg and 1tsp vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together 1 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Roll the cookie dough into about 1 inch balls and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Be sure to leave a few inches of space between each ball because the cookies spread a good amount. You should get about 2 dozen from each batch.

Bake for about 10-13 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye out so your bottoms don't burn!

While the cookies are baking, unwrap enough Hershey kisses for each cookie to have 1 placed in the middle. Once cookies are out of the oven, gently place a Hershey kiss in each center.

What's your favorite Christmas cookie to bake? (Or eat!)

As always, feel free to message me with any questions.

Peace,
Sarah

ps Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!!!

** I'm linking up with The Great Christmas Cookie Recipe Swap, Tasty Tuesday, #RecipeoftheWeek, Delicious Dish Tuesday, CraftyCurlyMom and the 12 Days of Blogmas. Be sure to check out the other awesome recipes shared!

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From That to This: Acorn Squash

Just because October in California doesn't feel like fall doesn't mean you can't still enjoy all of the fall things you love. You may have to get a little creative, but there are countless ways to make this warm hot, no-tree-changin' season into one that feels a little more like a good ol' Ohio autumn.

The easiest thing to do, beyond dressing in fall colors, is eating to suite your season. Of course, there is the classic PSL (which I love), but there's also cider, soups, other pumpkin flavored things, and one of my favorites: squash - specifically, acorn squash.

Acorn squash is one of the easiest side dishes to make for a delicious autumn dinner. All you need is four ingredients and you're ready to go!

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

butter

cinnamon

brown sugar

To begin, preheat your oven to 400°F. Then cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon (think pumpkin carving or eating cantaloupe). Once that's done, use a knife and cut a grid into the inside of each half (this is the part that looks like a bowl and is not the skin). You do this so that the flavors can soak into the whole squash instead of just the very top.

Thoroughly coat the inside of the squash with spreadable butter (around 1/2 tbsp for each half). Then rub each half with 1 tbsp of brown sugar and sprinkle them with around 1 tsp of cinnamon.

Put the halves bowl-up in a baking tray with an inch or so of water in the bottom. This helps prevent the skin of the squash from burning with the baking dish.

Bake for an hour and fifteen minutes and voila! All you have to do is remove the skin and you're ready to eat.

I even tossed some of the left-overs in a salad I made for lunch the next day!

Do you have any foods you especially like to eat in fall?

Peace,
Sarah

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From That To This: Shrimp and Quinoa

School is out and I have slightly more free time than normal, which means more time to try new meals! During a break at work last week I decided to hop on pinterest for some food inspiration and this recipe was the first post on my "suggested pins". I opened the page to check out the ingredients and skim through the recipe and it seemed pretty easy. That was it. I love seafood, and I think y'all know how much I like quinoa. Decision made - I was cooking shrimp and quinoa that evening. It was love at first sight (soon to be love at first bite).

Ingredients:

1/2 lb fresh shrimp w/ tails

1/4 cup chopped onion

4-6 cloves chopped garlic

chili powder

Old Bay

1 cup quinoa

1/8 cup chopped parsley

(Not Pictured)

 1 tbsp olive oil

1 can chicken or veggie broth

butter

The first thing you'll start to make is the quinoa - that way while it boils, you can cook up the shrimp. All you need to do is chop your onion and garlic and toss them in a cooking pot with olive oil on medium heat. (Be sure to save about 1/3 of your garlic to cook with the shrimp.) Allow these to cook until the onions are clear (about 2 minutes or so). Feel free to add a tsp or so of the chili powder and even a bit of Old Bay. Add the uncooked quinoa and can of broth to the onions and garlic along with a little more spice. Spices are really personal to your taste, so only you will know what you like and don't like. Place the lid on the pot and let cook until all of the liquid is gone (about 15-20 min).

** hint: one of my roommates from my volunteer year taught me to crush a garlic clove with the side of a knife (as seen in the second photo) to make taking off the outer layer easier. Maybe this is common knowledge. I was never taught the trick and was impressed. Thanks Lou.

While the quinoa is cooking, peal the skin off of your shrimp and wash thoroughly. Start melting about 2 tbsp butter in a saucer with the rest of your chopped garlic and add your shrimp along with some good ol' Old Bay. Cook the shrimp until they are no longer clear. The shrimp will shrink a little and turn that pink color we are used to seeing with shrimp cocktail. This will cook in about 5-7 minutes. If you think it's done, it probably is. It's surprisingly easy to tell.

**hint: the original recipe says to leave the tails on the shrimp, but during my process of removing the skin about half of my tails came off and I liked those shrimp better. Next time I make shrimp I will probably take the tails off from the get-go.

By this point, your quinoa will either be done or have a very short amount of cook time left. Once it is done, dish a nice sized portion on a plate and top it with some of your delicious shrimp. Chop up some fresh parsley to sprinkle on top and bon appetit!

**hint: the original recipe suggests melting butter with garlic and drizzling it on top of the plate. I'm sure it is delish, but I'm not much of a butter person so I opted out.

Try it out and let me know what you think! As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Peace,
Sarah

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From That, To This: Leek and Beet Salad

I think I have mentioned my obsession with beets as of late. It all began when I saw a photo for this recipe on pinterest. Leek and Beet Salad. It looked so great, I had to give it a try and oh man am I in love. I've changed some small things to make it more suitable for me and my housemates and thought I would share it here. It's seriously amazing. 

Ingredients:

1 large beet

2 leeks

kale

1 cup lentils

 tahini

(Not Pictured)

olive oil

salt

pepper

lemon juice

maple syrup

various spices for lentils

Preheat oven to 400°F. As always, begin by washing your vegetables. Peel and slice your beet into 1/2" thick pieces and chop leeks to about the same thickness. Place both vegetables on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the baking sheet into the over for 15-20 minutes or until the beets are cooked to your liking.

While the beets and leeks are in the oven, place 1 cup lentils into a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. They will be done when the water is completely absorbed (like quinoa). This should take 10-15 minutes. Near the end of the cook time when there is only a little water left, I like to add spices to the lentils for extra flavor. I'm a fan of cumin, but also salt and pepper. Choose what you like and make them your own!

Next chop up kale (any variety that you prefer) and put it into a large bowl. Drizzle in about a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice and massage (yes, I sad massage) the greens. I know it sounds like a silly thing to do and possibly pointless, but massaging the kale really does make a difference to the taste. It cuts a little bit of the bitterness that raw kale has. 

By this point, your lentils and veggies are probably done and off the stove/out of the oven. Go ahead and mix the kale, lentils and veggies together.

For the dressing, I recommend the simple tahini based one that the original recipe suggests. It calls for tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, and olive oil. I find salad dressings to be personal to tastebuds and usually eyeball them more so than use a strict recipe.

I also like to use more olive oil and less tahini than recommended. For my dressing, I use a 2:1 ratio of olive oil and tahini and little-by-little add the lemon juice and syrup along with some salt and pepper to taste. If I had to suggest amounts, I would probably say 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/8 cup tahini, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp maple syrup and a pinch of salt and pepper. Again, I would test out your own ratios to find a taste that you enjoy. 

Add the dressing to the salad, mix it all up and enjoy!

If you decide to try it out, I'd love to hear what you think and how you added your own flair to the recipe. Feel free to comment or question!

Peace,
Sarah

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From That, To This: Breakfast Quinoa

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I hate to admit that I am still not really a fan. Maybe it's just because I didn't grow up eating it and still haven't disciplined myself to do so, but I probably skip this meal at least 4/7 days a week.

That being said, I am trying to get into the habit of healthier eating which means including breakfast in the routine. To spice it up a little some days, I have started making Breakfast Quinoa which is another deliciously easy recipe my roommate Torrey has shared with me. I don't know what I'll learn to cook when she's gone next year!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup quinoa

vanilla

strawberries

almond milk

honey

shredded coconut

(Not Pictured)

1/2 cup water

cinnamon

Begin by putting the quinoa and water in a pot on the stove. Add a splash of vanilla, turn it on high, and let it cook. The quinoa should take about 10 minutes to be done, but be sure to keep an eye on it. Burnt quinoa is not fun. You'll know it's done when the water is completely gone.

While you're waiting for the quinoa to be cooked, wash and cut your strawberries, or berry of choice. Blackberries would probably be delicious in this!

Once the quinoa is done, put it into your bowl,  add desired amount of almond milk (sort of like oatmeal) and toss on the berries. Lastly, drizzle some honey, sprinkle some coconut and add a dash of cinnamon. That's it! (Told you it was easy!)

I really like breakfast quinoa because it's similar to oatmeal, but not as thick and heavy. As I said, I'm not a big breakfast eater, so the lighter the food, the better. Plus, the quinoa is only as sweet as you make it, so you don't have to worry about the early morning stomach ache from sugary cereal (unless you pile on the honey...)

What's really great about it is that there are so many ways you can make it different and make it your own. In fact, after I had taken these photos, I noticed shredded almonds in our cabinet and tossed some on. Yum!

Let me know what you think! I hope you like it!

Peace,
Sarah

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From That, To This: Brussels Sprouts

Happy Friday everyone! Today I wanted to share a recipe my roommate, Torrey, introduced me too earlier this year. It's a very simple and very delicious brussels sprouts dish made on your stovetop with only four ingredients. 

My housemates and I love them. It seems like someone in the apartment is always making this dish, which usually sparks another one of us to join in the fun as well. In fact, while I was cooking to prepare this post, Torrey came by and ate a bowl with me.

If you have sworn off brussels sprouts from a young age, I encourage you to give them another try. I think these tasty veggies get a bad rap and I know some of you are still probably thinking "brussels sprouts? ewwww." Try them out! You may be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:

brussels sprouts

coconut oil

balsamic vinaigrette

parmesan cheese 

Begin by washing your brussels sprouts and cutting them in half. After you're finished chopping, heat about a teaspoon of coconut oil in a pan. Once the oil is melted, put in the sprouts with the flat, cut side facing down. Let them cook for about 3 minutes or until they are desired amount of brown. (I like mine a little crispier.) Stir the brussels sprouts and splash in a tablespoon of balsamic vinaigrette. Let the veggies absorb the vinaigrette and cook for another minute or so. Just a warning, the vinaigrette will change the color of the sprouts so they may look slightly more burnt than you intended. Put the brussels sprouts in a bowl, sprinkle them with some parmesan cheese, and that's it.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Do you have any delicious ways to use brussels sprouts in a dish? I'd love to hear it!

Peace,

Sarah

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From That, To This: The "Bee-Day" Cake

More so than cooking, I love to bake. Not only is it a de-stressor, but it is also a great procrastination tool. My friends in undergrad used to tease that they could tell when I had a big assignment due because I was making cookies or a cake or a pie. They didn't directly encourage the habit, but let's just say they never turned down the Nutella cookies when they came around.

With the semester coming to a close, I jumped at the chance to put off my studies and bake a cake for my roommate's birthday this weekend. We both have a shared love for puns and he has an affinity for bees [inside joke], so the decor was an obvious choice: A "Bee-Day" Cake! 

For the cake itself I used a chocolate cake recipe that my friend Sara shared with me a few years ago. Normally, I'm not a fan of chocolate cake (cue looks of shock), but I love this recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 cup cocoa powder 

2 cups boiling water

2 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter (at room temp.)

2 and 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs (at room temp.)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

• To begin, preheat your oven to 350. 
• Bring two cups of water to a boil and add cocoa powder and stir until smooth, then set aside to cool. 
• Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mix butter until creamy (I usually just use a spoon, but a mixer on medium speed will make the job so much easier). Add sugar to butter and continue mixing until it is light in texture. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each egg, and then stir in the vanilla. 
• Begin to add in flour mixture and cocoa in sections (about one quarter of each at a time) and mix until well combined. (Again, a mixer will make this easier, but it can be done by hand.)
• Add batter to greased baking sheet (or sheets depending on the size and layers you want). I used a pan slightly bigger than 9x13. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick can be pulled clean from the center of the cake. The sides should begin shrinking from the pan at this point too. Remove from oven and let cool.

Once your cake is cool, you can decorate it however you choose. Honestly, this is probably my least favorite part. I am horrible at icing cakes, and I really don't like icing (there are no exceptions for this one). Plus, I can never get the icing to be smooth and never like the way it looks (perfectionist probs). But what's a cake without frosting, right? So, I frost the cakes I share :)

This time I used a cookies 'n cream frosting which was a nice compliment to the chocolate cake. Betty Crocker has fun pouches of icing for writing on desserts, which is what I used to scribble write "Happy Bee-Day" on the cake. The icing I used is technically for cookies, but it worked for the cake too. It also came in handy for the candy bees I found on pinterest.

Ingredients:

Yellow Peanut M&Ms

Black Icing

Almond slices

As you can probably see from the photos, the bees were easy to make. All you need to do is use the icing to make stripes on the peanut M&Ms and also use it as an adhesive for the almond slice wings.  

I made each bee separately and randomly placed them on the frosted cake and it was good to go. Voila, the "Bee-day" cake is complete and ready to share.

What's your favorite birthday treat to bake? Do you have any decorating tips to share?

Peace,

Sarah

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From That, To This.

Cooking is something I have always enjoyed doing. Not only is it fun, but for me it's also a pretty big stress-reliever. However, between school, work, and other responsibilities, I don't always make time to try new recipes. To fix this and get my creative (cooking) juices flowing, I present to you: "From That, To This"- a part of the blog where I will share a new recipe I've tried every week or so. I am hoping that this might hold me accountable to try making new foods and to focus energy on something fun!

Quinoa and Veggies.

Roasted veggies and quinoa have been my "go-to" as of late. Especially beets. I just can't get enough of them! The color, the taste, yum! So, today I thought I would share a meal I have eaten way too many times this month.

Ingredients:

quinoa

1 small beet

1/2 sweet potato

1/2 avocado

(Not Pictured)

water

salt

pepper

olive oil

cinnamon

baby spinach

 Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash vegetables. Cut beet and sweet potato into about 1/4 inch thick circles. Place them on a baking tray and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. (Keep the vegetables on separate sides of the tray.) Sprinkle salt and pepper over the beets and sprinkle cinnamon over the sweet potatoes. Place the tray in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are at desired softness. 

While the veggies are in the oven, combine desired amount of quinoa along with two times as much water in a small pot on the stovetop. I usually make 1/4 cup quinoa which means I add 1/2 cup of water. If you want 1/2 cup quinoa, add 1 cup of water, etc. Bring the pot to a steady boil on medium heat setting.

I recommend adding spices you like to the pot as the water is boiling. This time, I used salt, pepper, and lots of cumin and it came out great. Other times I've just used pepper. The quinoa is cooked when the water has all evaporated. 

Note: the time will vary based on how much quinoa you chose to make. I recommend keeping a close eye on the stove as it tends to cook faster than expected. Burnt quinoa is no bueno.

Now that the cooking portion is complete, all you have to do is fill your plate with the quinoa, beets, sweet potatoes. I also added half of a sliced avocado and some baby spinach to mix in some raw vegetables with the cooked. Salt and pepper to taste.

Very simple. Fairly quick. And really tasty. 

 Feel free to leave any comments, feedback or questions. I hope those who try enjoy. I'd love to hear any suggestions or how you make it your own!

Peace,
Sarah

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