Life Update! :)

So, it's been awhile.
It's cold outside and I love it. I just finished my first semester of nurse practitioner school. It's a good feeling. This is my favorite time of the year, I've put my christmas decorations up.

Most of the year, I hardly spend any time at home, but when it gets cold outside I become a homebody. I become all crafty and spend any free time in the kitchen.

<This is the cowl scarf I am working on right now, except it will be sea green.

                                 

                                            Currently reading>



I've managed to keep my herbs living indoors, and thanks to IKEA I've found found a great way to display them that is convenient for use and clutter-free!

This past week, some of my ACCU girls came over for an Italian cooking night. It was great food and great company. I am so thankful for these friends. They keep me sane at work, and let loose with me outside of work! Such a blessing.

<Also, Debbie spent pretty much an entire week with me. Our time together is limited lately, but she had to take finals in Tuscaloosa... PERFECT excuse for some catch up time!

Joseph and I are as happy as always... here he is being a goofball... no surprise really. :)

Blackberry Banana Smoothies

I've realized that I use bananas in things a lot lately. I can hardly eat most fruit plain, but love fruit in smoothies, breads, or other dishes. I have also been out of town and just plain busy the last few weeks and this has become my latest go to.

Mix in a blender:
1 banana, frozen
1 handful of fresh blackberries
1/2 cup milk or half and half
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Banana Loaf Bread

I always buy bananas, but hardly ever eat them all before they go brown. No problem! This banana loaf bread is amazing! Enjoy.

1 stick butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 ripe bananas
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and put a rack on the middle shelf. Butter and flour a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan.

-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

-In a separate small bowl, mash the bananas with a wooden spoon, leaving a bit of texture.

-In another large bowl, use a hand electric mixer or stand mixer to cream the 1/2 cup of butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Add the dry ingredients and gently stir in pecans. Pour the batter into the pan and put on a sheet tray.

-Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

For the Cookies:
1.5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped

To make the cookies:
-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the semisweet and milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
-Whisk the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring in a bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
-Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in four equal batches, whisking each batch completely before adding the next. Stir in the melted chocolate.
-Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and smooth the tops with a damp finger. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the filling:
-Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla seeds. Sandwich a heaping tablespoonful of filling between 2 cookies; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Hazelnut Truffles

If I had to pick my favorite flavor I would choose chocolate for sure. Number two would be coffee. And number three is hazelnut. Lucky for me, these three make a to-die-for combination! In my book, these beat anything Ghirardelli, Hershey's, Dove, you name it.

1 cup hazelnuts
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons Frangelico
1 tablespoon prepared coffee (or a little more if you're like me!)
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Chop the hazelnuts and place them on a sheet pan. Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. (If the hazelnuts have skin on them, roast them for 25 minutes.) Set aside to cool.

Chop the chocolates finely and place in a bowl.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it boils. Immediately pour the hot cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with the chocolates. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. (If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for a few minutes just until it melts.) Whisk in the hazelnut liqueur, coffee, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour until pliable but firm enough to scoop.

With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres. Roll the chocolate in the chopped hazelnuts and chill again. Truffles are best when they're allowed to set overnight in the refrigerator.

Green Beans with Paneer in Fresh Tomato Sauce

Paneer is an indian cheese. I love cheese. When I learned that this was a type of cheese I could make easily at home, of course I had to try it. See video.

I ended up eating it all the first time, but the second go round, I made this wonderful Indian dish.

1 tablespoon oil, plus more for frying the paneer
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tomatoes, chopped
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh green beans, tips removed
8-ounces paneer, cut into small cubes

Put the 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet, and add the coriander, garlic, mustard seeds, and cumin and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes and season with salt, and pepper, stirring well. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In another pan, add oil and place over medium heat. Add the cubed paneer and fry until golden on all sides, turning frequently. Gently stir into the finished beans.

Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad

I do love salads, and of course they're good for you. But I get sick of a plain salad with lettuce all the time, no matter what you put on it. This is a good change up! And it's easy too.

1 large cucumber, sliced
1 large tomato, cut into chunks
Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 pressed garlic cloves
chopped mozzarella or crumbled feta
salt and pepper
olive oil and red wine vinegar

Mix pressed garlic into oil and vinegar. Mix veggies, olives, and cheese together and top with oil/vinegar/garlic mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!