Warm Kale and Butternut Squash Salad

Did you know that I have lost my mind?  Legitimately lost it.  The other day I came home and took chicken out of the freezer so it could start defrosting for dinner the next night.  Instead of being logical and putting it in the fridge, I placed it in the sink... the sink!  Next thing I know I'm waking up in the morning and Sean tells me we have to buy new chicken.  Aaagghh!!

Anyway, this story leads to the delicious recipe I came up with last night.  After buying new chicken (grrr) I came home to figure out what we were going to make for a side.  We had one of the microwavable bags of butternut squash from Trader Joe's - love that stuff! - and some kale.  Throw in some leftover red onions and feta cheese and you've got inspiration!

You'll want to put the almonds in the oven to toast before you start everything else.  I tend to forget this step, which is why I am passing it on to you.  When there's about 15 minutes to dinner, take the onions and caramelize them with balsamic vinegar and oil.  Meanwhile, cook the butternut squash in the microwave.  Gotta love those microwavable packages!  The kale doesn't have to cook very long since you just want it to soften a bit so the dish comes together pretty quickly.

Once the onions are just about done throw in a bit more balsamic vinegar, the kale, and butternut squash.  Cook, stirring constantly until the kale has softened a bit.  Pour the veggies into a dish and top with the almonds and feta.  Top it with the balsamic dressing, toss, and serve.

Let me just preface this by saying ALL of these measurements are estimates.  I didn't measure as I cooked, so you'll just have to taste as you go and adjust things.  We also thought it would be delicious with goat cheese and beets instead of squash and feta.

My photography skills for food are not the best - I apologize.  I blame the lighting!

Warm Kale and Butternut Squash Salad

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 red onion (cut into thin slices)

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs, olive oil

1 package butternut squash

6 cups kale

1/4 cup feta

Balsamic Dressing 

4 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. black pepper

Make the dressing and set aside.  Put the almonds in an oven proof dish and bake for 5-8 minutes at 350 degrees.  Heat 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a deep pan.  Add the red onion, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until they are browned and look delicious.  (Technical terms here, people.)  

When the onions have about 5 minutes to go, cook the squash in the microwave.  When onions are ready, add the leftover balsamic vinegar and kale.  Cook for a minute, stirring continuously.  Then add butternut squash and cook for another 30 seconds.

Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish, pour the dressing on top, and toss.  Sprinkle the feta and almonds on top and serve immediately.

The Best Cupcake You'll Ever Eat...

Alright, I have to admit a problem... I get obsessed when it comes to food.  Especially baking.  I come across an idea and latch onto it.  Then that idea pops up in my mind constantly until I finally decide I can't go on in life without making that food item.

The beginning of the particular food obsession I'm going to share with you tonight began quite awhile ago.  My mother-in-law introduced me to Whole Food's Chantilly cake one day and I was in love.  It was so incredibly delicious I decided I wanted to make it myself.  After scouring my trusty Pinterest resource, I found this copycat recipe and made it for my family back in California.  It tasted pretty good, but my frosting was more lumpy than I would have liked and I was determined to do it again and get it right.

Then last week I saw a recipe for a filled cupcake and became obsessed.  "Filling a cupcake with delicious goodness?!?  WHY have I not done this before?!?!"  I couldn't get the idea out of my mind and started hunting for the perfect combination.  I thought of the Chantilly cake recipe and decided it would be perfect for a filled cupcake.  A light fluffy frosting and a fruit filling sounded delicious.  Plus, I wanted to take a second crack at that frosting!  I wanted to change it up and try a chocolate cake instead of a white cake and I was so happy with the result!

This cupcake is probably my favorite of any I have made.  I don't have a cupcake corer (addition to next year's Christmas wish list...?), so I used a paring knife to cut into the cupcake 3/4 of the way down and make a circle.  Then I used a grapefruit spoon to get the center out and cut a bit of the cupcake center off so it would fit back on after filling. I had so much fun making them and was so proud of how they looked and tasted.  Below are the links for the cake, filling, and frosting.  I hope you enjoy!


Chocolate Cake, courtesy of Add a Pinch
Filling, courtesy of Minimalist Baker  (I added cinnamon to the compote and used blueberries and raspberries for the fruit.)
Frosting, courtesy of A Sue Chef

Brussel Sprout Salad (?)

"Brussel sprouts, Katie?  Really?!"  I know, I know!  If you had told me to eat brussel sprouts a year ago I would have called you crazy, but I've discovered they can be pretty tasty when you prepare them correctly.  So indulge me for a minute.

We bought some brussel sprouts the other day for a dinner side and ended up forgetting to make them.  We also had some leftover grilled chicken and Sean was going to be gone for dinner, so I was on my own that night.  I absolutely love salads for meals because I pack A LOT in my salads.  So when I got this idea to use the brussel sprouts to make a salad, I knew I had to try it!  When I ended up staying at work until 5:30 cooking for one just did not sound inviting.  So I waited until today to do my experiment.

Now there is a question mark at the end of that title because I'm not sure exactly what category this dish falls into.  It has a salad dressing, but no lettuce.  Something green but also grains... so we'll end it with a question mark and you can decide if it's a salad, side dish, or other food term.

One last note before we get to the recipe:
You could use any type of grain for this recipe, but I chose Trader Joe's Harvest Grains.  I LOVE this stuff!  Whenever we go shopping for the week and see it on the shelf, we buy a bag because we know we'll use it eventually... and by eventually I mean we'll change our menu for the week just to fit it in.  If you haven't tried it yet GO GET SOME!  You won't regret it.




Brussel Sprout Salad with Grains and Chicken

10 brussel sprouts (quartered)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
salt and pepper
1/2 package Harvest Grains from Trader Joe's (or other grain such as quinoa or couscous)
1 grilled or baked chicken breast (cubed)
honey mustard dressing (store bought or just follow the recipe at the bottom of this post)

Mix the brussel sprouts, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet and place in a 450 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the sprouts are browned.

If you're going to make the honey mustard dressing, make it now and set it in the fridge.

Cook your grains according to the instructions.  The Harvest Grains will take about 10 minutes.  (I like using chicken broth rather than water to add more flavor.)

Once the brussel sprouts and grains are finished, mix them together with the cubed chicken in a bowl.  Drizzle the honey mustard dressing on top and enjoy!

Honey Mustard Dressing
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp mustard
1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
small pinch of paprika

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until you need it.   (Makes enough dressing for 2-3 servings.)


Afterthoughts:  I ate this dish for lunch and didn't have time to finish, so I stuck it in the fridge and went to meet a friend for coffee.  When I came back I finished the rest and it was even BETTER cold!  Put the dressing on, toss, and let that salad marinate in the fridge for even more flavor.

While prepping this I thought, "I really want to add cheese to this."  Cue the point where I kick myself for being out of feta!  If you love cheese like me, you could add some feta or gorgonzola.  Because let's be honest... everything is better with cheese.  I think I would trade out the honey mustard dressing with a balsamic for that route. If you do, comment below and let me know how it tastes.

Happy eating!

Katie

Stop the Cleaning!

We're moving!  Have I mentioned that?  Sean's uncle fixed up a duplex in the university area and we'll be moving in to one side of the duplex at the end of the month.  As many of you know, once I know something is happening I want to get it DONE.  I've been resisting the urge to pack everything for a month now and it is killing me!  I started the process by going through my clothes and getting rid of things that don't fit anymore or items I don't wear very often.  Is there anything better than that feeling of cleaning and organizing?

I love the satisfaction of cleaning as much as the next OCD person.  A clean house is like heaven to me!  But if you're like me, cleaning the apartment/house means a massive cleaning day on Saturday.  As much as I love getting it all done at once, it kills my Saturday and takes away time Sean and I have to relax on the weekend.  Since both teach and Sean coaches during the week, the weekend is the time we have to really invest in each other.

As the school year begins to approach I've been thinking about being more intentional with my time and especially my weekends.  In order for that to happen, I need to stop the cleaning frenzies on Saturday!  I've come up with a few ideas to help me make the most of my time throughout the week and I'm going to share them with you as the school year approaches.   So here we go!

Have you seen those beautiful cleaning schedules on Pinterest? The ones that look like the women have hours in the day to clean?  I don't know about you, but the last thing I want to do after teaching children all day is come home and do five huge cleaning items.  As I looked through the cleaning schedules I noticed that some had daily, weekly, and monthly items.  I figured I could alter them to create on that fits my schedule and is a bit simpler.

To start, I wanted to use a morning/evening routine to help lower the number of items I would be doing when I came home.  Luckily Sean and I already clean up the dishes and wipe down the counter each day, which helps keep the kitchen clean.  I also LOVE to make my bed in the morning, which makes the room look instantly better...at least in my eyes.  The idea of picking up items every night seemed a bit daunting until I realized that if I did follow through it wouldn't be a huge hassle!

Then I wrote down other items and split them into weekly and monthly.  I was able to organize it all so that I have only one or two items during the week.  That meant I could do one monthly item each Saturday, but still have plenty of time to spend with Sean.  Plus, if I'm feeling extra ambitious I can knock out my Saturday item during the week. (But I'm not banking on that happening too often!)

Here's the schedule!

Not too bad!  This list actually looks realistic for me which is exciting.  And it will help me to free up my Saturdays which will be very helpful during the school year.  Unfortunately between being mid-move and planning the Craft Fair for Sanctuary of Hope our apartment is a bit of a disaster so this schedule might have to wait a bit.  But I hope this might help you, too!

Home Sweet Home

Announcement: The Facebook events for the Craft Fair are up!!  Yay!!!  Check them out!
   Crafting Day: https://www.facebook.com/events/676391922444998/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
   Crafting Fair: https://www.facebook.com/events/1442889259295505/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Why is it that we are so excited to travel places, but once we've been away from home we are so eager to get back to our comfy bed and squishy pillow?  I don't know about you, but I do this ALL the time.  It's not that I don't enjoy the vacation.  This past week I went to Clovis to visit my family.  Since mom had shoulder surgery on Monday and Sunday was Father's Day it was perfect timing!  I love going back to see my family and get caught up with everyone.  I even got to visit with my friend Rachel whom I haven't seen in years.  As much as I loved being in Clovis, I was happy to get back to my bed and see Sean.

On the way back I had some time to kill in the airport.  I took the opportunity to have some quiet time (which I wasn't too good about over my vacation).  I read the story in Mark 9:14-29 where a father comes to Jesus and asks him to help his son who has been possessed by an evil spirit.  The man ends his request by adding "if you can".  Jesus tells the father that anything is possible if a person believes.

"The father instantly cried out, 'I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.'" (Mark 9:24)

I don't know about you, but I have difficulty processing the idea of believing and having unbelief at the same time.  I think we're taught to think that everything is black and white.  Either you agree, or don't.  You believe, or you don't.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I am like the father in this story.  Especially when I am confronting something big or something that I cannot do on my own.  I had this conflict when I went to Kenya.  The idea of raising funds for the trip was daunting.  I believed God could help because I had seen Him do it before (for myself and countless others), but I also struggled with unbelief that God could work in this situation.  It's the age old struggle.  I know God is able and has done things like this for others, but would He really do it for this?  For me?  How many times have I had this debate in my head?

I've even been having this struggle with the Craft Fair.  I have never put on anything like this.  This is something completely new to me.  I believe that God can make this a success because it is something that is important and I believe that He can do anything.  But then that little voice starts again.  Are you sure He's going to do this?  I mean, how many other things does God have to deal with?  

The truth is my unbelief doesn't limit God.  I do.  When I approach these instances of doubt, I can respond in one of two ways.

1.  I can give in to that doubt and turn away from where I feel God is leading.

2.  I can respond like the father in the story.  "Lord I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief."  


It's amazing what God can do when we respond with the second sentence.  So take a second this week to see what God's calling you to and ask Him to work in spite of the unbelief you feel.

Crafting Hope

Life has been so busy lately!  Since Sean and I both teach, we decided that we want to take full advantage of summers and travel as much as we can.  After school got out, Sean went to a swim meet in Phoenix before we went to London and Ireland.  My dad has students in London for a study abroad program and Sean has family in Ireland so it worked out perfectly!  Then we came back and had one night in our own bed before we went to Phoenix to be in our friends' wedding.  It was such a beautiful wedding and we were so grateful to be a part of it!

Needless to say, we are a bit exhausted now that we're back home.  It's back to normal life, which means I am now on my millionth load of laundry and our apartment needs some cleaning.  BUT I am so excited to tell you all about a project I am working on this summer!  First a little background...

In 2012 I went to Kenya on a mission trip with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.  I was blown away by everything, but one particular part of the trip has stuck in the front of my mind.  We visited Sanctuary of Hope, an orphanage that cares for over 20 children.  As I sat there listening to small children leading a worship service, I was moved by what God had done in their lives.  Pastor Karau and his wife, the founders of Sanctuary of Hope, opened these homes to give children from the Mathare Valley slum a safe home, an education, and a family.

So now, two years later, I still can't get that picture of those children out of my head.  I've been trying to think of how to respond and I've finally decided.  Introducing...

I'm putting together a craft fair called "Crafting Hope" to benefit Sanctuary of Hope!  I am so excited about it...and nervous.  I've never put together anything like this before and am so grateful that my good friends Kassily and Liz have agreed to help me out!  So here's the plan:

Open Crafting and Donation Day

Friday, July 18th 9am - 7pm

Hope Evangelical Free Church

On this day, people can come to the church and make crafts to donate to the sale on Saturday.  We are working on getting some craft items donated, but participants should bring their own crafting supplies.  If you cannot make the open crafting time but want to donate an item to be sold on Saturday, this is the time you can drop it off.  

Crafting Hope Craft Fair

Saturday, July 19th 9:30am - 3:30pm

Hope Evangelical Free Church

All donated craft items will be sold on Saturday and all proceeds will go to Sanctuary of Hope.

I am so excited about this event and cannot wait to see how it plays out!  If you are interested in helping out in any way (advertising the event, donating crafted items, etc.) please let me know.  And above all, please pray for this event!

Nearing the End

3 days.  That is all I have left in my first year of teaching.  It amazes me every time I think about it.  Items are coming off the wall, desks and cupboards are being cleaned out, and the natives are growing restless.  Today was board game day in our classroom and tomorrow we have a busy day with the Talent Show and Movie & Popcorn Day.  I've been trying to think of a few special things to do for my students as the year ends.  I went to Pinterest (as always) and came up with these gems!

Today I put all my students' names in a hat and had every student choose one name.  Then they had to create an award for that person.

They turned out pretty cute!  And some of them got more creative than others with the award names.  On Wednesday we will roll out the red carpet (also know as the red butcher paper) and have them walk down to receive their awards!

Throughout the past week and a half I have been doing this little activity with the kids. To start out I wrote every child's name at the top of a paper and placed it at their desk.  Then the kids rotated through to write 1-3 words that described that child.  Positive words, I reminded them. Throughout the past few days I put the background up on my Promethean Board, have a child sit in the chair, and write the traits from the paper before taking a picture.

I love how they turned out!  Although the board makes it a little bit fuzzy.  I might just use the whiteboard or chalkboard next year.  I printed them at Walgreens (which has a 40% deal on prints right now!) and pasted them onto a blue piece of paper big enough for a 1" border.  The front has our school's name at the top and 2013-2014 on the bottom.  On the back I wrote "In the eyes of Room 44 I am..." in purple marker.  Tomorrow I will add the compliments onto the back so they can see what everyone said!  I think they'll be a cute little keepsake as well as a great confidence booster as they end the year.