Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

The One Where I Married Vegas

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I got married.  To Vegas.

Not to be confused with getting married IN Vegas.

I’m the poster child for never say never.  I swore I’d never get married.  I didn’t even want to date.  I was perfectly happy working, working out, and signing up for whatever adventure I could find.

Well.  Vegas and I got married in Lake Tahoe on the second day of the New Year.  It was meant to be an elopement, but I was too excited and ended up telling most of my close friends and family.  We booked our travel, decided to have an après ski theme (translation: I wanted to wear leggings and boots with the fur), and brought our best friends.

Wedding

Never say never…

… 

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TECHmunch, Wedded Bliss, and an Easy Frittata Recipe

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There’s a nasty rumor that weekends are for resting.

Rest… such a mysterious word…

My version of resting is seeing how many non-work activities I can cram into a couple of days.  It turns out that number is pretty high!

The weekend started out strong with the Atlanta TECHmunch Conference.  These are held across the US, but this was the first one in ATL.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I heard it was to be held at one of my favorite local breweries I had no choice but to sign up!

Monday Night Brewing hosted ~100 bloggers, and was to kind as to get us tipsy after the day’s learning ended.  Before the boozing, we had pumpkin donut holes, snacks from Beyond Meat, and lunch catered by my favorite MetroFresh.

The holes were ok… I’m more of a Krispy Kreme gal.  The Beyond Meat was really impressive – those beef crumbles are scarily similar to the real deal.  And MetroFresh was amazing as always.  Somehow I still managed that red velvet Sprinkles cupcake.

Atlanta TechMunch… 

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Mini Mac ‘n Cheese Muffins

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You can never go wrong with Mac ‘n Cheese.

You CAN go wrong opening the noodle box

Wedding showers mean bite-sized treats… but we needed mac ‘n cheese to go with the Southern themed-food of the shower I catered last weekend!

What to do?  Mini-mac muffins!

Using smoked Gouda here rather than the more traditional mozzarella was a big win.

The deeper, smokey flavor went well with the herbed bread crumb topping without being over-powering.  Extra-sharp cheddar is also key for a more flavorful mac.

I doubled the recipe and made what felt like a million of these.  I wish I’d counted… but I think there were 144.  Plus the leftovers, which I turned into a casserole for the family. 🙂

After looking at the quantity, I thought “There is NO way people will eat all of these.”  Wrong.

While these weren’t the first item to go (these deviled eggs flew the coop!), there weren’t any left at the end of the night.

Mini Mac ‘n Cheese Muffins

  • 1 lb box elbow macaroni
  • 2 C extra sharp cheddar, shredded
  • 2 C smoked gouda, shredded
  • 2 T Butter, melted
  • 1 C 2% milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • S & P, to taste
  • 1/2 C seasoned dry bread crumbs
  • 1.5 tsp olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease mini muffin tins.

In a large pot, cook macaroni according to package instructions, leaving it slightly al dente.  Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pan.  

Return pasta to pot and stir in melted butter until coated.  Stir in 1 1/2 C of each cheese and stir until melted.

Mix together milk, eggs, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Pour mixture over macaroni and mix well.

Spoon macaroni into each tin, slightly over-filling.  

In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and olive oil.  Sprinkle reserved cheese and bread crumb mixture over the tops.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.  Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan so that the cheese sets and they hold their shape.

Makes ~72 mini muffins.

Note: If you have any mix leftover, pour it in a casserole dish for a traditional mac n’ cheese.  I added some cayenne and truffle oil to my leftovers.

***

I tried the Kraft mac ‘n cheese at a friend’s house as a kid and thought I didn’t like mac… until years later someone made me the “real” thing (read: homemade).  Life-changing, my friends. 

Did you ever eat the Kraft mac growing up?

What are you favorite mac ‘n cheese add-ins?

Spring Endive Boats + WIAW

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Endive Boats are the perfect party salad.

Boats make salad a finger food!

Last Christmas when I catered this party I served endive boats rather than a salad dish.  They went over really well, so I decided to make a spring version for the wedding shower.

This spring version contained raspberries, raw asparagus (thin stalks), and pecans.  Over the top I drizzled a light raspberry vinaigrette.

A lot of people are surprised by raw asparagus, but it is quite tasty.  In season, the asparagus is especially sweet and the crunch it added was perfect.

The raspberries were just a tad sweet, but still have an early-season tartness that was well-balanced with the fruity vinaigrette and rich, nutty pecans.

Like the deviled eggs, there weren’t any leftover by the end of the party!

Recipe at the bottom.

Last week I announced I was taking the Green Giant Veg Pledge to add an additional cup of veggies to my daily eats.  Many of you said you would join me… have you been doing it?

Jenn @ Peas and Crayons is with her  What I Ate Wednesday theme for April:

Check out my veggies below; then click here to see how everyone else incorporated extra servings.

Breakfast:

Do you ever wake up starving?  Having followed the P90X workouts this week, I cannot get enough food!

Carrot Cake Smoothie:

  • 1 C spinach
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/2 in piece fresh ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 7-8 drops liquid vanilla stevia
  • 1 T rolled oats
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp maca (optional)
  • Pecans (optional – for topping)

Lunch:

The veggie-theme was full force at lunch today.  I had a conference call, so I ate it in two parts.

Part 1: A slice of whole wheat multi-grain bread from the farmer’s market with my Chipotle Corn Hummus, raw asparagus, zucchini, and carrots.

I brought the veggies to work in that carrot bag.  The bag was almost empty, so I piled my asparagus and zucchini slices rather than wasting another baggie.  I’m a total hippie.

Part 2: Garden Lites Cauliflower Souffle

Tasty, but I may have over-microwaved it.

Snacks:

With my 2-part lunch, I didn’t do much snacking… there was the daily Kombucha with raspebrries, a Think Thin, Wasa flatbread, and unpictued stuff (nuts, 1/2  cupcake, cereal):

Dinner:

It was a pizza night at a favorite pizza joint, Double Zero.  You cut the pie with scissors and they have one of the best Italian wine selections in ATL.  My pie was tomato, mozzarella, arugula, roasted garlic, and chilis.

Spring Endive Boats

  • 6-8 endive heads
  • 2 pints raspberries
  • 1 bunch thin asparagus, chopped
  • 1/2 C chopped pecans
  • Raspberry vinaigrette

Assemble endive leaves evenly across a large tray.  Divide raspberries, asparagus pieces, and pecans evenly among boats.  

Lightly drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette just before serving.

Serves 30.

***

I was going to post that mac ‘n cheese recipe… but I had to go endive for the veggie theme! 🙂

How are you doing with the Veg Pledge?  Have you been incorporating an extra veggie serving each day?

What is the best thing you’ve eaten so far this week?

Chive and Caper Deviled Eggs

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I am a bad Southerner.

Most southern foods, I do not like.  This includes fried okra, green bean casserole with those crispy onion things on top, sweet potato casserole, honey-baked ham… and deviled eggs.

However, a wedding shower on Easter weekend with Southern-themed food all but requires deviled eggs be served.  I had to suck it up and learn (quickly) how to do deviled eggs right.

Round 1 was a spicy version that I sort of liked.  More proof that if you make anything spicy, I’ll eat it.

The family shot it down.  Mom reminded me that not everyone likes to have their mouth on fire, and that most people like a traditional “like your momma made it” deviled egg.

Traditional isn’t something I do well, but I did compromise.  I ditched the heat, opting for a caper and chive version.  That with some mustard and plenty of mayo made for a flavorful yellow filling.  A little lemon zest added a brightness that shouldn’t be skipped.

These eggs were the first thing to go at the shower!  Even with a double batch of the recipe, they were gone in an hour.

Who knew 48 deviled eggs could be eaten so fast?!

I learned that the most challenging part about deviled eggs is the hard-boiling and peeling of the eggs.  After couple of “oops” moments, I’ve found the perfect technique.  If you follow the recipe below, I promise you will have easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, free of that icky grey color.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Chive and Caper Deviled Eggs

  • 1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
  • 2 T dijon mustard
  • 1/4 C + 2 T mayonnaise
  • 3/4 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 T minced fresh chives, plus additional for topping
  • 3 T capers
  • Zest of 1/2 large lemon
  • Smoked paprika, for topping

Place the eggs in a large pot and add just enough cold water to cover.  Salt water and bring to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, allow to cook for 30 seconds.  Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes. 

Remove the eggs from the pan and place in a bowl of ice water until cooled (5-10 mins).  Roll each egg on the counter, applying moderate pressure in order to crack.  Carefully peel the eggs, getting just under the first thin layer of membrane.  Rinse as necessary to remove any remaining shell bits.

Cut the eggs in half length-wise. Remove the yolks and place in a medium bowl, mashing with a fork until yolks are as smooth as possible.  Set the whites aside.

***At this point, I placed the whites in baggies with paper towels to be assembled the next day.  Everything is fine refrigerated overnight.***

When you are ready to assemble eggs, add the remaining ingredients to the yolks.  Using a fork, mash together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. 

Place yolk mixture in a plastic baggie.  Cut the tip off of the baggie to pipe into whites (you can also just spoon it in).  Pipe or spoon 1 heaping teaspoonful of the yolk mixture into the cavity of each egg-white half, mounding it slightly.  Arrange the filled eggs on a plate and sprinkle with paprika and remaining minced chives.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

Serves 20-30.  (Can easily be doubled.)

***

I did try one… and they weren’t bad for deviled eggs.  I do love mac and cheese… that one is coming tomorrow! 😉

Is there a “traditional” food from your region/culture that you don’t care for?

What one dish did/would you HAVE to have at your wedding or wedding shower?

Indian-Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

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Did you know that it is a British royal wedding tradition for chefs to name dishes after the bride?  And that the menu is always written in French?  I’d never know what I was eating!

Princess Diana’s dish was titled: suprême de volaille princesse de galle. Any guesses as to what that is?

A chicken breast stuffed with lamb mousse, wrapped in brioche, and garnished with asparagus tips and Madeira sauce.  Apparently there are no pictures on this dish in existence (that I could find), but it sounds fantastically decadent!

I wonder what Kate’s will be… something light, veggie-based?  Or something beefy?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Enough about Kate’s food!  My nourishment is far more important.  🙂

A creative “salad” is my favorite (aside from chocolate cake).  You can toss lettuce with virtually anything – veggies, grains, meats, eggs, legumes, cheeses, fruits…the list goes on.

Clarification: it may be a little weird tossed with ice cream… but it’s unlikely I would turn it down.

My salad of choice last night was a sweet-salty-spicy combo.

Roasted Chickpeas

  • Arugula
  • Cantaloupe
  • Roaring 40s blue cheese
  • Indian spiced chickpeas

I tossed it all with a little olive oil, lemon, and pepper.  It didn’t need much.

Indian spices pair really well with fruit.  The salty-spiciness complements the fruit’s sweetness.  Like when you sprinkle watermelon with salt.

These roasted chickpeas can be eaten alone (and may want to be alone to lick your fingers), but they are versatile.  Add crunch and unexpected flavor to salads, Greek yogurt, sautes… eat them instead of chips with your lunchtime wrap!

___________________________________________________________________________________

Indian-Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

  • 1 C chickpeas, rinsed
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • S+P, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Toss well to combine.  Spread evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Roast for 25-30 mins, tossing half way through.  The chickpeas are done once they begin turning dark brown.

Remove from oven and serve immediately, or allow to cool completely and store in airtight container.

***

What dish would the chef at your royal wedding name for you? Mine would involve arugula, a fruit (maybe blackberries?), nuts, and some kind of spicy meat substance.  And chocolate. 😉

Wedding Recovery

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One of my best friends got married this past weekend at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina.

Mallory and I hit the road for the wedding weekend, well-prepared with snacks.

No pedestrian road food for us!

That’s right.  I made guac for a road trip.  Normal, no?

In my guac:

  • Avocado
  • Jalapeno
  • Carrots
  • Red onion
  • Cilantro
  • Cumin
  • Coriander
  • S+P

 

We hit a little traffic at the end.

Inching along

We distracted ourselves by singing some Alanis Morissette.  Ironic.

Despite the crawl, we arrived in plenty of time to enjoy the view from our cottage before the rehearsal and dinner.

Looking out from the screened in porch

The Bride showed up to the rehearsal wearing the perfect dress.  Isn’t she pretty?

How cute is this chapel?!

Buffet.  S’mores.  Open bar.  You do the math. It was a good night.

Mallory, the (sober) mommy-to-be, and me

Side note: I’m not so sure I’m digging my spray tan.  Too Snookie?!


Saturday morning we had time to roam around and enjoy the day before the wedding festivities began.

It doesn't even look real!

 

Mallory and I wandered into the Market and I found nut butter heaven.

Guess what I'll be making soon...

 

We all got dressed and headed to pictures at the family’s guest house.  These houses were no joke.  I could have gotten lost in there.  Specifically, in the Viking stove.

Erica and Me

 

The wedding went without a hitch (pun intended).  Christina was a GORGEOUS bride!  I can’t wait to see the pics from the professional photog.

 

Post-wedding we had wine and hors d’oeuvres on the lawn.  My favorite people in the world were all in the same place!  (RARE occasion these days.)

Dallas, me, Angie, Mallory, Erica, and Jim

The we were treated to an awesome 5-course dinner, plenty of toasts and dancing all night.

We had a great time with fellow bridesmaids and new friends Lauren and Tricia… Lauren is modeling the longest cucumber slice I have ever seen.

You can't make this up

Sadly, we had to all part ways Sunday morning.  Slowly. Fueled with coffee and eggs, compliments of the bride’s dad.

The view driving out made it hard to leave!

Being cooped up in a car all morning did motive me.  After getting home, I went for a run, cleaned, played with Stevie (who was very glad I came home!) and got some work done for an early meeting.

Run stats:

  • Distance: 4 miles
  • Time: 34:06
  • Pace: 8:52

 

Today’s breakfast was simple (so was the cell phone pic), but hit the spot after a weekend of over-the-top food.

Protein, good fats, and antioxidants.  Just what the doctor ordered.

***

This afternoon I’m off to the airport for a business trip.  This will be the story of my life for the next month or so.  #marriedtowork

Does it seem like all of your friends are paired off/married/having babies?


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