We're a little too old for baby food.

Trying out new recipes is fun. It makes me get out of my comfort zone a little bit, pair ingredients differently, and try new things; and usually this results in us finding new favorite dishes we can use again and again.

This week didn't quite go that way.

For lunch Sunday we decided we would pick up a rotisserie chicken from our local grocery store (they're only $5 on Sundays!) and then just have some veggies with it. Well, of course this seemed like the perfect time to try out a recipe I found for Creamy Sweet Whipped Carrots. (I am a cooked carrot fanatic). Here's the picture the website gave:

Does it not look like a delicious pie filling?

Well, I wish I had a picture of what it really looked like. Oh wait. Here's a good one:

That's right, it looked and felt just like baby food. Now, I'm not saying the flavor wasn't good. I'm a texture person though, and there are just some food textures that should not enter your mouth unless you're under the age of 2 or there's someone under the age of 2 in your presence. So after a couple of bites - more like sips, rather - I threw in the towel. And Eric, who is not actually a fan of cooked carrots at all, just made a face and pushed his plate away. It was a bummer -- we wasted a whole bag of perfectly good carrots, and the whole thing ended up in the trash. :(

As I mentioned before, the flavor was good (if you like cooked carrots). So if you have a baby in your house and want to give it a try, or if you're just feeling adventurous, hey, have a go at it. You'll just have to ignore our sad sad rating.

Creamy Sweet Whipped Carrots

Our Rating: 2.5/10

1 lb. baby carrots

4 oz. fat free cream cheese

2 Tbsp. fat-free milk

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

(1) Place carrots in a microwavable bowl or casserole dish. Add enough water to completely cover the carrots and microwave on high for 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Drain.

(2) Place carrots in a food processor and add fat free cream cheese, milk, and brown sugar. Cover and process until well blended. Place in a service bowl and top with cinnamon.

After the carrot disaster, I decided to brave a new spaghetti sauce recipe on Monday night. It was tolerable (we actually ate it), but not worth even posting the recipe (I threw it away right after the meal). I'll never make it again.

Maybe I should stick to making sweets.

I guess while we're on disasters, I should throw in the pumpkin we carved last weekend. It ended up a little on the sad side as well.

It started off well enough. Eric carved the top off and pulled out all the gooey innards while I cut out a design to trace onto the pumpkin. Eric cleaned while I drew an outline. We were the perfect team, and we were both feeling pretty darn good about ourselves.

Unfortunately, neither of us has much pumpkin carving experience. Pardon the poor lighting, but this is what we were attempting to carve out:

Cute, right? Unfortunately, it was a pretty tall order for novices like ourselves. Who knew letters could be so difficult? This is what we ended up with:

It says "Boo." In case you couldn't tell. (Don't feel bad. We could barely tell either. And we made it.) "Didn't it say 'Welcome' before?" you may ask. Yes, yes it did. That is how badly we messed up. Every letter became an O.

Of course the "Boo" didn't last very long. It's really more appropriate to say that the pumpkin said "Boo", because within a few minutes, all the OOOOs caved in along with the ghost, resulting in more of a B with a big hole next to it.

So there was only one option left. I was forced to carve this out on the other side:

And that was manageable. I was even a little proud. I mean, nothing collapsed and I didn't stab myself (which is kind of a miracle in itself considering my clumsiness. Just last night I managed to hit myself in the face with the remote control. Who else does that?) So all was well. Until it rained two days later. Since Mr. Pumpkin was open on both sides... you guessed it. Water-filled, moldy pumpkin. Gross.

Oh, disasters. At least we have the pictures to commemorate. :-)

Run the Race

So I'm sure you've been wondering if we've fallen off the face of the planet. No, no, I assure you we did not disappear. There's simply been a lot of excitement going on at the Yates house this week. (Unfortunately for you food enthusiasts, the excitement has led to a great cooking deficit, but I'm hoping to remedy this in the week to come... maybe. :-)

Isn't it great how sometimes, out of the blue, you just have a really great week? A week where things just seem to go your way? Where you find yourself handling struggles with grace, and opportunities are popping up left and right? It doesn't happen very often. But after a few months of job-hunting constantly and hearing nothing, of having my husband locked away in his study room that we now refer to as "the cave," of spending days not leaving the apartment complex, this week has been nothing but a breath of fresh air. :-)

The most obvious piece of exciting news is that I finally got a job! I know, I know, it hasn't actually been *that* long since unemployment took over my life, but it turns out that I am really bad at sitting at home doing nothing. Needless to say I am super thankful that I will be working as the head secretary & finance person at Konnoak Elementary here in Winston-Salem starting Tuesday! Yay!

I talk about unemployment, but I guess that's not completely true. I spent the greater part of the last two weeks substitute teaching at a private school here in town. Lucky for me, none of my classes had more than 5 kids, and this past week I spent the entire time tutoring one-on-one. It was super-easy and those kids were hilarious! I think my favorite moment was when a [very hyper] 5th grader told me he was part Cherokee (and Irish and English, too!), and so he started singing a Cherokee war song to me and doing a "Cherokee Dance." I'm pretty sure he was making it up as he went along, but he was sooo into it, I couldn't help but laugh!

As for Eric, he has only one more week of school until CPE week, which we are both SUPER pumped about! "What is a CPE week?" you may ask. That is a very good question! In long terms, it means he will take a week off of school to go do a "Community Practice Experience" in which he works with a doctor here in town and practice seeing patients, taking histories, etc. In short terms, however, it means I get my husband back for a week! It has amazed me how much studying has gone into second year of medical school so far. After 6-8 hours a day of lecture, he's back at home going over PowerPoints and re-listening to things he's missed until long after I've gone to sleep. I guess we both knew what we were signing up for, but it will be sooo great to get this break!

In other fun news, as of October 1st, I have run 500 miles this year! (This, of course, does not include whatever insane amount of miles that we walked while in Europe). I know, I know, 500's not really very much in the big picture. But, though I've run for a couple of weeks here and there in the past, I've never really followed any exercise regimen for more than a month. Just accomplishing the consistency needed to reach this goal has been a victory in itself! I'm hoping to reach at least 650 (maybe 700?) miles by the end of the year. We'll see how that goes!

Another fun accomplishment: I ran my first 5K this morning, and did it in 29:40! (My goal was 30:00). After running all year just for fun, it was nice to actually accomplish something! All the proceeds went to a food bank here in town, so in addition, I got to run for a cause. And Eric was absolutely wonderful and got up at the crack of dawn to come cheer me on, even though he's been feeling a little sick. Isn't he the sweetest?

We've been okay with how nutty our lives have been the last couple of months. Eric has dealt so well with his increased work load; and staying at home some made me sit and think a lot about life and what God wants me do with it. I've been humbled more every day by how small my faith can be and the fact that God accepts me anyway. And that's been tough, but it's been good. It's been a growing period.

But even though I've come to be okay with the way things have been, I have to say... I sure am glad to have week of wins! :-)

1 Corinthians 9:24 - "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. "

Mexican Shepherds Pie

So this is super-similar to a dish my mom used to make, only with a spicy kick. It's quick, easy, and makes enough to have leftovers. We absolutely loved it!

Mexican Shepherds Pie

Our Rating: 8/10

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 can diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes with green chiles

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/4 c. hot water

1 pkg. frozen whole kernel corn

1 box Jiffy cornbread

salt

pepper

garlic powder

1 can black olives (optional)

Mexican cheese (optional)

(1) Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 1.5 quart cooking dish.

(2) Cook beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat until beef is browned and onion is translucent. Drain the grease and add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Stir in tomatoes and corn. Cook about 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning and hot water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Pour into the cooking dish.

(3) While the beef mixture is simmering, prepare the cornbread mix as directed on the box. After the beef mixture has been poured into the cooking dish, spread the cornbread batter over it as evenly as possible.

(4) Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with olives and cheese as desired.

Enjoy! :-)

Sweet Stuff

Okay, so this hasn't been the healthiest week of our lives. What can I say? I love to bake. Breakfast, snack time, dessert... it's all good. :-) So if you're craving something sweet, here's a few recipes that just may satisfy.

Melting Moments

Our Rating: 6/10

[In all fairness to these cookies, they would have been a TON better had I flattened them into a cookie shape prior to baking. We definitely still recommend them!]

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/4 t. salt

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter

1 t. vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar for topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together four, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy (approx. 2 min.), then add flour mixture and beat until homogeneous. Refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or just grease them if no paper is available). Form the dough into one inch balls (I definitely recommend shaping in a flat cookie form instead) and space about one inch apart. Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 min.

On a separate plate or cookie sheet, spread powdered sugar topping. Roll each cookie in sugar, then allow to finish cooling. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Our Rating: 7.5/10

[These quick and yummy treats are perfect for breakfast! Switch the chocolate chips with dried fruit or other goodies to make a variety of treats on-the-go.]

2 c. flour

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 T. baking powder

6 T. butter, cut into chunks

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1 T. granulated sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 450. In a medium bowl, mix flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter until the mixture reaches the consistency of fine crumbs.

Break egg into a bowl or measuring cup. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Add to flour mixture, along with chocolate chips. Pat the dough into a ball. Remove to a floured cutting board and knead 6-8 times until dough holds together well.

On a greased baking sheet, pat the dough into a rectangle (approx 6x9 in). Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cut into squares (should be able to make 6-10), then cut squares diagonally to form scones. Separate and bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Sugar Cookies

Our rating: 9/10

[This is definitely the best sugar cookie recipe I've found yet!]

2 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

2 t. baking powder

1 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/4 c. sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Gradually add in flour mixture until smooth.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet approx. 1 in. apart. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8-10 min. Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

We've had one other sweet addition to our home this week, though not in the food sense... I ordered this cute bench to go in our living room a few weeks ago, and it finally arrived! :-)

I know, I know, it's nothing fabulous, but I've been pretty stoked about it all week... and excitement, my friends, is always sweet. :-)

Happy Baking!

Oh, Granola!

I tried out this super-easy granola bar recipe last weekend, and it was definitely a winner! Although not uber-healthy, they're quick and they're yummy, and great for lunches or a party treat!

Enjoy!

Easy Oatmeal Granola Bars

Our Rating: 7.5/10

3 c. oats

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1 c. sliced almonds

1 c. chocolate chips

1-1/2 c. dried fruit, coconut, or other mix-in (I used peanut butter chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well blended. Press into pan until flat.

3. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on desired crunchiness (the longer they cook, the crunchier they will be). Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into squares and cool completely before serving.

Everyone Loves a Sloppy Joe

I was pretty excited to whip up this tasty dish with some roasted potatoes (my current obsession) for lunch this past Sunday. With a few simple ingredients I already had in my fridge and 20 minutes of not-so-hard labor, we had more than our fill of deliciousness.

Move on over, Manwich!

Scrumpdiliumpcious Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. green bell pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/3 c. ketchup

1/3 c. BBQ sauce

2 tsp. mustard (I just eyeballed it)

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger meat with onion and bell pepper. Drain meat, and add in remaining ingredients. Allow to simmer for approx. 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite side.

Just Stir... and Fry!

So let's face it - stir fry is nothing new. I know tons of people who were raised on it, lived on it through college, would swear by it.

But not this lady.

My family's always pretty much avoided the oriental arena of foods. I seriously don't think I ever stepped foot in a Chinese restaurant until I was at least 16. And sure, my friends liked going to Chen-Chens in college; but you can bet I'd never eat more than some chicken (with ketchup, not sweet and sour sauce) and an egg roll.

I'm southern to the bone. That's all there is to it.

But, despite my general aversion to Asian food, stir fry is something I can handle. The great thing about it is that you really don't have to use a set recipe - grab some soy sauce (or teriyaki, or whatever's on hand), whatever meat and veggies you have in your fridge, and within 30 minutes, you have a great, semi-healthy meal. It's easy, it's quick, and, best of all, it's completely tailored to your own tastes.

So follow this recipe, find another one, or just make something up yourself; clean out your fridge, and stir-fry it up!

Here's how I made it through my first stir-frying experience:

Ingredients used (aka, what I had in my fridge):

2 chicken breasts, chopped into chunks

3 Tbsp. corn starch

1/2 lb. carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

1/2 onion, sliced

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. ginger

1 Tbsp. Basalmic vinegar

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. EVOO

1) Pour cornstarch into a medium-size bowl; add chicken and toss. Add in soy sauce, basalmic vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, and brown sugar. Mix well, and make sure that chicken is evenly coated. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

2) Heat a medium-sized skillet or wok on stove to medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. EVOO and allow it to heat up. Add chicken mixture. Stir fry the chicken until it is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

3) Remove chicken from the pan and add in vegetables and the remaining EVOO. You may also wish to add a little extra soy sauce. Allow vegetables to cook until tender (times will vary depending on what veggies you use -- carrots take about 10 minutes, onions take about 3).

4) Add chicken mixture back in and stir together, once again adding more soy sauce if desired. Remove from pan and serve with rice or pasta (I used brown rice).

Enjoy!