So anyway, after talking about this recipe with her for a few days and accidentally clicking on it three different times on pinterest, I decided it was time to give it a try.

I didn’t have any watermelon, but I had some beautiful fresh, local strawberries and some of my all-time favorite local goat cheese that I’d picked up at the market, so I adapted a little and it turned out SO good!! I have a feeling I’ll be making this a lot this summer!

STRAWBERRY BASIL QUINOA SALAD - inspired by edible perspective

Serves 2 as a main OR 4-5 as a side 

INGREDIENTS:

1 (dry) cup quinoa – I actually used a mix of farro & quinoa

2 cups water + pinch of salt

1/4 cup goat cheese

1 small container**, or 1/2 large container of fresh strawberries – sliced thinly 

**(That’s a really exact measurement, I know, I know. I guess I used about 1.5 cups once they were all cut up? But you could do as little or as much as you wanted!) 

3 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil - cut into thin ribbons, or “chiffonade” for all you pros out there

your favorite balsamic vinegar - I used an espresso balsamic and it was AWESOME!

 

DIRECTIONS:

1 – Bring 2 cups water + pinch of salt to a boil. Whisk in your quinoa, let it return to a boil then turn it down to a simmer and cover. Cook according to directions (mine was “10 minute quinoa” but some require more time). Basically, you want the water to absorb but don’t let it burn on the bottom.

2 – Meanwhile, if you haven’t cut up your strawberries or basil, now is a good time do that. Already did that? Congratulations! Pour yourself a celebratory glass of wine for making the least difficult dinner ever!

3 – Once your quinoa is cooked, I’d suggest transferring it into a mixing bowl to let it cool for a bit (this is better at room temperature, or cold). Now where’s your wine glass….

4 – Combine your cooked quinoa, olive oil, strawberries and a little salt + freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Throw in your goat cheese….keep tossin’…..and lastly throw in your basil.

Serve with a heavy drizzle of your favorite balsamic on top (or you can add it ahead of time…it just looks prettier that way). And DON’T YOU SKIP THIS STEP! The balsamic totally brings the flavors all together. We can all thank Maggie for that suggestion!

This was seriously the easiest thing ever. It made a really satisfying dinner last night, and a great lunch for today! The good thing about this type of salad is how versatile it is. You could substitute feta, mozzarella, or burrata for the goat cheese. You could throw some fresh mint in there if you haven’t killed your mint plant like I have. And of course, like the recipe that inspired this, you could add some watermelon!

Ahhhhhh, summer recipes…you’re such a welcome change from all the greens and root veggies I’ve been eating all winter! Can’t wait to take this recipe to a cookout!

Have a Happy Tuesday, y’all! 

]]> http://milktruckblog.com/2013/05/21/strawberry-basil-quinoa-salad/feed/ 3 Strawberry-Basil-Quinoa green1230 Strawberry-Basil-Quinoa http://milktruckblog.com/2013/05/10/oh-hey-there/ http://milktruckblog.com/2013/05/10/oh-hey-there/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:56 +0000 green1230 http://milktruckblog.com/?p=424 Continue reading →]]> Remember me?? It’s been awhile! My apologies you guys…the 9-to-5 has gotten in the way the past few weeks. Wayyyy too busy to cook.  Well, actually, no. That’s a lie. I’ve cooked plenty, but I’ve been wayyyyy too busy to take photos of it.  ;)

But guess what, y’all!?! I’m heading to the beach RIGHT NOW AS YOU’RE READING THIS!!!! And I could not be more excited! I’m OBX-bound with two of my favorite Hokies and I have no doubt we’re going to have a blast. Who even cares about the weather when you have three ladies in room full of wine, hummus and snacks? I mean, seriously…there’s nothing that can stand in the way of our good time!

So I’m leaving you guys with a few Friday Favorites while I’m away. Hopefully this inspires you to go check out or try something new this weekend! They’re calling for amazing weather down here. How is it in your neck of the woods??

• I’m totally crushing on nautical stripes at the moment. No huge surprise here, if you know me, but I feel like I’ve stepped away from them for a few seasons and now I can’t get enough! I love this oversized BB Dakota top (1) over a pair of cuffed skinnies.
• Who loves KIND bars?? THIS GIRL! I picked up a box of Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan (2) ones the other day with a coup I got at Whole Foods. Thankfully, since I hadn’t tried the flavor before and was now stuck with 20 bars, it turned out to be amazzzzzing. Perfect for that 3:00 pm slump.
• “Hello my name is Leila, and I’m obsessed with lip sticks….and stains….and glosses….and probably regular chapstick, too.” No but seriously, these Tarte LipSurgence Lip Stains (3) are the best thing ever. Colors like a lipstick, feels like minty chapstick, but lasts like a lip stain. Plus they’re sheer at first but layer really nicely if you want to build up to a stronger color. They have them in gloss, matte and shimmer. I have the gloss in Moody (on the right) which looks scary but it’s actually a beautiful shade of red/berry, and then an everyday shimmery nude called Glitzy (on the left). And let’s be honest…I’ll probably eventually own every color.
• I came across these beautiful Quarter Moon earrings (4) the other day when I kind of accidentally landed on Erin Diane’s website. Her stuff is beautiful. I may have to treat myself!
• I finalllly found a pair of mint jeans (5) that I like and then happened to buy the lilac ones too (late in the game, I know!). They only have about 9 different styles of jeans, so watch out, it can get confusing! But these are the 1969 Always Skinny Skimmers. Great fit and super cute with flats. Thank you Gap, for always being reliable and classic! Never change!
• Y’all. I was sucked in by an at-the-register-sample-item. I thought they were crackers when I grabbed one, but no. They’re COOKIE CHIPS (6). You know when you’re making cookies and they spread out and the very thin edges get super duper cripsy? Yea. That’s these….in a bag. SO GOOD! I picked them up at Whole Foods but they should have retailers listed on their website.
• Lastly, anyone who’s an Anthro fan will have seen these, or own them. But sometimes your favorite things are the things you use so often that you kind of forget about them, you know? …does that make sense? These Latte Bowls (7) from Anthropologie are the best every day bowls. They come out with new colors every season (I have probably 10 different colors) so you can mix & match whenever you feel like it! They’re perfect for snacks, salads, pasta, oatmeal…I literally use them for EVERYTHING.

Hope everyone has a great weekend full of big floppy hats, a good book, chilled white wine, fresh seafood and lots of girl talk!!

…oh wait. That’ll be me

all photos from their website: http://www.sullyssteamers.com/

I should probably begin this post with the following statement: Sandwiches don’t really get me going.  Not typically, anyway. I know this is probably shocking to a lot of you, because if there’s one thing I’ve found by not being “big” on sandwiches, it’s that some people feel REALLY STRONGLY about sandwiches as a food group. To clarify – I’m not big on sandwiches mostly because the majority of sandwiches I come in contact with are kind of disappointing. They rarely look like their picture or live up to their mouthwatering menu descriptions. Then, on the flip side, you’ll get a sandwich that is so perfect looking that you’d swear someone set the alignment on all of its ingredients to “justified”, but then you find it has absolutely no flavor (I typically solve this problem by slathering on as much hot mustard as possible). Am I right, or am I right? I think we all know by now that the messier the sandwich, the better it’s going to be….but of course, you know by now that I feel that way about most food, now don’t I? Ahh yes.

So flashback to a few weeks ago when I see on twitter that there’s a new sandwich place in town (and no, I’m not talking about that fancy new deli where “stopping in for a sandwich” is gonna cost you at least a Drew Jackson…….*cough* a $20 bill). No, no, this place was apparently serving up “steamed” sandwiches and was tucked off Main just enough to have slipped in without being noticed by this girl. So about a week or so ago I grabbed my roommate and my boyfriend – both of whom are on the fonder side of sandwiches than I – and off we went to Sully’s Steamers on a lovely downtown Saturday!

all photos from their website: http://www.sullyssteamers.com/

Now for the fun part, y’all. I kid you not…as we walked from the car to the restaurant I said (this is a direct quote), “This will probably end up being more of a place you guys like than me, since you’re both ‘sandwich people’. My kind of sandwich is more elusive. It has to involve at least a runny fried egg or an avocado, otherwise I’m not interested.”  Then my roommate says (also a direct quote), “I hope they have bagels as a bread option”.

And then something magical happened…

We walked up and realized it was, in fact, a bagel sandwich store. Then we walked in and I almost immediately spotted a sandwich that had bacon, guacamole and chive cream cheese on it………AND THEN I SAW “ADD AN EGG” AS AN OPTION. Well shut my mouth and call me Shirley. They had every single thing we asked for all on a bagel sandwich! If that wasn’t the sandwich gods telling us to go inside, I don’t know what was. Now let’s take a look at some pictures from their website shall we? That’s always the best part.

all photos from their website: http://www.sullyssteamers.com/

Steamy AND dreamy? That you are, Sully’s. That you are.

Why would you steam a sandwich, you ask? I haven’t the faintest idea, but I’m pretty sure I’m a supporter now! No chewy, gum-cutting bagel sandwiches here! These guys are so fluffy and soft you wouldn’t even know there was bread on your sandwich. Dangerous…

all photos from their website: http://www.sullyssteamers.com/

(CLICK THE REVIEW TO READ IT LARGER…)

I do want to mention that on my first trip, they got mixed up and accidentally gave me a chicken salad bagel sandwich in lieu of my much anticipated El Guapo masterpiece. But before I could even get sad about it, one of the staff members had already gone up front, told them what happened and had my steaming hot sandwich delivered to me before I knew it.  AND they let me keep the chicken salad sandwich (which I had for lunch the next day). How’s that for customer service? Anyone who can correct a mistake instead of making excuses for it is good in my book. I’ve been to much more “well-known” restaurants downtown where the server and manager refused to acknowledge that they messed up the order…on more than one occasion. (Obviously I’m talking about one place in particular but it shall remain nameless for now).

One last thing – Only because I’m a very loyal customer once you have my business, I feel I have to mention that Greenfield’s Bagels is by far my most favorite bagel place in town (and maybe ever). The only bad thing about Greenfield’s is their location off Laurens Rd which, while convenient to me, isn’t convenient to downtown visitors and/or new locals. I think a bagel spot is just what downtown needed and with an excellent menu and great staff like theirs, I think Sully’s is going to stick around for a long long time!

CHECK THEM OUT! - http://www.sullyssteamers.com/

And LIKE them on Facebook! 

Recipes are great and all, but sometimes the best meals are thrown together at the last minute with really random ingredients. Sometimes they don’t even make sense. Like this salad.

J and I went for a run, then grabbed beers afterward and enjoyed the outdoors as we usually do on a Saturday. While in this happy place, I decided I wanted shrimp for dinner….and pineapple….and salad….and peanut sauce needed to be involved.  So off we went to Whole Foods, grabbed some fresh shrimp and got to deveinin’. While we were shelling and deveining, we remembered the homemade rubs that my brother gave Jeremy for Christmas - jackpot! I didn’t even have to open a spice jar. That’s my kinda dinner. The rub? It was a Southwestern rub. Did I still put peanut dressing on it? You betcha.

Initially we were going to skewer our shrimp, pineapple and onion and grill them, but pulling out the charcoal grill for shrimp which only takes about 4 minutes to cook just didn’t seem worth it. But if you’re making this for more people, or have a gas grill, these would make EXCELLENT kebabs!!

SPICY SHRIMP & PINEAPPLE (on) SALAD – A Milk Truck RANDOM Original! 

Shrimp:

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined – I typically like about 5 shrimp on my salad but we ended up cooking it all so we had A TON as you can see! We were hungry…

juice from 1 lime

1 tbsp grapeseed (or olive) oil

1 tbsp brown sugar

About 1 tbsp +1 tsp Southwestern rub** (“eyeball it”…as my mom says)

salt & pepper

Pineapple & Onions:

3 rings of fresh pineapple, cut into cubes (about 1 cup cubed)

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1tbsp grapeseed (or olive) oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

salt & pepper

Spicy Peanut Dressing:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

a few tbsp of warm water (to thin it out as much as you like)

2 tbsp chili sauce (optional) – you know, the tasty red-orange stuff typically reserved for dipping? Buy some. It’s excellent in everything. Trust me.

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1) Marinate your shrimp: Combine grapeseed or olive oil, lime juice, brown sugar and some salt and pepper in a large ziploc bag (I marinate in ziplocs, but you’re obviously welcome to use whatever you want). Add your shrimp and jiggle them around in the bag until they’re coated. Let sit for 15-30 minutes.

Marinate your fruit & veggies: Combine grapeseed or olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and some salt & pepper in a ziploc. Add your chopped onion and pineapple. Jiggle these as well until coated and let them hang out for awhile as your shrimp marinates.

2) While everything is marinating, make your peanut dressing. Combine all ingredients and whisk together until well blended. This works best if you microwave the peanut butter for just a few seconds until it’s melty, or, if you prefer, you can also blend it all in a processor. I’d just rather clean a whisk than an entire food processor

Also – throw together your salad here. I’m not going to tell you how to make a salad for obvious reasons. So throw together whatever you like! We used crunchy iceberg lettuce and some chopped tomatoes, but some cashews or nuts would have been nice!

3) Throw your pineapple & onions into a grill pan over medium-high heat. Let them get a good sear and start to caramelize and soften a bit before removing them from the pan. Set aside.

4) Using the same pan, turn your heat down to medium. Remove your shrimp from their marinade and toss them in a bowl with the Southwestern Rub until they’re evenly coated. I mentioned we used a rub that my brother made. I won’t divulge his secret recipe, but you can find easy Southwestern Rub recipes here and here.

Spread your shrimp out evenly in the pan (on their sides). Cook for about 1 minute then flip, and cook for about 1 minute more. They should get a nice crust/sear on them from the sugar in the marinade and the rub.

5) Now assemble your salad! Top with a healthy drizzle of Spicy Peanut Dressing (which is also good on just about anything by the way).

Sometimes dinner just needs to be random. Sometimes that random dish is super tasty even if it doesn’t make sense (annnnd yes, sometimes it’s not…). So I hope you enjoy this Asian/Southwestern/Caribbean dinner brought to you by my pantry and a random post-workout craving.

6 years ago today I woke up early, ran some errands, then drove to campus. Just before I reached the parking lot, I sat at a red light and noticed several police cars coming from every direction. People began to run the red light in front of the cops. I had no idea what was going on but I kept on going. It was Blacksburg, it’s a safe place, couldn’t be anything too bad, and I had work to do. I parked my car in the commuter lot and began to walk towards studio in Cowgill Hall. I don’t remember the exact time, but it was early, well before 10, and I wanted to get some work done for class which started at 1:00. As I walked towards the building I noticed a friend’s car in the parking lot and knowing her schedule (we didn’t have overlapping classes that day) I thought it was odd. Given that and the strange behavior at the stoplight, I called her to see what was up. She basically said something along the lines of “I don’t know what’s going on. We’re on lockdown again in Torg  and they won’t let us leave.” Something people who didn’t go to Tech often forget, is that we’d already been on lockdown that year. It was also a Monday, the first day of classes. An inmate awaiting trial in the Montgomery County Jail had escaped custody after being taken to the hospital (from self-inflicted wounds) and fled into the wooded areas surrounding campus. Before later being captured, he was spotted on campus so classes were cancelled and the nearby buildings were put on lockdown. The rest of us were told to stay indoors. In typical, foolish college student fashion, the majority of us had taken the opportunity as an excuse to stay inside and drink, not realizing the severity of the situation. It was dubbed “Morva Monday” by most and, sadly, would be quickly forgotten after this Monday. So when she mentioned, almost sarcastically, “we’re on lockdown again”, that was obviously what we were both recalling. I remember her being upset about being late for a class or a test or something, but at the end of the conversation she said, “If I were you, I’d just go back home.”  And so I did.

That Monday was April 16th, 2007 and by the time I got back home and turned on the TV, 4 people were dead. I sat on my couch, alone, and watched the numbers go up for the next 2 hours, frantically trying to get in touch with my roommates, who were all on campus. The news channel was saying people were shot in our studio building and I couldn’t even breathe. I would later learn that was mis-reported and it was in the building catty-corner to our studio – Norris Hall. I would also learn that the original number would ultimately multiply by 8. I located my roommates via text who were all safe but locked down on campus. One of my roommates, along with many more of my friends, was in the building across from Norris and I imagine they could most likely hear what was happening.

That day seemed to last forever. Classes were immediately cancelled for the rest of week (and later the semester was ended early). There was a candlelight vigil held the very next night where I not only connected with other friends who I hadn’t been able to get in touch with, but also ran into people I knew from other schools who had come in that day after hearing about what happened. People heard about what happened and came TO Blacksburg to be with us. That’s just incredible to me. The outpouring of support was absolutely unbelievable. Everyone responded differently, but so many of us wanted to stay in Blacksburg after it happened. Going home didn’t feel right yet. This had happened to our home, our safe place, and our classmates. We needed each other in those days and weeks that followed and that’s how we got through it. Together.

In the wake of recent events this day is harder than usual. But I hope everyone remembers the positive that overpowers events like this, people like this. In all the clips and video from both yesterday in Boston and that Monday in April at Virginia Tech, you can see people immediately rushing to help. So many people. It’s easy to overlook at first, but it’s overwhelming once you let yourself see it. I live every day and every experience for those 32 classmates who never got the chance, and tonight I will run, just a little farther than I thought I could, for Boston. I appreciate my family and I thank God daily for allowing me see the good and the positive change which can come out of situations like this. It’s beginning to fade now, but for the past 6 years, when people learned that I went to Virginia Tech, I’d get the “look”. Those people were wrapping my college experience up into one day, but it’s so much more than that. I’m part of one of the most fantastic, most inspiring families on Earth. I’m a HOKIE. And it hits me every now & again that there’s such a small group of people who can truly understand what that really, really means.

My heart is in Blacksburg today, but know that my thoughts and my prayers go out to Boston, to Newtown, to Aurora, to Littleton and to anyone affected by this type of random violence.

This image has gone viral around the Hokie community today. I’m not sure who to credit for it, but thank you.

On my way into Publix recently I happened upon a new kitchen store downtown (what a happy accident that was!). As I meandered around, I noticed this wasn’t your average kitchen store. It was stocked with some pretty hard to find utensils and pantry staples. The owner and I got to talkin’ and I came to find she was a retired chef who simply chased her dream of owning a food-related store where she could carry whatever her heart desired. Well, thank you ma’am. This might just be my new favorite go-to spot! So anyway…I came across a few things that piqued my interest, but ended up leaving with two bottles of bitters – Peach Bitters and Rhubarb Bitters. Bitters are one of those things I’ve never kept around because it seems that these day they’re used so infrequently in cocktails that you end up being stuck with the bottle for yearrrrrs [Dad - would you agree? How long has that bottle of bitters been on your bar?]. But a recent drink date at a new bar downtown ended in a most splendid Manhattan. Their secret? Homemade Pecan Bitters. Ever since I’ve been on the hunt for some unique flavors. As it turned out, the woman who owned this store was equally intrigued with the classic cocktail boom and had a huge sampling of every flavor you could imagine! Mint bitters, chocolate bitters (?), Smoked Orange Bitters, Black Cherry Bitters…  And then she used either her past culinary knowledge, or her newly acquired skills in sales, to tell me about all the ways she uses bitters in cooking which would keep my bottle from sitting dormant for years on end. SOLD! I’ll take two bottles please.

Before we begin, how about a few fun facts that I learned about bitters:

1) The well known Angostura Bitters were first compounded in Venezuela by German physician Dr. Johann Gottlieb as a cure for sea sickness. The company made it’s profits by selling the bitters to sailors.

2) It was first known for being the “starter” in a drink called a Pink Gin. A splash or two of Angostura bitters was swirled around the glass before adding large amounts of gin. The color from the bitters turned the drink pink. How’s that for a cocktail that will knock you on your….

3) The oldest and rarest bottles of bitters are worth a range of tens of thousands of dollars. Maybe we should take a second look at those bottles that have been hibernating on our bars for all these years

So here’s my spin on the classic Old Fashioned. Let me preface this with a message to all you classic cocktail aficionados out there – Yes, I realize this isn’t the “classic” recipe, hence my naming it a Not-So-Old Fashioned and Yes, I realize putting cherry juice in it may seem HORRIFIC to some of you but I like it. And I drink what I like. So go sit in a hole and drink your own Old Fashioned. Why are you reading this anyway, if you know so much?

NOT-SO-OLD FASHIONED – A Milk Truck Original!

Serves: 1

2 tsp sugar (+1 tsp water to dissolve it in)

2 Dashes Rhubarb Bitters

2 oz your favorite Bourbon

Lemon Slice

Orange Wedge

Cherry + 1 spoonful of juice from the cherry jar

1) Dissolve the sugar in a tiny bit of water in the bottom of the glass. Add your bitters and swirl this around a bit. Now take a big whiff of it. Isn’t that lovely? You’re welcome.

2) Fill your glass with ice (if you like). Typically they say the bigger the cubes the better so that they melt slower and don’t water down your bourbon, but it’s a Sunday night people. I needed to water it down a little, you know? Don’t hold it against me.

3) Pour the bourbon over the ice and add your splash of cherry juice over the top (it will sink down as you sip it). Garnish with your lemon and orange.

It’s a new cordless (battery-operated) Hand Blender from KitchenAid. You can pick it up at your local Williams-Sonoma for measly $350 (!!!!).  Needless to say, I did not purchase this item, I snagged it from someone in our office for the weekend to try it out and promptly returned it. Not only is it GIGANTIC and heavy, it’s pretty awkward to use and loaded up with unnecessary features and attachments. Most importantly, the battery lasted maybe 10 minutes….maybe. My roommate and I tested it out first by making some Bailey’s milkshakes (I mean if you have to make milkshakes, why not make them alcoholic, no?). It crushed the ice and made it through milkshake #1 just fine, but when we got to milkshake #2 it stopped right in the middle of making it! DONE! It hadn’t even crushed the ice yet, so I had to transfer the whole messy mixture over to my trusty Ninja to finish the job. So basically what I’m telling you is, don’t waste your money. Cordless doesn’t seem like a valuable feature in my opinion when it comes to kitchen appliances (kitchens are designed to have lots of outlets, after all). Considering you’ll have to pay more for the cordless feature and you’ll have limited power and you only get one battery and have to wait a couple of hours for it to recharge? I’d say the price on this bad boy just isn’t worth the results.

Cuisinart SmartStick – photo via http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-635276/

NINJA Master Prep Pro Series Mixer – photo via http://www.amazon.com/Ninja-QB1004-Master-Drink-Mixer/dp/B004XK4N9C/ref=cm_cmu_pg__header

Stick to a corded immersion blender – you’ll save room, you’ll definitely save money, plus you won’t have to deal with a pesky little battery charger that takes up an outlet and your coveted counter space.  Immersion blenders are great tools to have around the kitchen, though, and you can get them in a range of prices. I have the Cuisinart SmartStick pictured above (in orange!) and despite its low price, it does the job every time. Granted, I use my NINJA blender/processor for my heavy duty jobs like smoothies, so my SmartStick is usually only tackling soups and sauces. But for $29.99 + $69.99 I got a traditional blender that comes with three sizes of containers and also works as a processor AND an immersion blender all for way less than that KitchenAid monstrosity, so I’d say I came out on top here.

This post wasn’t really supposed to be a review, I just felt the need to warn you all in case you came across that in Williams-Sonoma and felt tempted to purchase it. So now that that’s done, let’s move on to THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER.

My plan was to make the milkshakes and then move on to a cake so I could try the mixer for the batter, whipped cream and icing, BUT SINCE IT DIED ON ME that obviously didn’t happen. But since I’d already bought everything I needed and had 20-something coworkers expecting cake on Monday morning, I decided to make it anyway and my trusty KitchenAid Stand Mixer came through as always. Dear KitchenAid – just stick to the original. It’s your best product.

My plan here was to adapt a classic recipe for Coca-Cola Cake and use Root Beer, then top it/fill it with vanilla whipped cream for a Root Beer Float effect. Sadly, the sarsaparilla flavor didn’t really come through as much as I wanted it to, but I was left with the moistest, lightest, most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever made (ask anyone in my office) so all-in-all I was happy with it! Every once in awhile you’d get a bite that had a hint of Root Beer in it, so that brought a smile to my face. Regardless, I will most definitely be saving this recipe for future birthday cakes!!

ROOT BEER FLOAT CAKE – adapted from Coke’s Coca-Cola Cake recipe

Yields 2 9″ round sheet cakes OR 1 awesome double-layer cake

Cake:

2 c sugar

2-1/4 c all-purpose flour

4 oz butter, melted

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/4 c Root Beer – I prefer Barq’s bc it has the sharpest flavor but sadly all they had was IBC. This may have been why you couldn’t taste it as much!

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 c buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

 

Chocolate Root Beer Buttercream Icing:

1 stick butter

3 c powdered sugar

3 tbsp root beer

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

 

Vanilla Whipped Cream Filling/Icing:

1-1/2 c heavy whipping cream

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Grease 2 9-inch ROUND cake pans

1) Combine melted butter, oil and Root Beer into a pot; bring to a boil.

2) In a large mixing bowl – combine flour and sugar. Slowly add Root Beer/butter/oil mixture into the flour/sugar blend. Add buttermilk & baking soda and mix well.

Add cocoa powder and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time. Continue mixing.

3) Continue mixing until your batter is well blended and smooth. [Warning! It will be LOOSE. I thought for sure there was no way it would cook because it was like liquid, but it did! So don't be alarmed if yours seems really thin.]

Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

4) While cake bakes make your buttercream icing. Beat butter in a stand mixer until it begins to cream. Add sugar, root beer and cocoa powder – continue to mix on high for a few minutes until creamy and fluffy. Sometimes this can take up to 5 minutes.

5) Make your whipped cream last. To get the best texture, make sure your mixing bowl is very clean and your whisk & bowl are both very COLD (put it in the fridge first if you need to). If you’re not using a stand mixer, a metal bowl works best. Whip your heavy cream on high until it begins to get fluffy. Add vanilla, and slowly add in sugar – 1 cup at a time. Mix on high until you get stiff peaks. This can take anywhere from 5-8 minutes. The colder your bowl, the easier it will whip!

6) ASSEMBLE your cake! Cut the round tops off the cakes to make them more level. Put a thick layer of the vanilla whipped cream on top of the bottom layer – now stack your layers.

Spread an even layer of the Chocolate Root Beer Buttercream on top of the top layer.

Top that with another layer of  Vanilla Whipped Cream (I kept mine about an inch shy of the buttercream layer so you could see both). If you’re feelin’ fancy, top it with a cherry or two! VOILA! 

Best if served immediately. NOTE: You can put both icings in the filling layer if you want. Or if you really like icing, you could use the whipped cream as the filling, like I did, and then ice the entire cake with the buttercream (I had plenty leftover). I just didn’t want mine to be too too sweet and I kind of liked the look of the un-iced cake. But that’s just me! Just like a Root Beer Float, the ratios are totally up to you!

 

I didn’t have my images ready to do a post today (and I’m waiting until this weekend to check out a new downtown restaurant for a review!!) so I figured I would jump on the bandwagon and do a popular Friday post here in the blog world – FRIDAY FAVORITES!

1 – My brothers and I shared a ton of good laughs over this website, celebrating one of my biggest fears…THE EASTER BUNNY. Thank goodness the holiday is over…only 263 days until the big man in the red suit shows up again.

2 – Since my detox, I feel like I’ve been CRAVING salads, the more “rabbit-y” the better. I’m looking forward to making these two this weekend: Shrimp Citrus Salad & Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

3 – I can’t seem to get enough of Starbucks’ Shaken Green Tea! Order: Venti Unsweetened Iced Green Tea (see pic above), and sip on it for a couple of hours. I got hooked on it after my Pure Barre classes (I drink water too, of course) and now I can’t seem to stop! So refreshing!

4 – I’ve always been a fan of The Kitchn, but recently I’ve been checking out this foodie website lately and I love it! Food52.com

5 – Big news y’all. My favorite place ever just opened a store right here in downtown Greenville, SC – ANTHROPOLOGIE!!! (That alone should be a Friday Favorite!!) I was invited to the grand opening the night before it opened to the public (you know spend too much money in a store when…) and snapped the pic above while waiting in line. During that trip I broke down and finally found a chambray shirt I liked and I literally haven’t wanted to take it off since I bought it! It’s SO soft and looks great tucked in or on its own! Anthro Chambray Shirt (I bought it in “Sky”)

6 – I downloaded a new app called Waterlogged to help me keep up with my New Year Resolution to drink more water. So far it’s helping a lot! Writing things down always helps me stay on track.

7 – Lately (well..for the past year or so) I’ve been looking for a new moisturizer, something rich but also anti-aging. I’d heard about face oils so I figured I’d give it a try – I picked up a sample size of the Josie Maran Argan Oil and use it in the mornings when I get out of the shower. Just 3-4 drops can be massaged into your whole face and, honestly, it’s one of the best moisturizers I’ve ever used! I know it sounds counter intuitive to put oil on your face, but try it! You’ll be amazed!

8 – My new running shoes. Well, they’re not so new now, but I’ve had them long enough to know I love them! I’ve never had Mizunos before now, but I’m a fan for life now!

9 – I got some samples of this Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer recently. I’m not a foundation girl, so I like to try out different light-coverage options. I haven’t decided if I’m going to take the plunge  yet (it’s $43 a tube!!) but I sure do like it!

10 – Finally (Gosh, 10 was hard!)…..I LOVE THIS WEATHER! Aside from the freak snow storm that hit the southeast yesterday, it looks like here in SC we’re in for some gorgeous weather in the next two weeks. Bring on the sunshine!!

UPDATE: One more thing – this can be my real #10 favorite – but Rayna’s daughters’ performance of Ho Hey on this week’s episode of Nashville was AMAZING! Watch out world, these ladies aren’t gonna be going away any time soon! Watch it on the ABC site here. Also, apparently these girls were youtube sensations long before they were cast for the show. Check out more of them here.  Awesome performance ladies!! 

HAPPY FRIDAY, Y’ALL!!

Best. Decision. Ever.

I realize this meal doesn’t photograph well because before you mix it up, all you see are my toppings. After you mix it up? Well that’s just not pretty. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned in life, it’s that ugly food usually tastes better, no? Huevos Rancheros, Corned Beef Hash, Biscuits & Gravy, Mississippi Mud Cake…..I could go on for days. The best thing about Mexi-Bowling your ingredients is that it’s SO EASY and takes almost no time at all! Plus, it’s family friendly because everyone can add their own ingredients!

SWEET POTATO CHORIZO MEXI-BOWL - A Milk Truck Original!

Ingredients:

3 small/medium Sweet Potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 lb fresh Mexican Chorizo (not Spanish chorizo!)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Brown Rice, prepared for serving*

1 bunch fresh cilantro

juice from 1/2 of a lime

1 ripe avocado

Cotija cheese, freshly grated (you could sub feta)

Your favorite fruit salsa for topping (we love Whole Foods’ fresh Pineapple Salsa – see recipe here)

 

Directions:

1) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your chorizo. Once browned, remove with a slotted spoon (to leave grease & goodness) and transfer to a plate.

2) Turn heat down to medium and carefully put your sweet potatoes into the skillet (be careful not to splatter the hot grease!). Sprinkle with Smoked Paprika and cook until soft, tossing to coat in the grease from chorizo. Once cooked through, transfer chorizo back into the pan and toss everything together.

3) *Cook your rice however you prefer! I use Trader Joe’s frozen rice. It comes in individual-sized bags and takes only 3 minutes in the microwave. But if you’re using a rice cooker, be sure to do this in advance! Toss your rice with the lime juice and a handful of chopped cilantro.

4) Assemble your bowl! Top about 1/2 cup brown rice with about 1 cup of your sweet potato chorizo mixture. Grate cotija cheese over your bowl and top with sliced avocado and fresh fruit salsa! Regular salsa would work, but the combination of the sweet pineapple with the spicy chorizo is just too hard to beat! I definitely recommend it!

Other toppings to try on this bowl: red onion, sliced mango, feta cheese (similar to cotija), mole sauce, queso dip – get creative!

I had more sweet potato chorizo mixture than I did rice, so I ended up with a lot of leftovers (after feeding both Jeremy and I). I plan on throwing the rest of it into a cast iron skillet tonight and making a fritatta! I’ll let you know how it goes!

I will be the first to admit, my breakfasts are very routine during the week.  I pretty much alternate oatmeal and greek yogurt w/ fruit or granola every. single. day.  On the weekends, I’ll either make eggs & grits, or talk Jeremy into taking me to brunch  But during the week it’s the same ol’, same ol’ every morning. Oddly enough, I never get sick of it. The smoothies I’ve made every morning during the detox have really been convenient though. I imagine those will now be a part of my daily circulation! (I’ve mastered a green monster smoothie that tastes strikingly similar to this!)

Does anyone else out there have breakfast routines? Lunches are my time where I really have to mix it up to keep myself interested, but breakfast and dinner can often be the same thing over and over again, and still keep me happy!

This recipe is super easy. In fact, I’m not even sure I would call it a “recipe” because there really isn’t any cooking involved. But if you’re like me and you eat the same old stuff all the time, it’s a nice way to change it up and really make yourself feel like you’re indulging! (But you’re not! I promise!)

BANANA BREAD OATMEAL – A Milk Truck Original!

Serves 1

1/3 cup instant oats – I use TJ’s Steel Cut Oats bc I like the chewier consistency, but any regular (non-flavored) oatmeal will do! 

3/4 cup water

1 banana, sliced into “coins”

1 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp brown sugar (optional – I find it’s sweet enough without it!)

2 tbsp Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (also optional, but it makes it creamy!)

1-2 tbsp chopped walnuts

cinnamon

nutmeg

 

1) Combine your oats & water. Microwave for about 1.5 – 2.5 minutes, or until cooked. (Basically…follow the directions on the back)

2) Stir in your almond butter until it is melted. If you’re using the brown sugar and/or almond milk, you can stir that in here as well. Top with sliced banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped walnuts.

NOTE: I don’t measure my spices, but I do put more cinnamon than nutmeg. I’ll admit, I shake an obscene amount of cinnamon in there, but that’s kind of up to you. Add as much or as little as you want!

3) Stir to combine all the goodness into one bowl and EAT UP! It’s the best quick breakfast for a rainy or cold morning!