Atlanta Loft Studio

This is one of the most neatest living spaces I've ever seen. Design*Sponge does not disappoint! 

Binder Full of Great Recipes

Here it is! My 'cookbook' that I have compiled over the past 4 1/2 years of marriage. (fancy, huh?) I got the idea from my friend Jennifer, who received one of these as a wedding gift.  It has a tab for each category (vegetables, chicken, beef, etc...) and I put each recipe in a transparent sleeve for protection.  It's so functional, I love it!  It only contains my 'go to' recipes that I use over and over - the ones mentioned in the previous post that I rely on too often.  But they are good recipes.  And I'm learning to appreciate them even more in my quest to find new 'go-to' recipes.

I have tried about 5 recipes in a row that have ended up being somewhere on the spectrum from average to really bad (and I think I am very discerning about the recipes I choose in the first place!)  But I keep striking out.  

Never-the-less, my goal is to keep searching for good recipes - enough to fill a new binder. When I find them, I will share.  And in between, I'll try to share a few of my and Philip's favorites from the past 4 1/2 years. 

Starting with one of the best: Red Beans & Rice.  This recipe is wonderful for many reasons: it is easy, delicious, moderately healthy, inexpensive, feeds a lot of people, and freezes well.  Although the cook time is about 3 hours, the preparation time is only about 5 minutes - or as long as it takes you to chop onions and celery, slice sausage, and measure spices.  You can make 'packets' of the spice mix well ahead of time and keep them on hand.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Red Beans & Rice Recipe (originally from Treebeard's)


Ingredients

1 lb dried light red kidney beans
2 qts water (may need more later)
1 yellow onion chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves chopped
1 green bell pepper (I omit this)
2 ½ t. salt
1 ½ rounded t. thyme
1 ½ rounded t. oregano
1 ¼ t. garlic powder
¾ t. cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 lb smoked sausage – sliced (I only use Hillshire Farms turkey sausage)

green onions
cheddar cheese
rice (brown rice is fine, but fluffy white rice is best!)

Instructions:

Soak beans overnight. Drain beans. (To speed up the process, you can bring them to a boil, simmer 2 minutes, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour before the next step. DO NOT DRAIN WATER if you use the ‘speed up process – skip the ‘add 2 quarts of cold water). Add 2 quarts cold water, bring to boil with onions, celery, and bell pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 ½ hours until beans are soft and begin to thicken (do NOT stir too often!)

Stir in seasonings & sausage slices. Simmer 30 minutes more. Serve over hot rice and top with cheddar cheese and green onions. ** Philip adds Emeril’s Kick It Up Green Pepper Sauce or Green Tabasco to his - either is a great addition.

Rooster with Wine

I'm not really a 'New Year's Resolustion' type person.  But I have decided that I need to start branching out and trying new recipes.  I have a binder full of great recipes that I rely on way too often.  I am dangerously close to burning myself and Philip out on all of them. I did this in college with grilled chicken on the George Foreman grill. I ate it way too often, and now, just the thought of it grosses me out.  Mel... CeCe... Ang.... you know.

All that to say - I made Coq a Vin (French for Rooster with Wine) tonight for dinner and it was DELICIOUS! I guess it could be called chicken version of beef bourguignon (which I have never made, but will probably attempt this year.)   I found the recipe here along with several other good ones I have filed away. 

For as delicicious as it was, the ingredients are surprisingly simple. But, true to French cooking, the technique is everything.  It takes a good hour to prep and an additional hour and a half to cook. While it was cooking, I made some buttered noodles to serve with it. (Next time, I'll maked mashed potatoes or serve with crusty French bread.)

Having a great husband to watch the boy, and then to 'ooh' and 'aah' and 'mmm' over the final product helped!  Without that, "Don't try this at home!"  Otherwise, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, this can't be beat!

Christmas 2010

One of the most special things, for me, this Christmas was getting to watch William spend lots and lots of time with his Dad.  Philip took vacation from work, and even though we didn't go any where, those days at home, just the three of us were so precious. I would not trade them for the world. Even now that Philip is back at work, I can tell that William is constantly thinking about him during the day. He will pick up a toy or a book and say "Dada".  Which, in his language means, "I want to go show this to Dada."  It breaks my heart to have to say "Dada is at work. He works so hard for our family."  But I am so thankful for all of this...

William is our most precious present!

He had so much fun looking at all the Christmas "ights"

Before he got scared of "Ho Ho"...

With Poppie and Lollie "YaYa" in Christmas jammies

William hears an airplane "apa" and points it out to us

An action shot...

William loves his basketball goal from Mimi & Papa...

... and his cell phone from "Nana"

"Heyo?"

Playing with the new kitchen

Ready for the Cotton Bowl... Gig 'Em Aggies!