a nashville recap + easy spinach risotto

You guyyyyys.

I've been so busy lately.
October has by far been the busiest month of my year.
Between birthdays, company events, college football, and a brief trip out of town, I feel like I haven't had time to breath.
Or blog.
Hence the silence post-birthday.

But somehow I have found the time to squeeze in a few homemade meals {and baked goods, of course} between everything going on this month.

Before I get to that, though, let me take a quick second to tell you about a quick love affair I had.
Nashville.
Seriously, love is kind of an understatement.
I had been wanting to go there for as long as I could remember, and it just so happened my closest girlfriend, Kayla, and I were coming up on our "10 years of friendship" anniversary.
"Friendaversary" as we so lovingly called it.
So what better reason to pack up the car and get the heck out of town than that?
Off to Nashville we went.

{Now would be a good time to prepare for a photo dump.}

While we were there, we ate a lot of amazing food.

Captain Crunch french toast at Mad Donna's, with 2-for-1 mimosas!

funnel cake at Oktoberfest in Germantown

We spent our nights checking out as many famous bars as possible downtown.

view from Honky Tonk Central

This was my favorite part.
Tootie's will forever be on my top 5 favorite bar list, despite the huge crowd.
I don't even really like country music, but I may now be a convert.
The atmosphere was just so friendly and happy!

Of course, we had to take a break from sight-seeing and bar-hopping to watch the Dawgs at a local pub.

They ended up losing {let's just pretend it's not football season anymore, thanks}, but it was a great time!

So great, in fact, that on the way home we decided we weren't ready for the trip to be over and made the most touristy stop of the whole weekend....

I can't believe I live two hours from Rock City and had never seen it before.
It was quite a sight.

Sometimes a girls' trip is just what you need to get you back on track.
Nashville, I will be back.
I can guarantee you that.

So, now to the food.

Today, instead of shoving sugar in your face per usual, I have a super easy spinach risotto I found via Williams-Sonoma that was incredibly simple to put together and tasted delicious.
For anyone that's a risotto first-timer, this is the recipe for you.
{I had never made risotto before, and this was a solid first effort.  I definitely recommend it!}

recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Things you'll need:

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
3 tbs olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 lb. fresh spinach, roughly chopped
2 cups Arborio rice {I couldn't find that, so I used a store brand medium-grain rice}
2 tbs butter
2-4 tbs grated Parmesan
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan, bring chicken stock to a simmer and maintain on low heat.

In a deep skillet, sauté onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until slightly tender.

Add chopped spinach, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender.

Transfer onion/spinach mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add a bit more olive oil if necessary.

Add rice to the pan and stir until coated with oil and slightly translucent, 3-4 minutes.

{This would be where you'd want to add some wine, if you were going to.  I was out {!!!} so I couldn't. Shame.}

Begin adding stock one ladle at a time.

Stir constantly, and wait until stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more.

Continue this process until all stock has been added except 1/4 cup.

After about 18 minutes, once all the stock except 1/4 cup has been added, stir in the onion/spinach mixture.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion/spinach mixture is heated through.

Remove from heat.

Add butter, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and leftover stock.

Serve immediately!

This was so easy, I'm a little surprised I haven't attempted it before now.

I think the word "risotto" just sounds intimidating.

But I promise, it's not.

So keep calm and risotto on, or something like that.

This would be delicious with some shrimp stirred in to make it more substantial.

I served it with tilapia, so I had no need for the extra protein.

It's totally an option, though, if you're into one-pan meals!

Which, let's be honest, who isn't?

Up next on the blog, we'll be talking about my new hobby this fall.

Kneading any and all bread dough.

It's almost Friday!

reese's-filled cupcakes

Birthdays are so fun.

Joe sent me the most beautiful flowers this year.
And if you know me, you know I absolutely love getting deliveries.
You could send me a pack of paperclips and I'd probably be excited about it.
These lovelies have been brightening up my desk for almost a week now and are still going strong.

Did I mention lilies are my favorite flower?
Love that boy of mine.
{And just to brag on him a bit...he also gave me spa time during our trip to Mexico next month.  Color me the luckiest!}

Other fun gifts included:

...a cookbook that you will absolutely be seeing recipes from soon.

...a gift card to Sephora, where I found this little beauty.

I don't know about you, but my lips have been seriously struggling with the change of season.
If yours are too, I definitely recommend this stuff.
The lady at Sephora told me to put it on before bed {which I did last night}, and I woke up with lips that were no longer chapped!
This stuff is no joke.

I was also given a delicious new pumpkin candle {do my friends know me, or do they know me} and a pumpkin cream cheese cake that I have been nibbling on all week long.

Not a bad way to kick off 26!

A couple of days after my birthday, it was Joe's birthday.
Which I find really fun, because every year we get to celebrate together!

I wanted to try something new treat-wise this year, so I brainstormed and brainstormed {and brainstormed some more} and then it hit me.
My boyfriend is a chocolate monster.
Like if this was the movie Willy Wonka, it'd be a toss up who would drink the chocolate river first, Joe or Augustus Gloop.
So what could be better than chocolate stuffed with more chocolate and peanut butter?

Nothing, that's what.

I can't even really count this as a recipe {let's face it, I used box cupcakes...the epitome of lazy}, and I swear I wasn't even planning on sharing it due to my embarrassing lack of effort.
Note: I promise after this I will get back to actual recipes.
But when people started eating these, I knew I had made a mistake by not photographing them more.

When I get a lot of positive feedback on something, that's when I share it with you.
And "positive feedback" for these cupcakes is an understatement.

The understatement of the century, really.
People loved these.

You're going to laugh when you see how easy they are.

Things you'll need:

1 box chocolate cupcake mix {or make a homemade batter if you have time!}
22-24 Reese's peanut butter cups {normal size, not mini}
1 jar cream cheese frosting
Topping of choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cupcake batter according to box instructions.

Put about 1 tablespoon of batter in each cup {enough to cover the bottom}.

Place 1 peanut butter cup in each cup.

Add more batter on top until cups are filled 2/3 of the way.

picture via

Bake according to box instructions.

Let cool completely, cover with frosting, and sprinkle on your topping of choice!

I used this amazing sugar/chocolate/coffee bean grinder from Trader Joe's.

But sprinkles {or even chopped peanut butter cups!} would be perfect too.

I told you you were going to laugh.

Embarrassingly easy.

So next time you want to really impress your friends, coworkers, or the cute boy with whom you reside, whip up a batch of these and bask in all of the praise you will inevitably receive.

Trust me on this one.

and speaking of birthdays...

It's this stud's birthday today.
The big 2-8.

If I had to share a birthday weekend with anyone, I'd want it to be you, lover.
Hope your day is as special as Friday was for me!
I love you!

More to come on my birthday activities, our weekend, and the Reese's-filled cupcakes I made to celebrate.

You heard that right.

Have a good Monday!

year 26

Today, I'm 26.

I can't believe it, honestly.
I don't feel a day over 22.
But here I am, grown and working and paying bills and living this adult life that I stumbled into somehow.

When did that happen?!

Today is going to be a busy day, but I just wanted to stop in and say thank you for reading along on my little corner of the internet.
I spent a lot of year 25 in the kitchen learning and experimenting, and this blog helped me organize my thoughts {and keep track of my successes} along the way.
I think I'm becoming a better cook because of it.

At the very least, I'm learning more and more about what I do and don't enjoy.
And that's really what your 20's are about in general, right?

Have a great weekend, friends!

a big georgia win {and some very promiscuous brownies}

Please tell me you watched the Georgia game this weekend.

If you didn't - spoiler alert - the Dawgs beat LSU 44-41 in what turned out to be one of the most exciting {and equally terrifying} games of the season thus far.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, freak out over.

But seriously, it was a great game.

And not just because Georgia gave us a big W.

Tickets to the game were incredibly expensive, so Saturday morning Joe and I decided to head down and spend the day tailgating with Kayla and Mark in their little town of Milledgeville.

I'm sure it goes without saying that we had a great time.

I wish I had more pictures to prove it, but needless to say, we were in celebration mode for most of the night.

Thanks again for having us, Kayla and Mark!

When we initially decided our plans for the weekend, I knew exactly what I wanted to make to contribute to the fun day ahead.

I found the recipe for slutty brownies on Megan's blog a couple of weeks ago and knew it'd make the perfect over-the-top treat for the next party I attended.

Before you read further, let me warn you.

If you're looking for a healthy tailgate snack, this is not the post for you.

You might want to just go ahead and click over to this or even these and just call it a day.

However, I will tell you that I'm a firm believer in having a treat every now and then.

And when I say treat, I mean treat.

None of this sugar-free, fat-free nonsense.

If you're going to have a cheat day, do it up right.

Make it worth it!

recipe via

Things you'll need:

1 roll of cookie dough

16 Oreos

1 box of brownie mix

*Note: You can absolutely make your own cookie dough or your own brownie batter for this - I went the easy route for time's sake!

Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.

Spread cookie dough evenly on bottom of dish.

Place Oreos in a single layer on top of cookie dough.

Carefully pour brownie mix on top and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.

Bake according to brownie package instructions.

My oven took about 10 minutes longer than the box suggested, but it wouldn't hurt to start checking it with a toothpick 15-18 minutes in.

Try your very best to let them cool {it's impossible, trust me} and enjoy!

I wish that I would've taken a time to get a better picture for you, but this was the best I could do.

Patience is something I could work on.

I will reiterate though - it's very important that you let them cool.

They will be easier to cut {and eat}, I promise.

Or you could do what Joe and I did and eat yours directly out of the baking dish with a fork.

Hey, we took the majority to Milledgeville.

Don't judge me.

What are you up to this week?

Joe is traveling until Wednesday, so I'm spending lots of time shopping for birthday gifts {what do you buy the boyfriend who buys himself everything?!}, eating this chicken soup, and taking the pup on lots of long walks.

Welcome back, October, I've missed you dearly.

gooey spiced pumpkin cake

Last week, I could feel autumn in the air.

It wasn't quite here yet, but I could feel it.
And I just couldn't wait any longer.

So after work one day, I stopped by the grocery store and picked up two cans of pumpkin, a jug of apple cider, and some champagne.
{This girl doesn't need an excuse for a fall-themed mimosa - the end of a work day is enough.}

If you haven't had an apple cider mimosa yet, drop what you're doing and make one as soon as possible.
You can drink it while you read about my accidental pumpkin cake.

I call it accidental because the original idea was to make a brownie-like bar.
But somewhere in the process of me doubling this recipe and changing a few of the ingredients, it ended up like a spiced cake with a gooey top layer of warm pumpkin.

I'm not complaining.

recipe adapted via

Things you'll need:

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large eggs
6 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 tbsp almond milk
4 tbsp vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together dry ingredients to get rid of lumps.

Add wet ingredients, and stir until incorporated.

Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.

Pour mixture into dish and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes, until it can be sliced without falling apart.

Serve with cream cheese icing, a fall flavored ice cream, or just plain!

As long as it's served warm, you can't go wrong.

This turned out incredible.

The perfect way to kick off pumpkin season.

I was in the mood for a chewy bar-type treat, but I definitely got something just as good, if not better.

I'm not going to lie...

If you covered this in cream cheese icing/Cool Whip and shaved a bit of dark chocolate on top {or sprinkled crushed pumpkin spice M&Ms! anyone?}, I wouldn't mind having this as my birthday cake.

And speaking of birthday, mine is coming up quick.

I'm in the process of mentally preparing myself to be 26 when I don't feel like a 26 year old.

Pumpkin birthday cake may be the only thing that will console me.

roasted chicken salad

I've been making chicken salad for years.

It's one of the things I could make before I actually put in some effort and learned how to cook.
I'd boil the chicken, chop it up in my Slap Chop {along with the celery and onion}, add mayo, and serve it up on some crackers.

While the cracker part hasn't changed {it's still my favorite way to eat any chicken salad}, I've finally started jazzing up the salad part.

And when I say "finally," I mean it literally just hit me tonight that there is a better way to do it.
Why on earth would I boil the chicken {for years now, mind you} when it's just as easy to roast it and get ten times more flavor?
It was a lightbulb moment.
A moment I just so happened to have in the middle of the day when I was hours and hours away from dinner.

Part of my brain is always thinking about dinner options.
Clearly.

Another perk of roasting the chicken: you don't have to deal with that gross water left over from the boil.
Am I the only one that hates that stuff?
Yuck.

So, this chicken salad.
It's seriously delicious.
So much so that at one point I put away the crackers and just started eating it by the forkful.

You know, keeping it classy while Joe is out of town and all.

Things you'll need:

3 medium/large chicken cutlets, thinly sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/4-1/2 cup sweet relish
1/4-1/2 cup light mayo
red grapes, halved
sea salt
black pepper

*Note: Relish and mayo measurements can be done to taste - I always just eyeball it and taste along the way!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Generously season chicken cutlets {front and back} with sea salt and black pepper.

Don't be shy!

The more you season now, the less you'll have to season later.

{I didn't have to add any salt or pepper to the fully assembled salad!}

Bake chicken for 35-40 minutes, until cooked through.

Using two forks, pull chicken apart.

Make the pieces as chunky or as thin as you like.

Chicken salad is all about personal preference.

Add diced celery.

Now would be a great time to add any other veggie you'd like too.

Diced onion, carrot strings...sky's the limit.

Add mayo and relish.

I like to do this a little bit at a time.

You want just enough mayo to coat everything.

The relish is totally preference.

I love sweet pickles, so I use a ton {when Joe's not around, that is}.

If you hate pickles, leave them out altogether!

Add halved grapes.

This would also be the time to add some nuts if you wanted.

Chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts would all be good!

Toss together.

Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy on buttery crackers or toasted bread with lettuce!

I really don't think dinner can get any easier than a five ingredient chicken salad.

And the best part?

There's always leftovers for lunch the next day.

Call me crazy, but I think dishes like this almost taste better the second day when the flavors have had time to marry.

But that's just me.

How was your Monday?

I'm desperately trying to convince myself that I'm not getting sick.

Even though half my office has gotten sick in the past two weeks, so it definitely makes sense that I'd be next.

Come on immune system, you can do this!