the most perfect cheesy eggs

Can we talk real quick about this "snow day" that's happening in Georgia right now?
My office closed (which hardly ever happens), and it's currently sunny with no clouds.
What on earth?!

I won't lie, I am enjoying the surprise day at home with the kiddos!
But working from home with two small children is a whole thing, ya'll.  I think I could go a lifetime without seeing another Mickey Mouse Christmas movie.
An actual lifetime.

In the spirit of being "snowed" in, staying in pjs all day, and hopefully having the time to make some breakfast in your own kitchen for once (I swear, it is such a luxury to me to make breakfast at home on a weekday - it's what I look forward to on work from home days!), let's talk about cheesy eggs!

Eggs are such a tricky thing.
I don't think I've ever really been good at eggs, honestly.  Mine were always too dry, or had that weird film they get if the pan is too hot when you pour them in, or were just generally meh.
Then one day years ago, Joe decided he wanted to be good at eggs and did some research on how.
Quick question - why did I never think to Google it?
So anyway, he taught me the magic of cooking eggs "low and slow," and boy, does that make a difference.
It takes a liiiiittle bit longer, but it's so worth it.  And when I say longer, I mean it takes like 3 minutes instead of 1 minute.

I will say, I remember him telling me once that you shouldn't season the eggs ahead of time.  I think I prefer to season them pre-cook because it ensures the seasoning is evenly distributed, but they are a little prettier if you don't.
Let's not make this more complicated than it needs to be.
Do we even really care when S&P is added if there's cheese involved?

Didn't think so.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 eggs
• shredded cheese of choice (I used a Mexican blend - sharp cheddar would be tasty too)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat a skillet on low/medium-low heat, and melt butter.  I'd say juuust under 2 tbsp for every 3 eggs you're making. (I think the butter is key and takes them to another level! It's going to look like a lot, but trust me on this.)
   
   
   
2. Whisk the eggs with some salt and pepper, to taste.  Really whisk them up - put some muscle into it!
3. Pour them into the butter, and slowly stir until they begin to come together.
4. When they are still wet in the center, add your cheese of choice.  Add a healthy handful, between 1/4 - 1/2 cup.
   
   
   
5. Stir a few more times, and take them out of the pan early.  When my gut says they need 10 more seconds, I take them out and they tend to be perfect! (They'll still cook a little on your plate from residual heat.)

I think whisking them up quickly makes them fluffier (am I making that up?), and then cooking them in butter, slowly, and taking them out before they can overcook makes such a difference.

They are so delicious!

And here's the good news - the keto diet encourages you to have butter...and cheese...AND EGGS.  So eat these and bask in your healthiness.

protein coffee

I am an avid believer in morning workouts.
Mostly because if I don't do it before noon, I convince myself I'm too busy/tired/insert excuse here and I skip it.
So, many weekday mornings, I'm up at 4:55am to make it to a 5:30am barre class.
I know it sounds hard, but trust me - this is the best way to start the day!!!  The world is quiet, everyone is still asleep, and I can spend some time serving myself before I serve others.  I have found this to be key to my sanity as a working mom.

The thing about morning workouts, though, is that I'm usually ravenous afterwards.
I'm one of those people that wakes up ready to eat a full breakfast, regardless of the time.
So after a tough workout, I am ready to eat anything and everything in sight.
Lucky for me, there's no time for that.
Between getting myself ready, getting the kids ready, prepping bottles for daycare, making sure we all have everything we need for a successful day (in an hour's time, by the way), I rarely have time to cook breakfast at home on a weekday.
And by rarely, I mean, never.

Enter the idea of protein coffee.

I am not the first person to have this idea (thank goodness).
There are tons of threads online about this very notion with tips and tricks, most of which say "whatever you do, do not add protein to hot coffee because it will clump."

And listen, I love iced coffee just as much as the next person.
It's really my caffeine vehicle of choice, if available.
But it's SO COLD outside right now!!!!
I cannot drink iced coffee in a cold car on the way to work in 20 degree weather.  My bones need to be warmed!

I asked this question on Instagram the other night, and so many of you had great ideas.
- Use a frother (I ended up doing this!).
- Use collagen peptides instead (I already do this sometimes, but I had a very specific idea in my head of something new here).
- Try different kinds of blenders and proteins.

So many good things.

So I woke up Tuesday on a mission to try, and it worked!  It wasn't quiiiiite sweet enough, so I tried again today and I think I'm getting closer!
But it's at a place where I think I can share it with you as a base idea, and you can fancy it up however you please.

Ingredients

• 2 splashes of half and half
• 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein (I used Simple Truth brand for this, but I love Vega brand Protein & Greens too!) 
• 1 splash vanilla extract - optional
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee
• sweetener to taste (I used monk fruit sweetener, sugar would work fine too!)

Instructions

1. Add the half and half, protein, and vanilla to your frother (or in a cup, if you have a hand frother - I used this one instead)
2. Froth together until foamy and perfect
3. Fill your mug with coffee, add a little sweetener, and pour the protein froth on top
4. Mix and enjoy!

Here are some things I've found:

- A full scoop of protein made the froth kind of pasty...at least for me it did.  It was still delicious, but it wasn't as light and foamy as I personally like it to be. Go with 1/2 a scoop and work your way up - I'm sure some protein brands react differently!

- The particular brand of protein I used is not as sweet as you'd think - I would say the vanilla flavor is extremely subtle - so if you like your coffee sweet, definitely add sweetener!

- The only thing I forgot this morning was a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.  I think that would make this even more of a treat, so do that if you want to get fancy.

- The key is frothing the protein with a cold liquid first, because in this case, the internet wasn't wrong - protein will clump in hot coffee if added in powder form.

Have you ever tried this before?  What was your outcome?

Do you have a favorite way to make coffee?

Please tell me!

And for anyone interested, this is the sweetener I used.

Joe and I have been following a keto diet for a few weeks now, so I'm still learning what we are and aren't allowed to have, but this is a sweetener I have been referred to many times!

Found it here on Amazon if you are interested.

I'm baaaaaaack

Well, it only took me 4+ years to muster the energy to get back on track here.  Guess it could be worse.

Or could it?

A lot of life has happened since I blogged last.  I got married, got a job I love, built a house, had not one but TWO babies, and, well, just turned into some version of an adult, I guess!
I mean some days I do look in the mirror and think "oh my god, who left me in charge of two human lives, I'm just a child myself!"
But then I remember I'm 31 now.
HOW did that happen?

Alas, here I am.
I've spent these last 4 years growing up, becoming a wife and mother, navigating so many new responsibilities...but one thing has stayed constant.  My love of cooking.
I've practiced, failed, triumphed, majorly failed (ya'll, do not put raw garlic into cauliflower mash...trust me on this), and triumphed again.  I am so ready to share with you all that I have learned!

I have so much more to talk about these days, too.  My number one goal here will always be recipe sharing, but I want to chat with you about life things too!  Kids, marriage, motherhood, what it's like to be continuously trying to lose baby weight (oh hi, last 2 years of my life).

Let's be friends again, okay?

one-pot drummies

I don't know about you guys, but I am so pumped it's September.

I mean, I can't believe it's already September, but I'm happy about it!
Bring on the fall weather {even though in Georgia that means it won't be cool until October at the earliest}.
Just the possibility of 'cool weather' sounds like heaven these days.

And because I'm so ready for fall, I've been doing a lot of fall activities these days, like...

...making football wreaths at a champagne-fueled craft night with girlfriends {#godawgs!}...

...celebrating the return of Georgia football with fancy cocktails {thanks, July!}...

...and, of course, having a pumpkin spice latte or two!

It's been great so far, and needless to say, I can't wait to continue the trend right on into sweater/boot weather.

I've also been getting back into my cooking groove.

Particularly with drumsticks {or drummies, as my cute fiance likes to call them}.

We may have had them for dinner twice this week.

Two different ways though - don't judge me!

This is the way I made them last night, and Joe really loved them.

And so did I, because who doesn't like having the whole meal done in one pan?!

To say it was luxurious having hardly any dishes to do afterwards is an understatement.

Unfortunately, I did a horrible job of taking pictures because I wasn't planning to blog about it, but when I pulled the pan out of the oven, Joe ran to get my phone and told me to take a photo.

I guess he knew it was going to be good!

recipe via

Things you'll need:

8-10 chicken drumsticks

6-8 medium-sized red potatoes, chopped into large pieces

4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces

sea salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp paprika

3 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking dish with parchment paper {or aluminum foil - spray lightly with cooking spray if using foil}.

2.  Chop potatoes and carrots and add to baking dish.

3.  Arrange drumsticks on top of carrot/potato mix, and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Drizzle olive oil over the top of everything, and rub seasoning into chicken.

4.  Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.  If they're not as brown as you'd like, feel free to broil for a minute or two at the end.  Mine browned up just fine though.

5.  Enjoy!

This was a super easy meal to throw together.

The potatoes were soft and flavorful from cooking in the chicken juices, and the carrots were tender and sweet {how do carrots get so sweet and delicious when roasted?!}.

I'd definitely recommend it for a week night when you don't feel like hovering over the stove.

Also, after Joe's first serving, he made it a point to tell me it was a keeper.

That does not happen unless it's serious, trust me.

What are you up to this weekend?

Kayla is coming to visit me tonight, my mom is coming to town, and Sunday is my first bridal shower!!!

Brunch-themed, because duh.

Mimosas on deck!

honey banana chocolate chip muffins

I really love working from home.

It's probably good I only get to do it once a week because otherwise I'd never change out of my pajamas.
Or brush my hair, if I'm really being honest.
#sorryimnotsorry

I've always been the type that needs background noise to be able to focus {I never studied in college without at least some music playing}, so there's just something about working while watching endless reruns of Grey's Anatomy that is just right up my alley.

Another part I love about it is the food.
Particularly the lunch possibilities.
When I don't have to waste half my lunch break driving home to pick something up, the sky is really the limit!

Yesterday, I was totally feeling some banana muffins.
Seriously, does it get better than making banana muffins on a random Wednesday afternoon on your lunch break?  Working from home is my jam.
With muffins in mind, I did a little research and decided I wanted to make some sweetened with honey.

I'm all about the honey these days.
Not going to lie, I've even started sweetening my smoothies with it.
Stevia still works fine, I've just found that I just prefer the taste of a drop a honey more.
{And speaking of smoothies, I have found the perfect smoothie blend and will be sharing that with you soon, promise - it's so good that I've had two every day this week!}

Anyway, back to the muffins.
If you're in the mood to make a batch of something delicious that will last, these are for you.
This recipe made 15 muffins, so I put half of them in the freezer {they'll keep for up to three months} and the other half I've been nibbling on and sharing with friends.
Everyone loves a good muffin!

recipe via

Things you'll need:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup honey

1 large egg

2/3 cup almond milk

3 tsbp vegetable oil

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine dry ingredients {flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt}.

Whisk together to combine.

Mash your bananas.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients {mashed banana, honey, egg, milk, and oil}.

Slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients.

I added the dry mix in three or four batches to ensure it was all combined thoroughly.

Stir in as many chocolate chips as you like!

Lightly grease a muffin pan {or use cupcake liners like I did to make it super easy}, and fill each cup 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

My suggestion would be to do them a little less than 18 minutes so that they don't dry out {mine are delicious, just a little drier than I would prefer}.

The last couple I baked for 16 minutes and they were a little lighter in color, but definitely more moist!

Cool completely, and enjoy!

Store in an airtight container, or wrap and freeze for up to three months!

These little guys are perfect for a quick breakfast on your way out the door in the morning.

Or, in my case, a quick lunch on a day I had some extra time to bake!

Also, FYI, you do not miss the sugar in this recipe.

The honey does the perfect job of sweetening, and you'd never notice there wasn't white sugar if I didn't tell you.

Whew, it feels good to be in the kitchen again!

Lately I've been cooking a lot, but mostly:

1. repeat recipes that I've already shared;

2. things that are embarrassingly easy and didn't feel post-worthy {like a cucumber tomato salad I've been debating on telling you about for a month}, or;

3. simple sides to go along with grilled BBQ chicken.

I've been making Joe grill me BBQ drumsticks all summer, and I'm almost tempted to force him to guest post about them because oh my god.

He has pretty much mastered the chicken drumstick.

Every time I eat one I'm like hurry up and marry me so I can eat these the rest of my life!

...I wish that was an exaggeration.

Hope you're having a good week!

IT'S ALMOST FRIDAY!

catching up

YOU GUYS!
I haven't blogged in two months, and it seriously feels like it was just yesterday.
Is it just me, or is summer flying by?

What have you been up to?
Are you having a fun summer?
I figured I'd catch you up on what I've been doing these past two months since I took an unplanned hiatus so suddenly.

Needless to say, I've been busy.
All over the place.
I don't really feel like I've had any time to breathe, honestly!
But with that said, I will say that most of it has been awesome.

Joe sent me "happy 6 months 'til our wedding" flowers, and my heart melted, appropriately...

...I hosted a girls' night at my apartment, complete with six hours at the pool, cocktails, dinner, and a face mask bar {thanks to Kayla's crafty skills!}...

...I brunched...a lot...

...Joe and I spent the 4th of July in Mexico on a family vacation {I miss you Isla Mujeres}...

...I went to more girls' nights...

...I helped host a nautical-themed baby shower {using this chicken salad for these little crabs!}...

...and finally, I helped host a surprise hashtag-themed bridal shower for a bride friend/fellow hashtag-lover of mine at work {don't get excited, the mimosas were made with sparkling grape juice}.

On top of all of that, there's been parties, dinners, brunches, Orange is the New Black marathons, wedding planning, and a promotion at work!

SO MUCH STUFF.

There's also been a lot of recipe fails.

One day I'll have a cauliflower mash to share with you, but that day is sadly not today.

Question: Have you ever tried to eat paleo before?

Joe is interested in doing it {and when I say that, I mean he's interested in us doing it because I'm the one who makes our meals}, but I don't know too much about it.

Really just touching the tip of the iceberg at the moment.

Any/all suggestions would be great on places to start.

Oh yeah, also, are you watching The Bachelorette?!

#teamjosh

cacio e pepe

We've been good with our green smoothies.

Lets eat some pasta, shall we?

Cacio e pepe, meaning "cheese and pepper" in Italian, is just that.

A simple pasta dish with the main ingredients of cheese and pepper.

It really doesn't get any easier.

This is a perfect meal for one of those I-don't-feel-like-cooking-tell-me-what-you-want-to-eat-I-give-up-lets-just-eat-popcorn nights {i.e. last night at our place}.

I was all set to oven-roast some BBQ chicken when I realized the fridge did not defrost my chicken as fast as I had expected.

After a few minutes of frantically pacing the kitchen looking at bag after bag of smoothie fruit, I remembered I had bought the ingredients for cacio e pepe!

Not the healthiest dinner, but I had put it on my grocery list for an occasion exactly like this.

You can't fight fate.

Also, when Joe and I can't agree on what we want for dinner, we have no problem agreeing on pasta.

Especially this one.

recipe adapted via Cup of Jo

Things you'll need:

1/2 box of linguine noodles {or spaghetti noodles; I personally prefer a thicker noodle, but either works fine!}

6 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp butter

3-4 tbsp ground black pepper {I go heavy on the pepper; again, personal preference}

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, and more for sprinkling

In a large pot, cook noodles according to package instructions.

Don't forget to salt the water!

Unsalted pasta water is total blasphemy.

While pasta is boiling, heat butter and oil on low-medium heat.

Add pepper and stir slowly, letting the pepper gently toast in the butter/oil mixture.

When you add the pepper, it will make the liquid bubble up and become a little noisy {pictured above}.

However, don't fret.

After a little stirring, it will calm down...

...and look more like this.

Brown and toasty and delicious.

When the pasta is done, drain it carefully, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

This step is crucial.

You need that delicious, starchy, salty pasta water to make the magic of the dish come together, trust me on this.

Turn the oil mixture to medium heat, and gently toss in the pasta to coat.

Add the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Stir until cheese is melted.

At this point, you can add more pasta water to make it the consistency you like.

I think I ended up adding almost the full cup here {I went for a creamier texture}.

Scoop into a bowl, sprinkle with an extra pinch of pepper, and top it off with some more Parmesan cheese.

Stir and enjoy!

The great thing about this dish, besides its simplicity, is that you can totally make just one serving.

When Joe is traveling, I always have a hard time finding dishes to make for one {that don't include avocado toast or a bowl of cereal}.

I found this recipe on Cup of Jo back in October and have since tweaked it to make closer to 4 servings, but when I'm home alone that's still my go-to recipe {except I always end up adding more pasta water and cheese...I can't help it!}.

Do you have any good one-serving recipes?

Or easy go-to meals for weeknights?

I need some inspiration these days.

How was your weekend?

Joe and I watched some dear friends of ours get married on Saturday {congratulations, Brittany and Brian!} and then spent our Sunday watching Game of Thrones on the couch together.

I'm sorry, is it just me, or does Game of Thrones have a habit of killing off the best characters?

I'm still not fully recovered from Drogo!

I only just started season 3, so I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for all the craziness coming up.

We'll see how that goes.

Oh and also, I officially became that obnoxious bride that has a t-shirt so that everyone will know she's a bride...

...I'll consider myself judged.