Where I Share About Shoes and Carrot Fries....

I really loathe people who are always saying they are sooooooo tired/exhausted because really that's just something that real life throws on us at times.  I won't go there because I know that everyone out there is tired.  It's fine.  It's sometimes the nature of being an adult.  Mostly I do like being an adult.  Mostly...

I won't bore you with how much I worked already this week but I will have a small celebration here for some recognition from my manager at our team meeting this week.  Snaps to him for the nice bottle of wine that came with it (we love wine at this house).  I also found out that I have a small bonus coming in August -- which after not getting a raise this year -- it could be all of $100 and I would still be ecstatic.  Even if it will be sent to grown up things like paying off debt or my Roth.  Or that pesky medical bill from a doctor visit in March that I'm ignoring because I hate high deductible plans (note an adult thing I do not like). 

I digress.  To fun stuff.

• I made carrot fries on Sunday! It was easy and I really liked them.  If it helps sway anyone Matt advised me that even he liked them and carrots normally make him "dry heave" (what is it with men and vegetables?). 
• I would like to bake this sometime soon.
• Recently purchased these shoes -- I really wanted the Vince Allison mules that everyone has but many thanks to the blogger that linked the super similar  Shoemint Miller mules Kohl's. They are pretty much just alike.  

Really I want to stay home and drink coffee in a summer Thunderstorm tomorrow morning. I will say it's super nice that we have a short week and even get to close up early tomorrow.  We have a super low key Fourth of July planned and I'm really excited about it.  Catching up on cooking, reading, working out, and lake time! 

The Single Gal Cooks: Cheesy Black Bean Skillet

Tell me you love real life photos with the oven range smears on them.  Yes? No? 

This week 3 Putt and I were determined to get back on our normal eating routine after our extremely delicious yet gluttonous vacation.  We had bun-less burgers for dinner Sunday with some avocado/salsa/etc on the top and needed a side.  French fries were not an option.  So I grabbed a few things to chop up and throw in with two cans of black beans and some cheese.  It was so good.  And so easy!

- 1 green bell pepper, diced

- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

- 1 medium onion, diced

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

-shredded cheese

- 2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

Chop bell peppers, onions and garlic.  Sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent.  Add black beans and cook for several minutes to warm up on medium heat.  Add cheese as desired.  This seriously takes hardly any time and reheats well! 

Garnish: cilantro, sour cream, sriracha, salsa, avocado, anything really.  

enjoy! 

~the single gal~

Happies from Tuesday but Divulged on Thursday

This was originally going to be Tuesday Happies but I got busy (read: I did not allocate my day property).  So now it's Thursday.  Since I am essentially working for a small start up while we work claims runoff from a dwindling carrier we had to move our office to something much smaller.  And we ain't got nobody to do it for us.  So Tuesday was spent unpacking file boxes and breaking nails.  But really it was super glorious to have a legit excuse not to work a single claim or take any phone calls.  I also find unpacking to be really euphoric in the fact that everything feels super organized when you are done. It is like crack for me.  

We also went to Baldino's since I work off Buford Highway now (when I'm not working from home).  Best subs ever.  And pepperoni rolls.  

I did get off work a little early on Tuesday and felt like going home but couldn't really skip the gym since I legit had time to go.  Oh hey jammie pants that I had to wear grocery shopping because its super hot in the gym so I have to wear shorts there, but super cold outside.  Whatever. I'm engaged. I've let myself go. 

Tuesday I came home in the pouring rain to a surprise from the love of my life.  How cute is it that he surprised me again and got my doughnut.  That one has a sense of humor, no? Anyway, I loved everything about this. 

I also had this random urge to cook after a long day (which really never happens) and also really had a craving for butternut squash.  Super random. Seriously.  I loosely looked on Pinterest and noted that I saw some kale in the fridge and had some quinoa so this recipe was our winner.  With just a little bit of chopping and a few fresh ingredients this Kale, Quinoa, and Butternut Squash dish came to life.  It lists a vinaigrette but we went with a touch of soy sauce and some siracha for me.   SO GOOD. SO EASY.  I'm keeping this recipe. 

What made you happy this week? I want to know!

~the single gal~

Monday Obsessions: {Cookbooks}

Ever since I mailed that damn Smitten Kitchen cookbook to Little A and had the chance to thumb through it on my visit I have been dying to have it for myself.  And that is just one among a few others. I tried some homemade bread yesterday -- not sure how I like the recipe or how it turned out.  It tastes really good -- it just didn't puff up like I wanted.  Guess I need more practice.  And Lord do I have to find someone to eat all these experiments besides myself! I could gain 5 pounds alone on that bread and I have a feeling the second loaf is going to turn into bread pudding by the weekend. 

Here are a couple cook books I've been thinking of ordering.  What do you like to use? Any favorites? Something I shouldn't be living without? 

The Lee Brothers have a new one out -- The Lee Brothers Charleston Kitchen.  And really I might need one of their other books, too? 

I know I would probably really like this one as well. 

find here

I am also a big fan of Ina.  Who doesn't like The Barefoot Contessa?  I saw a recommendation from another blog saying that this one of her books was a good one.  I feel like she legit does a lot of entertaining so I would trust her with some easy but elegant recipes.  Maybe not for me to make, but I'd like to grab the book to see if I could. 

Happy Monday everyone! 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Monday Obsessions: Cinnamon Rolls

This weekend I made some cinnamon rolls and I really just can't stop thinking about them. I know making them from scratch seems like a lot of trouble but the recipe I use really is simple.  I got the recipe I use from my friend Caroline -- her lovely mother in law, Carol would make these.  Seriously -- I tried another recipe one time that ended up with cinnamon rolls being thrown into the garbage.  This one works.  Trust.  If there is one thing I'm not messing around with it's food.  

Carol's Cinnamon Rolls

4-5 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 envelopes yeast

1 Tsp salt

1 cup milk

2/3 cup water

3/4 lb butter

2 eggs (at room temp)

 

- place 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt into large bowl

 

- place milk, water and 1/4 cup oleo into pan. Heat until very warm

 

- place milk mixture into flour mixture

-add eggs

 

- add enough flour to make dough elastic

 

- place dough in greased bowl and let raise until doubled

 

- after dough has risen, roll into a square shape

 

- spread butter over dough then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon

 

- roll and cut into 1 1/2" to 2" pieces

 

- place into greased pan

 

- refrigerate 2 to 24 hours

 

- when ready to bake let rolls sit out for 10 minutes and bake at 350 degrees until brown

 

Powdered sugar glaze: powdered sugar, very little milk and pat of oleo. Blend and place on rolls when still warm. Add flavoring.

here is my photo journey...except I forgot to take one of them out of the oven! Sorry! 

Dough after it has had time to rise/double. 

The rolling pin of all Single Gals - can o' beer. 

All rolled out with the good stuff for the middle. 

And now rolled up. 

Ready for the fridge until time for breakfast! 

Seriously try these! The best part is making them the day before and just popping them in the oven the next morning and enjoying them with friends and family! 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

In the Kitchen with The Single Gal {mexican fiesta + cornbread}

It's been a bit of struggle to get my mind around posts that aren't random as hell these past two weeks.  But really, this post is brought to you as someone who has worked 13 of the last 14 days {and by the end of this week I will have worked 18 out of the last 19 days!} and let me tell you -- it has been hard to fit in all my other normal activities, appointments, etc. I hope that I will feel a lot better about all of this once I get my paycheck Friday!

I really wanted a home cooked meal and a night at home after a dinner out Friday night but after my other cooking failures the last two weeks {those obvs didn't make it on the blog} I really needed a new recipe that had like zero chances of coming out badly.  Random -- I get really emotional about cooking.  I put so much into and I get so sad if it doesn't turn out right.  So I googled some enchilada recipe and decided to jazz it up.  The original recipe was from the Kraft website or something on All Recipes.  Since I made some necessary additions, I felt it only appropriate that I changed the name of dish. 

{single gal enchiladas}

1 cup low fat sour cream 

1 cup tomatillo salsa

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp of oil

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1 (4 oz) can of green chiles, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1  1/2 cups mexican style shredded cheese

8 (6 inch) flour tortillas

1 avocado, chopped

{Directions}

1. heat oven to 350 degrees F

2. mix sour cream and salsa until well blended.  

3. cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.  Stir in chicken, 1 cup of sour cream mixture, chiles, black beans, and 1/2 cup of cheese. 

4. spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up.  Place, seam side down in 13x9 inch backing dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with remaining sour cream mixture and cheese.  Cover. 

5.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through. 

6. Top with chopped avocado and serve! 

A few things -- I love cornbread and I thought that I would make it tex-mex and have some with dinner.  But really I just wanted cornbread.  You don't have to make that part.   These were SO easy {mainly because I bought a rotisserie chicken rather than even cooking one} and SO good.   The least y'all could do is humor me and make them.  And also tell me how great you think they are, too.  Oh, and if I weren't so busy I would have taken a picture...but it didn't even enter my mind that night.  

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~