Baby its cold outside

I hate the cold. I guess hate is really strong but being from the desert I do not know how to survive in the cold. The only plus is I love soup. And soup is great for the frigid blizzard weather out here in the midwest. I have made quite a few soups in my day but boy this one takes the cake. It is just pure comfort and you feel good eating it. 

Sweet Potato and Meatball soup

Makes a bunch ( me and the baby ate off it for a week and had enough to freeze)

10 oz baby spinach roughly chopped

32 oz chicken broth

1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 sweet potatoes, diced and peeled

1/2 cup of mini shell noodles

1 lb ground beef

spices (oregano, parsely, garlic, onion and basil)

1 tbls oat bran

Mix your beef, spices and oat bran together and roll into small meatballs. Place in a 400 degree oven for 20 min. Next throw everything else into a big pot and bring to a boil. Add your meat balls, reduce and cover for one hour until the potatoes are nice and tender. 

Thats it. Seriously. Easy peasy and way yum. I would say it was pretty healthy too.

Baby approved :)

Lets be honest

I am a terrible blogger. I really am. I go weeks without posting. But thats not to say I dont love it because I do. I truly love the idea of having a journal of my life and the growth of my daughter documented as well as all my cooking endeavors. Im just busy. Im a mom, a student, a girlfriend and a daughter of Jesus. All of those require my time and my effort. They are rewarding in their own right but it is a day to day journey to be all those things. Lindsey is at the stage where she is incredibly mobile and such a joy to play with that I hate wasting any time I have with her. She is learning so much every day and amazes me constantly. I love her more and more every day I have with her. I made the deans list this semester. That in itself soaks up the majority of my free time. But to say I am proud of myself would be the biggest understatement of the year. I am more than proud because it has been challenging but will be incredibly worth it when I am finished. My relationship with my Creator is one that I thirst for more of. I sit down for my bible study in the morning and I take in as much as I can. I crave for more of Him and His presence in my life because since I have fully given my life to Him, words cannot express the feelings of joy and peace that surround me.

So Im not the best blogger. But that is one of my goals for the new year. To squeeze it into my hectic life and enjoy it. Because what is life if its not enjoyed? And with that I give you...

Oh Rachel Ray you are a woman after my own heart with this recipe. I kid you not if sexy were a dish this would be it. The feta and cherry tomatoes compliment each other beautifully with the combination of salty and sweet. Then you add the sweet shrimp cooked in hot chili that is balanced with velvety butter and the acid of lemon just pops at your taste buds in all the right ways. The picture does less than justice on how beautiful and satisfying this meal was. 

GARLIC CHILI SHRIMP AND GREEK SPAGHETTI

adapted from Rachel Ray

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided

6 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped, divided

2 tablespoons chili flake, divided

1 pound jumbo sweet shrimp, deveined

Sea salt and pepper and/or Rachael’s seafood seasoning

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 cup feta cheese crumbles

1 pound bowtie pasta

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

Juice of 1 lemon

Place 1/4 cup EVOO in a shallow dish with half the garlic and the chili pepper. Add the shrimp and season with seafood seasoning; add salt and pepper if not included in the blend. Marinate and chill for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water.

Heat a skillet with a tight-fitting lid with the remaining 1/4 cup EVOO over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and chili; stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and oregano; cover the pan and raise the heat a bit. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes burst, 10-12 minutes. Mash up the tomatoes a bit and add the feta; stir to combine and reduce the heat to low. Season with black pepper, to taste.

Cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water just before draining.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and firm and brown at the edges. Douse the pan with vermouth; add the butter and melt. Add the lemon juice and turn off the heat.

Toss the pasta with the starchy cooking water and sauce for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a platter, Top with the shrimp and the remaining sauce.