Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend so far!  Memorial Day weekend is basically the kick-off to summer, right?  Pools are opening.  School is out or nearing the end of the year.  Gardens are planted and allergies are in full gear.

I had bridal showers the past two weekends and I am seriously feeling so loved!  Before we had registered I made sure to research many of the products I knew we'd be registering for to make sure they were high quality and would last a long time.  Some of the kitchen items we chose are:

• Fiesta dinnerware for place settings and serving pieces
• Cuisinart Multiclad Pro line for pots and pans
• Kitchenaid stand mixer
• Anolon bakeware
• OXO kitchen utensils and gadgets

Lately I have tried a couple of new recipes that turned out great!  For Mother's Day I made raspberry streusel bars from Sally's Baking Addiction.  We also made Naked Persian Turkey Burgers from The Skinnytaste Cookbook and were even able to freeze some to enjoy later.

I've been enjoying the extra time off to get some reading done.  I had been in a bit of a reading rut for a while there, but a well-time trip to the library a couple weeks ago scored me some really popular books right now. I'm planning on doing a lot of reading this summer to prep my mind for law school mode in the fall.

I read The Girl on the Train in just a few days.  Any Gone Girl lovers will enjoy this one.  It is completely engrossing once you get about a quarter of the way in.  While I enjoyed the read, I honestly don't have much desire to read another psychological thriller anytime soon.

I'm also leisurely reading Hyperbole and a Half.  I'm not really sure exactly how to describe it except that it's sort of like an autobiographical graphic novel that also has full blocks of text in it.  It's a quick read and I often find myself laughing out loud while reading.

Right now I'm also reading All the Light We Cannot See.  It's a World War II story from the viewpoints of a French girl and German boy.  It's very well written and I'm enjoying figuring out how the two story lines are overlapping.  It's due back at the library in a couple of days so I better get reading!

Have you read any good books lately?

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

Around this time each year once the weather warms up I feel like there's always so much going on all of sudden.  This year especially, with our wedding coming up as well as a couple of weddings of friends, there's a lot going on pretty much every weekend and many week nights it seems!

A couple weeks ago we went to the annual band concert for the UW Marching Band.  There's always lots of good music, pyrotechnics and a flying music director.  This year's theme was "There's No Place Like Home" so we enjoyed songs from both Wizard of Oz and Wicked, along with lots of Badger classics that you'll hear at all the sporting events.

On Saturday night we went and watched the Madison Radicals, a semi-pro ultimate frisbee team, play with a couple of friends.  It was a nice change of pace for a fun activity to do, and it's a fairly easy game to understand what's going on even if you don't know the rules (like myself.)  After the game we went to the Essen Haus, an authentic German restaurant, nearby to enjoy a boot of beer.

With just two months to go we are really in the home stretch of wedding planning.  Invitations have been sent and the RSVPs are trickling in.  We have most of the logistics figured out and are starting to wrap up loose ends.  There's an exciting couple of months of pre-wedding events and weddings coming up!

Multiple times a day I usually find myself scrolling through my Instagram feed.  I follow a mix of family, friends, bloggers, brands and a few celebs.  Here's a few of my favorite accounts that I think anyone would enjoy following:

• April, Brittany and my accounts of course ;)
• The Knot and Loverly for my daily dose of wedding inspiration
• Bevcooks for a mixture of pretty food and cute babies with hilarious captions
• Iambaker for the prettiest homemade cakes
• Shanty2chic for the aspiring DIYer in me
• Harlowandsage to help cool (or spark?) my puppy fever
• Realnutritioncg for beautiful travel photos and equally beautiful food shots
• OXO to learn some clever cooking, cleaning and organizing tips

Plus many, many more!  Who are some of your favorite instagram follows?

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

Ahoy it's Sunday!

Spring has officially sprung!  We had a couple good days of rain and the grass is getting greener, the tulips have started sprouting and I even spotted some little flowers already in bloom when I was walking to my car after work the other day!

I think we officially rang in the start of warm weather this weekend by making our first visit of the year to the Memorial Union Terrace.  As was expected it was crazy busy and we had to wait almost an hour for beer but it was worth it to enjoy some good beer and ice cream with good friends.

The Farmer's Market starts next weekend and I can't wait!  I don't make it to the big Saturday market very often but there's a smaller one during the day on Wednesdays that's just a couple blocks away from my work so I will likely be making a weekly visit there.  There won't be much produce for a while still but I'm already thinking about the farmer's market stir fry with peanut sauce or broccoli salad for when there is.  I actually couldn't wait for the broccoli salad so I whipped up a batch last week for lunches, yum!  We've already grilled out a couple times this year but I'm really looking for grilling season to ramp up some more.  I'm planning on trying out Brittany's lemon chicken kabobs for a healthy, tasty dinner sometime soon.

What are you looking forward to making this farmer's market and grilling season?

As a former waitress and hostess, I'm always drawn to articles about working in the food service industry.  Here's 15 reasons why everyone should work in a restaurant at least once in their lives.  I couldn't agree more!

Have a great week!

Strawberry and Mixed Greens Salad

A couple of months ago I shared by go-to lunch salad, a sweet potato and mixed greens salad.  Honestly, after eating it almost daily for a month straight, my love for that salad faded (don't worry, I'm sure I will become obsessed again in the future because it's too tasty not too!)

Recently I decided to revamp it a bit to make it a little less wintery, and a little more springy.  While it's nowhere near strawberry season in Wisconsin, it must be it other places because they're all over at the grocery store in a rich red color and at such great prices!  Fresh, sweet strawberries replace the cinnamon honey roasted sweet potatoes while a salty, light feta steps in for the tangy goat cheese crumbles.  This salad is also topped with a sprinkling of craisins and a small handful of pecans.  If you're looking for a little more protein to round out this salad, go ahead and throw on some grilled chicken or some quinoa.  Feel free to customize with whatever you have on hand!

As you can see, after I photographed this beauty I threw it in a tupperware to take for my work lunch.  I suggest keeping the dressing separate if you're doing this as the balsamic vinaigrette can really eat away at the lettuce and by lunchtime it'll be really soggy.  If you don't have little dressing containers like I do, I'm intrigued with the mason jar salads as well.  If you're going to do that, I would suggest putting the dressing in first, then top with the pecans, craisins and feta, then throw in the strawberries and put the lettuce on top.  If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups spring mix lettuce (or other choice of greens)
• 1/4 cup strawberries, quartered
• 2 tablespoons craisins
• 2 tablespoons feta, crumbled
• 1/8 cup pecans (or other choice of nut)
• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Spread spring mix lettuce over large plate or bowl.
2. Top with strawberries, craisins, feta and pecans.
3. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.
4. Toss and enjoy!

If you like this salad, you may also like:

• Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets, Pomegranate Dressing and Goat Cheese
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Warm Tomato, Arugula and Bacon Panzanella Salad

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

Happy Sunday Everyone!

I hope you've had a fun, basketball filled weekend so far and that you're favorite team is winning unless they're playing our Badgers of course ;)  We've had some pretty great spring weather for the most part the past couple of weeks and Ruger has been getting spoiled with extra walks and time outside soaking in some rays.

Us Badger Kitchen ladies and a couple of friends started off the weekend by enjoying cocktails at the Old Sugar Distillery.  It's always good to be able to catch up and unwind at the end of the week, even better when you're sipping on some local spirits.  I was tempted to buy a bottle to take home but couldn't quite pull the trigger.

I've been trying out some new recipes lately.  This spring quinoa salad with honey lemon vinaigrette was a winner.  I'd like to give this garlic parmesan chicken lasagna bake another try and maybe throw in some broccoli and make a smaller batch this time because sometimes there is just too much leftovers for the number of days in a week you're willing to eat the same meal.  If you can't tell, I'm currently spending some quality time on Pinch of Yum while meal planning for the week.

We also made this simple deep dish pizza twice(!) in the past couple weeks.  You may recall that I've mentioned that I was gifted a pair of cast iron skillets for Christmas but I've honestly been a little intimidated to use them since they need to be cared for in a special way.  Deep dish pizza was a dish I knew I wanted to try making so I gave it a shot and it turned out great, the skillet isn't ruined and now I'm ready to broaden my cast iron skillet horizons!  Give me some suggestions!

We have been getting a ton of stuff checked off the wedding to-do list lately.  My dress came in (insert heart eyed emoji) so my mom and I went and picked that up.  Hello extra workout motivation!  We also ordered and received our wedding invitations from Vistaprint and we're getting all the details worked out for the rehearsal dinner at Tutto Pasta.  Funny enough, it's actually the same restaurant where I went to dinner before prom.  One of the extra fun things we got to do, well at least I thought it was fun, was pick out our wedding bands!  We are getting them from BR Diamond Suite where we were actually able to custom design them.  I wanted something a little more unique that I wasn't able to find at other jewelry stores.  Hopefully now that we've accomplished so much some of these crazy wedding dreams will stop!

Have a great week friends!

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

Welcome to March!  Is it just me or has this winter kind of flown by?  I might be kicking myself for saying that when we hit April and there's still snow on the ground.  I'm guessing it's a combination of having a relatively mild December/January for Wisconsin and all of the excitement of wedding planning because it sure doesn't feel like it was that long ago that we got engaged.  A very busy spring and summer will be here before we even know it!

Honestly though, I think I might miss soup season when it warms up.  I have been a lot more into making soups this year than in the past.  Canned soups can be mighty tasty, but there's just something special about homemade soup that you can't get from a can.  Recently I made this minestrone soup and it was mighty tasty.

The past couple of years for lent I've given up candy/desserts.  I choose it because it is actually challenging unlike when I was little and I would give up ice cream even though we never bought ice cream in the winter.  It also helps me make those healthier choices.  This year I did give myself one exception as my sweet friend Emily made me a countdown for my desk at work that requires the eating of one Hershey kiss per day.  I'll oblige if I must ;)

A Wisconsin tradition during lent, well let's be real it's basically a year-round tradition, is Friday night fish fry.  Nate and I decided to turn it into a little bit of a date night this week.  We were hoping to go to Quivey's Grove, a nearby restaurant that is well known for their fish fry, but an hour and a half wait we went elsewhere.  We ended up at the Tap Room at Hawks Landing where we washed down our fish with brandy old fashioneds, another Wisconsin tradition.  We rounded out date night with a game of mini golf on the indoor course at Vitense Golfland where match ended in a tie.

One thing I've been thinking about lately is how in the next few months my kitchen is going to change drastically.  Not only the actual physical kitchen since we'll be moving at some point this summer when I start law school, but also the tools I have in it.  Much of our wedding registry includes new kitchen tools or higher quality upgrades from what we have now.  Inspired by this article on essential tools for your first kitchen, I thought it would be fun to do a little comparison of what my top kitchen tools (meaning most used) are now compared to next fall/winter.

• Chef's Knife: I have a really bad knife set that came in a kitchen starter kit I bought a few years ago (think, serrated knife can't even cut into a baguette bad) but then on top of that we have a mediocre chef's knife that while not great, can get the job done.  This gets used daily.
• Cutting board(s): To go along with the chef's knife, we have a few different sized cutting boards that get used daily (at least).  My favorite is a giant one that can hold a ton of diced veggies but can barely fit in the sink to get cleaned.
• Large non-stick skillet: Eggs, stir fry, grilling a sandwich, making a one-skillet meal, this bad boy can do it all.  I use mine close to daily and I honestly think that as I become more comfortable with my cast iron skillets this might be replaced, but for now, here she is.
• Baking sheet: I may not use a baking sheet daily like some of these other things, but it does get used frequently and for a variety of reasons.  Besides just for baking, it also gets used for roasting, a tray for foil packets or even just to be there in case something overflows.
• Spatula: Stirring, flipping, cutting, serving; it's practically a do it all tool!

What would be on your list?

Sweet Potato and Mixed Greens Salad

Lately I've been trying to work more and more on developing my own recipes and just sort of winging it when I'm in the kitchen.  I'm becoming more confident in my ability to cook intuitively as I become more comfortable with different spices and ingredients.

I've found that it's best to have some inspiration when getting going and one of the best types of inspiration I've found is thinking about meals that I've really enjoyed from a restaurant or other food establishment and trying to copy it, maybe not to a tee, but at least as a base.  As I have mentioned before on the blog, the Good Food cart is one of my favorite places to grab lunch when I'm at work and you better believe that it inspired this Sweet Potato and Mixed Greens Salad.

A bed of mixed greens are topped with cinnamon honey roasted sweet potatoes, craisins, pecans and crumbles of tangy goat cheese.  The finishing touches come from a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.  I can be lazy at times so I usually just toss some pecans on the salad right out of the bag, but feel free to toast them or even go a little crazy and use candied pecans.  If you'd like a little more protein go ahead and throw on some chicken breast.  One of the great things about salads is they can be so easily customizable depending on your tastes by swapping out ingredients or switching up the proportions.

The recipe below is for one personal size salad that serves as the main dish for the meal.  I've increased the quantities at times as well to serve multiple people, just use your best judgement.  Be careful though, because the toppings tend to sink to the bottom of the serving dish!

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups loosely packed greens, depending on what lettuce to toppings ratio you prefer (I like to use a spring mix for the greens)
• 1/4 cup cinnamon honey roasted sweet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons craisins
• 2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/8 cup pecans
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Spread greens over large plate or bowl.
2. Top with sweet potatoes, craisins, goat cheese and pecans.  Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
3. Toss as desired and enjoy!

Cinnamon Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Are sweet potatoes one of those trendy foods, like kale or quinoa?  Not that I have anything against trendy foods because it seems like usually they are things that are really good for you.  So maybe it's not so much that it's a trend but more of an awakening or coming out of sorts.  It's your time to shine vegetable that honestly is kind of mediocre but all of a sudden everyone is figuring out super delicious ways to prepare you!

Maybe sweet potatoes are trendy, maybe they aren't but I sure have seen them around a lot lately.  Part of that might be that I didn't used to care for their taste.  I don't know what it was about them, but they just didn't tickle my fancy.  All of a sudden though I love those buggars and can't get enough!

I remember learning about sweet potatoes in a class I took in college on world hunger.  Sweet potatoes are a type of yam.  There's a very similar yam that's grown in some African countries that is white or more similar looking to a baking potato.  Due to the difference in color, the African yams are seriously lacking in nutritional value that our sweet potatoes have due to the carotin that makes them orange.  Due to cultural reasons they are hesitant to switch to the orange ones.  A researcher at my university was working with some rural African villages to begin harvesting a yam that looked like what they were used to but had been developed to contain similar nutritional value to a sweet potato.  Pretty nifty!

These cinnamon honey roasted sweet potatoes are currently my favorite way to prepare the root vegetable.  The peeled potatoes are cubed and spread out on a baking sheet where all the action is going to happen, no need to dirty a bowl.  Extra virgin olive oil and honey are drizzled over the orange cubes and then sprinkled with cinnamon.  This creates a sweet and spicy potato after the roasting happens.  To be honest, I don't usually actually measure out the ingredients, so feel free to just wing it.

Cinnamon honey roasted sweet potatoes have great flavor and can be eaten as a side dish to any meal.  My favorite way to enjoy them is as a salad topping (salad recipe coming on Friday!)  I usually prepare a batch on Sunday and have enough then to last for salads the whole week.  Get creative though, the possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!
Kelsey

Ingredients:

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Peel sweet potatoes and cute them into half inch cubes.  Spread out in a single layer on baking sheet.
3. Drizzle potatoes with extra virgin olive oil and honey.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  
4. Cook for 30 minutes or until soft, stirring half way through.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

I've recently entered into the world of homemade salad dressings and I think it's safe to say that I'm never going back.  No longer will get stuck standing in the condiment aisle, staring at rows upon rows of salad dressing, never seeming to be able to find the kind I'm looking for.

Grocery shopping is actually an errand that I usually really enjoy doing.  I love cooking and food so I love being in a huge building with it picking out all the supplies I need.  Thanks to the positive influence of my fiance, our weekly grocery trip almost always includes a well planned list which leads to an efficient and enjoyable experience with no need to venture down the ice cream aisle just in case I suddenly realize that I will not be able to make it through the week without a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

One thing that still cannot be avoided is when you are awkwardly standing in the aisle trying to find something that is right in front of you and seem to be constantly in someone else's way.  Salad dressings might be my worst culprit for this.  Canned tomatoes are right up there too!

I've always found that the balsamic vinaigrette from a bottle never can live up to its companions at restaurants, or my favorite food cart, Good Food.  I assume the difference is the fresh, house-made quality.  And there's so many variations that can go along with such a simple dressing.  A one-size-fits-all recipe is sure not to please all!  For me it's always too salty and missing a bit of sweetness.

This recipe is just the way I like it and is very simple, using only five ingredients that you might already have sitting in your pantry.  The perfect ratio of balsamic vinegar to extra virgin olive oil.  A touch of honey to help balance out the acidity of the vinegar.  Salt and pepper add the finishing touches.

I make mine in my OXO salad dressing shaker and leave it sitting on the counter by the olive oil since I use it almost every day.  It doesn't need to be refrigerated and may actually harden if you do.  I use a little 2 ounce dressing container for my work lunch salads so the lettuce stays as fresh as possible until I'm ready to chow down.

Enjoy!
Kelsey

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons honey (depending on how sweet you want it)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small container combine balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt and pepper.
2. Whisk, stir or shake ingredients together until combined.  Redo as necessary as ingredients may separate.

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

Hello Friends!

Like Brittany's been mentioning, I've got a wedding of my own that I'm hoping to look my best for as well.  Near the start of the year I bought an activity tracker, the Up 24 by Jawbone, and have been really enjoying using it to help me make healthier, smarter decision in my day-to-day life.  It may just be a glorified pedometer, but I will say, I'm walking more than I did before I had it because I'm aware of how few steps I actually take when I'm sitting at my desk at work all day.  I have it set so that it will vibrate after I'm idle for 30 minutes and boy that can sneak up on you pretty quickly!

I've been trying to be creative in finding ways to cut calories and sneak extra nutrition into my meals.    Starting with a more filling and sustaining breakfast, to cut down on mid-morning snacks.  Eggs and a high fiber english muffin have replaced a bowl of cereal that left me ready for lunch by 10 am.  Sometimes I even sneak some spinach and tomato in there too!  Work lunches more times than not include a salad versus a sandwich.  Stay tuned for a recipe for my current salad obsession in the coming weeks!  Sandwiches are now eaten open-faced, cutting down on calories and carbs, and I've found a berry yogurt parfait to do a surprisingly good job at satisfy a sweet tooth.  Let me know of any other tricks to suggest!

That doesn't mean I don't get to cheat every now and again.  We enjoyed pizza and chocolate peanut butter brownies from Jessica Merchant's cookbook Seriously Delish.  Those bad boys were dangerously good.  The recipe called for coconut oil which was my first time using it.  I'm looking forward to exploring other uses for the ingredient.

We've been making good progress with the wedding planning lately.  I'm gathering bits and pieces of our decorations from thrift stores.  I was lucky enough to find some Kerr Jars, a decoration I was planning on buying anyways since Kerr is my fiance's last name.  This weekend we checked a couple more things off the to-do list and picked out suits for the dudes to wear and went to look at wedding bands.  Time sure is flying by!

Well, I'm off to get my taxes and FAFSA done.  Hope you had a relaxing and productive weekend!

Kelsey

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

A couple of weeks ago I rang in the new year with friends down in Houston, Texas.  Some highlights of the trip included a trip to the Houston Zoo, which was the biggest zoo I think I've ever been to, and the Johnson Space Center.  Also we went ice skating! Outside!  In Texas!  The weather actually wasn't the greatest when I was there (think 30s and raining) but at least it was better than back home in Wisconsin.

I didn't go all the way to Texas to not try out some southern cooking.  Cajun cooking was consumed.  We discovered a hidden treasure in Ray's BBQ Shack for some mighty fine Texas barbecue.  I also experienced kolaches, which is a pastry, not quite biscuit but not quite croissant, filled with fruit jams, cheeses, bacon or sausage.  From my understanding there are many different flavor varieties of which I only tasted two.  I think Texas is depriving the rest of the country from these gourmet breakfast hot pocket type treats.  Maybe we should start a campaign to spread the love.  #ShareTheKolaches anyone?

With a new year comes a new reading challenge (feel free to add me on Goodreads if you use it)!  Like last year I set a goal of reading 26 books which I didn't even come close to but I'm giving it another shot for 2015.  First up I read Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham, a Texas football story that follows a love triangle from childhood to adulthood.  I gave it 4/5 stars because I became really engrossed in the story and enjoyed watching the characters develop but ultimately didn't like how the book ended.

On top of reading, I've been busy knitting as well.  I recently had the first sale in my Etsy shop!

Did you guys see this story about a flower girl and ring bearer who ended up marrying each other 20 years later?  What a fun story to be able to share!

Wasting food is something I continually seem to have a problem with.  Not only do I feel bad about it because there's so many people in the world that could use it, but it's like throwing money in the trash.  Wasting less is something I'm going to work on this year thanks to the help of this synopsis on how to store your food better.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday and Go Pack Go!

Tomato Salmon Foil Packets for Two

The only fish I ate growing up came in a can and can also be referred to as chicken of the sea.  Unless you're Jessica Simpson then you know I'm talking about tuna.  My mom did pretty much all of the cooking and since she doesn't like fish, we never ate fish.

When I was in high school I worked as a waitress for a couple of years at a restaurant with a Friday night fish fry.  If you're from Wisconsin, you know what I'm talking about.  If you're not, then you're missing out.  Trying bites of my coworkers fried cod was the start of a very gradual transformation to my taste buds pleasure.

The big bang came when I studied abroad in Spain for a summer and lived with a host family.  When you live with a host family you eat what they eat, and the Spaniards sure do love their fish.  Much to my pleasure (and relief) I found that I enjoyed eating fish, even when it wasn't battered and fried in beer.

I became a fish eating machine, eating the fish whose names I never understood that were put on my plate.  I chowed down on pan fried fish.  Fish off the bone.  A fish that was good for stomach aches.  Sardines (I'm 90% sure that's what those little guys were at least).  And even fish that still had eyes!  While I still haven't adventured full on into the world of seafood, I'm definitely on my way.

Thanks to the masterful cooking and kind urging of Badger Kitchen's good friend Emily, I have discovered a new found love of salmon!  This salmon recipe is perfect for a fish cooking newbie like myself.

The fish stays super moist and juicy since each fillet is cooked enclosed in it's own foil packet.  Once you cut into the salmon it practically falls apart.  The olive oil and spices add flavor to the salmon and are complimented nicely by the tomato and oniony shallot.  I enjoy serving it with a side of vegetables and a chunk of bread to soak up the juices for a healthy, balanced and filling meal.

Hope you enjoy!
Kelsey

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients:

• 2 (5oz.) salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
• Freshly ground salt and pepper
• 7 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• aluminum foil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, shallot, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Massage 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper onto salmon fillets.  Place fillets oil side down on individual foil pieces.
4. Spoon tomato mixture onto salmon fillets until they are fully covered.  
5. Fold the sides of the foil so the fillets are fully covered and fold it so that it's sealed.
6. Place foil packets on a baking sheet.  Cook for 25 minutes or until fish is just cooked through.
7. Transfer from foil packets to plates and enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you may also like:

• Farro Salad with Smoked Trout
• Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Skillet Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

Kelsey's Sunday Brunch

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and was able to enjoy some time off of work with family and those they love.  Hopefully there was lots of scrumptious food involved too!  Nate and I go to three different family get-togethers and our various contributions this year included buffalo chicken dip, strawberry spinach salad and mint brownies.  Simple recipes that were mostly make ahead are key so you can optimize time with good company!

Santa was good to me this year and seemed to know exactly what was on my list.  He stocked me up with some new yoga gear, a couple of cookbooks and some new kitchen tools!  I'm really excited to start using my new pair of Lodge cast iron skillets especially because I know Brittany and April both use theirs a lot and love them.  I also found some Penzeys Spices in my stocking that will be fun to do some experimenting with.

Up until a few months ago I had never eaten falafel.  It now might be beating out hummus for my favorite way to eat chickpeas.  Some of my favorite places I've tried it so far in Madison include the Mediterranean Cafe, The Great Dane and Banzo.  I can see the Banzo food cart out the window of my office which is both parts amazing and dangerous if you know what I'm sayin'.

I'm loving this trick for making a DIY cake platter out of cardboard.  There's been many times in the past couple of years when this would've come in very handy.

Just a little friendly reminder (or teaching moment) on how to open wine like a pro!  An important life skill if I do say so myself.

2015 is going to be a big year with lots of changes for me and I'm excited to see what it brings.  I'm looking forward to another short work week and I'll be ringing in the new year with a quick trip down to Houston.  What are you looking forward to in 2015?!

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I'll admit, there have been weak points in my life where all I've really wanted to do is indulge in a little bit of cookie dough.  The solution tends to be that I will whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, but since the cookies aren't the actual goal, for simplicity's sake the dough just get pressed into a 9x13 pan and voila, cookie bars.

The problem then becomes that you have a large pan of cookie bars sitting around the house that you will be constantly tempted to devour.  When there's only a couple of people in the house, it becomes a real test of your self-control.

To help solve this problem I came up with the very ingenious solution to simply make a smaller batch!  I can still get my cookie dough fix but with much less temptation after the fact.  The cookie bars are now made in a smaller 9x9 pan instead.

The bars don't lose any of their chocolatey cookie goodness with the smaller serving.  My only complaint is that as a middle piece lover, those perfectly soft pieces on all four edges become a hot commodity.  Any other middle piece lovers out there?  Or are you like my mom and sister who fight over the corners?  Not to worry, all pieces middle and edge alike can do the trick, especially when enjoyed with a tall glass of milk.

Enjoy!
Kelsey

Recipe adapted from Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup dry oats

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper and non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.  Beat in egg.
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and oatmeal.
6. Press cookie dough into prepared pan.
7. Cook for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.