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Mar 16, 2013

St Paddy's Day Pistachio Cake

I can't be the only person who, while trying a new recipe, has 14 tabs open in Google Chrome, tries to substitute everything for anything, yells to ask my husband if he thinks if I leave this out, add that, and then sub an entire different recipe in for an ingredient if it'll work (like he knows what he's talking about!).

Oh, I am?

Well that's what went down Friday night.  I asked what he wanted, and Sean requested pistachio cake for St Paddy's Day.  I knew I had a recipe one of his co-workers gave me 4 years ago at my bridal shower.  (side note: FOUR YEARS?!?! Holy crap.)  Of course I didn't check the recipe before I went food shopping (why would anyone do something like that?).

I knew it had pistachio pudding mix.  I assumed it would have flour and sugar, maybe some milk.  And pistachios, OB-vee.

Yeah.  Notsomuch.  A BOXED CAKE MIX.  Some "recipe"!

So off to google I go to find another pistachio cake recipe.  Sour cream? Nope.  Mix for 90 seconds exactly while jumping up and down, then add eggs at the same time as flour?  Sounds like a mess. Nope.

Well, at least I had the pudding mix.  I can find a yellow cake mix recipe....right?  Dry milk powder?

No dry milk powder.  DAMNNIT.

This is where I start yelling to my cooking-illiterate husband about substitutions.  This cake is happening tonight.  I'm desperate.  I throw some stuff together and hope for the best...

And THE BEST it is.  I am NOT a fan of pistachios, and I wanted to lick the entire bowl before I even put the cake in the oven.  That miiiiiiiiight have something to do with 2 cups of sugar, but we won't talk about that right now.



St Paddy's Day Pistachio Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 package (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup fresca (or club soda)
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/2-1 cup shelled, roasted pistachios

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and pudding mix until combined.  Add eggs, soda, and olive oil, and mix on low until incorporated, then on medium for 1-2 minutes to combine.

Pour into a oiled/floured large bundt pan, or 9x11 dish, and bake for 40-50 min until toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool and transfer to plate.  Serve with optional glaze (below), or ganache, or powdered sugar!

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter, softened
2-3 tbsp milk

Combine glaze ingredients in small bowl, adding milk to reach desired consistency.  Drizzle over cake.  Top with more pistachios, sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc, etc.



Pretty green inside.  (Terrible photo...I kind of killed the cake when I tried to cut it!)

I need to get this cake out of my house!  Any takers?

Mar 12, 2013

Knockoff Chipolte Burrito Bowls (and 13.1)

Ever get in the mood for Chipolte?  Usually this coincides with "I don't want to cook tonight."   Haha.  For once, I was feeling some Mexican, but since it was a Saturday, I had no excuse not to cook.  I may or may not have also mixed up some grapefruit margaritas.  Mmmm.

I threw these burrito "bowls" together based off the Chipolte burrito bowl.  They were AMAZING.  And so simple!  A lot of steps, but VERY easy.  And if you already have leftovers, it's even easier!  I used quinoa instead of rice, and crockpot salsa chicken.  Fry up some pepper onions, heat up the black beans, and BAM!  This will definitely be happening again.




Burrito Bowls (serves 4)

Ingredients:

Cilantro Lime Quinoa:
juice of 1 lime
2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
1 tbsp EVOO
2 tsp cilantro
S&P to taste

Salsa Chicken:
5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 jar salsa  (I used trader joe's roasted garlic)
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can green chiles

Toppings:
1 can black beans
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
EVOO

Optional Add Ons:
Cheese (cheddar, colby jack)
Avocado
sour cream
more salsa!

Start with the chicken.  Add the chicken to the crockpot with salsa, sauce and chiles.  Mix up to coat everything, then cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Shred chicken and return to sauce for 30 minutes to incorporate everything.

Once chicken has been shredded, start on the quinoa.  Bring water to a boil, add quinoa and olive oil, and cook for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed.  Pour quinoa into a bowl and fluff with fork.  Mix in cilantro, lime juice, season with S&P

While quinoa is cooking, add some EVOO to a frying pan over medium high and fry up the peppers and onions.

Drain and rinse black beans, heat in small saucepan.

Once everything is done, it's time to assemble!  (News Team, ASSEMBLEEEEEEEE!)

Quinoa, salsa chicken, black beans, peppers and onions.  Add a dollop of sour cream, some shredded cheese, top with sliced avocado.  YUM!



So...last week was Workout 13.1 for the Crossfit Open.  It's 5 weeks of WODs, they announce it every Wednesday.  We didn't officially sign up for the open since we don't belong to a box...figured we'd save our money...but we are still going to be doing the WODs!  Last week was killer.  Burpees and Snatches.


Considering my 1RM before attempting this was 85# for Snatch, I was somewhat intimidated by the Female RX.  Buuuuuuuuuut I did it!  We finished the 30 burpees with 7 minutes to go, so I had 7 minutes to attempt 30 snatches at 75#.  And I got 21!  I feel like if I did it again I could have gotten more...but not really all that motivated to do it again.  ;)  I also broke our futon on the 21st rep.  Whoops.



I'm pretty impressed with our attempts.  Sean had never snatched 135# and said it was going up pretty easy at the end.  It's a scary weight, but 90% of it is a freaking head game.  Once you get past the mental block that "HOLY SHIT I'M THROWING "X" POUNDS OVER MY HEAD" and just do it, it's surprisingly easy.  Amazing.  Too bad I learned that AFTER the WOD. ;)  At least now I'm prepared for 13.2!

Somebody needs a haircut.

Mar 7, 2013

Things I will Never Understand

Warning:  This is a judgmental post.  If you don't like it, don't read it.  

I know you're all dying to find out what I can't stand/don't get.  Here you go! 

Fro-yo.  It's not that good.  I'll take the real shit over fake "fat-free" "yogurt" that tastes like plastic and is only exciting because you get to cover it in your own toppings aaaaaaany day.

Taking pictures of yourself after a sweaty workout.  Seriously? Ew. Why do people do this?  Just tell me you worked out, I'll believe you. 

Traffic for no fucking reason.  Enough said.  I at least want to see a body on the side of the road or a car flipped upside down if I have to sit more then an hour to get home.  #justkidding #kindof #beentheredonethat

Why people have to explain the same thing 14 times.  I'm not an idiot. I promise.  I probably got it the first time.  Definitely the second.  Now you just like to hear yourself talk.  ::cough::realtor::cough::

Politics.  Our country is falling apart and all anyone can worry about is campaigning/guncontrol/theirnextvacation.  Good priorities. #Highfive.  Budget? What's that? We need one of those?

People that document their entire lives on facebook.  Don't be that guy.  Live yo life!

Ermagerhd?  Why is this cool?  Can OMG come back at least? This is just dumb.  You sound like a 2 year old learning how to talk.

American Idol/The Voice/competition shows.  I get it.  One was enough. We don't need 15.

Nutella.  Never had it.  Don't get the appeal.  Why not just eat nuts and chocolate without all the extra crap?  (Ingredients: sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), lecithin as emulsifier (soy), vanillin: an artificial flavor.)  NOTHANKYOU

Seinfeld.  It's not funny.  Like, at all.

iPhone. Yeah.  I'm an android girl.  I don't get the hype.  The headphone jack is at the bottom? Holy shit that's so new and exciting! Ineedtobuyitrightnow!1!!!!1!!!

Nail Polish.  People are OBSESSED with this shit.  Have you checked Pinterest lately?  I can't even paint my own nails without getting it everywhere.  These people are like professionals.

Soy.  Just, yuck.  This isn't good for you people.  Look it up.  Don't eat it.

Lululemon.  Why you so expensive?  $98 for YOGA PANTS?  I totally own some, but I still don't like the price tag.

People wishing their small children "Happy Birthday" on Facebook.   They can't read.  They don't have a FB.  There is no reason for this.

Taxes.  Apparently being married with no house or children means we get to pay Uncle Sam out the ass.  Fuck taxes.

Grown-ass women that are obsessed with Disney.   Just, no.

People that drink soda... before 9AMHaven't we learned soda is terrible for you?  And for breakfast? Ew.

What are some things/trends you just don't get?