World's Best Homemade Granola

This stuff is truly addictive! We make a giant batch every time we go on a road trip and we always intend to have it "on hand" at home, though it never lasts more than a couple of days. We love to add it to yogurt like above, mixed with chocolate pudding or ice cream for dessert, or just by the handful.

Recipe was adapted from Alton Brown's recipe here: Granola
We omit the salt and raisins, and usually add a bit more coconut and cashews, since those are our fave.

Also, be sure to use REAL maple syrup! It's a bit more expensive than Aunt Jamima or other similar brands but the taste is incredible and absolutely worth it. In fact, I recommend switching to the real stuff completely-- it's incredibly flavorful so a little bit goes a long way!

Do you have a favorite recipe? Share with us in the comments below!

Easy Homemade Coffee Pot Spiced Apple Cider

This Halloween, Kyle and I decided to spend the evening doing something a little more low-key. We passed some candy out to the neighborhood kids for about an hour or so then changed out of our thrown-together last minute costumes--me a bumble bee and Kyle a nerd. We put on our comfy clothes and hoodies, made a fire in the backyard firedpit, and enjoyed some hot homemade spiced apple cider!

Last year for our fall holiday party we brewed some in our crockpot all day and it was pretty darn good. However, if you don't have a lot of time, don't want to deal with a bunch of crockpot dishes, or just want something quick, you should try this super simple recipe that goes right in the coffee maker!

Put a filter in the coffee maker as if you were brewing plain ol' coffee. Toss in the following items (you should note that I just eyeball most of the ingredients):

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 orange minus the peel, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon of whole cloves (1 tablespoon is about 1 palm-full in Megan measurement)
• 1 tablespoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 tablespoon of allspice
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar

Yes, I'm know this looks kind of gross but be aware that this photo was taken AFTER the brew process so it shows all of the ingredients all mulled together. Also, you can't tell by the photo but it smells AMAZING!

Add store-bought apple cider to reservoir where you would normally add water when making coffee. In our case, we filled it to about the 8 cup mark. Close the top, press the "Brew" button, and you're all set!

Mmmmmm yummy! Enjoy your cider and have fun experimenting with different ingredients. Have you tried this process? Do you use different ingredients or flavors? Comment below and let me know-- I'd love to hear about it!

Making Breakfast Fun

Two days a week, I have the pleasure of babysitting two bright, well-behaved, ADORABLE kids named Jack and Kate. Today is a gloomy, gray, rainy day so we decided to jazz breakfast up a bit with "J" and "K" chocolate chip pancakes. How fun are these!?

Mmmm Breakfast!

My breakfast this morning was so yummy I thought I'd share! :

A toasted whole wheat english muffin topped with a layer of laughing cow cheese, spinach, and roma tomatoes, accompanied by an egg-white scramble with zucchini and squash, topped with oregano, sea salt, pepper, and salsa verde.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :)

Taste the Rainbow!

For Briana's birthday party/my parents' 30th anniversary dinner (or as Briana named it, "The Birthiversary"), I decided to make something a bit more colorful. Although the cake ended up being more like a tower, with its small diameter and super tall layers, it was delicious!

All I did to make it was prepare two boxes of white cake mix, then I divided it equally into 6 bowls (about 1 1/3 cup each). I dyed each bowl a different color with food coloring, then simply baked and stacked. I used whipped cream cheese icing (it took a lot!) and topped it with some Starburst jellybeans.

MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

A Kitchen That's More "Me"

Well my new kitchen is finally done and I LOVE it! My mom has an amazing superpower: the ability to energize and motivate anyone just by being in the room. So, she came over and grabbed a brush and the two of us worked until super late last night finishing up the painting. My dad/landlord already made it known that he does not like the bright color but I promised him that if I decide to move out in the future, I'd change everything back before I left.

This morning I went to IKEA and splurged on a new kitchen island. I had a table and four chairs in the middle of my kitchen before but it really just got in my way. I cook a lot and rarely ever eat in the kitchen so I figured it would be a good investment. I love it already! There are two shelves underneath where I keep my pots and pans and on the other side there are two bar stools for guests. My aunt has already joked that I can be like Benihana or Japanese Steakhouse and cook and flip food at the counter while they watch me, haha.


I made my favorite salad to celebrate my new cooking space....
Ingredients:

1. Spinach
2. Boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
   
3. Roma tomatoes
4. Fresh, soft mozzarella cheese
5. Avocado
6. Grilled onions
7. Garlic
8. Salt & Pepper
9. Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

I saute the garlic and onions in olive oil while I cook the chicken tenders on my George Foreman grill (greatest invention EVER!). While those are cooking I chop up my avocado, roma tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. When everything's done, I throw it all in a bowl and toss with a small amount of balsamic vinaigrette (you only need a little- it goes a long way!) I finish it with a dash of salt and pepper. It's my absolute FAVORITE salad ever!


*Tip: If you don't use the entire avocado (I only use half), as long as you leave the core in the other half and cover it with cling wrap, it keeps pretty well.

I Heart Cincinnati

This Week's Spot: Dewey's Pizza
3014 Madison Rd. (Oakley)
More locations throughout the city

Cuisine: Gourmet Pizza, Salads, Wine

If you're adventurous with your pizza toppings, this is the place to go. As soon as you walk in the door, it's a fun atmosphere. You get to watch the chefs twirl and throw the dough around as they make your pizza! The menu has something for everyone, from the more conservative "X-Pep" (pepperoni extravaganza!) to the more adventurous "Socrates' Revenge" or "Edgar Allen Poe". When we are in the mood for some wine and good conversation, my friend, Rachel (hi Rach!) and I head to Dewey's. We usually get a glass (or bottle, let's be serious) of wine, we each get a salad, then we go for either individual calzones, or a medium pizza (half X-Pep, half Bronx Bomber, sans olives). Mmmmm delish! If you're not stuffed from the main course, they sell Bonbonerie's "Opera Cream Cake" there as well which is layers of chocolatey creamy goodness! :)

My Recommendation: The Candied Walnut and Grape Salad
Even the "side" portion is a good size or you can add chicken and make it a meal! The citrus-basil dressing is DELICIOUS and even though it's a pizza joint, I have gone to Dewey's many times solely for this salad...YUM!

Happy Birthday America!!

I spent this 4th of July with my second family, my friends up in Columbus, OH. It is rare to find a group of people who you can completely be yourself around, without any fear of being judged or made to feel silly. My friends in Columbus are those people. One such friend, Darcy, and I were chatting this weekend about how comfortable we all are around each other. There are no formalities or expectations and we can be away from each other for weeks or months at a time, and when we're back together, we fall right back into place like we never were apart. I arrived on Thursday and after I carried all my luggage and things into where I was staying (Melissa's Condo) I plopped everything down, sat on the floor with Darcy and Steph, and started eating the carry-out sushi I had gotten along the way. There was no formal greetings or silly small talk, we just got right into conversation as Darcy reached over and grabbed a sushi roll off my plate, no questions asked.

I spent most of the weekend lounging by Melissa's pool which was FABULOUS since it was the most "summery" of experiences I've had so far this year. Friday was "Red, White, and Boom" in downtown Columbus so Darcy and I went to Mongolian BBQ to visit Tori (Hi Tor! Your hair looks like...) and we got some delicious grub there. Then we walked to Goodale Park nearby but not before we stopped at the grocery and got some ridiculous beverages called Dragon Joose or something (think Sparks+Dimetapp+Steroids). We sat in the park and drank our Joose and watched the fireworks, but mostly chatted about life, love, and soul mates. Afterwards we met up with Melissa and Matt at Matt's sister's apartment on campus and enjoyed their company before heading home for the night.

Saturday was a lot of fun! Me, Darcy, and Molly went over to Mike's house for a grill-out with his entire family. Delicious food and drinks and a little Catch Phrase made for a great evening. The best part of the night, though, by far was the Sparkler Extravaganza (or "sprinklers" as Mike kept calling them). I used my spiffy new camera and got some great, dynamic shots of us spelling things out and creating designs with light. So. Much. Fun.

Sunday was more pool time followed by a "Rotic" evening (roMANtic minus the man, hehe). We made a TON of food at the house and even though I ruined the chicken for Molly by adding garlic (she's allergic), there were plenty of other goodies to make up for it. Pasta salad, corn on the cob, caesar salad, and of course, Golden Oreos.

I just couldn't get enough of Columbus so I stayed til Monday. Melissa had Monday off so she and I enjoyed our time by the pool all day, then met up with Darcy at BJ's (YUMMMM) for dinner and dessert. I said my goodbyes and made it home just in time for Trivia Night :)

It's weekends like these that keep the possibility of moving to Columbus after school alive.

And one more I jazzed up a bit:

I Heart Cincinnati

Growing up in Cincinnati there was once a time, mostly as a young teenager, that I couldn't wait to move out of town. "This city is so boring!" was a common line heard on the weekends from me and my fellow 15-year-old friends. However, after moving to Columbus for college I realized just how much I love my home sweet home and how much this great city has to offer. I decided to start a list of some of my favorite spots around the city. I'll be adding one at a time, so be sure to check back for new featured hot spots!



This Week's Spot: The Green Papaya
2942 Wasson Rd
Hyde Park
Cuisine: Thai, Sushi, Vegetarian

I first discovered this little gem when I went out for a "Girl's Night" with a couple of friends. The restaurant itself is small and cozy and the staff is super friendly! The four of us got a couple bottles of wine and ordered a variety of sushi rolls to split. Their Pad Thai is yummy but they offer a huge selection of other entrees filled with veggies that are delish!

My Recommendation: The Green Papaya Roll!
Do not go here without trying this one at least once. Shrimp tempura, salmon, cream cheese, mango, spicy mayo, and crab stick....AMAZING.

Also great: The TaTA Roll! Perfect for a sushi beginner because it's deep-fried. And let's face it, that makes everything delicious!