A Comfort Food Time of Year

Fall is my absolute FAVORITE time of year. I love everything from the fall colors, tall boots, football, tailgating, leaves changing, sweaters, and COMFORT FOOD. This past weekend I finally got a chance to satisfy my fall cravings when Charleston’s temps actually dropped below 70 with an added bonus of no humidity! I found this to be the perfect opportunity to make my favorite chili! It’s a super simple and lightened up version that packs a lot of flavor and lasts forever. So if you’re a fall foodie like me, you may want to give it a try!

Weight Watchers Friendly Chili
*About 5 PPs per serving
Amounts can be easily adjusted according to how much you want to make.

1.5lb. lean ground beef (93% lean or ground turkey)

2 Cans of Kidney Beans

1 Can of Garbanzo beans

1 Large can of petite diced tomatoes

1-2 Packets of Dry Chili Seasoning

1-2 Tbsp Cumin

½ tsp chili powder

1 large can tomato puree

1 Large Vidalia Onion

2Tbsp Garlic

1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms


1. In a skillet, brown and drain your meat. Add onion, mushrooms, salt/pepper and stir frequently until onions and mushrooms are slightly cooked down.

2. In a large pot, combine the diced tomatoes and puree and mix. Then add your meat mixture to the pot. Depending on your preference of consistently, you can add water at this step if you think it’s too thick.

3. Add all of your garlic and seasoning and stir entire pot until well blended. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour before eating.

*This goes great on top of whole wheat pasta or with a dollop of fat-free/part-skim ricotta cheese. Enjoy!

I'm Still Here...

Don’t worry, I haven’t abandoned the blog again… I’ve just had a very busy (for lack of a better term) schedule this summer. Everything from puppy getting bit by a snake, my mom’s birthday celebration, off and on studying for my state property manager license exam, doggie seizure meds, to joining weight watchers. Needless to say, it’s been a little crazy. So in true Katee fashion, I have put together a random mini recap to get things up to speed and back on track. Here goes!


The Pups


I must say, we have become all too familiar with the Vet’s office these past two months. The first incident was Halsey getting bit by a snake in the backyard which led us to our first experience at the Emergency animal clinic. Thankfully we got him there in time for there to be no major complications, just a very expensive bill and a crazy hair cut for the little guy (which is still growing back). Then our latest experience with Jackson (my child) which turned out to be a potential case of canine epilepsy. I swear these boys are determined to give us gray hair and empty wallets, but I suppose they are worth it.

Backyard Overhaul


One of our biggest accomplishments this summer was cleaning up the backyard. It was quite a feat, but we did it with the help of Scott’s mom and good friend, Chris (who came down for a golf tourney). Between the 4 of us, we were able to tackle 2 years worth of piled leaves, construct a compost pile, start a little veggie garden, and plant some beautiful flowers under the Oak tree. It’s like a whole new backyard!



Before




After



Compost



mini garden



Flowers!

Happy Bday to My Mommy


Last month I had the privilege of hosting my mom’s birthday party here in Charleston. I even got to surprise her with one of her oldest and dearest friends that was able to join us for the bday dinner. It was a short visit but we enjoyed every minute together.

The Test


After months of procrastination, I finally applied with the SC Real Estate Commission to take my State Exam! I have been approved and am now waiting to find out/decide when im going to take THE TEST… dun dun dun.

Weight Watchers




After my first month of going to the gym, I made a big decision to also invest in my diet by joining Weight Watchers. I must say that after 1 full month and 9lbs down, it’s been totally worth the money. It allows me to still eat like a normal person yet lose weight on a consistent and HEALTHY basis. It has completely opened my eyes to how simple it is to make better choices and made me so much more aware of what I put in my body. I seriously recommend the program to anyone wanting to lose more than just a few pounds, it is truly life changing and it works!



WW Friendly Pizza!



Reading back though this, it doesn’t seem like that much going on. But it sure has felt like it! It does remind me that I have a lot to be thankful for. The pups seem to be back to normal, my health (and self esteem) is improving, and I’m embracing the new “hats” of gardener, student, special needs dog mom, health nut, and hostess. Overall, it has been a very good summer and I can’t wait to see what the tail end has in store for us!

A Delicious Weekend

Tiffany’s Bachelorette weekend was a complete success! We wined, dined, beached, toured, and danced our little hearts out. Out of all of the festivities I must say that the incredible FOOD was one of the highlights of the whole weekend. Since I had never been to any of the restaurants before, it was quite a treat to try out some new places. It’s no surprise that the meals were amazing, they all have outstanding reviews. So I was more than pleased that they all lived up their reputations. So next time you’re in the downtown Charleston area, I strongly encourage you to check these places out!



Our first stop was lunch at 82 Queen located on Queen St. The outdoor setting was absolutely beautiful and quite comfortable despite the 95 degree heat and humidity. I am usually not a BLT fan, but their spin on the classic sandwich sounded too delicious to resist. Not only did it come with a million slices of bacon, the "T" consisted of fried green tomatoes. SO SO good.

We stayed with the lowcountry cuisine theme for our dinner venue, the famous Hominy Grill (located on Rutledge Ave). They offer everything from collared greens to pancakes, purloo, and more.The Bride-to-be was especially pleased with their award winning shrimp & grits.

Our big celebratory dinner was held the next night at High Cotton on East Bay St. The ambiance and overall feel of the place was completely simple and classic with their hardwood floors and crisp white table clothes. I have to admit this one of of my favorite meals of the entire weekend (rib eye steak with bearnaise sauce and fried okra on the side). I once again went for bacon and fried green tomatoes, this time served on a wedge of lettuce.

We finished our weekend with a fabulous brunch at Poogan's Porch on Queen St. Attempting to be healthy, I went with a light quiche (which was very tasty). But after seeing the other plates at the table, I had some serious food envy of the southern fried breakfast classics.

One of the best parts of all of this indulgent eating, was that it was also affordable. Each meal averaged around $30 and was worth every penny. So needless to say, after an amazing weekend with such lovely ladies, I am a little fatter, with still a few bucks to spare in my wallet!

Visual Update

Don’t worry, I haven’t abandoned the blog (again). I’ve just been a little busy lately. So with getting back on track, I’ve put together a little update using pictures instead of longwinded boring stories. Be forewarned, it’s extremely random… but then again, so is my life.

  

Memorial day weekend consisted of friends, rum, grilling, and fun. I even got to go sailing for the first time. I chose this picture in particular because it makes me look productive and like I actually did something to contribute.



Almost a year later, I FINALLY finished my Mom’s belt!





I decided to get creative one night and ended up making an entire bacon themed dinner. It’s a definite winner with the dudes, fyi. The chicken is stuffed with spinach, chopped bacon, and cheese. The asparagus was sautéed in the same pan as the bacon and some of the extra “juices” from the pan were added to the potatoes. Not the most heart-healthy meal, but will surely appease any craving for baconish comfort food.



I was fortunate enough to be able to go back to KY for my cousin's wedding the weekend after Memorial Day. The fact that I was actually able to get some great pictures of my family is a MAJOR accomplishment. We’ve never been big on family photos so needless to say these pics are rare and make me very very happy.



My Dad (left) and Uncle Charlie





After getting back to Charleston, I decided to do something totally wild and crazy… I joined a gym.  I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy working out! And since I do not have any pictures in me in my workout gitup, I have posted a lovely picture of my weight loss inspiration, the actress Sara Rue.  
You go girl.

My sweet baby boy’s 3^rd birthday!



And speaking of the pups, little Halsey is almost 13 weeks old! He is tipping the scales at just about 20lbs and continues to keep growing like a little weed. I swear there are days when I think he is literally growing bigger by the minute.  He’s also about 95% potty trained and responding well to his name, simple commands, and his new crate. Our next step is getting him use to more BATHS. 2 dogs + sandy backyard = messy house and a clogged vacuum cleaner.





Back to food, I recently discovered a fabulous little restaurant on King St. in downtown Charleston. It’s called Sermet’s and is located right in the middle of the shopping action. The menu is diverse, affordable, healthy, and delicious. Next time you are in the area, I would recommend you plan your lunch break from shopping at this little establishment.



Finally back up to speed, I must share one of my all time favorite pictures of my 2 best friends from home, Tiffany (the bride-to-be in the hot shoes) and Anna (with the crazy face). This picture was taken back in November of 2009 which was sadly the last time that the 3 of us had a true girl’s night out together. However, this Friday that will quickly change. All of the girls will be coming to town for Tiff’s bachelorette party and I couldn’t be more excited. So in honor of Tiff’s big weekend, I thought I would share a little laugh and hope that this weekend brings just as many fond memories, hilarious stories, and incriminating pictures.

Cheap & Tasty Discoveries

I made some fun discoveries this past weekend that I thought might be worth sharing. Even though I’m not a huge wine connoisseur or foodie, I AM a budget conscious shopper with good taste.  So I love sharing special finds that are also a good bargain.

The first being an excellent wine that is not only affordable but absolutely delicious! If you’ve never tried Cupcake Wine, I would definitely recommend doing so. We are privileged enough to have an excellent wine selection in our grocery stores but it can also be bought at just about any wine or liquor store. This particular bottle “red velvet” was not only smooth and fruity (without being too sweet), but it also only costs around $10! What a deal!

I also made a few cooking discoveries in my kitchen. After realizing that I was completely out of my long time favorite Lowery’s seasoned salt, I was forced to use Scott’s favorite, Old Bay seasoning. I had no idea that it is literally great on EVERYTHING. It’s also very inexpensive and one container will last you forever. That particular night I used it on red potatoes but it’s also good on corn, chicken, seafood, pop corn, asparagus, casseroles, etc. I highly recommend using it with olive oil any fresh veggies or anything you’re throwing on the grill.

My other discovery was homemade beer cheese. Since we don’t have the luxury of having the Kentucky brand or Halls beer cheese sold in local grocery stores, my friend Joanna brought a little surprise down on her last visit to Charleston. It was an easy seasoning/ mixing pack from Flag Fork Herb Farm to make my very own beer cheese! It was super easy to make and was absolutely delicious! All this time I was feeling deprived of one of my favorite flavors from home and had no idea how easy it was to make! So if you’re a beer cheese lover like me, I encourage you to try your own homemade batch. Not only can you play up your favorite flavors, it’s a lot cheaper and you can make a larger batch than what you would find in the storeJ

Here is a simple recipe to get started…

• 20 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 7 ounces bottled dark beer, flat

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Tabasco sauce

• mustard powder (optional)

1. Open beer and bring to room temperature It is desirable to get most of the gas out of the beer, but don't let it get stale. You can heat it in the microwave a bit if you are in a hurry, but don't boil it.

2. Grate cheese and garlic in a food processor.

3. Switch to the mixing blade and add remaining ingredients, mixing until thoroughly blended.

4. Refrigerate overnight. This really helps the flavors develop and meld properly.

So happy Saving & Tasting!