Adventures in Quesadillas

For someone who loves Mexican food as much as I do, it's crazy that I didn't think to make quesadillas before this week.  I was in San Antonio over the weekend and I brought some flour tortillas from Alamo Café home with me (seriously the best tortillas ever).  I'm going to freeze most of them for now, but I used a couple last night to try my hand at chicken quesadillas.  I made up the recipe as I went along, and while there are a few tweaks I would make next time around, it made for a delicious dinner. Mexican food is comfort food to me, and a week with two exams calls for comfort food!

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas with Fresh Salsa
For the chicken:
1 Chicken breast, fat removed
Cumin
Mexican oregano
Chili powder

For the salsa:
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 Bell pepper any color, chopped
2 Green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
Small bunch cilantro, to your preference, minced
1/2 tsp Lime juice
1/4 tsp salt

Other ingredients:
1/2 cup Kraft four cheese Mexican, shredded
2 10" Flour tortillas
Butter or olive oil
Dollop of sour cream

Directions:
To season the chicken, rub the spices on the full chicken breast, trying to evenly distribute them.  Go easy on the cumin--trust me.  Alternatively, you could use a pre-made fajita or taco spice mix.  Then, cut the chicken into small pieces, anywhere from 1/2" to 1" depending on your preference.  Smaller pieces will make a flatter quesadilla, which will stick together more easily later on, so keep that in mind.    Using a skillet with a grill pan preferably, cook the chicken until it is no longer pink in the center.  You could also boil and shred the chicken if you prefer, but if you do leave out the seasonings initially.  Set the chicken aside.

Prepare the salsa by mixing all of the salsa ingredients together in a small bowl, adding the lime juice and salt last.  You could also chop the vegetables in a small food processor if you're pressed for time.  Make the salsa as chunky as you want!

Brown the tortillas lightly in a skillet using either butter or olive oil.  If you do use butter, use it sparingly.  Set aside one tortilla on a plate and leave the other in the skillet.  On the tortilla left in the skillet, pile a layer of half the cheese, a layer of chicken, a layer of salsa, and a layer of the remaining half of the cheese (you can always add more cheese if you'd like), then cover with the other tortilla.  Heat on medium or medium-high until cheeses have melted and the quesadilla sticks together.  You can try to flip the quesadilla midway if the bottom tortilla is getting too brown.

When all of the cheese is melted, transfer the quesadilla to a plate, cut into four wedges with a pizza cutter or knife, and add a dollop of sour cream in the middle for dipping (bean dip or guacamole would also be great).  Enjoy!

If you're not hungry enough for a full quesadilla, you can easily halve the ingredients and use just one folded over tortilla.  This huge quesadilla was too much for me to eat, but now I have leftovers for lunch today.

If you give the recipe a try, let me know how you like it!

Spring Fever Pt. 2

Here's the second post in the Spring Fever series, Living.  Plus, a (very loose) smoothie recipe below.

If only vintage cars like that were fuel efficient, eh?
The washi tape is still available at Madewell; I saw it the other day when I was there.
I wish I had an occasion to make a fancy cake for!  That decoration is so beautiful.

Part 3, Design will be up some time after Sunday.  I'm in San Antonio this weekend for my Dad's birthday and therefore without Photoshop.   Luckily I don't have too awful much homework this weekend, so I'm mostly relaxing and enjoying spending time with my parents.  Sometimes I wish my college wasn't so far away from home.

My mother and I made pretty delicious smoothies tonight for dinner, since we had a big lunch out (Alamo Café, my favorite Mexican restaurant in SA).

Here's a quick and easy recipe:
1 cup Italian soda blend from HEB in Fruita D'Isola
1 Sambazon frozen açai smoothie packet (any variety will work)
1 cup frozen mixed berries (ours had strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
1 fresh kiwi, peeled and sliced
Just a smidgen of honey.

Blend and enjoy!
 
I'm hoping I can find the Italian sodas at Central Market in Plano too (they're owned by HEB) because it really was a nice addition.  If you are not lucky enough to live near an HEB, you could just as easily substitute vanilla soy milk and I'm sure it would taste great, just not as tart and fruity.  I'd also recommend any type of simple fruit juice, maybe orange or apple.

What are some of y'all's favorite smoothie combinations?  One thing I really want to try is incorporating greens into the mix.

Spring Fever

I have been incredibly busy with school the past couple weeks, but I've had this color combination my mind for a while and wanted to share it.  Even though it's still technically winter, Texas is already starting to warm up (for now anyway), and I'm getting excited about wearing tank tops again and trying to incorporate more color into my wardrobe.  I say that every year and still ending wearing mostly black though.  It's a hard habit to break.

Here are some nice spring looks to wear.  Design and living looks will be coming up soon.  And by soon I mean whenever I get a break from the never-ending schoolwork that's kept me from the blog for so long.  I really should be working on homework as I type this, but I needed a break!

I honestly do not have sources for most of the images since I found them on Pinterest (pin responsibly, y'all!), but I can tell you that the dress is Hi There from Karen Walker for Anthropologie, and the hat is by Annie Larson.  The graphic sweater can be found here, though I'm not sure of the brand.

What colors really evoke spring to y'all?

Color Trend: Black and Green

Sometimes I think I spend too much time on Pinterest (I'm sure I'm not the only one), but it's a great source for fashion inspiration and outfit ideas.  Over the past few months I started to notice a color trend that I never would have thought to try:  black and green.  It's a great wintery combo that I can't wait to attempt.  I just picked up a pair of greyish-black legging jeans last night at Madewell that should work great for a similar outfit.

Here are some looks for inspiration.  Which is your favorite?  I'm partial to the third patterned look (and her hair is absolutely perfect!).

Row 1:  The Sartorialist // Wit & Delight // Lookbook.nu user Lucy D.
Row 2:  Zara // Stockholm Streetstyle // Style by Yellow Button

I start spring classes tomorrow.  Good luck to my fellow students out there!

Wishful Thinking #1: Cozy & Comfortable

In a perfect world, this is what I'd be wearing/eating/reading by the fireside.  Living in south central Texas, we don't get a lot of opportunities to use the fireplace, but it's been pretty chilly here lately.  I've been getting good use out of my Ugg Australia black Channing leather boots, which you might still be able to get for about $100 less at Nordstrom Rack (that's where I got mine).  They are so comfortable, and they have fur lining inside for extra warmth.

This segment is called Wishful Thinking because let's be honest, a college student living on a small scholarship stipend can't afford Isabel Marant clothes or fancy home goods from Steven Alan.  But I can dream!  One of the reasons I love websites like Pinterest and Polyvore is that you can get a lot of inspiration even from clothes that are well out of your price range.  I'll never own that Isabel Marant cardigan, but I know I've seen similar ones at American Eagle and Forever 21.  I like to think of them as shopping tools.  But if you are lucky enough to have the funds, I have provided the links to buy everything.

If you looked in my real closet you'd see mostly Gap (the best store for basic tees and sweaters) and sale-priced Anthropologie.  I've been living in various colors of the Eversoft circle hem sweater from Gap the past couple of weeks, as well as the boyfriend v-necks from last winter.

With that disclaimer out of the way, here are some fantasy picks for a cozy night by the fire, curled up with a good book and some delicious Bacon Cheddar Biscuits (can't wait to try this recipe!) and tea.  And don't forget the schnauzer!  My family has three miniature schnauzers, two black and one white.  I cannot wait till I can have a dog of my own, or maybe even a cat if my allergies have lessened enough.

Shirt:  A.P.C. Baggy T-Shirt in Bordeaux

Cardigan:  Étoile Isabel Marant Kiliann Oversized Cardigan
Sweatpants:  Aerie Dormwear Skinny Boyfriend Pant in Charcoal Sky
Socks:  Monki Marita Socks in True Kiss Red
Blanket:  Khadi and Co Multi Plaid Blanket
Recipe:  Bacon Cheddar Biscuits at Frites & Fries
Mug:  Room Essentials at Target Espresso Mug in Black
Tea:  Tazo Blush Berry Black Loose Leaf Tea
Teapot:  Teavana Claire Glass Teapot with Stainless Steel Infuser
Book:  St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell (great short stories collection)

I'm seriously considering ordering those Aerie sweatpants tonight.  They were all out of my size in store today.  I used to be pretty anti-sweatpants, but it's hard to feel motivated to walk to the campus gym in 50 degree or less weather in running shorts.  Do y'all have a favorite brand, preferably ones that are long enough for those of us who are tall?

In other news, I found a pretty nifty French press coffee maker and tumbler combination at Sur La Table last night.  I used it this morning with a Bavarian Hazelnut blend we found at HEB and it was pretty tasty!  I want to try making tea in it tomorrow.  It's nice that you can make the coffee in the same container you'll drink it from.  And it's dishwasher safe (but what isn't these days?).

Stay warm!

Post-Holiday Detox

The holidays are over!  I'm already mentally preparing for a return to campus for spring semester, but first I need to take care of another pressing issue:  post-holiday detox.

I'm not super serious about detoxing like some people are.  As much as I would love to do a ten-day juice fast (if you haven't seen the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead you should check it out), I don't exactly have room in my apartment, or the funds, for a juicer.  And I always say that I could easily become a vegetarian, but the truth is that I would miss chicken and the occasional seafood.  I'm also a huge fan of Mexican food, and... yeah.  Enough said.

My idea of detoxing is making an effort to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my diet, and limiting meat and grains, but not cutting them out entirely.  The point of a detox is to give your body a rest after a prolonged period of heavy eating by emphasizing whole foods and cutting out excessive sugar and processed foods.  It's not a full-time diet.  You can decide how strictly or not you want to stick to the traditional detox rules:  no sugar, alcohol, gluten, dairy, or processed foods.  Frankly, I don't have the willpower to carry it out to that extent, nor do I think I need to.  I'm relatively fit, I'm close to the target weight for my height and age, and I don't have any gluten or other food allergies.  The best detox plan for me is not a plan so much as a goal to eat more whole foods and keep indulgences to a minimum.  A little chocolate now and then never hurt anyone, after all.  The idea is to think about what you're eating and what nutritional purpose it serves, and be good to your body so you'll feel energized and happy.  Go easy on yourself; strive, don't deprive!

Before I start sounding like a diet book, here are some recipes (all from the Internet) that have served me well in the past, and a few that I'm eager to try.  I recently took the Kale, Apple, and Pancetta salad with me to an office potluck and it got rave reviews.  The Pan Seared Fish with Chermoula Sauce is a recipe that even picky eaters, my brother for example, will enjoy.  I made it for us one night after classes and he cleaned his plate.  Out of the untested recipes I'm most excited about trying the brussels sprouts recipe; my mom hated them as a child, so she never made them for us growing up.


1. Watercress Salad at La Tartine Gourmand
2. Kale, Apple, and Pancetta Salad at Once Upon a Chef
3. Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans at Real Simple
4. Pan Seared Fish with Chermoula Sauce at Bijouxs

1. Buckwheat Soba Noodles with Steamed Veggies at YumUniverse
2. Endive Appetizers at Love & Lemons
3. Detox Apple and Cabbage Salad at FitSugar
4. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Almonds and Crispy Proscuitto at Eat Sleep Cuddle (plus    three other brussels sprouts meal ideas!)

What are some of y'all's favorite healthy recipes?  Drop a line in the comments and share the good news!

This Year Could Be Our Year

Photo source:  Kalnai by Jokübus Mulerskas

Perhaps my favorite New Years moment this year was shortly after midnight, when my mother hugged me and said, "This is going to be a good year."  The past year wasn't easy, but she still feels hopeful.  My mom truly is the strongest person I know.

I have high hopes for the new year, too.  I don't usually consider myself an optimistic person, but I always tend to feel positive around New Years time.  I like the idea of taking the new year as a clean slate.  And even if I don't always keep my resolutions to the letter, I do feel like I've grown as a person and loved more every year, and those are the important things in life.  When I get caught up in the details I have to remind myself of the big picture, and remember that "someday this pain will be useful to you." (Ovid)

I do have a few resolutions that I want to hold myself to:
1.  Read at least 25 books
2.  Learn HTML5 and CSS, as well as the Adobe Creative Suite applications
3.  Practice yoga
4.  Grow fresh herbs for my kitchen
5.  Eat more whole foods

What resolutions do y'all have for this year?  I'd love to hear them in the comments.

Tomorrow I'll be sharing a curation of detox recipes for those of us who want a break from all the heavy holiday foods.  I know I had a hard time resisting all the delicious fudge my aunt made while she was visiting for Christmas.

Here's to a healthy and fulfilling new year!