Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Mustard Seeds

Ok guys, I want to start out by saying,

 "OMGGGG! WHAT IS UP WITH THIS WEATHER?!"

Like, REALLY, what the heck is going on? 

One day you can wear shorts out, the next day you need uggs and a sweater! 

North Carolina weather is so unpredictable! 

But I will take this spastic weather over all the usual rain we usually get! I will say that when it gets cold here that it actually gets freezing cold, which makes me want comfort food more than ever this time of year! 

For me, it usually starts around October... you know, the craving for some comfort foods and Thanksgiving type of foods. 

THE STRUGGLE IS SO REAL! 

Don't believe me, ask poor Mr.Hooah, Lol! He has to put up with all my indecisiveness of not knowing exactly what I want to eat... Bless him! 

I always keep an eye out for new recipes, it is a must as Mr.Hooah does not eat leftovers. And lately, I have discovered Coarse Mustard. I don't know what I have been doing with my life all these years without it! Seriously. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it on sandwiches and I have a recipe to make a cranberry jelly with it (odd combo, I know!) and it is super yummy! I have never honestly thought to put it into stuff like this pasta recipe I am about to share, but Emily, over at Emily Bites did and this recipe for Creamy Pasta with Sausage & Mustard Seeds is amazing! It is filling and the sausage in it kind of makes this fall along the lines of some yummy comfort food for me. It is definitely an unusual recipe, but that's what we like though right?

This recipe is surprisingly easy and doesn't take many ingredients. The mustard gives it a little something extra and we loved how well it all came together! It is actually a little healthier compared to most other pasta dishes you can make, which is a MAJOR plus to me! All the more reason to love this recipe!

 I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did, and I apologize in advance for the photo quality... I was too lazy to drag my camera out for the pics, does that make me a bad blogger? Lol.

-XO!

Creamy Pasta with Sausage & Mustard Seeds

1lb (16oz.) uncooked wheat pasta shells
2 tsp. EVOO
1 ½ lbs hot Italian turkey or chicken sausage, casings removed
3oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped (about a half a standard salad bag, add more if desired, I used frozen chopped spinach that I popped into the microwave as per box directions then drained it)
¾ c. dry white wine
¾ c. fat-free half and half
3 TBSP. grainy mustard (I used Grey Poupon Harvest Coarse Ground Mustard)

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 c. thinly sliced or chopped fresh basil (I used a few tsp. of dried basil)

• Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• While the water is boiling for step one, place the oil in a large skillet or saute pan and bring over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about five minutes or until meat is cooked through, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon as it cooks. Add the fresh spinach and stir in. Cook for another minute until spinach wilts.
• Add the wine to the sausage and reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir together, releasing any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and cook for another 5 minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Add the half and half, mustard and crushed red pepper. Stir together and simmer for another 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the reserved pasta and basil until well combined. Serve.

Holiday Photog...it is my FAVORITE!

For those of you who didn't already know, I dabble in photography, it is a hobby and has turned into a little passion of mine.

I have to admit, it is actually a little therapeutic!

I am definitely no professional nor have I been at it long enough to even be considered a "pro", but I absolutely love doing it and I love that I keep getting better and better! 

I am actually pretty proud of the work I do! 

I love being able to be a part of making memories for people and my favorite photos have to be holiday photos such as the ones I am about to share with you guys now... 

This couple was the first couple I had ever shot and I am so far now from where I started then.

The first photos were pretty good for a first timer (the one above is one of them and was from last Fall), but the ones I snapped this past weekend turned out so awesome! I am in love!!!

Not only are these types of shoots my favorite because it is a Holiday session, but because these guys include their pups in all their family photos! 

Uh, pets are FAMILY too people!!! Lol.

This has been my favorite sesh I have done and I absolutely LOVE how these turned out!

Spinach and Parmesan Orzo

Ok guysss, after all that Thanksgiving goodness, I needed a lighten up! 

I am a couple of episodes behind on Grey's Anatomy...

I know, what the hell have I been doing, right?!

 So, I wanted to make something yummy for dinner and something somewhat healthy to go with these nice steaks Mr.Hooah picked up, to enjoy while I catch up on Grey's!

I have had the steaks marinating away since yesterday in this super easy-peasy Honey-Lime Marinade (it is not just for chicken!) and absolutely CANNOT wait for Mr.Hooah to grill those babies up!

I was making out our 2 week menu plan and I moseyed on over to Emily Bites  

for a little inspiration because I thought my list needed a little oomph! 

Which is how I found this absolutely delicious recipe for her Spinach and Parmesan Orzo.

And as always, I was NOT disappointed! 

Not only does it plate pretty but it is SO TASTY and HEALTHY! 

I absolutely LOVE adding spinach into any dish I can... Mr.Hooah on the other hand, he is picky... so the whole spinach thing is not only for me, but "sneaking it in" actually helps him realize that it can be tasty and that it isn't just a yucky pile of steamed spinach...

 Ok, let's be honest here, I hated spinach growing up too but now that I am older and there are so many new recipes to incorporate it into, and I'm LOVIN' it!

With Orzo, a little goes a lonnng way! 

So it doesn't take much and believe it or not, orzo is actually cheap! 

You can actually mix in a bit of milk, a bit of shredded cheese, and guess what?! 

IT TASTES LIKE MAC & CHEESE!

Yes people, you read that right, macaroni & cheese! 

I have to say that Mr.Hooah actually liked this recipe and I am glad because so do I. 

I actually plan on adding this to our menu rotation! And I always have frozen chopped spinach in the freezer just in case, also orzo in the cabinet, so this is something easy that can be thrown together whenever I need a quick side dish!

 If you haven't (as I have mentioned before) visited Emily Bites, please do so because I promise you'll love her recipes as much as I do!

-XO!

Spinach and Parmesan Orzo 

1 TBSP. light butter (I used Move Over Butter)
1 c. dry whole wheat orzo (regular orzo is fine too)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. fat-free chicken broth 

4 oz. fresh chopped spinach (or 1/2 a pack of frozen chopped spinach, thawed)
1 ½ oz. freshly grated Parmesan (I used grated light-parm in the can & it worked fine too!)
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper, to taste.

• In a large skillet or saute pan, bring the butter over medium high heat until melted. Add the dry orzo and stir to coat. Cook for about 2mins until some pieces of the orzo begin to brown. Add the minced garlic and stir together. Cook for an additional minute or so until garlic is fragrant.
• Add the broth to the pan and bring to a boil (mine was basically boiling right away). Cover the pan and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 14-15 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the orzo is tender. Stir in the chopped spinach and continue stirring for 1-2 mins until the spinach is wilted. Add the Parmesan, basil, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, stir together until thoroughly combined. 

Serve immediately.

Our Four Year Anniversary

THIS IS LATE... of course, LOL... with all the holiday madness going on (the planets aligned and our anniversary fell on Thanksgiving this year guys!) I haven't had a moment to actually sit down and blog this past week or so! 

Today is a blessing...

 (like everyday is, but today is a little different)

Today I got to wake up next to my best friend, the love of my life, my handsome hooah hubbie...

and tell him Happy FOUR Year Anniversary! 

I cannot explain it, but I can refer to the phrase, 

"Time flies when you're having fun with the one you love!"

It honestly feels like we were married just last November. That we survived the first year that everyone said would be so tough.
Well you guys, let me say that EVERY. DAMN. DAY is tough when you fall in love with someone who is in the military.
 There have been so many trials, obstacles, and some rough patches thrown our way... not many can say they were able to conquer them ither, but somehow our love always perseveres. 

We always assess our situations and we find another way if we come to a wall, we never just give up!

 Seriously though, WHERE DID THESE PAST FOUR YEARS GO?!

I swear it feels like 40 YEARS instead of just FOUR!

I am so lucky that serendipity brought us together... we are opposites but we are alike in so many ways. We support one another and have an unbreakable bond. Being best friends before God finally gave us a little push in the right direction to fall in love, means more than anyone could ever know. I am so thankful and blessed to have such a great guy in my life, someone who is so selfless, who puts me first above everything else.. someone who supports me and everything that I do 1500%.. who just makes life easier. I am so proud of how far we have come and how much we both have changed for the better... It is amazing to know at the end of the day we're still as in love as we ever were and that he is my person and I am his!

I am going to keep this one short to spare all of you the mushy-gushy, lovey-dovey madness...
So I'll end here with a huge,
 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MR.HOOAH, I love you more than words can say and I will forever promise to remember that neither of us are perfect but that we are perfect for one another and to love you as fiercely as I can....Thank you for all that you do for me, for us, for our future, and for always bringing me cheesecake when you know I need it and for always encouraging me to chase my dreams! And as always, Me & You, Just Us Two babe!

-XOXOXOXO!

Baked General Tso Chicken and November Shenanigans!

Ok people, I know.... I haven't been the best blogger lately, but my little business has kept me so stinkin busy! 

Oh, I'm NOT complaining by the way!  

I have been knee deep in poly-mailers, wrapping paper, and glitter... it has been fun and business is good! I am proud to say that I am always ahead of schedule and that my husband, Mr.Hooah, has actually taken on "post office runs" for me and has been helping me.. 

Just another step towards making my dreams come true and opening my little legit business and merging the one I already have going on now!

Moving on.....

I want to take a moment to say that I am a spicer..I think maybe I have mentioned it before, but just in case you missed it..I SPICE EVERYTHING. I'm all about cooking, and not to brag (ok, yeah, I'm bragging lol) but I am a great cook! 

Cooking is super important to me...

I think that dinner is most important because that's the time that family can sit together.. Eating good food while having good conversation, it is a time for connecting with your loved ones!
Now back to my spicing habit....I am the only one in my family besides my Aunt Nean that spices. I love salt. I salt everything most of the time lol. However, I swapped from regular salt to sea salt a few years ago and absolutely love it. Trying to be healthier=cutting back on all the sodium.

Which has now been made a WHOLE LOT EASIER with my recent discovery of Flavor God seasonings!
 
 My life has been changed forever people!

 Their seasonings are amazing and ground fresh daily! So there's no sitting around on shelves/being old, etc...

 And the sodium percentages ranges from around 1-2%! 

SCOOOOORE! 

If you haven't ventured over to their website at www.flavorgod.com and bought your own to try, you definitely MUST because you're missing out people! 

I have been so lazy lately with being sick, I guess I honestly had no choice but since I am feeling like I'm a human being again, I'm ready to get myself back on track! By the way, my test results came back and everything looked fine, so babies are in our future...somewhere... and though my red blood count has finally started coming back up, I will still be on a higher dosage of iron until it is where it should be. Thank god I didn't have to any transfusions or anything major, I would've freaked because everyone knows my fear of needles! Lol. Well, honestly, I had a great nurse who made all my needle sticks painless. I am blessed for sure and thanks so much for all the kind words, thoughts, and most importantly prayers! We have recently signed up with a new gym membership and I couldn't be more excited! I have been seriously getting my fitness on EVERY DAY except for Sunday, which is my rest day, and I feel amazing! I am actually going to start running again so I can travel around and do some runs with one of my friends, he has turned into quite the 5k'er! So, say a prayer for me for my run tomorrow morning lol. 

Also, I have been crafting and working on my office. It is coming along, slowly but surely! I am super into glittering and making all things sparkly at the moment lol. I know Mr.Hooah will be so happy when I move all my craft stuff upstairs so he doesn't ever have to see another drop of glitter ever again LOL! And I am SO excited about holiday packaging! I have SOOO much cute wrapping paper for packaging etc! I'm tempted to wrap the items I have going out this week with all the Christmasy-Goodness I have going on over here! Hahaha.

Ok, now for the good part of my post lol... FOOD!
I don't know about you but when you're dieting or trying to get healthy, IT IS HARD resisting temptation sometimes and not indulging yourself in a cheat meal or what you're craving can lead to falling off the wagon. Especially with holidays right around the corner! I have a love for Asian cuisine, which is to be expected, I guess, since I am half Asian myself! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE General Tso's Chicken! It is one of my favorite new dishes to make at home to cut out all the fried-calories and carbs from take-out since it is BAKED and doesn't involve a crazy sweet sugary calorie-filled sauce! I hope you guys enjoy this recipe, my post was a little long winded this go round, but I just wanted to fill my friends and family in on what I have been up to with all of my November shenanigans lol.

-Enjoy! XOXO

Baked General Tso's Chicken
1lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2in. bites

1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. cornflakes crushed 

(I use my food-processor for the cornflakes and add in some Garlic Lover's Flavor God Seasoning!) 

 The sauce:
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 TBSP tomato paste

 (Sometimes I don't have tomato paste so I use 1 TBSP ketchup!)
2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP Hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce

3 TBSP rice vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP cornstarch mixed with 2 TBSP water
Toss in at the end (optional):
Sprinkle of sesame oil
Dried Chili Flakes
Sesame seeds

Fresh or Dried Chives 

• Preheat oven to 450'...
• Cover a pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
• Take 3 bowls and set up in an line...first with flour, second with eggs, and last with cornflakes. Coat chicken with flour, then egg, then cornflakes--pressing to coat evenly. Place on pan.
• Meanwhile, put all ingredients (except for starch mix) for sauce in a small pan and bring to a gentle boil. Give starch mix a quick stir & add it in slowly to sauce.
• Pour chicken into a large bowl then pour sauce over & toss chicken to coat. If you are going to add anything else in such as the sesame seeds etc, now is the time. 

Serve immediately over rice!