Happy Fallidays!

Fall is here! I am head over heels in love with this season and everything that comes along with it. Over the last few weeks, I have been enjoying lots of time with family, friends and all loved ones in my life. It has been such an exciting time! I have a few updates to come in the next few days, but until then, here is what the beginning of fall has offered!

September 19 was Courtney's (one of my best friends and roomies) 24th birthday! We celebrated with dinner and a night on the town the night before, and surprised her with gifts on Sunday! 

Roomies out for Court's birthday 

The Louisiana-shaped cheeseboard I gave her! The heart is on Baton Rouge, her hometown.

Cheeseboard from AHeirloom on Etsy.

Later that week, I made a dish that I found, once again, from one of my favorite blogs The Pioneer Woman. This recipe, Penne alla Betsy, was named after Ree's sister and is so rich and decadent I couldn't pass it up. Sometimes you've gotta indulge, ya know?

Penne alla Betsy

Ingredients:

¾ pounds Penne Pasta
1 pound Shrimp, tail-on
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Onion (small)
2 cloves Garlic
½ cups White Wine
1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Fresh Basil - To Taste
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste

Note: I used thin spaghetti because I was out of penne. It's the same effect, and it's still yum.

Recipe:

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside. Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer. Now chop your basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded. Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir. Serve with parmesan cheese and basil on top.

The next weekend Heather and Lauren hosted all of our friends at their new home in Glover Park for September's Supper Club. It was Southern themed, so everyone brought a favorite side dish while the hosts made the most DELICIOUS shrimp and grits EVER! I decided on Baked Macaroni and Cheese, minus the tomatoes and plus LOTS more cheese, and.. 

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted
4 cups fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk

Note: I divided this recipe in half (except for the amount of peaches) because I don't have a 9 x 13 inch pan. I used a pie dish.

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour butter in to the bottom of a large casserole or 9 x 13 inch pan. In the prepared dish, toss together the peaches and 2 tablespoons sugar. In a mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup sugar, salt, baking powder, flour, cinnamon, and milk. Spoon batter over the peaches. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until top is golden brown.

This past weekend, I hopped on a plane (yes, I know, it feels like I'm in an airport every other week... oh wait, I am..) to sweet South Carolina to celebrate the nuptials of my dear friend and sorority sister, Lauren and her fiance Chris. It was a gorgeous wedding in Sumter and I am so happy that I was able to attend. Congrats Lauren and Chris! I hope you are having a blast on your honeymoon in Mexico and enjoy married life to the fullest! 

 The happy couple! I totally caught Chris off-guard by my yelling from the top of a rather large bench.. but, it's still adorbs. :)

And finally, dinner last night..

Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

1 bag of broccoli, the kind you can microwave in the bag.. judge if you must..
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 whole Chicken Breasts Boneless And Skinless
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Coat
1 bag of Uncle Ben's white or jasmine rice

Sauce:

1-½ cup Water Plus 2 Tablespoons Divided
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
¼ cups Fresh Lemon Juice
⅓ cups Rice Vinegar
2-½ Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Grated Orange Zest
¾ cups Brown Sugar, Packed
1/4 teaspoons ground Ginger
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

Note: This dish is SPICY. So, if you don't like that kinda stuff, go easy on the red pepper flakes or don't add 'em.

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients for the sauce except for the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once the sauce has started boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally. Generously sprinkle kosher salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breasts.  Put the chicken on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet, and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until cooked through. Once cooked through, allow to cool enough to handle, approximately 5 minutes. Slice into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Turn the heat on the sauce to medium. In a small mixing bowl, mix the reserved cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in order to combine and avoid lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the rest of the sauce and stir to combine. You will notice the sauce begin to thicken quickly. Stir for a minute or two until well thickened. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, gently toss together the broccoli, chicken and sauce. Serve with (or over) rice.
 

And here's just a little something I'm proud of.. call me Martha Stewart, if you'd like. :) (Actually, you can call me Martha because I saw this idea in Martha Stewart Living this month.) 

Candle is from Pier One and smells like fall heaven. Taper candles and holders are from Williams-Sonoma circa 2009. 

So, that's it, folks. I hope that fall is making you as elated as I am feeling. Have a fantastic weekend! I have four of my best friends from high school (L-town, what?), Mallory, Heather, Rachel and Ashley H., coming to visit me in DC this weekend, and I could not be more excited to show them my home! Also, let's all say a prayer to the football gods that my precious Gamecocks can walk away with a win after meeting Alabama in Willy B on Saturday. GO COCKS!

Until next time..

Tomato Mac and Cheese

Oh, Paula. I feel like that's what I say everytime I make and devour one of Paula Deen's recipes. Seriously y'all, they are like heaven, plus a stick of butter. This one is very simple and as I watched her and her son, Jamie, make it on TV, I was immediately excited to get in the kitchen. I have become a firm follower of Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese (as have my family, friends and boyfriend, who all seem to eat copious amounts of the stuff whenever I make it.) But, I figured I would try this one out. Who doesn't love mac and cheese? And, tomatoes on top? Hello?!

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of butter
2 cups uncooked macaroni
1/2 minced onion, less if you don't like a lot of onion
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
3/4 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 tablespoon paprika
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 ripe tomato, cut into slices
Pepper

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Boil the macaroni in a large pot over high heat until cooked to package instructions. Drain and pour into the baking dish to cool. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, constantly stirring until softened. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard and paprika and mix well, making sure there are no lumps. Stir in the milk slowly and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add in the Cheddar cheese and  stir until incorporated and melted. Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir gently to combine. Cover the macaroni with tomato slices and sprinlke with salt and pepper. Bake for 35-45 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot! Once again (I feel like I say this everytime), I dug in before Randan reminded me to take a picture. I apologize, but you get the gist.

Eat and smile, my friends! This one is a keeper.

On another note, this time tomorrow, I will be on my way to the great state of South Carolina with MK and Christa in tow. I'm excited to see my family on Friday night in Lexington, and be in Columbia on Saturday for St. Patty's Day in Five Points! Thank goodness the weather is having mercy on us this year! In the past we have endured freezing temperatures and tornadoes, but this year's forecast has changed from high 50s and rain all day to the newest forecast of 70 and sunny all day! I CAN NOT WAIT! In the meantime, I will be daydreaming of green beer and floppy, glitter-shamrock headbands..

Have a great weekend!