A good meal is like a present.

After a long week of more professional development and learning about my students, I have found myself overwhelmed with what is ahead of me. Surprise, surprise….I know, Mom, I need to remove the word “overwhelmed” out of my vocabulary. It seems that what I am usually overwhelmed with are beyond my control. Cooking and eating a good meal at the end of the day, though, has been a calming gift to myself to relieve some stress. “A good meal is like a present, and it can feel goofy, at best, to give yourself a present.” – Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant (the book I am reading that relates so much to me right now). On that note, I think that I am going to share a few recipe ideas that I have experimented with in the past month here in Dallas. I find myself cooking without recipes and adding ingredient after ingredient without making a note of anything.* I figure that this will, therefore, help me keep track of what turns out well! (These will not exactly be recipes, however, seeing that I do have the tendency to throw things together- I guess I take after my mother! For marinades and rubs, just experiment and taste- it’s no fun to follow a recipe!)

* “In the end, the experimentation, the impulsiveness, and the invention that such conditions allow for will probably make you a better cook.” –Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant

I have learned to take advantage of the grills that my apartment complex provides in our courtyard. I have also discovered the Dallas Farmer’s Market downtown that is awesome! While trying to be economical while shopping for myself, I clearly managed to buy way too many fruits and vegetables. Therefore, I try to use them with everything and in anything! Here are some grilled meals using fresh produce that I have concocted for myself:

Orange-ginger Grilled Shrimp Kebobs (with Grilled Peaches)

Shrimp marinade: soy sauce, Dijon mustard, orange marmalade, & fresh ginger

Peach marinade: balsamic vinegar, EVOO, orange juice, & honey (cut the peaches in half beforehand)

Place the shrimp on skewers and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side on medium heat. Place halved peaches (with cut-side down) on grill for about 1-2 minutes. Finish the peaches off with a dollop of goat cheese (may sound different, but the tangy cheese with the sweet peaches is amazing!)

I have also placed halved peaches and figs on skewers to grill- that is great too! They look very pretty! Even though I have been cooking for myself

Chili-rubbed Grilled Tilapia (with peach-melon chutney)

Tilapia rub: make the spice mixture- chili powder, cumin, garlic powder (or fresh is always better), salt, pepper

Fruit chutney: chopped peaches, melon (I used an Israeli melon that is even sweeter than a cantaloupe from the market), jarred roasted red peppers, onions, fresh cilantro, lime zest and juice, salt & pepper- Start with sautéing the onions (raw onions are the worst in my opinion) and add the other ingredients

Place the tilapia on foil and grill about 5 minutes on each side on medium heat.

Add the chutney on top of the fish.

This dish is great with asparagus or also as tacos. I placed the tilapia in homemade tortillas (from Central Market!) with the chutney, rice, and some lettuce.

Cilantro-lime Grilled Chicken (with avocado chutney)

Chicken marinade: EVOO, lime zest and juice, fresh cilantro, fresh garlic salt & pepper

            Chutney: chopped tomatoes and avocado, lime zest and juice, salt & pepper

Grill chicken for about 6 minutes on each side on medium-high heat.

Add the chutney on top of the chicken. Great with rice as well.

This is just a start, but I thought it would be fun to document what I have been cooking! Many of these are very easy- it is honestly just the chopping and dishes later that take the most time. Most of them are based off of some type of recipe that I seen being made on the Food Network or read in a cooking magazine, but others are just me experimenting!  I have cooked many more dishes as well that I will hopefully add. Some include Asian Salmon with a nectarine chutney, Chipolte Salmon Salad, Couscous-stuffed red peppers, Avocado BLT pizza, Eggplant Gratin, Almond Butter Chocolate Cookies, Oatmeal Peach Pancakes, and the best granola recipe! It is definitely going to be hard to keep up with this now that teaching has begun!

“Alone and lonely are not synonymous; you will have yourself- and the food you love- for company.” -Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant

"Just Make it to October!" -Dallas ISD Superintendent

I must start by letting everyone know how incredibly thankful I am for my amazing parents who have spent hours on end making this adjustment the best that it can be for me! I could not be more blessed! They have been there for me in every way- emotionally, physically, financially. Through our drive to Nashville, packing up my college life there, and driving ten more hours to start my new life in Dallas- they helped me:

1. say goodbye to Vanderbilt,
2. spend hours packing up a cargo van (let me repeat that, a cargo van, NOT a moving truck) with my bed set up inside the thing (this is the only way that everything could fit-- thanks Vanderbilt for providing my father with an engineering degree),
3. unpack and set-up my new apartment (meaning my Dad put together all of my Ikea furniture, changed my kitchen light fixtures, hung wall art, and painted an accent wall) to make my place look perfect, AND
4. they currently are helping me with this transition by not only talking and listening to me on the phone numerous times a day, but sending me cards in the mail!

So, I say it again, I could not be more blessed!

Now that I have been in “The Big D” for almost three weeks, I have explored as much of the city as I can! It has been quite an adventure! I am always in my car driving around to find various places: HomeGoods, Target, fresh produce (the great Farmer’s Market!), coffee shops, nature, restaurants, grocery stores- anything that interests me and can benefit my teaching and cooking skills! For the most part, I have enjoyed my time to myself,

I keep reminding myself that this is the time in my life to take every opportunity that comes my way and live my life as an adventure! I have also learned that friends don’t always have to be people when you move to a new place and don’t know anyone!

My friends so far…(in chronological order):

1. Stacey— The one who helped me get my great teaching job and will be by my side through this adventure working with me!

2. Central Market—The best grocery store that I have ever experienced (even better than Whole Foods)! They have everything from local produce to made-to-order sushi to homemade tortillas to fresh seafood and more.

3. Fro Yo— Dallas has to have the largest selection of places in the country to get frozen yogurt and I mean, REAL frozen yogurt, not that fake stuff. Flavors include Tahitian vanilla, coconut, honeydew, watermelon, avocado, red velvet cake, taro, and strawberry, just to name a few. Toppings range from mango to blackberries to grapefruit to kiwi to granola to Oreos. 

4. Whole Foods— I can walk there! If you know me at all, you know that is a huge deal. I can’t even put a number on the amount of times I have been so far

5. Cooking— This includes cookbooks, cooking magazines, foodnetwork.com, and the Epicurious app on my phone to entertain me, but most importantly, the simple joy that I find in cooking. The new book that I am reading, Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant, explains it all.

6. Red box—Before I had internet and cable, I enjoyed some fun movies, including It’s Complicated (one of my all-time favorites that can always make me laugh) and Valentine’s Day. Usually I am not too into chick flicks, but it lightened my mood.

7. Cable Guy— He provided me with my internet and cable, which is a blessing to have when you are living alone! He was also a really friendly guy who kept me entertained for an hour while he installed everything.

8. Bike Shop Guy— After a frustrating morning of trying to put my bike together that my Dad and I quickly disassembled in the trunk of my car, I found another really friendly guy at a bike shop. He put my bike back together for $10 and dropped it off at my apartment an hour later for free! How great it would be if everyone was that friendly and helpful!

9. My bike— Now that it is assembled, I am able to ride it to a popular, peaceful trail called Katy Trail, where many young people run and ride. I have also found a pretty neighborhood behind my apartment complex that is part of the suburb of Highland Park, which has beautiful homes and landscaping where I can ride. This has been a great way to exercise (even in the heat) outdoors since I am still unable to run.

10. The library— The branch closest to me is small, but there seems to be nice people there, a children’s section, free DVD rentals, and a good cookbook selection. Couldn’t ask for much more! Also, it’s within biking distance.

I am really not sure how I feel about this whole blog thing, but at least it gives me something to do, documents my new experiences, and allows you all to keep up with me.

More to come on my students and recipes that I have cooked for myself!