Roasted Root Vegetables with Maple Fig Balamic Marinade

Although the starkness of winter has only just begun, I'm already aching for a farmer's market full of all things green and lively. The bitter cold knocks out most of the vegetables that I truly love so I always try to challenge myself to bring life to the ones I'm not nuts about.

For my Thanksgiving side dish offering, I prepared a spread of roasted root vegetables. Originally, I was going to make a hash with hot sausage and kale added to the roots but then I had a fleeting thought to just simply roast them. This dish is marinaded in a sweet and tangy maple syurp and balasamic vinegar concotion with fresh herbs overnight then roasted at a high temperature. It's a great colorful side for this time of year and the flavors all meld together, giving it a smooth taste. Added bonus? this is a very cheap dish to make!

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1 russet potato
1 large turnip
1 large sweet onion
1 large yellow squash
3 carrots
1/2 purple onion
Fresh thyme, rosemary and sage

2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 fig balasmic vinegar
3/4 olive oil (I used half garlic oil and half olive)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and dice the potatoes, onions and turnips. Chop up the yellow squash. Try to make all the pieces even sized - it will help them cook evenly 
2. Sprinkle with salt then place in a gallon sized freezer bag. 
   
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the syrup, oil, vinegar. Finely chop the fresh herbs. Add salt and pepper.
4. Place the veggies in the bag and pour marinade over top. 
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
6. Line baking sheets with foil (you may need two depending on size), spead the vegetables evenly. If they seem a little dry, you can spray them with a little cooking spray. 
7. Roast until slightly caramelized and tender. Depending on your oven, it will take about 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Thankful

In the wee hours of Thanksgiving Day, what else is one supposed to do besides lay awake and reflect on what they're thankful for this year? It's 3:30am and I've woken with a reflective spirit, quite fitting for a day like today. So, here is what I'm thankful for this year:

Health. 

This time last year health had shaken the foundation of my family. There is such a mysteriousness centered in illness. It's ying and yang, black and white. One minute everything is fine the next minute no one knows what the minute after that will hold. The waiting, the uncertainty, the emotions; I'd taken health (both of myself and my world) for granted for a long time before last year. Words cannot begin to cover how grateful I am that I have my Mom back in both health and happiness.

Education. 

Four years ago, this wouldn't have come close to making my list. After finally graduating, and doing so Summa Cum Laude, I now can feel the power of higher education. It's not just about earning more money, scoring a better title to slap on business card or bragging about your school's stats. For me, having the opportunity to go to college was a personal triumph that taught me the power of persistence, discipline and consistency. I am so thankful that I can say that I am the first person in my family to earn a college degree.

Solidarity. 

I'm just about seven months into my 'real life' and I am thankful for a sense of solidarity. I am thankful that I don't feel like all those 'it's okay to be totally lost in your twenties' articles. I am thankful that my parents raised me to value a day's work. Some days, I've felt completely insane working two jobs. But, damn, how lucky am I to have two jobs where there are so many people more qualified than I am who can't even find one? I'm lucky to have found peace, for the most part, with myself this year, too. You can read more about that here.

Family.

"Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. Not a place, but a moment, and then another, building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter that you take with you for your entire life, wherever you may go." -Sarah Dessen. At the end of the day, there is nothing in life that I am more thankful for than my family. Each year, different friends disappear, people change, life changes but the one thing that remains a constant is by far the most important. The unwavering support, brutal honesty, deep belly laughs, the rescue calls to Dad, the crying calls to Mom, the 'does this make me look fat' questions to my oh-so-honest sister - that's where it's at.

There are also things I am thankful for which are far less profound and much more mundane but still, I am thankful for them. To name a few: caffeine (my drug of choice), shoes (but more so the feeling that accompanies buying and wearing anything over 3 inches), my kitchen, GPS, weekly check-ins with my Hammy Q, cheap wine, bare feet, thrift stores, Pinterest, people who really piss me off, freedom of speech, my Special Olympics athletes, the color black, the quilts my Mom has crafted me, elastic, fresh blonde, cuss words, cold Chinese takeout, tupperware, modern medicine, dirt and my ole Cobalt.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

In Remembrance

“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew.“ 
- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001

13 years ago today, our lives and identities as Americans were forever changed. As a nation, we have rebuilt and prevailed but only due to the persistence, dedication and diligence of those self-sacrifcers that President Bush mentioned above. The men and women who gave their lives to save innocent victims, the civil servants who, even still, work countless hours to ensure security in all facets of our lives, the troops who have fought long and hard for our safety, the swarms of volunteers that put their own safety at risk to aide their neighbors; these people define heroism.

This day shattered our sense of security but re-birthed our identities. What do I mean by that? Safety and security has taken center-stage in the post 9/11 era; this change comes coupled with a pervasive anxiety that, at one point, we have all felt. Whether it be on a plane, walking the streets of crowded city, or even watching the media blast terrorizing sights; this catastrophe has permanently scarred us with the constant chill of fear.

Although, not a year has gone by where this day hasn't brought a tear to my eye and chill to my core, strangely, I feel that 9/11 has warranted me with a revived identity which brings a sense of comfort during these said times of fear and unease.

Witnessing the selflessness of this nation as the reels of 9/11 footage roll, provides me with a restored faith in humanity. Each year when I reflect on this day, I find myself more comfortable, more appreciative and more content. Hopeful.

Today, I am remembering September 11, 2001 as more than just a day of terror and fear, I am remembering a day of heroism, courage and insurmountable strength. Today, I remember and pray for the innocent lives taken by sickness and evil and those who lost everything in an attempt to save a stranger.

On self-love

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." -Lucille Ball

In the midst of my early-twenties, I am finding a clarity that everyone tells you doesn't exist until you are "settled." Trying to define "settled" is just as hard as trying to define "success" or "happiness." The terms are ambiguous in nature because they leave ample room for interpretation. Am I right or am I right, here?

"You won't feel like you are on solid ground until your married, owning your own home, starting a family and really achieving financial security." That's what people tell you to qualm your "I don't have a clue what I am doing with my life" type of fears which seem to bubble up during that first post-grad summer. Well, I've got a bone to pick with the people who are spreading this message. 

There is one person who is responsible for your sense of solid ground: yourself. I didn't learn this overnight nor was it easy for me to accept that solidarity is my responsibility. We all find it in very different ways; some people achieve it through faith, some through financial security, some through their love for another person. I have found that my solidarity has come from a love for myself. 

For the longest time, I believed that loving yourself above others was vain and selfish. I spent the majority of my college years lost in whirlwind of putting my grades, my work and my volunteerism in front of my own needs. It left me feeling a constant sense of inadequacy. Never did I feel I was doing enough - even though people constantly questioned how I juggled all my obligations - I never felt fulfilled. 

So, what changed? It wasn't like one day I woke up and decided "I'm going to love and value myself for exactly who I am." My Mom got sick this winter and a lot of things changed for me during those months. I began to see an importance in physical and mental health that I had never placed value on before. The strength that she showed, physically and emotionally, inspired me to reevaluate how I was treating my body (and my spirit). In the blink of an eye, we can lose our health - a huge part of our solidarity - and that made me realize that loving and caring for myself is of the utmost importance. 

I spent the last fifteen years of my life battling my natural body shape. I'm a woman. I have hips and curves. I've been fat and I've been skinny. I've been blonde and I've been brunette. I've had long hair and I've had short. I've been mean and I've been too nice. I've been a lot things, y'all but the one thing I never was - satisfied. Watching my Mom love herself through surgeries and treatments, bad days and good, inspired me to take a look at how I was treating myself. I spent the year before she got sick battling my weight to the point where I was undeniably ill. Spiritually and physically - I wasn't giving myself a chance to experience solidarity because I didn't trust and believe in my abilities. 

I didn't learn to love myself alone. I didn't find solidarity alone, either. What I did do was give myself the gift of trust - the gift to trust myself enough to fall in love with my life, my body and my spirit. Both on my own behalf and that of others. I learned to trust that when someone tells me I am smart to believe them. I learned to trust in the sincerity of other's hearts (thanks to a very special person in my life). I learned to give my full heart to other people. I learned to trust my decision to celebrate my successes just as highly as my failures. Because, at the end of the day - they both lead me to solidarity.

When I graduated college, in the top 5% of my class, as a person who never believed she would step foot in a higher education institution, I looked to my Mom, who was healthy and unbelievably happy. Since then, I decided to take back my life and trust myself in finding my own solid ground.

Love and trust go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. When you make the decision to trust yourself, you find that you can truly love the person who you are becoming. I've got miles to go in what I want to achieve but it feels good to know that no matter where I am, I am traveling on my own solid ground. 

Honey Glazed Baked Chicken Thighs

This is a super simple recipe for baked chicken thighs. It features just a few ingredients which you probably already have on hand and it can definitely be whipped up on a week night. The glaze could be used on any cut of chicken but for us broke twenty-somethings, chicken thighs are a cheap protein source. I found these on sale for $2.49 a pound; you really can't beat that! I served these with a steamed vegetable medley, steamed baby spinach and oven roasted potatoes. 

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds of chicken thighs (breasts or legs would also work)

3 tbsp of soy sauce

1 tbsp of rice vinegar

1 tbsp of sesame oil

4 tbsp of honey 

1 tbsp of brown sugar

1 tsp of ground ginger

1 tsp of ground black pepper

2 tsp of crushed red pepper

5 cloves of fresh garlic 

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a glass baking dish with foil (optional for easy clean-up). 

2.) Mince 4-6 cloves of fresh garlic. In a small bowl, measure out oil followed by honey and then the rest of the listed ingredients. By measuring out the oil before the honey, you will have an easier time getting it out of the measuring spoon. Whisk well. 

3.) Lay the chicken thighs out in the dish. You can trim up the extra fat or leave it on. 

4.) Pour the mixture over the chicken and flip the pieces to ensure a generous coating of your glaze. 

5.) Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Plate the chicken and pour some of the juices from the pan over top before you serve it. The excess glaze is super flavorful with all the chicken drippings.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Apple Sausage with Curried Apple Couscous

"To be a good cook, you have to have a love of the good, a love of 

hard work and a love of creating." 

-Julia Child

This dish is a totally do-able weeknight dinner but it has levels of complexity in flavor which make it appear as if it were a slaved-over Sunday night dinner. What's not to love about that? The cayenne pepper gives this sweet dish a perfect pinch of heat and the water chestnuts give it an unexpected, fresh crunch. I served this with an additional side of roasted cauliflower. That is my go-to side dish year round. Take a raw head of cauliflower, chop it up, spray it with cooking spray, sprinkle it with your favorite spices and roast it for approximately 30-40 minutes on 400 degrees, turning occasionally. 

Also, I must mention that my non-vegetable/fruit eating sister even ate the couscous! That speaks volumes on behalf of this dish for those who know her. 

Ingredients: 

1 package of Aidells Chicken Apple Sausage
1 medium yellow onion 
1 large shallot
3 cloves of fresh garlic 
4 handfuls of fresh kale
1 apple (I used a pink lady)
1 pear (I used a green anjou)
1 can of water chestnuts 
1 cup of dry couscous
1 box of your choice of broth (I used Trader Joes Miso Ginger)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 teaspoon of garam masala
2-3 teaspoons of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste where appropriate 

Directions:

1.) Prepare couscous according to box directions. I used Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Couscous and it required 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of "water" which I subbed out for the miso broth. You bring the butter and broth to a boil, add the couscous and take it off the heat. Let it stand for 5-10 mins and then just fluff it with a fork. This my first time making it and it was super simple! 

2.) First, cook the kale. You don't have to do this but I will share a tip I learned from my boyfriend's mom. She freezes fresh herbs so that they are easier to chop (and always available!). I tried this out with the kale and it made it so easy to chop. So, chop the kale into bite sized pieces and add it to a pan over medium heat with one clove of chopped garlic and 1/2 cup of broth. 

3.) When the kale reaches the desired tenderness, drain it if there is excess liquid and set it aside in a small bowl. 

4.) Just wipe out the pan and over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 sliced shallot, 1/2 rough chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook until the onions begin to become translucent and fragrant. 

4.) Peel and chop the water chestnuts, pear and apple. Next, add them to the onion, garlic, shallot butter mix. 

5.) Add in the garlic salt, curry, garam masala, ginger and cayenne pepper.

6.) Add 1/4 cup of broth at a time. Depending on how long you cook your mix, it may take 3/4 of a cup. Simmer the mixture until the apples and pears are fork tender. 

7.) Add the apple mix to the kale on the side. Wipe out the pan and place it back over medium heat.

8.) Take the sausage and slice into diagonal, bite sized pieces. Slice the last 1/4 of your onion. 

9.) Add 1/4 cup of broth to the pan along with the sausage and onions. Continually add splashes of broth to deglaze the pan as your sausage cooks. When they get a nice golden outside, take them off the heat and set aside. 

10.) Do not wipe out the pan. Just splash some broth into it and add your kale and apple mix back into it. Add the cooked couscous and mix thoroughly. Heat through and serve! 

11.) I kept the sausage and couscous separate because I didn't think my sister would eat it with the kale in it but to my surprise, she did! Next time I make this, I will add the sausage into the couscous at the end. 

Check out the finished products:

Feature Story and Upcoming Changes

If you're a local to the county, you might find yourself stumbling across my blog after picking up the latest copy of the Leonardtown Life magazine. The March issue featured my personal stuffed ham journey and gave you this web address to learn more about crafting your very own ham. I've made it super simple for you to find this information.

Here is a link to the story:

 The Story of Stuffed Ham

Here is a link to the play-by-play of ham stuffing: 

Stuffed Ham How-To

In other news, there are changes coming to the blog! I am going to be launching a new series called "My Grandmother's Box" where I will feature short narratives of my experiences cooking my way through a box of original family recipes that have been handed down to me by her. They range from down home classics to strange concoctions so I promise this series will not disappoint!  

You may notice that I will be writing less and less about thrifty fashion but in the coming weeks I will be able to announce an exciting opportunity that explains my lack of this said thrifty fashion writing on County Meanderings. Stay tuned for lots of hearty, wholesome family recipes, though. Oh and of course the occasion burst of creative passion in the realm of community.  

I can't thank you all enough for coming by and reading my blog. In the last six months, my readership has really blossomed and I am so appreciative that you have come by to see what I am up to down in the County. 

Peace and Blessins'

-Karen