Ice Ice Baby

Only in Charleston can it be in 29 degrees and 70 degrees in the same week. We got several 'snow days' this week ('ice days' would have been more appropriate) because of slick conditions outside. I worked from home and used the extra time to rest, hug my puppies, and cook up some tasty comfort food while the fireplace was going. Baby, it's cold outside!

Quinoa Salad

I was kind of missing couscous, orzo, and bulgur, because I like to make cold 'salads' with them, but when I ended up with some leftover red quinoa (thank you steamer!) I decided it would work just as well. I sauteed some zucchini with garlic paste and threw it in with a can of drained navy beans, shredded spinach, sundried tomatoes, sliced green onions, quartered cherry tomatoes, feta, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt/pepper. Greeky goodness!

Brevard Trip

My Christmas/anniversary present from the husband was a long weekend in Brevard, NC. We rented a dog-friendly cabin (with a huge fenced yard) and spent some time exploring. We started downtown, where there were lots of cute little shops and restaurants.

We stopped at several local parks and hiking trails to take in some nature.

Including the beautiful Connestee Falls, right across the street from where we were staying.

We also went to Looking Glass Falls and did some hiking at Pisgah Forest, but not before meeting some of the locals :).

Gnocchi with Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients
1 package of gluten free potato gnocchi
1/3 cup of Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons of orange juice
1 heaping tablespoon stoneground mustard
Salt and pepper
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 bunch of broccolini, ends trimmed

1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions; drop broccolini in the last 3 minutes and cook. Drain everything and set aside.

2. In a pan, saute leeks in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil until tender (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, mix yogurt, orange juice, mustard, and salt/pepper, and taste. Add more seasonings as needed, then add in leeks, broccolini, and gnocchi. Combine until everything is well-covered. Dig in!

Cheerleading Season

Competitive cheer season is underway and boy is it weird not being a part of it this year. Don't get me wrong, I love my weekends, not being poor, and having more time for my family, but the sport and these kids were part of my life for a long time and it's tough being on the sidelines. It is, however, super fun to see how well they are doing in their new training center with the awesome coaches and new teammates they've gained. They are kicking butt this season and I can't wait to see how far they can go!

Second Sunday

Downtown Charleston blocks off one of its major streets the second Sunday of each month to allow street vendors and outdoor sales/seating from local stores. Weather was in the 60s so it was the perfect day for it.

We tried a new Lebanese restaurant, where I got several eggplanty dishes and some good lentil soup.

And of course I couldn't leave downtown without stopping by the Godiva store to get my free monthly truffle (free membership = awesome).

Dark chocolate and salted caramel...perfect end to a good day.

Ringing in 2014

We're old and not exactly in to staying out all night, so New Year's consisted of drinks at the local pub with some good friends and cheap champagne in Bill and Sunnie's 50th Anniversary glasses (promptly followed by a 12:30 a.m. bed time). Cheers!