Celebrate We Will

I woke up this morning to some sad & disheartening news. A school in my city, Mount St. Mary Academy, has forced the resignation of a teacher. Tippi McCullough has taught at MSM for 15 years, just a bit longer than she has been in a committed relationship, a relationship of which the school administration was aware. She and her partner traveled to New Mexico to be legally married this week, and not even an hour after their ceremony, Tippi received a phone call, stating that she must resign or be fired. You can read the entire story here:

http://m.arktimes.com/arkansas/blogs/Post?basename=human-rights-campaign-says-mount-st-mary-prepared-to-fire-gay-teacher-for-marrying&day=17&id=ArkansasBlog&month=10&year=2013

As a member of the LGBTQ community, a resident of Little Rock, a Christian, & a human being, I am absolutely sickened by MSM's actions.

While I do and will continue to stand up for #teamtippi , I wanted to post a recipe intended to celebrate the love of Tippi & her wife, Barb. The recipe below is a generic one I found online a few years ago, but is one I still use today. I've served this punch at many a celebration, and intend to serve it at my own Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant ceremony in December. (Same-sex marriage isn't legal in Arkansas, but the Episcopal diocese allows priests to perform a blessing ceremony. We plan to get legally married out-of-state on our honeymoon.) I hope & pray that, amid all the craziness and outright discrimination in their lives right now, Tippi & Barb will focus on the love and celebrate their marriage! Jobs will come and go, but love is forever.

Congratulations on your marriage, Tippi & Barb! I support you, as do many others!

Celebration Champagne Punch

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen cranberry juice concentrate

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate

1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate

1 (750 milliliter) bottle white wine, chilled

1 liter carbonated water, chilled

2 (750 milliliter) bottles champagne, chilled

1 lemon - sliced, for garnish

1/2 cup fresh mint, garnish

In large punch bowl, combine the cranberry juice concentrate, pink lemonade concentrate, limeade concentrate, white wine, club soda and champagne. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint leaves.

Recipe & Photo via http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/32664/champagne-punch-iii

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Salad for Sarah

Hey, y'all! Today's post is for a special girl, one who I watched grow from a super-cute baby to a beautiful young woman at my home church, St. John's Episcopal. She launched her new blog today, entitled 'Losing Weight for Life.' She's a brave soul, opening up about her weight loss journey & struggles, and I am beyond proud of her & her honesty!

Check out her blog at: http://saraheflippin93.wordpress.com/

I wanted to share a recipe in her honor, one that tastes delicious, but is a healthy option. This is a recipe from a lady who in all honesty is known for anything but healthy recipes: Paula Deen! I know she's been under a lot of fire lately, and I'm not excusing her, but Mama Deen has a winner in this recipe! I've made it more times than I can count, and it's always a hit. It takes a classic, lightens it up, and presents it beautifully.

Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

6 large tomatoes

2 cups cooked & cubed chicken

1/2 cup minced red bell pepper

1/2 cup corn, drained & rinsed

1 1/2 tbsp minced red onion

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Spinach leaves or Bibb lettuce

Cut 1/2 inch top off of each tomato. Scoop out pulp from tomatoes. Turn tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, bell pepper, corn, & onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil & next 6 ingredients. Pour over chicken, tossing gently to coat.

Line tomatoes with leaf lettuce or spinach leaves. Spoon chicken salad evenly into tomatoes. Serve immediately or refrigerate. 

(Photo & recipe via http://m.foodnetwork.com/recipes/35488)

The salad can be made ahead of time, and can also be eaten alone if you aren't a tomato person, which I will never understand how said people exist. I LOVE tomatoes! I've also made this & added half a can of drained & rinsed black beans and served wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla at a fiesta-themed party- everyone loved them!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and I hope you'll check out & continue to follow Sarah's blog! ...& be sure to follow @woopigfoodieblog on Instagram!

Spice Up Your Life

I've got to be honest, y'all... This post was inspired by a blast from the past I had this morning, via Sirius XM's 90s on 9. Yes, the Spice Girls' song 'Spice Up Your Life' made me think of the following recipe. Just go with it! The outcome is worth it, I promise :)

Spicy Pimento Cheese

1 block of cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

2oz jar diced pimentos, drained

2-4 dashes of hot sauce

A pinch each of salt & pepper

(I use Hellmann's mayo, but prefer Duke's, & Louisiana hot sauce, because I'm a good Southern girl! )

Using a stand mixer or bowl & hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 min. Add remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix. Serve chilled with crudités & crackers or slather on some bread for a yummy sandwich. 

Another sinfully delicious way to enjoy is to make a grilled pimento cheese sandwich! A restaurant in Little Rock, Taziki's, does this and it is to die for! http://www.tazikiscafe.com/menus_little_rock

Weeknight Vegetable Soup

There's nothing better than coming home after a long day & having a really quick & healthy dinner ready to go! Can I get an amen?!

This is a super simple vegetable soup recipe- I'm talking so simple it's barely a recipe. (Don't you love those?) I make this in a big batch and usually freeze part of it. Sometimes I just don't feel like cooking, so pulling homemade soup from the freezer is a great option. If you don't have any made ahead, don't fret! This soup comes together in a hurry & can feed a crowd! Francesca, our exchange student, & I will be enjoying this a few hours from now with some yummy bread & a salad. 

Weeknight Vegetable Soup

1 46oz bottle vegetable (V8) juice

1 box vegetable stock

1 bag frozen peas & carrots

2 cans whole kernel corn, drained & rinsed

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can Great Northern beans, drained & rinsed

2 envelopes onion soup mix

Salt & pepper to taste

Throw everything in a big soup pot, bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 30min! See! Incredibly easy!

*I typically use 1 bag of frozen corn, but I forgot to buy any & had the cans on hand. You can use whatever vegetable combination you like- play around with it! I had some extra matchstick carrots from last week's chicken noodle soup, so I threw those in as well.

Doesn't that look good? 

Here's the yummy, crusty loaf from Silvek's European Bakery that we're having with the soup! 

I hope y'all have had a great day! Be sure to follow @woopigfoodieblog on Instagram to get your food fill on days I don't blog!

Peace,

MCS

5 Months in the Making

...or that time that I neglected my cooking blog. Eek!

To make it worth the wait, I will share one of my favorite dishes!

This recipe was given to me by a woman named Roseann Allen-Matthews, who was the director of my beloved summer camp when I was in high school. I spent an entire summer there in 2002, which just so happened to be a very dark time in my life. I was in a lot of emotional pain, was just beginning to fully realize my sexual orientation (sorry NOT sorry if that's TMI,) and I was really questioning my faith & purpose. Roseann and I had many a conversation around her kitchen table, and they honestly saved my life at that point. She was amid her own struggles at the time, of which I was naively unaware, but she had this calming & understanding nature, which made me feel incredibly safe. Her own demons got the best of her, and the world said goodbye to this magnificent person a few years back. I'll never forget her kindness, open heart, and spiritual guidance from that summer, and I think of her with fondness whenever I make this recipe. Without further adieu,

Roseann's Rice Pilaf

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped (appx 1 cup)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

29oz chicken stock

In a Dutch oven, sauté veggies in butter over medium-high heat. Add rice and wine; stir until absorbed. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15-20min, checking doneness of rice at 15min mark.

A super simple recipe, tastes divine, & goes really well with grilled fish or chicken!

Rest in peace, Roseann, you fabulous lady, you! 

Tahi-hi-hi-hini

Please tell me you got the 'Boy Meets World' reference in the title of this post! If not, we can't be friends. Just kidding! Seriously, though, you need to set it up to record on your DVR and embrace the loveliness of one of my favorite 90s TV shows ASAP!

Today was a grocery shopping day for me & Vivie, who is the precious pookie pants 16-month-old I nanny. Her mamas gave me a list, and while writing said list, we got on the topic of making our own hummus. See, Vivie eats the stuff like there's no tomorrow, especially when slathered on a tortilla and rolled up with ham and spinach! I looked up a recipe on Google, and we decided I should make some while Viv was down for a nap. Sounded good to me!

While at the local Kroger, I searched for tahini paste to no avail. I asked a worker, who turned out to be the friendliest, most jovial older gent, if they carried any and he walked me right to it. I had walked past it oh, probably 4 or 5 times. Oops! I thanked him for his help, and Vivie said "Bye!" very loudly and sweetly, then blew him a kiss. Melted my heart, y'all, and I bet it made his day!

Once Vivie was asleep, I got everything together to make this basic hummus recipe, along with my boss's food processor.

1 can garbanzo beans, with 1/4 cup of the liquid

1 & 1/2 tablespoons tahini paste

3 cloves of garlic, crushed (I used the minced stuff from a jar. Like I said, it's convenient! Don't judge!)

3-5 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

You basically put everything together in a food processor, then let it run on high for 2-3 minutes and voila! Homemade hummus!

This batch was a bit on the bland side, which I guess is alright since it was mainly for the baby. When I make my own, I'll be adding a bit more garlic, as well as some roasted red peppers!

The recipe says this will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days in an airtight container, but that the hummus can also be frozen and served later? Hmm.. Not sure how I feel about that. Have any of you ever tried freezing hummus, then eating it later? What was your method for defrosting? Did the texture or taste change at all?

Below are photos of the ingredients I used, as well as a photo of the finished product. As I don't know how to add photos within a post in specific spots via the Blogger app for iPhone, they'll all be together with no captions, but you're a smarty- you'll figure out what's what! If any of you bloggy-fabulous people have tips for me in this area, please share in a comment!

Satisfyingly Simple

Hey y'all! Welcome to Woo Pig Foodie!

This blog is going to be a place for me to post my food journey, share recipes, ask for tips, and just have a little blogging fun. I hope you enjoy!

On the Menu

Mushroom & Garlic Saute
Simple Pasta Salad
Butter Lettuce with Raspberry Vinaigrette 

Let's begin with the simple pasta salad, which is the easiest thing in the world to make! I honestly don't know that the following can justifiably be called a 'recipe,' but this is my blog & I do what I want. :)

You start with whatever pasta you have in your pantry. Since I'm in-between houses (did I mention I'm currently moving?) the local Food Giant substituted for my pantry. I picked up a bag of Wacky Mac, which has veggies hidden in the pasta. I can't tell a difference taste-wise, it looks pretty, and apparently it's a good, healthy choice! 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, making sure to add a bit of salt and olive oil to the water. I was cooking for myself and 2 boys who were busy doing yard work at the time, so I went ahead and cooked the whole package. We each had a good serving, and there's plenty left over for lunches!

Once the pasta is cooked, dump it into a colander and run under cold water. Stir it around and let the pasta cool down, then completely drain and place in a bowl.

Now... I don't know that you all can handle the next step... It may be too hard for most...

NOT!

Open up a bottle of Kraft Creamy Italian Dressing and pour about 1/2 of the bottle over the pasta. (More or less, depending on how much pasta you've cooked.) Season with a bit of salt and pepper, then cover and throw it in the refrigerator. 

The longer it sits, the better it gets, y'all! I made this about an hour & 1/2 before we ate dinner and it was good, but it will be even tastier for lunch tomorrow! As with most pasta salads, when you get ready to serve it, you will probably want to add more of the dressing to get it to whatever 'wetness' you prefer. 

Using the word 'wetness' made me feel dirty. Moving on...

This is the simplest version of this pasta salad, and I dig it. However, I also have a fancier version which includes diced pepperoni, chopped green onion, sliced black olives, and diced yellow bell pepper... but I just didn't feel like channeling my inner Ina tonight!

Here's what my finished product looked like:

Now it's time for the mushroom and garlic saute! Much like the pasta salad, this little doozie is a cinch to make! I heated 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat, then added a package of sliced baby bella mushrooms. I let them cook down for about 10 minutes in the butter, adding a bit of salt and pepper along the way. At the 10 minute mark, I added 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (yes, from a jar! So convenient- don't judge!) and let the mixture cook together for about 3 minutes. It's yummy, super simple, & vegetarian friendly, which are 3 things I'm really into right now! Here's what was left after dinner, since I forgot to take any photos before:

To round out this easily made dinner, we have something which requires no recipe, unless you are from Planet I-Have-No-Common-Sense. Since I do believe there is such a place, based on some crazies I have come in contact with in my 26 years, I shall give you instructions.

1. Buy some salad greens, whichever your little heart desires. Be it iceburg, romaine, arugula, or spinach, it's whatever you fancy. This butter lettuce looked especially appetizing when I was grocery shopping, so it's what we used!

2. Buy a bottle of your favorite salad dressing! I've always been partial to fruity vinaigrettes, and this one caught my eye. I love raspberry vinaigrette, and, having tried quite a few, was pretty pleased with this one!

3. Place some lettuce on your plate, then drizzle with the dressing. BAM, bitches! 

All jokes aside, this was a ridiculously quick & easy dinner to whip up, and it tasted all kinds of good!

Major thanks to my pals William & Thomas for providing me with not only a bed to sleep on for the next week, but a kitchen to cook in! They're the best & I love having them as roomies during my moving transition. 

So, tell me, what did you have for dinner tonight? What are some of your super easy dinner fixes?