Chicken Sausage and Veggie Bowl

One of Alex's best friends, Scott, and his wife, Katie, are having a baby!  Alex always gets frustrated when I say "they are having a baby" and quickly reminds me that "they" are not having a baby, but "she" is having a baby.  Details, details.  I was so excited when I heard the news and couldn't wait to start planning a shower.  With the help of a few other girls, we put on a good spread of food and Katie got many of the essentials for their new baby boy!

 What is a baby shower without a diaper cake?

 The food table:  we served brie bake, veggie platter, chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, sausage balls, hamburger sliders, pasta salad, and my spinach artichoke dip.

Summer and Jessica

Scott's mom (soon to be grandma to baby Buchholz) and my wonderful mother-in-law, Susan

Joanna, who is due one month after Katie, Jessica, and Summer

Yummy desserts!  We decorated with blue hydrangeas since it is a boy!

Katie's friends

There's the mom to be, Katie, Mrs. Kimberlin, and Kay (another one of the grandma's to be)

Unfortunately, the next night I came down with a stomach bug and couldn't enjoy all the left over food.  It was a rough experience.  My stomach took a full week to recover, but only missed one day of work thank goodness.

Since I wasn't feeling so hot the next week, we kept our meals simple.  I grabbed a package of Trader Joe's chicken sausage and figured we could mix it in with some veggies from the garden.  

This recipe was super easy and quick!  Feel free to change it up with whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator.  

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 2 zucchini's, chopped
• 1 squash, chopped  
• 2 chicken sausage links, sliced
• 1-2 tsp. minced garlic (your preference depending on how much garlic you like, I did 2 tsp.:)) 
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Add onions and garlic, saute for 1 minute; add zucchini and squash, saute for 5 minutes; add sausage and cook until sausage is browned.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Roasted Green Beans and Chicken Sausage

Today is such a special day because it is our FIVE year anniversary!  I am so blessed to have met such an amazing man that can tolerate all my craziness.  We had my friend Ali read the following verse at our wedding:


1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.


Alex lives out this verse everyday in our lives.  He is such an amazing leader for me and shows me nothing but unconditional love.  I am honored to have him as my husband, and look forward to growing with him for the rest of our lives.

My amazing, picky husband:)

Alex definitely surprised me with this new camera!  Not just any camera, but an SLR which I have been wanting for a long time.  After talking to some friends in photography, he went with the Nikon D40.

I love it!

I am very intimidated by technology of any sort, including this new guy.  I plan on taking a class with Lauren soon so I can take full advantage of all the cool things it can do.  Until then, I will continue to snap away at things around the house...primary subject=the dogs:)  Hope you don't get too sick of looking at our four legged children.

Tini jumped up in Alex's lap hoping to find some good eats on the kitchen table.  Look at her licking her lips!

Tucker is my big teddy bear!

I feel like Jackson looks like the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood.

"Grandma, what big teeth you have", said Little Red Riding Hood

"Better to eat you with, my dear", said the wolf

We were supposed to grab dinner with some good friends last night, but plans fell through when one of them got sick.  Boo for colds.  I ran to Trader Joe's to pick up something quick and easy.  I decided that roasting veggies is my new favorite thing.  I grabbed some green beans and chicken sausage to throw together last night.  It was super yummy and easy.  

I think I could eat this with just about anything and call it the best dish ever.

Roasted Green Beans and Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:

• Green Beans, wash and trim ends
• Kosher Salt
• Olive Oil
• Chicken Sausage of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  While it is heating, spread green beans on baking sheet.  Drizzle beans with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake until the beans look shriveled and slightly browned.  ~15 minutes.  

BEFORE

AFTER

While the beans are roasting, cut sausage and saute over medium in pan until browned.  

Combine once completed.

Smoked Chicken Sausage and Roasted Kale

I love this dinner.  If you have been following my blog you know that I don't often pick recipes that only have a few ingredients.  I like the challenge of cooking.  There are weeks though that I wish I would make a simple menu that is quick and easy.

I adapted this dinner idea from one of my new favorite blogs, Peanut Butter Fingers.  We have very similar view points on health and fitness!  I really enjoyed kale, for the first time, while in Athens eating at Last Resort Grill.  One of my favorite restaurants.  Definitely check it out next time you visit the city that bleeds Red and Black!  Go DAWGS!

I love the chicken sausage from Trader Joe's because I can actually read all the ingredients.  It wasn't packed full of junk!

One link was perfect for me since I was eating solo on Thursday night.  Alex went down to SafeHouse to volunteer with the high school students at North Point's InsideOut and two other guys from our marriage small group.

I liked it so much that I plan on making it again for lunch today.  First on the list though is a short run in this amazing Atlanta weather.

Hope you enjoy!

Smoked Chicken Sausage and Roasted Kale

Fresh kale ready to be roasted (my new favorite way to eat veggies)!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 package of Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage 
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After rinsing kale under cold water, pull off leaves from rough stem.  Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Next sprinkle a little garlic salt and toss to coat.  Spread on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes.  Our oven cooks super fast so mine took only about 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on it and stir frequently to allow it to get crispy all over.

While the kale is roasting, cut up the sausage links and cook over medium heat in a pan until browned.  

Serve sausage over yummy kale.

Sausage Balls

We had our work Christmas Party Friday night at Benihana.  Here are a few pictures of my co-workers! I feel blessed to be able to work with friends.

Brian, Amanda, Kerri, and Jake

Brian and Latoya

Jonathan, Lauren, Me, and Alex

Okay back to cooking!

I promise after the holidays I will get some healthier recipes up!

I made these for our holiday party too!  They were gone before the night was over.  Huge hit!  I was nervous because this was my first time using the gluten free bisquick and had no idea how it would turn out.  Many people commented on how these were not as dry as most sausage balls they had tried before

I used the hot pork sausage because I like some spice.  Adjust according to your taste!

Sausage Balls
Source:  www.allrecipes.com
Serving: ~30

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork sausage
2 cups biscuit baking mix
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine sausage, biscuit baking mix, and cheese (I use my hands to mix).  Form into bit size balls and place on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.