Leah Claire

Weekend in Chattanooga

2019-09-16T00:33:56Z

Living in Nashville, it’s easy to have a quick getaway to Chattanooga for the weekend. A two-hour drive east on I-24 (plus the time zone change) lands you in downtown Chattanooga with plenty to see, do, and eat! In August, we did just that and had the best time. I’m already thinking about my next visit! I’ll walk you through where we stayed, ate, and played. The entire time we couldn’t get over how much nicer their downtown is than Nashville. “It City” has taken its toll on our downtown, so fellow Nashvillians, a weekend break awaits you!

Friday

We left Nashville just in time to arrive in Chattanooga around 5 p.m. Plenty of time to check in to our hotel, look around, grab a drink, and head out to dinner. We stayed at The Read House and I cannot say enough good things about it. We booked a corner room with two queen beds in the historic tower, which has recently undergone a $25-million renovation… and you can tell! It was swanky and I loved it! The hotel has this Great Gatsby vibe with its decor, and one of the rooms is supposedly haunted (more on that later).

Instant Pot Plum Chili Chicken

2024-10-30T13:50:12Z

We all own an Instant Pot by now right? I’ve had mine about 3 years and I still love it. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes (other than risotto, which by the way I need to blog that recipe!) and I found this Plum Chili Chicken in The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook. The downside to an Instant Pot is that a lot of recipes are soups and stews, or heartier foods that I’m not in the mood for during the heat of the summer. I was thrilled with this Plum Chili Chicken because it had a ton of flavor and is served with rice and broccoli. Perfect for summer when you don’t want to be stuck over a hot stove!

The recipe could not be easier. Mix together the sauce ingredients, place sauce and chicken in Instant Pot, let IP do it’s thing.

It’s plum jam, water, soy sauce, sambal oelek, ginger, green onions, and garlic. If you can’t find plum jam, apricot jam would work nicely here, too.

I sliced the chicken into bite-sized pieces and poured the sauce over it, so it would really be coated and flavorful. Serve over rice with broccoli or try it with some spiralized veggies! The recipe isn’t very spicy as is, so feel free to add more sambal oelek, sriracha, or hot sauce to the finished dish if you like it spicy!

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Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

2019-01-26T14:41:43Z

What’s comfort food for you? A hearty stew? A brothy soup? For me, it’s macaroni and cheese and I had no idea how good it could be until I stumbled on this recipe for Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese! Yeah, it sounds a little weird, but trust me. Roasted butternut squash adds such a depth of flavor, slightly sweet, but complements the Parmesan and sharp Cheddar beautifully. Once blended, it makes this mac and cheese some of the creamiest mac and cheese on the planet.

Cube your butternut squash and roast in the oven. I can’t say enough about roasted veggies. It really brings out the best of their flavor and those crispy bits…

Blend it! Here’s where the magic happens. Greek yogurt and nonfat milk help keep the calories low, but the creamy texture high.

It may be a tinge healthy, but we’re not leaving out the cheese! Salty Parmesan and sharp Cheddar, yes please and thank you!

If it’s cold where you are (and if it isn’t, where are you? can I come? ), a big bowl of this is all you need to get through winter. Cold weather dinner luxury. You won’t be able to get over the creamy, cheesiness of the sauce. I never want to have regular mac and cheese again!

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Walnut-Topped Ginger Drops

2019-07-28T22:39:41Z

These Walnut-Topped Ginger Drops were the surprise favorite from Cookie Baking Day 2018. I chose this recipe because I like to have a good variety of cookies, or else I end up with all chocolate! I thought these were so unique with the candied ginger and cardamom. The cookies are almost cake-like and barely sweet, so the touch of vanilla chip drizzle on top is perfect. I wasn’t sure if these would appeal to everyone, but they were the #1 cookie that my coworkers talked about!

What I really love about these cookies is how they are decorated. The one walnut on top with the drizzle looks so cool to me. It was hard finding whole walnut halves, but it can be done! If all you have are walnut pieces, those would look just fine on top. You could also substitute pecans or almonds for the walnuts. Another fun decorating twist is to color the vanilla baking chips. With Valentine’s Day coming up, these would be a fantastic dessert with pink drizzle!

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The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich

2019-01-18T16:10:41Z

Y’all. This sandwich. The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich. I don’t know where to begin other than telling you to read the recipe, go to the grocery store, and make the garlic butter tomato sauce so you have all the ingredients for the best breakfast of your life tomorrow morning. I’m not exaggerating. I chose this for our breakfast on Christmas day and it did not disappoint. It’s decadent, over the top, and you will have to practice the most self-control to not make it every day after. It’s THAT good!

On Christmas day I wanted something different than the popular cinnamon rolls, and I really wanted something savory. After reading through tons of savory casseroles that weren’t quite what I was looking for, I remembered this sandwich I had pinned over a year ago. I’m so mad that it took me this long to make it, but thankfully Pinterest did its job and when I was scrolling through, I knew this would be THE breakfast. Shout out to Pinch of Yum for the recipe!

First, you’ll want to make the garlic butter tomato sauce. It takes the longest and stores in the fridge, so make that the night before and have it ready. One thing to note, the full recipe calls for two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and we found that to be too strong. I recommend using only one tablespoon.

The next morning, you’re ready to cook the eggs and assemble. Start with toasted, buttery croissants and add a slice of pepperjack cheese while the croissants are still warm, so it starts to melt. On the other half of the croissant, add smashed avocado. Guacamole would work well here, too. On top of the cheese side, schmear a good helping of the garlic butter tomato sauce. It’s better if it’s dripping everywhere. On top of that, you’ll want to add scrambled eggs. If you want a truly messy, sop-worthy sandwich, runny eggs would be amazing here. On top of the eggs, add your super crispy bacon. Put the other slice with avocado on top and BAM! Best. Breakfast. Ever.

For the full Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich recipe, visit Pinch of Yum. Please come back and let me know if you made the sandwich in the comments. We can gush over the best breakfast together.

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Eggnog Cookie Logs

2019-01-19T15:26:05Z

Oh, hi! (waves) Yep, I know it’s January and we’re all thinking about eating healthier, but I want to talk about cookies! As most of you know, my mom and I bake several batches of cookie each year known as Cookie Baking Day. It’s a super fun tradition and this year we got fancy with matching aprons and Christmas pins. We’re adorkable. So, enjoy your celery sticks, but bookmark these Eggnog Cookie Logs for next year. I’m not a huge fan of drinking eggnog, but anything flavored eggnog is fair game. We first made these cookies years ago, long before I had a blog, and they were the one cookie for which I had recipe requests.

They can be a bit tedious to make since you have to roll out the dough, but once you get going, it’s not such a big deal. The cookies are barely sweet, which I love because that makes the frosting perfectly suited for them. They taste great without it, but that bump of sweet frosting really gives it a nice flavor. Plus it’s double nutmeg with some in the cookie and some sprinkled on top. If you didn’t want to bother with the log shape, you could definitely use a cookie scoop and bake them in rounds. Perfect for the holidays with a big cup of cocoa!

Other goodies from Cookie Baking Day 2018:
Cream Cheese Spritz
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Walnut-Topped Ginger Drops (stay tuned!)
Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies (stay tuned!)
Chocolate Guinness Cookies (stay tuned!)

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Black-Eyed Peas & Greens

2019-07-28T22:39:29Z

Happy New Year! I hope 2019 has been treating you well so far. Did you make resolutions? Have you broken any? I made a few including baking more, especially bread! On January 1, I made Black-Eyed Peas & Greens in my instant pot for good luck. I usually eat boring peas and greens on the first every year, but I’ve had this particular recipe bookmarked since early last year. It is full of flavor, but the peas and greens still shine. If you didn’t get your good luck food in this year, save this recipe for next year. I did that last year with the good luck piglet. It’s never too late for a little good luck!

Thanks to my trusty Instant Pot, this recipe is really easy. The time consuming part comes from soaking the peas overnight. I know, I know, why are you soaking peas when, hello, you have an Instant Pot. I scratched my head on this one, too, but finally figured out it’s probably because cooking the dried peas in the Instant Pot AND doing the rest of the recipe would add 30+ minutes. Doable, but much easier to just soak your peas overnight and go ahead with the recipe the next day. I also chose to buy a bunch of collards instead of the bag of already chopped. To save time, you can certainly use the bag, but I’m anti collard stems, so I prefer to chop them myself.

I had never used a smoked turkey leg in my cooking before. It really does add a nice, smoky flavor and was pretty cheap at my grocery store (under 5 bucks). I didn’t like having to deal with removing the meat and shredding it, so next year I think I’ll skip that step and use ham instead. That means using a veggie or chicken broth, since the first part of the recipe is making a broth from the smoked turkey leg. Really good, but I really hate dealing with meat on the bones. I’m a weirdo, I know.

Definitely a keeper recipe that I’ll make every year. It’s slightly brothy, but not enough to where I’d call it a soup. Just super good comforting food to start your year off right!

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White Bean & Spinach Soup

2019-01-18T16:09:54Z

Is it fall where you are? Not here in Nashville. We’ve had weather in the 80s and 90s STILL. I’m thinking if I keep making cold weather meals, I can will fall weather this way south. This is the second weekend in a row that I’ve made this incredibly easy and delicious White Bean & Spinach Soup. It’s so easy, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. I used to be team fresh (garlic, lemons, onions, etc) and while I still appreciate that those items are better fresh, I find myself turning more and more to convenience items. And you know what? I’m not missing out on any flavor, but saving tons of time.

I say this recipe is super easy because I use frozen chopped onions (I always have a bag or two in the freezer), jarred minced garlic (I know, I know), Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, and already cooked crumbled bacon. When I want a quick dinner, these items are life savers…and saves clean up time, too! You just have to be mindful of how you’re using them because sometimes the fresh versions are truly better. In this soup recipe, the shortcuts work great!

This soup is so colorful and full of flavor. It’s pretty good without the optional toppings, but ooo boy the bowl I had today was a game changer! A sprinkle of bacon, cheese, and chunks of avocado on top took this to another level. So, come on Nashville, where’s my cardigan weather?

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Farro and Shrimp with Parmesan and Feta

2019-01-05T00:50:16Z

Are y’all in love with the Instant Pot as much as I am? When anyone asks me if they should buy one, my answer is always yes! And, if you use it for nothing else other than to make risotto, it’s worth the money. So, why am I talking about risotto? Well, this Farro and Shrimp with Parmesan and Feta reminds me of risotto so much. It’s creamy, decadent, and super fast and easy to make in the Instant Pot. The big difference is that instead of rice, it’s farro.

Farro is a grain that’s really hearty. I was introduced to it a few years ago back when I made this Cheesy Baked Farro (move over mac & cheese!) and one of my all-time favorite dishes on the blog is Farro with Brie and Squash. If you haven’t had farro, start with those recipes and you’ll love it! So, with the combination of hearty farro and basically being like a risotto, I couldn’t get enough of this!

The Old Bay seasoning mixed with just a bit of butter makes the sauce ever so decadent. And, it was my first time cooking and eating Swiss chard! If you haven’t had it, it’s a little more earthier than spinach, but not as delicate. It wilted down, but holds up a bit more. Finally, the saltiness from the Parmesan and feta put this over the top. If you saw me make this on my Instagram stories, you’ll hear me say how this dish could be something served in a restaurant. It’s THAT good!

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Farro and Shrimp with Parmesan and Feta

Ingredients:

14.5 oz. can chicken broth, reduced sodium
1 cup pearled farro, rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 lb. medium frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined, no tail
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp. butter
8 oz. bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

In your Instant Pot, combine the first five ingredients (through pepper). Stir. Lock lid in place. Set Instant Pot to cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. Use a quick release.
Carefully open lid. Stir in Old Bay and frozen shrimp. Stir. Lock lid in place. Set Instant Pot to cook for 1 minute on high pressure. Use a quick release.
Carefully open lid. Add Parmesan, butter, and Swiss chard. Stir until chard is wilted. Add lemon juice and feta. Stir and serve.

per serving: 364 calories, 8g fat (4g sat fat), 203 mg cholesterol, 1,351 mg sodium, 41g carbs, 6g fiber, 2g sugars, 35g protein

Better Homes & Gardens, Fast or Slow

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March Yoga & Stretches Challenge Results

2018-04-01T14:20:09Z

Welp, it was bound to happen eventually, but I’m surprised it was with this challenge. March’s challenge was to practice yoga once a week and stretch everyday. Sounds easy enough, but I failed at it…miserably. What happened? Read on. To catch up, read this post on my Year of 30-Day Challenges.

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