Famous Bowls

Oh man - it's my last month in grad school - as in graduation is one month from today!!!! That means I am in full-on project writing mode. I've been busy, trying to take it easy when I can and writing furiously the other times.

This means that my darling husband Ross has been doing most of the cooking and cleaning around here lately, which I LOVE (thank you honey!!!), but I honestly haven't spent much time in the kitchen in the past week.

One meal we worked on together that was out of this world, however, was our very own version of those KFC Famous bowls! <--- Please click on that link for a hilarious video. But you know what I mean - those commercials that keep cropping up on Sundays during football games for KFC's Famous Bowls. Now I wouldn't say that they looked good, but the idea of them with my own local & organic twist, now that sounded amazing. And we tried the happy lamp to help with the lighting in the pictures... it totally overdid it. But I'm not skilled nor willing to spend time with photoshop right now, so here goes!

Famous Bowls 

20 organic mini yellow potatoes 

1/2 medium organic onion, chopped 

1 cup organic corn, frozen or canned 

2 slices Hempler's local bacon, chopped

2+ leaves organic, local kale 

2 organic chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 cup cheddar cheese 

Salt, pepper, garlic, al gusto 

Start with oven roasting mini yellow potatoes for 40 minutes at 400F. They were just coated in canola oil and sprinkled with garlic powder and pepper. 

Cook up the bacon in one pan, then use the bacon grease to saute the kale in. In another skillet, saute the onions and chicken until cooked thoroughly. 

As the potatoes roast and the bacon sizzles, you can chop up the kale, and nuke the corn in the microwave or heat in a saucepan on the stove. 

Then let the fun begin! Start with a layer of sauted kale in the bottom. 

Then add those cute mini potatoes! 

Then the chicken and onions. 

Layer on the corn. 

Finally, top it with the bacon and the cheese! 

They. were. AMAZING. 

Ross added ranch dressing to his, while I layered on Frank's Red Hit Buffalo Sauce. We were both raving at our delicious creation! 

Take that KFC! 

Oh, and hopefully see you soon? I honestly don't know when... but I'll be back. Wish me luck on finishing everything up! 

Jack-O-Pepper

Happy Halloween! 

This year Ross and I decided not to carve a pumpkin. Instead, we carved peppers! 

Those beautiful peppers I got from the Farmer's Market! 

To make your very own Jack-O-Pepper you need these local and/or organic ingredients:

2 large orange bell peppers. 

1 cup cooked brown rice 

1 cup cooked black beans (canned are fine) 

1 green or poblano pepper

1/2 medium onion 

1/2 cup shredded cheese - cheddar or pepper-jack 

1 Tbsp canola oil 

Seasonings al gusto 

Slice open the top and clean out the guts just like you would a pumpkin. Save the top. 

Chop the green pepper and onions into small pieces and saute with the oil. You could also add mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. Be creative! 

After the onions are translucent add the rice and beans, mix together and cook until hot. Add any seasonings you want here - garlic, cumin, chili powder, s&p. 

While the stuffing is sauteing you get to carve your peppers! 

Carve then anyway you like, keeping the openings reasonably small.  

Then stuff them! Fill with alternating layers of stuffing and cheese.

Take care to place the black beans in the mouth and eyes for a dramatic effect. 

So creepy! 

Cap them and place them upright in an oven safe dish and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes... 

or until its hot and the cheese is all melted. It kinda looks like his brains are falling out! 

Then enjoy! We put some tortilla chips on the side, and I definitely added a lot of hot sauce to mine! 

Happy Halloween! Be safe! 

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I met nearly every one of the goals I set for myself in October! The only one I didn't really get into was meditation. I like meditation and prayer in conjunction with yoga, but not on its own.