Sweet Thursday

Today was a fun day.  Yes, we worked, but it was fun too. :-)  Charlotte Photography had a few photo shoots scheduled today at the NC Music Factory in Charlotte.  They were restaurant shoots, which almost always results in us getting to eat the yummy food that we photograph.  So, needless to say, we did not have to buy lunch!  

After our first shoot at The Saloon, we left with full bellies and began doing photos of the entire NC Music area.  Our next shoot was not until 2pm, so we wandered over to Mattie's Diner (which was our 2nd shoot) and decided to chill for a while with some milkshakes.  Upon walking into the diner, we were brought back in time by the 1948 built Jersey diner.  How cool!  The booths, the bar with the spinning bar stools, the coat rack on every booth, the jute boxes at every table, and customers interacting with the waitresses made this place very legit!  The story of the diner is printed on every menu, and it's a good one.  With my husband being a Jersey boy, he could definitely testify to the feel of a Jersey diner!  And the milkshakes, SOOOOO YUMMY!  I ordered a chocolate shake that made me so full and sleepy. ha!  When 2pm rolled around, we began our photo shoot and got to meet the owner and find out some more about the process of it being transported down here.  They made quite a few food dishes for us to photograph too.  Although I was full, I had to try the fried jalapenos and the fried Oreos.  Let's just say, I know what I will be ordering next time I go there.  So tasty but sinful at the same time.

Our final shoot led us to Bask.  This was a beautiful restaurant with some very yummy looking dishes and a great staff.  I look forward to going there sometime.  By the end of this shoot, we were exhausted.  Walking around in this heat today just knocked the energy out of us (probably that and the loads of food we ate).  I love spending the days with my husband.  It's always fun and he makes me laugh so much.  Glad we have this opportunity to work together and experience adventures!

Here are so of the my phone photos from the day.  Enjoy!

 At The Saloon

 At The Saloon

 This pesto pasta was AMAZING!

 Map of the area

 At Mattie's Diner!

 See the father and son in the background.  They were so cute!

 Cutie!

 Me spinning at the bar! :-) Don't watch if you get motion sickness.

 Classic!

 My new favorite, Friend Jalapenos!

 Oh my, a Fried Oreo!

If you live in Charlotte, NC, you should definitely visit Mattie's Diner.  It is definitely a fun experience for the whole family.  The Saloon and Bask are also amazing restaurants that you should remember as well.  They are all in the same area of town at the NC Music Factory.

Whole Wheat Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni & Cheese has always been one of my favorite things to not only eat, but make!  I do not like it made with onions, eggs, or with any other added ingredients accept noodles and creamy cheese sauce.  There is something so comforting about eating a plateful of homemade mac & cheese.

This time when I decided to make it, I opted for whole wheat noodles.  I also always use elbow macaroni, but this time I used shells.  Hmmm, I supposed I should have titled this "Whole Wheat Shells & Cheese". ha!  Anyway, I used as much "organic" ingredients as I could, which was only the milk.  I didn't count the calories, but, I'm sure that it could be "low cal" or "low fat" by using the appropriate ingredients.  Unfortunately the ingredients I will be listing below will not reflect that.  It is a very simple recipe that can be altered to your cheesy tasting by adding less or more.  The original recipe I followed called for 12 oz. of cheese, but I added 8oz. instead.  Also, in the past I have always microwaved the cream/cheese mix so that it would go faster and so that the milk would not burn.  But, this time I decided to try the stove to be healthier (haven't done the microwave study, but common sense tells me it may be better for us....not sure?).

Ingredients

• 8oz of uncooked macaroni (or shells)
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar 
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2.5 cups of milk
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Boil water and cook pasta to al dente.  Melt butter over medium heat and stir in the flour to make a roux.  Add milk to roux and continue stirring until the milk mixture thickens.  You must stand at the stovetop and stir constantly or else the milk will burn.  It may take a while for it to begin thickening, but be patient.  (This whole process is what I have typically done in the microwave in the past).  Once the cream sauce has thickened, add the shredded cheese and stir until completed melted.  Take off heat and pour cheese sauce over noodles and mix together. After the noodles and cheese have been combined, pour into an un-greased casserole dish and bake @350 for about 20-25min.  I also sprinkled parmesan cheese on top before placing in oven.

Below are photos from my cooking adventure today. :-)

I would be so appreciative if you wouldn't mind voting for The Yellow Pepper at Picket Fence Blogs by clicking on the link below.  One click is all it takes! :-)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Last week my friend Rebekah (Tirzah Photography) posted a link from Pioneer Women for a yummy tortilla soup that she had just made.  I immediately made plans to make the soup this week.  So, yesterday was the day!  After church we went to the grocery store to buy the appropriate veggies for the soup.  The fact that it was rainy and cold only made me more excited to make the soup (Soup on a rainy day = comfort food!).  I did not take as many photos of the process as I wanted to, and the final photo of the soup with toppings was done with my iphone,  Nevertheless, it looks AND tasted AMAZING!!!  I highly recommend you making this if you like tortilla soup.

Below is the recipe, but go to the website too.  There are awesome photos to walk you through making the soup.

*I actually boiled my chicken instead of baking it.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-½ teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• ¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
• ¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4 cups Hot Water
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
• _____
• FOR THE GARNISHES:
• Sour Cream
• Diced Avocado
• Diced Red Onion
• Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Let me know if you make this soup and what you think.  I loved it so much I'm having leftovers for lunch!