Barbells and Bellinis

Paleo Chicken Fingers with Honey Sriracha Dipping Sauce (and Gluten Free!)

2017-03-27T14:07:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love chicken fingers?

Even better? Healthy-ish chicken fingers.

Note: only "ish". Because chicken fingers should only be so healthy.

With a spicy honey sauce for dipping. Because who wants a chicken finger without a dip?

Enjoy!

Paleo Chicken Fingers with Honey Sriracha Dipping Sauce (and Gluten Free!)
Serves: 6 to 8
Prep and Cook Time: 1 hr 10 minutes

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
4 eggs
1 cup coconut flour
2 cups almond flour
3 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground mustard
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne (depending on your heat preference)
1 bunch chives, chopped

For Honey Sriracha Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Sriracha

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice chicken breast into strips (I usually get three strips per breast). Pour coconut flour into a shallow dish (for dredging). In a separate shallow dish, mix almond flour and the next 9 ingredients (for dredging). In a third shallow dish, beat eggs. Dredge each chicken finger in coconut flour, dip in egg wash (coating well), and then roll in the almond flour mix until coated on all sides. Place chicken strips on a greased metal grate over a cookie sheet (line cookie sheet with foil for easy clean up). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. While chicken is cooking, whisk together honey and Sriracha in small bowl. Plate chicken strips, sprinkle with chives and serve with the Honey Sriracha dipping sauce. These are great with sweet potato fries!

Kale and Orzo Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

2014-01-15T22:21:00.000-05:00

Laziness. Writer's block. Lack of motivation. Crazy schedules. Eating out of the freezer.

I know, excuses, excuses, excuses. Bottom line - life has been a little crazy as of late. We have been on the go, on the road, and more than a little sleep deprived.

And I'm not lying about subsiding primarily on freezer food. The grocery bill has been a mere fraction of the usual, which has been really, really nice. The good news is the freezer is bare and I have no choice but to get back in the kitchen; the bad news is I managed to spend all of the grocery savings at market in Atlanta.

This should come as no surprise.

One of the few things I actually whipped up during my hiatus that requires more than simply warming in the oven or on the stove is this orzo salad. And that's only because it's almost easier and faster than reheating a meal from the freezer. Not lying.

This orzo is really good as a side dish, or even for a light lunch or dinner. If I'm looking for a meal with a little more substance and pizazz, I'll toss in some grilled chicken or shrimp, parmesan or feta cheese, and any veggies I can scrounge up from the fridge for a heartier dish.

No matter how you serve it, I promise it's cheap, quick, easy, and delicious. And did I mention healthy? What more can you ask for in a weeknight meal?

Nada.

Kale and Orzo Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves: 6 to 8
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
8-10 ounces of whole wheat orzo
1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 cup of pine nuts
1 large cucumber (or 2 small), sliced and quartered
1 pint of grape tomatoes
1 bunch of dill, chopped
2 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon

Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional add-ons: Feta, Parmesan, Shrimp, or Grilled Chicken

Directions:

Boil orzo according instructions on package. When finished, drain orzo in a colander and rinse completely with cold water until pasta is no longer hot to the touch. Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well to prevent sticking. In a large bowl, mix orzo, kale, pine nuts, cucumber, tomatoes, and dill together. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and the juice of the two lemons. Pour dressing over the orzo salad and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. If you have the time, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Luck & Money Soup

2013-12-31T08:54:00.003-05:00

Why, hello there.

Long time no chat.

Merry Christmas, sorry for being slack with the posts, Happy New Year's Eve, my resolution is to be better in the New Year, yada, yada, yada.

On a side note, I'm not quite sure how we've already reached the Happy New Year mark. Where the heck did 2013 go?

I guess time flies when you're having fun, or so they say. We planned a wedding, I started a blog, we welcomed a new niece into the world, had a few parties, witnessed my sis exchange some vows, traveled to Vermont, bought a gym, got hitched, honeymooned, Chicagoed, and most recently, holidayed. It was a damn fine year.

Bring on 2014.

If you're looking for a head start on luck and prosperity in the new year (and let's be honest, who isn't), I suggest starting the New Year with this soup. Tradition says that pork and black eyed peas will bring you luck in the New Year and collards will bring you prosperity (they are green like money after all). Even if you're not overly superstitious, why take the chance when it's as easy as making a pot of this yummy soup?

For an extra dose of luck, throw a clean half dollar in the pot before serving (or other clean coin). The person who dishes up the coin is guaranteed the best of luck in the New Year.

Happy New Year!!

Luck & Money Soup
Serves: 12 people*
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:
2.5 - 3 lbs pork tenderloin
1 lb andouille sausage, roughly chopped
1 bunch of collard greens, stems removed and chopped
4 cups of frozen black eyed peas
1 yellow onion, diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of white wine
8 cups of chicken broth (I used 1/2 low sodium)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons paprika
5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Garlic powder (to dust pork)
Salt and Pepper (to dust pork and to taste)

Directions:

Dust pork tenderloin with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat a large dutch oven or stock pot (7 quarts minimum) over high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to pot, allow it to heat, and then add pork. Brown pork for 4 minutes on each side for a total of 16 minutes. Remove pork and tent with foil. Add the andouille to the pot and cook about 5 minutes. Remove andouille and set aside with pork. Add diced onion and celery to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add white wine to deglaze pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add garlic, oregano, thyme, red pepper, and paprika. Mix well. Add pork and andouille back to the pot together with accumulated juices. Pour in chicken broth and apple cider vinegar, followed by the collards and black eyed peas. Stir. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer (low), cover with lid, and cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 45 minutes or so. After 45 minutes of cooking, taste the soup (careful - it's hot!) and season with salt and pepper to your preference. After about 2 hours (when pork is tender), remove pork, shred, and add back to the soup. Serve soup with hot sauce, peppered vinegar, chow chow, cornbread, or even a good classic grilled cheese.

*I purposely made a ton so that I could freeze the leftovers. Halve this recipe or even quarter it if you want, but I don't recommend it.

Weekly Menu 12.15.13 - 12.21.13 and Weekly Wrap-Up

2013-12-15T21:35:00.000-05:00

Weekly Menu:

Sunday: Dinner at Grandma's

Monday: Garlic Dijon Herb Salmon from Skinny Taste (recipe here)

Tuesday: Maple Mustard Horseradish Chicken with Roasted Green Beans

Wednesday: Pork Chops with Ginger Apple Sauce from Ming Tsai (recipe here)

Thursday: Spinach Lasagna

Friday: Kale and Apple Salad with Chicken, Feta and Walnuts from Health Recipe Ecstasy (recipe here)

Saturday: Date Night

Weekly Wrap Up:

Adding the perfect ornament to pig lover's tree on Sunday.

Relaxing with these two on Monday.

Showing off my "baking" skills on Tuesday.

Showing off Scott's eating skills on Wednesday.

Loving the steady stream of Christmas cards on Thursday.

Hating my major blonde moment on Friday (including the city and state is kind of important).

Grilled Grouper Tacos with Cranberry Salsa

2013-12-11T20:05:00.000-05:00

After the Thanksgiving feasting and in light of the upswing in holiday parties, office parties, and endless supply of chocolates and baked goods, anyone else reaching for the sweater dresses in their closets instead of the tailored pants (and thanking the heavens for shape wear)?

Scared to try on your skinny jeans?

Wishing you were a yoga instructor so that you could wear yoga pants all day? (I guess in that case, you'd be doing the yoga pants justice with your rockin' bod.)

Just me? Great.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't (a) adding an additional CrossFit workout to my weekly schedule, and (b) running out of dresses.

Rue La La is a Godsend, CrossFit is the devil.

To offset the holiday indulgences, we're making a conscious effort to make really healthy meals during the week. Lots of lean meat, fish, soups, and veggies, and only small servings of healthier carbs.

Leaving plenty of room for peanut buttercup stuffed chocolate chip cookies, peppermint bark, and fudge.

These fish tacos fit perfectly within those parameters, and they even incorporate some classic holiday flavors so you don't feel like you passing on all the good stuff.

I suggest chasing them with two pieces of marble fudge.

Grilled Grouper Tacos with Cranberry Salsa
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 - 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
For Cranberry Salsa*
2 cups of fresh cranberries
zest of 1 orange + 1 whole orange (peeled, segmented)
zest of 1 lime + juice of 1/2 lime
1/3 cup of chopped cilantro
1/3 cup of honey
1/2 red onion, diced
2 jalapenos (1 with seed, 1 without), diced
Pinch of salt

For Fish Tacos
2 1/2 pounds of grouper (or other white fish)
8 white corn tortillas
Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic
Salt and Pepper
Lettuce, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lettuce, Vermont white cheddar, and Cranberry Salsa

Directions:
For Cranberry Salsa
Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until finely diced (about 40 pulses).

For Fish Tacos

Heat grill to high heat. Dust fish with Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic, salt and pepper. If you can't find the Seafood Magic, dust fish with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Grease fish grilling basket and place fish in grill basket. Grill fish 4 to 5 minutes per side or until it flakes easily with fork. In last two minutes, grill corn tortillas about 1 minute per side. Break fish up and assemble tacos; top with lettuce, Greek yogurt, cheddar, and Cranberry Salsa.

* I purposely made extra salsa so that I would have enough to take to a friends house as an appetizer with chips. Halve these ingredients if you don't need extra.

Hardheaded Woman

2013-12-09T21:38:00.001-05:00

Today's motivation:

Today put this hardheaded woman in her place. We had a teaching session for one of the major Olympic lifts, and Scott brought in some back up (more on this below). Needless to say, pretty much every piece of advice he handed out or critique he offered up was something Scott had drilled in to me many times before. Lesson learned: I am stubborn to my own detriment.

But I am determined to get better.

Today's workout:

We started with the usual warm up - jumping jacks, stretching, planks, v sit-ups, band pull-aparts, and Scott's new favorite, the hollow rock. Not my favorite I may add - it hurts like hell after a few seconds.

This week is a deload week from Jim Windler's 5/3/1 series, so today's main movement was front squats at 50% of our training max for 3 sets of 5 reps. My sets looked like this:

Warm up:

Bar (45 lbs) x 5

55 lbs x 5

Work Sets:

65 lbs x 5

75 lbs x 5

Next up, we worked on our snatches. Scott brought in Andrew, another coach who he raves is good as hell at Olympic lifting, to teach the lift. It is pretty technical, and I am on the opposite side of perfect right now, but I am determined to get good at this lift. Pictures to come when I nail it.

In case you are interested, he is teaching the Glenn Pendlay method (Google it, there is plenty of research out there.

Finally, we ended on a "mini" Cindy - as many rounds as possible of:

5 pullups (I used a band)

10 pushups

15 squats

That's all folks.

Weekly Menu 12.8.13 - 12.14.13 (I'm Back!)

2013-12-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

I'm back!

Sorry for just falling off the face of the earth for the past two weeks with nary an explanation or comment; very shady of me. It's just that I have been all consumed with my professional life (the job that keeps the twinkle lights on), leaving me with very little energy or creativity for anything else.

I haven't completely slacked off - Scott has had plenty of food to eat, King has a new Christmas collar and plenty of bully sticks, the house is decorated for Christmas, and the workouts have proceeded as scheduled (I even have evidence) - I just slacked off on this little hobby. My bad.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

There is no evidence of the workouts - you'll just have to trust me on that one.

On a somewhat related to the Christmas side note, as I've mentioned before, I am not a baker, and the incessant stream of magazine worthy Christmas baked goods on Pinterest is causing me to (1) feel wholly inadequate, and (2) have a ravenous craving for all things chocolate.

Make it stop.

On to the weekly menu:

Sunday: Braciole inspired by Giada De Laurentiis (recipe here)

Monday: Spinach, Artichoke and Feta Stuffed Chicken

Tuesday: Chicken, Sweet Potato and Kale Crock Pot Soup with Grilled Cheeses (recipe to come)

Wednesday: Stuffed Cuban Pork Tenderloin from Cooking Light (recipe here)

Thursday: Lucky Game Day Chili from the freezer

Friday: Grilled Grouper with Tomato, White Wine and Caper Sauce (recipe to come)

Saturday: Dinner and "Night of a Thousand Candles" at Brookgreen Gardens with the cousin and her man.

Hope y'all had a fabulous weekend!

Lucky "Game" Day Chili

2013-11-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

This is me being a foodie rebel.

The day before Thanksgiving and my recipe post has absolutely nothing to do with turduckens, or herbed-up gravy atop oyster cornbread stuffing, or whipped sweet potatoes smothered in bourbon, brown sugar and bacon, or even pumpkin ____________ [fill in the blank].

I figured at this point your threshold for Thanksgiving hoopla has been far surpassed.

This recipe is for the weekend after Thanksgiving, when you'll be hard pressed to find a television in the house that isn't tuned into one of the big college football rivalry games - at least that's how we do it down south.

It's the perfect hearty-yet-low-maintenance meal for a "chili" November day, and it's even made with "game" for game day. See what I did there?? I'm such a cheese ball.

Even better, assuming the old wives' tale holds true, the black eyed peas may bring your favorite team good luck and the collard greens just might give you the upper hand on your bets!

And if a day of sitting on the couch watching football sounds about as enticing to you as venturing out into the Black Friday mob madness does me, prep the ingredients and throw them in the crock pot before you go to bed on Friday night, set the crock pot to low Saturday morning, and let the football fanatics fend for themselves while you enjoy some Small Business Saturday shopping.

The menfolk will be so appreciative of your sweet gesture they'll have to think twice about making a comment on the car full of shopping bags you make them carry into the house for you.

Bribery at its finest.

I hope your Thanksgiving brings you an overly stuffed belly and a day full of quality time with your family and friends (or at least as much as you can stand).

Lucky "Game" Day Chili
Serves: Enough for an army
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours
Total Time: All dang day (but worth it)

Ingredients:
1 lb venison roast, cut into 1 inch pieces*
1 lb venison cube steak, cut into 1 inch pieces*
1 lb ground elk*
4 slices of bacon, chopped
2 yellow onions, diced
2 jalapenos, diced finely

2 serrano peppers, diced finely
3 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely diced
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
2 red peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and chopped
4 cups frozen black eyed peas, thawed
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
1.5 ounces dark chocolate, crushed
1 bottle brown ale
1 cup coffee
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

In the largest pot you can find (mine was 8 quarts) fry chopped bacon until crispy, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove bacon and set aside. Leaving the bacon grease in the pot, brown the venison in batches over high heat, careful not to crowd the pan. It took me about three rounds and six minutes per round. Set aside venison aside with the bacon once browned. Add the onion to the pot and saute for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the jalapenos, serranos, red pepper, chipotles and adobo sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, ancho chili powder, salt, oregano, paprika, coriander, and cinnamon and cook for an addition 2 minutes. Add ground elk and cook til browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add bacon and venison back to the pot. At this point I transferred the meat and veggie mixture to a crock pot because I wanted it to cook all day while I was away from the house. If you are going to be at the house to keep an eye on it, you can leave it in the pot you browned the meat in. Add in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, brown ale, coffee, black eyed peas and collards and stir well. Cover and allow to cook on medium low heat if you are finishing yours on the stove or high heat if you are finishing yours in the crock pot. After about an hour, stir in dark chocolate. Simmer for 12 hours. Serve with cheese, sour cream, tortillas, saltines, or whatever else you have stashed in the pantry. And ice cold beer... it's pretty darn spicy.

*If game meat is not your thing, or you just don't have access to it, you can substitute the venison cube steak with beef cube steak, the venison roast with bottom round, and the ground elk with ground sirloin or round.

Love Yourself First

2013-11-25T21:28:00.000-05:00

Today's Motivation:

Via Pinterest

Even when you have to get out of your cozy bed at 3:20 in the morning to let your dog out in the freezing cold, and literally have to walk outside in said freezing cold in your skivvies (note to self: buy flannel jammies or at least a damn robe) to open the porch door because like and idiot you closed it before you went to bed to keep the robbers and boogeymen out and never quite go back to sleep before your hubby wakes you up at 4:45 to workout, put yourself first. Workout. At least get one thing in for you before you start your crazy day.

Today's Workout:

It was freaking cold this morning. Freezing. Literally. We aren't used to that here in the southeastern US of A.

And it's supposed to be 20 degrees warmer tomorrow. Hmph.

Anywhos, because it was so cold, the warm up was critical. We started with a 250 meter row, and quickly moved into lunges, v-situps, planks, leg raises, windmills, and various stretching. First up in the main event - front squats. Ick. I pretty much through a fit and told Scott I was done with the front squats and it was back squats for me from here on out.

I'm such a brat.

He convinced me to stick it out through this training cycle. I will likely throw 192 fits before the end of this. See above.

The goal was to work up to 3 sets of 3 reps at 70%, 80%, and finally 90% for max reps (again, based on Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program). After warming up with the bar, then 55 lbs and 65 lbs, I moved into work sets of 75 lbs, 85 lbs, and 95 lbs for max reps. In between the squat warm up sets and work sets, I did 5 box jumps (20 inches) and 2 pull ups with a teeny tiny red band.

My least favorite - Front Squats

Next up, the hardest circuit ever.

The goal was 8 rounds of alternating between 8 goblet squats and 25 steps and weighted carries, with a prescribed weight of 50% of body weight. I tried... not happening. I went with a little over 40% of body weight. The real kicker was that for each time you had to set the weights down, which you inevitably will unless you're a real bad ass, you have to do 5 burpees at the end of the circuit.

I finished the 8 rounds with 50 pounds in hand resting 3 times, meaning 15 burpees.

I'm already sore.

Goblet Squat

Weighted Carry

Sleep time.

You Are Defined By Your Habits

2013-11-22T23:41:00.001-05:00

Today's Motivation:

I'll admit it - I'm guilty. If I followed my urges, I'd sleep in, skip workouts, eat bacon cheeseburgers on the daily, obviously followed with a side of crispy, peppery fries drenched in malt vinegar. Yum.

But, in the back of my mind I know better. I know that habits like that aren't going to get me where I want to be. Hence why I make myself reinforce the good habits on a daily basis.

Today's Workout:

Bench Press

We started with the bench press. The goal was again to work up to 85% of my max. Mine looked like this:

   Bar (45 lbs) x 5
   55 lbs x 5
       60 lbs x 5
       67.5 lbs x 5 (75% of max)
       72 lbs x 5 (80% of max)
       76.5 lbs x 11 (85% of max for max reps)

We then moved into a skill circuit of push-ups. I worked on the strict push-up and the ring push-ups for 3 sets of 5 reps.

We finished the workout with a 3 minute "as-many-reps-as-possible" burpee challenge.

Fun, fun, fun.

I managed 30 reps in 3 minutes. And then I thought I might die.

Burpee AMRAP Challenge - that's me in the black

Up close and personal mid-burpee

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend. And can I get a "hell yeah" for the short holiday work week next week?

Look for my Game Chili recipe this weekend (that I failed to post on Thursday because I'm a slacker). Next week I will try my best to get back on schedule. Life has been a little crazy as of late.

Sage and Pecan Pesto Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

2013-11-19T19:34:00.000-05:00

This was so easy. And tasty. And fally.

Is that even a word? Can we just agree that it is? Because it perfectly describes so many of my current favorite food stuffs.

After being out of town for months (OK, it was really three weeks, but the workload I came back to made it feel like I had crawled in a hole for several months), my refrigerator was barren. Knowing I would not have time to go to the grocery store on the Sunday we returned, I'm grateful I had the foresight to stock the freezer so we would at least have enough food for this week.

Unfortunately, I failed to take into consideration the lack of dinner prep "flair". The state of the fridge was abysmal - no fresh veggies, little dairy, no bacon.

That last one about did me in. Pork on pork is always a good idea.

I was forced to get creative with my meager cheese rations, the pantry, and the herb garden.

Turns out, something so simple as pecan sage pesto is ridiculously flavorful. It is my new favorite thing; I'm kind of obsessed.

I'm certain this favoritism will only last so long as I find something else to cook with bacon, but I'll run with it for now.

P.S. Obviously an 11th hour grocery run was made for brussels sprouts and bacon. I just can't get on board with frozen veggies, and using the word brussels sprouts without bacon in this house is blasphemy.

P.P.S. Guess who didn't get up to work out this morning? Slacker. My goal is now W, Th, and F this week. Lord help me.

Sage and Pecan Pesto Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Serves: 4-8**

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:
1 package of pork tenderloin (usually comes two to a package)
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch of sage, stems removed
2 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of pecan pieces
1/4 cup of EVOO
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
Salt and Pepper for Seasoning
Kitchen Twine

**If you are serving 4 people or less and have two tenderloins, go ahead and prep both and freeze one for an easy dinner down the road.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor or blender, combine Parmesan cheese, sage, garlic, pecans, EVOO, salt and pepper and process or blend until smooth. Butterfly pork tenderloins (video here). Spread flattened, butterflied pork tenderloins with Sage and Pecan Pesto. Tightly roll up pork tenderloin and secure with kitchen twine, starting with middle and then the ends. If you are freezing one loin, tightly wrap it in saran wrap and then foil and freeze.

Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add pork tenderloin and brown for 2 minutes per side. Move pan to oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Allow to rest 5 minutes before removing twine and slicing to serve.

The New Black

2013-11-18T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today's Motivation:

Via Pinterest

Or, at the very least, you won't feel the need to wear nearly as much black.

Today's Workout:

Because it is unseasonably (at least it feels unseasonably) warm, we started this morning with a lap around the building before moving into a warm up if stretching, planks, push ups, etc.

Afterward, we moved into front squats. The goal was to work up to 3 sets of 5 reps at 75%, 80%, and finally 85% for max reps (based on Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program, a training program Scott swears by). Of course, I missed the boat and thought that we were supposed to simply work up to 85% and complete 3 sets at 85%. Because I skipped the 75% and 80% and went straight for 3 sets at 85%, I was only able to get to 8 reps on my max set. Par for the course.

We then moved into what I like to call a Killer Circuit - not exactly a walk in the park.

Mt. Climbers

Good Mornings

It was a doozie.

Wish me luck, I am going to do my best to get up tomorrow in efforts to get on a M, T, Th, F workout schedule. It sounds like torture.

Weekly Menu and Weekly Wrap-Up 11.17.13 - 11.23.13

2013-11-17T21:39:00.001-05:00

Weekly Menu:

Sunday: Dinner at Mom's

Monday: New York Strip with Whipped Bourbon Bacon Sweet Potatoes from How Sweet It Is (recipe here)

Tuesday: Wild Game Chili (recipe to come)

Wednesday: Honey Dijon and Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Thursday: Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves from the Pioneer Woman (recipe here)

Friday: Children's Miracle Network "Songwriter's in the Round" Event

Saturday: Dinner with one of my FAVORITE new mommas at Chive Blossom!

Weekly Wrap-Up:

Lickin' our chops on Monday.

Marveling at my beautiful wedding shower cake from an amazingly talented co-worker on Tuesday.

Guilt trippin' on Wednesday.

Embarrassed to say... Christmas decor shopping on Thursday.

Clearing my head on Friday.

Watching a certain lazy someone relax on Saturday.

Every Day I'm Struggling

2013-11-13T21:45:00.000-05:00

Today's Motivation:

Today's Workout:

Switching things up a bit, we started today's workout with the rower. The goal was to row the furthest distance as possible in 50 reps. I managed 480ish meters, but felt like I was going to pass out afterwords. Honestly, couldn't breathe, tight chest, light headed.

When I recovered, we moved into the stretching and warm up movements - mountain climbers, v sit-ups, leg raises, planks, etc.

The overall goal at CF Vengeance this week is to set our max rep standards with the 8-6-3-1 rep format. Monday was the front squat, Tuesday was the over head press and pullup and arm hang, but because I missed Tuesday and Wednesday is usually recovery, I did the overhead press and arm hang today.

First up, over head press. I warmed up with 5 reps each of the bar, then 50 lbs, and finally 55 lbs. My work set looked like this:

60 lbs x 8

60 lbs x 6 (I attempted, but couldn't complete, 65 lbs for 6 reps)

65 lbs x 3

70 lbs x 1

Overhead Press

Next up, arm hang. I am not quite ready for unassisted pull ups (my weakness), so my challenge was 3 sets of hanging in the pull up position for as long as physically possible. Yay.

I manged 28 seconds, 22 seconds and 25 seconds. Can we say room for improvement.

I finished the morning with this quick circuit to get my heart rate up a bit:

KB Swing

Box Jumps

Pumpkin Butter Sage Pork Chops with Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash and Apple Hash

2013-11-12T21:27:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty sure this is the best thing I've ever made.

There's a good chance I have made a similar statement before, but I really mean it this time.

There's also the possibility that my opinions were skewed by the fact that we enjoyed this meal by the fire, on our honeymoon, after a great hike to Little Green Mountain, in a storybook-worthy cabin at the tip-top of a mountain, but I'd like to think it was just that damn good.

So we'll just go with the best meal ever classification for now, mm-kay.

Somehow, I managed to pull myself out of relaxation mode long enough to jot down the recipe and snap a few pictures. I had a sinking suspicion I'd want to kick myself later if I didn't. Anything that combines pumpkin butter, sage, two kinds of pig, and butternut squash is inevitably going to be phenomenal.

Only problem was, the sun had set before I finished grilling the pork and I didn't have my trusty Lowel EGO Light light with me.

Have you ever tried to photograph food with a flash? It isn't pretty.

As they say, necessity breeds invention (or in this case, necessity will encourage you to use your brain). I had Scott fuel the fire with a a cardboard box and paper bag, which gave me bright light long enough to get a picture of the end result.

It's not perfect, but its one of the prettiest pictures from the whole dang honeymoon if you ask me.

Pumpkin Butter Sage Pork Chops with Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash and Apple Hash
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
4 pork chops (I used 2 inch thick boneless)
1 butternut squash, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1 apple, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 slices of bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
20 sage leaves, chopped and divided in half
10 sprigs of thyme
1/2 cup of pumpkin butter
1/4 cup of whole grain mustard
Salt and Pepper

For brine:
4 cups of water
1/4 cup of salt
1/4 cup of sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl or Ziploc Bag, combine 4 cups of water, 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 3 sprigs of thyme. Add pork chops and allow to brine for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin butter, mustard and 1/2 of the chopped sage. Heat a skillet over medium low heat, add butter and onion and saute for 30 minutes until onion is caramelized. In a large bowl, combine apples, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, caramelized onion, minced garlic, paprika, remaining chopped sage, and remaining thyme (removed from stem) with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and mix well. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet, top with chopped bacon and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 425 F for 30-45 minutes until browned. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium high heat. Remove pork chops from brine and season with salt and pepper. Grill pork chops for 12 minutes total, flipping at the 3 minute mark. Baste pork chops with pumpkin butter sauce on the last two flips (minutes 6 and 9). Remove from grill and serve over Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash and Apple Hash.

Summer Body

2013-11-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

Today's Motivation:

As the holidays approach and we are faced with a never ending parade of caloric- overdose-opportunities, I try to keep in mind that I can't achieve my summer body ideal in two or three short months. Never-gonna-happnen. Amidst oceans of mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato pie, peppermint mochas and Grandma's 200 dozen cookies (I'm not exaggerating), always remember moderation is key. And, whatever you do, save the workout skips to a minimum.

Today's Workout:

Warm-up and stretching to start (jumping jacks, band pull-aparts, v sit-ups, leg raises, planks, etc.). After, a quick circuit of one minute each of the following:

         - Rower
   - Push ups
         - TRX Rows
         - Landmines

Next up, a heavy lifting circuit of front squats. We were tasked with a series of 8-6-3-1, with the one rep set being a "technical" max rep. I warmed up with bar, then 75 lbs, and 95 lbs.

Now is the point at which I have to admit I over-shot; my goal was 105 lbs, 115 lbs, 120 lbs and 125 lbs in the 8-6-3-1, but I missed my 8th and 6th rep in the first two sets. I did manage to get the 120 lbs x 3 and the 125 lbs x 1, but I probably should have dropped down in weight at some point. Also, I will take Scott's advice and try the wrist straps next time. My wrist flexibility in front squats is nothing to write home about, and I need to take it down a notch before I hurt myself.

Humility is not my biggest strength.

Front Squat

Finally, we went through this quick and dirty (read painful) painful metabolic conditioning circuit.

Wall Balls - Squat....

and throw. Looks easy, not so much.

Jumping Lunges

Please ignore the pained facial expression. For jumping lunges, you literally jump and land in a lunge. This was mid-landing. Looking for a bum workout? Look no further. You can see a video example here.

Spicy Chicken Cobb Sandwich

2013-11-05T20:03:00.000-05:00

So I told a big ole' fat lie in regards to that whole posting a few recipes while on the honeymoon bit.

It's just that it was sooooo dang relaxing to have zero obligations. As in, I can't fathom having to open my laptop and attempt to use my brain, relaxing.

Scott was lucky I actually pulled myself off the couch to get ready each day.

Consider this my olive branch. I'm pretty sure it's the best sandwich I've ever made; inspired by the intense craving I was having for a (healthier) spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a right before the wedding.

Did I mention it's topped with a rich, runny, perfectly over easy egg? If you've never added an over easy egg to your sandwich or burger, you are seriously missing out. Trust me. Try it now. It will instantly sky rocket any hum-drum sandwich or a boring old burger into a tweet-worthy culinary masterpiece.

With that I have to run. I just got home. I have yet to cook dinner. I haven't even begun packing for Chicago. Oh, and my house looks like a tornado ran through it.

Anyone want to volunteer to come make me this sandwich, clean my house and pack for me? I'll pay you in bacon.

Spicy Chicken Cobb Sandwich
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 eggs
2 slices of Pepper Jack cheese
4 slices of bacon
1 tomato, sliced
6 leaves of Bibb lettuce
1 avocado sliced
4 slices of bread (I used Ezekiel)
Mayonnaise

For Brine:
2 cups of water
1/8 cup of salt

Directions:

In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, combine water and salt for brine. Add chicken breasts and allow to soak in the fridge for 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Trust me, don't skip the brine. It makes the chicken 352 times juicier. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium high heat, fry bacon, and slice tomato and avocado. When 30 minutes brine time is up, remove chicken from brine, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 5 minutes per side (or until chicken reaches 160 F), basting with hot sauce periodically. Remove chicken from grill, top with sliced Pepper Jack cheese and tent with foil. Quickly fry two eggs over easy and toast bread. Assemble sandwich by layering lettuce, spicy grilled chicken, eggs, bacon, avocado, and tomato on toast slathered with mayonnaise. Attempt to take a bite without making a mess.

Commitment

2013-11-04T22:06:00.000-05:00

Today's Motivation:

How fitting.

This saying resonates with me for a couple of reasons right now. The obvious reason - Scott and I just made the most significant commitment two people can make to one another. But if you think about it, it's also applicable to nearly every positive endeavor in a person's lifetime.

After two solid weeks of no real, structured workouts (a few hikes were thrown into the mix, but mostly it was relaxation to the max), this morning was ROUGH. Not to mention the fact that we had gotten used to sleeping 9+ hours a night on the honeymoon, only to be rudely jolted back into our six-hours-on-a-good-night reality. Oh, and last night was not a "good night"; King got up 2:00 a.m. and then again at 2:30 a.m., and the carbon monoxide detector that has been on the fritz for the better part of a year due to our laziness started screeching at 3:00 a.m., and then the coffee started brewing on schedule at 3:45 a.m.

Yeah.

Commitment is definitely a choice, and it doesn't always seem like the best choice when the alternative is sleep - make it anyway.

Today's Workout:

We started with a few minutes of jump rope, followed by a warmup of stretching, mountain climbers, planks, v-sit ups, downward dog, upward dog, etc.

We then moved onto front squats. The goal was to find a weight heavy enough to be a good challenge, but realistic enough to complete a reverse ladder starting with 9 reps. I warmed up with 4 sets of 5 reps of the bar (45 lbs), then 65 lbs, then 85 lbs, and finally 95 lbs.

My work sets looked like this:

100 lbs x 9

105 lbs x 7

110 lbs x 4

115 lbs x 2 (Front Squat PR!! Wooohooo!)

Front Squat

We completed the workout with a Kettlebell Thruster and Toes to Bar Met-Con circuit.

Basically, squat...

into thrust.

And then from dead hang, to half way....

to toes-to-bar (aka: ripped-up hands).

Does anyone else feel like it should be Friday already??

Weekly Menu and Honeymoon Wrap-Up

2013-11-03T10:55:00.002-05:00

I'm back.

And, we're hitched!

Mr. and Mrs. Doane, and the Best Dog King (of course). Wooooooooooohooooooooo!

Without a doubt, it was the best day of my life. I wouldn't have changed a single second of it.

I know, I know, a little cliche'.

I reserve the right to be a complete and utter sap about my wedding day.

I'll stop gushing now.

On to the weekly menu, which is short and sweet thanks to my trip to Chicago at the end of the week for continuing legal education; an attempt to slowly ease myself back into the real world.

Weekly Menu:

Sunday: Herb and Pecan Pesto Stuffed Pork Tenderloin (recipe to come)

Monday: Bolognese with Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Tuesday: Pulled Pork Tacos with Sweet Chili Slaw from How Sweet It Is (recipe here)

Wednesday - Saturday: Chicago for Continuing Legal Ed

Honeymoon Wrap-Up:

We spent our honeymoon in a secluded little cabin in Sapphire Valley, right outside of Cashiers, North Carolina. King joined us, the leaves were gorgeous, and we had plenty of time to kick back and relax - in a word, it was perfect.

Hike at North Carolina Arboretum.

View from Sapphire Heaven.

Lunch at Old Edwards Inn.

Granny Burrell Falls.

Homemade happy hour.

The edge of Little Green Mountain.

Whiteside Mountain lookout.

Challenging hike to Sapphire Falls.

Easy hike to Whitewater Falls.

Perfectly eerie Halloween.

Enjoying the last night.

Saying goodbye to our cozy cabin.

Wine Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Acorn Squash Mash

2013-10-19T17:36:00.000-04:00

I have become my biggest pet peeve.

Flaky. Spacey. Unreliable. Scatterbrained.

I had not one, not two, but THREE different packages shipped to my old office this week. Good thing they still like me around there and gave me a call to let me know.

I realized I failed to send a few very important wedding invites (fail).

And I've obviously strayed from my usual posting schedule. Sorry.

As evidenced by my slackness this week, postings will be a bit sporadic for the next two weeks. Please bear with me.

I am getting hitched after all.

My goal is to get a few recipes up, but the workout posts will be on hold until after the honeymoon. This doesn't mean I won't be working out - you know I'll be squeezing in as many workouts as possible before the "I dos" and Scott and I are looking forward to lots of hiking and maybe a visit to a local CrossFit gym during our week in the mountains. But something has to give for me to maintain my sanity this week.

And it's no secret I'll take food over fitness any day of the week.

Wine Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Acorn Squash Mash
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours
Total Time: 3 1/2 hours

Ingredients:
3 lbs of short ribs
4 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 bottle red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 sprigs of rosemary
8 sprigs of thyme
10 sage leaves
Handful of flat parsley
1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons of butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cloves of garlic, whole
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Heat a dutch oven or large bottom pot over high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to pot and allow to heat for a few minutes. Add short ribs to pot and sear undisturbed for 4 minutes. Flip short ribs and sear for an addition 4 minutes. Remove short ribs and set aside. Add celery, carrots, and onion and cook fro 5-7 minutes until they begin to soften. Add minced garlic, thyme leaves, rosemary leaves, sage and parsley, stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add red wine and short ribs to the pot. Nestle the short ribs in so that they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot and put it in the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until short ribs are fall off the bone tender.

About 45 minutes before the short ribs are done, slice acorn squash in half and scrape out the innards (seeds and strings). Coat squash in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and drop two whole cloves of garlic into each cavity. Place on a cookie sheet cut side up and roast for 30 minutes until flesh is fork tender.

When shorts ribs and squash are finished. Mash squash inside skin with a tablespoon of butter and season with sat and and pepper to taste. Top with shorts ribs and enjoy.

Blood Orange Tequila Chicken with Avocado Black Bean Salad

2013-10-15T22:01:00.000-04:00

I spiked our dinner... again.

This time I can't be held solely responsible for saucing up our sustenance; the Pioneer Woman must shoulder at least a fraction of the blame. She was, after all, the inspiration behind this recipe.

A few weekends ago - before the wedding craziness set in - I was spending a relaxing Saturday at home with the pup. Sadly, these sorts of Saturdays are few and far between, so I take complete advantage when they present themselves.

And by taking advantage, I mean spending the ENTIRE day on the couch, in my pajamas, perusing Pinterest, napping occasionally, and chipping away at my overloaded DVR cue.

Could I possibly be any more exciting?

In between progressively gruesome episodes of Sons of Anarchy (are the severed hands and chived jugulars really necessary?) and the borderline soap opera-ish Revenge, an episode of the Pioneer Woman on Food Network grabbed my attention when I spotted her drowning boring old chicken breasts in tequila.

That is quality television at it's finest my friends.

I was instantly hooked.

She had me at tequila.

Blood Orange Tequila Chicken with Avocado Black Bean Salad
Inspired by Pioneer Woman's Tequila Lime Chicken
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes (not including marinade time)
Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
For Chicken:
4 chicken breasts (I used boneless skinless)
3 blood oranges, juiced
2 limes, juiced
3/4 cup of tequila blanco
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, sliced
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
4 slices of pepper jack cheese

For Avocado Black Bean Salad:
2 avocados, diced
1 pint of grape tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, diced
1 1/2 limes
1 teaspoon of cumin
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

In a large Ziploc bag or bowl, combine blood orange juice, lime juice, tequila, cilantro, jalapeno and salt and mix well. Add chicken breasts and marinate for at least 2 hours or over night (I marinated mine all day while at work).

Heat grill to medium heat. Combine olive oil and minced garlic cloves in a small bowl and set aside. To make Avocado Black Bean salad, combine avocado, diced grape tomatoes, red onion, black beans, jalapeno, juice of 1 1/2 limes and cumin to a bowl and mix to combine. Don't over mix, you want the avocado to remain chunky. Salt and pepper to taste.

Remove chicken from marinade. Brush olive oil and garlic mixture on chicken breasts. Grill chicken about 7 minutes per side, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Add one slice of pepper jack cheese to each chicken breast in last couple of minutes of cooking. Serve Blood Orange Tequila Chicken over Avocado Black Bean Salad and garnish with cilantro.

My Therapy

2013-10-14T22:04:00.002-04:00

Today's Motivation:

Why the hell didn't we elope? We wanted to elope - Colorado, Hawaii, and even the cliché Vegas were all screaming "Dendy-Doane Wedding pick me" at the top of their lungs. The whole take-the-money-and-run-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank scheme is the perfect, not to mention fiscally genius, matrimony. The two of us on a mountain exchanging our vows, or on a beach saying "I do", or making out in front of Elvis before he manages to utter "you may kiss the bride" is where it's at.

We weren't so smart.

And right about now I'm about to pull my hair out over this overblown, and ridiculously overpriced event. Don't get me wrong, I CANNOT wait to become Mrs. Doane. Buuuutttttttt, I could do without all the pomp and circumstance and the ridiculous discussions about linen lengths, cheese trays vs. fruit spreads, seating arrangements, and time lines. Lord, please help me make it to the honeymoon with at least a fraction of my sanity.

The only thing keeping me sane right now? (1) My handsome fiance. (2) Weights. Really heavy weights.

Today's Workout:

Squats

Pull Ups

Overhead Press

Happy Monday!

Weekly Menu 10.13.13 - 10.19.13 and Weekly Wrap Up

2013-10-13T16:22:00.001-04:00

Weekly Menu:

Sunday: Braised Short Ribs with Acorn Squash (recipe to come)

Monday: NY Strip with Roasted Broccoli

Tuesday: Crispy Chicken Legs and Brussels Sprouts from So... Let's Hang Out (recipe here)

Wednesday: Apple, Bacon and Pecan Salad with Garlic Balsamic Dressing from Lauren's Latest (recipe here)

Thursday: Pork Chops in a Creamy Mustard Thyme Sauce from Proud Italian Cook (recipe here)

Friday: Bolognese with Broccoli Slaw "Pasta"

Saturday: Date Night

Weekly Wrap Up:

Wearing my arm out while making risotto on Monday.

Wondering why my child is so dang lazy on Tuesday.

Celebrating Hump Day with a cocktail and a fancy straw on Wednesday.

Flashing back to the beginning on Thursday.

Witnessing a competitive eating contest for one on Friday.

Trial run for the wedding hair on Saturday.

Don't Stop When It Hurts

2013-10-11T19:30:00.000-04:00

Today's Inspiration:

Today's Workout:

Today's workout was part of the LuRong Paleo Challenge, a 12 week CrossFit challenge that includes weekly standardized WOD challenges at three skill levels, in addition to a paleo eating challenge. I am not participating in the challenge, but I did take part in the WOD this morning. It was hellacious, but fun.

I chose to attempt the women's level 2, which included a 65 lb power snatch, a 35 lb overhead kettle bell swing, TRX or ring rows instead of pullups, and a 16 inch box jump. Lucky for me, there were no 16 inch boxes available so I got to use a 20 inch box. Not only that, it was my first time really attempting multiple snatches, so all in all, I got my butt kicked.

I was pretty pleased when finished the WOD in 13:39 (max time was 15 minutes). And then I had to lay down.

Snatch

Box Jumps

Kettle Bell Swings

Rows

Off to dinner with my soon to be hubs. Wedding hair trials and supper club tomorrow for me, the Mud Run in Columbia and a bachelor party for Scott on Saturday. Sunday will be dedicated to chores, meal planning, grocery shopping, and the Chili Cook-Off at the Marshwalk. King is so excited he can hardly contain himself!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Seared Scallops with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sausage Risotto

2013-10-10T21:55:00.000-04:00

Uhhhnnnn. Real.

I'm officially infatuated with butternut squash (really, it's re-infatuated because this happens every October). Like obsession times three hundred eighty-two. And sage. And risotto. And scallops. Okay, if we're being honest, this whole damn dish. It should be fall's new mascot.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's rich, creamy, decadent, and so far from the list of foods I should be eating it might as well be coated in chocolate and drizzled with bacon grease.

I might be on to something with the bacon grease.

I'm never going to fit in my wedding dress.

I thought I had made the my magnum opus of risotto ever when I made the Shrimp, Herb, and Spring Vegetable Risotto. Can I just say that this risotto made me question everything I know about life. Or maybe, it just means I need to make a risotto for each season.

That's the best idea I've had all week. Up next, winter.

Good thing too, if keep making risotto (which, of course, means I'll keep eating risotto), I'm going to need the luxury of a few months of over-sized sweaters and jeggings.

And a treadmill.

Seared Scallops with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sausage Risotto
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1/2 pound Italian sausage*
2 pounds of diver scallops
1 butternut squash
3 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cup arborio rice
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of apple cider
1 cup of white wine
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel, slice, and de-seed butternut squash. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in saucepan, mix together chicken broth and cider. Reduce to low to keep warm. In a large flat bottom skillet with raised sides (minimum 3 inches), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Add sausage and cooked until crumbled and browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside. Throw in shallots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rice, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 more tablespoon of olive oil, stir to coat rice with the olive oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until nearly evaporated, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup of broth and cook until mostly absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue to add broth 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring constantly until broth is nearly absorbed (about 20 to 25 minutes total). About half way through add the fresh chopped sage. Stir in butternut squash and sausage after the final 1/2 cup of broth. Turn heat off, cover and let stand for three minutes to five minutes to reheat squash and sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add olive oil and allow oil to heat for a couple of minutes. Dry scallops by patting them with a towel or paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Add scallops to hot skillet, being careful to leave at least an inch perimeter around each scallops (and don't touch them once they hit the pan). Sear scallops 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove from skillet and serve immediately with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sausage Risotto.

* Sage sausage would also be really good.