Sudden snow storm? Rich, creamy soup will warm you up

Freak snow storm killing your late-April high?
Well this week's weather is bumming me out, especially after a successful, snow-free weekend of tailgating. So I found a rich, creamy and nommolishish soup that will warm you up — plus the bright orange squash makes it the color of sun, so if you're feeling symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, stare at this bowl long enough and you'll be cured.

Or move to Florida.

This is another recipe I modified slightly from my Whole Foods app, which I look through obsessively. Now that I'm trying to work more veggie-based meals into my diet, it is an easy tool that provides countless recipes. The original recipe called for 2 tsp of grated ginger, which you can add along with the curry paste and brown sugar if you have it. I didn't have any, so I just skipped it.
Definitely make sure you add the cilantro and lime to finish off this dish — the butternut squash is so creamy and rich, when it's combined with the coconut milk, it needs fresh, acidic kick to thin out the body of the soup. The shrimp also adds a salty pop to the dish.

What you're going to need:
2 tbsp canola oil
1 small white or yellow onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp brown sugar
1 medium butternut squash, peel and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups chicken/veggie broth
1 can of coconut milk
1 lb raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Serve with lime wedges on the side to squeeze on

Start by heating a soup pot on the stove over medium heat, adding 2 tbsp of canola oil. Add in chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté for five minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Add in the curry paste and the brown sugar, cooking the mixture for another minute.
Peel and chop the butternut squash and add it to the pot along with the can of coconut milk and vegetable or chicken broth, depending on how vegetarian you want to make this dish.
A note: don't be freaked out if you open up your coconut milk and it looks like it's solidified. I know I did, cursing myself for finding a bad can. Thank the cooking gods for Google — I found out all it needs is a good stir. How did people successfully cook before the Internet?
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and let it go to town for about 25 minutes.
Here's another decision that's up too you: the original recipe called to leave it chunky. In my head I pictured this soup velvety and smooth, so I blended mine up to smooth consistency and added it back to the pot for the last step.
Add in the peeled and deveined shrimp, simmering them in the smooth soup mixture for 3 or 4 minutes. Other than world war and impoverished children, overcooking seafood is THE WORST thing EVER. So don't do it, just until the shrimp a slightly pink and start to curl slightly.
Ladle your soup into a bowl and garnish with some chopped cilantro and give it a squirt of lime juice. I tried garnishing my first bowl with a little bit of cream, but it was just too much richness, so stick with the fresh, green things.

Quinoa-stuffed acorn squash, it's not just for Thanksgiving

Despite being born in my generation, I wouldn't consider myself especially tech savvy. It's challenging for me to tackle the DRV remote, the software on my computer hasn't been updated in at least three years and up until six month ago, an iPhone was a expensive, far away dream.
I ended up taking the smart phone plunge with the help of a big-girl paycheck and the need to know where I was going when driving around the rural outskirts of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Downloading apps became one of my new favorite pass times and one of my favorites BY FAR was the Whole Foods Recipe app. It's a fantastic resource where I can search recipes by ingredients, special dietary needs and courses, all while saving my favorites so I can pull them up anytime.
I've been finding lots of fantastic and different dishes to make and the quinoa-stuffed acorn squash is an adaptation from the Whole Foods App archives.

I'm a huge fan of any kind of squash, particularly acorn — it's naturally sweet and filling, can be paired with savory flavors and reminds me of Thanksgiving, arguably the best holiday ever created. When else can you eat like a glutton and pass out after watching football all day and still be considered a functional member of society?
Quinoa is an awesome addition to any meal plan because the grain is packed full of protein and is extremely versatile. It doesn't have a whole lot of flavor in and of itself, but absorbs whatever it's cooked with, in this case chicken/veggie stock and orange juice. In this case, it's used like a stuffing, so I used whatever veggies I had in the fridge to add in along with dried fruit, which made for the perfect mix of sweet and salty.
Although this recipe does take a good amount of time, most of it includes roasting the squash and simmering the quinoa, which allows plenty of freedom to leave the kitchen and come back only occasionally to check the food.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup chicken stock (or veggie stock)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 acorn squash
1 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
1 small onion
1 small green bell pepper (or whatever color you want, it will make the dish pretty)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or whatever dried fruit you prefer)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Toast the quinoa in a dry pot for a few minutes then add orange juice, chicken stock, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cover the mixture and simmer it for about 25 minutes.
While the quinoa is simmering, cut the acorn squash in half and place cut-side down on a baking sheet filled with about 1/2 inch of water. Bake it for about 40 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
While the squash is cooking, add the butter to a pan and sauté the onion and green pepper. You can also add in carrots and celery, I just used whatever I had in the fridge that day. Cook until tender, or about eight minutes. Add the veggies, dried fruit and maple syrup to the quinoa.
Simmer the quinoa for about 10 more minutes until the mixture holds together like sticky rice. Remove the pan from the heat and add in slivered almonds for a nice crunchy texture.
Remove the squash from the oven, dumping out the tray water. Add half of the mixture to each squash, place bake in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes.
Remove and enjoy :)

Rebirth of the blog, ready to nom: Veggie gumbo with brown rice

After more than a year of dormancy, I've decided to resurrect the blog.
This past year has brought a lot of changes to my life — some good, some not so good. But through it all, my love of writing and documenting the world around me has stuck.
I'm taking that love of writing and combining it with another passion: food. Even looking back on my travel posts, most of what I wrote about was food. It's the best way to experience the soul and the history of a culture. In my free time, I've been doing a lot more cooking and am looking for an outlet to share those escapades with others. When I discover a good recipe or dish I find all I want to do is give someone else a taste.
I've always been a foodie, adventurous and willing to give anything a try. And there's one food movement I find fascinating.
I recently watched the documentary Forks Over Knives, a film following two doctors through their research surrounding the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Some of the material from the film, coupled with my mostly sedentary desk job and stubbornly unbudging waist line, really got me thinking about using food as my medicine. No, I don't have any crippling diseases, nor am I fighting morbid obesity.
But let's be blunt, college was not kind to my ass. Or my hips. And I'm rocking a mini-keg rather than a stomach six-pack.
So I'm looking to shift my foodie focus on more fruits, veggies and whole-foods while exploring my culinary soul. Now I'm not ruling out the occasional savory steak or creamy cheesecake (I am only human), but I'm looking to expand my food world beyond fried euphoria.
So join me fellow foodies. The best way to get to know someone is over a delicious meal — let's get to know each other :)

My first published endeavor: veggie gumbo with brown rice, a hearty and spicy dish that proves you don't need meat to feel full and satisfied after eating it. I love anything cajun and spicy, so I was a little more liberal with the heat, giving the gumbo a little extra kick.
I chopped the veggies is larger, meatier pieces so the dish would have a heavier feel to it. Pepper might be one of my favorite vegetables, so I used three kinds, which also adds a fantastic color to the gumbo — I'm always eating with my eyes first.

Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy free

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
2 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 small yellow squash, chopped
1 15 oz. can chick peas
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp cajun seasoning
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups of instant brown rice

Pour head olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add in garlic and sauté for a minute, add in peppers, seasoning generously with salt and black pepper. Continue to cook for about five minutes.
Add in squash, tomatoes, chick peas, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and cajun seasoning. Fill the diced tomato can with water with water and add to pot twice, about 20 oz of water.
Stir and bring to a boil. Add in brown rice, cover and lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
Romove lid and stir. Simmer uncovered until rice is tender and fully cooked.

Consider your own recipe alterations. Feel free to use any kind of bean you like, I've seen kidney and black beans instead of chick peas. Also, if you want to go non-veggie, add chicken sausage instead of yellow squash.

Happy nomming!

Cleveland: the other city on Lake Erie

I've been feeling restless these past few weeks. Ever since seeing my friends from Ireland I've had the urge to get up and go somewhere. So I made a short getaway to Cleveland, Ohio to visit one of my good friends from high school. It was nice to get a change in scenery and check out a city that I've never really seen outside of the downtown art district.
My first stop was John Carroll University, where my friend Katie studies biology. The campus was small but pretty, with a gothic-looking admissions building and a brand-new, green quad in the middle of campus. I stayed at her house, which a steal for the amount of space she gets, with her and a few of her friends that were also crashing there. She showed me around campus then we ventured into a different part of town for lunch. Iron Chef Michael Simon just opened a burger place, where I got a spicy pulled pork burger that was TO DIE FOR! Paired with a burbon beer that left a mild aftertaste like Jack Daniels, it was a meal made in heaven.
But the best part of the day came when we went to explore the West Side Market, a giant version of a farmers market that sells cuisine and ingredients from all over the world. It was like a flashback to Barcelona, Spain, the set up and atmosphere were exactly the same. Inside there were butchers, bakers, organic foodists and vendors all calling out prices and displaying their delicious looking goods. Outside there was a covered fresh-fruit market, where I tried something new and purchased some papaya. The texture was a little weird and it was a bit melony for my taste, but when we mixed it with yogurt strawberries and a little soy milk, it made a fantastic smoothy! What I liked most was the food from all over the world: Indian, Mexican, Polish, German...almost any place you could possibly think of.

Outside the West End Market there was a small flea-market with a Carribean feel, different vendors selling rastafarian looking clothing and jewelry filled with color and style. There were steel drums plinking away in the background and a island beat echoing over a stone courtyard with colorful tiles lining the pillars. It was a fascinating place to sit and have a cup of coffee and just absorb everything.
The market itself is nestled in a rather diverse part of town, Ohio City, surrounded by Hungarian bakeries, Greek restaurants and a smaller global market that has packaged goods and foreign beers and wines. To get there, we drove across a really pretty bridge with massive Roman-looking pilars at either entry way, looking as if they were gaurding the bride, which offered a pretty amazing view of Cleveland.
After my little taste of Europe downtown, we drove back cooked a delicious chicken parmesan dinner and hung out with Katie's roommate and friends. Later in the evening we made a mandatory dessert stop at the cheesecake factory, where we sampled, okay demolished, two decadent chocolatey and peanut-buttery cheesecakes washed down with a little Irish coffee. Despite nearly falling into a toxic sugar coma, we headed out for a few drinks in the Conventry area. It was a fanstic and fun getaway that eased my nerves and gave me a little break from my desk job...although yesterday I caught myself looking at plane tickets to random destinations. What to do to shake this feeling...

Vive la friendship

When I left Ireland two months ago, I was on top of the world — filled with the experiences of a lifetime and high on new relationships I'd formed with some amazing people. Of course, when separated by an ocean and a busy schedule, it's hard to keep those relationships alive and well. People who you talked to everyday, shared some of your deepest thoughts and craziest experiences with are no longer accessible every day. Sure there's Facebook and Skype, but it doesn't seem the same.
So it was reassuring and refreshing to see some of my favorite people from Ireland last weekend, a boost in confidence that these new friendships really are the kind that will last for a while. My French friend Clem, his good friend Miles and Jess all visited my hometown Erie for some good ol' American fun! Clem and Miles are about half way through their North American get away, stopping in Erie after seeing Washington, D.C., Philly, Boston, Montreal, Toronto and Niagara Falls. Jess got the weekend off from work, so we decided to meet up for an Ireland reunion — one that will not soon be forgotten.
It started with a majestic lightning storm like none of us had seen before. Pair that with a night of cheap drinking at Sullivan's, a once Irish pub turned urban dance bar, and stop at the tikki bar with a shooter girl running around, and you have an unforgettable night of laughter and new memories to go along with the old ones. We dance and sang our asses off, compared cultures and heard about Clem and Mile's amazing journey through America thus far. My boyfriend and friends from home also came out with us and meshed SO well with everyone, it was like we'd all known each other forever. It was nice to know that I'd picked a good group of people that my old friends approved of and loved.
The next morning, I woke up determined to show my friends all the great things my city had to offer, so we headed out the best place in Erie, Presque Isle. We lounged on the beach as Clem and Miles splashed in the warm, fresh water like young boys. We tossed the frisbee and sat on the beach and watched a storm roll in over the lake, soaking us to the bone, but showcasing our adventurous side. We didn't run for the car or pack up our stuff when the rain fell, just smiled up and the sky and watched the clouds swirl. After the beach we stopped for diner food complete with hot dogs, milk shakes, fries and ice cream. The boys laughed at how "American" Sara's Diner was, red checked tile and all. Our next stop was the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, which was a more educational take on the history of the region. We checked out the view from the top of the TREC tower, an amazing panoramic of the water.
We had a cookout dinner, courtesy of my amazing parents, who welcomed everyone with open arms, smiles and fantastic conversation. The seven of us sat out on my back deck and visited for hours, chatting about travel, life and culture. My parents hit it off with everyone right away, and it was good to see everyone from two different parts of my life coming together. After dinner, my friends and I went up to Family First, a sports recreation center, where we rode the go-karts, squirted each other on bumper boats, watch the French boys struggle in vain to hit a fast-pitch baseball, and play a pathetic round of putt-putt golf. We had such an amazing time, goofing around and laughing like there was no tomorrow.
I was sad to see the weekend end as the Frenchmen boarded the Greyhound to their next stop, Chicago, but I was so grateful to reunite with some of my Irish comrades. It was nice to know that even outside the little bubble of utopia that was Ireland, we still had lost in common, lots to talk about and lots to do. It just proves that everything that I felt abroad was real, and that it can continue in my life back in America...and for that I'm so happy!

Two days in heaven

I've decided to keep the blog going. I might not be in Ireland or traveling Europe anymore, but I am doing a bunch of small trips around home this summer, places elegant and stunning in their own way, so I thought I'd keep sharing my adventures.
I've been going to Allegany State Park in New York since I was a baby. My parents met there, and before them both sides of my family made yearly vacations to the forested wonderland — you can probably say love of the place was built into my DNA. Childhood memories and radiant thoughts flood my mind every time the place comes up in conversation. Every other year I look forward to a week of camping in the woods with no cell phone reception, smelling like campfire smoke and cooking meals on a old-school stove.

Because of work, I only had a few days in paradise this year, but I took advantage of every moment. I gazed at the stars, which seem to shine much brighter without the lights of the city to drown them out, losing myself in the clear sky, interrupted only my the tree canopy. I sat next to the blazing heat of a well-stoked camp fire, making fresh popcorn and mountain pies, snacks one can only find at camp. I soaked my feet in the chilly creek, water that runs down the mountains and keeps the younger cousins hunting for crayfish and splashing in water fights. I smiled in the warm summer rain, which always seems to find us, as it came down in the early afternoon. I talked and caught up with relatives and family friends that I only see at camp, getting to know each other all over again and laughing all the while.
The forest surrounds everything, engulfing us in a quiet, simple atmosphere and shifts me to a relaxed state of being. The creek gurgles and the lake lays out before me like a flat piece of glass that ripples and shimmer in the hazy July heat — the place is simply breathtaking.
I sat in my lawn chair near the crackling fire with a cold beer, of which there is an unending supply at camp, looked at the loving people and gorgeous scenery around me, and thought to myself, "This is the life."

I've got an addiction

Posted this last week for the Collegian, but wanted to put it here too!

For a month I've been going through withdrawal. I'm like an addict with a craving, I've an itch that can't be scratched, a thirst that isn't quenched. No, I'm not strung out on heroin and I'm not jonesing for a cigarette. What I long for is bigger, much more meaningful. It's a place and a feeling I still haven't been able to put into words: Ireland.

For a month, I've been going over everything in my head -- recalling the memories made, lessons learned, friendships fostered and trips traveled, trying to cope with the fact that I'm not in Ireland anymore. For a month I've been struggling to find the words to describe every experience I had while I was abroad, and the only thing I keep repeating to people is, "It was amazing!" Lame, I know, and definitely doesn't do justice to the magnificent culture and people of Ireland. So this is my attempt to encapsulate in words the best experience of my life. Hopefully it will bring me some closure, start weaning me off and easing me back into American life.

I'll start at the beginning. Leaving State College, my family and friends I was a little nervous, yet so excited I couldn't sleep on the six-hour flight across the Atlantic. When my feet stepped onto Irish soil I breathed in the fresh air and boarded a bus to Limerick. Because of the busy orientation schedule and the amount of Guinness I drank, the first week was a blur, a hectic whirlwind of new people, tours and exploration. And although I fell into my routine in Ireland, I never once lost that euphoric feeling of awe and excitement.

I discovered many things about myself:

I can catch a rugby ball and take a tackle with the best.

I can navigate my way through France alone.

I can to make Spanish paella and sangria.

I can make a long-distance relationship work.

I love hot chicken rolls.

I have the same twisted, dark sense of humor that many Irish people posses.

I can shake it like Beyoncé in London clubs with a little liquid confidence in me.

I love my family, but can survive on my own without them holding my hand.

I can forge new and amazing friendships while keeping in touch and cherishing my friends from home.

I can carry two suitcases, a duffel bag and a carry on all at once.

I look sexy in a leather Parisian leather jacket.

I love learning about the world and all the cultures and people that thrive here.

Along with self-discovery came a realization that I had been prioritizing the wrong things in my life. Before my trip abroad, I was stressed about all the wrong things: a future career, making school payments, working three jobs to make the payments. Now, after being introduced to an open-minded, laid back life style where family, friends, having a good time and traveling are at the top of the list, I realize work and money isn't all there is in life. There are people, relationships and experiences that matter much more. Sure, school is important and eventually I'm going to need a big girl job, but right now, without ties and schedules to hold me back, is the perfect time to explore myself and see the world. It's the perfect time to build relationships that are going to last a lifetime and see things that most people can only dream of. People are what make the place. The Irish are the most friendly, laid-back and funny in Europe. If all people were as fun-loving and welcoming as the UL Ladies Rugby team, there would be world peace.

I recently uploaded my final photo album from Europe, my five-month adventure that took me to a whole new place in my life. Seeing those pictures of the Irish countryside seemed to finalize everything, bringing to a close my study abroad experience. Although I hate to see it end, I know what I learned from my time in Ireland, along with the friendships I made and the things I saw, will stick with me forever.

As I finally start my Ireland detox, I hope for a continued smooth transition back to my "real life." But in the back of my mind I know someday soon I will relapse and find myself on a plane to the Emerald Isle, looking once more for the magical feeling of comfort, fun and adventure that only Ireland can give.

- Katie Sullivan