Buffalo Chicken Potato Skillet

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skillet

Ingredients
-2 lbs. potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
-1 cup vegetable broth
-3 tbsp. butter
-1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 
-1 bottle hot/buffalo sauce (choose your favorite!)
-1/2 crumbled blue cheese
-2 celery stalks, diced
-1 onion, diced
-mushrooms
-1/2 cup ranch dressing (or try blue cheese if you don't like ranch)

Instructions 

1. place layer of potatoes in a large skillet and pour vegetable stock over potatoes until it is halfway up the sides of the potatoes. bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover for 5 minutes.
2. remove cover from potatoes, add onions & mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes. then place three pieces of butter over the potato mixture and continue to cook them. check the bottoms of the potatoes until you see them start to brown and all liquid is gone.
3. coat the chicken with your hot sauce and heat in microwave/toaster oven (no microwaves at my place).
4. place chicken on top of cooked potato skillet, top with celery, blue cheese, and drizzle with ranch.

I made this meal for a Sunday dinner. I crave chicken wings, fries, and beer on Sundays when I'm watching football and did not want to go out to eat so I opted for this recipe. It's cheap to make because oftentimes, I have these ingredients in my kitchen already. You can expect the recipe to take about 30 minutes to make and serve about 6 people. 

Puppy Love

I got a puppy!! I had been thinking about getting one for a while and this weekend I finally got one! I haven't had a dog of my own for over 6 years and was really missing the companionship. I got this puppy from the animal shelter and picked her up on Monday. I couldn't be happier! She's so sweet and well mannered. The shelter said she's Australian cattle dog mixed with Great Pyrenees. I hope we're able to really nail leash training so she can run with me. 

Meet Jade! 

Homemade Jambalaya

Homemade Jambalaya

Ingredients
-2 chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
-1 cup shrimp, I only had pre-cooked shrimp
-2 hot link sausages, cut into 1" pieces
-1 onion, diced
-1 green pepper, diced
-2 celery stalks, diced
-1 can diced tomatoes w/ chiles
-3 cups vegetable stock
-1 cup rice
-jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
-Cajun seasoning
-1/4 tsp. cayenne
-fresh cilantro
-salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. cook 1 cup rice with 2 cups water in rice cooker. keep warm until ready to serve
2. heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in large skillet over median-high heat
3. saute celery, onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic for about 5 minutes (veggies are mostly cooked)
4. add the last 1 tbsp. olive oil, chicken, and sausage to the skillet. saute for about 5 minutes (or until the chicken is no longer pink)
5. add the vegetable stock, shrimp, diced tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, sale and pepper, and stir to combine
6. reduce heat to simmer & cover for about 20-25 minutes
7. scoop rice in a bowl & top with jambalaya mixture. garnish with fresh cilantro

My Homemade Jambalaya should yield about 6 servings. I would recommend adding more/less jalapeno and cayenne pepper depending on your taste. This recipe makes a great dinner and tastes even better left-over!

DIY No Sew Pillow

Easy No Sew Pillow Cover

you will need  one square pillow and one scarf or piece of fabric that is 4 times the size of the pillow.

start with the pillow in the middle of the scarf/fabric,

fold the fabric over parallel sides of the pillow so it meets in the middle. fold it over the pillow so there are no creases or extra fabric hanging off the pillow.

on one side of the pillow, fold the corners in so they kind of make a triangle. repeat on the other side. this should resemble wrapping a present.

lastly, gather the triangles of fabric and tie in a double knot in the middle of the pillow. 

This has to be one of the easiest ways to make a pillow cover! It takes very little time to complete this DIY no sew pillow. I hope my instructions for this quick DIY pillow cover will come in handy in your place! My scarf pillow cover works great with my couch pillows. I love that it adds some pattern to the boring colored pillows I had on it. 

National Ice Cream Day

Today might be my favorite national holiday. It's national ice cream day! I absolutely love ice cream. It's so great how sweet and flavorful ice cream is. All the new flavor combinations from Ben & Jerrys are wonderful. I love the tonight dough that I tried today! 

Banana Cookie Butter Cookies

Banana Cookie Butter Cookies

Ingredients

-package of sugar cookie dough

-Trader Joe's Cookie Butter

-bananas

Instructions

1. bake the cookies per the package instructions
2. after the cookies are cooled, spread Cookie Butter on them
3. slice up bananas and place on cookies

So I'm in love with Trader Joe's Cookie Butter. It does not last long in my pantry. Instead of always eating it right out of the container, I decided to find a way to let others enjoy the Cookie Butter, too. I was making cookies for another recipe and thought I should give this combination a try. It's really, really good! If you can stop yourself from eating the whole container of Cookie Butter- try this recipe!

Snickers Salad

Snickers Salad

Ingredients 

-2 green apples

-1 bunch of grapes

-1 container of Cool Whip

-snack size Snickers

Instructions

1. dice the apples, grapes, and Snickers into bite sized pieces
2. in a mixing bowl combine all ingredients
3. refrigerate for at least an hour before enjoying

This is my mom's famous Snicker's Salad recipe. It's a staple for family events and cookouts. Seriously, one of the easiest desserts to make that everyone enjoys. I brought this to a 4th of July cookout and everyone loved it!

Roasted Sweet Potato and Grains Salad

Roasted Sweet Potato and Grains Salad

Ingredients

-2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes

-onion, sliced

-1 tbsp paprika

-3 tbsp olive oil

-1-2 cups cooked grain (rice, quinoa, etc.)

-3 cups of spinach

-2 tbsp lime juice

-1 tbsp honey

-2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 400F
2. toss sweet potatoes and onions in 1 tbsp olive oil and paprika
3. bake in the oven for about 25 minutes
4. cook grain per package instructions (I had a package of quinoa/rice that I used)
5. whisk lime juice, honey, cilantro, and 2 tbsp olive oil
6. top cooled grains with spinach, roasted sweet potatoes and onions, and honey lime dressing

I cannot believe how good this recipe was! The sweet potato, spinach, and the dressing make an excellent combination. The recipe takes about 30 minutes and will serve 2 people but up the ratios of the ingredients if need be. I used a quinoa and rice packet for my grains so I can say both are great grains for the dish. This sweet potato and grains salad is so healthy, filling, and flavorful you won't know what to do with yourself!

Summertime Closet Clean

Today was a success! I've been putting off going through my closet for a while now so I finally took action on my goal and cleaned out my closet. I started early this morning and slowly made my way through all my closet. I ended up with a big ol' pile of clothes to try to sell or I'll donate them. I tried on a lot of clothes that I haven't worn in a long time. Lots of items in my closet have been in there for years. Some things had never been worn so I knew those needed to go. Other things I've just grown out of. My style has changed quite a bit and continues to evolve. For this reason I try to clean out my closet at least twice  a year. With it being summertime, it's a great time to look at what you didn't wear at all during the colder months and what you haven't worn since it has warmed up. It's a great feeling to get rid of clothes in hopes of letting others enjoy them and having less to sort through every morning- it's a win-win! 

Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
-4 green peppers, cut in half lengthwise and cored
-2 packages soy chorizo
-4 roma tomatoes, diced
-1 onion, chopped
-1 cup quinoa
-shredded Mexican cheese
-cayenne pepper
-salt and pepper

Instructions

1. boil cut pepper boats in water for 5 minutes. place pepper boats on a baking sheet
2. cook quinoa with 2 cups of water per package instructions
3. cook soy chorizo in skillet
4. add tomatoes, onion, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste to cooked chorizo. simmer for five minutes.
5. add the chorizo mixture to the quinoa and mix well. spoon into pepper boats
6. preheat oven to 400F and cook pepper boats in oven for 5 minutes, add cheese to peppers and cook for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted

I make stuffed peppers of some sort almost weekly because they're easy, healthy, and very filling. Also, they're great the next day in your lunch. As I continue to post recipes, I'll be adding more stuffed pepper recipes since they're one of my favorites!

Hula Hoopiness

Last night I took a class to learn how to make your own hula hoop. I've tried to make my own before but the quality was not so great. The instructor of the class was really helpful and brought in pre-cut hula hoops to speed up the class. We played around with the different types of hoops before we chose our hoops. 

A few things to consider when choosing your first hula hoop:

• The size of the hoop matters. Typically, when you first start out you're going to want a hoop that when it's standing up it at least reaches your belly button. The bigger the hoop, the easier it is to learn. 
• The tubing material will effect the weight of your hoop. Hoops typically come in 1/2, 3/4, or 1" thick in diameter. Most hoops are ¾” 100 PSI Polyethylene tubing (aka black irrigation tubing or PE). A hoop that is 1" 160 PSI is going to be one of the heaviest hoops you can make. For lighter hula hoops you'll want to use a clear Polypro (polypropylene) type of tubing. Other great options for tubing are PVC tubing and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
• Color! Pick colors that make you smile :)

National Yoga Day

Happy national yoga day! I celebrated the summer solstice with hundreds of other people practicing yoga at the Texas capital building. We raised our arms and spirits in celebration! Even saw a dog doing yoga, he was an expert at the downward dog. 

And Happy Father's Day to all the men ! I can't help but be forever grateful for my dad. He would do anything for the people he loves and I'm lucky he has a big heart sometimes ;) 

Roasted Cauliflower Kimchi

Roasted Cauliflower Kimchi

Ingredients

-1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1/2 cup mayonnaise 

-1/4 cup kimchi

-salt and pepper

Instructions 

1. preheat oven to 400F
2. toss cauliflower in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste
3. roast for about 8 minutes, until cauliflower starts to crisp
4. mix mayonaise and kimchi in blender
5. toss cauliflower in kimchi mix 

If you haven't had kimchi yet give it a try! I picked some up at the farmer's market this weekend and have been experimenting with different ways to eat it. This recipe is so tasty, healthy, and easy to make! It's a great side dish with a little spice to it. I'm looking forward to picking up the kalechi when we run out of this. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients
-1 lb brussels sprouts
-3 tbsp olive oil
-3 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
-salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 425F
2. trim the stump of the sprout, cut each in half lengthwise
3. toss brussels sprouts in a bowl with balsamic vinaigrette, salt and pepper to taste, and half the olive oil
4. spread remaining olive oil on a cooking sheet before you pour the brussels sprouts on it
5. bake in 400F oven for 20-25 minutes, flip brussels sprouts after 10 minutes

Generally speaking, this should serve about 4 people when served as a side dish. Brussels sprouts pair well with chicken and by themselves! 

Kale Pesto Quinoa

Kale Pesto Quinoa 

Ingredients

-1 cup quinoa

-2 cups vegetable stock

-1 cup chopped Kale

-1 cup spinach

-4 tbsp pesto

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa per package instructions
2. Add spinach kale, pesto, and Parmesan cheese to quinoa pan. Heat until spinach starts to wilt. 
3. Serve immediately. 

This dish only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. It's a great meal for nights when you don't have a lot of time to cook or don't feel like cooking. It will serve about two people but you can always increase the ratios on the ingredients. I love adding a little extra cheese to mine and having the leftovers for lunch the next day. Kale Pesto Quinoa is a quick, healthy meal packed full of protein, fiber, vegetables, and flavor! If you're trying to consume less meat or experimenting with Meatless Mondays- give this recipe a try!

National Donut Day

Since I celebrated national running day, I might as well celebrate national donut day today. Funny how the anticipation of this made up holiday has been building all week on social media websites. To properly celebrate national donut day, you can either purchase a dozen from your local donut shop or check out these companies offering free (or almost free) donuts today. Krispy Kreme is giving away a free donut with no purchase necessary, Shipley Do-Nuts (a Texas favorite) is giving away a free donut AND a free small cup of coffee, Dunkin' Donuts will give you a free donut with any beverage purchase, and Tim Hortons will give you a free donut with any purchase so long as you say "Happy National Donut Day." I know where I'm going to get a free donut! Enjoy your donut and remember some foods taste better in moderation!!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes with Chicken Sausage

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Potatoes with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients
-8 chicken sausages (I used spinach feta chicken sausage)
-4 medium potatoes (I used both sweet potatoes and Idaho potatoes), cut into 1" pieces
-1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
-1 onion, sliced
-olive oil
-salt and pepper

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 425 F
2. cook the chicken sausages per the instructions on the package
3. toss cut potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper then pour on a baking sheet lined with foil. bake in the oven for 10 minutes
4. toss the brussels sprouts and onion in olive oil, salt and pepper. add to the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes. 
5. serve brussels sprouts and potato mixture with chicken sausage

This is one of my new favorite recipes! It's quick and easy plus is tastes amazing! 

National Running Day

I was browsing the internet this afternoon and noticed it's National Running Day!! I was pretty set on making today my "off" day from running but now that I saw what day it is, I'll have to lace up the shoes and hit the trail after work. National made up holidays are great reminders to celebrate the little things in life. I'm beyond thankful for this body that allows me to run for miles through the hills of Austin. I have this beautiful neighborhood and golf course that I run through on my morning runs. I'm even grateful for the darn swallow that tries to hit me almost every morning I run by its nest. For there will always be times when I'm feeling too lazy to lace up my shoes, I will remember how lucky I am to be able to run in this beautiful city. 

Are you running today? If so, what motivates you to run?

Welcoming You to the Life of Maria Sangria

Hello I'm Maria! I'm a 20-something creative professional who loves new experiences and making others smile. I'm originally born and raised in the Midwest. I currently live in Austin, TX with my boyfriend and two cats. 

I created this blog to share parts of my life to inspire others. I plan to provide recipes, DIY projects, and lifestyle articles. I have to be honest... I'm not an expert on any of this. I'm sharing these experiences because I love cooking, creating things, and living life to the fullest. Hopefully, the articles I share will inspire you.