Baked Pesto Risotto Balls: My Diary of Us

Last week I shared my new favorite risotto recipe where I added pesto to the mix. It's a great recipe if you missed it, but the point here is that you almost always have leftovers after you make risotto. Leftovers that are too delicious to get rid of, and one of my favorite ways to use up my risotto leftovers is to make risotto balls! Being that I could dip most things into marinara sauce (mozzarella sticks, pizza crust, crusty bread...okay so I could did anything carb loaded into marinara sauce), my baked pesto risotto balls are the perfect accompaniment to my love of dipping and marinara.

These little balls of flavor are perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish in my opinion. And since the risotto is the real time consuming part and it's usually already made, you can whip up these risotto balls in a flash! Your guests will be impressed, your kids will love them, and you will look like a kitchen genius.

PostedMay 6, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes, Appetizers

Tagsbaked risotto balls, risotto balls, pesto risotto, homemade, appetizers, party food, marinara, Italian food, easy recipes, side dishes, leftovers

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Cinco de Mayo Recipe Round Up: My Diary of Us

Cinco de Mayo is this weekend y'all, and let's be real about why we love this holiday. It's the perfect excuse to eat all the chips, guac, and queso that we want, and we can drink all the margaritas without feeling guilty. I've semi been celebrating all week and in fact, you SHOULD celebrate Cinco de Mayo all week long because there can never be enough Mexican food and drinks in my opinion. We are just cooking at home this weekend and having some friends over, and I figured most of you might be doing the same, so I'm sharing my Cinco de Mayo recipe roundup to help you plan out your weekend festivities!

PostedMay 4, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesHoliday, Cocktails, Dinner

TagsCinco de Mayo Recipes, cocktails, dinner, Mexican food, homemade Mexican, Mexican inspired meals, easy recipes, healthy, Fiesta food, holiday

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Friday Pregnancy Confessions Volume 2: My Diary of Us

Sometimes I still can't believe that I am actually pregnant. What a miracle and a blessing that Canean and I have been given. Each day that passes our little boy grows inside me and makes his presence more known as my body continues to change. My curves are a little softer and my belly bump has started to become an actual bump and less, I ate too many nachos and need to lose a few looking. I really thought by now I would be having a panic attack about watching my body change and instead have been embracing the pleasant and not so pleasant surprises that have already begun to take shape. Here are my Friday pregnancy confessions as I leave my first trimester behind and embark into second trimester territory.

I'll be 17 weeks on Sunday and so far, the biggest change has been my energy coming back to me! I am starting to feel like somewhat of a normal person again. Although I still take any opportunity for little power naps if the afternoon allows, because why not right?

PostedMay 1, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesPregnancy Confessions

TagsSecond Trimester, Pregnancy Confessions, Pregnancy Cravings, Pregnancy, Mama to Be, Growing Belly, Body Changes

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Texture is everything to me when it comes to food. Some of my favorite textures to eat are crisp apples, al dente pasta, crunchy potato chips, ice cream with a little milk poured on top (don't ask)...and I'll stop there because the list goes on and on. Risotto is not excluded from my list of best textured food awards. It's super creamy and luxurious and makes you feel like you are eating something really special. I know it can be intimidating, but in all honesty it's really easy to make! Time is your only commitment. Since I love risotto so much, I combined another one of my favorite flavors of pesto to make the perfect springtime version of a classic risotto recipe! My pesto risotto is going to make your tummy really happy from the first bite.

PostedApril 28, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes

Tagspesto, pesto risotto, risotto recipes, dinner, meatless meals, rice, Springtime Recipes, pesto recipes, gluten free recipes, homemade meals, homemade risotto, Italian dishes

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Have you ever met anyone that doesn't like fried chicken? I can't say that I have, and I don't know that I could trust someone who doesn't like fried chicken! It's one of those foods that I rarely eat because it's really not great for you, but when I do...oh man is it worth it! Oddly enough, since becoming pregnant, chicken and I have not been the best of friends. I can't say that I have enjoyed eating chicken at all over the past four months, it just doesn't taste good to me. Well it didn't, until the other night when I made my oven "fried" chicken! Guys, what a game changer for this pregnant lady! And you want to know the best part? I promise you that it's super easy and you won't miss the traditional deep fried version at all!

I wouldn't lie to you. Number one I am pregnant, so I take food even more seriously right now, and number two, it's 100% hubby approved! Trust me on this recipe! When you feel yourself entering into your weeknight dinner recipe slump, throw this one into the mix and see how your family reacts! I am willing to bet this will become a new favorite in your house!

PostedApril 27, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner

Tagsoven fried chicken recipe, healthy fried chicken, chicken recipes, dinner, homemade, chicken

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Blackberry Mule Mocktails: My Diary of Us

One of my favorite times of year is when all berries come into season. I can still remember being a little girl growing up in Tennessee and picking blackberries from bushes that grew in our neighborhood or on the side of the road. We would eat them all day while playing outside. They were sweet and juicy and made for perfect snacking for me and my friends. It's my mission to find some places here in Texas that I can go and pick fresh berries this year! I love picking them straight from the farm and there is something about the fresh picked ones that make them extra sweet and special! I happen to use blackberries a lot mixed into drinks because of their sweet and slightly tart flavor. My blackberry mule mocktails are the perfect Springtime drink to enjoy at any time of day!

Of course, you can always make these into a cocktail by simply adding vodka, and let's be honest, if I wasn't preggers over here you know that's exactly what I would have done.

PostedApril 23, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

Tagsmoscow mules, blackberry mules, mocktails, thirsty thursday, easy drink recipes, summer drinks, spring drink recipes, seasonal drinks, seasonal cocktails, party drink ideas, blackberry recipes, cocktails

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