I'm Back!

Hi Friends!

I have been MIA for quite a few months--but I'm BACK! I was having a blog-block and decided to take a hiatus from blogging.  But to be honest, I have really missed it and regardless of some people's (hater's) thoughts on blogging---I personally enjoy it and want to continue blogging again :)

The past few months have been quite busy and fun!! I PRed the Savannah Music Marathon with a time of 4:17 (I think), enjoyed the holidays in Maryland with my family, New Years at Edisto Beach with college friends, survived my exams and started my last year of law school! All along the way there has been lots of baking, cooking and starting a new workout regime!

The past week, I have been living at Drew, Grant and Brandon's house.  The boys have been so welcoming and gracious to let me board up at their place while my apartment building is under renovation (been on going headache for the past 2 months and finally it will be complete woop woop)!

Drew got me "welcome" flowers :)

It is definitely different living with boys from girls--my new "roomies" have beers after work, drink protein shakes multiple times a day, watch hunting, fishing, survival shows, play video games and darts, have fast food as a staple in their diet, make bodily noises openly and have discussions that go completely over my head.  All and all it has been a fun week and I honestly will miss all the guy time I have been experiencing!! One thing that I have learned--boys can be much cleaner than girls (despite what people may think)!

As for my week at the boys I have been taking advantage of their big, beautiful kitchen and been quite the cooking lady :)

Cheese Plate: goat herb cheese, smoked gouda, and 

amazing chocolate cheddar cheese from Trader Joe's (their cheese 

of the month--seriously go out and try it you won't regret it!)

Spicy Fish Tacos

with homemade Guacamole (can eat it with a spoon)!

Shrimp burgers with baked sweet potato and butternut squash chips 

(Strange but delicious and healthy-ish)

Close-up: hunks of shrimp yumm!

As you can see I have been in a random seafood mood--I don't know what it is but I have been craving it (usually something you crave in the summer, not the middle of winter--but hey lets be honest you can never have too much seafood)! These recipes have come from a new cookbook that Drew's mom sent him from the Lee Brothers.  The Lee Brothers are from Charleston (or uprooted from the North down to the South) and make some killer southern food!  Some of the recipes seem tough, but the time and work totally pay off--resulting in some of the best seafood dishes I have had (can't wait to try out another one)!

As for this weekend, I have been feeling under the weather...think the changes of outside temperatures have finally caught up to me (80 degrees last sunday, 40 degrees this sunday=crazy)--resulting in a nice little cold for me :(!  I'm not a fan of being sick (like everyone else) but didn't let it hold me back from enjoying the kitchen one more time.  Drew and I made a Sunday Shrimp Chowder, recipe came from Lee Bros, which was a huge hit!  It was the first time I used an emersion blender (thanks to Meredith for letting us borrow it) in a recipe--and it totally makes me want to go out and buy one and make lots o soup :) 

Shrimp Chowder with bacon and chives on top :)

I hope everyone has a marvelous Monday and welcome back to my blog after quite a long hiatus :)