Samantha K Schmidt

When it comes to hosting dinners some people come off as naturals. The table is perfectly set. The desserts are beautifully displayed. Meanwhile, there are those of us who find hosting to be incredibly stressful. As a natural introvert, hosting for me has always been a bit of a challenge. I love it, but it took me a long time to find a balance in obeying by all the social courtesies while still feeling comfortable. You may have a similar struggle if you are a self-described Type A. No matter your reason, here are a few tips to make your hosting experience as stress-free as possible. 1. Don't be tied to the clock. This will be the biggest challenge for my fellow Type A's. My husband had to explain to me that setting a time for a gathering meant expecting people to be late. As someone who is perpetually prompt this was hard to grasp, but it is certainly true of our friend group. If we set a time for 6:30 people show up at 6:45 and realistically aren't ready to eat until ...

I think even the snobbiest of coffee lovers can admit they love a quick and easy stop at Starbucks every now and then. Okay, maybe not. The coffee giant isn't for everyone, but those of us aspiring connoisseurs like to take the easy route from time to time. However, there are a few drinks that Starbucks is fooling you with. The Coffee Let's start from the beginning. Many people have stated that Starbucks burns their beans during roasting. Beans are temperamental and require a slow process of heating.  This seems to be the culprit when it comes to the bitterness of Starbucks coffee. If you are going to make a Starbucks run it's better to go with an espresso drink or a dessert-like frappucino (which there is no shame in!) Macchiato What Starbucks calls a macchiato is actually more akin to a latte. The typical macchiato is made with one shot espresso and a very small amount of steamed milk. Starbucks version is about 3 parts milk 1 part espresso. Now it seems that...

Notes are the different flavor dynamics present in a cup of coffee. They range in intensity depending on the brewing method, but a quick guide can help you identify the notes that you like and avoid the ones you don't. Here are just a few notes and how to recognize them. Earthy vs. Fruity Coffee notes are typically categorized by either earthy or fruity. Earthy notes range from subtle to intense. More intense notes tend to be present in darker roasts and have a richer flavor. Fruit notes represent most of the acidity in coffee. Notes are distinguished by their similarities to other foods and elements. However, just because you like fruit doesn't necessarily mean that you'll like a fruity note in your coffee since it contains more acidity. Ask for a description of the coffee when you go to a cafe. After a while you will be able to recognize the different notes and determine your preferences.

If you're a coffee snob you probably spend a large portion of your monthly budget on the delicious libation. If you're budget conscious like me you probably take advantage of every Starbucks reward upgrading to Trenta size (yea, it exists). There's an easy way to save money on your morning (or all day) coffee. Even if you aren't a coffee connoisseur there are a few brews that are easy to make at home you just need a few inexpensive tools. Coffee Grinder Grinding your beans at home is the best way to get the most flavorful, fresh coffee. Plus, you don't have to buy anything fancy. I got mine at Marshall's for under $10 and this one is available on Amazon for $14.99.    You can use the grounds in everything from your home brewing machine to any of the options below. Coffee Dripper Pour over coffee is just as popular as drip coffee these days and creates a much tastier cup. Plus, it's just as quick and easy. You'll need a coffee dripp...

The most important thing to know about coffee grounds is it's best to do it at home. Grinding coffee releases all of the wonderful flavors in the bean. The longer it sits the less fresh it will be. A coffee grinder is a pretty inexpensive tool that every coffee snob should own. Now on to the grinds and how to use them. Extra Course Grinds - best for cold brew systems Course Grind - french press Medium-Course Grind - large pour over brewing methods such as Chemex Medium Grind - Drip pots such as your home coffee maker Medium-Fine Grind - pour over cones (this is a single serve pour over method) and vacuum pots Fine Grind - espresso Extra Fine Grind - Turkish coffee (creates an almost muddy consistency) Source: https://ineedcoffee.com/coffee-grind-chart/

Whenever you're around coffee snobs you may notice that they seem to speak another language, or perhaps you've tried to order your favorite Starbucks drink at a non-chain coffee shop only to find that your idea of macchiato was completely different than theirs. The Coffee Snob Dictionary is here to help. The following lingo is just a starter guide to the kinds of words you will likely hear in your local coffee shop. There is a plethora of language that you may never need, but are welcome to google to find more information. aeropress - a form of brewing coffee that uses a plunger type device. Hot water is poured over the grounds, stirred for 10 seconds then pressed through a microfilter. body - the feeling that the coffee has on the tongue (i.e. oily, grainy, watery, etc.) cappucino - 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 frothed milk chai - spiced tea and milk crema  - lighter colored foam layer on top of espresso drip - a traditional form of brewing coffe...

Over the next few weeks I will be starting a series about one of my most favorite things on the planet... coffee. I love coffee, but I've never been the super hipster gal that knows all the lingo and what to order. However I have a few friends who I almost seem to offend when I talk about coffee. They are coffee aficionados and the perfect coffee snobs. I love them, but let's be honest I kind of envy them. I mean what coffee lover doesn't want to find a way to get the perfect cup every time? But how can you possibly order or make the perfect cup of coffee when you don't know the lingo? That's what this series is all about! I'll teach you the basics of coffee snobbery so that you can stop offending the coffee gurus and start soaking up the deliciousness. I'll be posting every Monday for the next 6 weeks so that you can become a pro. Schedule:  August 22nd - The Coffee Snob Dictionary  All the coffee lingo you need to know August 29th - Get You...

Eating healthy is hard to do when you are constantly on the go. One of the easiest ways to stay healthy is to cook at home, but whether you are a working girl or a busy stay at home mom it's hard to find time to cook nutritious meals. That's why meal planning can be such a life saver. Here are a few ways to minimize your meal stress and stay healthy all week long.

Every now and then I get a serious carnivore craving. Today I was craving buffalo chicken, so I thought I'd try my hand at a vegetarian version. Ingredients: 1/4 cup of Barbecue Sauce 1/2 tablespoon of Hot Sauce 1 tablespoon grape jelly (optional) Chicken Substitute (I used Veggie Patch Nuggets) Directions: ~ Cook chicken substitute according to package directions ~ Meanwhile mix your sauces together in a shallow bowl ~ Toss the "chicken" in the sauce ~ Enjoy! This recipe is great because you can mix it up for different flavor. I prefer my buffalo sauce a little sweeter so I added jelly, you can leave it out for more spice. You can also water down the sauce to make a thinner coat. The choice is up to you.

I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July weekend. If you read Friday's post you know my weekend consisted of the 48 hour cleanse . I will say that overall the cleanse was successful, but dreadful. Friday we went to Fresh Market and prepared all of the weekend meals. Here is a breakdown of what we ate. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are the same for the 2 days. Breakfast: Quinoa with Prunes *this wasn't as dreadful as it could've been, but by day two I was not having those prunes. Lunch: Blueberry Smoothie *probably the most delicious of the cleanse meals Dinner: Vegetable Broth *plain tasting, but not terrible (except for the cabbage smell seeping through your pores afterward) Snack: Kale Smoothie, Pineapple/Pomegranate Drink, and Vegetables *our ninja didn't cut it for blending the kale it was grainy and gross, pineapple drink was okay, and I couldn't eat enough carrots to get full The cleanse does it's job. It cleanses your liver, kidney, and...

Today is Fourth of July and if you are like the majority of the American population you are going to eat (and drink) way too much. Saturday morning you'll probably be having some serious regrets. Well don't fret. I found a 48 hour cleanse that will put you back on track. I went on a mini-vaca this week and after only two days I had gained 4 pounds! (I blame it on the sangria.) Needless to say I was feeling pretty awful and wanted to find a way to clean out all the awful things I had ingested. So I found a cleanse that I knew I could stick to and if you are doubting the efficiency it's Dr. Oz approved. The 48 Hour Cleanse Here you will find a shopping list as well as recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I already prepped my meals and snapped a few pictures of the final products. Breakfast Lunch Dinner Don't forget to come back Monday for an update.

My favorite veggie burger of all time is the Vegefi from Burgerfi. If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and devour one. It has a very similar texture to meat and toppings make you nostalgic for backyard barbecues. Even my non-vegetarian friends love this burger and often prefer it to the real thing. I've been trying to find a copycat recipe for the Vegefi for a long time. After much searching I came across one, but the recipe was ridiculous. I'm really not much of a cook (you can tell from my directions below), so I managed to minimize the list of ingredients without minimizing the taste. Here are my Simple Homemade Veggie Burgers Ingredients: 1 box of Nature's Earthly Choice - Garden Vegetable Quinoa (This brand is my favorite, because all the vegetables are included) 2 eggs 1 cup of breadcrumbs 1/4 cup of shredded gouda Canola Oil Directions: ~ Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the box ~ In a medium sized bowl beat eggs ~ Add the quin...

One of my favorite things about summer is the delicious fruits that come into season. Berries are my favorite fruit, and I wait patiently every year for those delicious ripe edibles to find their way into my local grocery. Summer is also my favorite time to cook because all of my favorite recipes have strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I've already stocked my refrigerator in preparation for the upcoming week and I thought I would share two of my favorite summer meals. Bonus: These recipes are totally vegetarian! Berry Couscous ~ Bring two cups of apple cranberry juice to a boil ~ Pour over one cup of plain couscous ~ Cover and let sit for 5 minutes ~ Separate into four bowls. ~ Add your favorite berries, a dollop of yogurt, and a drizzle of honey. Strawberry Spinach Salad ~ Whisk 3 parts oil and one part balsamic vinegar in a bowl ~ Toss spinach, sliced strawberries, sliced almonds, and chunks of gouda in another bowl ~ Drizzle salad with the oi...

Sometimes I like to imagine myself sitting under the Eiffel Tower sipping a café au lait, a fresh baguette in my bag. There's something about the Parisian lifestyle that calms my soul. Maybe it's the beauty. Maybe it's the amour. Or maybe... it's the food. French food is the ultimate comfort food in my book, and my favorite comfort is macarons. I tried my first macaron a few years back and it was love at first bite. Ever since I've been smitten for these tasty treats. I was looking for a little luxurious comfort yesterday and decided to pick up a box of macarons from one of my favorite places Le Macaron. I love Le Macaron because it's authentic and everything is natural. This time I decided to try out a few different flavors and thought I'd share them with you. If you've never tried a true French Macaron this is a great guide for the beginner. 1. Colombian Coffee  I love coffee flavored anything, so I had to grab 4 of these guys. They have a ri...

Here's a few of my favorites from Pinterest this week. Favorite Makeup I'm not usually a fan of pink and red together, but I love this lip look. Favorite Décor Everyone knows I love a good coffee bar, or in this case wine bar. Favorite Fashion I love polyvore collections, and this one is perfect for relaxing at the local café. Favorite Food These PB&J sushi rolls are easy, delicious, and just plain adorable. Most Adorable Pin of the Week I don't have any little ones, but I can still appreciate this classy onesie.

This weekend I had a crazy craving for cornbread. Since I'm still on a vegan diet I realized I was going to have to make some changes. So I did some research, made some substitutions, and made this delicious vegan version. It tastes exactly like its non-vegan counterpart, and it's mostly guilt free. Give it a try and tell me what you think! Servings: 9 Ingredients:  1 cup flour 1 cup corn meal 1/4 cup sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup soy milk  1/4 cup canola oil Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees 2) Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray 3) Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl 4) Add wet ingredients and beat until smooth (do not over mix) 5) Place mixture in muffin pan filling each cup 3/4 of the way 6) Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean In hindsight I wouldn't have used the baking cups. The bottoms stuck. This earth balance butter i...

Last week I posted all about my vegan adventures. Although it has been a difficult journey I have learned so much along the way. Today I thought I would share some easy vegan meals with you. I don't have a lot of time to cook so many of these are straight from the frozen food aisle. If that's not your thing you may want to consider cooking your meals ahead of time. Many people cook all of their weekly meals on Sunday. However, if you aren't a big cook (or if you just aren't very good at it, like me) these meals will be your easy way out. Breakfast: Oatmeal with peanut butter and brown sugar Cereal and soy milk Breakfast smoothie with strawberries, peanut butter, soy milk or yogurt, and protein powder Snacks: Clif bar Carrots Banana Pita chips and hummus Lunch: PB&J or try an AB&J (almond butter and jelly) Gardein Chick'n Sliders (my current favorite) Tofu and Spinach Ravioli (I can't think of the brand that I usually get, but it...

Eight months ago, I made the decision to become pescetarian. It was a decision, that for me, was a long time coming. Although I'd always enjoyed biting into a chicken sandwich I hated the sight of a whole chicken. I had trouble cooking meat for dinner, and absolutely refused  to eat any meat that truly resembled the animal. I was an oddity in my family. I grew up with hunters. I'd even seen deer slain right before my eyes. I consistently came up with excuses on Thanksgiving as to why I wasn't eating meat carved from the carcass of a turkey. Finally, after a few days of research I made the switch. I did it for many reasons. First, the reasons aforementioned. I was never a big meat eater anyway and hated the sight of raw meat. Second, economical reasons. One of the most shocking things that I read was that if all of the grain that went to livestock in this country actually went to feeding our hungry, no one would be hungry! Yea, seriously. Okay maybe it's all propagand...