Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers

I made this recipe for "Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers" for the first time a little over a year ago.  (I also took this lovely picture way back when as well.  Talk about procrastination!)  It wasn't until a friend just asked me for the recipe that I decided that I should go ahead and add it to my online recipe box.  You know, since I did just type the whole thing out and all.  :)  I plan to make these for dinner really soon, they are really really yummy and the husband enjoyed them a lot. 

INGREDIENTS:

 

olive oil

1/2 lb ground turkey (you can probably use lean ground turkey as well)

1 C chopped onions

1 heaping TBSP of taco seasoning (I used the homemade version)

2 C of cooked rice (I used some Spanish rice I had leftover)

3-4 bell peppers, halved and seeds removed

1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 C of frozen corn

1 (15 -16 ounce) jar of salsa (or homemade if you have it!)

shredded Cheddar Cheese

 

Toppings:

fresh cilantro

sour cream

sliced avocado

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

 Start the rice.

Pre heat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat the prepped peppers with the olive oil and roast them in a baking dish for 20-25 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool long enough so they can be handled.

Meanwhile, brown the ground turkey with the chopped onion and any seasonings of your choice. (I usually like to use a little salt, pepper, and garlic...fresh or powdered.) Drain any excess fat if necessary.

 

When the meat is finished, add in the taco seasoning.  Mix well to combine.  Next, add in the black beans, corn, rice and the salsa.  Mix well.

 

Now, spoon in the turkey mixture into each of the bell pepper halves.  Carefully place them back into the baking dish.  Cook the peppers for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked thru.  Just before removing the dish, sprinkle the top of each pepper with some shredded cheddar cheese.  Place the dish back into the oven long enough for the cheese to melt. 

 

Remove from the oven and top with an additional desired toppings (ex. cilantro, sour cream, avocado...)

 

ENJOY!

 

 

recipe adapted from: simplylovefood.blog.com

Summer Vegetable Torta

(Isn't it pretty!?)

I loved, loved, LOVED this Summer Vegetable Torta. A LOT!  It turned out so pretty and so very tasty! It looked quite impressive in my opinion and it was super easy to toss together!  I ate it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.  No, I'm not kidding.  I'm anxiously awaiting for a brunch or potluck that I can prepare this for.  I think it'll be a hit!

INGREDIENTS:

3 TBSP olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
8oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 red peppers, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
8oz. cream cheese, softened
6 large eggs
1/4 C heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
3  TBSP fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 C shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan by spraying the bottom and sides with cooking spray.  Line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray with additional cooking spray. Then wrap the outside with aluminum foil.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, zucchini, and fresh peppers and saute until vegetables just start to become tender (10 minutes or so). 

Then, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Next beat in the eggs until combined.  Now beat in the cream. Stir in the garlic, basil, salt and pepper.

Now, using a slotted spoon, drain off liquid from the vegetables and add them to the egg mixture.  Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir with a rubber spatula to combine.

Spread mixture into the prepared pan and set the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake for 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 hours, until top is golden brown and the center is firm when shaken. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes in pan, then run a sharp knife around edges to loosen. Gently remove the pan sides. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. ENJOY!

recipe adapted from: alldayidreamaboutfood.com

Broccoli & Beef

 

I can't take too too much credit for this one since I only altered a few things in this recipe.  Well, who knows, those little changes could have been what made this dish SO FREAKING FANTASTIC!!! So I guess I'll go ahead and toot my own horn for a sec.  "toot toot!"  Ok, done now. 

 I am a huge broccoli  & beef fan.  I've tried making it at home before, only to realize that the Chinese restaurants can make it much better.  The hubster requested broccoli & beef for dinner last night so I decided to go ahead and try out a new recipe that I had pinned a while back.  It turned out SO SO YUMMY!! I will definitely  be make this again and again.  It tasted just as good as a Chinese restaurant without all the MSG.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sugar
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP water
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
1.5lbs. flank steak, sliced thin
1/2 C low sodium soy sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBSP flour
1 TBSP sherry
3 TBSP toasted sesame oil
2 heads of broccoli crowns

DIRECTIONS:

Preparing the beef:

Allow the beef to come to room temperature.  (Mine sat out for about an hour and a half)  Then, using a sharp knife, slice the beef into thin strips making sure to slice against the grain.  If the slices become too long, feel free to cut them in half or even in thirds. 

Preparing the marinade:

In a large bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients. Then add the beef strips and thoroughly coat them in the marinade.  Cover the bowl in plastic wrap, set aside and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.  (Now would be a good time to get your rice started)

In the meantime:

Trim your broccoli and set aside.  In a small bowl whisk together the 1/2 C low sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, flour and sherry. Set aside until the meat is finished marinating.

When the meat is ready:

 Heat 2 TBSP of the sesame oil in a wok or  large sauté pan over high heat.  Next, add the broccoli and sauté in the oil for 4-5 minutes.  (I prefer my broccoli a little on the crunchy side, feel free to cook longer if you like it softer.)  Transfer the broccoli to a dish and set aside. 

Turn the heat down to medium-high and add the remaining 1 TBSP of sesame oil to the pan.  Add the meat to the pan and then pour in half of the soy sauce/brown sugar mixture on top.  Saute until the meat is no longer pink, this takes just a few minutes.  When the meat is finished, add the broccoli to the wok with the remainder of the soy sauce/brown sugar mixture.  Saute for another minute. 

Serve over steamed white rice. ENJOY!!


Recipe adapted from: Rainydaygal.com

Simple Marinara Sauce (a DG original)

I tend to do a lot of my grocery shopping on my lunch break these days, grabbing things that I'll need for the next day or two.  I often forget things I need due to the lack of a list and being in a rush.  Last week I ran to the grocery store on a lunch break to grab the things I would need for a ravioli bake, one of my quick go to weeknight dinners. I didn't realize until I got home to prepare dinner, that I had forgotten to grab a jar of pasta sauce!!!  At first I panicked since it was getting late and I didn't have a back up meal prepared.  As usual, I reverted to good ol' google! Of course I couldn't find a recipe to suit my needs that included ingredients that I already had on hand.  So I did what I usually do and pick what I like from several recipes to create my own version! Of course if your looking for a recipe for a marinara sauce to use up some of your garden fresh tomatoes, you can always check out my  original recipe for mushroom-garlic marinara sauce here,  but this here is what I ended up with that night and it turned out pretty well if I do say so myself! :)

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 onion, minced
2 14.5 oz. cans of petite-cut tomatoes
1 6oz. can of tomato paste
1.5 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 C sherry

DIRECTIONS:

using a food processor, puree the garlic and petite-cut tomatoes.  (I only pureed one can because I like my sauce to be a little bit chunky and added the additional can in with the remaining ingredients.)  Set aside.  In a med sauce pan sauté the onion with the olive oil over medium high heat just until softened.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low (stirring occasionally) for 30 min, covered.  To be used in your favorite pasta dish! ENJOY!

Brown Rice Pilaf

I am a bg fan of brown rice, the boys...eh, not so much!  I am on a determined quest to find new ways to prepare brown rice for the whole family to enjoy.  This recipe was attempt #2 (with attempt #1 being the plain ol' boring, basic, brown rice).  Carson ignored the side all together.  Dominic bluntly stated "I HATE mushrooms!".  The hubby politely consumed the side and gave me an unenthusiastic "it was good." I on the other hand LOVED this dish!!!  I thought it went well with the salmon tacos I made that night.  I'll probably make this next when we have company over, or to bring along to someone's house.  I'd like to see how others like this side dish.  :)

INGREDIENTS:

2.5 TBSP olive oil
1/2 lb. Cremini mushrooms, sliced
6 green onions
salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 C long grain brown rice
1 C chicken stock
1 C water
1/2 lime

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium skillet heat 2 TBSP. of the olive oil over medium heat add the mushrooms and half of the green onions and season with salt and pepper.  Sautee for 8 minutes until the mushrooms have browned and softened.  Next add the garlic and the remaining .5 TBSP of olive oil.  Sautee for another 2 minutes then add the soy sauce, rice, chicken stock and water.  Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper.  Bring to a full boil.  Scrape the rice into a 8x8 glass baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Remove the foil, fluff the pilaf with a fork, squeeze the lime over the pilaf and top with the remaining 3 green onions.  ENJOY!

recipe adapted from foodandwine.com

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

My eight year old son recently finished up his third grade year.  As a strong student in math, reading is not much of his thing.  During a parent teacher conference, it was suggested to me to continue to read to him before bed each night, but to choose books that are slightly above his reading level.  So I did.

Whenever I am choosing a new read for myself, I tend to gravitate toward books that have been listed on the The New York Times Bestseller List.  So when cruising through the children's book section at Target, I stuck to my usual habits and found this; "Wonder", written by R.J. Palacio.  The cover appeared interesting enough, it had been featured on the bestseller list, and reading the back of the book as well as one random page in the middle, got me to spend $15.99 on this 313 page children's novel.

I cannot express to you how much my son and I both LOVED this book! We both laughed, cried, and rooted for the main character, Auggie, throughout the entire book.  Reading this novel together was such a great bonding experience for us, and it taught us both a thing or two about how we view and treat others.

 Auggie is not your typical fifth grader.  Well, as far as looks go.  Auggie was born with a severe facial deformity that kept him from going to a public school until his parents allowed him to when he reached the fifth grade.  Palacio writes each chapter from a different characters perspective to tell the heartfelt story of Auggie's first year in public school and what it had been like for him growing up.  It didn't take long for us to realize how likeable of a kid Auggie is and how much he and my son have many of the same interests in common.  We finished this book up a few months ago, and I find it amazing how often the name "Auggie" still comes up in our conversations.  Auggie has forever left an imprint in our minds and hearts.  This book would make a great gift for any elementary school student.  "Wonder" is a powerful impact of a read that teaches children many great life lessons on trust, fear, real friendships, and what it means to stay true to yourself! 

Salmon Tacos

Who doesn't like a good fish taco on a hot summer evening?  These salmon tacos can be consumed completely guilt free.  They are so yummy and pretty healthy too!  They are also husband approved.  :)

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 lbs. Salmon fillet
1-2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
2-3 TBSP butter
juice of one lime
salt & pepper
8 corn tortillas (I like these)

Topping suggestions:

chopped tomatoes
chopped cilantro
chopped cabbage
crumbled cotija cheese
sour cream
tapatio
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray the foil with cooking spray and place the salmon fillet on top, skin side down.  Season the fillet with the lemon pepper, salt and pepper.  Cut the butter into small pieces and place them evenly over the top of the fillet.  Squeeze the juice from the lime evenly over the fillet.  Cover with another piece of foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Depending on the thickness of your fillet you may need to adjust your cooking time, the salmon is finished when it flakes off easily with a fork.  In the meantime, chop and prep your toppings.  Just before the salmon fillet is finished, heat a cast iron griddle over Med./High heat and warm your corn tortillas.  When the salmon is finished baking, flake using forks.  Assemble your tacos as desired. ENJOY!

Stir Fry Sauce (a DG original!)

This recipe is technically not a new post.  It originally made its debut here as part of my Thai Lettuce Wrap recipe.  (Which btw, if you haven't checked it out yet I suggest you do so.  It's one of our favs!)  Stir fry is another one of our favs and this has become my go-to recipe for making the sauce.  I wanted to make a post specifically for this since I use it a lot and it'll make my life much easier when I go to find it!  (Its true, I use my blog as my personal online recipe keeper! I love it!)

I'll assume that most of you know what stir fry is and how to make it. For those who don't its basically a mixture of meat, veggies and a stir fry sauce (such as this one) stir fried together with oil (sesame oil works well!) over high heat and served over steamed rice.  I like to keep it simple and use beef with onion, carrots, celery, bean sprouts, and sometimes broccoli.  Keep in mind that the possibilities are endless!!  Try using chicken or shrimp or throwing some snap peas or bell peppers! OH YUM!!

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 C low sodium soy sauce

1.5 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 TBSP sherry

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, whisk together all the above ingredients.  Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and allow to simmer for three minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  Use in your favorite stir fry recipe.  ENJOY!

Homemade Rice-a-Roni

 

Boxes of Rice-a-roni used to be a staple in our cupboards. 

"What shall I serve with these pork chops tonight?" " I know, Rice-a-roni!"

" Hmmm... what'll go good with this bbq chicken?" " How about some Rice-a-roni?!"

Pretty sad, right!?

Over the past few years I have become more and more conscientious of what I feed my family.  It hasn't happened overnight, but I have cut waaaay back on the amount of "boxed" foods and convenience foods that I purchase, which includes....you guessed it! RICE-A-RONI!!  It brings me much joy to make things by scratch as often and possible.  I had never realized before how easy and inexpensive it can be to create some of my favorite items at home that I used to thoughtlessly throw into my shopping cart. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to stumble across a recipe for homemade rice-a-roni on pinterest.  It has taken me a few tries to adjust the recipe to our taste and I am ever so proud to present to you my adapted recipe for "Homemade rice-a-roni"!!

Rice-a-roni (just wanted to throw that in one more time...not sure that I mentioned it enough yet!) :)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 C raw orzo
3/4 C raw white rice
2 TBSP butter
14.5 oz. boiling water
2 tsp. chicken granules (heaping)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, melt the butter and sauté the orzo until is starts to brown. Add the white rice and continue to brown until golden.  Add the boiling water, chicken granules, garlic powder and dried parsley.  Bring to a full boil then turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  ENJOY!

*NOTE* You can replace the boiling water & chicken granules with store bought or homemade chicken stock.  I use chicken granules a lot in place of chicken stock...It saves a lot of money! Especially if you purchase the giant container of Knorr chicken granules from Costco.  You can make aprox. 115 cups of  broth for under $8.00!!!  What a steal!

recipe adapted from food.com

Speculoos Cookie Butter Cookies

My husband brought TJ's  Speculoos Cookie Butter to my attention after he had heard about it on the radio.  He said that it is becoming hard to get and that people are starting to sell it on eBay.  The hot commodity of summer 2013. Whaaaa?! That's all he had to tell me before I decided that I must have some. 

It took me exactly one week after my initial try to get my hands on two jars of the stuff.  I hadn't realized that it came in a crunchy and a smooth variety.  Crunchy is all I could get at the time and after I witnessed a TJ's employee getting grilled for saving me the two jars, I wasn't about to get picky.  I took my jars, placed them in my cart, gave a quick "thanks!" and then bolted down the next aisle.  At last, they were MINE!

My sister told me that Cookie Butter is much like biscoff spread, and after tasting it, I would have to agree.  Although Cookie Butter is a tad bit more sweet in my opinion, I think they are both wonderful!!  You can spread it on toast, bagels, biscuits, or eat it by the spoonful.  Whatever your heart so desires. I chose to incorporate it into cookie dough thus creating the Cookie Butter Cookies.  These cookies are extremely chewy and go fantastically with a tall glass of milk.  My husband had a brilliant idea of spreading cookie butter on top of the cookie butter cookies.  YUM!

INGREDIENTS:

1 C Speculoos Cookie Butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 C sugar (plus more for rolling)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 C  all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Using an electric mixer, cream together the cookie butter and sugar.  Add the vanilla and beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Next, mix in the dry ingredients until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Using a cookie scoop, roll the dough into balls and then roll them into sugar and place them approx. 2 inches apart on your cookie sheet.  If your not using a cookie scoop you can roll the dough into balls about the size of a ping pong ball.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.  Cool completely before storing into an air tight container.  ENJOY!

Tricia's 20min. Stovetop Chili

Its been a little while since my last post.  I went through another one of my cooking funks.  It's the kind of funk where I never know what to cook, nothing ever sounds good, and I go on a menu planning strike.  I think I am over it.  For now.

The boys have been bugging me for weeks to make them some chili and cornbread.  The weather is getting nicer here so I was hoping they'd forget about it and instead be satisfied with the lighter dishes that I like to cook during this time of the year.  Nope!  So last night, I gave in and cooked them what they wanted.  I love to take care of my spoiled brats!

This is a super quick recipe that will definitly satisfy your chili cravings.  It is one of my go-to recipes since I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  Start to finish, you can have this dinner on the table in 20 minutes! What's not to love? If prepared the way the recipe is written, the chili will have a kick to it.  My way of dealing with that when serving it to my boys is to stir in a healthy helping of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, it helps curve the spice. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 14.5 oz. can of petiete diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can of red kidney beans (drained)
1.5 TBSP ancho chili powder
1 TBSP cumin
1TBSP paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C water

*Topping options*:

cheddar cheese
chopped onion (yellow or green!)
sour cream or plain Greek yogurt


DIRECTIONS:

Chop the onion and garlic.  Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic and drain any excess fat.  Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.  Let simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Spice Cookies

I'm so sorry that I've been MIA for the past few weeks.  This recent wonderful shift in our weather has kept me outdoors more than usual and my lack of menu planning has me running to the grocery store almost everyday during my lunch hour, that's the time when I normally spend blogging.  So how've you all been? Good, I hope!  My boys are getting so big, Dominic is currently on spring break and will be starting baseball later this month. Carson is surprising us everyday with the things he chooses to eat.  This weekend we had him chowing down on peppered beef jerky, it was peppered enough to even make my mouth wanting water!  We also discovered that he likes kale tossed with Caesar dressing and freshly squeezed lemon juice (a little creation that my sister showed me, try it it's delish!).  And if we put "chup" (ketchup) on it, he will eat just about anything!!!

Enough of my blabbering, on to the cookies! I actually made these about three weeks ago.  I was very much in a baking mood and was yoyo-ing with the idea of making oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or spice cookies.  Decisions, decisions.  Then BAM, I thought "duh, I'll just do all three!!" And that is how this recipe I present to you today was born.  :)

These cookies are ridiculously quick and easy to throw together and they have the perfect amount of chewiness.  The recipe makes about a dozen and a half cookies. 

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda 
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves 
1 tsp. all spice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 C butter; softened
1/2 C sugar 
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg 
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C oatmeal
1/4 C mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars.  Next, beat in the egg.  Now add the spices and mix well. Stir in the oatmeal and the chocolate chips.  Drop by the tsp. full onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container.  ENJOY!

 

Chicken Teriyaki

 

 

Crock pot meals are not my favorite.  I love that they are so quick and easy to throw together, but I feel that flavor and texture are sometimes compromised when preparing a meal in a crock pot.  A friend recently suggested to me a recipe for Chicken Teriyaki made in a crock pot.  It sounded yummy and simple, but after a recent crock pot failure of mine, I just couldn't stand the thought of another!  So I slightly altered the ingredients and came up with my own version of the recipe using the good ol' trusty stove instead of my crock pot.  The boys loved it a lot and it took less than thirty minutes to throw together.  I served it with steamed jasmine rice and a side of steamed broccoli for a perfect weeknight dinner!

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 lb. thin sliced chicken breasts, cubed

1 TBSP toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 tsp. chicken bullion granules

1 C boiling water

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/3 C brown sugar, packed

1/2 C soy sauce (I use low sodium)

2 TBSP cornstarch

2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

3 green onions, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

In a wok, heat the sesame oil over medium high heat.  Add the cubed chicken breasts and brown on all sides, but not cooking through.  Meanwhile, dissolve the chicken bullion granules in the boiling water and then add to the wok along with the garlic.  Boil the chicken until it is cooked through (5-7 minutes).  In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce and add it to the wok along with the brown sugar.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for three minutes or until the sauce has thickened.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.  Serve with steamed white rice.  ENJOY!

 

 

Silver Cleaner

  Waaaay on the bottom of my "to-do" list is an entry that says "buy silver cleaner".  Sadly, it has been on my list for months and consequently for months, I have had several pieces of terribly tarnished jewelry that I have been unable to wear. (well I suppose technically I could, but...you know..ewww!) 

So last weekend I pulled out my favorite necklace that I haven't worn in probably over a year.  My husband bought it for me years ago at the Chocolate festival.  Isn't it lovely? hehehe.

(ick!)

 

The designer hand cut the hummingbird image form a coin, leaving only the image and the rim of the coin in place.  Neat, huh?! Hummingbirds are my fav!

 

 

 

 

In a moment of desperation I googled "how to clean silver"! (Google is amazing!) Here is what I came up with:

 

 

Things you'll need:

 

1 small glass bowl (such as a 1 qt. pyrex)

aluminum foil

2tsp. salt

2tsp. baking soda

2 C boiling water

tarnished silver jewelry (preferably free of stones or gems. Beware that if your pieces are only silver lined that the effervescent action can loosen any chips in the silver lining causing even more damage to your piece)

soft cloth

 

 

Steps to take:

 

1) Completely line the bottom and edges of the glass bowl with aluminum foil.  

2) Sprinkle in the salt and baking soda

3) Pour in the boiling water

4) place your silver pieces inside. (make sure they are touching the foil, and if you are doing more than one piece, make sure they are touching each other)

5) wait 5 minutes.

6) Remove silver pieces, rinse with water, and buff with a soft towel.

 

After!

 

Major difference, right?!  This discovery really made my day.  So glad I can cross that off of my to-do list now! :)

 



Oatmeal Cake

This has got to be thee best dessert that I've made since I made these.  I think its safe to say that I read new recipes on a daily basis, and sometimes I come across one that MUST BE MADE IMMEDIATELY! That occurred when I read this recipe.  By the sounds of it and from the picture that came with the recipe it seemed that it would be much like German Chocolate cake (which I am a big fan of).  And it actually is a lot like German Chocolate cake, but with an extremely moist, oatmealy spice cake.  It is so, so good! Now, this cake makes a 9X13, so be prepared to share!!  :)

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE:
1 1/4  C boiling water
1 C old fashioned oatmeal, raw
1/2  C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar, packed firmly
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg  TOPPING:  1/2 C butter 2 C coconut 1 C walnuts, chopped 1 1/2 C brown sugar, packed firmly 9 TBSP evaporated Milk DIRECTIONS: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the boiling water over the oatmeal and allow to sit for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs. Next, add the vanilla and the oatmeal mixture. Then add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Mix well.  Place in greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  For the topping: In a medium saucepan over medium heat,   melt the butter and add the coconut, walnuts, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Mix well. Frost cake as soon as you take it out of the oven, and broil until the top is brown. (Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!!)  Allow to cool completely before serving.  ENJOY!!

Thai Lettuce Wraps

I have a few recipes lined up for the blog, but after I made these Thai Lettuce Wraps Wednesday night, I allowed the recipe to have priority and let it cut in line to be debuted on the blog first.  They were that good!! We had a very colorful dinner that night, it was also the night that I made the Roasted Purple Potatoes.

During my search for lettuce wrap recipes, I stumbled across one that seemed pretty straight forward, but it called for the use of Kikkoman Stir Fry Sauce, which I have never used.  When I found the bottle on the grocery store shelf my first thought was I don't need all that sauce, maybe only a quarter of the bottle.  It seemed like such a waste of money to buy the whole bottle when I just needed a smidgen of it.  So what did I do?  I read the ingredients on the back of the bottle. Hey, I already have all that in my cupboards! (Minus the junky crap), I thought. So I snapped a picture of the ingredients on the bottle and headed to the check out, sans the stir fry sauce.

(proof)

 

And using the provided picture, I created my very own stir fry sauce.  Which was pretty darn tasty if I must say!  Another proud kitchen moment for me! 

 

I have a feeling that I'll be making this recipe often when the weather warms up.  Its quick and easy and with all that lettuce and carrots, I felt like I was eating something super healthy.  (Actually, I felt more like a rabbit!)

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Stir Fry Sauce:

 

1/3 C low sodium soy sauce

1.5 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. corn starch

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 TBSP sherry

 

1 lb. ground pork

1/2 C chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1/4 C cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 carrot

green leaf or iceberg lettuce leaves

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

In a small bowl, whisk together all the stir fry sauce ingredients.  Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and allow to simmer for three minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.   In a wok or large skillet, stir fry the ground pork with the onion and garlic until the pork is no longer pink.  Drain.  Place the meat back into the pan and stir in the stir fry sauce making sure to coat the meat thoroughly.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sesame oil and cilantro.  Peel the outer skin off of the carrot, after its peeled, use the peeler to peel long strips of the carrot to top the meat mixture with.  Serve in lettuce leaves.  ENJOY!

 

***An after thought...I should have added red pepper flakes! Next time, for sure!***

 

 

 

 



Purple-urple Roasted Potatoes!

Gorgeous!

 

Purple is my favorite color, maybe that's why I am so intrigued by purple potatoes!  Well, its either that, or the fact that they sell cheaper per pound than the red potatoes AND:

 

 

" Purple potatoes are the one starch that doesn’t add pounds, while providing the antioxidant, anthocyanin, the same flavonoid that is found in red and purple produce such as berries and pomegranates...." - NaturalHealth365.com

 

 

At first, the boys weren't too keen on the thought of eating purple potatoes.  After their first bite, they changed their minds.  I suggested that I could try mashing them next time...they didn't like that idea at all.  :(  Don't mess with men and their mashed potatoes! 

 

I didn't get a picture of the finished product.  They didn't look quite as pretty once they had been roasted.  Imagine a roasted russet potato, now imagine a purple roasted russet potato...and that's exactly what they looked like! :)

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs. purple potatoes, cubed
1/4 C olive oil (I used seasoned)
kosher salt (as much or as little as you like, I used aprox. 1/4 tsp.)
fresh ground black pepper (as much or as little as you like, I used aprox. 1/2 tsp.)

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position and preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Toss the potatoes with the oil, and salt and pepper.  Arrange them cut side down on a cookie sheet prepared with cooking spray.  Roast until tender, about 20-30 minutes.  (Check at 20 minutes) ENJOY!!

Asparagus & Tomatoes

Here in my neck of the woods, we are very blessed with some of the finest farming soil around, and fine produce is very easy to come by.  It's not unusual to see men and women standing on residential street corners selling farm fresh produce.  For a wider variety its just a 10-15 minute drive out to any one of the several fruit stands in the area.  Depending on the season, you can even catch a farmers market in town up to four times a week!!!

Asparagus season is quickly approaching us.  I HATED asparagus as a kid.  My mom would cook it one way and one way only, which was to boil the crap out of it!!  It smelled the house up SO stinking bad that I swear I turned green when she cooked it!! Thank you mom for never forcing me to eat any!!  (because I know your reading this!)

It wasn't until the first time I tasted the deep fried asparagus at the Asparagus festival (which takes place every April in our town) that I realized asparagus is not so bad!!! It's coated it in a tasty batter and then fried up to perfection.  Then its topped with parmesan cheese (the kind from a can).  And then we drizzle it with hot sauce and dip it in ranch dressing.  OH MY GOODNESS, it is SO YUMMY!!  So since that first encounter, I have become less and less afraid of the vegetable and even started to cook it at home! And not one of those times did I ever just boil the crap out of it! ;)

 

(YUUUUM!)

 

 

I spotted some asparagus at the grocery store the other day.  I took it home and started searching asparagus recipes.  I ended up combining a couple of recipes to create this very fresh and healthy side dish.  :)

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 bunch of fresh asparagus

2/3 C water

1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C olive oil (I used seasoned)

6 Campari tomatoes, quartered (you can also use grape or cherry tomatoes)

zest of half of a lemon (I used Meyer)

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Wash and trim the asparagus. Place it into a 10 in. skillet with the water.  Cover and steam over medium heat for 8-12 minutes.  Drain well, return to the pan and turn the heat down to low.  Drizzle with the olive oil, top with the Parm cheese, tomatoes, and lemon zest.  Cover again and allow to sit for two minutes or until the cheese has melted.  ENJOY!!

 

 

Bunco Babes Gone Wild

Bunco Babes Gone Wild written by: Maria Geraci

 

 

 

I found this book in a dollar bin at Borders.  It sat on my bookshelf for about two years before I decided it was time to read it and when I did, I instantly wanted to be a Bunco Babe!!  This was a really fun book and I enjoyed it very much.  So much, that I finished it in four days!

 

Bunco Babes Gone Wild, is a story about a young woman named Georgia.  Georgia takes a trip to Florida to visit her sister Frida.  Her trip is a spur of the moment, I need time to think, type of trip.  Her love life back home is not advancing quite like she is ready for and her current boyfriend, Spencer, just isn't getting the hint. 

 

In Florida, Georgia is quickly befriended by her sisters Bunco friends and meets a new man along the way.  Georgia is sure it's just lust, but is it?!  The tight knit group of ladies help Georgia discover what it is she really wants in life.

 

Another thing that made me love this book so much, is that there are recipes at the end of the book!!!

 

I rate this book four out of four garlic heads!

 

 

 

Presidents Day Weekend Re-cap

Yesterday was such a beautiful day, the weather was perfect!  We took advantage of the nice day and took the kids on a bike ride.  We LOVE our family bike rides!!!

(Little Carson is waaay up in front, he sits in a cool baby sit in front of dad)

 

 

We rode about six miles round trip, to my sisters house and back. 

 

 

(a view of the delta along the way)

 

 

I planned to try a new recipe for dinner.  A Martha Stewart recipe.  BIG mistake and I'm mad at myself for even trying it.  There is something about Martha, (even long before she became a felon) that just doesn't agree with me.  I can't tell you what it is, and I feel really bad because she seems like a decent lady.  Years ago I used to watch her show (not the talk show, I'm talking about the one where she would go out and pick flowers and put fresh eggs in baskets with bows and then use those cute little eggs to cook things with).  I would get so annoyed by her, but for some reason I kept on watching.  It was quite frustrating!

 

Anyway, it was a casserole recipe with chicken, kale and a couple types of cheeses.  It sounded worth trying.  I could tell right away that the husband didn't care for it, even though he didn't say much. Dominic on the other hand was a little less polite and blurted out "epic fail, Mom!" Sheesh kid...why you gotta be so harsh?!

 

So even though I've had better, I decided I would save the leftovers and eat them myself for lunch.  Well, I forgot to put the container in the fridge and it sat out overnight.  I took it as a sign from God that nobody should eat that casserole ever again!! Thank you, God!!

 

 

I did some grocery shopping today.  Everything was going smoothly, (which is a rare occurance whenever Carson is in the shopping cart), when I stumbled upon this...

 

(This is for you Jacquleen, It's $10.98 at Wal-Mart!)

 

A friend  recently asked me if I had any crockpot recipes that called for chicken or beef and potatoes.  Sadly, I didn't.  When I saw this prepackaged crockpot meal with beef and potatoes...I HAD to snap a picture of it for her.  How smart of Tyson for thinking of this!

 

Within a matter of seconds, our beautiful weather quickly turned cold and windy on us this afternoon.  The boys and I took advantage of it and flew a kite.  That's about as high as we managed to get it! :)

Hope you all enjoyed your Presidents Day weekend as much as we did!!

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

DIY Ranch Seasoning Mix

And another DIY mix.  If you couldn't already tell, I love DIY mixes!!!  I never allow myself to run out of this stuff, it has multiple uses, with ranch dip and ranch dressing being the two obvious.  :)

INGREDIENTS:

5 TBSP dried minced onions
7 tsp. dried parsley flakes
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder


Mix together.  Store in an air tight container.

DIRECTIONS:

DRESSING:

Mix 2 TBSP of the dry mix with 1 C mayo and 1 C plain Greek yogurt.  Use  a few tbsp. of milk to thin to your desired consistency.  Mix a few hours prior to serving and refrigerate.

DIP:

Mix 2 TBSP of the dry mix with 2 C plain Greek yogurt.  Mix a few hours prior to serving and refrigerate.

Recipe adapted from: selfreliancebyjamie.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Southwest Chicken Salad

Recently on Facebook, I made a comment about being very excited for summer food. This salad here, is a prime example of exactly what I meant!  It's a beautiful day here in sunny California and it feels like the perfect time to share this recipe.  I love this salad, the colors, the freshness, just everything! It is very quick to throw together and works excellent as a busy weeknight dinner. 

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD:

 

2 C chicken, shredded 

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can sweet yellow corn, drained 

2 roma tomatoes, diced

4 green onions, sliced

1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and chopped

1/4 C cilantro, chopped

2 ripe avocados, diced

 

DRESSING:

 

1/2 C mayonnaise

2/3 C Greek yogurt

1 TBSP ranch seasoning (use the DIY ranch seasoning!)

1 TBSP taco seasoning (use the DIY taco seasoning!)

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly.  In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the dressing.  I suggest to serve the dressing on the side for two reasons.  1) some people (like my husband) might like waaaay more salad dressing than you do. or visa versa.  2) if you happen to have leftovers (like we did) then the salad will not keep well if the dressing is already incorporated. 

 

***This salad makes a lot and works GREAT to take to lunch the next day! A major plus!***

 

 

recipe adapted from: greensnchocolate.com's Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

 

 

Chocolate-Coconut Mousse









The highlight of our Valentines Day dinner last night was our dessert.  By far!  At the last minute I decided to make a change, which I think was for the better, but its hard to say for sure since it was only my first time making this.  So with that change, what was supposed to be "Chocolate Frosting Shots", quickly turned into "Chocolate-Coconut Mousse".  Changes like that seem to happen a lot in my kitchen.

If you're a fan of coconut and a fan of chocolate, this is definitely a dessert your going to want to try!!! A perfect medley of the two.

Don't judge a dessert by its picture.  Judge it because I am telling you that it's awesome!! :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 can Coconut Milk
1/2 C (approx.) Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 C powdered sugar
Coconut Flakes, optional.  (This is a serving suggestion that just popped into my head, wish I would've thought about that last night, dang it!)

DIRECTIONS:

Place the can of coconut milk into the refrigerator and leave it there over night.  Open the can (without shaking it).  Skim off the thick white content off of the top and place into a medium bowl.  (you can reserve the clear liquid to use for something else if you'd like).  Add equal parts of heavy whipping cream. (I eyeballed it, but it was about 1/2 cup.) Add the remaining ingredients and using a whipping attachment of an electric mixer, whip until thick like mousse.  Sprinkle with coconut flakes. ENJOY!

Home Front

One of my most recent reads was "Home Front" written by Kristin Hannah.  This was my first time reading a book by this author and I'm sure it will not be my last.  I really loved her style of easy to read writing and I instantly felt a connection with her main character, Jolene.

 Jolene reminded me in the first several chapters of the type of woman and mother I strive to be.  Jolene is a strong, loyal and an independent woman who has very realistic focuses in life.  Her husband, her children, her career and her best friend are the things in her life that matter to her the most. While dealing with the effects of a tragic accident and when the wants and needs from the main priorities in her life are all pulling at her from every direction, she finds herself nearly broken and most definitely at rock bottom.  During her deepest struggles, Jolene manages to pull through and continue to be the woman that she set out to be in her young age.

Hannah gives a new perspective on war and how it can tragically affect thousands of Americans and their families.    A very emotional read that will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime.

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

I've been slightly thrown out of my groove for the past week and a half (I blame the oh so cute, mommy please cuddle me, sick kid) and I haven't been doing much creative cooking (besides the Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie the other night).  So, I've decided to share an oldie but goodie!  This Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread looks impressive and works excellent as a take along for any get together or potluck.  I've made this recipe several times and it doesn't usually hang around very long . The kids seem to enjoy it just as much as the adults. Although it does take some time to prepare, most of these ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! I like to serve this bread with a batch of "Perfect Pizza Sauce". (I've posted a recipe for that as well.)

INGREDIENTS:

2tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/3C warm water (110 degrees)
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/ 4 C melted butter
1 TBSP dried parsley flakes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and the water.  Allow it to sit for 5 minutes until the yeast foamy.  Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour.  On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until the dough is elastic, 7-10 minutes.  (If you don't want a great arm work out, a stand mixer with a dough hook can be used, knead for 5-6 minutes.)  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Just before your dough is done with the rising process, prepare your butter sauce.  In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, parsley flakes, and minced garlic.  Set aside.

When the dough is finished rising, punch the dough down.  Tear dough off into small pieces (roughly the size of a medium spoon).  Coat each piece in the butter mixture and place in the bottom of a bundt pan.  Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough balls.  Sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese.  Continue layering the dough balls and cheese until you have three layers.

Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to sit until the dough has doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.  Serve hot with a side of marinara or pizza sauce.  ENJOY!

Perfect Pizza Sauce

Here I go again on another rant of how easy and inexpensive it can be to DIY many of the everyday items we purchase from the grocery store.  Some may say "well its the convenience factor", but so many of these DIY recipes include ingredients that you probably already have on hand.  How much more convenient can you get if its already in your kitchen???  After I discovered the recipe for the Perfect Pizza Sauce I have never used store bought sauce since.  It is SO simple to prepare, it doesn't include all of the added junk that allows it to last for months on a grocery store shelf and in my opinion it is waaaay more delicious! 

INGREDIENTS:

2 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. allspice
*Optional ingredients*: (I LOVE what these two optional ingredients do for the sauce, but if  you don't like spicy or if you are serving to children, I'd recommend to leave these out.)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a small sauce pan, combine all of the ingredients and cook over medium heat until it starts to slightly bubble, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Serve as a dipping sauce or on the dough of your favorite pizza! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: lifesambrosia.com

Buffalo Wings

 

 

 Man food at its best!  No Super Bowl party is complete without these! :)

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

2.5lbs. chicken wings/drummettes

2 TBSP veggie oil

1 TBSP kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 C Frank's red hot Buffalo sauce

Celery sticks (optional)

Ranch Dip (I'll try to get a recipe for this out to you soon!)

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a wire rack inside of a large foil lined baking sheet.  In a large bowl place the veggie oil, kosher salt and black pepper; add the chicken and toss to coat.  Then place the wings on the prepared rack and spread out in a single layer. Bake wings until cooked through and the skin is crispy, about 45-50 minutes. When finished, place the wings into another large bowl and pour on the Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce.  Toss to Coat.  Allow to sit a few minutes before serving.  Serve with celery sticks and Ranch Dip.  ENJOY!