Marketing Girl Eats Great Food

Give Me Something With Flava

2010-08-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight was definitely a salad night. But not just some boring old salad. Give me something with flava and variety!
On the menu, Chicken Cobb Salad.

Now, in a regular Chicken Cobb Salad you would probably find bacon pieces and hard boiled eggs. Instead of the hard boiled eggs, I decided to do a fried egg, and instead of the bacon, I chose a smoked blue cheese for the dressing to replace the bacon.

Chicken Cobb Salad
Serves 1
Ingredients:
Handful of Baby Arugula
1/2 small Red Onion, diced
1/2 Avocado, diced
1/2 Ear of Corn, Blanched and cut off the cob
1/3 of a Cucumber, sliced and cut into quarters
1/2 Heirloom Tomato, diced
4 small slices of Chicken
1 Egg, fried

Directions:
Prepare vegetables and egg as directed above. Set aside, until ready to use. In a bowl, mix together the arugula, red onion, avocado, corn, cucumber, tomato and chicken. Top with smoked blue cheese dressing (see recipe below), fried egg, salt and pepper.

Smoked Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients:
3 ounces of Smoked Blue Cheese Crumbles
1/4 cup Sour Cream
2 Tbs. Mayonnaise
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Splash of Champagne Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Directions: In a medium bowl, mix together the smoked blue cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. Then, add in the onion powder, garlic powder, champagne vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well, and refrigerate for up to an hour for optimum flavor and temperature.

If you have not tried Smoked Blue Cheese, I highly recommend it. This was a great different take on a Chicken Cobb Salad that had some many incredible different flavors and textures going on. Loved, loved, loved it!

Oh Yes, It's a Fruit!

2010-08-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite thing in the world is a very ripe avocado. The texture, the color...just an absolutely perfect fruit. Oh yes, it's a fruit! Now, let's make that perfect fruit into some guacamole!

We put a little bit of this into the guacamole, and it gave it a nice spice and tomato flavor to it.

Homemade Guacamole
Serves about 2
Ingredients:
2 ripe Avocados, diced
Half of a lime, Lime juice
1/4 cup Sour cream
4 Tbs. Salsa (Tomatoes, Hot Sauce, Cilantro, Onion)
Handful Cilantro, diced finely
4 cloves garlic, minced finely
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork. Then, add in the sour cream, salsa and lime juice, Mix well. Then, add in the cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well.

Check back tomorrow to see what we used the homemade guacamole and salsa for!

Adventurous Attitudes

2010-08-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

I love Sunday mornings. Especially those that start off with an incredible breakfast and leave you satisfied until dinner time. We had to make sure it would be a breakfast that would tie us over during our long hike through the woods and the rivers.
We decided to make something a little different this morning...
Something that would pair well with our morning coffees, and adventurous attitudes :)

Pancetta Mushroom Frittata
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 ounces Pancetta, diced
1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and diced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
Handful Fresh Parsley, diced finely
3 eggs
1/4 cup Milk
Salt
Pepper
2 ounces Fontina Cheese, grated
2 Tbs. Butter

Directions:
First, prepare the vegetables as directed above. In the oven, make sure the rack is about 6-8 inches from the top of the broiler. Preheat the broil to high. Then, in a medium-sized bowl, mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and parsley. Set aside. In a cast iron skillet, bring the pan to a medium-high heat and add 1 Tbs. of the butter. Then, add in the pancetta, mushrooms and onions. Let cook for about 7 minutes until the pancetta is fully cooked and the onions and mushrooms are a nice, golden brown. Then, slowly mix in the pancetta, mushroom and onions into the egg mixture, while stirring quickly. Once all the ingredients are incorporated, add it back into the cast iron skillet. Let cook for a few minutes, and stir occasionally. Then, with a spatula, go around the edge of the frittata to make sure it is not sticking to the pan. Once the egg has cooked thoroughly on the bottom, transfer the cast iron skillet into the oven. Let cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the top is a nice golden brown. Top with fresh fontina cheese and parsley. Serve hot!

An incredible breakfast treat. The flavor of the pancetta consumed the egg dish and the fresh ingredients of mushrooms, onions and parsley was a true delight!

When in Doubt, Grill It

2010-08-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if this humidity is ever going to cease. But, then I remember winter is right around the corner, so I stop worrying about the heat and try to enjoy it while it is still here.
And that includes summer perks...like grilling!

Tonight, Grilled Chicken with a Special Rub and Creamed Grilled Corn.

Grilled Chicken with Special Rub
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Whole Chicken, cut in half
Smoked Paprika
Onion Powder
Rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Olive Oil

Directions:
In a medium bowl, blend together all the spices to your liking. I added a little bit of everything and added more of an ingredient that I really wanted to taste on the chicken. Just be sure to make enough rub for a whole chicken. Then, in a large zip lock bag, add some olive oil and place the two halves of the chicken in the bag. Seal tight, and shake well. Then, pour in the rub and shake the bag very well until the chicken is thoroughly covered. Once the grill is nice and hot, cook the chicken on direct heat for about 20 minutes on each side.

Creamed Grilled Corn
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Ear of Corn, grilled and then sliced off the cob
1/2 cup Buttermilk
4 Tbs. Flour
2 Tbs. Sugar
3 Tbs. Butter
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
First, grill the corn for about 15 minutes on each side, on direct heat. Then, slice the corn off the cob with a knife and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, let the butter melt on medium-high heat. Then, mix in the flour and stir well. Next, add in the buttermilk, until it becomes a thick consistency. Add in the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Then, mix in the corn and stir well. Let cook for about 10 minutes until the corn is a nice, creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

A nice, simple meal from the grill: Chicken with an incredible rub and creamed corn that has a grilled flavor to it. I cannot express how much I love grilling!

Dog Walker Lady

2010-08-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

I told myself I would never take all three of the dogs on a walk again, but somehow, I found myself clipping the leash onto all three of their collars. Okay, it isn't that bad. Sure, I get tangled millions of times and wrapped around trees, and people drive by very slowly, looking at me as if I am crazy! But, really it is a lot of fun, and they all absolutely love it.
I figured after walking the three dogs I would make a tasty dish.
Tonight...

Asian Scallops with Green Onion Couscous
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 fresh scallops from Whole Foods
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
4 Tbs. Brown Sugar
4 Tbs. Mirin Sauce
Package of Couscous
Handful of Fresh Green Onion, minced

Directions:
First, prepare the couscous as directed on its package. Keep the couscous on low heat until ready to serve. Add in the green onions when ready to eat.
Next, in a medium sautee pan, add a splash of Canola Oil and bring to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add in the soy sauce, brown sugar and mirin sauce. Let the ingredients cook for a few minutes into a nice sauce. Then, add the scallops into the pan and sear on each side for about 4 minutes or until the scallop is a nice, flaky texture.

I loved the asian flavor on the scallops. The sauce made a nice crispy texture on the top and bottom of the scallops. Served with a side of couscous with green onions was the perfect pair. Scallops are by far my favorite dish from the sea!

Missing My Pasta

2010-08-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

It is still so hot and humid out! There has been a lot of grilling going on for us. We are trying to savor these final weeks of summer. Although, I have been missing some nice pasta dishes, so I knew one was in store.

Four Cheese Ravioli with Tomato Caper Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 package Ohio City Pasta Four Cheese Ravioli
1/2 can of San Marzano Tomatoes
2 Tbs. Tomato Paste
1 Onion, diced finely
1/4 cup of Capers
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
Small handful of Organic Brown Sugar
Splash of Red Wine
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:
First, prepare the sauce. Bring a medium sauce pan to medium-high heat and add olive oil. Then, add the garlic and onions. Let cook for a few minutes. Next, add in the San Marzano tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 7-10 minutes. Next, add in the brown sugar, capers and red wine and stir well. Let simmer for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add salt. Cook the ravioli according to its package. When finished, serve the tomato caper sauce over the ravioli and garnish with Pecorino Romano.

The fresh ravioli from Ohio City Pasta is incredible. The four cheese ravioli is made with Mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano and Ricotta Cheeses. These incredibly fresh cheese ravioli served with the sweet tomato caper sauce was the exact pasta dish I was looking for!

Not So Fast

2010-08-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

Last night was a great way to celebrate before my new job starts tomorrow.
We played 9 holes of golf, and I made par on a hole! But wait, there is more! I also made a putt from about 35 feet! After it happened, I screamed, did a little victory dance, and said, "Okay seriously, did that really go in?!" It was such a fun and humorous 9 holes of golf. My boyfriend mistakenly started carrying the pin flag into our golf cart, thinking it was his golf club. It was too funny.
After golf, we went out to dinner and ordered two flat bread pizzas and a few glasses of white wine. To our surprise, we got to see a random fireworks show! The restaurant we were at, is on a hill, so we had the perfect view of the fireworks show. Such a great night.

Now, on to tonight...
Did you think I was done with the peaches? Not so fast...

Fresh Peach Margarita
Serves about 3
Ingredients:
2 shots of Good Quality Silver Tequila
Splash of Grand Mariner
6 peaches, washed, peeled, sliced and quartered
3 slices of lime, to garnish each glass
Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Directions:
First, make the simple syrup. In a microwave safe bowl, add the sugar and the water and mix well. Place in the microwave for about 1 minute and 25 seconds or until the sugar dissolves. Mix well and set aside to cool. You can also prepare this on the stove over medium-high heat, but to make it super simple syrup, use the microwave!
In a food processor, take the prepared peaches and place them into it. Then. add the simple syrup. Blend well until the peaches are completely liquified. Then, drain the mixture through a sieve into a large measuring cup. Then, into the measuring cup, add the tequila and Grand Mariner. Make sure to mix very well to incorporate all of the ingredients. Pour the drink over ice and garnish with a lime.

I loved this margarita! The fresh peaches with the Good Quality Tequila, little splash of Grand Mariner, homemade simple syrup and fresh lime was so refreshing. It was the perfect summer time margarita.

Year Round Please

2010-08-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

Like I said, it is Peach Week. I will use every last one of these peaches!
We had breakfast and dessert covered with the peaches, now how about dinner?

Sauteed Pork with Peaches and Sage
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 pieces of pork
2 Peaches, sliced
1 medium Onion, sliced finely
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Handful of Fresh Sage, chopped finely
4 Tbs. Brandy
2 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
1/2 cup Apple juice
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Cover both side of the pork with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a medium-large sautee pan, drizzle olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Cook the pork on each side for about 4 minutes and then remove from the heat and set aside on a plate.
Melt the butter in the same pan and keep at medium-high heat. Place the onions and the peaches into the pan and let cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the brandy and let cook for a few minutes. Next, add in the apple juice and fresh sage. Let cook for a few more minutes. Finally, add in the heavy cream and bring to a high heat. Let the mixture boil down for about 5 minutes. Then, return the pork back in to the pan, making sure to coat the pork in the sauce. Let cook for another 5 minutes, or until the pork is thoroughly cooked. Finish off with salt and pepper to your desire.

I could not put my fork down and I even licked the plate. This sauce was incredible on the pork. The flavor blends of the cream, sage, brandy, onion, peaches and apple juice was incredible. Honestly, my mouth is watering describing this delicacy I devoured. Why can't peaches be in season year round?!

It's Peach Week

2010-08-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

The shelf life of peaches and blueberries is not very long at all, so our goal was to figure out how to use them up before they went bad.

You can always have them for a snack, to take to work, or to just nibble on. We already had covered dessert with the blueberries and peaches, so now onto breakfast.

Blueberry Pancakes with Peach Maple Syrup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 cups Good Quality Pancake Mix
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Milk
Handful of Blueberries
Splash of Vanilla

Syrup:
1/2 cup Organic Maple Syrup
3 Tbs. Butter
Dash of Cinnamon
2 Peaches, sliced and cut into quarters

Directions:
In a medium-large bowl mix together the pancake mix, buttermilk and milk. Then, add in the vanilla and blueberries. Mix well. The buttermilk adds a great flavor to the pancakes. Then, in a large skillet, bring it to medium-high heat, and add some butter. Once the butter melts, spoon in some of the pancake batter until it forms a medium-sized circle. Once bubbles start to form on the side that is visible to you, flip the pancake. When the pancake is a nice golden brown color, remove from the heat and set aside on a plate. Continue this process until the batter is gone.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan, add the organic maple syrup, and butter and bring to a low-medium heat while stirring. Once the butter has melted, add in the peaches. Let cook for about 5 minutes. Then, add in the cinnamon. Stir well. Leave on low heat until ready to serve.
Once you are ready to serve the pancakes, top with the peach maple syrup and finish off with a few extra fresh blueberries.

An incredible breakfast meal that had a great flavor combination of peaches, blueberries, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Great way to start the morning :)

Time to Switch to Yogurt

2010-08-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

I know I said I would be sharing a recipe with the Honey and Peach Ice Cream last night, but my internet was not working!
In my previous post, I talked about how I bought the fresh orchard peaches and blueberries as well the ice cream from a Orchard & Ice Cream shop. So I decided with those ingredients, I would make an ice cream dessert.
There is nothing better than fresh orchard peaches:

Okay, well maybe fresh orchard blueberries:

But, I would say they are about equal!
What dish did we get out these ingredients?

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Peaches with Honey & Peach Ice Cream
Serves 1
Ingredients:
Handful of Blueberries
1 Fresh Peach, sliced
Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Butter
Dash of Cinnamon
1 small scoop Honey Ice Cream
2 small scoop Peach Ice Cream

Directions:
In a small frying pan, bring it to a medium-high heat. Add the butter and let melt. Next, add in the peaches and let cook for a few minutes. Then, add in the brown sugar. Let cook for about 5 minutes. Finally, add in the cinnamon and let cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Spoon the honey and peach ice cream into a bowl. Place the peaches on top of the ice cream and drizzle some of the brown sugar, cinnamon mixture. Top with the fresh blueberries and garnish with a little more cinnamon.

This was the best ice cream dessert I have had thus far. The incredible fresh peaches and blueberries with the brown sugar and cinnamon was such a great combination. The fresh peach ice cream was incredible because it was made with the fresh orchard peaches. The scoop of honey ice cream finished off the flavor combination perfectly.

What else can I make with the orchard peaches and blueberries? Check back tomorrow!

P.S. After this dish, I need to lay off ice cream for awhile, seeing as I have been ice cream happy! Time to switch to low-fat yogurt. I just can't help myself! I love eating ice cream in the summer time. It is my favorite thing ever.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

2010-08-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Today was a total adventure day where we wanted to hike, see some great sights and try something new with the dogs.
So, we headed out and started our day off with renting a row boat for an hour and taking the dogs with us.
First, if you remember from a few posts back, my dog hates water. So, why not take her out on a boat in the middle of the lake, where her only escape is a plunge into that cold stuff? Right?
Actually, it turned out great and both the dogs loved it and had a great time.

We also did some hiking out there too, where we came across these incredible ledges that were formed by glaciers. An incredible view and an intense hike!

On the way home, we stopped at an ice cream and orchard shop that caught my eye.
It was really a great stop to make. They had a peach orchard in the back and an apple orchard across the street.
I made sure to pick up some fresh home grown peaches and blueberries.

They also sold different ice creams that they home make including peach, honey and chocolate. The peach ice cream is made with the home grown peaches from their orchard.
For dinner, we first started off with a fresh salad with a bunch of different ingredients, served with a homemade dressing.

Avocado Cucumber Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
6 leaves of Romaine lettuce, washed thoroughly
1 Avocado, sliced and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cucumber, sliced finely and cut into quarters
1/2 red onion, diced
8 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Very simple. Prepare vegetables as directed above and place ingredients into a salad bowl. Mix the ingredients well.

Blue Cheese Dressing
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 ounces Blue cheese crumbles
4 Tbs. Buttermilk
1/2 cup Sour cream
Handful of Chives, diced finely
Splash of Tabasco Sauce
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
In a medium bowl, place in the blue cheese crumbles. Mash firmly with a fork. Then, add in the sour cream and buttermilk. Mix well. Next, add in the chives, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire Sauce. Mix it well. If desire, refrigerate up to an hour before serving for a nice, cold dressing.

Followed by, a Jalapeno Chive Onion Burger, bursting with great flavors.

Jalapeno Chive Onion Burger
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Ground Beef
3 ounces of Cheddar Cheese, cubed finely (to go into meat mixture)
2 slices of American Cheese (to go on top of patty)
1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced finely
1 yellow onion, diced
Few cloves of Roasted Garlic
Handful of fresh chives, diced finely
Dash of Garlic Pepper
Dash of Lawry's Seasoning

Directions:
In a medium bowl, soften the meat with your hands until the meat is broken up. Make sure to always wash your hands when handling meat in between ingredients. Then, mix in the jalapeno, garlic, onion and chives. Make sure to mix very well so all the ingredients are incorporated throughout the meat. Then, add in the cheese, garlic pepper and seasoning. Mix well. Next, form the meat into patties that are about 1 inch thick. When ready, place on the hot grill and cook for about 10-12 minutes on each side, or until the burger is a golden brown. When the burger is cut through, it should be brown in the middle as well. Serve on an onion bun with lettuce, ketchup and mayonnaise, if preferred.

We also brushed some olive oil on the onion bun and toasted it on the grill for a few minutes to give it a nice crunchy texture

The master griller also cooked up some kabobs:
Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Onion, Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Potatoes soaked in a Lemon Herb Marinade

We placed these vegetables onto pre-soaked wooden skewers and placed them on the grill until they were a nice, brown color with a crunchy, chewy texture.

What a great dinner! Check back tomorrow to see what I decide to do with that Orchard Peach and Honey Ice Cream~

Late Nights are Worth It

2010-07-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

What a busy weekend. But, really fun!
First off, I never got around to blogging on Friday night because I had the most incredible evening that kept me out until 1:00 am. I haven't been out that late for a long time, but it was sure worth it.

We started off the evening with 9 holes of golf, which started out rough for me, but for the last couple holes ~~I brought home the gold~~ or I did great (for me). After that, we decided to go check out this restaurant that I have always wanted to go to and heard such fantastic things about, L'Albatros Brassarie + Bar in Ohio.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros and Kevin Reeves)
First of all, the inside of the restaurant is beautiful...just beautiful. A French cuisine restaurant, that has a very modern and classy look to it. The outside of L'Albatros has a patio with a full bar and a lounge area to sit at while you wait to be seated at your table. We, of course, had to sit outside. It was the perfect evening for outdoor dining.
Here is the outside patio where we ate:

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros and Photographer Kevin Reeves)
Now, this was the first time I have ever tried escargots. ~~I whole heartedly dug in and ate it without so much as a blink.~~ Honestly, I had to have some words of encouragement from our waitress, to take the first bite. And, I was so glad I did! It was incredible. The escargots was covered in a roasted garlic and fennel butter sauce. Amazing! Who new little tiny snails could be so tasty and elegant.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
We also ordered the Goat Cheese Tart with Olives and Sun Dried Tomatoes, with a frisee salad on top.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
Another incredible appetizer. The goat cheese was warm and gooey with the sun dried tomatoes inside. An olive tapenade was served on the side that was out of this world, with a small frisee salad on top for a little extra crunch.
Since we had already ordered two pretty decent size appetizers, we decided to split an entree. It was hard to come to a decision and involved the waitress having to come back several times because we "still needed a few minutes", but we finally chose the Veal Short Ribs.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
This is one of the most tender meat dishes I have ever had. The Veal Short Ribs were served with a wild mushroom risotto and veal jus. Absolutely incredible flavors and texture. Plus, they split up the entree for us, so we didn't have to fight over who had more of the tender meat :)

Okay, so after that feast, we were totally stuffed. But, somehow, some way, we found a small space in our stomachs to fit dessert. Now, personally, I am not a girl who likes cake or bread-based desserts. But, put something creamy in front of me, and it is all over. Our waitress suggested the Creme Caramel dish for dessert. I believed her, because she had been three for three for the night, so I figured, the odds are good.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
Well, I thought creme brulee was my favorite dessert until this little piece of heaven was placed in front of me. The most creamiest, incredible goodness I have had in a long time. It was an incredible caramel flan-like texture topped with fresh whip cream. Insane flavors were happening in my mouth.

We actually ended up spending a couple of hours out on the patio. The cuisine was incredible, the ambiance was lovely and great music was playing. We thought the music was playing at the restaurant, but it was actually next door. We ended up walking over to check it out and hung out there for a little while to listen to some great blue grass music. Perfect end to the night.

Take Me To The River

2010-07-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

I had an incredible hike today with a great guy and three crazy, yet adorable dogs. The place we went hiking has a river that you can basically hike through. The water is low enough for you to walk across the rocks and feel the water rush across your feet. I will admit it, my small 14 pound dog had to be picked up a few times, for she fears even the sight and sound of water. I could hike all day through a river. I might have prune-like toes, but that's okay with me! Before I headed out on my hike, I wanted something pretty substantial to hold me over until I had a late dinner. First, I had to have some sort of sandwich to keep the tummy happy.

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Sandwich
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 slices of whole grain bread
1/2 tomato, sliced
4 basil leaves
4 slices of fresh mozzarella
Handful of Arugula
Sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese
Roland Balsamic Glaze
1 Tbs. of Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
In a medium saute pan, add the olive and bring to medium-high heat. Once hot, place the bread into the pan. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until the bread becomes a nice golden brown. Once the bread is ready, remove from heat and place the arugula on one piece of the bread. Then, layer on the basil, tomato and mozzarella. Top with the Parmesan cheese and the balsamic gaze. Finish off with salt and pepper.

The Roland Balsamic Glaze came in handy again today! Love this stuff so much. The perfect topping for the sandwich. This sandwich was perfect for me. Great flavor and kept me satisfied.
Now, right before I went hiking and running I had one these:

This thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Bar was incredible! As you know, I have been on a sweet kick lately, but I felt better about my sweet indulgence when I had this instead of ice cream. Coming in with 20 grams of protein, I certainly had less of a guilty conscious.

And, I also had one of these: (You can't tell, but the can is already open because I could not wait to sip on it before I took the picture).

I love, love, love Steaz Iced Teaz. I had the Lime Pomegranate Tea today, and this flavor is one of my favorites, although, I do adore the Blueberry Pomegranate Acai Tea too. The Lime Pomegranate Tea is a white tea that has such an incredible flavor and is also organic and fair trade. They make all different flavors of teas with green tea, white tea and black tea.

So glad tomorrow is Friday. Looking forward to the weekend, everyone! Have a great night :)

Thanks for the Technique Tip

2010-07-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

I watched the movie Julie & Julia tonight and it was so cute! I had no idea it was about a woman blogger who decides to dedicate her blog to recreating Julia Child's dishes. It was a woman blogger's dream to see this movie! And, I used a cooking technique from Julia Child tonight in my dish. I worked with mushrooms and learned that you must separate the mushrooms in the pan or they will never brown! How interesting, huh?!
So, what did I use those mushrooms for tonight anyway, you ask?

Mushroom, Shallot & Goat Cheese Pizza
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Whole Wheat Tortilla
1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms
1 cup Shitake Mushrooms
1 large Shallot, cut into fine, long pieces
3 Tbs. of Mackenzie Creamery Black Truffle Goat Cheese
Roland Balsamic Glaze
Pinch of Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt from Whole Foods
Pinch of Fresh Thyme
Directions:
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the oven is ready, place the whole wheat tortilla in the oven for about 6 minutes or until a light golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to top with ingredients. Keep the oven going. Then, in a large saute pan, add the olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Once hot, place the mushrooms and shallots into the pan. Let cook for about 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and slightly golden brown. Meanwhile, spread the goat cheese onto the whole wheat tortilla. Then, top with the mushrooms and shallots. Place back in the oven for an additional 8-10 minutes. Keep your eye on the pizza so it does not burn. Once the pizza is done, top with the Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt and Fresh Thyme. Finish off with the balsamic glaze.

The Black Truffle goat cheese I got from Mackenzie Creamery is an Ohio farm that produces all different kinds of goat cheeses. The Black Truffle goat cheese had an incredible flavor and texture.

I wanted to make a Balsamic Glaze myself, but it is really time consuming and I found a great substitute that has quality ingredients and is pre-made! Roland balsamic glaze had great flavor and great texture.

This pizza was an incredible dinner. The mushrooms and shallots with the goat cheese and Black Truffle Oil flavor was incredible. The hint of thyme and balsamic glaze on top really complimented the rest of the pizza and pulled it all together nicely.

Have a great night, and if you have not seen Julie & Julia, rent it! It is so cute, funny and heart warming.

Mid Blog Body Shutdown

2010-07-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well, this post was supposed to be up last night, but I admit it...I fell asleep in "mid-blog". I know, seriously, how could that happen? I assume I underestimated how tired I really was. I woke up with my glasses still on and my computer propped up on a pillow and still in the same spot as I left it. Okay, so now imagine this post as Last Night Me.

I hit the course today! It was the perfect weather for golf today. Sunny, not too hot, with a light breeze. I played ehh, not so good....but my golf partner played great! He had a putt from about 40 feet that he sunk, and left me squealing like a little girl. I was so excited for him! Plus, isn't the point of golf to have fun, enjoy your surroundings and take it all in?
Afterwards, we went out to dinner to a local Lebanese restaurant that serves authentic Lebanese food and it was excellent. They have incredible Baba Ghanoush that is served with pita bread that bakes in their brick oven and is served fresh from the oven. I have been on a sweet treat trip for a little bit here and the quest continued this evening. I wanted something quick and easy, that would also take care of the Vanilla Ice Cream I still have lurking in the freezer.
My new favorite thing is something sweet with something spicy. It is really my favorite combination and the flavor of sweet and spicy in one bite is like heaven for me!

Red Pepper Chocolate Sauce with Vanilla Ice Cream
Serves 2
Ingredients:
6 ounces Dark Chocolate
4 Tbs. Butter
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
3 Tbs. Water
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
Dash of Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
A Few Pecans
6 small scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream (3 in each serving)

Directions:
In a heavy medium sauce pan, bring the cream, water and salt to a simmer. Make sure to stir occasionally. Just before it starts to boil, remove it from the heat and add the dark chocolate and the butter. Mix quickly as the chocolate and butter melts. Then, add in the red pepper flakes and cinnamon. Continue to stir. Serve immediately on top of the vanilla ice cream and garnish with pecans and red pepper flakes.

You guys, I love spicy and sweet! The red pepper flakes with the cinnamon and chocolate was the perfect drizzle over vanilla ice cream. This girl's sweet and spicy tooth was satisfied!

Workin' Up That Appetite

2010-07-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

I start a new job in a few weeks and I am so looking forward to it! So, in the mean time, I have been getting organized and ready. Today, I did A LOT of cleaning. I mean, I got a little crazy. I vacuumed the entire couch. I am talking under the couch, under the cushions, the pillows, the sides and anywhere else you can think of. Needless to say, I broke into a good sweat. Doesn't cleaning just make you feel like you accomplished something so great and you deserve a good ole' pat on the back? I certainly do :)
All that cleaning worked up a good appetite for dinner. Tonight's dining pleasure:

Vegetable Linguine
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
6 ounces of Whole Wheat Linguine
1 Zucchini, diced
1 Yellow Squash, diced
1 Onion, diced
5 cloves of Garlic, minced finely
1/4 cup of Capers
2 cups of Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbs. of Tomato Paste
Handful of Organic Brown Sugar
1/2 cup of Red Wine
Fresh Basil
Pecorino Romano
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
In a large pot, fill its contents with water and add salt. Bring to a boil. Once brought to a boil, add in the linguine and cook according to its package's instructions. Stir occasionally while cooking. Once the linguine is tender, remove from the heat and drain into a strainer. Set aside until ready to use.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Then, add in the garlic and onion. Let cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add in the zucchini, yellow squash and capers. Let cook for an additional 7 minutes, or until the zucchini and squash have a tender, golden brown look to them. Continue to stir intermittently. Then, add in the crush tomatoes and tomato paste. At this point, turn down the heat to low. While stirring frequently, let it cook for about 5 more minutes. Then, add in the red wine and brown sugar. Mix well and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, mix in the linguine and stir well. When ready to serve, top with salt, pepper, fresh basil and Pecorino Romano.

I loved this pasta dish for dinner tonight. All the fresh vegetables with the crushed tomatoes and the wine, with a hint a sweetness from the brown sugar, was delicious.
Hopefully hitting the course tomorrow! Goodnight.

Sunday Morning Rain is Falling

2010-07-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

A rainy sunday calls for a day of lounging, cooking, napping and reading.
Although, the weather finally cleared early this evening, so we were able to go on a nice hike.

We walked through this:

And, came across this:

The river's water is very high because all of the rain from last night and today.

Before we headed out on our hike this evening, we had brunch. Our menu looked a little something like this.

Herb Omelette
Serves 2
Ingredients:
5 Eggs
Splash of Milk
4 slices of Wisconsin Cheddar
Handful of Mozzarella
6 Basil Leaves
Handful of Parsley
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbs. of Butter

Directions:
First, whisk together the eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Then, bring a skillet to medium heat until hot. Then, place the butter into the pan and let it melt evenly. Next, add the egg mixture into the pan and make sure the egg is evenly distributed throughout the pan. Let cook for about 6-7 minutes (depending on how hot your stove is) or until the egg is close to fully cooked. Then, on one side of the egg, place the cheese, herbs, salt and pepper. Then, carefully fold the empty side of the egg onto the side with all the ingredients. Cook for a few more minutes. Top the omelet off with more cheese if desired and garnish with fresh parsley.

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 slices of Whole Grain Bread
1 Egg
1/4 cup of milk
2 Tbs. of Vanilla
3 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Tbs. Butter

Directions:
Bring a medium pan to medium-high heat and add the butter. Meanwhile, beat the egg, vanilla and milk together in a medium sized, shallow bowl. Whisk well. Dip the bread into the egg mixture one at a time. Then, place in the hot pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. While cooking the bread, in a medium sized shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Once the bread is done cooking, dip the bread into the cinnamon sugar mixture until the entire piece of bread is coated. Then, plate it. Repeat with the second piece of bread. Once both pieces are cooked and coated, finish off with pure maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon.

An incredible brunch before we ventured out with our two dogs into the wilderness :)
P.S. I forgot to talk about Inception! It was really good but I am so confused and I feel like I need to go see it again. There was so much going on and I wish I had paid more attention to the movie. So, I think to really grasp it I have to go back a second time (which you don't really have to twist my arm to do so!)

Movie Night

2010-07-23T18:06:00.001-07:00

No cooking for this girl tonight!
I am going to see Inception!

I have heard so many great things about this movie, so I am jumping on the bandwagon and seeing what all the fuss is about.
Have a great night!

We've Got A Tumbler

2010-07-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I am starting to really get into golf, and today I played 9 holes with Julian.
Honestly, I did terrible. My game was so off and so not there. Isn't it interesting how some days you have the game of your life and then other days you are like, seriously, I am playing this bad? Well, that was me today. Oh, and to top it off, I fell out of the golf cart! I can laugh about it now, because I was not hurt, but I literally tumbled out of the golf cart while it was moving. I am sure the other people on the course got their entertainment for the day.
After golf and after going out to dinner, I wanted something to satisfy my sweet tooth. Something quick and something cool.

Sauteed Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Peach, cut into quarters
1/2 cup Organic Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Raw Honey
Dash of Cinnamon
3 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
6 small scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream (3 for each serving)

Directions:
First, cut the peaches into quarters. In a medium saute pan, place in the butter and bring it to medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, place the peaches in the pan. Let cook for a few minutes on each side. Then, add in the brown sugar and honey. Then, bring the peaches to a simmer. Let cook for a few more minutes. Next, add in the cinnamon. Once the peaches are a nice golden brown, remove them from the mixture and set aside on a plate. Bring out the vanilla ice cream, and scoop out three small scoops per serving. Top the ice cream with the peaches and then drizzle the honey and brown sugar mixture over the top. Finish off with a little more cinnamon.

This was the easiest dessert to make. Not only was it easy, but it tasted incredible! The brown sugar, honey and cinnamon was an incredible flavor combination. The honey also hardened a little when it hit the ice cream, creating a nice shell-like topping. I loved it! Kinda disappointed in my pictures because they do not do the dessert justice! Trust me when I say this tastes a whole lot better than it looks!

Fiesta Fiesta

2010-07-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

So tonight I was in the mood for some Mexican food, but wanted a light and healthy spin on it. What do we have here?

Vegetable Tostadas
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 whole wheat tortillas
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 onion, diced
cilantro, chopped finely
lime juice, squeezed
1 green pepper, diced
1 Cubanelle pepper, diced
1/2 cup Chihuahua cheese, grated
Splash of Frontera taco sauce
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
First, dice the tomatoes, onions, avocado, green pepper and Cubanelle pepper. Set the vegetables aside.
Meanwhile, bring a sautee pan to medium-high heat and add olive oil. Place the onions and all the peppers into the pan. Let cook for about 7 minutes until a nice golden brown. Remove from heat once they are done cooking.
Then, in the same medium sautee pan, bring it to medium-high heat and add olive oil. Place one of the tortillas in the pan. Let cook for about 6 minutes on each side, untiil the tortilla is a nice golden brown color. Repeat for the second tortilla.
Once the tortillas are done cooking, place the sauteed onions and peppers on the tortilla. Top with the tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, cilantro, splash of Frontera taco sauce and Chihuahua cheese. Finish off with salt and pepper.

This was a great vegetarian Mexican dish with all the right flavor combinations. If you want something light and tasty, this makes for the perfect little dinner.

Another Round

2010-07-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts about summer is it's the opportune time to grill! Although, my dad always would grill year round, whether it was snow, rain, sleet or hail. No joke.
He would always say, "Just put on your coat or carry out an umbrella, don't let a little bad weather stop you from what you love to do!" Smart man.
Alright, so let's bring out that grill for another round, shall we?

Grilled Sesame Ginger Vegetable Kabobs
Serves about 6
Ingredients:
2 Onion, cut into large pieces
2 Yellow Summer Squash, cut into thick, 2 inch pieces
6 red potatoes
1 cup of
Lawry's Sesame Ginger Marinade with Mandarin Orange Juice
about 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Wooden skewers, (pre-soak in water beforehand)

Directions:
First, place the potatoes in a medium pot filled with about 2 inches of water. Add salt. Bring to a boil, and then let cook for a few minutes. Then, remove from heat, rinse with cool water, cut into quarters and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the cut summer squash and onion. Then, add in the potatoes. Pour in the Sesame Ginger Marinade and olive oil. Mix well. Finish with salt and pepper and mix everything well. Then, bring out the pre-soaked wooden skewers and place the marinated vegetables onto each. Make sure to alternate between onion, potato and summer squash. Leave enough room on the skewer to grab hold at the bottom and enough room at the top to avoid pieces falling off.
Once the grill is ready and hot, place the skewers on direct heat for about 30 minutes, 15 minutes on each side. Make sure to monitor the kabobs, because every grill temperature is different, so cook time may vary. When the kabobs are a nice golden brown, they are ready to be pulled.

Look at how nice and brown the kabobs turned out. Honestly, the flavor was incredible and the vegetables all had a great texture and bite to them.

So, thanks to sir Julian's mom, we used homegrown Romaine lettuce to make a salad. It was super crunchy, fresh and fab. Why mess with incredible homegrown lettuce? We stuck with it as the main focus of the dish.

Simple Romaine Salad
Ingredients:
6 pieces of Homegrown Romaine Lettuce
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tbs. of Balsamic Vinaigrette
Parmesan Reggiano
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Wash the romaine lettuce thoroughly. Once cleaned, break into smaller pieces that are a good size for you in a salad. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the lettuce and top with Parmesan Reggiano.

We also grilled some chicken and smothered it with Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce

Topped with some cheddar cheese...

We took the grilled chicken and made a nice sandwich with some pumpernickel bread and more of the homegrown Romaine lettuce.

Finished off with a cute little Polish dill pickle. What is interesting is that a polish dill pickle is not soaked in a vinegar based brine. However, pickles made in the United States, are soaked in vinegar. So, when the polish dill pickles are done fermenting, they produce a thin film of bacteria that is removed before selling the final product. Interesting fact, huh?

This meal was a perfect grilling masterpiece. The vegetable kabobs were out of this world with the marinade.

Summer Heat Relief

2010-07-19T19:41:00.001-07:00

Alright, so be honest. Do you find yourself coming home from work sometimes and thinking, "man, I could use a drink"? If this is the case, lend me your ear..or eyes.
The Pineapple Basil Martini. The perfect martini for a Summer Heat Relief.

Pineapple Basil Martini
Serves 2
Ingredients:
6 Basil Leaves
About 6, 2 inch thick, lengthwise pieces of Pineapple
1/2 cup of Skyy Infusions All Natural Pineapple Vodka
Extra Basil for Garnish
Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water

Directions:
First, make the simple syrup. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the water. Then, put in the microwave for about 1 minute. Once done, stir well. Then, let it sit and cool, until ready to use. Making the simple syrup in the microwave is a quick and efficient way to make some great simple syrup.

Then, in a large cup, place the pineapple and the basil. Muddle the pineapple and basil until the pieces are all broken up. Add in the vodka and the simple syrup. Mix well. Drain the mixture through a sieve into another large cup. Once ready to serve, serve the martini on ice and garnish with basil.

This martini is the perfect martini for summer. The pineapple blended with basil is an incredible medley. The Skyy Infusions All Natural Pineapple Vodka adds just the right amount of extra pineapple flavor. Gotta love it.

Golfing and Grilling

2010-07-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

Golfing is Julian and I's favorite thing to do now. We have become consumed by learning the strategy of the game and mastering the technique of the pros. Honestly, we are having tons of fun with it and I even got a golf skirt and some golf shirts to get more into the zone.
After a round of golf in the crazy humidity, you sure work up an appetite. Dinner fit for kings was on the menu.

Grilled lobster served with grilled red potatoes and grilled green and yellow beans, but of course with some key ingredients in each to really spice it up.
We decided to do everything on the grill because the air conditioning was so nice and cozy, so why get the oven going and mess with it?!
While I was getting the red potato and green & yellow bean dishes together, Julian was master of the grill and prepping the lobster. He loves using all natural wood charcoal because it leaves an incredible after taste on the food and leaves all those nasty chemicals behind.

Grilled lobster
Directions:
If defrosted, cut the lobster in half, and place it on its back for about 10-12 minutes in the grill. Once the lobster meat is nice and white, it is ready to be served.

We made a simple garlic butter to drizzle over the lobster. We didn't make much, we just wanted a hint of the garlic butter. We diced some garlic very finely, melted a little bit of butter, added in some salt and pepper, stirred and served. It was an incredible addition to the already divine lobster.

Grilled Red Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 Red Potatoes, cut into quarters
1 yellow Onion, diced
3 cloves of Garlic, minced finely
Drizzle of olive oil
Rosemary
Thyme
Pepper
Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt

Directions:
Prepare the red potatoes, yellow onion and garlic as directed above. Place in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle the olive oil onto the vegetables and mix well. Add in the rosemary, thyme and pepper. Place on the grill on a piece of foil for about 15-20 minutes, on direct heat. Followed by, 15-20 minutes of grilling on indirect heat. Make sure to turn the potatoes regularly. Make sure they are nice and soft on the inside. Once cooked, garnish with the Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt.

This grilled potato dish was the perfect accompaniment to the lobster. The flavor of the herbs with the final touch of the Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt was incredible. I found the salt at Whole Foods. They have so many different types of unique salts, I definitely recommend trying them out.

Grilled Green and Yellow Beans
Ingredients:
2 cups of Green and Yellow Beans, ends cut off and removed
3 cloves of Garlic, minced finely
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Parsley

Directions:
Prepare the beans and garlic as directed above. In a medium size bow, place the beans and garlic. Add in the olive oil and mix well. Add in the fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well. Place on the grill on a piece of foil and cook for about 20-25 minutes on indirect heat.

Now, I loved this dish because the green and yellow beans were from Julian's mom's garden. So, literally, as fresh as they could get! The parsley was also from Julian's backyard. I really believe there is nothing better then fresh vegetables and herbs.
Overall, a fabulous dish, after some fun golf with a not too shabby guy :)

Electrolux #splits: Fried Banana Pineapple Split with Jalapeno Rum Caramel Sauce

2010-07-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

What do you when you are presented with the opportunity to make a yummy dessert and in doing so it benefits a good cause?! You do it, of course!
To help spread the word and raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, Foodbuzz is sponsoring a posting challenge and Top 9 takeover! In this Top 9 Takeover, Foodbuzz asks all Featured Publishers to construct a post around a theme. The theme for this challenge is to create your own version of a banana split and it goes toward a great cause!
Check out this link to help raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research:
So, since I am a young, unmarried woman with no children, I decided to make a banana split with a tropical, spicy and adult spin on it.
I present, Fried Banana Pineapple Split with Jalapeno Rum Caramel Sauce.

Fried Banana Pineapple Split with Jalapeno Rum Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
1 Banana
2 scoops of Good quality vanilla ice cream
1 jalapeno
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup of water
1/3 cup heavy cream
Handful of walnuts
2 lengthwise pieces of fresh pineapple (about 2 inches thick)
3 TBS. of unsalted butter (divided equally among the ingredients required for it)
Sprig of fresh mint
1/4 cup dark rum (not spiced)
Salt

Whip Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup Heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Powdered sugar

Directions:
First, Place the banana into the refrigerator until ready to use. This will make it easier to cut the banana when ready to use.
Then, make the whip cream. Making it beforehand will cause it to be nice and cool when ready to serve the dish. In a mixer, pour the whip cream and whip at a very fast speed. Continue until the cream becomes an airy texture. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, until fully mixed. Once the consistency is light and airy, place in a bowl and put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Next, slice and core the jalapeno. Remove the seeds and use only the green part of the pepper. Dice the pepper finely and set aside. For the pineapple, peel, cut and core. Cut the pineapple length wise, about 2 inches thick. Leave the pineapple like this, because it is easier to fry.

In a medium-pot mix together the brown sugar and water and let simmer for about 7 minutes. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the tablespoon of butter. Stir quickly. Slowly add in the cream, while stirring quickly. Let simmer a few more minutes. Add in the jalapeno and rum. Let simmer a few more minutes, while occasionally stirring. While simmering, bring out the banana and cut it lengthwise. Then, cut the two halves into two smaller halves. You should have 4 pieces of bananas. Place them into the caramel sauce and let soak for a few minutes. Once the bananas are done soaking, turn the caramel sauce down to the lowest heat and make sure to occasionally stir it throughout the cooking process.

Meanwhile, bring a small pan to medium-high heat with 1 Tbs. of unsalted butter. Once hot, pull the banana from the caramel sauce and place it into the hot pan. Fry the banana for a few minutes on each side. Once the caramel has hardened onto the banana and is a nice deep golden brown color, remove the bananas from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Into the same pan used for the banana, we are going to fry the pineapple. If necessary, add a little more butter into the pan. Cook the pineapple on each side for about 4 minutes, on medium-high heat. Once the pineapple is a nice golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside on the same plate with the banana.

The caramel should be a nice consistency at this point. Next, quickly toast the walnuts. In a small pan, bring it to a high heat and place the walnuts in. The walnuts will toast in just a few minutes. Make sure to keep your eye on them so they do not burn. Once they are a nice brown color, remove from heat and set aside.

Now, we are ready to plate! Place the caramelized bananas on the bottom, with 2 scoops of good quality ice cream on top. Top the ice cream with the fried pineapple, then drizzle with the Jalapeno Rum Caramel Sauce and finish off with the fresh whip cream (in the fridge) and the toasted walnuts. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig, if desired.

This flavor combination is incredible! You can taste the spicy jalapeno, but it is in no way overwhelming. The flavor of the caramelized banana in the Jalapeno Rum Sauce, with the fried pineapple and ice cream is a taste of heaven. Topped off with the remainder of the Jalapeno Rum Caramel Sauce, fresh whip cream and toasted walnuts, finishes the dish off perfectly. Trust me, you will not be disappointed :)

The Hits Keep On Coming

2010-07-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

I told you pizza might continue this week! Have you ever made a great pizza and then thought, how many different ways can I create something so great? No? Well, I did!
We made homemade Calzones. That's right, homemade. Okay, almost homemade.

To make it a little easier on ourselves, we picked up some fresh made dough from Whole Foods. The ingredients were simple and the dough was made that day, so it worked out perfect. Check out Whole Foods for hand made dough, this is the only place I would buy already made dough!

We started off playing...I mean working the dough. We spread out flour onto the very very clean counter to make it easier to roll out the dough. You have to really work with dough, so we rolled it out a few times, and then picked it up and stretched it, then repeat that a few more times until you have a nice, flat final product.

So what made up our Calzone? Check it out.
Vegetarian Calzone
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
1 package of pre-made dough from Whole Foods (if not from here, find somewhere that it is freshly made and uses simple ingredients)
1 red onion, diced
2 small jars of roasted red peppers, diced
2 cups of Baby Arugula
1/2 cup Kalamata Olives, sliced in half
1 1/2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables as directed above. Bring out the dough, and place flour on your working surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin consistently. In between rolling out the dough, pickup the dough and stretch it out very gently with your hands. Repeat rolling with the pin. Once you have achieved the desire result of your dough, use a paintbrush to coat the dough with olive oil. Then, on one side, place the arugula, onion, roasted red pepper, Kalamata olives and mozzarella cheese. Mix all the ingredients with your hands so it is blended together nicely. Finish off with some salt and pepper. Finally, gently fold the other bare half of the dough over the side with all the ingredients. Make sure to press firmly on the edges (leaving fingerprints is good). You can also use a fork to seal the edges as well.
It should look something like this:

Directions(continued):
Take the fork and poke a few times on top of the folded over Calzone. This will stop the dough from bubbling. Finally, place the Calzone in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure to keep your eye on the Calzone. Once it is golden brown, it is ready to be pulled.

This Calzone was incredible. The fresh veggies and the gooey cheese and chewy crust definitely satisfied this palate. I think I am "pizza-ed out" after this. On to another cooking adventure!

Let Me Count the Ways

2010-07-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

Okay so it has been a pizza week, and it might continue tomorrow too. There are so many different ways to make a pizza, from the toppings, right down to the crust.
This great guy I know, knows good pizza.
So let me begin by saying we started a great little herb garden at his place, and it has grown so quickly and beautifully over the past month and a half.

Look at this basil

Look at this oregano! You will see some of this sprinkled on our pizza.

Some beautiful Sage. I absolutely love the smell of sage, it is so calming.

Look at this cucumber plant! It is getting ready to start growing the cucumbers.

And here we have some Italian Parsley. Although the humidity is not a lot of fun to deal with, the herbs LOVE it, and respond so well to it.

Alright, so we used some of the fresh oregano on some ordinary frozen pizza.
Oh wait...scratch that...actually the most amazing pizza I have ever had.
Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza is the best pizza I have ever had. What is great about this pizza is that it can be shipped nationwide. It is shipped frozen, but Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza puts the typical frozen pizza to shame.

We tried the Deep Dish Sausage Pizza.
Look at the flaky crust, the gooey cheese, the incredible slices of sausage.

Topped with some fresh oregano, this was a little slice of heaven.

You can order Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza online and get it shipped right to your house.

Not Your Typical Pizza

2010-07-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

I know I have mentioned Naan's before in a previous post, but you have got to try the Naan that Whole Foods makes. I wanted to make a pizza dish, and decided to use the Naan as my crust.

Pear Goat Cheese Pizza
Serves about 2
Ingredients:
1 Whole Wheat Naan
1 Taylor's Gold Pear, sliced
2 Tbs. of Goat Cheese
1 cup of Baby Arugula
1 small Red Onion, diced
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare the pear and red onion as directed above. Once the pear and red onion are cut and cleaned, set aside. On one naan, spread the goat cheese thinly. Add the arugula, then the pear and red onion. Drizzle the top with some balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil. Finish off with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the toppings look golden brown and crispy.
Once done cooking, feel free to add more salt and pepper or olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette to your liking.

This pizza was incredible and light. The sweet creamy taste of the pear and goat cheese, paired with the crunch of the red onion and arugula was perfect. The drizzle on top was a great addition that gave just the right extra flavor.

Hidden Treasures

2010-07-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

I had a great time on my weekend get away. We spent the weekend in Sandusky, Ohio. My brothers spent the weekend at Cedar Point, the place to go if you love roller coasters. My mom, my mom's friend Bobbi and I spent our time walking, reclining on the beach, and checking out the local produce.

We found this incredible hidden beach. We walked down this gorgeous path...

And on the way, these gorgeous lilies appeared. As Bobbi said, it looks like a Monet painting!

And after we walked for awhile, there was a little hidden pathway through the trees, that led us to this.

A gorgeous secluded beach, with hardly anyone around. Bobbi and I spent almost two hours in the water talking about life and enjoying the sun and some relaxation. That is all I wanted to do all weekend and it was fabulous!

On our way back home, we stopped at a local produce stand, Mulvins Farms.

There was a lovely selection of:
Zucchini and Squash

Cherries and Peaches

Apricots and more cherries!

Banana Peppers and Chile Peppers

And Finally some Fresh Corn...That is my mom gathering some fresh corn!

We brought home some corn, peaches, Banana and Chile Peppers.
Great way to end the nice little get away, and my mom made a fabulous peach cobbler with the peaches we got from the local stand.

My Options Are Endless

2010-07-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

So, today I got a much needed pedicure. My toes look fabulous! I went with a nice pink-fuchsia color. I am so looking forward to this weekend, especially since mine with involve laying by a pool, or maybe laying by the beach, or enjoying a cocktail...which can happen at the pool...or beach! My options are endless. Tonight, I wanted a dish with some pasta, some fish, and some creaminess. What do we have here, eh?

Roasted Red Pepper Tuna Fettuccine
Serves about 2
Ingredients:
2 Handfuls of Whole Wheat Fettuccine
1/2 Cucumber, diced
4 Roasted Red Peppers (in the jar), diced
1 small onion, diced
1 can tuna
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Handful of Parmesan Cheese
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Dash of Garlic Powder
A few sprigs of Fresh Basil, sliced finely
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt. Cook the whole wheat fettuccine according to the package that you have. Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl, empty the can of tuna and break up the pieces of tuna. Add the mayonnaise, onion, cucumber and roasted red pepper, once diced. Mix well. Add the cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. (You can also prepare the tuna mixture the night before or several hours before to the let the flavors really incorporate with each other).
Once the fettuccine is done cooking, strain the fettuccine, and add just the fettuccine back into the hot pan. Bring out the tuna mixture and add into the fettuccine. Stir well. Once the mixture is nice and hot, top with Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and fresh basil.

This dish was incredible. I love a hot pasta tuna dish. The crunch of the cucumber, and spice of the roasted red pepper and cayenne pepper was out of this world. The mayonnaise made for an incredible sauce for the pasta. It was almost like an Alfredo sauce, except without all the cream and butter.

I had an incredible wine paired with my dish, called Bohemian Highway, a 2008 Pinot Grigio. The flavor paired nicely with my dinner. I highly recommend this wine.
This weekend I am off on a little getaway with the family, which is much needed! Check back for details on my weekend getaway!

The Incredible Egg

2010-07-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

Who says that eggs are just for breakfast?!
I didn't really have breakfast this morning, so I was still craving a breakfast-like dish for lunch. I absolutely love eggs and firmly believe that they can be used as a main dish for not only breakfast, but for lunch and dinner as well.

We have had so many lovely food dishes coming our way, to help with the whole grieving process. Why is that when someone passes away, everyone feels the need to cook and bake? Don't get me wrong, I love it, and it has been absolutely great the past few weeks. However, it is an interesting topic to reflect on :)
We have a lot of leftover Honey Baked Ham. So I thought, what kind of dish can I make with this ham that is quick and easy?

Today, Afternoon Ham Scrambler.

Afternoon Ham Scrambler
Serves about 2
Ingredients:
1/2 Cubanelle Pepper, diced
1/2 Red Pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 slices of Honey Baked Ham, diced
2 eggs
splash of milk
dash of garlic powder
dash of red pepper flakes
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
1 Tomatoes, diced
Handful of Curly Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions:
Place the olive oil in a medium-high heat. Add the onion, red pepper and Cubanelle pepper. Let cook for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the two eggs into a small bowl and add the splash of milk. Whisk well and set aside. Then, add the ham into the pan. Let cook another few minutes. Then, add in the egg mixture into the pan. Let cook for another few minutes, until the eggs are golden brown. Add in the tomatoes and sprinkle the garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Once the eggs are fully cooked, remove the pan from the oven. Add the mozzarella cheese and let melt. Sprinkle salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese as desired. Garnish with fresh curly parsley.

This was an incredible dish and the honey baked ham made this dish have a great sweet flavor. With the addition of the peppers and the spice of the red pepper flakes, it was perfect.
Now, off to the beach to do some reading, some lounging and some swimming on this hot summer day!
Have a great day all!

Courageous Heart with a Childlike Spirit

2010-07-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have not posted a blog entry since last Thursday because a terrible tragedy happened in my family.
My dad suddenly and unexpectedly passed away last Thursday night, June 24, 2010 at the young age of 54.
It is such a terrible loss because he was such a huge part of my life. No one ever had a mean thing to say about him! He was kind, friendly, funny, sincere, genuine and giving.
Obviously, blogging and cooking have not been my top priority. We have also been bombarded with tons of food, so cooking has not been necessary!
On Monday, July 5th, I am going to start blogging again. The last thing my dad would want is for me to stop doing what I love.
Here are a few pictures of my dad and I. What a great man, and he will truly, truly be missed.

His favorite thing to do was grill out and have a great family dinner with all of us. He loved to have a nice burger, fruit salad and corn on the cob. Here is the fabulous meal we had this past Father's Day that he absolutely loved. My family and I are so fortunate that we were able to spend this last Father's Day with the most incredible dad anyone could have.

Love it or Hate it

2010-06-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

I love eggplant. My dad does not like eggplant, but my mom loves it. My one brother does not like eggplant either, but my other brother does!
I bought this gorgeous eggplant and was trying to figure out how to use it in a recipe.
I took at my handy dandy Real Simple July 2010 magazine and began browsing. I came across a section "From Farm to Table", which is an article that features farmers who grow the goods and the recipes they came up with. Guess what, there was an eggplant recipe that looked incredible! Matt Romero, who was an executive chef for 20 years and then began to be the supplier of vegetables to professional and home cooks, came up with this awesome eggplant recipe.
Here is his eggplant sandwich recipe. I made a couple of my own changes that you can decide to use or not! I kind of improvised with what was in the kitchen. I also made an incredible caper mayonnaise to go on top.

Matt's eggplant sandwiches, adapted from Real Simple
(with a few Marketing Girl changes)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten (I added a splash of milk too)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 medium eggplant, (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), cut into eight 1/2-inch thick rounds
1/2 cup canola oil
Kosher Salt
4 leaves of romaine lettuce, torn in half (I used Earthbound Farm Organic Baby Arugula Blend)
2 medium beefsteak or other tomatoes (about 1 pound), sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (I used shredded Parmesan cheese)
I added a caper mayonnaise to add some extra flavor (recipe below)

Directions:
1. Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs into shallow separate bowls. Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, then in the eggs(letting any excess drip off), and finally in the bread crumbs, pressing gently to help them adhere.

2. Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the eggplant until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining oil and eggplant. Sprinkle the hot eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Layer the eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, basil and goat cheese to form 4 sandwiches, with the eggplant on the top and bottom of each stack. Add the caper mayonnaise, if desired.

Caper Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of mayo
1 teaspoon of mustard
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 small onion, grated
3 tablespoons of capers
squeeze of lemon juice
dash of sugar
salt
pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl mix together the mayo, mustard, olive oil and capers. Mix well. Add in the onion, lemon juice and sugar. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Add more or less of each ingredient based on your preference of flavor. Refrigerate the mayonnaise for up to an hour so the flavors can blend together.

This sandwich was incredible! Each bite I took I made an "oohh", and an, "oh wow, this is really good". I am not kidding! I love that the two pieces of eggplant is the "bread". The eggplant was crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside. The tomato, arugula, and basil flavor was oh so beautiful. The mayonnaise was the perfect addition with the sweet onion and caper flavor.

I have not had a great sandwich like this in a long time! Try out this recipe and you will not be let down! Just a warning, have plenty of napkins on hand because it can get messy.
Happy Almost Friday :)

Top Chef Wannabe

2010-06-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I was craving a salad, a super salad. I think it is so fun to look in your fridge, see what you have, what are your leftovers and make an incredible salad.

Super Salad
Ingredients:
Earthbound Farm Organic Baby Arugula Blend
Tomato
Corn
Cucumber
Avocado
Kalamata Olives
Hard Boiled Egg
1 small onion
Chicken (left over from last night's dish)
Fresh peas (left over from last night's dish)

Dressing:
Fresh orange juice
Olive Oil
White Wine Vinegar
Sugar
Salt
Dijon Mustard

Directions:
Have fun with this one and make your own super salad. What veggies do you have in your fridge? What leftovers do you have that would be great to incorporate into a salad?

The salad dressing I made was very flavorful. You can measure to your liking for each ingredient. If you like a little more zing, add more white wine vinegar. If you like the flavor of the orange juice, add more. These ingredients combined make for an incredible homemade dressing.

The salad was perfect for dinner and left me satisfied and full! Top Chef is on tonight! Yes. I like Kenny and Angelo already. Kenny, because he is a hard worker and Angelo because he is a hard worker and cute!
Have a great night!

Spice Up Your Life

2010-06-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

It is going to be 90 degrees and super humid here tomorrow, so thank goodness for Air Conditioning! I got my Subway gift card in the mail today and I cannot wait to use it!!
I was in the mood tonight for something with spice and flavor. On the menu tonight, chicken curry with couscous.

I do not like prepackaged mixes but the one that I used tonight is okay on my list. Sukhi's Tikki Masala Curry Sauce is incredible. All you need to do is add a little water, a little yogurt and you have an incredible curry sauce.

I definitely approve of this ingredient list.

I added some onions, garlic and fresh peas into the mix. I also used Greek 2% yogurt to mix the sauce and it was incredible flavor and texture.

I cooked some couscous in chicken stock. I feel that if you use chicken stock instead of water it really brings out the flavor of the couscous and pairs nicely with chicken curry.

All together now! Chicken with Sukhi's Tikki Masala Curry Sauce and a side of couscous. Incredible Indian spice and flavor.

Bring Out the Rice Cooker

2010-06-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

If you don't have a rice cooker, get one. They are by far, in my personally opinion, the best way to cook rice. Tonight, I cooked some Basmati Rice in the cooker. I just popped in the rice, added the water, flicked on the switch, and you have cooked rice 20 minutes later.

Tonight on the menu, Alaskan Salmon with Peach Salsa and Basmati Rice. The peach salsa I made to accompany the salmon was incredible and super simple to make. Making your own salsa always tastes better than buying it pre-packaged.

Fresh Peach Salsa
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
6 fresh peaches, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, diced
Juice from 1 fresh lime
Handful of cilantro
1 Cubanelle pepper, cleaned and diced
Splash of cider vinegar
3 gloves of garlic, diced finely
Handful of organic dark brown sugar
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Dice and clean the peaches, tomato, pepper and cilantro. Place into a medium bowl. Add the fresh lime juice, cider vinegar, garlic and brown sugar. Mix very well. Top with salt and pepper to your liking.

This peach salsa was the perfect complement to the Alaskan Salmon. Whole Foods has the best fresh fish around. If you have a Whole Foods around you, go and check out their seafood selection. It is incredibly fresh and amazing.

I chose the Basmati rice as a side, because I love the texture of Basmati rice, with the longer grain and the unique flavor of it. Mix in the fresh peach salsa with the rice and the Alaskan salmon and you have one very pleased palate!

Of course, you gotta pair it with a glass of white wine! Now, you have a great dinner and a happy stomach!

The Shoes Say it All

2010-06-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today was a great way to end the week. My whole family got together, and when that happens it is craziness (but in a good way). Not only are there seven of us, but there are four dogs that accompany four out of the five children. My sister and I let our dogs run wild outside for a while.

Here is Lacey posing for the camera...

Here is Lueger, my sister's dog, wanting the stick I am holding in my other arm so badly...

After that we visited my grandpa, my dad's father, at the cemetery. As unusual as it is, the cemetery were my grandparents are buried is absolutely beautiful. The landscape is incredible and some of the structures are unbelievable.

There is such a unique part of the cemetery too. There is a gigantic tree, if you walk back on a hidden path, filled with shoes hanging from the branches. I was confused when I saw all the shoes hanging from the tree. But, the story is, that those who have passed and our now buried in the cemetery, have their shoes hanging on the tree in remembrance. It is such an eerie yet incredible sight. Of course, we had to join in, in such an interesting tradition.

Look at how high up some of the shoes are...makes me wonder how they got up there!

Here is an up close shot of my grandparents' shoes. My grandpa was the ultimate golfer, so the golf shoes definitely had to go up there. He would be out there golfing today, no doubt about it.

I noticed there were tons of combat boots. Just seeing them hanging from the tree, and knowing that men wore those in war, in battle and in struggle, was truly inspirational but very sad.

Where my grandparents are buried, is in an area for those that served in the army. He served in World War II. It was sad visiting where they are buried, but they both lived to be 91 years old and lived lives filled with love, laughter and family. So really, it is a celebration of a long life lived.

After being sentimental, onward to dinner. Of course we made what my dad wanted.

Burgers, Check.

Corn on the Cob, Check.

Fruit Salad, Check.

Giant Dill Pickles, Hello!

A secret to a super tasty fruit salad? Splash some limoncello onto the fruit and mix well. The flavor is out of this world!

Later, there is Chocolate Cake...

Breakfast is my Favorite Time of Day

2010-06-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Today is definitely a hiking day. It is pretty hot today, but I have my CamelBak to keep me hydrated and a Lemon Bar Larabar to munch on. My little Lacey can not wait to get out onto the trails!

This morning called for a breakfast that would keep me full and satisfied before I venture out into the heat. Banana Crunch French Toast, yes please!

Banana Crunch French Toast
Ingredients:
2 pieces of whole grain bread
1 egg, beaten
Splash of milk
1 banana, sliced
A handful of pecans, crunched
1 Tablespoon of pure maple syrup
A dash of powdered sugar

Directions:
Bring a pan to medium-high heat and melt about a tablespoon of butter. Meanwhile, beat the egg and add the splash of milk. Mix well. Saturate both pieces of bread into the egg mixture. Place in the pan when ready. Cook each side of the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Top with banana, pecans, pure maple syrup and powdered sugar.

This was perfect before I head off into the wilderness. I had some grains, some protein, some fruit and nuts! Very satisfying breakfast before I head out.

I will leave you all with this quote that I love...
"The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do."
Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Sweet Creamy Goodness

2010-06-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Friday! So excited it is almost the weekend. I am so excited about this summer because I have a bunch of weddings, bachelorette parties, bridal showers and wedding showers to attend! Nothing is better than going to events that celebrate the union between two people and two families.

Tonight, for dinner I had Fresh Alaskan Halibut with a side of Creamy Cucumber Salad. A perfect light dinner is exactly what I was looking for.

Creamy Cucumber Salad
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
1 cucumber sliced finely
1 small red onion sliced finely
Dash of Olive Oil
Dash of Champagne Vinegar
Fresh lemon juice from half a lemon
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons of Sugar
3 Tablespoons of Sour Cream
Handful of Fresh Dill
Directions:
Slice the cucumbers and red onions. Place in a large bowl. Add the sour cream, olive oil, lemon juice and champagne vinegar. Mix well. Finally, add the salt, pepper, sugar and fresh dill. Mix well. Chill for about an hour before serving.

Fresh Alaskan Halibut
Ingredients:
Fresh Alaskan Halibut
1 cup milk
Fresh lemon juice
salt
pepper
Directions:
Clean the fish in cold water. Once rinsed, soak the fish in the milk for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pan to high heat, filled about 1/2 inch with olive oil. Once hot, place the fish into the pan. Keep your eye on the fish, but per side it usually takes about 7 minutes, depending on how high your heat and stove. Once cooked, season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

This was a great combination for dinner. I love halibut because it such a creamy and flaky fish that has almost no fish taste. With the side of the creamy cucumber salad, it made for a perfect dinner.

Melt in My Mouth Sorbet

2010-06-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

I wore my dress from Ann Taylor Loft today, and I am LOVING it! I feel so exotic in it! I have to plant some more herbs tomorrow: the mint and the curly parsley. I also just uploaded some new songs to my Ipod which totally pumps me up for my workouts, I can't wait to go running later to my new songs! It is so funny how just simply adding new songs to my Ipod makes me that much more motivated to go running. Tonight, I had a really great after dinner dessert that was light, refreshing and an incredible flavor combination.

Persian Muskmelon with Lemon Sorbet
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
Half of a Persian Muskmelon, cut and cleaned into 4 slices
4 small scoops of Ciao Bella Lemon Sorbet
Fresh lime juice
Lime zest

Directions:
Cut and clean the Persian Muskmelon into 4 pieces. Put one scoop of Ciao Bella Lemon Sorbet onto each Muskmelon. Squeeze fresh lime juice on top of each serving. Garnish with lime zest.

I absolutely love Ciao Bella Lemon Sorbet. It is very zesty and creamy. The flavor combination of the sweet melon, the tangy lime juice and zest and the sweet lemon sorbet is awesome. It is a great, light dessert that definitely satisfies the palate.

I Have a New Guilty Obsession

2010-06-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

I know I am a grown up, but I must confess a certain show that is targeted towards young teenage girls has caught my eye! Pretty Little Liars, on ABC Family is my new guilty obsession. I feel so ashamed, but I can not wait until the new episode is on tonight...I am hooked!
Okay, on to dinner. Tonight, I made a fantastic Yellow fin Tuna Pasta dish.

Yellow Fin Tuna Pasta
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
6 ounces of Mostaccioli
1 can Tonnino Yellow fin Tuna Ventresca in Olive Oil
1/2 cup Roasted Red Peppers, chopped
1/4 cup Kalamata Olives, sliced in half
1/4 cup Capers
4 cloves of Garlic, diced
1 cup White Wine
Few sprigs of fresh Parsley
1/2 cup of Red Onion, diced
3 tbs. of Olive Oil
1 tsp of butter
Salt
Pepper
A dash of Red Pepper Flakes
Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Bring a medium size pot to boil and add salt. Cook the Mostaccioli until al dente. Meanwhile, bring a skillet to medium heat and add and olive oil. Dice the onions and garlic and place into the skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes. Then, add the capers, tuna and roasted red peppers. Cook for a few minutes and then incorporate the white wine. Once the pasta is cooked, add the pasta into the skillet. Finally, add the butter and roasted red pepper flakes and mix well. Top with salt, pepper, fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. You are now ready to eat an incredible tuna pasta dish!

I loved this dish! All of these incredible fresh flavors with the pop of the roasted red pepper flakes is a great combination. The best canned tuna I have ever had is the Tonnino Yellowfin Tuna Ventresca in Olive Oil. It is awesome. Check it out.

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Vegetables

2010-06-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe reminds me of a grown-up version of macaroni & cheese plus added vegetables. The flavors of the cheese melted into the sweat peas, carrots and broccoli is awesome. So, I give you my grown up version of macaroni & cheese!

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Vegetables
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/2 pound bow tie pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1 cup frozen broccoli, thawed
1 cup frozen carrots, thawed
1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Pecorino Romano for topping

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt. Cook the noodles until cooked thoroughly.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas, broccoli and carrots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the vegetables are warmed through and tender. Then stir in the pasta.
Remove the pan from the heat and add both of the cheeses. Stir until all the cheese is incorporated into the entire dish. Transfer the pasta into a large bowl. Finally, garnish with basil, Pecorino Romano, salt and pepper as desired.

You can choose to top the pasta with Pecorino Romano or not. I personally think it adds such a great final flavor to the dish and brings it all together! Bon appetit!

Basil Infused Lemonade

2010-06-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love lemonade, especially in the summer time. However, it is always fun to give lemonade a new twist. Last night, I had a fabulous Basil Infused Lemonade, with a splash of vodka. With this recipe, you can choose to add the vodka or not. Either way, this lemonade is super refreshing.

Basil Infused Lemonade
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh basil plus extra for garnish
4 cups fresh lemonade
lemon peel for garnish
Optional: Splash of vodka for each serving

Directions:
In a small pot, mix together the sugar and water and put on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh basil and bring to a boil. Boil for just a few minutes, then remove from heat and let it come to room temperature. Once cooled, drain the basil syrup into a medium bowl and discard the basil leaves. Then, add a few teaspoons of the syrup to each serving of fresh lemonade. Garnish with fresh basil and lemon peel.

I loved this basil infused lemonade. The hint of fresh basil in the lemonade was so refreshing and satisfying. It also tastes great with some Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka. A really great, refreshing cocktail as well!

Fresh Corn Salad

2010-06-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

I got the new Real Simple magazine in the mail today, and could not wait to dive into it! It is by far my favorite magazine. Last month's issue featured a great dress from Ann Taylor Loft, that I bought this past weekend, on sale for 35.99! Such a great purchase. There are a lot of great dresses on sale for all you ladies out there!
So, a great way to end the week is with an amazing meal. Tonight, Fresh Corn Salad.

Fresh Corn Salad
Serves about 6

Ingredients:
8 ears of blanched corn
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 vidalia onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh basil chopped

Dressing:
Juice from 1 Lime
Juice from 1 Lemon
2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Champagne Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

Directions:
Blanch the corn. Once cooled, shave the ears of corn and put into a large bowl. Then, chop the tomatoes, onion and basil and place into the bowl with the corn. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the lime, lemon, brown sugar, champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Once mixed well, pour onto the vegetables and mix everything together well. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with salt and pepper as desired.

I love this recipe. The fresh vegetables with the sweet dressing is a great combination. This recipe makes for a great side for a summer dinner.

Quick and Fresh Strawberry Jam

2010-06-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have been on a berry kick lately, but can you blame me with how amazing the berries are this time of year?!
I thought to myself, what else can I make with some fresh berries? Strawberry Jam it is! Just how my great grandmother use to make it :)

Quick and Fresh Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:
2 lbs of fresh home grown strawberries
3 cups of fine sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 medium size jars

Directions:
Gather your 2 lbs. of strawberries and wash them thoroughly. Then, hull the strawberries. The hull is the green leafy top of the strawberry.
Use a sharp knife and cut the strawberry in a circular motion around the green leafy top of the strawberry and into the pale flesh directly underneath. Then, remove the hull and make sure to wash the strawberries again before using.
Place the hulled strawberries into a large bowl. Next, crush the strawberries until it produces a soupy consistency. Then, add the sugar and mix well. Finally, add the lemon juice and stir again well. Quickly jar the strawberries and place in the freezer. Store in freezer until ready to use!

This jam recipe is super quick and easy. Not only to make, but to also store. This recipe is how my great grandmother use to make it. She lived on a tobacco farm in North Carolina and made it with fresh home grown strawberries. If you can, use the home grown strawberries, it makes all the difference in the final result of the jam! Also, when crushing the strawberries, I use my hands, just like my great grandmother did. You really get a great consistency when you use your hands and it is so much more fun to get all that strawberry goo on your hands!

Ricotta Mousse with Chocolate and Strawberries

2010-06-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

I came across this food website, Lucullian delight-an Italian experience, and was taken back by the Ricotta Mousse with Chocolate & Strawberries recipe.

RICOTTA MOUSSE WITH CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRIES
4 servings

250 g/ 8,8 fresh ricotta
200 ml/ 0.85 cup fresh cream
3-4 tblsp sugar
3-4 tblsp chocolate flakes
fresh strawberries, sliced

Press the ricotta through a finely meshed sieve into a bowl, add sugar and stir very well.
Whip the cream until it is stiff but softly stiff if you know what I mean.
Add a tablespoon of whipped cream to the ricotta and mix well, then add the rest and stir until completely mixed.
Add the chocolate flakes and mix quickly.
Spoon into small bowls, top with the strawberry slices and eat!

This was incredible! I found it to taste really great when I left it over night in the fridge to absorb all the ingredients and reach its optimum flavor.

I also served it like this:

A side of the mousse that I dipped strawberries and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate in. Absolutely rich and perfect!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

2010-06-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Food Network Channel, and I love the show Barefoot Contessa with Ina Garten. I was totally inspired to recreate her recipe of Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread. It sounded absolutely delicious and I was more than willing to give it a try.
So, here is the recipe!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread (courtesy of Barefoot Contessa from Food Network)

Cook Time: 35 min
Yield: 12 large pieces
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers

Directions:
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Honestly, I feel like you could add another jalapeno into this dish. You can tell there is jalapeno in the dish, but you do not get that jalapeno bite. Overall, this dish is incredible and the flavors of cheddar, scallions and jalapenos in the bread is such a great combination. Also, serving this warm is the best because the cheese is gooey and warm. If you let it cool overnight, make sure to pop it in the microwave for at least 20 seconds so you serve it warm. It definitely brings out all the flavors when you serve it warm. This recipe was awesome, and I highly recommend giving it a go!

Summer French Toast

2010-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

There is not a cloud in the sky! It is so gorgeous outside and super sunny, as you can tell in my pictures. And last night, I saw a shooting star! It was my first time seeing one and it was so incredible. That has to mean good things are to come, right? :)

So, I still have some berries leftover in the fridge, and we all know their shelf life is not very long. So how can I use them today? I decided on a Summer French Toast. I really believe there is nothing better than fresh fruit in the summer time! It truly is perfection.

Summer French Toast
Ingredients:
2 pieces of whole grain bread
1 egg
A splash of milk
Toppings:
2 tsp. of agave
Dash of cinnamon
2 Tbs. of pecans
A few blackberries
A few blueberries
A few raspberries

Directions:
Whisk one egg in a bowl and add the splash of milk. Whisk together well. Meanwhile, get a frying pan on the stove to medium-high heat. Add about a Tablespoon of butter into the hot pan. In this case, I use butter, because it makes the bread taste really crispy and tasty.
Soak the two pieces of bread into the egg/milk mixture. Make sure that the piece of bread is completely saturated. Then, put the saturated bread directly into the hot pan. Usually, it will take about 5 minutes on each side, but look for the bread to become a golden brown color. Once the bread is cooked through, plate it. Then, add the drizzle of agave, dash of cinnamon, berries, pecans and I top it off with a final dash of cinnamon. Delicious!

I added some fresh lavender for garnish on the side, because I love the smell of fresh lavender. It is really blooming outside, and when you brush up against it, you end up smelling like fresh lavender all day. Not a bad thing, eh?

Finished off with a fresh cup of coffee with just a splash of milk added. Truly a great way to start off the morning.

Berry Smoothie with Flax Seeds

2010-06-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

The humidity is back! The best way for me to cool down on a humid day is a nice cold drink or smoothie. I decided to make a berry smoothie with flax seeds. This is the perfect snack before I go running later!

Berry Smoothie with Flax Seeds
Ingredients:
Handful of blueberries
Handful of blackberries
Handful of raspberries
Handful of strawberries
Flax seed (put in as much or as little to your liking)
1/2 cup Whole Food's Organic Vanilla Low fat Yogurt
Splash of organic fat free milk
1 TBS. of Agave

Directions: Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Make sure to use a spoon a few times to make sure all of the berries are ground. Finally, top it off with some leftover raspberries and blackberries.

This smoothie was incredible. All of the fruit was super fresh and sweet. With the sweetness of the vanilla yogurt and a little touch of agave, it was the perfect amount of sweet. I love adding the flax seed because it is an added health benefit, but the crunch of the seeds makes the final result that much more interesting.

Sweet Summertime

2010-06-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day in Ohio. For lunch today I was craving a summer meal, but with a healthy twist to it. I opted for a Veggie Burger.

I used a GardenBurger Veggie Medley Burger. I really like these because they are packed with vegetables, whole grain and fiber. I love the big chunks of corn and red pepper. I also melted a piece of Colby jack cheese on top of it.

I really love mayonnaise but have recently discovered a healthier version from The Ojai Cook, called lemonaise. Ingredients in Lemonaise include Pure Expelier Pressed Canola Oil, Water, Whole Eggs, Creole Mustard, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Egg Yolks, Vinegar, Salt, Garlic, and Cayenne Pepper. Very tasty and with the added spices it is definitely an upgrade from regular mayonnaise.

What makes up the burger:
1 Gardenburger Veggie Medley Patty
1 slice of Colby jack cheese
A few slices of red onion
A few slices of fresh tomato
Fresh Baby Arugula
Lemonaise
Ketchup
Served on an Organic Whole Wheat Bun directly from the Whole Foods bakery.

This burger was perfect for lunch. It was loaded with vegetables, no meat involved and I was feeling very satisfied after I ate it.

What drink would accompany my summer veggie burger to make the perfect summer meal?

Lemonade, of course! I have been searching for a refreshing lemonade that is not too sweet, low in calories but is still really good. I found it! Sweet Leaf Original Lemonade is the winner. This lemonade is not only organic but it is really incredible. It is not too tart, not too sweet, just enough lemon and just perfect. Sweet Leaf also has a bunch of other incredible flavors, check them out!

Blogger...Down

2010-06-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

I am so upset! Blogger has been down since Sunday, but things are finally straightened out...let's hope.

So, here are the recipes from the Bridal Shower, like I promised. The Bridal Shower was a success and so much fun!

Floating Island Punch (Adapted from All Recipes)
Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 cups white sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 pint orange sherbet
1 liter ginger ale
1 liter carbonated water
1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
1 orange, sliced in rounds
4 cups ice
Directions:
Bring water to a boil. Add the sugar and boil until it becomes a syrup. Let cool.
In a punch bowl combine lemonade, orange juice, ginger ale, and carbonated water. Mix in the sugar syrup. Add ice and sherbet. Just before serving add cherries and cherry juice and float orange slices on top.

This punch was so amazing. People at the bridal shower LOVED this punch. We had to keep making more because the bowl kept turning up empty. I am usually not a "punch person" but I really liked this. It was almost like a smoothie.

And then we had...
Easy Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1 or stalks celery, chopped- about 3/4 cup
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup salad dressing, such as Miracle Whip brand
2 Tablespoons coleslaw dressing (Marzetti's is good)
Salt, to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh tarragon
Directions:
Simply mix everything together well. Chill for at least one hour before serving. It tastes much better if chilled overnight.
Serve on fresh croissants.
Divine! Everyone raved about these chicken salad sandwiches at the bridal shower too. I swear, it was the little bit of coleslaw dressing that really made the flavors pop.
Here is the table filled with food!

And then we also had...
Tomato Pasta Salad (Adapted from Food Network, with a few changes)
Ingredients:
1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
Kosher salt
Good olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
3/4 cup good kalamata olives, pitted and diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.
Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

This pasta salad also was a hit! The fresh tomatoes and the sundried tomatoes made an excellent combination. The parmesan cheese added on top just made it perfect.

So the Bridal Shower was a great time accompanied with some incredible food.

Today is also my birthday!! What is so fun about my birthday is that I get to share it with my twin brother! You know how people say that twins have a connection? I totally know what my brother is thinking all the time! (not really) But, I will leave you with a picture of him and I when we were little. I love this picture because my mom loved to dress us in matching clothes, even though we are a boy and a girl :)

Happy National Trails Day!

2010-06-05T19:49:00.001-07:00

I find it so ironic that the day after National Doughnnut Day is, National Trails Day. I think the person who came up with National Doughnut Day, got together with the person who came up with National Trails Day and decided, okay, I will have a day dedicated to completely devouring doughnuts, and then the following day I will have a day dedicated to hiking off all those doughnuts!
There were tons of hiking events scheduled today across the U.S. All the events are featured through the American Hiking Society. This is a really cool website and gives great tips for hikers.

I,unfortunately, could not celebrate National Trails Day. However, one of my favorite things to do is go hiking. Instead, I was super busy helping my mom and sister get ready for a bridal shower being held at my parent's house tomorrow! My sister's best friend is getting married next month, and she is the maid of honor and wanted to host the party at my parent's house.

So, today involved a lot of grocery shopping, running errands, cleaning, cooking and organizing.

These flowers, were all cut and arranged by my mom.

These tomatoes will be going in the pasta salad, tomorrow, before we serve it.

This punch bowl will hold some fabulous punch tomorrow afternoon!

Tomorrow, I am going to have all the food we prepped tonight featured on my blog! There are some great recipes that include:

Homemade Chicken Salad on fresh croissants
Homemade Pasta Salad
Homemade Punch
Some lovely dessert items

So, come check out the blog post tomorrow for some really great recipes for any kind of party you are hosting.

Now, for the rest of the night I am indulging in a Garnier Fructis deep conditioning hair treatment, which I leave on for about 1 1/2 hours, with a hot towel wrapped around my head. I look so ridiculous, but it really does some deep treatment when I do this!

A Burt's Bees Facial Mask, which is the best! After I do this mask, my face feels so fresh and tight. It has an amazing fresh scent to it too.

I will also be whitening my teeth, lotioning up my dry skin and watching a chick flick! Love it. I got a manicure and pedicure yesterday so I feel like a new woman!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

2010-06-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

That's right! Today is National Doughnut Day. Although this girl will not be getting a doughnut today, many Dunkin Donut and Krispy Kreme locations are giving away FREE Doughnuts! Dunkin Donut's is offering a free doughnut with the purchase of a beverage, while Krispy Kreme is giving away a free doughnut, no strings attached!
Instead of a doughnut indulgent day, I had a great pasta dish for lunch.

I was not finished with the basil that I had for dinner last night. First, I used some of Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce. This marinara sauce is really great. It is all natural and the ingredients include: imported Italian tomatoes, imported Italian olive oil, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simple, all natural ingredients and really great.

So I started with Rao's as my base sauce, then added in some of Whole Food's Organic Capers. Very salty, just the way I like them!
I then added some balsamic vinaigrette, a touch of olive oil and a dash of honey. I love adding honey to marinara sauces, especially with capers, because it off sets the saltiness with a little touch of sweetness.

As my pasta, I used organic whole wheat Bionaturae pasta. I love whole wheat pasta because it tastes a bit more crunchy to me than regular pasta. Bionaturae is an awesome whole wheat organic pasta from Italy.

Then, I topped of the pasta and sauce with some fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and some fresh ground pepper.

Loved this dish with the fresh ingredients all throughout!

Fresh Summer Salad

2010-06-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Remember a few posts ago when I mentioned about how beautiful the basil is growing in the garden? Look at it, it is flourishing.

Well, I decided to use it tonight in a salad for dinner. Here are the ingredients in this super tasty salad.

Basil Arugula Salad:
Lettuce
Arugula
Tomato
Basil
Shitake Mushrooms
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

This was the perfect summer salad! The bitterness of the arugula, the sweet basil, the fresh tomato & mushroom and topped with Parmesan cheese was a great combination.

The dressing was really good too. I usually do just an olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, but I decided to change it up a little.
Dressing:
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dijon Mustard
Salt
Pepper
Very tasty dressing on top of a very fresh salad.

And finally, what I am so excited to talk about. A slice of Seeduction Bread from Whole Foods. This bread is so divine. It is an all organic bread that has seeds like sesame, pumpkin and poppy. It is hard for me to say that I enjoy just a slice of bread, but this bread I thoroughly ENJOY. I topped it off with some balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Honestly, this bread is so good, it could just be eaten alone and you would really like it. Check it out at a Whole Foods bakery section.

So glad it is finally summer and I can enjoy a fresh summer salad with my favorite Seeduction Bread!

Oats, Coffee & Agave

2010-06-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

It is so beautiful outside! I think it is safe to say that summer is officially here to stay. I have not had oatmeal for awhile, so it was time to kick it back into gear.

What's in the bowl:
A handful of old fashioned oats
Splash of milk
1/3 cup of water
Leftover fruit salad: Strawberries, blueberries, and you can see one piece of pineapple!
1/2 small banana
a few crunched up pecans
1/2 tsp. of organic blue agave sweetener
2 tbs. of flax seeds
A dash of cinnamon

There are a lot of different items in the bowl, but variety is the spice of life! Right? Plus, the combination is really fresh, fruity and tasty. The cold fruit salad really cooled off the oatmeal, which is perfect, because I hate eating hot foods on hot days! It just doesn't work out for me.
With the oatmeal, comes a cup of coffee, which really is my own personal latte that I make.

I mix half of the cup with coffee, and the other half of the cup is organic fat free milk, a dash of cinnamon, and a dollop of the organic blue agave sweetener from Trader Joe's. I love this stuff! It is, for now, my go to sweetener. As you can tell, I was a little "agave happy" this morning, adding it into my oatmeal and coffee. But, use just a little bit!

Happy Hump Day!
P.S. Really appreciate this beautiful weather we have, because before you know it, it will be back to bitter cold, unless you live in an almost always warm place :)

The New Gatorade Addition

2010-06-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Whole Foods carries Gatorade. It is true. Gatorade now has G Natural and G2 Natural. They are both made with all natural ingredients, G2 Natural just has lower calories than G Natural. They are made with very few ingredients including sea salt, fruit flavors and natural sweeteners. They taste so incredible and hydrate you naturally.

My favorite flavor is the G2 Natural Orange Pomegranate. The new Gatorade is now available at Whole Foods in select cities, but check out Gatorade's Website to learn more about the new product. Really enjoyable and all natural!

Giveaway!

2010-06-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

The blog, Iowa Girl Eats, has the following giveaway!

Subway is offering four, $5 gift cards so you can try a breakfast sandwich, or any of their other sandwiches, yourself! Enter to win a gift card by 5:00pm central TONIGHT by doing one or all of the following:

1. Leave a comment telling Iowa Girl Eats your must have toppings on your Subway sandwich (mine are pickles, banana peppers and vinegar!!)

2. Post about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook, and leave another comment at Iowa Girl Eats.

3. Tweet “@IowaGirlEats and @subwayfreshbuzz are giving away $5 giftcards! http://tinyurl.com/24lytm9“ and leave another comment here.

Good luck!

Feast, Family, Friskee

2010-05-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

I probably would be putting this together later tonight, but the storms have rolled in and it is pitch black outside (not a good sign). So, let the blogging commence. Earlier today it was super hot and muggy and I took my dog, Lacey, on a walk to my favorite place. She loves it, I love it. Win. Win. See how happy she is!?

So tonight was the family barbeque. All three of my brothers and I were at my parent's house plus one of my brother's girlfriend. My sister had to work! Boo!
So, while my parent's started getting dinner together and firing up the grill, the "kids" played a game of Friskee. What is Friskee you ask? Allow me to explain.
Friskee is usually a sport played with a frisbee, two gates and two teams. However, the version we played was invented by college students and is pretty fun.

Here's how to play:
Friskee
Equipment:
You need two ski poles, two empty beer/root beer bottles and a frisbee.
How to Play:
1. You will need to stick two ski poles straight into the grass. Distance them about 30 feet.
2. Then, balance the empty beer bottle on top of each ski pole. You will need to make sure the ski pole has a pretty nice size handle to balance the bottles.
3. Each team of two will stand at opposite ends of the ski poles.
4. Each team member must hold a beverage of any kind in their non-throwing hand during the entire game. Trust me, it makes the game so much more fun!
Object of the Game:
Each team member takes a turn to try and knock the empty bottle off of the ski pole with the frisbee. For example, team one, one member would go. Then, team two, one of their members would go and then back to team one. Every time a team member knocks down the beer bottle they earn 1 point. However, if the empty bottle is knocked down by the opposing team and the defending team catches the falling bottle with their one open hand, they earn 2 points. First team to 20 points wins!

This game is so much fun! It gets tricky too, because you only have one free hand to throw the frisbee and try and catch the falling bottle if it is hit. Give it a try!
Okay, so back to what we had for dinner. While the fabulous game of friskee was going on in the backyard, dinner was coming together. Dinner consisted of homemade fries, fresh fruit salad, jalapeno cheddar bbq bacon burgers and Wickles!

The fries were Idaho potatoes cut into about 1/4 inch length. They were then marinated in a water/vinegar bath in a big bowl. This makes the fries extra crispy. After they marinated for about 10 minutes, they were dried completely. They were then submerged into a cast iron skillet filled with vegetable oil on high heat. Fry them about for about 10 minutes and delicious! Super crispy. The jalapeno cheddar burgers were from Whole Foods, already pre-made and packaged. They were incredible! Not spicy at all, just a little hint of the jalapeno. Served on top of the burger was a slice of cheddar cheese, fresh bacon and a drizzle of bbq sauce. We also had a side of fruit salad with pineapple, blueberries and strawberries, along with a side of incredible sweet and tangy Wickles!

My eyes were bigger than my stomach, I could barely finish any of this! But what a great way to end Memorial Day Weekend with an incredible feast, family and game of friskee!

Let the Weekend Continue!

2010-05-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day this Memorial Day Weekend! I know I had mentioned that everything is in full bloom, I mean look at this basil. It is gorgeous. The basil leaves are thriving in this weather.

I took notice to how beautiful the basil was while I was mowing the lawn. Call me crazy, but I LOVE mowing the lawn. Put on your Ipod, get some sun, sweat and exercise!
Tonight for dinner we had Fish Tacos. I absolutely love Fish Tacos. I believe they taste the best with Fresh Halibut right off the grill. I love halibut because it is such a tender fish that has almost no fish scent to it. If someone didn't know it, they would think they were eating chicken! Fresh fish from Whole Foods is awesome, because it is actually fresh fish.

My halibut fish taco was layered with watercress, cilantro, fresh tomato salsa, guacamole, chipolte sauce, lime creme fraiche and a sprinkle of cheese. Look at how tasty it is! And oh, was it tasty. I love the bitter taste of watercress and the fresh taste of cilantro together. Who needs lettuce when you have watercress and cilantro!

Served with a fresh lime margarita! Perfect.

My uncle told me this great quote today and he said, "Surround yourself with people who believe in you". I love it, and of course believe in it :)

Bring Out Those Grills!

2010-05-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

I love Memorial Weekend. Even though I am sure plenty of people have already used their grills, Memorial Day Weekend is the official "bring out the grill and slap some meat on it" weekend.

This is also the time of the year when everything is starting to come into full bloom, which I absolutely love. Look at these roses! Literally, last week they were just budding and now they are just breathtaking. Did you see that full moon last night?! So eerie, yet so incredible.

So as I was saying, grilling has officially started. So to follow suit, tonight we had a wonderful grilled flank steak. The best meat comes from Whole Foods. This is the honest truth. We also popped some corn on the grill too. Shuck the corn so you leave just a few pieces of the outer layer and it really grills it perfect.

Accompanied with some fresh fruit salad that included pineapple, grapes, strawberries and blueberries. It is so close to the perfect time of the year for fresh fruit and I can totally tell because NONE of the fruit had a bitter taste at all. Just a fresh, clean and sweet flavor.

And finally, something I am so excited to share...Wickles. Oh yes, wickles. I am one that does not usually crave a pickle or really get into pickles, but these are amazing. I actually hate sweet pickles but these are semi-sweet. I really loved the flavor. Wickles are flavored with dill, garlic, and a little bit of sweetness. Check out their website, www.wickles.com, they also have wickles okra, wickles relish and quite a few other products that I am sure are just as awesome.

Go to Snack After Workout

2010-05-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

After an afternoon run I love to drink one of these Vitamin Water Zero. My personal choice today was the Rise. Great orange flavor packed with plenty of Vitamin C.

As you can see, I already drank half, I just could not wait to gulp the sucker down. The drink also has Vitamin B3, B5, B6 and B12. It's got some Vitamin E & A and your ever so important electrolytes.

I also love to snack on a Clif Bar. My personal new favorite is the Chocolate Brownie Clif Bar. The chocolate flavor is incredible and I feel so satisfied after I eat one of these.

Yard Work Deserves a Margarita Reward

2010-05-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

I had the best Sunday. I took my dog, Lacey on a great walk to this place near my house, that is a beautiful lake surrounded by a pretty cool path.

I took her this morning for about an hour and then upon my return home, began mulching and weeding. I had so much fun mulching and weeding. Seriously, I am not kidding. Just sitting in the sun in the great weather, it was a blast. Getting my hands all dirty in the organic compost was liberating. I loved it.
Lacey loved it too, she got to be outside all day!

So mulching and weeding took all day, and I have the sunburn to prove it. For dinner I had a great Greek Salad that had lettuce, feta cheese, onion, tomato and a nice light Greek dressing. Dinner was accompanied by a fabulous Prickly Pear Margarita. You must reward yourself after a hard day doing yard work, right?

The Prickly Pear Margarita is so simple to make because my mom found this fabulous mix from Sur La Table, called Prickly Pear & Raspberry Margarita Mix. It is all natural and no preservatives. I usually do not like pre-mixed juices, but it was really good.

All you needed was some Silver Patron Tequila...

Mix it up, serve it over ice, garnish with a lime and PICTURE PERFECT (and taste perfection)

Night on the Town

2010-05-22T20:24:00.001-07:00

So tonight, I went out to dinner with my fab parents to Molinari's Restaurant in Mentor, Ohio (www.molinaris.com).

First up, I needed a drink. You know, long week, something that just really works. I ordered the Cleveland Cosmopolitan.

The Cleveland Cosmopolitan included Belvedere Cytrus, Grand Marnier, cranberry & lime juices served with an orange slice.

The cocktail was pretty tasty, I must say. As you can see, no orange slice, but a cherry resting at the bottom of my glass. The appetizer they served us, MultiGrain Crackers with White Bean Dip, was quite tasty. The texture of the bean dip was smooth and creamy but still had the crunch of the white beans. Very tasty.

So a few great appetizers and salads later, we decided to get an after dinner drink. We decided to stop at Cheesecake Factory for an after dinner cocktail. Okay, I know you are thinking, Cheesecake Factory just for a cocktail!? I may be called crazy, but one of my all time favorite drinks is at the Cheesecake Factory...the Strawberry Martini.

Divine. The drink is made with Fresh Strawberries, Pearl Vodka and they are Handcrafted Per Order. It is served with a strawberry, which I cut up into four pieces, drop it my drink, and let the cocktail marinate into the fruit. Serves as the perfect finish to the perfect cocktail!

My Guilty Obsession

2010-05-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

Chocolate. I love it...I yearn for it...apparently I think I need it. No, I know I need it (hehe). I came across these great raw natural food bars, LARABAR. I love this product because each and every product has only 2 to 8 ingredients. LARABAR has a flavored bar, Cocoa Mole, that is amazing. The ingredients include dates, almonds, walnuts, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinammon and chili. The flavor combination and my desire for chocolate, make this one satisfying bar. The plus side...it is good for me! You seriously CAN'T beat that!

How do you Start your Day?

2010-05-18T13:59:00.001-07:00

Breakfast!! That is my answer. I have been on an oatmeal kick for awhile now, but was craving a change of pace, so I had one of Amy's Organic Apple Tarts.
Amazing I tell you! And the best part....it kept me very satisfied,that I even ate lunch later than usual. It was a great breakfast that gave me energy and left me satisfied. This option sure beats a Pop Tart!

Cascadian Farm Giveaway!

2010-05-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

Great news...I came across a great giveaway from the blogger, Iowa Girl Eats.

You have 3 chances to win a package from Cascadian Farm, by Monday, 5/17 @ 5pm central (contest open to US residents only).

Hurry up and check out her great giveaway at iowagirleats.com!

Broccoli with a Little Kick

2010-05-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

I really do love broccoli, but it is always nice to kick up the veggie a little bit, isn't it?!

So tonight for dinner, I added a little something extra to make the broccoli really taste great.

I steam my broccoli because I love the texture it turns the vegetable into.

Broccoli with Balsamic Vinagrette and Parmesan

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 tbs. of olive oil
1 tbs. of balsamic vinagrette
1 tbs. of parmesan cheese grated
salt
pepper

Directions:

Steam broccoli for about 10 minutes. Once ready, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinagrette, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk together until a consistent form. Drizzle over the top of the broccoli. Then, sprinkle the broccoli with the parmesan cheese and a final dash of pepper.

Food Should Taste Good..right?!

2010-05-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

I had the best Saturday! My boyfriend and I have decided that learning golf is something we really want to do. So, we scheduled a golf lesson today that was only supposed to be one hour and turned into 2 1/2 hours!! After that, we played 9 holes.
Let me tell you, after one golf lesson, I already feel like a pro! (hehe)

Obviously golfing can leave you hungry so I brought some snacks for us to munch on during our long day of golf. One of our snacks included, Food Should Taste Good, Sweet Potato Chips. Omg, they are so tasty! The man piece loved them too. They are actually tortilla chips made with sweet potato. They were super crispy and satisfying. I highly recommend!

I hate canned soup...but YUM!

2010-04-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I really do not like canned soup at all. But, I have to say Amy's Organic Soup is super good. It is packed with flavor and all natural. No preservatives, no added "stuff", just natural. I had the tuscan bean and rice soup last night for dinner sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It was really good. I have also tried the tomato bisque which is very tasty also.

So this soup in the can...I recommend!

Sick Day..Little Help from a Smoothie

2010-04-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

Yep, I have been sick the past two days. I have a bad cold/flu thing going on accompanied with a fever :( So plenty of rest and fluids happening for this girl. I am pretty sure I will be ready to get back to work tomorrow! Especially after a nice smoothie I made myself. It was great.

Strawberry Banana Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
4 strawberries
Handful of blueberries
1 cup Stonyfield Organic French Vanilla Yogurt
1/3 cup organic milk
1 tbs. of honey

Directions:

Slice up the bananas and strawberries. Get out your blender. Add the bananas, strawberries and blueberries into the blender. Then add the yogurt, milk and honey. Blend until smooth. Really smooth and delicious. Put in the fridge for about an hour if you want it nice and cold, or you can add a few ice cubes during the blending process to make it cold.

I feel like a kid again!

2010-04-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today for lunch I was craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so I made it happen. But, I made it happen in a healthy way! I got some organic all natural peanut butter and all natural organic mixed berry jelly and put it on a whole grain naan. What is a naan you ask? Naan's are super tasty. Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flat bread. I purchased the Whole Foods 365 brand Naan and am pretty pleased with the product.
I of course had to have a nice glass of organic milk with my sandwich! Satisfied my inner child.

Stonyfield Organic Yogurt

2010-04-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

I love Stonyfield Organic Yogurt. I am making it a point to try each flavor and each different fat content: fat free, low fat, whole milk, etc.

This yogurt is great because it is oh...Organic! But honestly, it has a really great natural taste and your essential probiotics.

I really love all the flavors, but the plain yogurt has the lowest sugar content. To make it just a little more tasty, I add some homemade granola to kick it up a little bit. I could not imagine not eating yogurt, and Stonyfield Organic Yogurt does it for me!

Oatmeal...Best Breakfast Ever

2010-04-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

My newest addiction...oatmeal. I love it. It keeps me full and satisfied all morning and can taste great if you dress it up the right way. So this morning, my oatmeal consisted of this. And I must say, it was super tasty.

Oatmeal with Banana and Pecans

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of old fashioned oats
2 tbs. of flax seeds
1/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup of water
1 tsp. of vanilla
1 tsp. of honey
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 banana sliced
2 tbs. of pecans

I found a great way to prepare oatmeal overnight at a the blog site, katheats.com. She lets the oatmeal absorb the liquids overnight and I must say I am loving it!

Directions:

Add the oatmeal, flax seeds, milk, water, honey, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl and mix. Stick in the refrigerator and let it sit over night, covered. In the morning stir the mixture and add the sliced banana and top with pecans.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Feta

2010-04-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

So last night for dinner I made a great pasta dish. I brought the leftovers for lunch today. It was really great. Actually, for lunch I did not heat it up and decided to go for a cold pasta dish and it was fabulous, especially on a hot day like today...80 degrees here in Ohio! Wahoo! So, to this dish you could add some shrimp if you wanted some protein. Shrimp would be a really great addition.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Feta
Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 box Barilla Whole Grain Pasta
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 small yellow onions chopped
1 container of all natural pureed tomatoes
1 tbs. of honey
1 tbs. of Italian seasoning
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
4 tbs. of feta cheese
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the whole wheat pasta and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Strain once the pasta is fully cooked. Meanwhile, chop the onion and garlic and add into a saute pan drizzled with olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Slowly add the all natural tomatoes and reduce the heat to low-medium. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the honey, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Let cook an additional 5 minutes. Before you serve, sprinkle with some fresh parsley and feta cheese.

This dish is really good and I love the honey that I put in it because it adds a sweet taste to the tomatoes and binds together nicely. The feta melts easily on this dish and really adds a nice flavor to it!

Theo Chocolate...Organic Chocolate Yum!

2010-04-14T11:37:00.001-07:00

I have a proclaimed love affair with Whole Foods..it is true. I have a sweet tooth that must be satisfied, and when I found this chocolate bar, the gates of heaven opened. I introduce you to the Theo Chocolate Bar, Cherry & Almond Dark Chocolate.

Dark Chocolate with Cherries and Almonds that has rich 70% dark chocolate combined organic cherries and crunchy roasted almonds. So good. Plus it is Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free and Vegan. Delish.

Now, Theo Chocolate is the only organic, fair trade, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the United States. Pretty cool.
Check out their website, www.theochocolate.com for all of their other delicious products.

PS..I am not getting paid to promote Theo Chocolate, I really just think their product and what the company stands for is great!

Atlantic Salmon Burgers

2010-04-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

So, I got these great frozen Atlantic Salmon Burgers from Whole Foods. I usually am not much of a salmon fan, but I have to tell you these salmon burgers are really great.
So, for dinner last night I made an Atlantic Salmon Burger with a side of roasted asparagus.

Atlantic Salmon Burgers
Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 package of frozen Atlantic Salmon Burgers (use 1 patty)
1 small yellow onion sliced
A few sprigs of lettuce (I use the Earthbound Organic Fresh Herb Salad)
1 mini whole wheat pita
1 tbs. of all natural tartar sauce

Directions:

Heat a small skillet on medium to high heat and add about a tbs. of olive oil. Place frozen patty in the skillet and let it cook for about 5 minutes on each side. The patty should have a golden brown finish. Cut your whole wheat pita, add layers of lettuce, onion and the tartar sauce and place the patty in the pita. Divine! If you use the Earthbound Organic Fresh Herb Salad, it has dill, cilantro and parsley added so the flavors are incredible!

How to Stay Fit...Even When You Have a Desk Job

2010-04-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

I have a desk job. A lot of people I know have a desk job. So how can one possibly stay fit when they sit in the same spot for 8 hours, Monday through Friday? Good question.

1. Get up from your desk at least every hour to stretch, walk around the office, run up and down the stairs.
2. Instead of picking up the phone to call an associate, walk over to their office and chat!
3. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the day. Staying hydrated is great, but getting up to refill your water bottle gets you moving.
4. At lunch, take a nice walk. Bring your gym shoes and slide them under your desk, so you can easily slip them on and go.
5. Make it a priority in the morning to get up early and take a nice 30 minute brisk walk before you head into work.
6. Take a nice walk after work to relieve some stress, but to also get that butt moving!
7. Eat well balanced meals...ideally a nice breakfast, mid-morning snack, a healthy lunch, a mid-afternoon snack...and then a nice light dinner.
8. This may be a little interesting, but keep little dumb bells under your desk at work. If you are on a phone call, pick one of them up and do a few sets of arm lifts.
9. Make sure you are stretching out those arms, legs, back and hands. Being immobile for awhile can cause tense muscles, so give them some circulation.

TGIF!! Now Here is a great Stirfry Recipe

2010-04-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

Sooo happy it is the weekend. So a few days ago here in Ohio it was 83 degrees! Today...36 degrees, oh and snow on the ground! Can you believe it?! I am ready for spring to stick around. I have this recipe for some really great Asian Stir Fry. I eat it for dinner or lunch, it works great as a lunch to take into work, put in the microwave for a few minutes and walah...you have some great stir fry that everyone wishes they had :)
Now I make this recipe with frozen vegetables. I love frozen vegetables because they stay fresh longer and they have just as much nutrients as fresh vegetables and are super easy to heat up. But, if your heart desires, you can use fresh vegetables instead!

Asian Stir Fry
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen asparagus
1/2 cup frozen red and yellow peppers
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 small yellow onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 cup brown rice
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup sweet and sour sauce

First bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the 1 cup of brown rice. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for about 40 minutes covered.
In a saute pan, add about a tbs. of olive oil and bring the pan to a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic. Let saute for a few minutes. Add the frozen broccoli, asparagus, red & yellow peppers, and spinach. Let the vegetables defrost for about 10-15 minutes. If you decide to use fresh vegetables, give them about 10 minutes.
Add in the rice once it is completely cooked. Stir. Add in the sauce mixture and let cook for another 7-10 minutes. Ready to serve! Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper as you like.

I love this dish...I especially love when the spinach is soaked up with the rice and the sauce, it is super tasty. Enjoy and Happy Friday!

'Tis the Time of Year for...Awesome Lettuce!

2010-04-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I had been on a pita kick the past two days and as I had mentioned before, I was going to make a pita with baba ghanoush (did you know there are several different ways to spell this delicacy? How interesting!)
So I did make my pita with baba ghanoush which was super yummy. I loaded it with Earthbound Farm Organic Fresh Herb Salad...okay...this lettuce mix is SO good. I mean dynamite, bursting with flavor. The Fresh Herb Salad is Mixed Baby Greens with parsley, dill and cilantro! So many great tastes hitting your taste buds when you take a bite, and it is organic. You can make a great salad out of the Fresh Herb Salad, but I made an awesome pita sandwich. So here is what my sandwich consisted of...

Baba Ghanoush Pita

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat pita
1 cup of Earthbound Farm Organic Fresh Herb Salad (I went crazy with greens!)
1/2 vine tomato sliced
1/3 red onion sliced
1 laughing cow wedge
2 tablespoons of Baba Ghanoush
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Cut the pita in half. Spread laughing cow cheese on the pita. Spread the baba ghanoush. Add the lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion and sprinkle on that salt pepper. Super fresh and satisfying.

PS...Can't wait to make a salad tonight with the Fresh Herb Salad :)

Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad

2010-04-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the weather has been super nice the past few days here in Ohio, although...a cold front is coming through on Friday...shocker? I think NOT! So in spite of the frequent weather changes...I wanted to post this great recipe for a Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad. Great for a wonderful spring day...or winter day...whatever works for you. The recipe was adapted from Prevention.com. I get email newsletter updates from them and had to share this recipe. Check out the website, they have some great fitness tips too!

Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad
Adapted from Prevention.com (with Marketing Girl love added)

4 cups baby spinach
2 tbsp crumbled fresh goat cheese (about 1 oz)
1 cup red grapes, sliced in half (or you can use strawberries or mandarin oranges, whatever floats your boat!)
2 tbsp sliced almonds (or pecans) I love pecans, so pecans it is.
1/3 of a red onion sliced finely
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the spinach, cheese, grapes (or strawberries and mandarin oranges), red onion and almonds in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Season with some salt and pepper. This will make about two servings. Bon Appetit!

Whole Wheat Pitas...Where It's At

2010-04-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for my lunch today! I love Whole Wheat Pitas. They are perfect for any kind of sandwich you want to make. I like pita because it is thinner than bread, so not as filling, but still fills you up just enough.
Today I have some lettuce, tomato, red onion, Laughing Cow cheese, salt and pepper, and leftover Lamb from Easter on my pita! Yummy...
Tomorrow I am thinking about making a Baba Ghanoush pita.

For Dessert, my favorite yogurt (as of right now) Stonyfield Organic Yogurt. The flavor is incredible, I mean you can literally taste the "naturalness" to it :)

Granola Making Weekend

2010-04-05T06:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend was so lovely. It is very hard to get back into the groove of the work week after a beautiful weekend.
I went hiking with my mom both Saturday and Sunday and we went on some pretty awesome trails. There are some great parks around us and we explored a few that had some great hills and paths through the woods. We took our small pooches who LOVED it and got some sun too :)
I found this great recipe from Real Simple Magazine for an Easy Toss-and Bake Granola recipe. I LOVE Real Simple magazine... I have to tell you. When I was at the grocery store this weekend, I leaped for joy when I saw that the new issue was out. Their website is also great with organizing, cleaning, health and recipe tips..plus lots more!
This recipe is fabulous and I have been sprinkling it on top of my oatmeal, yogurt or just to have as a little snack too. I also tweaked the recipe a little bit to my liking :)

Easy Toss-and Bake Granola
Adapted from Real Simple Magazine

Makes 6 cups
Hands on Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup unsalted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) or shelled sunflower seeds... I used sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I added about 3/4 cup because I like my granola when it sticks together and clumps and has the chewy texture, I also added 1/4 cup of organic buckwheat honey, it added a bold rich flavor that is divine!)
2 tablespoons canola oil (I added 1/4 cup canola oil because I found my oats were not binding together well, and a little extra oil helped)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dried fruit (such as cherries, cranberries, raisins or currants) I used raisins, because they are my favorite!

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the oats, almonds, coconut, and pepitas with the maple syrup, oil, and salt.
2. Bake, tossing once, until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Add the dried fruit and toss to combine. Let cool.

Tip:
The granola will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks.

Love this granola and I have enough to last me for a few weeks, yesss!

PS...My hyacinth plant is in full bloom, and another stem is already blooming too! Beautiful I tell ya :)

Plants can Always Brighten up your Office

2010-04-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

I decided to bring a plant into work... word on the street is that having a plant on your desk brightens your spirits and mood...especially in women! I brought in a Hyacinth plant, which are so gorgeous. Yesterday morning when I brought it in, the petals were all closed. I watered it a little bit yesterday, put it by my window at work and literally...overnight...the petals have already opened! I am so excited about it, it is quite sad! Hyacinth has such a beautiful sweet scent, so once it is in full bloom my office at work is going to smell FABULOUS!

PS..I know this has nothing to do with food, but I love anything that is beautiful and can brighten up the day :)

Water

2010-03-31T08:38:00.001-07:00

Water. I LOVE water. The daily recommendation is 8, 8 ounce glasses a day. I definitely drink more than that. I have a cute stainless steel water bottle I got from Target that I love and carry it with me everyday. So when the weather is nice out, like today, I grab it and take my little dog on a hike :)

Clif Bar, Great Snack that Keeps you Energized

2010-03-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

One thing that I have really been trying to do is find a healthy snack in between breakfast and lunch that leaves me satisfied so I do not SCARF down my Lunch!
I have tried many bars, and I have to say I absolutely LOVE CLIF BAR. They are made with organic oats and soybeans and the bar really leaves me feeling satisfied and I tend to eat a lighter lunch. There are some great bar selections to, from Peanut Toffee Buzz, Chocolate Chip, Crunchy Peanut Butter and many more! Yummy...so good!