Clever Cook

Thai Lime Coconut Chicken (or vegetables)

2012-01-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (see below for vegetarian substitution)
1 TBSP olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp curry powder
1 14 oz can light or regular coconut milk
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime (use a 1/4 lime zest and hand squeeze half a lime, otherwise it's too limey)
1/4 cup green onion, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, garlic, and onion and cook chicken until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring for 1 minute, until it is fragrant. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and zest, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir in the green onions and cilantro. Serve over rice.

For vegetarian/vegan, replace the chicken with the following:
10 baby golden yukon potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
12 baby carrots, sliced

adapted from this recipe

Rice Salad with Cannellini Beans & Olives

2012-01-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine rice

2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 – 15 oz can, rinsed and drained, black olives, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons capers

1/2 cup garlic stuffed green olives, roughly chopped

1 – 15 oz can, rinsed and drained Cannellini beans

a large bunch of green onions, sliced

a large bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved (optional)

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Place chicken stalk and rice in rice cooker and cook until done (about 35 minutes).

2. Add black olives, capers, pimento stuffed olives, Cannellini beans, spring onions, parsley, grape tomatoes, to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve warm, or room temperature.

adapted from this recipe

Goat Cheese Zucchini Rolls

2011-07-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 oz goat cheese w/herbs (chevre w/ herbs)

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced, lengthwise

10-20 small basil leaves

10-20 baby spinach leaves

1 tsp oil

salt & pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix cheese, lemon juice and Italian parsley. Set aside. Slice zucchini lengthwise. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 minutes on each side. Place teaspoon size amount of cheese at the top of the zucchini, place 1-2 leaves of basil and 1/2 leaves of spinach on the cheese and roll.

video found here

Empty the Fridge Pasta Salad (vegan)

2011-07-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

I've been working crazy hours at work so I haven't been able to cook as much as I like. The produce I purchased 4th of July weekend really needed to be used, so, inspired by my friend Becki's pasta salad, I made this:

(sorry for the ghetto picture, this is 2nd day pasta salad I had for lunch at work today)

Really, you could use any vegetables you have on hand - the most important veggies are the onions and garlic since they give the most flavor.

Ingredients:

1/2 package of twirly brown rice pasta

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove chopped garlic

1 pkg asparagus

1/2 package crimini mushrooms

1 small onion diced

3 zucchinis

1 cube vegetable bullion

Dressing:

1/4 tsp seasoning (lemon pepper, Spike, or TJ's Everyday Seasoning)

1/2 tsp rice vinegar (or more to taste)

1 tsp olive oil (or more to taste)

Boil rice pasta for 7 minutes, drain and set aside in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, garlic, and asparagus to frying pan, saute for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add remaining vegetables and bullion to pan and saute until onions are translucent and vegetables are tender (about 3 minutes). Stir vegetables and seasoning into pasta. Add 1/4 tsp rice vinegar and 1/2 tsp olive oil to bowl and stir. Taste pasta and add remaining olive oil and vinegar (or more) if needed.

Pad Thai

2011-05-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

pad Thai rice noodles (about 4 cups cooked)

1 cup tofu (or meat of your choice)

1 zucchini, sliced

1 cup Thai peanut sauce (or more to taste)

3 green onions, chopped (optional)

handful of cilantro (optional)

Cook noodles according to "fried noodles" package directions. Put noodles, tofu, zucchini, and peanut sauce in wok or large frying pan and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until tofu and zucchini are slightly brown and noodles are tender. Top with green onions and cilantro.

Serves 4

Thai Peanut Sauce with Honey

2011-05-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

(please pardon the poor quality photo, I liked this so much I started putting everything in containers for lunch

before I remembered to take a photo.) Original recipe can be found here

Ingredients

1/4 cup honey or agave nectar

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter (optional)

3 tablespoons soy sauce, Bragg's, or coconut aminos

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Stir together the honey, peanut butters, soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Serve with pad Thai noodles, spring rolls, or rice.

Thai Green Curry with Potatoes and Zucchini

2011-05-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini

1 medium potato

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

2 to 3 TBSP green curry paste

2 large chicken breasts, cubed (can be replaced with 2 cups tofu or 2 additional potatoes)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

2 TBSP low sodium soy sauce (or 1 TBSP regular soy sauce)

1 TBSP coconut sugar or brown sugar

a handful of fresh Asian or Italian basil leaves (optional)

Directions:

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces and set aside. Cut potato into 1 inch pieces. In medium saucepan, bring 1/2 can of coconut milk to boil over medium high heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry paste and cook 2 to 3 minutes until it is dissolved in the coconut milk. Add the chicken and potatoes and cook 2 minutes more, tossing to coat it with the sauce.

Add the remaining coconut milk, the chicken broth, zucchini, soy sauce, and palm sugar. Reduce heat to medium, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is cooked, and potatoes and zucchini are tender, but firm. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil leaves.

Serve over brown rice.

Serves 4 to 6.

New Recipes

2011-05-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

I found out that I'm allergic to basically every type of food at the end of March. Since then, several tiny temper tantrums, cooking disasters, and pleasant surprises have ensued.

I never really had an opinion on marketing, other than knowing that it works on me. Based on my searches on Amazon, I got an email from them 2 weeks ago recommending "Babycakes Covers the Classics." I LOVE marketing! I never thought I'd find a cookbook that gave me gluten free, vegan, sugar free options for baking. Once I started looking at that cookbook, I realized I can have most Asian foods, so I bought the Babycakes cookbook, a vegan Asian fusion cookbook, and a Thai cookbook (I told you marketing works on me). My goal is to post one new recipe that I try each week.

Most of my recipes from here on out are going to be gluten free, sugar free, and "kind-of" vegan. My allergies require me to be: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, beef free, and sugar cane free. I can have coconut sugar, palm sugar, beet sugar, corn sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, and honey...basically any other sweetener under the sun, unless it came from the sugar cane plant, which means no: sugar, evaporated cane juice, vegan sugar, etc. I can also have chicken, turkey, and seafood. I don't have any plans to cut those out, but any of my recipes can be easily converted into a vegan recipe.

Coconut Milk - Milk Chocolate Pudding

2011-03-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

As you can tell by my posts of late, I have been obsessed with making a pudding that doesn't make me miss the sugar or the dairy. I think this recipe is the winner. It's really easy and it tastes like milk chocolate pudding. I can't wait to go home for a visit and make it for my sister!

(adapted from Couldn't Be Parve)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 cup water
2 cups Thai coconut milk
2 ounces* good quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in the water, continuing to whisk until smooth. Set aside. Place the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes back to a simmer and thickens. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla.

Strain pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a serving bowl or into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour into individual serving dishes. Cover pudding with plastic wrap. If you do not want pudding skin make sure the plastic is completely touching the surface of the pudding. To make pudding skin, simply pull plastic wrap over the top of the serving dish before refrigerating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. (I skipped this entire paragraph and ate the pudding warm - it was delicious!)

*If you want dark chocolate pudding, use 4 oz of chocolate

Makes 7, 1/2 cup portions

Chocolate Pudding (Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Egg Free, Soy Free)

2011-03-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups rice milk (reserve 1/4 cup rice milk for later)

1/2 cup unsweetened baking chocolate chips (I think it's about 3 oz unsweetened chocolate)

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup agave nectar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

Fresh raspberries, optional

Directions:

1. Combine 2 1/2 cups rice milk, chocolate, agave and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk well, heating until the chocolate chips are completely melted and combined with the rice milk. Keep just below a boil, to "scald" rice milk. Remove from heat.

2. In a bowl, combine cornstarch and salt. Whisk well.

3. Add remaining 1/4 cup rice milk to cornstarch mixture, stirring until smooth.

4. Add to rice milk/chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk. Continue whisking until pudding thickens to the consistency that it coats the back of a metal spoon.

5. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.

6. Divide evenly among 4 ramekins or custard cups. Chill. Serve as is or topped with fresh raspberries.

Serves 4 - generously.

Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

2011-03-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

I made yellow cupcakes from scratch yesterday using the Smitten Kitchen recipe. They tasted like yellow cake, but had the consistency of cornbread, so I wasn't the biggest fan. However, the frosting I made to go with it turned out great!

Ingredients:

2 cubes unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

3 and a half cups powdered sugar (16 oz)

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp almond milk

Beat butter in mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend until smooth. Heat chocolate in microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between, until fully melted. Add chocolate to frosting and blend until smooth.

I use this recipe without the chocolate as my standard butter-cream frosting recipe.

Dark Chocolate Fudge Pie

2011-03-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

Crust:

choose your favorite gluten free crust. I used the following, but it didn't turn out that great:

1 1/2 cups hazelnut meal*

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp coconut palm sugar

Filling:

3 ripe avocados

12 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup coconut palm sugar

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup almond milk*

Crust:

Mix hazelnut meal with oil and press into pie plate. Bake at 375 for 8 min.

Filling:

Blend avocados, lemon juice, vanilla, and milk in food processor or powerful blender. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or on very low heat and slowly stir coconut sugar into chocolate. Add agave to chocolate and stir. Once everything is incorporated, put chocolate in food processor/blender and blend until smooth. Place mixture in pie plate and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

This is a very rich dessert, so I would recommend serving it with fresh strawberries or raspberries.

Serves 8-12

*Easily substitutable with similar ingredients

Notes:

I plan on tweaking this to try and make it more like milk chocolate, because I'm not a huge fan of dark chocolate.

I never was able to get the coconut sugar to dissolve, my chocolate ended up being a lump of chocolate in the double boiler, but when I blended it with the avocado, everything became smooth.

This was super thick, so near the end of mixing, I ended up taking everything out of the blender and mixing it by hand.

Chocolate Cinnamon Meringue Pie

2011-03-09T15:49:00.001-08:00

I started with this recipe and added my own little flair to it:

Crust:

One 9-inch pie crust, store-bought or homemade, unbaked (fitted in a pie plate)

Filling:

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated whole milk

3 eggs yolks

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Meringue

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 egg whites

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pie crust in plate on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes (or follow directions on store-bought package). Cool completely; set aside.

Put a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Gradually whisk in evaporated milk. Whisk in egg yolks.

Place pan over medium heat; whisking constantly, cook until the first large bubble forms, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; whisking constantly, cook 1 minute.

Immediately pour mixture through prepared sieve into bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour warm filling into baked crust; cover surface directly with plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue on top of filling, right up to edge of crust; bake until meringue is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

If you are preparing for the next day, let the pie cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.

Serves 8

Lettuce Wraps

2011-03-07T21:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Sriracha)

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp dry ground ginger)

1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

2 garlic cloves, minced

Dash of sea salt

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 can water chestnuts, drained & diced

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into chunks (or 1 pkg tofu)

Cooking spray

8 Boston lettuce leaves (butter lettuce)

Toppings:

1 cup fresh mint leaves (optional)

1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges (optional)

Chopped cashews or peanuts (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Reserve 2 tablespoons oil mixture. Place remaining oil mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken breast halves; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. I was so hungry when I made this that I just tossed the chicken in the marinade and cooked it immediately. Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade (if any is leftover).

Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; grill 12 minutes or until chicken is done. Add water chestnuts to pan. Stir until warm. Divide chicken evenly among lettuce leaves; top each lettuce leaf with green onions, sprouts, cashews or peanuts, and about 1 teaspoon reserved oil mixture as desired. Serve with lime wedges.

New Ideas

2011-03-07T21:02:00.001-08:00

So, part of my quest in 2011 is to search for things that make me happy. One thing that makes me really happy is cooking. Not just normal cooking (I love that), but to try new things. My sister just found out she's allergic to the following: dairy, wheat (gluten), sugar cane, and eggs. Have you ever tried making a meal or a dessert that doesn't involve those items? It's very difficult. For the next little while, I'll be coming up with ideas and recipes that pass the dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free challenge and my goal is to post something new once a week. Wish me luck!

Cake Decorating

2011-02-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

Spice Cake w/ vanilla bean custard filling and Italian Butter-Cream Frosting

My talented friend Christy is a pastry chef. Last night for a church activity, she taught us how to decorate cakes. I made and decorated the cake, she made the frosting and the filling. I am still a little surprised at how well it turned out!

Arroz Verde (Peruvian Cilantro Rice)

2011-02-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

2 poblano peppers, stems, seeds, and membranes removed, coarsely chopped (sometimes sold under the name pasilla peppers)
1 serrano pepper, stems, seeds, and membranes removed, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves (about 1/2 bunch)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons Earth Balance (butter substitute)
1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice (not converted or instant)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 medium lime, halved

INSTRUCTIONS

Place peppers, scallions, parsley, cilantro, and salt in a blender. Add water and process until smooth.
Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in a 4-quart saucepan with a tight fitting lid. When the butter starts to foam, add rice, stirring well to coat each grain. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is fragrant and slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
Add blended ingredients to the pan and mix well. Simmer for 1 minute, then stir in vegetable broth.
Return mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until liquid is completely absorbed and rice is tender, about 14 minutes.
Remove from heat and let rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and squeeze lime juice over rice. Stir well.

I'm not sure where I came across this recipe. Originally it had chicken broth, butter, and white rice...Since I didn't have any of those items in my kitchen when I made it I had to make a few substitutions. If you make it with white rice, only use 2 cups of broth, not 3.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Egg Free

Vegetarian/Vegan Cassoulet (french stew)

2011-01-14T15:12:00.000-08:00

Our January 2011 Challenge comes from Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and Lisa from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. They have challenged the Daring Cooks to learn how to make a confit and use it within the traditional French dish of Cassoulet. They have chosen a traditional recipe from Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman.

I however used the Vegetarian version of this (it's SO much cheaper!)

I made this last night. It was easy and it tasted good. I would definitely make it again. - my alterations are in bold.

Vegetarian/Vegan Cassoulet

Vegetarian Cassoulet by Gourmet Magazine, March 2008

Ingredients:

3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)

4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-wide (25 mm) pieces

3 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch-wide (25 mm) pieces

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

4 thyme sprigs

2 parsley sprigs

1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon (2/3 ml) (1 gm) ground cloves

3 (19-oz/540 gm) cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 qt (4 cups/960 ml) water (next time I would use vegetable broth)

Optional: (I would definitely leave this out and eat the soup with French bread)

4 cups (960 ml) (300 gm) coarse fresh bread crumbs from a baguette

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

1 tablespoon (15 ml) (12 gm) chopped garlic

1/4 cup (60 ml) (80 gm) chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Halve leeks lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch (13 mm) pieces, then wash well (I submerged the cut pieces in the salad spinner bowl because there were clumps of dirt in the leeks) and pat dry.

2. Cook leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herb sprigs, bay leaf, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon (2½ mm) each of salt and pepper in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in beans, then water, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.

3. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Mash some of beans in pot with a potato masher or back of a spoon to thicken broth.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, sprinkle with garlic crumbs (or serve with French Bread).

Optional:

5. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 with rack in middle.

6. Toss bread crumbs with oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon (1¼ ml) each of salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated.

7. Spread in a baking pan and toast in oven, stirring once halfway through, until crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

8. Cool crumbs in pan, then return to bowl and stir in parsley.

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie (2)

2011-01-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

For a creamier version of the Healthy Breakfast Smoothie try this one:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Almond Milk

5 medium Strawberries

1/2 medium Bananas

1/2 Zucchini

1 tbsp Ground Flax Seed

5 pieces Frozen Mango Chunks

1 cup (large handful) Baby Spinach

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Cut banana and zucchini into chunks and place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 shake

Calories 229

Calories from Fat 59.0

Total Fat 6.56g

Sodium 136.78mg

Total Carbohydrate 40.51g

Dietary Fiber 10.49g

Sugars 24.35g

Protein 6.27g

Cake Plops

2010-11-29T12:50:00.001-08:00

I am posting pictures, because they turned out so terrible. Mind you, they still tasted fantastic, but I want everyone to know that sometimes I cook/bake and it just doesn't turn out right (ask my old roommates about my Red Thai Curry phase - that is the one thing I've never been able to get right).

My sisters and I found the idea for wedding cake pops at Bakerella

They were supposed to look like this:

But they ended up like this:

Hahahaha

Apple Pie (with crumb top)

2010-11-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust

Filling:

3 Granny Smith apples

2 Gala Apples

2 Tbsp Flour

3/4 c Sugar

1/4 c Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1 1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon

pinch of Salt

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Topping:

1 cup Unbleached Flour

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)

Filling: Peel and core the apples and cut them into somewhat thin slices. Then pour the lemon juice over them. In a bowl mix flour, sugars, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Then pour over apples and mix with hands until all apples are thoroughly coated. Pour the apple filling into the pie crust.

Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and flour. Mix in butter with a fork or stand mixer just until the topping is crumbly. Place topping on filling, cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil (shiny side out) and bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes.

Amish White (or wheat) Bread

2010-11-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

This is an adaptation of a recipe from allrecipes.com. I don't like kneading dough, so I use my Bosch and have included the instructions for using a mixer (Kitchen-aid works too). You can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/4 cup white sugar (or honey)

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cups bread flour (or whole wheat flour)

1/2 tablespoon butter (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar (or honey) in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. If using honey, the yeast will not foam up as much as it does with sugar.

2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Add 4 cups of flour to the mixer (using a dough hook) and mix for 2 minutes on speed 2. Then continue adding remaining 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time until mixture forms a ball on the hook and cleans the side of bowl (about 2 more minutes.) Then, beat continue beating on speed 2 for another 2 minutes.

3. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

4. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

6. For an extra delicious top, spread butter over the crust while it is still hot.

7. Once the bread is cooled, I highly recommend using an electric knife to slice the bread. I just invested in one ($10 at Ross) and it has made all the difference! No more mangled bread slices.

Yield: 2 loaves (24 slices)

Dough immediately after being place in pans (above). Dough after 30 minutes of rising (below).

I wish I had a picture of the baked bread, but I'm always too anxious to eat it and slice away before I can take a picture. Last night I made the Honey Whole Wheat version of this recipe and it was amazing!

Amish White bread:

Calories: 142 per slice

Fat: 2.6 g

Sodium 186.52mg

Total Carbohydrate 24.29 g

Dietary Fiber 0.21g

Sugars 2g

Protein: 4.29g

Amish Honey-Wheat Bread:

Amount per Serving

Calories 134

Total Fat 3.1g

Sodium 187.4mg

Total Carbohydrate 26.95g

Dietary Fiber 3.21g

Sugars 5.33g

Protein 4.29g

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie (1)

2010-10-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

I started thinking the other day, that I haven't been getting enough vegetables in my diet, but there is only so much I can buy without wasting it. I decided to try adding the vegetables I love for dinner, to my breakfast and see how I like it. Most of this recipe came from my mom, but I had some flax in my cupboard and decided to use it. The roasted flax seed overpowers the spinach and adds a nice nutty flavor, so it tastes like a fruit and nut smoothie, rather than a spinach smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 can Dole 100% Pineapple Juice (6 oz)

5 medium Strawberries

1/2 medium Bananas

1/2 Zucchini

1 tbsp Golden Roasted Flax Seed (whole seeds)

5 pieces Frozen Mango Chunks (Trader Joe's)

2 or 3 handfuls of baby spinach (I think that's about a cup of spinach)

Directions:

Cut banana and zucchini into chunks and place everything except spinach in a blender and blend until smooth. Then add spinach and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Calories: 269

Dietary Fiber: 6.15g

Protein: 4.75g

Raspberry Trifle

2010-08-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

I have a love for berries and cream cheese. When you combine the two, I'm in heaven.When I found this recipe, I knew it would be magic. I made a few adjustments, which made it even better. Fresh berries make every recipe better.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup white sugar

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup white sugar

1 (16 ounce) family size package prepared pound cake

2 (8 ounce) packages fresh raspberries

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

In a medium bowl, beat cream with 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, cream together cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar. Fold 2 cups of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Reserve remaining whipped cream.

Slice pound cake into 18 - 1/2 inch slices. Line the bottom of a 3 quart glass bowl or trifle bowl with one-third of the cake slices. Spread one-fourth of the cream cheese mixture over cake. Sift one-fourth of the cocoa over that. Sprinkle with one-third of the raspberries. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture, whipped cream and sifted cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

Vegetarian Pizza

2010-08-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

I have a seriously obsession with Round Table's Gourmet Veggie Pizza. It is truly amazing. I decided to try my own variation and was quite please with how it turned out.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 cup sliced zucchini

1/2 cup raw spinach

1/2 can artichoke hearts (chopped)

1/4 sliced yellow onion

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes

1 Trader Joe's 100% whole wheat pizza dough

1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 (or temperature listed on pizza dough package). Roll out pizza dough according to instructions on package. Mix olive oil and garlic together and apply with a pastry brush across the dough. Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese on the dough. Arrange toppings on dough. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on the dough. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes until done.

*For the vegan/dairy free out there, you may be able to omit the cheese in this recipe. The vegetables alone are very tasty on the bread.

Peach-Plum Jam (Frozen)

2010-08-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped fresh peaches (2 large peaches)

2 cups chopped fresh plums (about 9 plums)

Ball® freezer jam fruit pectin

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Peel and chop fruit. I like my jam more liquefied than chunky, so I pulsed the chopped fruit in my magic bullet. Combine lemon juice and fruit in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then add Pectin, sugar, and cinnamon to the fruit. Stir for 3 minutes. Place jam in jars and allow to set for 30 minutes. Refrigerate or Freeze. Refrigerated jam can be stored for 3 weeks. Frozen jam can be stored for 1 year.

Plum Jam (cooked)

2010-08-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
5 cups of plums, chopped and pitted
2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 packet powdered fruit pectin
1 cup honey (depends on the sweetness of the plums. Increase/decrease as per taste. I used honey instead of sugar to try something new, but you can use sugar)
1/2 cup water

Mix the plums, pectin and lemon juice in a large pot and cook on medium heat. The plums will start liquefying slowly. While slightly mushy, add 1/2 cup water, stir well and cook until it comes to a boil. Remove the foam that forms on the top (mine didn't actually have very much foam, so I just let it be). Add the honey or sugar, mix and cook for another 10-15 minutes until it all starts coming together as one thick syrup consistency.

The Canning Process (if you've never canned before, this is a great place for a tutorial):

Alternatively with soapy water, clean the jam can well, along with the lid. Lightly dry it and then drop them in a big pot of water. Bring them to a boil. Make sure your jars are submerged well.

Lift them carefully and lightly dry them with paper towels. They should be hot so that the bottle does not break when you pour the boiled jam inside. Slowly pour the jam into the jar and leave a 1/2-1/8 inch space between the jam and the top of the jar.

Close the lid tightly and invert the bottle to help the Jam set for about 5 minutes.

Now slowly place the jars, straightup, inside the hot boiling water and leave it for another 5-8 minutes. This is necessary to kill the bacteria in the jam. If you live in higher altitudes, then leave the jars in for about 10min. Keep in mind, too much boiling can make the jam runny.

Remove and refrigerate the jars once completely cooled.

Serve on toast or with toasted Trader Joe's ciabatta bread and Brie cheese. Yum!

Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-07-13T15:43:00.001-07:00

For the 4th of July I made some amazing cupcakes with some delicious frosting. This is the recipe I used:

Cupcakes:

1 box Betty Crocker triple chocolate fudge cake mix

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

Add dry pudding mix to dry cake mix. Prepare cake mix as instructed on the box.

Frosting:

1 stick of butter

8 oz cream cheese

16 oz powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Blend butter, cream cheese, and vanilla on medium speed in Bosch or Kitchenaid mixer for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 of the powdered sugar and mix for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl and add remaining powdered sugar, beat for 2 minutes. The frosting was not as stiff as I usually like, but I didn't want to open up a new box of powdered sugar - and everyone loved the frosting, so I posted as I made it :)

Spinach Pasta Salad

2010-07-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on a friend-of-a-friend's blog. I ended up making a few adjustments because I forgot to buy everything.

Salad:

1 small package of fresh spinach

1 – 8 oz package of bowtie pasta – cooked, drained and cooled

2-4 TBLS sesame seeds

½ cup sliced toasted almonds

3 chicken breasts – seasoned heavily with lemon pepper seasoning, grilled and cut into bit sizes. (I used the rotisserie chicken from Albertsons and then seasoned with lemon pepper)

1 cup bean sprouts (I forgot to buy these and the salad was great without them)

Mix all ingredients and toss with the dressing just before serving it.

Dressing:

½ cup oil

½ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sesame seeds

3 TBLS soy sauce

2 TBLS rice vinegar

½ tsp sesame seed oil

1 tsp grated fresh garlic (about 2 cloves)

1 tsp grated ginger (I used 1/4 tsp ground ginger)

Blend in blender or Magic Bullet. Let dressing warm to room temperature before tossing into salad.

This salad could very easily be made into a vegan or vegetarian dish by not including the chicken!

Blueberry Muffins (from scratch)

2010-05-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning I had a craving for blueberry muffins. I had previously purchased a ton of blueberries and didn't know what to do with them, so I froze them. Next time I think I'll double the recipe. The cinnamon topping on this was so delicious. I may even substitute the blueberries for a different type of fruit.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Yield: 9 muffins

Vampire Weekend part 2

2010-04-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

I love this band (as you know from previous posts). Last night I had the opportunity to go to their concert in Pomona. They are incredible live. I had such a great time.

More Awkward photos

2010-04-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

Awkward photos are just so much more fun!

Going for the title of the World's Worst Aunt

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

I went to Disneyland with my sister and her family. Here is the evidence to prove it:

My sister sent me this last night and I laughed until I cried.

(I promise I didn't tie her hands down and she really did want to go on the carousel.)

Vampire weekend

2010-04-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

I love this song and I love the music video even more, the concept, the execution, the entire thing is pure genius!

"'Giving Up the Gun' just means turning your back on aggression and selfishness," Koenig explains of the song's concept. "The heroine of the video isn't an amazing tennis player, but she has heart. She stays calm despite the unfairness of it all."

Full Article Here

Grounded

2010-03-25T08:23:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was grounded - No phone. No car.

My sister is in town for Spring break and I let her take my car to San Diego yesterday to visit her friends. She took me to work and I arranged for a ride to pick me up. Slight problem: I left my phone at work and had problems communicating with the 3 different people I had made plans with...and I was panicky because I was afraid my sister would get lost on her way home and not be able to call me to help her. Normally, I wouldn't care if I left my phone (sometimes it's actually nice), but yesterday I felt like I was in high school and grounded from the world.

One friend came over and helped me hang pictures...which lead to cleaning, organizing, and finishing my room.

Maybe I should ground myself more often.

Memories of Judy

2010-03-04T10:44:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was my grandma Judy's funeral. She joined our family a few years ago after my other grandma Helene passed away. Judy was so much fun. She was loving, warm, happy, and funny. She always made you feel like a million bucks when you were around her. She radiated light and

My mom spoke at the funeral and shared this quote by George Eliot (who, by the way, was a woman) :

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.

I agree with mom, those words describe Judy perfectly.

You're Perfect Except for the Issues on this Itemized List

2010-02-18T14:27:00.000-08:00

found here

Truly Madly Deeply

2010-02-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

I found this through a friend's blog today and decided it needed to be reposted.

Happy Valentine's Day (weekend)

That's Sew Stitchin'

2010-02-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

My mom is amazing when it comes to handmade items. She's always been an amazing seamstress. She has made many dresses for her daughters - and now granddaughters. She's been crocheting for us for quite some time and we finally talked her into selling her adorable beanies. Prices range from $12-$18. Visit her site www.thatssewstitchin.blogspot.com to customize and place your order.

Yellow Girls Hat $12

Tweeded Teal and Brown Girls Hat $15

Tweeded Pink and Brown Women's Hat $18

Cream with Teal and Brown Flower Women's $15

Cream with Blue and Cream Flower Girls $12

Black with White Flower $15

Avatar

2010-02-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

Maybe I went to see Avatar in IMAX 3D tonight at Irvine Spectrum.

Maybe we got there a little too late and ended up in the front row.

Maybe I left halfway through the movie because I felt like I was going to vomit.

Maybe I was dizzy the rest of the night.

Definitely the first half of that movie was really boring. Definitely.

Trader Joe's Apple Sausage Pasta Salad

2010-01-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

4 chicken-apple sausage links, broiled and sliced (trader joe's)

1 bag mushroom tortellini (trader joe's)

1 bag wheat rotini Pasta (trader joe's)

1 can sliced black olives

1 jar (small) sun dried tomatoes

1 jar artichoke hearts

1 pack of feta cheese

balsamic vinegar dressing to taste (start with 1 tsp)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Stir in sausage, olives, tomatoes, artichoke hearts. Add Balsamic vinegar, until desired taste. Stir in Feta. Refrigerate until cool (4-6 hours). Can be made 24 in advance.

I like this

2009-12-17T13:02:00.001-08:00

“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”

—M. Scott Peck
(1936-2005); Psychiatrist, Author

Merry Christmas to ME!

2009-12-16T22:16:00.000-08:00

My fantastic roommate EE got me this for Christmas:

Maybe I squealed just a little as I opened it up. I've been eyeing this for quite some time, but couldn't justify purchasing another cake platter. Now I just have to decide which cake I want to make...

Pretzel Caramel Kisses

2009-12-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 bag pretzels snaps or tiny pretzels

1 pkg. M&Ms

1 pkg. Hershey Caramel Kisses** (unwrapped)

Directions:

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet. Place pretzels on sheet. Place a Kiss on each pretzel and bake at 170 degrees for about 5 minutes (Kisses will look shiny, but won't lose their shape). Remove from oven and promptly place an M&M on each pretzel, pressing into the melted chocolate. Allow to cool before serving. At room temperature, this takes SEVERAL hours. I would recommend making these the day before you plan on eating/delivering. Or you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

**you can use regular Kisses or Hugs. For Hug or Kisses preheat oven to 200 degrees and cook for 8 minutes.

Note: If you cook the caramel kisses at a higher temperature, they tend to crack and the caramel will end up everywhere.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2009-12-16T13:40:00.001-08:00

I made this tasty soup for our R.S. Christmas program and for Diner's Club. Second time around was even better! The cayenne pepper really does make a difference. It gave it the little kick I like.

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 cans black beans (15 oz each), drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Salt to taste

Optional Garnishes

Baked pumpkin seeds

Cheese

Sour Cream

Parsley

Crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat the oil until shiny, then turn to medium low. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, kosher salt, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cayenne and stir often until the onion has softened. About 3 to 4 minutes.

2. In a food processor puree the beans, tomatoes, and 2 cups of broth. Add the puree, pumpkin and remaining broth to the pot.

3. Simmer uncovered until thick, stirring often while scraping the bottom, about 30 minutes or until desired thickness. Salt to taste and garnish as desired.

Adapted from Home Made Simple and Noble Pig. Picture by Laura Flowers.

Amara Bliss Yoga Retreat

2009-12-04T12:02:00.001-08:00

A few of my friends have put together this amazing retreat:

I would love to do this in the morning:

Sleep here:

and walk along here

You can go to http://www.amarablissyoga.com/ for more details.

I love Presents

2009-12-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

So, if you are ever stumped as to what you can get me for a present, best bet is something for the kitchen. Lately I've been obsessed with serving dishes.

Confession time: about 7 years ago (maybe more) I bought one of these:

Well, at least it was similar in design. I was also gifted one. I have not used either of them because I was waiting until I had my "own" kitchen/house to entertain with. Sometimes the thought processes I have make me laugh. I think the original one I purchased is probably outdated by now. New goal: use the entertaining items I have. That's what they are for!

Also a special thanks to Mrs. Barttels (and Mr. Barttels) for carting this around with them in Mexico to bring it back for me!

And how excited was I, when the gave me this little beauty for helping set up at their wedding? (very)

Sharon's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2009-12-03T23:57:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Mayonnaise (be sure not to use light or fat free)
1 14oz can artichoke hearts, chopped and drained
1 8-10oz bag frozen spinach, 1 bag fresh spinach, or 1 bunch fresh spinach washed and chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
In a medium to large frying pan, sauté garlic with butter for a few minutes. Add chopped spinach and sautée for about 5-10 minutes while it reduces in size.
In a separate bowl mix together Parmesan, mayonnaise and chopped artichoke hearts. Add spinach and mix well. Spread into a glass baking pan 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min. Once baked, keep it warm by putting it into a crock pot on warm. Serve with cut up pieces of baguette or tortilla chips.

Ashley's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-03T23:56:00.001-08:00

1 cup of butter (2 sticks)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups of flower

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

cream together sugars, eggs, vanilla, and butter then add flower, salt baking soda mixture mix together well and add chips. i like to use 3 different kind of chips and i usually add a little more milk chocolate just cause i'm selfish and they're my favorite. bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes and enjoy

Kristin's Cake Mix Cookies

2009-12-03T23:53:00.000-08:00

1 cake mix

2/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

Mix together. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes

Heather's Cake Box Cookies

2009-12-03T23:52:00.000-08:00

1 pkg cake mix

1 4oz pkg jello pudding (vanilla or chocolate depending on the cake mix)

2 eggs

1/2 c vegetable oil

1/4 c water

optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips with a chocolate cake mix

Mix together in bowl. Place dough on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 11 min.

Coconut Fruit Dip

2009-12-03T23:47:00.001-08:00

**update** they now sell the cream of coconut in a squeeze bottle, so I use about 1/2 a bottle for the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can cream of coconut (you find this in the drink mix isle, usually next to the margarita mix)

1 large pkg instant vanilla pudding (use it dry)

1 8 oz pkg cool whip (small size)

Using beaters, mix the cream of coconut and the pudding together. Let it sit in the refrigerator for about 30 min. Then add the cool whip. It can be a little grainy for a while, so it's best to make this the day before you plan to use it. I have made it up to 48 hours in advance and it's fantastic.

Italian Breaded Chicken

2009-12-03T23:42:00.001-08:00

This is one of my favorites. It's relatively easy and VERY impressive.

Ingredients:

1/2 c Italian bread crumbs

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. almond finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry Thyme slightly crushed

1/4 tsp seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

1/2 c. butter

1 clove garlic crushed well

4 chicken breast halves

Instructions:

Combine dry ingredients in a pie tin. Melt butter and garlic in a bowl. Dip chicken into butter and then the crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 45 min. Baste with butter from the cookie sheet every 10 min. You may need to melt more butter and add it to the chicken for basting.

Amy's Apple Pie

2009-12-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

8 cups sliced tart apples

3 Tbsp butter

Topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Place apples in a large bowl. In medium bowl combine all other ingredients. Coat apples with mixture. Place in 9 inch pie crust. Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in bowl. Use pastry cutter to blend butter into the mixture. Crumble the topping over the apples. Bake at 425 for 40 to 50 minute. You may want to place tin foil around the edges of the crust to keep them from burning.

Yield 1 - 9 inch pie

Texas Sheet Cake

2009-12-03T23:34:00.000-08:00

Combine in bow:

2 c. flour

2. c. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Boil:

2 sticks butter

3 tbsp cocoa

1 c water

Pour boiled mixture into dry ingredients and mix.

Add the following to the mixture:

1 cup buttermilk OR (1 cup milk plus 1 tsp lemon juice mixed together)

1 t soda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Bake at 400 for 20 min

Frosting:

Boil:

1 stick butter

3 Tbsp cocoa

6 Tbsp milk

add to

4.5 cup pwdr sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms

2009-12-03T23:33:00.001-08:00

6 chicken breast halves

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1 3/4 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 cup. sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth

1 can evaporated milk

5 tsp. cornstarch

minced fresh parsley

1. Mix salt pepper and paprika and rub into chicken

2. alternate layers of chicken, bouillon granules, mushroooms, and green onions.

pour wine slowly over top. DO NOT STIR.

3. cover and cook on high for 2.5 to 3 hrs or on low for 5 to 6 hours.

4. Remove Chicken and vegetables.

5. In a small sauce pan, stir evaporated milk and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Stirring over medium heat breing to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened.

7 Spoon some of the sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley. Serve remaining sauce separately. Serve with steamed rice.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2009-12-03T23:31:00.000-08:00

3 1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 c brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking soda

4 t milk

2 tsp vanilla

1 c butter

2 eggs

1 cup Peanut Butter

combine wet ingredients, then add flour and salt mixture gradually. Shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 10 min-12 min.

When done place kiss or hug in center and press down.

Jackie's Sugar Cookies

2009-12-03T23:30:00.000-08:00

1/2 c. shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp crm of tartar

cream together shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Bake at 400 5-7 min

Ilene's Brownies

2009-12-03T23:25:00.000-08:00

1 tsp baking powder

2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1 c butter melted

4 eggs mixed

4 sq chocolate melted

2 tsp vanilla

1 c nuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together. Add butter, chocolate, and vanilla. Mix on low for 30 seconds. Then add eggs.

Bake at 350 for 25 min

Frosting:

1/4 c butter

2 c powdered sugar

2 t milk

1/2 t vanilla or mint extract

Dark chocolate top:

2 sq choc

2 tbsp butter

Spread frosting on cooled brownies. Pour dark chocolate top over frosting and spread evenly.

Jillian's Lemon Bars

2009-12-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

Crust:

1 cup Butter softened

½ cup Powdered Sugar

2 cups Flour

Blend together in mixer, press into greased pan, bake for 15-20 minutes on 350°. Let cool for about 30 minutes.

Filling:

4 Eggs

2 cups Sugar

6 tablespoons Lemon Juice

¼ cup Flour

Mix, pour on cooled crust, bake for 30 minutes on 350°. Refrigerate for 8 hours. They actually taste best if they have been refrigerated for 24 hours.

Tequila Lime Chicken Enchiladas (Crockpot)

2009-12-03T23:20:00.000-08:00

1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chilies (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

2 cups grated cheese

1 pkg flour tortillas

2 15oz cans enchilada sauce

Mix first 8 ingredients in bowl. Add chicken; turn to coat. Place chicken and sauce in crockpot set to high. Cook 4 hours. (you can also cook on low for 8 hours or place chicken in 9x13 pan and cook @ 375 for 45 min.) Shred chicken. Pour enough enchilada sauce in 9x13 pan to coat the bottom. Pour enchilada sause in shallow dish or plate and coat tortillas in enchilada sauce. Put chicken and cheese in tortilla. roll tortilla and place in pan. Once the pan is full, pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 35 min.

Great Grandma Savage's Rice Pudding

2009-12-03T23:18:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

4 C. Water

1 tsp. salt

1 C. rice

1 C. raisins

4 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

2/3 C sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. nutmeg

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add rice and salt. Let simmer for 25 minutes without a lid. Simmer for 5 minutes with a lid. Add raisins. Mix the eggs, milk, and sugar. Stir this mixture and the vanilla and nutmeg into the rice. Bring to a boil and then simmer.

Cinnamon Rolls

2009-12-03T23:06:00.000-08:00

Make dough according to Fast Rising Rolls recipe, except. When it comes time to roll out the dough, roll into a rectangle. Usually, I make a batch of rolls with half the dough and a batch of cinnamon rolls. The rest of this recipe is using half the dough from the fast rising rolls recipe.

Filling:

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix cinnamon and sugar in small bowl. Spread melted butter onto dough. Sprinkle mixture onto dough. Roll up the dough. Cut into 12 pieces (I use dental floss to cut the dough, knives tear the dough and make my cinnamon rolls ugly.) Place rolls into a 9x13 pan. Let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

The best rolls ever - Fast Rising Rolls

2009-12-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

My mom makes these on Sundays. They are my favorite:

Dissolve together in small bowl:

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Mix in large bowl:

6 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 Tbsp salt

For a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, then pour the following into the well:

2 cups warm water

the yeast mixture

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

Mix until moist (dough will be sticky). Let rise 1 hour. Divide in half. Roll into circle approx. 12 inches wide. Cut into 12 sections. Roll each into crescent shape. Place on parchment paper covered baking sheet. Preheat oven to 375. Allow to rise 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes.

You can also make fantastic cinnamon rolls with this dough!

Good Ole Standbys

2009-12-03T22:58:00.001-08:00

I have quite a few recipes that I haven't blogged because, well, I have them written in my recipe box and I just haven't felt the need. My sister is putting together a recipe book of all our family recipes. I believe she'll be selling the books at cost, which is about $10. The recipes I post on this blog will be included. Let me know if you would like a recipe book.

Still my Favorite Christmas Song

2009-12-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

The first time I heard this song, I was a sophomore in college. I listened to it on repeat, probably 20 times. It's still my favorite Christmas song ever. EVER. Listen to the words (or read them, since this little video put them on there for you).

Christmas Party Dress Conundrum

2009-12-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

I spent 3 hours shopping for a dress for my work Christmas party and after hours of discouragement, this is what I've come up with:

more funny pictures

Guess what I found?

2009-12-02T15:41:00.001-08:00

You can make your own Venn Graphs here: http://cheezburger.com/builder.aspx?bt=graphjam&vs=4

You have no idea how happy this makes me!

Numbers

2009-12-01T14:16:00.001-08:00

3: the number of times a bird has pooped on me in my lifetime.

6: cars I have "owned" in my life

10: countries I have visited

4: times I have been in love

9: jobs I have held

15: years I have been earning wages

32: roommates I have had

8: boyfriends

7: times I've been a bridesmaid

A bird pooped on me today and I started thinking, how many people can say that has happened to them 3 times?

Dating

2009-12-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love to talk about dating? My friend put together a survey for one of his classes. Please take it and help him get an A in his class:

https://byu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6DmMw5UwPPYvwVK&SVID=Prod

Appeal of Twilight in relation to age

2009-11-20T14:38:00.000-08:00

Apparently, they didn't input the 20-something Mormon "women" on this graph. They also think, "ZOMGZ!1! best thing EVER!" or maybe they're just Twi-mom's in training? I will not be seeing this movie until it comes out at Redbox, just like the last one.

I think I fit nicely into this graph's 21-30 section. The end.

see more Funny Graphs

Fresh Cranberry Apple Tarts

2009-11-16T09:42:00.000-08:00

2 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box. (or use 2 frozen pie shells)

4 small granny smith apples

1 cup cranberries

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 dash nutmeg

1/2 tsp lemon juice*

Preheat oven to 400. Thaw pie crusts at room temperature 20 to 30 min. Roll out pie crust and cut into 4 inch circles. I used a 4 inch round cookie cutter. Press the dough in a cupcake pan.

Core and peel apples, cut into cubes. Place cranberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, sugar, salt, and flour in saucepan and bring to boil on high, stirring constantly. Turn heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Add apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place filling in the pie crusts. Cut remaining pie crusts into small strips and make a lattice top. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes.

If you wanted to make this into a pie, use 6 small granny smith apples instead of 4 and bake for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken

2009-11-14T16:09:00.000-08:00

4 Chicken Breasts

1 can campbell's Healthy Request (98% fat free) cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

8 oz pkg light cream cheese (neufchatel cheese)

1 packet (dry) Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix*

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms (optional)**

Place ingredients into crock pot and cook on low 6-7 hours. High 3-4 hours. Serve with brown rice or egg noodles and a vegetable.

*DO NOT use fat free. Fat Free isn't supposed to be cooked.

**Crimini mushrooms are heartier than white mushrooms, they remind me of a cross between portabello and white mushrooms.

Reminiscing

2009-11-12T00:29:00.001-08:00

Do you ever read through your old journals and think, "I'm such a dork!"?

This weekend I...

2009-11-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

Stayed Here:

Rode one of these:

Ate Here:

Bought some of this:

Did this (against my will...) :

Lit fireworks on the beach:

Got wet while doing this:

and drank a lot of this:

Thank you Rosarito Beach, Mexico

I...I Didn't Know

2009-10-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite comics. I showed it to a friend a while ago and it a fantastic converging of events, it was used on me today as I was venting to her and realized I'm an idiot. I just wish there was an emoticon for that last image. It's so perfect. Since there isn't one, I've decided that this :-| equals idiot.

Do you think that works?

Love Happens

2009-09-21T11:24:00.001-07:00

I can think of a bunch of titles that would describe this movie better:

Life Happens

Therapy Happens

Rain Happens

Seattle Happens

I should have gone to kids-in-mind.com before I saw this boring, sappy show. I was hoping for a cookie-cutter romantic comedy. What I got was a boring self-help book that was no help at all.

Until it erupts in tears, “Love Happens” dawdles along uncertainly as though debating exactly how to season its morose story with enough attempted witticisms to keep the audience from dozing off. Directed by Brandon Camp, from a screenplay he wrote with Mike Thompson, the movie stars Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston as a widowed self-help guru and the conveniently single Seattle woman who prods him into releasing his pent-up anguish. -New York Times

I want my $10 back.

This is how my morning went

2009-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

This morning I decided that I had time to make myself breakfast. I went downstairs to make my fruit shake and found this:

My first thought, did one of my roommates turn into a chocolate craving mutant? A little monster ate my M&M's, my baker's chocolate, my vanilla pudding, and because he had only had sweets, he moseyed his way over to the kitchen table and had some pretzels.

One bar of chocolate wasn't enough, so he kindly left the other bar by the trash can:

I checked, he ate every single M&M:

Based on my neighbor's post: I'm pretty sure it was one of these:

The scary part is that when I came down this morning, all the doors were locked. I checked with my roommates and one said she was having a hard time sleeping, so she laid downstairs and opened up the doors in the middle of the night, but before she went back upstairs she closed them. I checked around the house to see if I could see this little guy, and didn't find anything. So I hope he left...

Things that have helped me and my family

2009-09-10T00:47:00.000-07:00

One of my final classes I took before I graduated was intro to Child Life Specialist. We spent 1/4 of the class discussing grief. Our teacher brought up the same ideas presented in the grief workbook. Remember, nothing you say will make the person feel better. The person who is grieving is forgiving of what you do say (for the most part) if it doesn't make sense. Mostly, people just want acknowledgement.

Do's:

Do call and say, "I'm coming to watch your children on Saturday between 6pm and 9pm. Will that work?" - even though people offer to babysit, you feel guilty asking someone to take their weekend night and watch your children so you can have a date with your husband, even though that's what you need the very most.
Do call and say, "I'm available today. Can I come clean your kitchen/help with laundry/weed your garden?"
Do continue calling, even if you don't get an answer, eventually the person grieving will call you back.
Do stop by, but take the person's lead. Ask if they feel like visiting and pay attention to their energy level. Give the person an out. If you've been there for 15 minutes or more, say, "I don't want to intrude, but if you'd like me to stay, I'm happy to visit with you."...or something along those lines.

Don'ts:

Don't tell stories of your friend of a friend who went through the same thing. As soon as you start telling YOUR story, you are no longer helping the person who needs it. You've made the situation about YOU.
Don't say, I know how you feel. No one knows how the person is feeling, except that person. Even though I have 3 sisters who also lost their dad, I don't know how they are feeling because we are all processing it differently. Everyone has a different life experience and with that comes a difference in ability to deal with grief.
Don't say:
Sorry, I've been so busy, I meant to call.
I'm only doing this because your dad died.
I never took you as a person who would use the "My dad died excuse" to get out of hanging out with people.
Don't try to find a silver lining. There isn't one and any attempts to find one just anger the person who is grieving.
Do not try to satisfy your curiosity. If someone died from a heart attack, a car accident, or a gunshot wound, bottom line, they are still dead. If your friend/loved one isn't offering up the details to you, there is a reason and trying to pry the details from them is an invasion of their privacy. This is a hard one, because when you hear shocking news, you want to ask, "Who? What? When? Where? Why?" Pause before you start asking these questions and think, "Is what I want to know helpful to the person grieving?"

I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye

2009-09-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

I've been hesitant to post anything personal about my struggle with my dad's death because I didn't want my thoughts to come out in journal format. With that, here goes:

My therapist recommended a couple of books: Jesus Wept by Joyce and Dennis Ashton, But if Not Vol. 2 by Joyce and Dennis Ashton, and that I get a grief workbook. I went on Amazon and purchased all three. The grief workbook I chose was, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye by Brook Noel. The aforementioned therapist recommended that I read this books and do the workbook only on Sundays. Why Sunday? Because I had mentioned how much I hate Sunday. Sunday is the worst day of the week for me. It's the day when my mind is quiet, when I go to church and feel the spirit, and when I try to sing the hymns and end up crying my eyes out. The idea is that since I'll already be crying, I might as well try working through some of the grief.

I've been asked by a few good friends what are the most helpful things someone can do when they see their friends/loved ones going through something terrible. The workbook has a section called:

"A Guide for Those Helping Others with Grief"

(photocopy and give to close friends and loved ones)

Don't try to find the magic words or formula to eliminate the pain. Nothing can erase or minimize the painful tragedy your friend or loved one is facing. Your primary role at this time is simply to "be there." Don't worry about what to say or do, just be a presence that the person can lean on when needed.

Don't try to minimize or make the person feel better. When we care about someone, we hate to see them in pain. Often we'll say things like, "I know how you feel," or "perhaps, it was for the best," in order to minimize their hurt. While this can work in some instances, it never works with grief.

Help with responsibilities. Even though a life has stopped, life doesn't.One of the best ways to help is to run errands, prepare food, take care of the kids, do laundry, and help with the simplest of maintenance.

Don't expect the person to reach out to you. Many people say, "call me if there is anything I can do." At this stage, the person who is grieving will be overwhelmed at the simple thought of picking up a phone. If you are close to this person, simply stop over, and being to help. People need this but don't think to ask. There are many people who will be with you during the good times-but few that are there in life's darkest hour.

Talk through decisions. While working through the grief process, many bereaved people report difficulty with decision making. Be a sounding board for your friend or loved one and help them think through decisions.

Don't be afraid to say the name of the deceased. Those who have lost someone usually speak of them often, and believe it or not, need to hear the deceased's name and stories. In fact, many grievers welcome this.

Remember that time does not heal all wounds. Your friend or loved one will change because of what has happened. Everyone grieves differently. Some will be "fine" and then experience their true grief a year later, others grieve immediately. There are no timetables, no rules - be patient.

Remind the bereaved to take care of themselves. Eating, resting, and self-care are all difficult tasks when besieged by the taxing emotions of grief. You can help by keeping the house stocked with healthy foods that are already prepared or easy to prepare. Help with the laundry. Take over some errands so the bereaved can rest. However, do not push the bereaved to do things they many not be ready for. Many grievers say, "I wish they would just follow my lead." While it may be upsetting to see the bereaved withdrawing from people and activities - it is normal. They will rejoin as soon as they are ready.

Avoid judging. Don't tell the person how to react or handle their emotions or situation. Simple let him/her know that you support their decisions and will help in any way possible.
Share a meal. Since meal times can be especially lonely, invite the bereaved over regularly to share a meal, or take a meal to their home. Consider inviting the bereaved out on important dates like the one-month anniversary of the death, the deceased's birthday, etc.

Make a list of everything that needs to be done with the bereaved. This could include everything from bill paying to plant watering. Prioritize these by importance. Help the bereaved complete as many tasks as possible. If there are many responsibilities, find one or more additional friends to support you.

Make a personal commitment to help the one grieving get through this. After a death, many friendships change or disintegrate. People don't know how to relate to the one who is grieving, or they get tired of being around someone who is sad. Vow to see your friend or loved one through this, to be their anchor in their darkest hour.

Under the Bridge

2009-09-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was driving to work at the song Under the Bridge by RHCP came on.

Flashback to my 6th graduation dance: I had my hair curled and "looked like a porcelin doll." Thank you Mrs. Gonzales for that description. I didn't want to look like a porcelin doll, I wanted to look like a babe (looking "HOT" hadn't been invented yet.)

Then Under the Bridge came on and I remember thinking, "How in the world do teachers know that this song is cool?"

Do you ever have random thoughts like that? Ideas where you just think, that's so absurd, but I've been carrying that thought around forever.

I'll bet my teachers were no more than 25 at the time. Of course, they would have liked Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's not like they were 60, but in my 6th grade mind they may as well have been.

Enjoy:

Wanna see something sick?

2009-08-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

Friday morning I woke up with a spider in my shirt. Sick but true. I killed it, but it bit me. Probably part of it's dying revenge.

Monday morning I woke up with a bite (the spider's girlfriend came after me I'm sure of it.)

I circled the outer edge of a bug bite last night before I went to be to see if it got bigger when I slept (in case I needed to go to the Dr). The black circle is about the size of a silver dollar. I called the Dr at 9am as soon as they opened up.

Diagnosis: Not poisonous, but I'm allergic to the venom.

Treatment: Antihistamine and hydrocortisone cream...If it doesn't look better in a couple days, or starts looking gangrenous, antibiotics. Fun.

While I was at the Dr, I was also on the phone with the pest control company. No more ants and no more spiders!!!

Pageant of the Masters

2009-07-13T14:08:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to attend the Pageant of the Masters this weekend. I wish I would have brought / rented binoculars, but it was still a great event and I want to go again. Pageant of the Masters does live portrayals of famous painting, sculptures, or posters. The one I enjoyed the most was this:

Joan of Arc by Anna Hyatt Huntington

When I was 19, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and saw this piece:

Joan of Arc Jules Bastien-Lepage

I love the angels in the background and the determination in her face. I will never forget how powerful this painting was to me. Last night, I had a similar reaction to the portrayal of the statue. I saw the same determination in her stance and it gave me chills. I love experiences like that.

Expensive Mouth

2009-07-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have the worst teeth in the world. Literally. When I was 18 months, I had my first root canal. At age 4, my second. I can reasonably estimate that I have had 10 root canals total in my life (I currently have 8 crowns). When I moved to California, I didn't have a dentist so I looked one up. They were not my favorite. I felt like I was going to a used car dealership. Every time I went in they tried to sell me something. They even did some procedures that weren't necessary or covered. I went to a new guy today and he was fantastic. I loved his office. It's a small staff and they remember you, even if it's just a phone conversation. If you are looking for a good dentist go to Xerxez Calilung in Irvine.

Healthy Banana Oatmeal cookies (sugar-free)

2009-06-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup pecans (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil (substitute applesauce)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mash bananas in bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes. Place spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

(I cookie using applesauce is 52 calories)

My new favorite card

2009-06-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

( I hope it's a hopscotch day!)

This is probably one of my favorite cards I've ever received. I got home from work yesterday (it was a dodgeball day) and this just brightened everything up. Thank you Joanie for sending the perfect card.

Happy Birthday to ME

2009-06-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

I had a great birthday thanks to all those in the picture (and a few who couldn't make it to the party). We went to sushi at Tuna Town, my favorite place ever and then had some amazing pink lemonade cupcakes prepared by Lindsay. Thanks to Becki for the pineapple cake, Lindsey for the yummy pudding stuff, and Ashley for the blondies and everyone else for making it a fun day.

Nuts about Berries

2009-05-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup romaine lettuce

1 small handful blueberries

1 small handful raspberries

4 strawberries (sliced)

1 small handful blackberries

poppy seed salad dressing (optional)

6 cinnamon sugar almonds crushed

If you visit the street fair in Huntington Beach on Tuesdays, you can pick up a snack pack of cinnamon-sugared almonds for $3.

Maximizing Human Potential

2009-05-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

Last week I was in Utah for a class (I've almost completed my degree). I'll go through more of the class on this blog later, but part of it was learning to play and remembering the importance of play. A few of the days we had to draw ourselves at play, our families, etc. I'd like to say my drawing improved from preschool to now, but it hasn't. I think the only difference between this picture and the one I drew for class is that I can actually write my own name now.

While cleaning out the basement and going through my K-6 box, my sister sent me the following today:

"I'm glad you grew out of your ugly phase before I was born." - Alyx

Cover songs that amuse me

2009-05-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

All of these songs crack me up.

There is just something funny about hearing a rap songs by rock/pop artists.

Peace

2009-04-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

This topic has been on my mind quite a bit lately. What exactly makes someone feel peace and how do you achieve it? and I don't mean in the gospel sense. Because that's an easy answer, pray, read your scriptures, ponder. Not that I don't think those things are important. They actually are key to getting peace. The kind I'm talking about is the kind that comes from resolving problems.

I love personality theories. Color Code: I'm a red. Love Language: Words of Affirmation. Keirsey Personality sorter: Mastermind (INTJ). I like all of these because it's a way to try and piece together how we all interact.

Here's where things get personal:

Over the last few weeks I've been thrown a few curve balls. Sometimes I've been the one throwing the ball and sometimes I've been the recipient of a fast one to the head. But always my goal is to get back to what I consider normal, a state of peace.

I had one of my friends say, well I'm a white, I need peace, I don't like it when there is contention. To that I would like to say, I'm a red, and I need peace. I also don't like it when there is contention. However, I like to talk things through. For some reason I had this idea that I was a poor communicator. As it turns out, I am not. If I feel contention in a relationship, I do my best to bring it up and work it out. Sometimes I don't approach it in the best way (i've been told several times that I'm too blunt and lack tact), but I still think it's important to communicate your thoughts and your feelings.

A good friend of mine brought up the point that even if you aren't communicating by words, you are by actions. I bring this up in the idea that as we enter into relationships, we guard all the things we are afraid that someone will see. We're just sure that as soon as they find out our insecurities, they'll leave. Guess what? It's easy to see someone's insecurities. Usually you can see them from a mile away. So why do we get all wrapped up in our stuff?

In the end I find peace in the following: Good friends, Family, Prayer, and the Temple. Support systems are a must and for me, it's important that I have a variety of them in my life.

Mushy Gushy

2009-04-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've just been thinking about how awesome my life is right now and I'm so excited about it. Here is why:

1. I have a super awesome family that doesn't give me crap for being single and doesn't think there is anything wrong with me because I'm single. Basically, they support me all the way around. I love them.

This is still one of my favorite pictures.

This one is good too

2. I live by the beach and have super awesome roommates and friends

3. I will finally have a degree by the end of August.

4. I have a job.

5. I get answers to prayers.

Happy Hour

2009-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Food = Good
Discounted Food = Better
Free Food (Date) = Best

But when the best isn't available, you might as well go for better:

This week Orange County has a few places that are having Happy Hour all day/all week.

Pasta Putanesca

2009-04-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

I came across this recipe the other day and realized it was also a vegan recipe, so I thought I'd try it out and see how it tasted. It's good and it had just the right amount of spice to it.

Group 1:

1/4 c. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. coarsely chopped garlic
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

GROUP 2:
1/2 c. chopped black olives (kalamata best)
1 tbsp. capers
Optional: Sliced artichoke hearts

GROUP 3:
1 c. chopped plum tomatoes
1/4 c. tomato puree (tomato paste)
*asparagus or any other vegetable you want

Saute group 1 in heavy skillet. Add group 2. Saute briefly. Add group 3. Cook 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook spaghetti. Toss cooked spaghetti and sauce in a serving bowl. Serve with grated cheese and chopped parsley.

The Best Chocolate Frosting Ever

2009-04-14T15:17:00.001-07:00

4 squares unsweetened bakers chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 16 oz pkg powdered sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1 pan ice water*

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat (warm setting if your stove has it). Combine everything else in a bowl. Set bowl in pan of ice water. Blend all ingredients and slowly add chocolate mixture to bowl. Beat until stiff (this takes between 5 and 10 minutes).

*I use a large cooking pot that my mixing bowl fits into perfectly.

Pasta Primavera

2009-03-31T12:59:00.000-07:00

whole wheat penne pasta
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 small can sliced olives
1/2 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup spinach leaves
7 stalks asparagus (chopped in 1-1/2 inch pieces)

Boil water for pasta. While water is boiling, combine all ingredients (except pasta) in frying pan and saute on medium until asparagus is tender. Once pasta is cooked, coat with sauce.

Pesto Sauce

2009-03-31T09:37:00.001-07:00

Pesto:

3 cups Basil (packed) -large basil leaves
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Place walnuts on cookie sheet and toast for 10 min. In food processor or blender add basil, walnuts, garlic, and salt. Slowly and evenly add olive oil until blended. Add Lemon juice and pulse to blend.

Normally pesto has plenty of cheese in it, but I didn't even miss the cheese with this tasty treat. I couldn't get enough of it last night...

Ducks

2009-03-19T14:17:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, sports has about as high of a priority for me as cleaning out the garage. I've been to professional basketball games and baseball games. They are entertaining, in that they pass the time but not something I can "get into".

However, last night I was thrilled to find out that there is a sport I can get into - Hockey! Kyle got tickets from work and we went to the game. So. Much. Fun. I loved every minute of it. There is something about watching players move that fast, smashing into each other, with a purpose (most of the time). I couldn't tear my eyes away from the rink, except to eat my nachos.

Maybe I didn't miss the sports gene after all, but I still don't understand why you would want to sit and watch a game on TV.

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

2009-03-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled*
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions (green onions), chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

Cook quinoa according to package directions.

Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 3-4. I ate it with corn chips at it was yummy!

* Leave out the butter if you want it to be vegan.

To Answer Lindsey's question: Quinoa is a grain that is similar to rice, except that it is a complete protein (one of the only grains out there that is). I bought it at Trader Joe's.

Rock Band at work!

2009-03-03T13:39:00.000-08:00

Can life get better? I submit that it cannot!