A Walk on the Simple Side

Crunchy Oven Tilapia

2012-02-11T09:33:00.001-06:00

This is probably my favorite recipe for tilapia. It's very easy to prepare and tastes better than fried fish in my opinion. Bobby and Luke love this recipe as well. It also looks really impressive although the picture below doesn't really do it justice. I was so ready to dive in to a piece of this fish that I didn't take the time to get a really good photo.

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh tilapia fillets
2 egg, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with olive oil or non-stick cooking spay.
Mix together flour seasoned salt, Old Bay Seasoning and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. One at a time dip the fish fillets in the flour mixture, then in then beaten eggs (allowing the egg to drip off), and then in the bread crumbs being careful to coat well with the bread crumbs.

Arrange fish on baking sheet and spray tops with olive oil. Cut butter into small cubes and evenly arrange on top of the fish.. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until fish is golden brown. Enjoy!

My morning contemplation

2012-02-01T07:50:00.000-06:00

I'm at a conference in New Orleans this week which is a nice break from the ordinary grind of being in the office. As is always the case at these events, I went to dinner last night with a small group of co-workers and friends. As is always the case at these dinners, everyone ordered drinks except me. We ate at an eclectic New Orleans style restaurant. Dinner was pleasant. As is always the case, after dinner I headed back to the hotel along with the older people who don't enjoy the New Orleans night life. The rest of our party headed to Bourbon street for a night of bar hopping that probably lasted well into the morning. As is always the case, I woke up feeling perky after a nice rest last night and I will show up on time to my conference this morning looking resplendent and well rested. My co-workers and friends on the other hand will crawl in late and look as if they were run over by a truck last night.

When I first started my job and was a bit younger I always felt like such a stick in the mud at these events and I always worried that my co-workers, friends, and clients thought that I was a stiff, holy roller who never had fun. I had no desire to participate in their "fun" but at the same time I felt so left out and different. I was contemplating on this matter this morning while I was getting ready for another day of the conference. I realized that I must have matured some since I first started this job because I realized that this situation doesn't bother me like it used to. Don't get me wrong, I still feel uncomfortable when I am in this type of situation, but I don't worry so much what others think of me. I know that all that matters is what God thinks of me and I hope that my lifestyle can be a witness to those who don't know Him. Please note that I am not looking down on anyone, but I feel that God has called me as a Christian to a different standard.

I realize that I may be a bump on a log sometimes, but I like this log that I'm sitting on and I am so thankful that God has given me a wonderful and supportive bump (Bobby) to sit next to.

Crispy Oven Onion Rings

2012-01-27T20:37:00.000-06:00

You have to make this recipe as soon as possible. Amen.

I love onion rings, but I hate the process of frying food... not to mention how unhealthy fried food it. My solution: a healthier, non-fried onion ring recipe. These delectable onion rings are baked instead of fried yet so crunchy and tasty that you will never miss the fried version.

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion

2 egg, beaten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with olive oil or non-stick cooking spay. Peel onion and slice into rings.

Mix together flour seasoned salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. One at a time dip onion rings in flour mixture, then in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs.

Arrange onion rings on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, turning after first 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Skillet Shrimp Scampi

2012-01-22T12:06:00.000-06:00

I like shrimp cooked many ways, but my very favorite has to be shrimp scampi (followed very closely by coconut shrimp). I mean let's be honest here, who doesn't love shrimp floating in a yummy butter garlic sauce? This is an easy recipe for shrimp scampi that is easy to make and has loads of flavor. Try it, you'll be glad you did.

Ingredients
1/2 sweet onion, minced very fine
3 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute 3 to 4 minutes until clear and tender. Add garlic and saute 1 additional minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, wine, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid has reduced just slightly. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and immediately place in oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and shrimp are white. Enjoy!

Note: if you don't have an oven safe skillet then just use what you have and transfer shrimp to an oven safe dish before placing in the oven.

Super Simple Sausage and Spinach Soup

2012-01-17T09:05:00.001-06:00

This is a great quick and healthy soup to serve on a cold winter day. The ingredients are so basic and it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The soup is packed with flavor yet it is really light and healthy. Top it with fresh grated parmesan cheese and serve with hot yeast rolls and it can't be beat. This is a must try recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb. lean turkey sausage

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion. finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

6 cups chicken broth

1 can great northern beans (or other white bean), rinsed and drained

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups chopped fresh spinach

Grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot. Add sausage and cook until browned, chopping into chunks with a spatula while cooking. Stir in onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are clear and tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, beans, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add chopped spinach, reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes until spinach is tender. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Ginger's Cheesy Roasted Veggies

2012-01-12T11:13:00.000-06:00

My sweet mother-in-law Ginger makes these terrific roasted veggies and she has our whole family hooked on them. The recipe is super quick and easy and the ingredients are things you typically have on hand, which to me equals a perfect recipe! Even the little ones will enjoy these veggies. Luke gobbles them up faster than I can cut them up and put them on his plate. He loves anything smothered in cheese. So do I.

Ingredients
2 16-oz bags frozen mixed veggies (the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot blend)
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried minced onions
1 1/2 cups grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Steam or boil veggies in a large pot for 6-10 minutes until firm-tender (not mushy). Place veggies in a large bowl and add all seasoning. Toss veggies until evenly coated with seasonings. Add 1 1/4 cups of parmesan cheese and toss with veggies. Spray a medium baking pan with olive oil. Spread veggies evenly in pan and top with mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Place in oven and bake 20-30 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned on top.

Where is Luke?

2012-01-12T10:57:00.001-06:00

I know it's been a while. I have no excuses.

Here a cute video of Luke's new favorite game. He closes himself in the cabinet and pops out now and then. He thinks it is great fun! Yes, that is an iron skillet he is sitting in... if only I could get him to organize my pots and pans while he is in there.

Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bread

2012-01-03T08:58:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had Publix Breakfast Bread? I have and I've been hooked since my first bite. It's a delicious, moist bread that's loaded with dry fruits and nuts. It's so delicious, but at around $4 a loaf (and the loaf isn't very big) it's way too expensive for this budget conscious household. I've been experimenting with recipes trying to come up with a homemade version, and I think I have finally perfected it! You have to try this. Don't be intimidated because it's yeast bread... this recipe is super easy! Baking yeast bread is like therapy for me.

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 package yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 tablespoons wheat germ

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3-4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour

1/2 cup dry apricots, chopped

1/2 cup dry cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

Mix together milk, butter, sugar, honey and salt in small microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave 1 minute or until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Allow mixture to cool. Beat egg into mixture and set aside.
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a warmed mixing bowl. Note: the water should just be slightly warm to the touch, not hot.
Add milk mixture to the yeast along with wheat germ, cinnamon, and 2 cups of flour. Mix by hand or with a stand mixer until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Mix in fruit and nuts.
Continue to mix while adding remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough is formed. Dough should cling to your spoon (or dough hook if using a stand mixer) and clean the sides of the bowl.
Knead dough (either by hand or in a stand mixer) for approximately 2 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning dough once to coat the top with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a small towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
Punch dough down and remove all air bubbles. Shape into a loaf and place in a lightly greased loaf pan, turning once to coat the top of the dough with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel and allow to rise in refrigerator overnight or at least 10 hours.
Once the dough is done rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaf for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Slice and eat while warm... enjoy!

Christmas Recap

2011-12-29T09:40:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful Christmas holiday we had this year! I'm sad that it's over so soon, but it was wonderful to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We spent lots of time with our families, eating, watching Christmas movies (including several Veggie Tales movies about the true meaning of Christmas), and just all around relaxing. I'm sure that I have gained 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas... I guess it's time for New Year's resolutions! Here are some photos from our Christmas holiday.

Christmas with Grandma

Playing with Gigi and his new alphabet train.

Opening presents - he especially loved the paper and boxes!

My Mom and Bobby - excited about our super easy and yummy Subway lunch.

My beautiful sister and my sweet nephew Pierce.

The kiddos

Trying on a cool hat he found.

The cousins

Note: I do not have an explanation for why I look so strange in this photo. I hate it when I flare my nostrils in photos... I only do this when someone is taking a photo of me. I can be such a weirdo!

Hanging with the guys, doing guy stuff.

Giftable Goodies + A Few Tips

2011-12-23T11:47:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited about my giftable Christmas goodies this year. Today is my big day for baking and preparing all of the Christmas cookies and candies that I will be packaging up for friends and family. I can't tell you how much fun this is for me each year. This year I prepared caramel corn, peanut butter bark, pressed butter cookies, chocolate dipped pressed butter cookies, and anything and everything cookies.

The caramel corn made a great centerpiece for my dining room table!

Delicious anything and everything cookies - right from the oven!

On that note, I wanted to share a few tips for giftable goodies with you. These are things that I've learned over the years that make giftable goodies so much more fun and help to keep your Christmas spirit high.

Plan ahead - I can't stress this enough. Don't wait until the last minute to decide what you are going to prepare. You will end up frazzled after battling the Christmas crowds and trying to find the ingredients you need only to find that many of the Christmas baking supplies are out of stock. You will also have limited selection for wrapping and packaging supplies. It's easy to loose the Christmas spirit when you are rushing, dealing with crowds, and can't find what you are looking for. Instead, start thinking about what you want to prepare in advance (at least a month out). Make a list of the goodies you want to prepare and make sure you have everything you need on hand before the day you plan to cook.
Shop ahead - This ties into No. 1. When you plan your list in advance, it gives you a chance to grab your needed cooking supplies while they are on sale. In the weeks leading up to the holidays stores often put baking good on sale. Pair some coupons with the sales and you can score most of you baking supplies for very little cost. It's always safe to stock up on plenty of butter, sugar (white and brown), corn syrup, nuts, and flour.
Work ahead - So many times I've started my day of baking full of Christmas spirit, but by the end of the day I'm tired, my feet hurt from standing in the kitchen all day, my kitchen is a disaster zone, and I'm all around grumpy. To avoid this I have started selecting at least a couple of items that can be made ahead of time. Of coarse you want your goodies to be fresh and yummy, but you can make almost any cookie dough ahead of time and then freeze it. This year I made out my anything and everything cookie dough several weeks ago, rolled it into balls, and froze it. Today all I have to do it take them out of the freezer, place them on a cookie sheet, and bake them. Fresh, homemade cookies with out all the work = happy and full of Christmas spirit Rachel. I also made butter cookie dough last weekend, rolled it onto a log, and froze it. I took it out of the freezer yesterday so today it is ready for me to press out into cute Christmas cookies. Many candies keep for a week or two so you can make some of those a day or two in advance.
Don't overdo it - It's easy to be overly ambitious and to plan to prepare way too many goodies. Keep it simple. You can just do one item or several, but make sure you balance difficult recipes with simple ones. Don't plan on making five very time consuming or difficult recipes. You'll just end up burned out and stressed out.
Don't forget presentation - Part of the fun of giving and receiving homemade goodies is the presentation. Don't just through everything into a ziplock bag and hand it out. You can find cute Christmas bags, boxes, or containers to put your goodies in, but as I mentioned in No. 1, don't wait until the last minute because these things sell out and are hard to find. You can find all kinds of great ideas for wrapping. I love this wrapping idea by the Pioneer Woman. I just chose to do simple old-fashioned Christmas bags tied with chiffon ribbon. The goodies are all individually wrapped in clear goody bags tied with red and green twine.

That's all I have... hopefully this will help ease your stress and keep your spirits high during the holidays.

Classic Caramel Corn

2011-12-22T10:35:00.000-06:00

I have to share this recipe for caramel corn with you. It is beyond amazing! My mom always made delicious caramel corn when I was a kid and I asked her for her recipe this year. She directed me to the Karo Syrup Website. This is a basic recipe and it's super easy to follow. I made four batches - some for eating and some for gifting! Fortunately I have plenty because I can't stop eating it!

Almond Joy Candies

2011-12-18T10:34:00.001-06:00

Let me just say oo la la... these are so yummy! If you are a fan of almond joy candy bars then these will be right up your ally. There is no way that I can describe how good these are so just make them and find out for yourself. Drop what you are doing, get int the kitchen, and make these delightful treats. Everyone will love you for it and you will love yourself for it.

I was practicing with my camera a little so I took tons of photos.

Ingredients
3 cups shredded coconut
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate coating
1/2 cup toasted almonds

Directions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or brush with melted butter.
Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Once the butter is melted remove it from the heat and stir in the coconut and sugar.
Form mixture into small balls with 1 or 2 almonds in the center of each. I used a heaping tablespoon of the mixture for each ball.
Place chocolate coating in a small bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Dip each ball into the chocolate and coat evenly. It works best if you use a fork to lift the chocolate coated ball out of the melted chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place the balls on the cookie sheet and allow to cool completely.

Travel, Travel, Travel

2011-12-14T16:42:00.001-06:00

I feel like I've been on the go constantly the past couple of weeks. Today I am in Magee, Mississippi. Last week I was in Arkansas and Mississippi (on separate days). Next week I will be traveling to Florence, Alabama... ok, not so far from home, but I do have to stay overnight. Here's what I've been doing in Mississippi all day today and what I be doing tomorrow:

Looking at this...

and this...

I've been doing inspections on a natural gas pipeline right-of-way which to me is a treat because I get to drive out into the middle of nowhere (almost), get out of the car and walk, and just be away from everything and everyone. It's a nice chance to recharge and refresh my mind. Oh, and I get paid to do it :)

I also love staying in rural, small towns like Magee, Mississippi. Small towns are so pleasant. People are friendly and they wave as you drive by whether they know you or not. I especially like staying in Magee because I have a nice routine when I come here. I'm such a creature of habit... I eat at the same places and stay at the same hotel every time and everything is always very pleasant.

Hopefully I'll be back with some great new recipes soon... as soon as I get done with all this traveling!

Things I'm Loving Right Now

2011-12-12T13:55:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven't posted much lately, but I've been very busy with work, Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, planning my Christmas cooking, and most importantly, spending time with my boys. I did try a new recipe this weekend and I had hopes of sharing it here, but sadly it did not turn out quiet as I expected. It has potential, but will require a bit of tweaking before I feel that is is ready to share. In lieu of a glorious new recipe here are few things that I've been drooling over lately.

1) These beautiful serving bowls from Pottery Barn. I adore the delicate design and colors.

2) This simple yet elegant dinnerware - again from Pottery Barn. I love every color that it comes in.

3) These amazing looking Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps. How amazing do these look? I must try this recipe.

4) These boots. All I can say is that I am totally in love with these boots. They are way too expensive and I would never pay this much for a pair of shoes... but a girl has to have dreams. I saw these on the Pioneer Woman blog and I've been dreaming ever since. I'm addicted to the Pioneer Woman blog and I find that I am extremely influential when it comes to anything she posts!

5) This cute top. I actually own this top and I love it. It's perfect to pair with a cardigan when the weather is cool, or you can wear it alone in the summer.

Healthy Black Bean Quinoa

2011-12-08T07:35:00.001-06:00

Quinoa is my new favorite grain. It's quick and easy to prepare, taste really good, is extremely versatile, and is super healthy. It is the only grain that is a source of complete protein. “Complete” means that it contains all nine of the essential amino acids that are crucial to human function and health. It also has plenty of fiber and is a good source of calcium and magnesium. I've only recently started cooking with quinoa, in fact the first time I was introduced to it was at a cooking show that I went to earlier this year. I purchased a couple of pre-seasoned organic quinoa mixes which were really tasty, but too expensive to purchase on a regular basis. Since then I've discovered that you can purchase quinoa like rice or other grains and season it yourself for a little cheaper.

This recipe makes a great side dish to go along with chicken or other meats. It's very simple and quick!

Ingredients
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Mix water and quinoa in a medium sauce pan and heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit with lid on for 5 minutes. Place quinoa in a medium serving bowl and add black beans, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well with a fork and serve warm. This would also be great with some chopped fresh cilantro, but I didn't have any on hand. Enjoy!

Project No. 1 Complete

2011-12-04T13:42:00.000-06:00

I'm proud to report that I have completed Project No. 1. It turned out better than I thought it would. My original plan was to do red and white ornaments, but I couldn't find white ornaments. So I resorted to Plan B and used an assortment of green ornaments. It was really easy and only took me about 30 minutes to assemble. I secured the ornaments with wire ornament hangers which worked really well and the pine cones just clipped on. Super easy, super quick, and it looks great! Now on to Project No. 2: Homemade Soap.

Holiday Inspiration

2011-12-02T07:51:00.000-06:00

Need some holiday inspiration? I did, so I found a few DIY things that I want to make for Christmas decorating and gifts. I always have the best of intentions, but I never seem to follow through. This year I am determined to do at least a couple of these fun crafts. Most of my inspiration came from Lowes Creative Ideas magazine which you need to sign up for if you don't already get it. It's a free magazine that has lots of great step by step DIY projects.

Project No. 1: Make a Christmas wreath for the front door.
I have wanted to do this for the past few years, but I never seem to make the time to go to the craft store to get everything I need. Here are two photos of wreaths that I love. I haven't decided yet which one I am going to make.

Project No. 2: Make homemade soaps with festive wrapping for Christmas gifts.
I an in love with this idea. This is the kind of thing I would love to get for Christmas so I think it would make great Christmas gifts. Click here to get directions on how to make your own soap molds. I plan to have Bobby make me some molds and then I'll get crafty with the soap.

Project No. 3: Make cute ornaments for the tree.
I just think that these ornaments are so stinking cute! Click here for directions on how to make them. The seem like the would be really easy and you can personalize them however you like. I want some for my own tree and I want to make some for gifts.

Here's another ornament design. Click here for the directions.

Happy December

2011-12-01T06:50:00.003-06:00

Wow, I can hardly believe that December is already here and we are well into the Christmas holiday season. It's like I just blinked and the month of November passed me by. All is well though, because this just happens to be one of my favorite times of of the year! I'm hopeful that I will get all of my Christmas decorations up this weekend (minus a tree which would probably be demolished by a 16-month old in approximately 1 minute). I'm trying to think of creative ways to decorate area of my how that are at least 3 feet above the flour... maybe I should go with four feet since he has learned that he can stand on things to make himself taller.

I've been buying and hording chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, almond bark, chocolate coating, white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and butter for the past few weeks and I'm almost ready to begin baking all my Christmas goodies. I do this every year and I make packages of my goodies to take to family, friends, and neighbors. Last year I baked peppermint crinkles, Reese's thumbprints cookies, chocolate chip cookies, Oreo truffles, and peanut butter truffles. I'm still deciding on my list for this year, but I'm definitely adding caramel corn to the list. This is just something fun that Bobby and I did one year for Christmas and we had so much fun that we've made it a Christmas tradition. I look forward to Luke being able to participate this year... well, he will at least be standing by to taste test everything!

I leave you with a picture of my sweet Plumpy (that's his nickname) looking like a county bumpkin at Grandma and Papa's house on Thanksgiving. He's also known as Tom by his Papa and cousins.

Perfect Old Fashioned Apple Pie

2011-11-29T15:23:00.001-06:00

Nothing tells me it's the holidays more than the smell of apple pie baking in the oven. I love this recipe for apple pie because I have been making since I was a little girl and I haven't changed it one bit over the years... because it is a perfect recipe. It consistently turns out great: sweet and spicy apple filling in a flaky, buttery crust... yum! I'm not sure where the recipe came from, but my mom and I have been making this recipe for years. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures of the pie sliced because by the time I had it on my plate I was too impatient to wait on taking photos. You will just have to imagine how wonderful the inside of this pie looks or just make it yourself and find out!

Ingredients
For the pie crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon butter flavor shortening
5-7 tablespoons cold water

For the pie filling:
6 cups baking apples, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

For the pie crust:

Spray a glass pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. In large mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Add shortening. Using a pastry blender, cut shortening into flour mixture until pea-sized. Begin adding water 1 tablespoon at a time followed by mixing with a fork. Continue until mixture begins to stick together and form a dough. You want your dough to stick together well and not to be too dry, but you don't want it super wet and sticky. Using your hands, divide the dough in half and form into two balls. Roll each ball into a circle a little larger than your pie pan. You want the bottom piece to be a little larger than your top piece. Place bottom piece into the pie pan and gently pat into place allowing any extra dough to hang over the side. Set top piece aside.

For the pie filling:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Place chopped apples in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and spices and toss to coat apples. Spoon mixture into pie pan and dot with butter. Place top pie crust over pie and turn extra crust under. Crimp with fingers or with a fork. Place in oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Cassarole

2011-11-28T10:26:00.000-06:00

This recipe doesn't make it on my list of healthy recipes. In fact, it is completely and utterly sinful... and just as delicious as it is sinful. But, if you are looking for a great crowd pleaser recipe for the holidays, then look no further. I whipped this up on Thanksgiving day and took it to Bobby's family Thanksgiving get together. I'd say it was a success considering that there were only a few scraps left in the corners of the pan.

Ingredients:
10-12 medium potatoes
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1/4 cup half and half
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 package bacon (16 oz)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and place on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Prick potatoes with a fork and lightly spray or brush with olive oil. Bake potatoes for 1 hour or until soft. Allow potatoes to cool.
While potatoes are baking, cook bacon in a skillet or in microwave until crunchy. Crumble and set aside.
Spray a large baking dish (I used a 13 x 9 glass dish) with non-stick cooking spray. Once potatoes have cooled, remove peels and place potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric blender until potatoes are smooth and fluffy. Add butter, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, half of the chives, salt and pepper. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated well.
Spread mixture in baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheeses, bacon, and chives. Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Pig out!

Gearing up for Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving a little early! I'm gearing up for my Thanksgiving cooking and I'll be posting a few yummy Thanksgiving recipes toward the end of the week. I'm so excited. I'm baking a 16 pound turkey, a loaded baked potato casserole, apple pie, and Bobby is making turkey dressing. We are celebrating with Bobby's family on Thanksgiving day and with mine on Saturday. Get ready everyone... it's almost here!

Lots of Luke and a few others

2011-11-23T07:00:00.002-06:00

~ No words needed ~

Healthy Quinoa Salmon Cakes

2011-11-22T09:32:00.000-06:00

I guess this is just a week a spin offs because I'm posting another recipe that is a spin off of a previous recipe that I posted. I took my Salmon Cake recipe and made just a couple of small changes to make a healthified version (not that the previous version was terribly unhealthy). I am currently in love with quinoa which is a super healthy grain that is packed with protein, fiber, and other nutrients. It's relatively quick to cook up a batch (about 10-15 minutes) and it's tasty by itself, seasoned up a bit and tossed with veggies, or cooked in recipes. I substituted the white flour that I used in my original recipe for quinoa since white flour really doesn't provide much nutritional benefit. I also cut down on the oil used to cook the cakes in. I'll admit that I didn't expect to like this version as much as the original recipe, but I was totally surprised that they were even more delicious! It was all I could do to limit myself to two.

Ingredients

1 can salmon, skin removed and de-boned (or you can use 2 small pouches if you don't want to deal with the mess)

1 egg, beaten
1/4 large onion, chopped very fine
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 or 3 dashes of hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Place salmon in a medium bowl and flake apart with a fork. Add all ingredients except bread crumbs and mix well. Mixture will be very sticky.
Place bread crumbs on a plate or in a wide shallow bowl. Drop 1/4 cup scoops into bread crumbs one at a time. Using your hands, coat the entire outside with the bread crumbs and shape into a round, flat patty. Carefully place the patties on a plate. Continue until all of the mixture is used.
In a large, non stick skillet heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Place the salmon cakes in the hot pan. Cook over medium heat until browned on first side. As you flip the cakes, add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet. Continue to cook over medium heat until browned on second side.

Baked Apple Oatmeal for 2

2011-11-19T20:05:00.001-06:00

This recipe is very similar to my Baked Maple Walnut Oatmeal recipe. I added apples and cut it back to make two very large servings. It makes for a yummy breakfast and is also very good reheated. You should definitely try this!

Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup milk (I used skim, but you can use whatever you have)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 apple, diced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush two large ramekins with 2 teaspoons of the melted butter. In a large mixing bowl beat egg and other wet ingredients and until well mixed. Add dry ingredients, chopped nuts and apple. Mix well. Pour mixture into buttered ramekins and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hot with cream or more maple syrup or just plain. Enjoy!

Trail Mix Ideas

2011-11-15T08:44:00.001-06:00

Lately I have been hooked on trail mix for my morning snack. I recently discovered Publix Greenwise nuts and dried fruits and I've been slowly stocking my pantry with a variety of these goodies and using them for cooking and snacking. The combination are endless and it makes for an easy and healthy snack and it is a lot cheaper than buying pre-mixed trail mix. One thing I've discovered that I love are soy nuts. They are relatively low in fat and very high in protein (compared to other nuts/seeds). They also add a great crunch and are really tasty. Here are my two favorite combinations:

Fruit and Nut Trail Mix:
1/2 tablespoon toasted almonds
1/2 tablespoon peanuts
1/2 tablespoon soy nuts
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 tablespoon dried banana chips

Sweet and Salty Trail Mix:
1/2 tablespoon toasted almonds
1/2 tablespoon peanuts
1/2 tablespoon soy nuts
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1/2 tablespoon peanut butter chips
1/2 tablespoon dark chocolate chips

~These are single servings~

~My New Ride~

2011-11-15T08:17:00.000-06:00

The past week has been total chaos. I was in an accident early last week and much to mine and Bobby's dismay, my car was totaled. We loved our old car... it wasn't new, but it was paid for, comfortable, and had no problems. I had planned to drive it until the wheels fell off. I was also a little attached to it since I had been driving it for seven years. Saturday Bobby and I headed out for a day of car shopping. Luke's Grandma came in and kept him so that we didn't have to drag him around looking at cars all day. It was a long day, but very rewarding since we came home with this beauty.

I absolutely love this car. It's a 2012 Toyota Camry. My old car was a Toyota Corolla and we had never had to put it in the shop for anything in seven years. We decided to go with another Toyota since we had loved our previous one so much, but we upgraded to a bigger car... which is awesome!

Trick-or-Treat

2011-11-11T12:41:00.001-06:00

I must confess that I did a terrible job this year taking photos of Luke in his Halloween costume. I did have the best of intentions, but somewhere along the way they were completely derailed. Luke hated his outfit (the scarecrow from Wizard of Oz). He refused to wear his cute little hat and kept trying to pull the outfit over his head to get it off. I only dressed him in the outfit for our harvest festival at church and I only manged to get a couple of photos of him in it (minus the hat). He did enjoy trick-or-treating with his friend Logan who is six and who was able to show him the ropes. They made a great pair! Here are the few photos that I did manage to take.

So upset that he had to wear a stupid scarecrow outfit!

This is where he really started getting into it and he started trying to open people's doors!

My New Camera

2011-11-08T19:30:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to announce that I have a new camera... or I will as soon as it is delivered. In the past year I have discovered how much I love photography, especially food photography and I have realized how difficult it is to capture beautiful photos with my current camera. So, I've been patient, and I've been nice, and now Santa is bringing me a Nikon D5100!! I have so much to learn about photography, but I hope that this will help me out a bit. I was going to wait until Christmas to get it, but I found a really great sale and I was able to get 10% cash back through my upromise account so it was too good of a deal to pass up. I am very, very excited!!

Ultimate Marinara Sauce

2011-11-08T07:26:00.000-06:00

I love a thick, rich marinara sauce for making chicken parmesan, meatball subs, pizzas, and really anything that is good topped with a yummy tomato sauce. This recipe is a little time intensive, but if you want a super, yummy, ultimate homemade marinara sauce, then it is totally worth the time.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small sweet onion, finely diced

4-5 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced

4 roma tomatoes, diced

1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper + more to taste

Directions

Heat oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until onions are clear and tender.
Add fresh tomatoes, basil and spinach and continue cooking over medium heat for another 5 minutes.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Season with additional salt and pepper if you like. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Now, if you like a chunky sauce you can serve the sauce as is or if your like me and you like a smoother sauce, you can puree it to the consistency of your liking with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor.

Favorites of Luke

2011-11-07T13:01:00.000-06:00

I was looking back through photos of Luke from the last year and I came across some that just made me smile... well they all made me smile, but these made me smile really big. These are all photos by Molly Bridges Photography.

Healty Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-11-05T20:23:00.000-05:00

Who says cookies have to be unhealthy? After a week of eating lots of fruits and veggies, I decided to make a sweet treat... but I didn't want to through out all of our progress from the week so I modified my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe to make it not quiet so sinful, but still very delicious. I substituted half the sugar for splenda, half the butter for light butter, and added whole grain flours. They turned out super yummy!

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup light butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup splenda
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup oat flour (you can make it by putting 1 cup of oatmeal in a food processor and pulsing it until it's smooth)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butters, sugar, and splenda until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to the batter along with the salt. Mix in flours, wheat germ, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Yields 18 cookies.

Update on the Fruit and Veggie Challenge

2011-11-03T08:39:00.000-05:00

So far Bobby and I are loving what we've been eating as a part of our one-month fruit and veggie challenge. We've been eating lots of veggies with our meals and snacking on fresh fruit in between. Here's what we've had for our dinners the past three days (our lunch usually consists of leftovers from the previous dinner):

Monday: Grilled chicken, baked sweet potatoes and sauteed cabbage (I know cabbage doesn't sound too tasty, but Bobby and I love it sauteed in a little lite butter).
Tuesday: Soft tacos (I threw in onions and black beans for extra veggies) with fresh tomatoes and lettuce on low carb wheat wraps and roasted sweet potato bites on the side.
Wednesday: Turkey sausage and cabbage stir fry, slow cooked pinto beans, steamed carrots (tossed with a little butter and splenda).

On the menu for tonight is chicken parmesan over veggie pasta, sauteed brussel sprouts and steamed carrots. You will probably notice that we eat the same veggies more than once. This is for two reasons: 1) I hate for food to go to waste so I try to use up all the veggies I buy each weak, and 2) If you cook extra of a veggie for one dinner, then you can just heat it sometime in the next couple of days and it makes for an easier meal!

This week we are snacking on grapes or apples with a small handful of nuts for our snacks or raw broccoli and carrots with low fat dip. So far so good... I'll provide more updates in a few days!

The Fruit and Veggie Challenge

2011-10-31T09:02:00.000-05:00

Bobby and I have decided to embark on a one-month fruit and veggie challenge. The plan is to eat at least two servings of veggies at lunch and dinner each day and to have at least one serving of fruit each day (that's no problem for me since I already do that). We are also going to be cutting out all processed foods, reducing our salt and sugar intake, and eating only lean meats. This is not a huge change form how we already eat, but we are going to commit to being consistent (which means cutting out eating out for the most part) for a one-month period. Our problem is that we typically eat this way when I cook at home, but there are usually 2 or 3 times a week that we eat out and our healthy eating goes out the door. We have our menus planned out and we have both committed to the change. I'm excited! I already love fruits and veggies, this just means that I'll be getting more of what I love.

For the past month or so I have been adding chopped fresh spinach to my eggs in the morning and I love it. I usually do about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of chopped spinach per egg and a few shreds of cheddar cheese and then scramble them in a little lite butter - YUM! I like to know that I'm starting my day with veggies. My mid-morning snack is usually a small apple with 2 tablespoons of toasted almonds. I have breakfast to lunch down, now I just need to get a handle on lunch to dinner. I'll try to provide some updates on how it is going over the next month and maybe a few healthy recipes to go along with it.

Can you believe that we chose to start this on Halloween when sweets and candy are abundant?

Roasted Sweet Potato Bites

2011-10-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

I love sweet potatoes and I'm always tying to find new ways to cook them. This a simple recipe and it makes a great side dish or snack. I have a hard time not consuming every last bit all at one time! It also makes you house smell divine... just like the holidays! I'm not sure why my photo is sideways, but I couldn't seem to change it. Just tilt your head to the right and you'll get the full effect!

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together butter, oil, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Place diced sweet potatoes in a gallon ziploc bag and pour mixture over top. Seal bag and shake to coat potatoes. Pour potatoes onto baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes. Remove from oven when potatoes are tender and lightly browned. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Honey Nut Crumble

2011-10-27T07:19:00.000-05:00

This stuff is good! You have to try it. I make this to top salads and oatmeal with, but it is also great just for snacking on. You can really use any nut combination that you like... I just use whatever I have on hand.

Ingredients
1/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup soy nuts
1/4 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together nuts and honey. Spread mixture in a thin layer on a lightly greased (I use cooking spray) shallow baking dish. Toast in oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove nuts from pan and place in a thin layer on wax paper. Crumble when completely cooled. Enjoy!

Lovely Wildflowers

2011-10-26T14:04:00.000-05:00

I was in Mississippi last week doing some field work and I was amazed by the beautiful wildflowers growing all around me. Everywhere I went there were bright and happy wildflowers. Here's a couple of photos I snapped. Wildflowers just make my happy :

Dressed for Success

2011-10-25T06:50:00.000-05:00

I just had to share a couple of photos of Luke all dressed up for church a couple of weeks ago. Before Luke was born we had a couple of friends and neighbors who gave us bags and bags of little boy clothes. I've barely had to buy any clothes for this kiddo and look how well he dresses. I think he will go far in life with his sense of style.

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts

2011-10-18T08:12:00.000-05:00

Do you like brussel sprouts? I not only like them, I love them. I had never tried them until a couple of years ago when my neighbor (who is a great cook) let me taste some she had cooked. I was a little hesitant, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good they were. I feel certain that I would not like them if they were boiled or steamed, but I love them sauteed this way. They make a really healthy side dish and are great to break up the broccoli monotony that Bobby and I sometimes fall into. Broccoli monotony = not know what to fix as a side dish, so I just go with my old stand by and steam some broccoli to throw on the side.

Ingredients

1 lb of brussel sprouts

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp dry thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ cup water

1-2 tablespoons of light butter

Directions:

Remove the outer leaves from the brussel sprouts and rinse well under cool water. Cut off any remaining stem and slice in half. In a large, non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add brussel sprouts and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, dry thyme, and salt. You can use more or less if you like. Saute in skillet (stirring frequently) until sprouts are nicely browned. Add water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid. Continue to cook over medium heat with lid on for approximately 5 minutes or until sprouts are tender. Remove lid and add light butter. Toss the sprouts to coat with the butter and continue to cook for approximately 2-3 minutes more until sprouts are nicely caramelized.

Things I'm craving/loving this fall

2011-10-17T10:56:00.000-05:00

Fall vacations - Never fail, about this time every year I start dreaming of taking a fall vacation. Something festive and outdoors - like hiking in Colorado, or visiting Yellowstone National Park, or biking in New England (all things I've never done, but I feel quiet certain that I want to do at some point in my life). The first taste of cool weather invigorates me and makes me want to spend hours doing athletic outdoor activities broken up by sitting on a bench somewhere resting and nibbling on a yummy treat like a frozen yogurt topped with all sorts of goodness. I find myself spending way too much time surfing the internet for a perfect fall vacation... although I never follow through and actually book something. I'm not sure why this is, but I think it is because I am so indecisive that I never can decide where we should go and what we should do.

Holiday cooking - I am so in the mood to start my holiday baking, but I don't want all the yummyness in the house to tempt me. One thing I love about holiday baking is that you can make all sorts of treats, save a little bit for yourself, and then package up the rest to give to friends, family and neighbors. I'm already planning my holiday menus and what treats I'm going to bake to take to all my neighbors this year.

Sweet potatoes, pumpkins and butternut squash - Random I know, but I have been craving anything cooked with these veggies. It just hit me the other day and since then I have baked two huge pans of sweet potatoes and made two loaves of sweet potato bread. I can't wait to bake up a butternut squash or make a pumpkin pie. I even bought a carton of Publix Pumpkin Pie ice cream and I have devoured half the carton so far. It's fabulous by the way and has little bits of pie crust in it.

Chrysanthemums - I just planted one of these beauties in a hanging pot in front of our house. They scream fall and are a beautiful splash of color when all the summer flowers are fading away. I'm not really a competitive person, but when it comes to gardening I am, and I find myself scouring the neighborhood making sure that nobody else has a chrysanthemum that is prettier than mine.

Picking up rocks and other Luke things

2011-10-11T07:21:00.000-05:00

I just have to take a minute to say that I think Luke is the cutest and sweetest little boy ever. He is extremely affectionate, loves to entertain, loves to talk on the phone (both real and toy phones or anything he can pretend it a phone) and is full of energy. He also loves to dance anytime he hears music of any kind. I keep trying to catch him dancing on video, but every time I pull out the camera he stops. It's like the little stinker knows how bad I want to catch him dancing. It's amazing how much joy and chaos this little man brings to our lives each day.

Talking on his phone.

He has been fascinated with picking up rocks lately. I was planting a chrysanthemum the other day and he quickly took possession of the pot it came in and started filling it up with rocks. This went on for at least 45 minutes. I love that the best toys and entertainment are the things that don't cost anything!

Jalapeno Mexican Cornbread

2011-10-10T19:56:00.000-05:00

I'm posting this recipe especially for a friend of mine who requested it. I'm not sure exactly where this recipe originated, but it's been in my family as long as I can remember. A batch of this cornbread never lasted very long between me, my brother, sister, mom and dad. It's by far the best cornbread I've ever tasted... moist, cheesy and spicy! You can omit the peppers if you don't like hot foods or you can use a milder pepper.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 small can cream corn
3-5 jalapeno peppers, diced (de-veined and seeded if you don't want the heat)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a well seasoned iron skillet in the oven while it is pre-heating. Mix together cornmeal and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil and cream corn and peppers. Mix well. Stir in cheese. Remove skillet from oven and pour batter into skillet. Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until cornbread is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the skillet for 5 minutes.

Healthy Spaghetti Sauce

2011-10-05T07:40:00.000-05:00

Homemade spaghetti sauce is super versatile and can be made ahead and frozen for whenever you need it. I try to make my spaghetti sauce as healthy as possible by using very lean meat and adding lots of veggies. For the recipe below I used extra lean turkey meat and it turned out great. If you don't like bits of veggies in your sauce, you can put all the veggies in the food processor and chop them until they are very fine. You won't even notice them in the sauce!

Ingredients
1 lb extra lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 large bell pepper, diced (any color - I had green so that's what I used)
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced or crushed

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

3/4 can tomato paste

3/4 cup salsa

1 teaspoon dry oregano (or 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped)

1 teaspoon dry basil (or 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Brown meat over medium high in a large sauce pan. Added onion, bell pepper, spinach and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes (it's best if you let it simmer for 30 minutes or more).

I didn't take a picture of just the sauce alone, but I used it to make Baked 5 Cheese Ravioli which I will be posting a recipe for later. Here is a photo of that dish. You can see how hearty and yummy the sauce looks.

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-10-05T07:19:00.000-05:00

Homemade buttermilk biscuits was one of the first things I learned to cook as a kid. I remember my mom giving me and my sister and brother each a small piece of dough and letting us shape it into whatever we wanted. It was so much fun and I loved getting my hands in the dough and flour even at a young age. Over the years I've taken my mom's recipe and made a few small modifications to suite mine and Bobby's taste. I highly suggest that you skip the canned biscuits one day and try your hand at flaky, homemade biscuits.

Ingredients

2 cups self rising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons butter flavor Crisco

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combine flour and baking powder. Add Crisco and butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut in Crisco and butter until bits of both are pea sized. Add sour cream and butter milk and mix until well moistened. Dough will be very sticky. I find that using a fork to mix with works the best. Place dough onto a well floured surface and gently pat to 3/4 inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter or a glass, cut biscuits and place in baking pan. Bake in over for 10 minutes. Turn on oven broiler and broil the tops of the biscuits for 1 to 2 minutes or until biscuits are nicely browned. Enjoy!

Where I've Been Lately

2011-09-29T08:46:00.000-05:00

Bet your wondering where I've been hiding lately... the answer is the same one I've been using latley: field work. I've spent a couple of days wading through the swamps and fighting my way through thickets of goden rod (which I am allergic to) and briers. Then I spent a couple of days recuperating from it. I promise to have some yummy new recipes soon, but in the meantime I'll leave you with a few pictures from my field work.

Eating Healthy

2011-09-20T07:14:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I have decided to work on getting into better shape. In addition to starting a really intense strength training routine, I have been trying to clean up my diet a bit. I'm not really one who has to diet, but I do like to eat healthy and balanced. As you can see from the things I post, I love to cook and eat! However, I realize that to get into shape the way I want to, I really need to make sure that I'm eating balanced meals with plenty of lean meats and veggies. Contrary to popular belief, cooking and eating healthy can be fun and tasty. Here is a snap shot of what I cooked for dinner on Sunday afternoon.

Look good doesn't it? This was a pretty quick and simple meal: Caribbean Pan Fried Tilapia, steamed broccoli and baby carrots tossed with lite butter and fresh Parmesan cheese, and whole grain rice with barley and wheat... balanced, loaded with protein and nutrients, and tasty!

As far as my workout goes, my goal is Zumba once a week, strenght training twice a week, and Jillian Michaels yoga workout once a week. That's working out four times a week, but doing a lot of different things to keep it interesting. This is my goal... I'm not quiet there yet, but I like to have something to work towards.

Fun in the pool

2011-09-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

Luke experienced another "first" this week. We took him to visit his Grandad and Gigi and he got a chance to play in a big pool. It was a little cool so we didn't play in the pool long, but he had a great time and kept trying to lick and drink the water. I thought he might be a little scared of the water, but it was quiet the opposite. He loved it! I think he would have just jumped out into the deep end if I had let him. He was really tired at this time too since he had skipped both of his naps, but he didn't let that stand in the way of having fun in the pool.

Still a little unsure about all of this.

Look at the sheer delight in his face!

First Haircut

2011-09-18T13:43:00.000-05:00

We decided that it was finally time that we had Luke's hair cut. I have been stalling for a while now, but he was getting so shaggy and it was definitely time. Here is a before picture.

We took him the the Pelham Barber Shop where Bobby gets his hair cut. Bobby and I were unsure how he would behave for this since the kiddo never sits still for more than a few seconds. We were so impressed with how well he behaved. He didn't cry or whine or anything. He sat so still and was super sweet.

Notice his very serious expression in all these pictures.

And here is the final product. So neat and cute and very little boyish!

He got a nice little certificate for his first haircut and I got a little bag of hair for a keepsake.

Great Workout

2011-09-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

I have decided to get serious about working out and getting back into shape. I know this is usually a springtime resolution, but better later than never. I asked Bobby to be my personal trainer and he designed a workout for me last week. He has a lot of knowledge about working out and he is able to motivate me better than anyone else. His workout was intense, but well worth it. I was totally wiped out when I finished! There were moments when I was laying on the floor moaning that I couldn't go on, but Bobby motivated me to get up and finish. He's a fantastic trainer! I can already see results.

We focused on my legs and butt since those are my trouble zones, but he also had me work the rest of my body at the same time. Bobby had me super-set squats and lunges and then hanging rows and calf raises. Super-setting is when you do one set of one move immediately followed by one set of another move and then take a short rest before repeating. It's a great way to get cardio while doing strength training. Also it's a time saver since you do two workouts in the time you would normally do one. After that I worked abs. Here is the workout:

Squats/Shoulder Press - I used two 8lb dumbbells for both of these workouts.
Squats - 15 reps/Shoulder Press - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Squats - 15 reps/Shoulder Press - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Squats - 15 reps/Shoulder Press - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Squats - 15 reps/Shoulder Press - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest

Hanging rows/Lunges - The hanging rows were body weight only and the lunges were with two 8lb dumbbells.
Hanging rows (like an incline pull up) - 10 reps/Lunges - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Hanging rows - 10 reps/Lunges - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Hanging rows - 10 reps/Lunges - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Hanging rows - 10 reps/Lunges - 15 reps, followed by 30 second rest

Kick Backs/Calf Raises - I used two 5 lb dumbbells for the kick backs and one 8lb dumbbell for the calf raises.
Kick Backs (tricep workout) - 15 reps/Calf Raises 35 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Kick Backs - 15 reps/Calf Raises 35 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Kick Backs - 15 reps/Calf Raises 35 reps, followed by 30 second rest
Kick Backs - 15 reps/Calf Raises 35 reps, followed by 30 second rest

Basic Crunch
Basic Crunch - 25 reps, followed by 1 minute rest
Basic Crunch - 25 reps, followed by 1 minute rest

Reverse Crunch
Reverse Crunch - 15 reps, followed by 1 minute rest
Reverse Crunch - 15 reps, followed by 1 minute rest

Full Crunch
Full Crunch - 15 reps, followed by 1 minute rest
Full Crunch - 15 reps, followed by 1 minute rest

Easy Toddler Pasta and Veggies

2011-09-15T20:21:00.000-05:00

I posted a picture for this earlier and here is the recipe for my toddler food creation. Luke generally eats what we are eating at mealtime, but we struggle with coming up with lunches for him since we often eat sandwiches and he has a hard time eating them with only front teeth. After finding out that Bobby had fed him two different kinds of crackers for his lunch one day (men can be so clueless sometimes), I decided that I needed to fix something nutritious to keep in the fridge for his lunch during the week. Enter toddler pasta and veggies in a creamy cheese sauce. I made it especially for Luke, but you can feed this to the whole family if you like. It's really delicious and super easy to whip up. Luke gobbles this stuff up. You can use any pasta, but I prefer to use something small and bite-size. You can even veggie pasta or wheat pasta for added nutrition.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of small bite-size pasta
1/2 cup finely sliced baby carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Directions
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add pasta and green peas and cook approximately 10 minutes (or however long the directions for the pasta say). Drain pasta and veggies. In the same sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, dry mustard, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute or until bubbly. Slowly whisk milk into butter/flour mixture and cook for about 2 minutes until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Return pasta and veggies to the pan and stir until well coated with cheese sauce.

Serve it up for your little one (or the whole family) and feel really good about yourself because you know you have cooked something yummy and nutritious and full of love!

Field Work + Toddler Food

2011-09-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

It's been another week of field work for me so as is usually the case when I'm doing field work, I'm too darn tired to cook, clean, or blog at the end of the day. In the meantime I'll leave you with a picture of some "toddler food" that I cooked for Luke last weekend. I'll be posting this recipe later, but I thought I would go ahead and share the picture. This is good stuff and Luke loves it. It's easy for him the eat (since he only has front teeth) and its yummy and nutritious.

Playing in the Yard

2011-09-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I snapped some photos of Luke while he was playing in the yard. He's just such a cute kid and he's getting so big.

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas

2011-09-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Bobby and I grilled up a big batch of chicken breast this week and I used it for several different quick and easy meals throughout the week. I'm a huge fan of cooking a big batch of chicken and then using it all week to make different meals (see my previous post 10 Uses for Leftover Grilled Chicken). It just makes life easier when your meat is already cooked and all you have to do is mix it into something to make a really fast meal. One thing I came up with this week was grilled chicken and spinach quesadillas. The spinach was a last minute thought and I'm so glad I added it because it made the quesdillas super pretty and yummy.

Ingredients
2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup spinach leaves
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon butter
4 large flour tortillas

Directions
In a large non-stick skillet saute onions in 1 teaspoon butter until tender. Set onions aside. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Place tortilla shell in the skillet and sprinkle 1/8 cup of the cheese over half of the shell. Next, arrange 1/4 of the chicken strips over cheese and top with 1/4 cup spinach and another 1/8 cup of cheese. Fold the empty side of the shell over the filled side and press down gently with a large spatula. As the cheese melts it will act as the glue to hold it together. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until browned browned on one side. Flip the quesadilla and cook for another 2-4 minutes until browned on the second side Repeat with remaining 3 quesadillas. Serve with fresh salsa.

Herbed Red Potates

2011-09-03T13:28:00.000-05:00

I whipped up this easy side dish today to go along with some Chicken Parmesan. It was easy, delicious, and looked really impressive. You should definitely try this. A few weeks ago my dad gave me a whole bag of red potatoes that he had grown in his garden. I used some to make baby food for Luke and then I forgot about the rest. I noticed them in the pantry today so I decided that I needed to cook them before they all sprouted or rotted.

Ingredients:

1 lb red potatoes, quartered

1/4 cup butter, melted (I used half real butter and half light butter)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dry thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Place potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with water. Place of medium high heat and boil for approximately 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. While the potatoes are boiling, whisk together remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drain the potatoes and place in a meduim serving bowl. Pour butter/herb mixture over potatoes and toss to coat well. That's all there is to it! Enjoy!

Zucchini-Corn Fritters

2011-09-01T07:18:00.000-05:00

I tried a recipe for Zucchini-Corn Fritters that I found in a Food Network magazine and I just had to share it since they were absolutely delicious! Bobby and I scarfed them up like they were candy. I've tried making zucchini fritters before in the past and they are always soggy and tasteless. This recipe is definitely a keeper. They were also really good heated over which surprised me. I found it on the Food Network website so here is a link if you want to try them. I highly suggest it!

Goodness from the garden

2011-08-28T13:36:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of pictures of some beautiful tomatoes and butternut squash that I harvested from my garden today. I love wholesome veggies fresh from the garden. Looks like I will be making salsa today! I can't think of any better use for fresh tomatoes than homemade salsa.

And here is a beautiful yellow zinnia that was just begging to be photographed.

Simple Blueberry Sauce

2011-08-28T08:05:00.000-05:00

I keep a bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer at all times since they are a great versatile fruit and can be used for a variety of recipe. One thing I love to make is homemade blueberry "sauce." I call it sauce because it can really be used so many different ways. You can top oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles with or use it as a pie filling or make yummy baked blueberry french toast with it. It's crazy how easy this is! Here is my basic recipe. I use splenda to cut down on the sugar, but you can always use sugar instead if you don't like the taste of splenda.

Ingredients
2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 cup splenda
1 tbls sugar
dash of salt

Directions
Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until sauce is thick and bubbly. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Slushy Blue Tropical Punch

2011-08-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

I made up a yummy punch recipe for a friends baby shower today and it was a big success. I think the only punch I have ever made is the kind where you dump a bottle of ginger ale over a container of ice cream (which is rather tasty too). I wanted to make a blue punch since the shower was for a baby boy and I looked around for recipes, but most were for pink or red punch. So, I had to get a little creative and this is what I came up with. It's super easy and really, really yummy!

Ingredients

1/2 gallon Polar Blast Hawaiian Punch

3 cups pineapple juice

12 ounce can concentrated frozen lemonade

1 1/2 liters sprite

Directions

In a large freezer safe container, mix together Hawaiian punch, pineapple juice, and concentrated lemonade. Place in freezer overnight or for at least 8 hours (stirring ever 2 hours if you are awake... if not then it will just be a little more work stirring the next day). Remove from freezer and stir and chop until all frozen chunks are loosened and mixture is very slushy. Leave in freezer (stirring every hour) until ready to serve. When ready to serve, pour in sprite and mix well. Enjoy!

Way too big

2011-08-26T20:46:00.000-05:00

I just had to share a couple of photos of Luke in his "Sunday best". It's not that he is dressed very "dressy" it's the fact that he looks so grown up in these pictures. He looks way too old... definitely not 13 months. He's growing up just a little too fast for my taste! I'm also proud that I was finally able to get him to wear his shoes the whole time he was at church. Normally he kicks them off or pulls them off as soon as we get in the car. It almost looks like he is pointing to his shoes in this picture.

Home Grown Honey

2011-08-26T20:38:00.000-05:00

I love honey. I'll put it on just about anything, but my favorite way to eat it is drizzled over a fresh piece of cornbread... YUM. My dad has honey bees so we get fresh home grown honey by the quart. There is something special about honey that is home grown. I don't know what it is exactly, but it is distinctly better than what you can buy in the grocery store.

Getting back in the swing of things

2011-08-26T20:21:00.000-05:00

Well I don't have any great recipes to share with you today. I've only managed to cook one meal this week and although tasty, it was just ordinary food that is not exciting enough to blog about. I've been so consumed by work over the past couple of weeks that I've barely had time for anything. Oh well, despite everything, I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with such an excellent job!

In lieu of new and exciting recipes, here are a couple of silly hair pictures I took of Luke in the tub tonight. I think these are just as good as a new recipe!

It's been a while...

2011-08-24T06:53:00.000-05:00

I realize that it has been over a week since I've posted anything. Work has been crazy for the past two weeks and I've barely had time to spend with my sweet family, much less think about cooking anything fun or blogging! That's how it is in my line of work when you have a big project that is in full swing. I've also had a pitiful, sick little boy who has needed lots of love, nose wiping, and chocolate milk. Just a little cold thankfully. Things are settling down a bit now, so I should be back soon...

Fluffy Oat Pancakes with Sweet Apple Topping

2011-08-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday morning! Saturday morning breakfast has become a bit of special treat for me and Luke lately. Bobby always eats an ultra healthy breakfast (eggs and beans) and then heads out for a morning run while Luke and I enjoy a leisurely breakfast together. On the menu today: oat pancakes with a yummy apple topping! I've had oat pancakes in the past and they always seem to be heavy and gummy. These pancakes are quiet different and are incredibly light and fluffy and full of flavor. The apple topping adds sweetness without loading them up with sugary syrup. I love creating healthy yet tasty food to feed my family. So far Luke seems to approve of everything I feed him! I included a short clip below of him expressing how much he loved my pancakes.

Ingredients
Apple Topping
1 large apple, chopped into small pieces
3 tablespoons splenda
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon butter

Pancakes
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons splenda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
Apple Topping
Place all ingredients into a small sauce pan and stir to mix well. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until apples are tender and sauce is thick and bubbly.

Pancakes
Combine milk with vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Combine flour, splenda, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg into milk and pour into dry ingredients. Stir until well mixed.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the skillet and swirl to coat pan evenly. Drop 1/4 cup fulls of batter into skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Carefully flip and cook until browned on other side. Repeat with remaining batter. One note, do not crowd your pancakes. Just cook 3 or 4 at a time depending on the size of your skillet. If you put too many in the pan they run in together and you have no room for flipping.

Serve in a nice tall stack topped with apple topping!

As I mentioned above, Luke loved these pancakes. Imagine his surprise when I told him they were healthy.

And here is what he had to say about the pancakes:

Well, I'm off to do some yoga and then we have Luke's one year photos. Happy Saturday!

What's been going on lately

2011-08-11T06:57:00.000-05:00

I haven't really posted anything about life lately so I thought I would write a little about some of the fun things we have been up to lately.

Made some plans for a short trip to Florida next month - This will be Luke's first trip to the beach and I'm a little apprehensive about the long car ride there. I'm sure we'll have a great time regardless of the trip there.

I started a Zumba class - I've only been once, but I'll be going back for sure! It was so much fun and at the same time it was a really great workout. I was dripping sweat when it was over and I was a little sore for a couple of days after. The best part is it is a free class at our church. There's a wide range of ages from teenage girls to older ladies. For the most part I had no clue what I was doing, but I'll hopefully improve as I get used to all the Zumba moves!

Went to the movies - This was the first time Bobby and I had left Luke and gone to do something fun together. We have left him to go to the dentist and the doctor or to run errands, but never to go have fun. Luke's sweet grandma (Bobby's mom) came into town to keep him so he got to spend some quality time with Grandma while we were gone.

Visited my parents - I had to visit one of my projects (for work) near where my parents live so Bobby, Luke, and I loaded up and visited the family while we were in the area. It was a fun, but short visit! Luke got to spend some quality time with both Grandma and Papa.

Getting ready to do some small home improvements - I get really excited about home improvement projects. We have so much on our list of things we need to do, but we are going to start with building some shelves and replacing all the trim in our bathroom. We are thinking about putting our house on the market soon so we have a lot we need to do to get the house ready.

That's about it... nothing really exciting, but it's all fun to us!

Baked Blueberry French Toast for 2

2011-08-06T16:29:00.000-05:00

As is always the case with Saturday's, I woke up in the mood to cook something special for breakfast. I decided on a baked blueberry french toast. I had come up with the recipe when I was pregnant and loved it, but as is the case with being pregnant, I loved it one day and hated it the next. I decided to give it another shot this morning and I again loved it. It looks really sinful, but it's actually quiet healthy. When you really break it down, it's equivalent to having a piece of toast with a little cream cheese, an egg, blueberries, and a tiny glass of milk!

Ingredients

3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons splenda

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

2 slices whole wheat sandwhich bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon splenda

1/4 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese

2 teapoons butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small sauce pan combine blueberries, sugar, 2 teaspoons splenda, cornstarch, and water. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes).

Spray two large ramekins with non-stick cooking spray. Divide cubed bread between ramekins. In a small bowl, wisk together eggs, milk, and 1 tablespoon splenda. Pour over bread. Drop cream cheese by small spoonfuls over top of bread and egg mixture. Finish by spooning blueberry sauce on top and dotting with butter. Bake in oven for approximately 25 minutes or until puffy and set in center.

Easy Taco Pizzas

2011-08-03T07:01:00.000-05:00

I like easy food. I like to be able to come home from work and whip dinner together in about 30 minutes. I love to cook, but I don't want to spend all evening in the kitchen after working all day. I would much rather spend that time with my family. Well here is a super easy and quick meal that is also super yummy. Bobby is a huge fan of all things Mexican, so this was a big hit in our house. This is also a really healthy dinner!

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

1/4 cup salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 personal size flat breads

1 can fat-free refried beans

1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 1/4 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

2 roma tomatoes, diced

2 cups shredded romain lettuce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown meat in a large skillet over medium heat. When meat is browned, add onions and saute until onions are tender (about 3-4 minutes).

While meat is browning, brush flat breads with olive oil and place on two large baking sheets. Place flat breads in the oven 5 minutes. Remove from oven and spread each flat bread with 2 tablespoons of refried beans.

Once meat is browned and onions are tender, reduce heat to medium low and mix in cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce, and salsa. Mix well. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the meat mixture over refried beans on each flat bread. Top with 1/4 cup of Mexican cheese blend and 1/4 cup of pepper jack cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with romain lettuce and diced tomatoes.

Fish Tacos

2011-08-02T06:44:00.000-05:00

This was the first time I ever cooked fish tacos, but I have to say they turned out very tasty. I used my Caribbean Pan Fried Tilapia recipe for the fish and my homemade salsa recipe and threw it all into a taco and it was delish! It was also super fast and easy and it makes for a really healthy dinner.

Ingredients

Caribbean Pan Fried Tilapia

Multigrain Taco Shells

Homemade Salsa

Shredded Romain Lettuce

Shredded mexican cheese blend

Directions

Prepare salsa and fish according to recipes. Heat taco shells according to directions on package. Slice fish into strips and arrange in taco shells. Top with salsa, lettuce, and cheese. That's it. It's almost too easy! Enjoy!

Crunchy Crab Cakes

2011-08-01T07:07:00.000-05:00

I don't even know where to start with these yummy crab cakes. They are so good and so crunchy and so absolutely fabulous! I love this recipe because you can whip it up ahead of time and then cook them whenever you get ready. They can also be baked in the oven if you want to cut down on the fat a bit. Also, I use canned crab meat for these so it's way cheaper than using fresh crab meat.

Ingredients

3 cans lump crab meat, drained (6 ounce cans - I prefer Bumble Bee brand)

1 egg, beaten
1/4 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together crab meat, egg, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, pepper, and flour until well mixed. Add plain bread crumbs and stir until well mixed. Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Drop 1/4 cup scoops of the mixture into bread crumbs one at a time. Using your hands, coat the entire outside with the bread crumbs and shape into a round, flat patty. Carefully place the patties on a plate. Continue until all of the mixture is used. In a large, non stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Place the crab cakes in the hot pan. Cook over medium heat until browned on first side (about 5 minutes). As you flip the cakes, add an additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet. Continue to cook over medium heat until browned on second side.

The Best Salsa... Ever

2011-07-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Mmm... I love homemade salsa! I spent years trying to perfect it, to find that perfect ratio of tomato to onion. In my opinion, I finally perfected it a couple of years ago and I've been making it ever since. Bobby and I love this recipe. I'll warn you that because of all the fresh veggies in this it is a little soupy, but I thing that is the best part! I'll also warn you that if this stuff is highly addictive and once you start dipping chips in it, it is almost impossible to stop until you have scooped up or lapped up every last drop of it.

Ingredients
8 - 10 roma tomatoes
4 tomatillos
1/2 medium sweet onion
1/2 seeded Serrano pepper (optional)
Juice of 1 lime (it needs to be a ripe, soft lime)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions
Coarsely chop tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, and Serrano pepper and toss together in a large bowl. Working in batches, pulse veggies in a food processor, pulsing each batch to a different fineness (i.e. one batch can be a little coarse, one a little finer, and at least one needs to be processed until smooth). Pour salsa into a large bowl and add the lime juice, salt, and cilantro. Mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour prior to serving.

Baked Peach Oatmeal

2011-07-30T12:57:00.000-05:00

This recipe is a spin off of the recipe I posted for Baked Maple Walnut Oatmeal. I was in the mood for something different this morning and I had a couple of cans of peaches in the pantry that I really needed to use before they expired. It turned out really yummy and tastes a lot like peach cobbler, just not quiet as sweet and rich... more wholesome. You should definitely try it. I'm totally obsessed with baked oatmeal. It's so good and it's also great heated over. This recipe makes enough that you can heat some up every morning for a week! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup milk (I used skim, but you can use whatever you have)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 eggs

2 tablespoons wheat germ

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cans sliced peaches in syrup, drained (14.5 ounce cans)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and other wet ingredients and until well mixed. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour 1/2 if the mixture into buttered pan. Arrange peach slices over oatmeal and top with remaining oatmeal. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Luke

2011-07-27T14:11:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to my little birthday boy! One year ago today our lives changed forever. What a wonderful blessing!

Drink Dispensers

2011-07-24T14:09:00.000-05:00

I was determined to find a couple of drink dispensers for Luke's birthday party this weekend so I set out on my quest on Friday evening. I shopped at Pottery Barn, JCPenney, Old Time Pottery, Walmart, and Target. I somehow ended up with three even though I only needed two and I really have no place to store them in my tiny townhouse kitchen.

Here is the first one I purchased at JCPenney on sale and I got an extra 15% off the sale price. This one is really nice because it will keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. I bought more after this because I decided that I really wanted to be able to see what was in the dispenser. I was going to take this one back, but Bobby convinced me to keep it since it was his favorite. It really is pretty and it makes a nice decorative piece.

I found these two at Target. They are really sturdy and worked well for the party. They each hold about 2 gallons which is nice because you don't have to keep refilling them. Now I just have to figure out where I am going to store them...

Luke's 1st Birthday Party = Success

2011-07-24T13:59:00.000-05:00

We had Luke a "small" family birthday party yesterday, which turned out to be a big a bigger crowd than we expected, which made for more fun than we expected! Luke had a great time playing with his cousins, showing off for everyone, and opening presents. The food was fantastic and easy since we picked up the meat from a local BBQ place and Bobby and just whipped up a few sides. Overall, we all had a great time and it was a lot of fun to watch Luke playing and having so much fun.

He really enjoyed unwrapping his presents and playing with the paper. Later he discovered how fun his new toys were!

I decided to buy a cake instead of making a homemade one this time. Besides, I'm terrible at decorating cakes and this one was so stinking cute (and yummy). It was one layer white cake and one layer chocolate.

Luke's smash cake.

He wasn't really crazy about the concept of playing in cake and frosting. He seemed a little disgusted with the whole thing so I took him and washed his hands and fed him cake on a spoon and he was much happier! Just a side note, this child also cleans up after himself. We've caught him putting all his toys away several times. I'm afraid my cleanness and neatness had rubbed off on him a bit! He certainly didn't learn it from his father!

Making Baby Food

2011-07-22T12:33:00.000-05:00

Something about the fact that my little boy is about to turn one makes me start looking back at the past year with much nostalgia. One thing I have thoroughly enjoyed over the past year is making homemade baby food. It's really a lot of fun and it leaves me feeling like super mom... at least for a few minutes until I again remember that I have no clue what I am doing! Making baby food is really quiet simple, it saves money, and it just feels good to know exactly what you feeding your little one. I started really simple with single fruits and veggies like apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash. Then I started branching out as he was able to eat more variety and made fruit, veggie, and grain mixtures. It's so much fun and you get to be a little creative.

I have had the use of a wonderful little machine called a Baby Cook that my sweet friend Heather let me borrow. One day I'll return it to her! It's a steamer and a blender in one. I mainly use if to steam foods and then I usually blend them with my Kitchen Aid immersion blender because it gets the food silky smooth. You don't have to have a special baby food maker to make baby food. All you need is a steamer or steamer basket that fits inside a pan. Steam your veggies or fruit until they are very tender and then blend (either in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender). I make it in large batches and then freeze it in ice cube trays (another inspiration from my friend Heather) so it is easy to grab a couple of cubes for each meal.

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:
Cheesy Potatoes and Cauliflower - steam 1 1/2 cups of peeled diced potatoes and 1 1/2 cups of chopped (fresh or frozen) cauliflower until veggies are tender. Blend veggies until smooth using cooking liquid to thin mixture as needed. Add 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

Cheesy Broccoli and Barley - Cook 1/4 cup (dry) quick cooking barley according to directions on package. Steam 2 cups chopped broccoli until tender. Blend together steamed broccoli and cooked barley to desired consistency (I leave it a little chunky) using cooking liquids to thin mixture as needed. Add 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

Cinnamon Apples and Carrots - Steam 1 1/2 cups diced carrots and 1 cup diced apples until tender. Blend fruit and veggies using cooking liquid to thin mixture as needed. Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and stir well.

Carrots and Sweet Potatoes with Brown Rice - Cook 1/4 cup (dry) brown rice according to directions on package. Steam 1 cup diced sweet potatoes and 1 cup diced carrots. Blend together steamed veggies and cooked rice to desired consistency (I leave it a little chunky) using cooking liquids to thin mixture as needed.

These are just some of the combinations that I've come up with. My policy is that I always taste it before feeding it to Luke. If it isn't good, then I'm not going to feed it to him. Bobby thinks it is very gross that I taste baby food... he's such a weirdo!

Birthday cake dilema and thoughts about parenthood

2011-07-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

We are having a small family birthday party for Luke next week and I'm trying decide if I want to bake Luke a birthday cake, cupcakes, or just go buy a sheet cake from Publix. Maybe I'll buy a cake for the party and then bake him something on his actual birthday which is 7/27. The party started very small, but now it sounds like we are going to have a house full of family present. I'm really excited, but I'm a little concerned about space since we live in a townhouse. I'm sure I can find a couple of empty corners in my house where I can squeeze in a few kids. No really, I am very excited that so many of our family are willing to drive into town to help us celebrate Luke's first birthday. Our families all live two hours north or two hours south of us so it really means a lot to Bobby and I that they are driving in to help make Luke's day special. I am referring to this birthday as the big ONE!

It's amazing how much our lives have changed over the last year. I always heard people say that after they had children, but there is simply no way to really understand it until you have your own. It was just Bobby and I for such a long time and yet now I can't imagine life without the sound of Luke babbling and running around the house. I can't imagine life without toys strewn all over the house and about a million pairs of little shirts and shorts in the laundry every day. God has blessed us so tremendously with the opportunity to be parents to this precious little person. The past year has flown by and we've had ups and downs, tears and laughter, bumps and bruises, and more spit up and diapers than I could have ever imagined. It's been a wonderful journey and I look forward to ever moment we have to spend with our little man in the future.

Tortellini Caesar Salad with Parmesan Rye Croutons

2011-07-16T13:26:00.000-05:00

This recipe is really not about the salad, but more about the croutons. I can't take full credit for salad part of the recipe, since my inspiration for it came from a Publix Apron's recipe. The croutons however, are my own! As I mentioned in my previous post, I paired this with my Caribbean Pan Fried Tilapia and steamed broccoli and it made for a lite and delicious meal.

Ingredients

For the croutons

4 cups day old rye bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

For the salad

1 a bag romaine lettuce salad blend

1/2 cup lite caesar dressing
9 oz package four cheese tortellini
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

For the croutons

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Spray or drizzle bread with half the olive oil and sprinkle with half the garlic salt. Toss bread and repeat with remaining olive oil and garlic salt. Spread bread in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with half the Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes and sprinkling with remaining Parmesan cheese after the second stirring. Remove from over and gently loosen croutons with a spatula. Allow to cool.

For the salad

Cook tortellini according to directions on package. Allow to cool. Toss salad blend with tortellini and dressing. Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese and toss again. Top with croutons. Enjoy!

Caribbean Pan Fried Tilapia

2011-07-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

This recipe is so simple that I can hardly even call it a recipe, but it's just too yummy not to share. I served it with steamed broccoli and a Tortellini Caesar Salad which I will post a recipe for next. I used a Caribbean Jerk seasoning which gave it a spicy kick.

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh tilapia fillets
1 teaspoon caribbean jerk seasoning (I used McCormicks)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
Mix seasonings together and sprinkle on both sides of the fish. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large non-stick skillet. Place fish in skillet in a single layer and allow to cook 3-5 minutes per side or until fish is lightly browned on each side. Only turn the fish once to prevent it from falling apart. That's it. It's so quick, easy and absolutely scrumptious!

Cherries and my week so far...

2011-07-14T12:08:00.001-05:00

What was on sale at the grocery store this week? Why nothing less than sweet, delicious fresh cherries! My goal: to come up with a couple of tasty recipes that use use fresh cherries (that is if I don't eat them all before I have a chance to cook with some of them). I'm thinking a sweet cherry sauce to go with oatmeal in the mornings and maybe yummy cherry muffins, but I haven't settled on either yet. I'll see where my inspiration takes me this week!

I haven't cooked a meal all week. I was out of town doing field work for my job Monday through Wednesday so I'll be trying to get back to cooking and blogging over the next few days. Field work consists of me, out in the hot sun and humidity all day, hiking through miles of forest and pastures looking for streams, wetlands, and threatened and endangered species. It's fun in a way, but miserable all at the same time when it's 100 degrees and like 1,000 degree heat index outside. The funny thing is that I volunteer to do it so that I can get a break from the office. It's also good to do now and then because it's a great intensive workout. The problem is that I'm ferociously hungry for several days after... which means that any pounds I shave off I usually gain back within a few days!

Snickers Pie

2011-07-05T08:19:00.000-05:00

I'm always a little dissapointed by the amout of peanut butter in candybars and desserts. There just never seems to be enough. There never seems to be the right proportion of peanut butter to chocolate. If you agree, then keep reading.

Bobby and I used to love to eat at Chappy's Deli when we lived in Auburn. One of our favorite menu items was the Snickers Pie. It was perfectly sinful and delectible! I decided to try my hand at re-creating this fabulous dessert. It's not exact, but it turned out really close.

Ingredients
1 deep dish pie shell

For the peanut layer
1 egg
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, skins removed

For the peanut butter filling
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powder sugar

For the chocolate topping
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
For the peanut layer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl blend egg, corn syrup, sugar, and butter until well mixed. Spread peanuts in an even layer in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture over peanuts. Place in oven for 20 - 25 minutes until crust is brown and peanut layer is set (not runny). Remove from oven and place in the refridgerator until completely cool.

For the peanut butter filling
While the peanut layer is baking, blend peanut butter and powder sugar together until smooth and creamy. When the peanut layer is completely cool, spread peanut butter filling evenly over the peanut layer.

For the chocolate topping
In a double boiler over hot (but not boiling) water, combine all chocolate topping ingredients. Note: I don't have a double boiler so I just fill a medium pot with water and place a glass mixing bowl that fits in the pan (but doesn't fall in) where it is down in the water enough to get warm and melt the chocolate. It works great! Stir until completely melted and mixture is smooth. Pour evenly over peanut butter filling.

Place the pie in the refriderator for at least one hour. Slice, serve, and wipe the tears of joy from your eyes when you realize that this is the most perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate ever created!

Raspberry Pineapple Smoothie

2011-07-04T14:27:00.000-05:00

I had extra raspberries left over from the lite raspberry parfaits I made recently so I decided to throw them into a quick smoothie with some leftover pineapple that I had as well. It turned out great - lite, sweet, and full of flavor. These are great on hot days like what we've had here lately. I love making smoothies because you can make them really healthy and lite and they still taste really good. I use splenda to add a little extra sweetness. I've found that splenda sweetens fruit very well and doesn't taste like a fake sweetener.

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen yogurt
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup canned pineapple with juice (crushed or chunk)
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon splenda
1 cup ice

Directions
Add all ingredients except ice to a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice and blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a large glass and enjoy! This recipe makes one really large smoothie.

Random things...

2011-07-03T14:56:00.001-05:00

This post has little purpose. I was just walking around and thinking about a few random things that I love and I thought I would share.

1) Champion running shorts from Target - I bought a couple of pairs of running shorts from Target yesterday and they are by far the cutest and most comfortable pair I've ever owned. To top it off, I only paid $9.98 for them. I also got a matching sports bra and t-shirt which are great, but the shorts are amazing. Here's a link to the on Target's website.

2) Blue Diamond Almonds - I love toasted almonds, but they are really expensive. I found that you can buy a 2lb. bag of raw Blue Diamond Almonds at Walmart for about $9 which is a really great price considering an 8 ounce can of toasted almonds costs around $4. Then I toast the almonds myself and have them for snacks and cooking.

3) Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams - I tried this at a cooking show a while back and it was so tasty that I went out and bought some later. It is so yummy and satisfies my chocolate and peanut butter cravings in one small spoonful. It is really good spread on graham crackers, but my favorite way to eat it is by the spoonful with a glass of milk!

Luke's 9-Month Photos

2011-07-03T13:12:00.000-05:00

We had Luke's 9-month photos taken back in May and I have to say that these are probably my favorite photos of him so far. We did a baby's first year package which has been great and I highly recommend it. All of the photos have been great, but these last ones are just fantastic. It think part of it is because Luke is getting a little older and is able to sit and stand on his own now. He's also so curious about everything so you can sit him anywhere and he immediately starts looking at things and playing which makes for great photos. Here are a few of my favorites from this session:
He's actually sitting on a train here. I'm crazy about the red background.

I love his hair in this photo.

And check out those chubby little feet and toes. I realize that he will never again have such precious little feet so I am glad they are captured here.

Please note that all the grey hair I have in this photo is now officially gone. I broke down and colored my hair after seeing how grey it was in these photos. It has been a life changing experience!

Pure, sweet baby preciousness. Look at those sweet little pink lips!

I adore the way he lights up when he is with Bobby.

I love the sheer excitement on his face in this photo.

Easy, cheesy, [and somewhat healthy] hashbrowns

2011-07-02T07:34:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I know that's a corny name, but it's what came to me early this morning while I was whipping up some breakfast for me and Luke (Bobby ate a salami sandwich - what a weirdo). Anyway, I love making hashbrowns for breakfast because believe it or not you can actually make them semi-healthy. I like to add veggies to mine so that I'm not just eating a big plate of potatoes. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
4 cups frozen hashbrowns
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 green or red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded cheese (whatever you like)
4 slices cooked bacon
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add hashbrowns in a even layer and sprinkle with veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Don't stir because this will make them mushy and nobody who is normal wants mushy hashbrowns. Cover and cook 5 -7 minutes or until hashbrowns are golden brown on one side. Gently flip hashbrowns and cook covered for another 5 - 7 minutes. Remove lid, gently stir and continue to cook until potatoes reach desired golden color. Push hashbrowns to the side and scramble eggs on empty side just until cooked through. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon.

Luke really loved this recipe so it is definitely kid approved! Chopping the veggies really finely is a great way to slip them into the recipe. These definitely are not your typical Waffle House hashbrowns, but they are a delicious alternative.

BBQ Chicken Pizzas

2011-06-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

I'm a fanatic for BBQ chicken pizza. The first BBQ chicken pizza I ever tasted was Sholotskys and I've been hooked ever since. I usually make a homemade pizza crust, but I found some flatbreads at Publix this week and I thought they would make a good crust. They were perfect! Here's the recipe:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 sweet onion, thinly sliced
Homemade BBQ sauce
4 flatbreads (I used Toufayan whole wheat flatbread)
2 cups shredded colby and monterrey jack cheese blend

Mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil with salt and pepper and brush both sides of chicken with oil mixture. Grill chicken until juices run clear. Slice chicken into thin strips.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush flatbread with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake flatbreads 5 minute. Remove from oven and spread BBQ sauce evenly on each flatbread. Arrange chicken slices on each flatbread and sprinkle with onions and cheese. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!

Lite Raspberry Parfait

2011-06-30T18:46:00.000-05:00

Got a sweet tooth? Well look no further because I have a solution for you! This raspberry parfait is low sugar (relatively), low fat, and fantastically tasty! It's also really easy to throw together and looks divine. Here's the recipe:

Filling

1 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1 small package sugar free vanilla pudding

2 cups skim milk

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 tablespoons splenda

Prepare vanilla pudding by blending with milk for two minutes. Add cream cheese, splenda and sour cream and whip together until fluffy. Place in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

Raspberry syrup

1 pint raspberries

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons splenda

In a small sauce pan, cook raspberries, sugar, and splenda over medium heat (stirring often) for five to seven minutes until thick and bubbly. Allow to cool completely.

Crumb

1 sleeve graham crackers

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large ziploc crush graham crackers to a fine crumb. Add melted butter to bag, seal bag, and shake until well mixed. Place graham crumbs in a shallow baking dish and bake five minute. Remove dish, stir crumbs and return to oven for an additional five minute. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Other layers

1 pint raspberries

Lite whipped topping, thawed

To assemble

In a glass or parfait dish, add a layers in the following order filling, raspberry syrup, and whipped topping. Repeat, leaving enough room to top with fresh raspberries (you'll notice I ran out of room and had to squeeze the raspberries in).

You win some, you loose some

2011-06-29T06:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I made BBQ blue cheese turkey burgers for dinner. I was super excited about cooking them and was determined that they would be fantastic burgers. Unfortunately the blue cheese that I used was way too strong and overpowered the taste of the burgers. Even the sweet BBQ sauce and crispy bacon on top didn't compensate for the obnoxious blue cheese taste. I used to get really upset when I worked hard cooking something and it didn't turn out the way I had expected, but I have come to the realization that not everything I cook is going to turn out fantastic and that I just have to add it to my list of lessons learned. Lesson learned: never over use super stinky, strong blue cheese in turkey burgers! It just doesn't work. The end.

A few things I love (and want)

2011-06-27T19:13:00.000-05:00

Fresco Nesting Bakers:

http://www.napastyle.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=3633&parentCategoryId=518&categoryId=673&subCategoryId=673

Deep Baker:

http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=13833&catId=9&parentCatId=9&outletSubCat=

Ceramic bakers:http://www.napastyle.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1888&parentCategoryId=518&categoryId=673&subCategoryId=673

Drink dispensers:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/glass-drink-dispenser/?pkey=climited-dispenser-sale
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/mason-jar-drink-dispenser/?pkey=climited-dispenser-sale

Two great photos of Luke

2011-06-26T13:45:00.001-05:00

My little man is getting so handsome and sometimes I just have to brag a little. He's growing so fast and changing so much every day. He is almost walking, has five teeth and is so full of personality. Here are a couple of photos I snapped of him this week while he was sitting still enough for me to get photos.

Recipe Index

2011-06-26T13:36:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed that I have added a link to my new recipe index page. The link is at the top of the page just under the blog title. I have organized all my recipes on this page so you can easily navigate to them. Makes it a little easier to find a recipe.

Baked Maple Walnut Oatmeal

2011-06-26T13:01:00.000-05:00

Words cannot explain how scrumptious this dish is. If you have never tried baked oatmeal before then you have to try this. I had never tried it before this, but I looked at a lot of recipes and finally decided to come up with my own version. I tried to keep it simple and make it a little healthier than a lot of the recipes I found for baked oatmeal. It still has maple syrup and butter, but I scaled it back significantly when compared with other recipes. It only took about 10 minutes to mix up and 35 minutes to bake. It's slightly sweet, but not overly so. You can add a little brown sugar , splenda, or more maple syrup if you would like it sweeter. It kind of makes me think of a really chewy oatmeal cookie. By the way this recipe is Luke approved... he gobbled it up!

Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup milk (I used skim, but you can use whatever you have)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and other wet ingredients and until well mixed. Add dry ingredients and chopped nuts and mix well. Pour mixture into buttered pan and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hot with cream or more maple syrup or just plain (that's how I eat it). Enjoy!

Please note, that these photos do not do this recipe justice. I really want a better camera... I want too much!

Simplicity in a chaotic world

2011-06-24T20:14:00.001-05:00

You may have noticed that I finally settled on a new name for the blog: A Walk on the Simple Side. I think this gives a better picture of what the blog is all about and what my dreams in life really are. Despite living in a busy, chaotic world, my goal is to lead a simple life surrounded by family and filled with God. I enjoy simple things like cooking for my family, gardening, and being a wife and mother. I realize that a simple life in no way means things are always serene and picture perfect, but it is a state of mind and an attitude - one that I am struggling to make a part of my daily life.

I hope you enjoy taking a walk on the simple side with me.

Savory BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Sweet and Tangy Slaw

2011-06-23T18:46:00.000-05:00

Let me start by saying this is really good and a great meal for when you don't have a lot of time. If you plan ahead you can have dinner waiting on you when you get home in the evening. Let me also say that I cannot take full credit for this recipe - although not the same recipe, my inspiration came from the Pioneer Woman's recent recipe Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw. I haven't tried her recipe yet, but it looks delicious. I didn't have pork or Dr. Pepper like her recipe called for so I decided to come up with something similar on my own using what I had in my kitchen.

For the Chicken:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (or whatever you have on hand)
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the slaw:

1/4 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (more if you like your slaw really tangy)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper

Add chopped onions to a large crock pot. Place chicken on top of onions. Add remaining ingredients (just dump right on top of chicken). Cover and cook for 6 hours on low.

Meanwhile, mix together all slaw ingredients (except cabbage) in a small bowl. Pour over cabbage, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

When chicken is finished cooking (it should be fork tender) remove from crock pot leaving cooking juices in pot. Shred chicken with two forks. Return shredded chicken to crock pot and allow to cook an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow chicken to soak up juices.

Butter and toast sandwich bread or rolls. Place a layer of chicken on toasted bread and top with a layer of slaw. Enjoy!

Too busy to cook...

2011-06-22T19:51:00.001-05:00

I've been on the go the past week and out of town for a couple of days and I haven't cooked a meal since Saturday. I hate when I get off my cooking routine. I plan to site down and flip through some of my favorite cookbooks to get some inspiration and hopefully I'll be able to bounce back. I just need a little inspiration to get me going. More recipes coming soon...

New Shabby Apple Collection

2011-06-22T19:40:00.000-05:00

I'm loving the new Shabby Apple dress collection Set Sail. I'm still drooling over their dresses and waiting for a good excuse to buy one. They are so unique and pretty! Here are a couple of my new favorites: I love the seersucker skirt in this one. It's just too cute! It also looks super comfortable which is a huge plus. I hate when I get a really cute outfit and it's not worth wearing because it is just too uncomfortable.

I would definitely have to get some cute red heels or sandals to wear with this one.

What's growing in my garden

2011-06-22T12:36:00.000-05:00

I decided to go small on the garden this year since it is hard to find the time to work in the garden with my little papoose in tow most of the time. Last year I didn't garden at all since I was preoccupied being pregnant all spring and summer. Luke does enjoy watering the garden since it means that he gets to stick his dirty little fingers in the water and play... it makes it challenging to get the water on the plants! Here is a quick tour of my garden so far this summer.

My herb bed. This is my favorite area. I have basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and cilantro. Fresh herbs are so expensive and they only last a few days in the fridge so having them at my fingertips anytime I want them is a luxury.

Rosemary

Cilantro

Parsley - This looks just like the cilantro, but it is different.

Basil - my favorite

Beyond my herb garden, I have butternut squash and cantaloupe. I saved a few seeds from the last butternut squash and cantaloupe I bought and I planted them just to see if they would grow.

Tomatoes and bell peppers.

I also have spinach and broccoli (not pictured). The broccoli got really big really fast... this is my first time growing broccoli. The spinach is getting a little old (I've eaten most of it). I'll dig it up soon and plant a new crop of it.

Best Clay Mask

2011-06-19T16:52:00.000-05:00

Have you tried this stuff? I love it. This is absolutely my favorite clay mask. I have really oily skin and when you couple that with hot, humid Alabama summers I'm a real mess. I found this clay mask at Target a while back and I've been hooked ever since. I use it about once a week and it helps keep my oily skin in check and also helps prevent breakouts. My skin feel super clean and refreshed after using it. Just thought I would share...

New Look

2011-06-17T11:38:00.001-05:00

I decided it was time to put a new face on my blog so I got a little crafty and designed a new blog title. Now I have to figure out how to center it up. For now, it's just going to have to be off-center! I need to get even more crafty and come up with a better name for my blog... something more original than just "The Bell Family" but I just can't seem to come up with anything.

Grilled Mexican Pizza

2011-06-11T20:31:00.000-05:00

I tried something new today. I've always wanted to cook a grilled pizza so today I decided to give it a try. It was perfect and delicious with a yummy, crispy crust. I will admit that there are a lot of steps, but if you do a little prep ahead of time it doesn't seem like it is so much work. It is definitely worth the time and effort. It is so delicious... you have to try it one day when you are feeling adventurous in the kitchen! This recipe makes 6 personal size pizzas so you'll have some leftovers!

Dough:
1 packet active dry yeast

5 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil + more for brushing on dough

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy (about 10 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together (about 1 minute). Increase the speed to medium low and mix until the dough starts to look smooth (about 1 minute). Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 4 to 6 minutes). Transfer to a oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until double in size (about 1 hour). Punch dough down and divide into 6 balls. Stretch each ball into a thin oval (about 8 x 11 inches) and brush each side with olive oil. Working in batches, grill dough over high heat until bubbly on top and brown on bottom.

Toppings:

1 medium tomato, diced

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 lb lean ground turkey or beef

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups red sauce or canned enchilada sauce

3 cups shredded mexican cheese blend

Small bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped

Brown turkey in olive oil in a large skillet. When meat is browned, stir in 1 cup of the red sauce. Spread a thin layer of red sauce over the browned side of each pizza dough. Sprinkle with turkey meat, black beans, cabbage, cheese, and cilantro.

Return pizzas to grill and grill over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and cabbage is wilted. I ran out of propane after grilling the dough so I placed the pizzas on a baking sheet in an unheated oven and preheated it to 400 degrees (this allowed the bottoms of the crust to brown). Once the oven reached 400 degrees, I switched to broil for a minute to brown the cheese a little. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with diced tomatoes. Serve it up and enjoy!

Red Sauce

2011-06-11T20:06:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick and easy recipe for homemade red sauce which you can use to make burritos, enchiladas, or mexican pizza (I'll be posting a recipe for this later). It's very fast and easy and it tastes much better than the kind that comes in a can.

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch black pepper

1 can tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

1 can chicken broth

Mix oil, flour, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper together in medium sauce pan. Heat until thick and bubbly. Slowly add chicken broth stirring constantly. Stir in tomato sauce and paste. Simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened.

Photos of flowers and other thoughts

2011-06-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

I love taking photos of flowers... flowers of all kinds, colors, and shapes. No matter where I go, if I have my camera and I see a flower, I am compelled to snap a few photos. I wish I were a better photographer and were better able to capture all the beauty that God has created, but I still enjoy snapping photos and pretending to be a pro. I grew up gardening with my mom and dad. I spent many hours working in the flower beds with my mom and many more hours working in my dad's "little vegetable garden" which at times reached 3 or 4 acres in size. I remember hot summer mornings picking beans and looking at the rows of beans that were my responsibility to pick and wondering if somehow my sister or brother's rows were shorter or had smaller plants than mine and whether they would finish sooner than me and be able to go play while I was stuck finish my rows. I remember thinking it was the worst kind of torture when I was a kid, but now looking back I'm so thankful for all I learned from it. It didn't even know that my character was being shaped one bean at a time. I'm thankful for parents who taught me the value of a hard day of work and who, over time, taught me to enjoy working hard and reaping the benefits. I'm thankful that I now know how to plant a garden and am not afraid to get a little dirty doing it. I'm thankful that I learned so much discipline from those hot days working in the garden. I'm thankful that I learned to appreciate all things that grow and that I get excited to see new life emerging from the earth.

Ok, so that was not at all what this post was supposed to be about... back to photos of flowers. Here are some pictures of beautiful flowers that I snapped at the Biltmore Estate the other day.

A Few New Photos of Luke

2011-06-09T09:44:00.000-05:00