Balsamic Chicken

I actually got a cookbook of all diabetic-friendly recipes from my doctor today, so I tried one out.  It was ok (not good, not bad, but ok and definitely easy.)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 chicken breasts, thinly cut

Mix the above together.  Put chicken in ziplock bag and pour marinade over.  Make sure chicken is thoroughly coated and leave in refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Cook 7-8 min (depending on the thickness- mine were way too thick so they took A LONG time!!) on a grill pan or in a skillet.  Enjoy!

Served with peas and au gratin potatoes (instant kind.)   It was a nice quick meal, but needed a little extra something.

My words of advice:  SMASH THE CUTLETS so they are super thin!  For some reason, no matter how I make them, I have an issue with this and mine are either always overcooked or raw in the middle.  UGH, please someone help me with this!!!!!!!!  

Cha Che Kai Chicken

From Caribbean Cuisine - by Dr. Betty "K"

(purchased in Jamaica while we were on our honeymoon)

2 tsp ground ginger (didn't have, so I left it out and used adobo instead)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, grated (there was NO WAY I was going to sit and grate an onion! My eyes tear up just thinking about this!!! So I left this out too)

2 tbsp soy sauce (I used a lot more- more like 1/4 cup)

Salt/pepper to taste

1/2 tsp paprika (I gave it a good sprinkle, but didn't actually measure it)

2 lbs chicken cut in serving-size pieces (I used pork, since that's what I had defrosted)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup flour

vegetable oil, for frying

**This was not included, but I added it anyway--- a healthy drizzle of sesame oil**

1.  Combine ginger, garlic, onion, soy sauce & seasonings to make a marinade.

2.  Spoon marinade over chicken (or pork), cover & marinate overnight in refrigerator. (This overnight marinating is the key.  I didn't intend on it, but DH suggested going out to dinner last night since I was so tired, so hey, I did it.)

3.  Roll chicken (or pork) pieces in beaten egg and then dip in flour.

4.  Heat oil to 365*F; add chicken and fry until golden brown, about 20 minutes.  I kept adding in soy sauce as the oil dried up, and then gave another drizzle of sesame oil at the end.  YUMMY!

Serve with white rice and veggie of your choice.  (I used mixed veggies.)  I thought it was yummy, but when DH eats it in a few, I'll let ya know!!!!

Easy dinner-- baked potato wedges, broccoli rabe & pork tenderloin

I bought a pork tenderloin already marinating in a honey mustard sauce, so that will just be taken out of the package and then thrown onto a baking sheet x 45 minutes.

Next comes the broccoli rabe.  I steam in for about 5 min, then sautee it in a little bit (I'd say about a tbsp) of olive oil and 1 tbsp garlic. Yummy.

Last is Ina's Baked Potato Wedges.  So easy.

Cut potato into 6 pieces (in half once, and then into three pieces.)  In a zip lock bag, pour 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 3/4 tsp pepper, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp Italian seasoning.  Drop the potato wedges in, coat, and then through on a foil lined baking sheet x 30-35 minutes. Turn the wedges over and bake another 20 minute.  Sprinkle with salt and serve.  thank you Ina.

Mom's matzo ball soup

I had planned on making something with a ham steak I bought last week and froze until DH called and asked me to make matzo ball soup.  I never did it before, but tried it based on my mom's directions.  I used her recipe, but changed it up a bit.  Her original recipe can be found in a September post.  But here is what I did today:

Sautee 1/2 onion in drizzle of canola oil.

Add in about 1 tbsp minced garlic and cook.

Then comes the SUPER EASY PART- follow the directions on the box of matzo ball and soup mix.  ONce the water was boiling, I added in 3 chopped carrots, and 4 chopped celery ribs.  Added the balls in about a handful of chopped dill and cooked for 20 minutes- they were mostly done, although a few were slightly hard inside, so they could've cooked a few more min.  O and then I added in a half of box of cooked elbows after the 20 minutes.  For whatever reason, a lot of the broth was gone when DH went to get some (I guess the noodles and balls absorbed it???) so he added in about another 1-2 cups and heated it all up.

Soup was yummy, DH loved it and I'm glad I have some to take for lunch tomorrow.... now what to make for dinner tomorrow?!

Meatloaf

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup ketchup

3/4 cup water

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

2 lbs ground beef

Combine eggs, ketchup, water & soup mix.  Mix well.  Add bread crumbs and beef.  Mix well.  Shape into loaf & place in shallow pan or loaf pan.  Back at 350 for 1 1/4 hours.  Serves 8-10.

This is the recipe I always use, and it it good except that I never take it out in time!!  I will definitely have to make sure I get it out before it dries out.  Not sure what I will serve it with- probably whatever fresh veggie looks good in the supermarket tomorrow + a baked potato.  

Braised Beef Cubes in Gravy

From www.hillbillyhousewife.com

I walked to the store and bought beef cubes, not even thinking about what I can do with them.  They just looked good!  I googled "beef cube recipes" and found a bunch of stuff, but this one looked the easiest and most enticing.  I will let ya know how it comes out!

1 1/2 to 2 lbs beef (any cut will do)- I used 2 lbs of stew meat

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper.

3 tbsp bacon grease or oil 

1 tbsp minced garlic (my own addition)

2 cups hot tap water (I used chicken stock here instead- if I had beef broth, I would've used that instead, but I only had chicken.  O well.)

1/2 cup milk

Cut beef into cubes, trimming the fat as you are cutting.  In a bowl, combine the flour, salt & pepper.  Place the meat in the flour, coating it on all sides.  Heat up the oil & cook the garlic.  Brown meat on all sides (about 10 min.)  After the meat is well browned, add the water.  Bring to a simmer. The original recipe instructs you to cover and cook the meat/water mixture for 2 hours, but I found that by an hour, it was completely cooked and o so delicious.  Of course, I added in some seasonings that both DH and I like while it was simmering, like this Shanghai rub that I bought in the store, a whole lot of garlic powder, and a nice sprinkling of Italian seasoning.  O and I also sprinkled on some seasoned salt.  

Mix remaining flour and milk.  Pour mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil, cooking for a full minute.  If the gravy gets too thick, add water until it is the consistency you like.

Serve over mashed potatoes, cooked rice or egg noodles.  (Thinking about it now that it's done, this would be fabulous over mashed potatoes, but I don't have any nor do I have the desire to mash them, so we shall be using egg noodles.)

Definitely a great recipe that you can adapt to your liking.  Give it a try.  Unfortunately, DH hated it, and he really eats anything.  Very odd.  O well, now I have lunch for tomorrow@

Chocolate Spritz Cookies

I am going to a BBQ on Saturday and have to bring something, so I figured this would be a good time to try out my new cookie gun!  I am going to make the dough tonight and bake them off tomorrow after work, so they will be perfect and ready to go for Saturday!

Recipe from Wilton.com

1 1/4 cups butter

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugars at mediums peed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Add flour mixture gradually and beat well.  Shape dough into small log and place in cookie press.  Press cookie onto cool ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from sheet and cool.  Store in airtight container at cool room temperature for several weeks or freeze for two months.

Ok I just want to make a comment about these cookies.  Making the dough itself was a breeze.  There's not much too them, really.  But using that damn cookie press was a royal PITA!  Maybe it was the shape I chose, but they were not coming out right, some weren't sticking, sometimes I had to press it twice to get one cookie, I don't know.  But I wound up baking off what I will bring to the BBQ Saturday, and I made 2 baggies- one for DH to bring to work, and one for the house.  

O and back to the taste of them- yummy but a little blah.  Towards the end, I tried putting a chocolate chip in the middle 5 min before it was done baking.  Well, I dropped the bag and wound up with chips ALL OVER MY KITCHEN and that was it.  I took the leftover dough (about a handful) and just put it in a ziplock bag and threw it in the freezer.  Baking done for today!

Low-Fat Fettuccine Alfredo

Adapted from a recipe by Juan Carlos Cruz

foodnetwork.com

Salt

1 tbsp minced garlic

pepper

8 oz fettuccine

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup non-fat half and half

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 lb chicken tenders, cubed

Drizzles of canola oil

Cook the pasta until al dente.

Season chicken cubes with salt/pepper to taste.  Saute in a frying pan in canola oil.  Remove chicken from pan, drizzle with more oil and cook the garlic.  Add chicken stock & the chicekn and bring to a boil, until it reduces by half.  Add the half and half, and simmer until the sauce thickens.  Add the Parmesan cheese and salt/pepper to taste.  Add noodles to pan and toss to coat.  Garnish with parsley.

I made this for DH Tuesday night.  I doubled everything, and felt that it just wasn't enough sauce for all the pasta.  (DH agreed.)  But it was ok and I didn't feel guilty eating a whole bowl of it.  I will probably try it again.

Creamy Mac & Cheese

Recipe by Paula Deen

Foodnetwork.com

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

4 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

2 1/2 cups (about 10 oz) grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream (didn't have so I used non-fat yogurt)

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup (10 3/4 oz)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk (I used skim plus)

1/2 tsp dry mustard (I used 1 tbsp regular mustard from the bottle)

1/2 tsp black pepper

Boil the macaroni in plenty of water until tender, about 7 min.  Drain.  In a medium saucepan, mix butter & cheese.  Stir until cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add eggs, yogurt (or sour cream), soup, salt, milk, mustard, pepper and stir well.  Add drained macaroni and stir again.  Set slow cooker on low and cook x 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  

DH likes it crispy so we added about 1 cup of toasted breadcrumbs. 

Yummy recipe, but probably would've been better off being baked so the top could get really crunchy.  I would def make it again though!!

Helped mom cook last night....

We bought this rub at the Christmas Tree Shop (of all places, right?) and it was so yummy!  It was dried garlic, crushed red pepper, curry powder and a few other spices that I can't remember.  Anyway, we just sprinkled it on both sides of boneless skinless chicken breasts and baked it in the oven.  It was so delicious and tasty!!!  She also made broccoli rabe, cabbage and red potatoes which she covered with butter and garlic (it was a little too fattening for my taste but still good.)

Tonight will be the mushroom chicken recipe posted below.  A friend of mine suggested adding in frozen peas at the end.  I think I might do that too.  I will post the final results below.

Bought some cooking supplies today!

FINALLY bought a sifter (it's just a mesh bowl with a handle- I didn't want the ones that you squeeze the handle) and cooling wracks for when I make my cookies. O and I bought a cupcake/cake caddy similar to this one.  Now I can finally make cupcakes (or even a cake) and not worry about how to transport it.  Yippie!  Now I am happy!!!!  :)

Cream of Mushroom Chicken

Adapted from a recipe from at allrecipes.com

2 tbsp butter

(I will also add in 1 tbsp minced garlic)

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 1/4 cups milk

1 onion, chopped

salt/pepper to taste

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed

half container of sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup frozen peans

1.  In a large saucepan, melt the butter & saute the garlic.  Add the soup & milk.  Stir together over medium heat.  Add onion, mushrooms, salt, pepper & bring to a boil.

2.  When mixture starts boiling, add chicken & simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 30 minutes), stirring often.  Serve over egg noodles or with rice. (I used brown rice.)

Definitely was a yummy meal and I will absolutely make it again, maybe trying different things or changing up some of the ingredients next time.

Apple Crisp

Recipe from foodnetwork.com

Bobby Flay

Ok so I had a lot of apple mixture left over from the previous recipe, and I didn't want to waste them, so I just used the topping from this recipe along with the mix from the other.  O but I did add 1 cup of apple cider to it as per Bobby's directions.

Topping:  

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 sticks cold butter

This was so easy and came out so much better than the turnovers.  I just combined the flour, sugar and butter  (I tried with my hands, but it was too much so I just threw it all in my handy Kitchen Aid and it did the trick.)  Then just put the apple mixture in a pie tin, pour cider over it, and cover it with the topping.  Make sure you put it on a sheet because the juice will drip out.  (Sorry mom!)  Overall, it was yummy and I will definitely make it again!

Apple Turnovers

Recipe from foodnetwork.com

Ina Garten

1 tsp orange zest

3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1 1/4 lbs tart apples (3 apples) 

3 tbsp dried cherries (I omitted these)

3 tbsp sugar plus extra to sprinkle on top

1 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

pinch kosher salt

1 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400*F.  

Combine orange zest & juice in a bowl.  Peel & core apples, and then cut into 3/4 inch cubes.  Immediately toss with zest & juice to prevent browning.  Add cherries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt.

Flour a board and lightly rolll each sheet of puff pastry into a 12-inch square.  Cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares and keep chilled until ready to use.

Brush edges of square with egg wash and place about 1/3 cup of apple mixture on half of the square.  Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture and seal edges with a fork.  Transfer to a sheet pan.  Brush top with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and make small slits.  Bake x 20 minutes, or until browned.

Mine came out HORRIBLE!  They were not sweet tasting at all, I couldn't get the edges to seal properly and it was just bad.  My dad liked them, but he eats anything. So I shall not be making this again.

Giada's Stuffed Artichokes

Recipe from foodnetwork.com, by Giada De Laurentiis 

I will probably get to the store and give this a try tonight, even though DH won't be home for dinner.

3 tbsp olive oil, plus 1/4 cup

1 lb button or Roman mushrooms, trimmed & chopped (about 4 cups)

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

4 slices proscuitto (2 oz), chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 fresh artichokes, trimmed & cleaned (cut off top, bottom and the tops of the leaves with a pair of scissors)

2 cups white wine

In a large, heavy skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the mushrooms, onions, garlic.  Cook stirring frequently until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are golden.  Transfer the mushroom mixture to a medium bowl & let the mixture cook slightly.  Add the proscuitto, parsley, Parmesan, salt & pepper & stir to combine.

Gently pull apart the leaves of the trimmed artichokes to slightly widen the spaces between the leaves.  Stuff the mushroom mixture in the spaces between the leaves.  Place the artichokes in a heavy, high sided pan so they fit snuggly enough to stay upright.  Pour the wine and 1 cup water into the bottom of the pan.  Pour 1/4 cup olive oil over the top of the artichokes.  Place the pan over medium-high heat.  Cover the pan & bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low & simmer x 45 min, until artichokes are tender.

Recipes with weird ingredients?

My husband is a meat and potatoes type guy, and so am I.  We eat food with "normal" ingredients, not funky things.  So how come every time I find a recipe that sounds good, it has these odd and unusual type ingredients????  So frustrating!!  I promise I will never put anything on here that has any unusual or difficult to find ingredients.  :)

Mom's Matzo Ball Soup

Recipe from my mom

2 boxes of Manechevitz matzo ball & soup mix 

5 carrots

2 packages of chicken wingettes (I would say about 1 lb)

fresh dill & parsley (handful of each)

pasta (however much you like!)

I had such a hard time getting the exact recipe from my mom for this (she said she just throws things in and doesn't keep track) but it is such a great and easy soup!

Basically all you do is follow the directions on the box (but make sure you buy the mix that is for the soup AND the matzo balls!)  Add mix, chicken, dill, parsley and simmer x 1 hour (or whatever the box says!)  Also add in the carrots (chopped),  and continue to simmer.

Add the balls in (make them about the size of small meatballs- if you make them too big they will not cook all the way through, so here, the smaller the better!!!) about 15-20 minutes before the soup is done.  Add the pasta about 10 minutes before.  And viola!  You have awesome matzo ball soup.  :)

Apple Crisp

From allrecipes.com

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored & sliced

1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat over to 350*F

2.  Place apples in a 9x13 inch pan.  Mix the white sugar, 1 tbsp flour & cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples./  Pour water evenly over all.

3.  Combine oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda & melted butter together.  Crumble evenly over apple mixture.

4.  Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes.

Ok so peeling, coring and slicing the apples was a royal pain but it was so worth it!  This was so yummy, and I am surprised it has lasted !  I had some as soon as it came out of the oven with a glop of whipped cream on top and it was awesome.  DH suggested vanilla ice cream, but we didn't have any.  My favorite part was the topping!  I wish I could make JUST the topping!!!

Stewed Chicken & Sausage

Recipe from Emeril Lagasse

1 small chicken cut into 8 pieces (I had 10 drumsticks in my freezer from a recipe I never made, so I used them for this.

Essence (recipe below)

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices (I had 3 pieces of turkey sassage that I used)

2 cups julienne onions (not sure what this meant, so I just cut them into slices)

salt, cayenne

4 bay leaves

1 tbsp chopped garlic

6 cups canned chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Essence Creole Seasoning:

2 1/2 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp pepper

1 tbsp onion powder (I didn't have it so I omitted it)

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

The recipe was a little confusing, so I did this part my way- I added the flour to the essence, and then dredged the chicken in it.  

Add oil to the slow cooker, over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the chicken.  Turns out the slow cooker was probably not the way to do this, but I tried.  Turn to brown the chicken on all sides.  Cook until evenly browned, about 5-6 min.  Add sausage, stir & cook for 5-6 min.  Add the onions.  Season with salt & cayenne.  Cook for 5-6 min.  Add bay leaves, garlic & stock.  Cover the slow cooker & cook for 3 hours. or until chicken is tender.  Stir in green onions.

*****This took way too much time and so did not come out properly.  I felt like this should've been made in a dutch oven rather than the slow cooker.  I also added in about 1 lbs of red potatoes, cut into small chunks when there was about 30 min left. 

I will definitely NOT make it again (although DH did love the taste and the heat that came from all the pepper.)

Hearty Tuscan Soup

From www.pierogy.com

1 bag (100 ct) Mrs. T's mini pierogies (I used 2 small bags of full sized ones)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

32 oz chicken broth (I usd 8 cups- made a big pot)

32 oz Italian style stewed tomatoes (1 used 1 big can - 24 oz - I think of whole tomatoes)

15-24 oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed.

1 lb fresh spinach or escarole (used 1 bag of frozen spinach)

2 tsp Italian seasoning

*salt/pepper to taste

Saute onion in oil until tender.  Add brother & tomatoes, bring to a boil.  Add pierogies and return to a boil; boil for 4 minutes.  Add beans, escarole (or spinach), & Italian seasoning; return to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer, covered, until escarole is barely tender, about 1 minute.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper, if desired.

I thought this soup was yummy (and pretty healthy too) but DH hated it.  He says he hates whole or chunk tomatoes in soup, sauce, etc.  So I guess I will be eating this huge pot that I made for a while........ :)

No dinner tomorrow (Thursday)

DH has to go to a funeral in the morning while I am at work, and then as soon as I get home we are going to Long Island for a wake and then a service.  Busy and hectic week for him.  Poor guys.  O but anyhow I will not be cooking tomorrow, so don't think I forgot about you!! 

Beef Stroganoff

From the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

Apparently this is one of my husband's favorites.  His sister used to make it for him all the time, so I decided to give it a shot.  It was definitely a super simple recipe, and very quick to make. 

1.5 lbs beef- I used angus cut into cubes, but you are better off getting strips, as you will have to cut it into thin, bite sized pieces.

8 oz sour cream

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, chopped (I used one tsp of that pre-chopped garlic in the jar--- SO EASY!)

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp beef bouillion powder (I had chicken, so that's what I used.)

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp butter

2 cups egg noodles (depends how much you like them...)

Melt butter in skillet.  Add in beef, onion, garlic and mushrooms.  Cook meat through.

In another bowl (while the above is happening) mix together the sour cream, bouillon, flour, water, pepper.  Once the meat is cooked, add this to the skillet and cook until bubbly and thick.  

Serve over egg noodles. 

This was yummy but a little heavy.  Someone recommended eating it on some kind of crusty bread instead of the noodles, but I don't know.  I guess it was pretty good if you are in the mood for a heavy meal.

Now what can I make for dinner tomorrow???

We had a mini-Thanksgiving for dinner tonight (turkey, stuffing, green beans, sweet potato fries) so how can I top that tomorrow night for dinner?  Maybe homemade pizzas?  If you have any ideas of a nice and easy meal, let me know!!!

Perfect Rice

The Neelys (from Down Home with the Neelys)

2 tbsp butter

1 shallot, chopped (I used half of a small onion)

1 1/2 cups long grain rice

salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water, warmed

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 sprigs fresh thyme (only had dried, so I used about 2 tsp of that)

1 tsp freshly chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Melt butter.  Add shallot and saute until tender.  Add rice and still until the rice is coated with the butter.  Season with salt/pepper to taste and add the warmed stock.  (I didn't warm it, and it still came out fine.)  Add smashed garlic and thyme.  Cover and cook for 15-17 minutes.

Remove the garlic & fresh thyme.  Fluff with a fork and add parsley.

I thought this was delicious, but DH said it was too much thyme.  Oh well.  You can't please everyone!!!!

Sweet Potato "Fries"

Recipe by Ellie Krieger (Healthy Appetite)

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled (2 medium potatoes)

1 tbsp canola oil (I drizzled it on, probably used more like 2 or 3 tbsp)

1/2 tsp salt

Cooking spray

**I also added cinnamon and nutmeg (not part of the original recipe, but gave the fries a delicious flavor.**

Directions:

1. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick matchsticks and toss with oil, salt, and any other spices you add.  Spray baking sheet with spray.  Arrange in a single layer and bake until the fries are tender & crisp, about 30 minutes.

I baked them for this time, and they stayed soft not crisp.  So do not expect a crunchy fry, but they were absolutely delicious.

Pretty cake!

It's been a while since I posted on here, and I promise I will get more into this!  But I assure you I have been eating for the past 6 days, I just haven't posted much.

One of my favorite things was a cake I made for DH.  I simply took a vanilla cake mix and instead of using a regular cake tin, I put it in a bundt cake pan.  So the cake came out in a round donut shape.  Then to frost it I used store bought frosting.  I heated it up for 30 sec in the microwave and was able to drizzle it on the cake rather than just frost it like a plain old cake.  The result was a yummy cake that DH has been munching on every time I turn my back.  Anyhow that is a great way to make a plain old cake look new and different- and still taste yummy!

Restaurant Review

We learned the hard way- do not go to Denino's during the week.  They were not busy at all yet the waitress forgot about us, and didn't come over until we asked the hostess what was going on.  The normally delicious pizza was very greasy.  I overheard several people sending back their food for similar reasons.  Things were coming out wrong too.  Like the people next to us ordered a plain pie with broccoli.  Well, what they got was a white pie with broccoli rabe.  Big difference.  The waitress told them to try it and if they didn't like it, they'd send it back.  Back it went. O and we asked for more water and the waitress practically threw the pitcher at us.  Very bad.  I will never go back there on a week night.

Italian Chickpea Salad

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar (didn't have any, so I used balsamic)

1 tsp oregano (didn't have any, so I used Italian seasoning)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup olives

2 cans drained chick peas

To create the dressing:  Combine oil, vingear, spices & seasonings.  Mix well.

Add onions, olives, and chick peas.  Pour dressing over and mix well.  Enjoy!

This was so yummy!!!  I actually had it with one of those pre-cooked chicken patties from the supermarket and it was a delicious dinner for one (DH was working.)

Chicken & corn salad

Ina's Fresh Corn Salad

5 earns of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion) - I have plenty of regular onions, so I will use that instead of the red
3 tbsp cide vinegar
3 tbsp good olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn just until the starchiness is gone (3 minutes.) Drain & immerse in ice water immediately to stop cooking and set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob. Toss with all other ingredients except the basil. Just before servings, toss with basil. Serve cold or at room temp.

I don't think it can get any easier than this folks. With it, I am going to serve grilled chicken breasts. I have some kind of Asian rub I bought in the supermarket that I will use (not sure of the brand) so it will go nicely.

I am also considering making a nice cake for dessert. It will be a little back-to-school treat for me lol. Probably just going to use a cake mix, but will make my own frosting. Yum.

Lazy days

It was back to work on Thursday for me.  (I have been off the entire summer- one of the perks of being a teacher.)  By the time I'm home for the day, I have been ready to collapse.  I cooked Friday night- something simple, just spaghetti with garlic & oil.  I learned something though.  I usually add too much oil but this time it was perfect.  I used 6 tbsp oil, 6 cloves of garlic thinly sliced, 1/2 cup cooking water (that the spaghetti was cooked in) and 2 boxes of spaghetti.  The combination was perfect thanks to my great cookbook, The Joy of Cooking. (The hubby said he was hungry and wanted to take some for work, so I made a lot.  He forgot to take it, so we had the leftovers for dinner last night but I added some steamed broccoli to it.  It was yummy.  :)

Tonight we are going to a bbq so no cooking tonight either.  But I promise I will be back tomorrow with more!

Ina's Zucchini Gratin

3/4 stick butter (6 tbsp) plus extra for the topping

1 lb yellow onions, cut in half and sliced (3 large onions) I used pre-sliced onions that I had leftover from another cooking adventure. So they were just the round pieces, not cut in half.  Sorry Ina.

2 lbs zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini) I used what I had here- it was 1 zucchini and 1 summer squash.

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp flour

1 cup hot milk I never have whole milk in my refrigerator- instead, I drink Skim Plus, which does not thicken at all like regular milk does.  If you do the same as me, mix a little bit of water with a tbsp of cornstarch, then add this to the mixture.  And just remember that you HAVE to mix the cornstarch with some type of liquid before you add it to the milk, otherwise it will be lumpy.  I learned that the hard way when I was making something else.  But in any case, it will thicken up perfectly, and will be much less fattening.  If you do not use the cornstarch, it will NOT THICKEN AT ALL!

3/4 bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated Gruyere Used mozzarella instead.

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Melt butter in a very large saute pan & cook onions over low heat for 20 min, or until tender but not browned.  Add zucchini & cook, covered (oops I thought it said uncovered when I read this- but it still came out good) for 10 minutes, or until tender.  Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more min.  Stir in flour.  Add hot milk & cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce.  This is where I added in the cornstarch/water mixture I made.  Pour mixture into an 8x10 baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs & cheese, and sprinkle on top of zucchini mixture.  Dot with 1 tbsp butter cut into small bits, and bake for 20 min or until bubbly & browned.

DELICIOUS! I served this with breaded chicken cutlets (my hubby was begging for them) and a nice green salad.  It was the perfect meal.  I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch today!! :)

Um yea WW soup..... gone

So I ate it for lunch and didn't feel like cooking for dinner, so guess what I ate?  Yep, I finished off the WW soup and the last of the peach-a-berry pie.  I am so full right now that I can hardly move.  I also have no clue what to make for dinner tomorrow.  

I went to a farmer's market this weekend and picked up the following:  fresh Jersey corn & tomatoes, onions, strawberries, plus I have a half a head of cabbage, a zucchini and a squash.  What the heck can I make with all of this for dinner tomorrow?  Maybe some kind of zucchini pie with zucchini, squash & onions.  I can save the strawberries to nibble on, and make a big salad with the tomatoes and some lettuce.  But then that leaves the cabbage and corn.  Hmmmm, I'll have tot hink something up for those two.  But in the mean time, here's  a recipe for zucchini gratin courtesy of my favorite TV chef, Ina Garten.

Time savings tip: freeze your homemade sauce

If you are like me and you really are not a fan of jar sauce, my advice is this--- the next time you make your own sauce (or anything else that will freeze well) make double so you can freeze it.  The next time you don't feel like cooking but don't want take out, you can just thaw it out and you're ready to go.  (Dinner tonight is tomato sauce that I made a while ago and froze.  I just took it out a few hours ago, thawed it out, and when DH gets home I will make some macaroni to go with it.  Quick and easy!  :)

Going out to eat

I understand that it's easier to split a bill evenly when there is a large group of people going out to eat.  I am always fine with it.  What I am NOT fine with is when people abuse it.  We went out tonight with two other couples.  They all drank heavily; DH and I do not drink at all.  In fact, I had water all night (free!) and DH had one soda (like $1.50!!!).  So when the bill came, and they said it was $120 per couple, I kicked DH under the table.  That is ridiculous, when at least $75 of that $300 bill was in beverages that we didn't even drink!!!!  But we paid it, and either there will not be a next time with these two couples or we get separate checks.  This was just unfair and very, very rude.  I am done ranting.

Peach-a-berry pie + splenda = ewww

We stopped at a fresh fruit market today and they had some gorgeous peaches, so i bought them and told my dad I'd make him a peach-a-berry pie, since my little brother seems to have eaten most of the last one.  My mom asked if I could try it with baking splenda instead of sugar (sugar + diabetic = bad! lol) I obliged and bought it.... and ewwww.... it tasted icky.  The berries didn't pop like they did the other two times I made it, and it just tasted like, well, a diet pie.  The moral of the story is --- DO NOT BAKE WITH SPLENDA.  

WW Zero Points Vegetable Soup

My mom used to make this almost every day, and I liked it a lot (I love veggies!)  But my mother-in-law's version of it was to die for!!  So now that I am cooking on my own, I am going to try to combine the two and make a version that I love.

Here is the recipe I used:

6 cups low fat chicken broth (which is what I always used and DH had no clue.  Now he insists that he doesn't like it and I have to buy regular.  I buy the low sodium when he's not around lol)

Cooking spray

2 carrots, peeled & diced (I only had one so that was all that got added in my soup, o and I didn't peel it either)

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cabbage, chopped

1/2 lb frozen green beans (I substituted fresh mushrooms here)

2 tbsp tomato paste (my mom uses V8 here, I just used a small can of Hunt's tomato sauce)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano (didn't have any so I used 2 tsp of Italian seasoning - yes I added two- I like seasonings)

1 tsp salt

1 large zucchini, diced

Spray dutch oven with cooking spray and heat on medium high.  Add the carrots, onion and garli cand cook for 5 min.  Add all of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the zhcchini and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium; simmer for 15 minutes (if you used green beans, they should be tender by the end of this 15 min.)  Add zucchini and cook until tender.  Serve & enjoy!

As I sit here ready to add in the zucchini, it smells AMAZING in here.  I wonder if DH will want to eat this instead of the hamburgers I've been saying I'll make him????  Much healthier alternative................ 

Update:  DH wanted his burgers, so I made them and I even ate one too.  I used my grill pan again- not the best way to make a hamburger, but it is what we have to use since we don't have an outside to have an actual bbq.  Anyway, the soup was great except it needed much more salt than one teaspoon.  I added in about 2 tbsp for this entire pot- which still isn't a lot.  It may cause it to be more points, but it just tasted so much better.    O and don't eat this soup if you have to be around people..... cabbage=major gassy vegetable!!! LOL

Steaks & asparagus on the grill pan = SUPER EASY

DH had a friend & his girlfriend come over yesterday and they were starving.  Rather than get something unhealthy for takeout (McDonalds, ew.  Wraps, too many carbs, etc.) we decided to get steaks and just throw them on my grill pan (yea I got to try it out!)  I went the easy way since we didn't have any time to marinate.  I just rubbed them with garlic olive oil (which I made myself- basically I just used about 3 cups of extra virgin olive oil and cooked an entire head of garlic in it on a very low flame for about a half an hour. SO YUMMY!), salt and pepper.  I threw those babies on the grill and the outcome was yummy.  My only confusion was that they didn't turn a dark brown color- they were a very, very pale brown, but were definitely cooked all the way through.  In fact, DH said they were a little teeny bit overcooked (I tend to do that when I'm unsure, but at least they weren't burned!)  I also made asparagus on the grill too using the same method- evoo, salt & peper.  Then I just threw them on the pan and yum.

So it was a quick and easy dinner, but now those burgers are in my refrigerator.  Maybe I will cook them up for lunch. 

Back on WW

FYI as of today I am back on Weight Watchers.  Well, not officially, but I have gained 5 lbs since the wedding that I'd like to get rid of.  I am a diabetic and with keeping my weight down I am also able to keep my sugars in control.  So the recipes you see from now on will be somewhat healthier.  

What I used to do was basically make whatever DH wanted, but substitute the ingredients with healthier alternatives.  Like an recipes requiring heavy cream would always get light cream or it would be omitted if possible.  Instead of butter, I use butter spray (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.)  I only buy Skim Plus milk and Light N'Healthy orange juice.  Crystal Light is a staple in my frig. So here I go.......... Good luck to me!

Quick meal to test out my new grill pan

I bought this grill pan from Bed, Bath and Beyond yesterday when I was attempting to replace my broken George Foreman Grill.  We will be making a nice simple meal of hamburgers on it just to test it out and see how it works.  (We haven't made burgers since we moved into our apartment almost one year ago!!!  Whenever we've had a craving for them, we've had to go to either his parents or my parents house and beg them to turn on the bbq!  Of course they won't taste the same, but for an apartment building, they will have to do.)

O and that peachaberry pie that I made yesterday for my dad... let's just say that my brother ate most of it and only left my dad a tiny piece.  He was not happy with him lol.

Shepherd's Pie

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking.

For the mashed potato topping:

1.5 lbs all purpose potatoes, peeled & quatered

1 tbsp butter

salt & pepper to taste

For the meat filling:

3 tbsp vegetable oil (I use canola oil)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 lb ground beef (my dad suggested meatloaf mix- I will try this next time)

1 tbsp all purpose flour (my mom used turkey gravy instead for this)

3/4 cup chicken or beef broth

1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1.5 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1.5 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (I skipped this as I had none)

pinch of grated or ground nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

Cook potatoes until tender, about 15 min. D rain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.  Transfer potatoes to a bowl and mash with reserved cooking water and 1 tbsp butter, and salt/pepper.  Beat with a wooden spoon until fluffy.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Combine in large skillet: vegetable oil, onion, carrot, celery.  Cool over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Increase heat to medium and add meat.  Cook until it looses its pink color.  Drain fat.  Stir in flour.  Cook for 2 min.  Add broth, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, salt, pepper.  Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened about 5 min.  Transfer to a greased pie plate or baking dish.  Spread the mashed potatoes over the top, and scatter butter on top.

Bake until potatoes are brown and dish is heated through, about 30 min.  Let cool slightly and serve from baking dish.

Makes 4 servings, but it goes REALLY fast!!  Enjoy!!  

I left out the rosemary and thought it was delicious.  I don't think I cooked it long enough though as the top didn't really get crispy.  My mom made it last night and hers came out much better than mine- she used turkey gravy instead of the flour and used fresh thyme & rosemary.    Her top was also crispy  I liked hers better, but honestly, both were good!!!! :)

Special dinner for tomorrow night

Tomorrow is our one month wedding anniversary.  I really cannot believe that we got married an entire month ago!!!!  I feel like we spent our whole lives planning it, and it went by so quickly!

Anyway, I am planning a nice candle lit dinner complete with sparkling cider (we don't drink) in our wedding toasting flutes, salad, some kind of appetizer, entree & dessert (well, dessert will be the left over pie lol.  Maybe I should've waited and made it tomorrow but I couldn't resist!!)

What will I make?  Possibly a shrimp dish (I love shrimp!!!) that doesn't require me to turn the oven on (it gets so hot in our apartment otherwise! I thought I was going to die when I made the pie today!!)  DH loves this shrimp alfredo I make, or even shrimp scampi with linguine.

Hmm well now that I'm thinking about it, I think I am just going to make a nice big salad, the linguini with shrimp scampi & the left over pie for dessert..... and then comes the REAL dessert.  ;)

Peach-a-berry pie... finally!

So I am finally making this pie, which I promised my wonderful hubby that I'd make on Saturday for him.  I even bought vanilla ice cream to top it with, but he wound up working several overtime shifts in the past few days that I thought it would be a waste.  But now the peaches don't look like they are going to hold out much longer, so today's the day!

The one substitution I am making is using blueberries instead of raspberries (couldn't find any, believe it or not!)  So I will let ya know how it comes out!! :)

Comments:  The pie was delicious!  I had a piece with some fat free whipped cream, and I seriously thought about licking the plate.  DH had it with vanilla bean ice cream and he liked it as well.  He said he liked it slightly better with raspberries, but the blueberries were good too.  Next time I make this, I will try to find raspberries or use frozen.  O and people said that if you throw the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then in an ice bath (blanche them) it makes it really easy to remove the skins.  I will definitely try that too.

Key Lime Pie & Tequila Lime Chicken

My mom, who absolutely hates to cook (where the heck did I come from????) got inspired by Ina Garten today (Barefoot Contessa.)  She saw the episode where she makes frozen key lime pie (my dad's favorite), tequila lime chicken, guacamole & corn pudding. (She did not make the corn pudding due to oven problems.)

The result:

Frozen Key Lime Pie --  She said it was amazing.  Her only change was that she used a store bough graham cracker crust.  Very easy to make.  When I spoke to my dad a few days later, he said it was disgusting and he threw it out!!  So who knows who has the right opinion......

Tequila Lime Chicken  -- very good 

Guacamole -- I've made it before using her recipe and it is definitely my favorite guacamole recipe.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I will be the first one to admit that I know NOTHING about the different cuts of meat.  I buy what looks good and is priced right, regardless of what it's called.  Chuck, angus, pot roast, brisket..... it's all another language to me.  All I know is that so far everything I've made since I've lived with DH has been pretty good despite my lack of knowledge.  (The one mistake I did make and will never make again is buying chicken THIGHS instead of BREASTS.  DH does NOT like thighs!!!)

So today I am  making slow cooker pot roast using these boneless spare ribs I bought at Costco.  Shun me if you will, but I think it will come out pretty damn good.  (I made pepper steak using them- I just sliced them up mighty thin- and it was fabulous!  So I figure after 5 hours in my crock pot, they will be just as good.

I found a recipe online and altered it to use the veggies I had laying in my frig:

1 can of Campbell's condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 package of Lipton's onion soup mix (I used the Savory Herb one since that was on sale)

1.5 cups of water

3 lbs of meat (I used the boneless spare ribs)

5 yukon gold potatoes

3 carrots

3 stalks of celery

Directions (And this so cannot be easier!!) Cut up the veggies and the meat.  Throw everything in the crock pot.  Mix well.  Put on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 10 hours.  Enjoy over egg noodles.

O and that reminds me I need to get egg noodles when I go out today.  :)

I will post the results as soon as it's done folks!!!!

Results- it came out very good.  My only gripe is that the gravy didn't thicken at all.  So it was like all these veggies in juice.  Weird.  But it was definitely yummy.  O and about 1 hour before it was done, I added in some Italian seasoning (about 2 tbsp) and salt/pepper (one tbsp salt, one tsp pepper.)  DH said it wasn't salty enough but he still liked it and would like to have it again.  

O and it is even better the following night as left overs!  The gravy thickened up and it was so yummy!!!!!!

What to make for dinner tomorrow???

Anyone have any suggestions?  DH & I are up to try anything.  We don't want chicken though, as I made that for dinner last night.  Maybe a nice pasta???  HelP!

Calzones

I am home alone right now (DH is working a double) and I am starving!  I was searching for a recipe that would use both the Pillsbury biscuits I bought as well as the left over ricotta cheese in my frig when all of a sudden I remembered watching Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller.  She made a calzone that used store bought pizza dough, ricotta cheese and some other ingredients.  She added brocolli into her (which I would've loved but didn't have any- so I just made a plain old calzone.  

Broccoli & Cheese Calzone - Robin Miller

www.foodnetwork.com

1 (15 oz) container of part-skim ricotta - Used 7 oz (half container)

8 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella - I actually used string cheese (8 of them)

1 (10 oz) package broccoli florets, thawed & drained - left out

Salt & pepper

1 lb bread or pizza dough, thawed - Used one package of Pillsbury biscuits 

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1.  In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella & broccoli.  Mix well.  Seaon with salt & pepper.

2.  Roll dough out to 12-inch circle.  Spread cheese filling over 1 side of circle, to within 1 inch of the edge.  Lift 1 side of dough & fold over so that it meets the other side, forming a half moon, and pinch edges together to seal.

3.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

4.  Transfer calzone to a large baking sheet.  Sprinkle the top with cheese.  Bake 15 minutes, until puffed up golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

I made some substitutions here, as you see above.  O and I added about 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning to the cheese mixture.  One container of biscuits was enough for half of the cheese mixture.  I wound up with 2 calzones.

The result was really good!  Next time, I will make this the night after I make some marinara sauce so I have something to dip it into to!!!  :)  

Peach season

I just saw a commercial for Good Morning America.  Apparently it is peach season and tomorrow morning they will have a chef on with tons of peach recipes.  Yum!

Peach-a-berry pie

We had people over last week and they brought this pie over for dessert.  It was so good warm, and even better cold the next day with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  DH and I were fighting over the last piece lol.

I am planning on making it on Saturday for him.   If you want to make a really good pie, give this one a shot. Chloe, the chef, said it was so simple.  

Here is the recipe. Chloe said she didn't let the fruit drain, and I can assure you it was still fabulous!  Enjoy!

Some of my favorite recipes

I figured while I was sitting here, I'd give you a list of recipes that I've tried and have loved!  (All recipes are from Foodnetwork.com- my favorite recipe webpage!!!)

Ina Garten's Recipes (Barefoot Contessa) - FYI in case you don't know, most of Ina's recipes are NOT diet friendly at all.... so be careful !

Turkey Lasagna

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Guacamole

Parmesan chicken

Deep dish apple pie

Garlic mashed potatoes (DH loves this one too! Awesome if you love garlic like we do!!)

Portobello Lasagna (good if you love mushrooms & the flavor of nutmeg.)

Chicken pot pie

Sour cream coffee cake

Elie Kreiger's Recipes (Healthy Appetite) - 

Vanilla spice oatmeal

Penne with roasted tomatoes, garlic & white beans (SO QUICK & EASY!!)

Paula Deen's Recipes (Paula's Home Cooking)- 

Smoky Portobello Soup (I skip the smoke in it, but it is so yummy!!)

Shrimp & wild rice casserole

Old time beef stew

Baked rice pudding

Giada De Laurentiis (Everyday Italian) - 

Italian wedding soup

Parmesan crusted pork chops

Food Network Kitchens - 

Creamy Tomato Soup (DH LOVES THIS ONE!!!)

Shrimp with garlic cream sauce over linguine

Emeril Lagasse-

Basic marinara sauce (but I add in a few pieces of turkey sausage. so good!!)

Chicken Peau

Recipe taken from Caribbean Cuisine by Dr. Betty "K" 

Book purchased during our honeymoon in Jamaica. 

This is the first recipe I've tried from this cookbook, and I will admit that it was pretty good.  This is a "must try" for the beginning cook who likes the flavor of curry.  My comments and substitutions are in red.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken, cut up - I only used 1.5 lbs, as that was what I had in my freezer

1 tbsp curry powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp fresh thyme, minced - I used dried thyme (same amount)

1 hot pepper, seeded & minced - I used cayenne pepper to taste (probably about 2 tbsp)

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cups water

2 cups long-grain rice, washed - I used a bag of the "boil in a bag" rice

1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup chopped green onions - I totally omitted this

1.  Season chicken with salt, pepper, curry powder, garlic, thyme and hot pepper.  Let stand for 2-3 hours. 

2.  Heat oil; saute onions & chicken until golden brown; add marinade and enough water to cover chicken pieces.  Simmer gently for 30 minutes. There really wasn't any marinade to add here, as the seasonings were more of a rub than a marinade.  So I just made sure I got everything out of the bowl where I had the chicken, and added in some water (it only took about 2 cups to cover it all.

3.  Strain the stock, measure; add enough water to make 4 cups.  Return stock to chicken pieces; stir in rice, cover & simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.  Add butter and green onions.  Serve hot. You really don't need to strain anything if you know how much water you added in in step 2.  I strained it not even realizing this until I had already done it!  I also was upset when I realized that I didn't have any long grain rice- all I had was the "boil in a bag" kind, so I just put the entire bag in and cooked it that way.  I then dumped everything out into a big bowl, poured the rice in, and added the butter.  I did NOT add any green onions.

DH loved this recipe, but I wish it made a little bit more.  Next time I will definitely use more chicken and make something to go with this.  I wanted to make roti to go with it (there is a really simple recipe for it in the same cookbook, but I just never got around to making it today lol.)  I had garlic mashed potatoes from the other night in the frig, so we finished those off with this.  It was a good combo!  

I will definitely make it again.

Starting my new blog!!

After getting married and finding that Theknot.com is now somewhat irrelevant to me, I decided to get involved with creating a recipe blog like the ones I've found on Thenest.com.  They seem very helpful and amazing to find great recipes, so here is my attempt!  I will post on here as often as I can (at least, when I cook!) and hopefully you will find some inspiration from me!  :)