Grilled Margherita Pita Pizza

When asked what my favorite food is, I often say pizza.  My preferred pizza includes a thin, crispy crust, and any combination of fresh ingredients.  I love that there are countless possibilities when it comes to toppings.  For instance, caramelized sliced pears are simply divine on pizza in my opinion. 

With that said, nothing really beats the simple, yet tasty margherita pizza.  Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil is just a terrific combination that I adore.  This is a perfect recipe to make with a fresh tomato and basil, so make sure to bookmark this recipe for when you have an abundance of each from your garden at the end of the summer. I've said it before, but I use pitas as my crust all the time for ease.  You can obviously make your own crust to make this even better.  Here is my version of the classic Italian pizza.
 
Grilled Margherita Pita Pizza (makes one pita pizza)

1 flat, round pita
1 tomato, chopped (mine was a roma, so about that size was perfect)
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
red pepper flakes
salt
fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices (enough to cover the pizza)
fresh basil leaves, cut in ribbons

Mix tomato with a splash of olive oil, garlic, salt, and some red pepper flakes.  Grill the mixture until the tomatoes become soft (I made a little foil package for mine like so).

Transfer the mixture back into a bowl and mush it up a little so it becomes more of a sauce, but with little chuncks of tomato still there.  

Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the pita and grill until it becomes golden and a little crispy.  Add tomato mixture and then top with mozzarella mixture.  Put your grill hood on to help the cheese melt (if using an indoor grill like me, place a bowl over your pizza).

  Continue to grill until the cheese is melted.  Top with fresh basil before serving and eat immediately. Enjoy! 

Barbeque Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This salad is full of great flavors that really work together.  Both Landon and I really thought it was tasty.  I got the idea for the dressing from this blog (at least I'm pretty sure that's where it came from) but changed it up a bit to satisfy my tastes.  With that said, feel free to play around with it so that you love it!  I didn't top ours with crispy bacon but I am certain it would be delicious, so I have included it in my recipe.  Also, a little bit of blue cheese crumbled on top could be great as well.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Barbeque Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Dressing
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
zest of 1 lime
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. honey
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use mayo with olive oil)
1 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Salad

2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 cup corn
2 scallions, chopped
4 cups spinach or other leafy greens
1 chicken breast, baked or grilled, cut, and then smothered with BBQ sauce (I used spicy BBQ sauce)
2 slices of bacon, crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup blue cheese (optional)


Whisk all dressing ingredients together and set aside.  In a small bowl, add tomatoes, corn, and scallions.  Toss the tomato mixture with some of the dressing to coat (a couple Tbs. or so).  
Assemble the salad in a large bowl by layering the greens, tomato mixture, and chicken.  Top with bacon and cheese if using.  Top with extra dressing if desired.  I didn't really think it needed much more, but that's just me.  You can make extra dressing if you plan to serve it on the side.  Serve and enjoy!

Mussamun Currry

My husband and I love to go out for Thai and Indian food and curries are our favorite dishes to get.  I have made a few curries at home but I'm often intimidated to try something new.  I get worried that the prep will be too long (my meal preparing has to be quick these days with a baby crawling all over the place and into everything), that I won't be able to find the spices and ingredients, and that I'll mess it up somehow.  I promise you, this recipe is really simple and can be easily incorporated into your regular meal routine.

Prepared mussamun curry paste is pretty readily available.  You can likely find it in an Asian market and even regular grocery stores can carry it.  If you can't find it, it looks like Amazon even sells some.

I got the recipe from this book and just made a couple minor changes to healthify it a bit.  Mussamun is traditionally made with beef, but I used chicken.  Feel free to substitute beef if you'd like.  This recipe makes a lot! I made half of the following recipe for the two of us the other night and we had plenty of leftovers, enough for dinner the next night and then some.

Gaeng Mussamun (Mussamun Curry)

1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 cups coconut milk (I always use low-fat)
1/4 cup mussamun curry paste
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
3 medium potatoes, washed and cut in bite-sized chunks (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, large dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 Tbs. fish sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1tsp. lime zest 
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

In a large saucepan or skillet, bring 1 cup of the coconut milk to a gentle boil over medium heat.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.  Add the curry paste  and cook for another few minutes, stirring to incorporate it into the coconut milk.  Add the chicken and cook another 3 minutes, tossing to coat it with the sacuce.

Add the remaining 2 cups of coconut milk, chicken broth, potatoes, onion, fish sauce, brown sugar, and salt and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Stir in the peanuts, lime zest and juice.  Serve warm over basmati rice.  Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

I'm trying to incorporate main dish salads into my weekly meal plans.  I often struggle to get sides on the table, which essentially means the veggies are left out.  I love main courses that incorporate lots of veggies, and obviously, salads do that.  There are so many delicious and satisfying salads out there and I'm excited to find my favorites.  This one was mighty tasty and will become a regular at our house. 

Asian Chicken Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

For the Salad
3 cups napa cabbage, shredded
3 cups baby spinach
1 large carrot, peeled
1 bell pepper, sliced thin
1 cup strawberries, sliced (grapes would be good as well)
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1/4 cup cashews, roughly chopped

For the Dressing
3 Tbs. canola oil
2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste


Shave the carrot with a vegetable peeler to make long "carrot ribbons."  Prepare chicken in desired way (grill, bake, or use a Rotisserie chicken).  
In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, spinach, bell pepper, carrots, strawberries, chicken, and cashews.
For the dressing, whisk all ingredients until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  
Toss dressing with the salad, serve, and enjoy!

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Yesterday, this blog posted a recipe for Orzo Stuffed Peppers.  Their photos almost always make me salivate, and this one was no exception. I had to make it as soon as possible.  I didn't have all the ingredients the recipe called for and I really didn't want to go to the store, so I just did what I could with what I had on hand.  I think they turned out fabulous! 

The point I want to make here is that we often feel like we have to follow recipes exactly as they are written.  You don't.  Especially with general cooking, breads and things like that may be a different story.  Be creative and don't be afraid to add your own flair to a recipe. 

Here is the recipe I ended up doing.  But make sure you check out the inspiration, which I'm sure is amazing as well. 

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

1/2 of a small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
drizzle of olive oil
3 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 cup orzo pasta
1- 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (Italian style could be good)
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded
3 bell peppers (yellow, red, and orange are definitely the prettiest and taste best, but green could be fine)
1/4 cup fresh basil or 1tsp. dried
salt a pepper

Cook the orzo in broth for about 5 minutes or until partially cooked.  It will finish cooking as it bakes.  Save the broth in the baking dish you plan to use for the peppers.
Saute the onion with olive oil and salt and pepper until tender.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.  When it is done, add the mixture to bowl.  Add the tomatoes, orzo, cheese and basil and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the membranes inside.  Cut a thin slice off the bottom of the pepper so it will stand up on its own (don't cut so much that you make a hole).  Spoon the mixture into the bell peppers so they are very full.  
Place the filled peppers in the baking dish with the broth.  Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  At that time, top them with extra cheese and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until a nice golden crust forms on top.  Enjoy!

Arugula Pesto

I had some arugula I needed to use and decided to make it into a pesto.  I had heard of such a recipe before  but just pulled this one together with things I had.  Both my husband and I thought it was really tasty.  If you don't have pine nuts, I think it would be good with almonds, walnuts, or pistachios.  I think it would also be great served with grilled chicken.  Here's my recipe.

Arugula Pesto

1 lb. pasta of your choice
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 lemon, zested
1-2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. pine nuts
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (depending on how big and how much you like garlic)
1/3 cup parmesan  or Romano cheese
salt and pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Cook the pasta until al dente and reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.  

Add the arugula, basil, lemon zest and juice, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, and salt & pepper to a food processor.  Pulse a few times to get the ingredients incorporated.  Turn the food processor on and slowly pour in the olive oil.  Add enough so that is becomes a creamy texture.  

Add the pesto sauce to the cooked pasta and toss.  Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water if the pasta needs to be thinned out.  Serve with a little more parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!  

Argentine Burgers

My husband lived in Argentina for two years while serving a mission for our church.  And if you know my husband, you probably know how much he loves hamburgers.  When my mom found this recipe (from Bobby Flay?), she decided it would be a great thing to make for him.  It was my first time having chimmichurri  sauce and I loved it and thought it tasted great on a burger.  The chimmichurri sauce can be made a ahead of time, just bring it to room temp before serving.  If you are looking for a way to jazz up a burger, this is a great way to do it!

  Argentine Burgers

Chimmichurri Sauce

• 2 cups packed flat leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs. fresh oregano
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste 
  
  Make in a food processor. Combine parsley, oregano and garlic and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add paprika, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Burgers

• 1½ lbs. 80% lean ground chuck
• salt and pepper
• 1½ Tbs. canola oil
• 4 slices manchego cheese
• 4 buns, toasted
• ½ medium red onion, sliced in ¼ inch slices

Prepare burgers in the way you choose. Add cheese to the tops of the burgers during the last minute of cooking.  Serve on buns topped with large dollop of chimmichurri sauce and onions. 

Sun-dried Tomato & Arugula Frittata

I love having breakfast for dinner- probably more than actually having breakfast for breakfast.  Frittatas are great because you can basically throw in whatever you have on hand.  I came up with this variation this afternoon simply by looking though my fridge for about 60 seconds.  Regardless of what the photo looks like, this meal was delicious.  Even with suspicious ingredients, my husband really liked it.  If you don't have arugula on hand, use spinach instead.  I also think mushrooms would be good in here, so throw some in if you'd like!  This is a quick meal, perfect for the end of the week.  Serve it with a piece of toast and some fruit and you'll have a meal your whole family will enjoy.

Sun-dried Tomato & Arugula Frittata
Recipe by me

Drizzle of olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arugula or spinach
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
4 whole eggs and 3 egg whites
1/2 cup milk, cream, half-and-half, etc.
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
zest of 1 lemon
1/4-1/2 Pecorino Romano cheese (or parmesan), grated
salt and pepper
 
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  
Drizzle a 10-inch skillet (that is oven safe) with olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.  
In the meantime, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and frothy.  Add the milk, lemon zest, feta cheese, and salt and pepper.
When the onions are done, add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and arugula, and cook for one minute so that the arugula begins to wilt.  Add the egg mixture and gently stir to combine.  Let it cook on the stove for 3-4 minutes without stirring.  During this time, grate the Pecorino Romano  over the top of the frittata.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes.  Then, turn the oven on broil for just a couple of minutes to get a nice golden crust on top.  Cut like a pie (I cut it into 8 slices and we each ate 2) and serve immediately... enjoy!

Corny Pasta

The worst part about coming back from a 3-week Christmas vacation at my parents' house is realizing I have to plan and prepare meals again.  I enjoy cooking, it's the planning and shopping I don't care for as much.  I'm not sure how my mother (and women everywhere) has been planning and preparing meals for years and years.  Maybe it gets easier with experience?  I hope so.  Nevertheless, I feel so satisfied when I make a successful meal.  And this one was! I just changed a few minor things from Rachel Ray's Summer Corn Fettuccine, so I can't take credit for the idea.  I haven't tried many of her recipes but this one hit the spot.  If you like corn chowder, you will love this dish.  Here's the recipe.

Corny Pasta
Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 lb. fettuccine or other pasta
6 slices of bacon, chopped
2 cups of corn (fresh or frozen)
3 shallots, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
a few shakes of cayenne pepper
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano 
1/4 cup basil leaves, cut in ribbons

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until rendered, golden, and crisp.  Remove the bacon and save for later.  Add the shallots, bell pepper, and 1.5 cups of corn to the bacon drippings.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender.  
3. Combine the remaining corn and half-and-half in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Add the chicken broth to the veggies and let simmer for a minute or two to reduce.  Add the corn mixture and thyme.  Stir often and let the mixture thicken.  Add the cayenne pepper and stir.
5. Add the drained pasta to a serving bowl and grate the Pecorino Romano on top.  Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to coat.  Top the pasta with bacon and basil and serve. Enjoy!

#12: Make Baby Food

I have accomplished one thing from my list of 50 things!  One down, 49 to go.  Making homemade baby food was a lot of fun and very easy.  I learned a lot on how I can improve the process in the future.  I made mine with peaches and here's how I did it.

Cut the peaches in half and leave the pits in.

  

Place a baking sheet on your oven rack and use a pitcher or glass to to pour about 1 inch of water into it.  Trust me on this one.  I put the water in the pan before and when I tried to put it in the oven... I spilled all over the place.  Then arrange the peach halves cut side down.

I ate one of the halves... oops!  It was too tempting.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the peaches are nice and tender and the skin starts to pucker, about 10-15 minutes.  When they are done, please DO NOT pick up the pan.  The water will be hot.  Use a baster to remove the water and then take them out of the oven.  Save some of the water in a bowl in case you need to thin your puree.

Remove the pits.

And then remove the skins.  They come off very easily.

Then dice 'em up!

Throw them in your food processor (or blender) and process until smooth.

 

If the mixture seems too thick, add some of your peach water.  My texture was perfect with the juice that accumulated on the cutting board.

Use a tablespoon to distribute into ice cube trays.  It fits perfectly and that way you know exactly how much your baby is eating.  I got 4 trays out of 5 1/2 peaches.

  Wrap the trays in plastic wrap and label what it is and when you made it.  Remove one or two cubes as needed.  They will stay good in the freezer for 3 months.  I can't wait to try more foods! 

Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts

The past few days have been absolutely beautiful fall days.  Sunny and about 70 degrees.  Eating this meal is a perfect complement for a day like this.  Here is the recipe.

Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts

1 lb. cheese ravioli
1 Gala apple, sliced thin
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsely
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Cook the ravioli according to the package instructions.  Pour oil in a bowl and add the basil, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Toss the cooked ravioli in the oil to coat.  Add the apple slices, parmesan cheese, and most of the chopped walnuts and toss again.  Garnish with a little more cheese and walnuts.  Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Cacciatore

Or as I like to call it, "Kitchen Checkatory."  This is a delicious chicken recipe and is fairly easy to make.  I used white grape juice instead of wine and it gives it a nice sweet taste.  If you don't want as sweet of a taste, dilute the white grape juice or just use chicken broth.  Once I accidentally used a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies.... oops!  It was actually still tasty, it just had an extra zip! Here's the recipe. 

Chicken Cacciatore
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
½ cup all purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ cup white grape juice
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1½ tsp. dried oregano leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

View full recipeSprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the white grape juice and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, and oregano.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan and coat them in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Serve chicken over pasta. Top chicken with sauce and a sprinkle of fresh basil.

Lemon Ginger Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips

I am a hummus lover.  I will try any kind you can throw at my and I generally like all types.  This recipe is one of my favorites that I have made.  I originally made it for a staff meeting where I used to work and it was a big hit.  I paired it with these homemade pita chips that I came up with by simply combining some of my favorite spices.  Let me tell you, the marriage of the two is fabulous.  The lemon and ginger really mesh well with the spices in the pita chips.  Here are the recipes!  Enjoy!

Lemon Ginger Hummus

2 (15 oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium lemons, juiced and zested (or 7 Tbs. lemon juice)

½ tsp salt

1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced finely (I use my zester to grate the ginger)

pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in food processor until desired texture is achieved. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving.

Pita Chips 

4 Whole-Wheat pitas, cut into triangle pieces

2 Tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. garlic salt

View full reci Place pita triangles on a baking sheet. Mix oil and spices together in a bowl.  Use a basting brush to coat oil mixture on both sides of the pita triangles. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden and slightly crisp.

Corn Chowder

It is officially Autumn now and the other day it actually felt a little like it here.  So to celebrate I made some soup.  I love soups.  Soup is my favorite comfort food.  In the dead of winter, it can warm my soul.  Okay, maybe that is a little over the top, but it does hit the spot.
Corn chowder is one of my favorite soups.  I used to love love love the corn chowder at Mimi's Cafe until I actually made some myself.  Don't get me wrong, I still love theirs, but I like that my version has less of corn-starchy texture.  I used a few recipes to come up with my own.  I would recommend serving it with the Brown Sugar Muffins I mentioned last week.  I hope you enjoy!

Corn Chowder

5 strips of bacon, diced
1/2 a large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more or less to taste)
1 large potato, diced
2-1/2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk


Cook bacon in a soup pot until browned.  In the meantime, blend celery with the chicken broth until smooth. (You don't have to do this, I just do to get a less chunky soup.  You could also blend the onion, especially if you are serving children).  In the same pot you cooked the bacon in, saute the onion and red pepper until soft (and celery if you choose not to blend it).  Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook 1 more minute.  Add the broth and celery mixture as well as the potatoes and corn.  Let simmer until the potatoes and corn are cooked all the way through, about 20-30 minutes.  Pour into bowls and top each serving with crumbled bacon.  Garnish with chopped cilantro if you have some on hand.  Enjoy!    

Brown Sugar Muffins

These muffins are delicious.  I got the original recipe from my sister.  They are simple and sweet and everyone who has ever tried them has loved them.  They are a great thing to take with a meal to a friend in need.  Try them out and I promise you will think they are wonderful.  Here is the recipe.

Brown Sugar Muffins

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour (try using 2 cups whole wheat flour, or 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat)
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar.  Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth.  Bake 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Makes 12 -15 muffins.

southwest pita pizza

I love making pizzas out of pita bread.  It makes for a really quick and delicious meal.  Of course, you can do the same recipe with real pizza dough, which would be even more amazing.  But I'm all for quick meals.  I thought this pizza was delicious and more fun than a basic pepperoni.  Here is how I did it.  Oh, and excuse the lack of measurements, with pizza just throw on as much or as  little of each topping that you would like.

Southwest Pita Pizza

• 1 flat pita
• Mexican style tomato sauce
• shredded chicken
• pepper jack cheese
• frozen corn
• tomato, diced
• red onion, diced
• cilantro, chopped

Top pita with Mexican style tomato sauce (not hard to find, Western Family even makes it- just look by the Mexican stuff if it isn't with the regular cans of suace).  Then add chicken, cheese, corn, tomato, and red onion.  Throw it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.  Add the chopped cilantro before serving and enjoy!

Penne with basil, tomatoes, and feta

I love finding new pasta recipes because they are usually quite easy and quick to prepare. This pasta dish is perfect for the end of summer, especially if you have a bounty of fresh tomatoes and basil you need to use up. The combination of tomato and basil is one of my favorite flavor pairings. There is so much you can do with them and it never seems to fail. This holds true for this dish as well. The ingredients are simple, yet flavorful and satisfying. Serve it as a main dish or as a side and enjoy!

Penne with Basil, Tomatoes, and Feta

12 ounces dried penne pasta (don't be afraid, try whole wheat)
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
3/4 cup cumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, go to work on all the chopping. Mix the tomatoes, basil, 1/2 cup feta, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the hot cooked pasta and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the the remaining 1/4 cup feta.

4th of July Craft and Dessert

A while back, I bought a cheap glass vase from Wal-Mart and have been using it for all sorts of things. At Christmastime I put ball ornaments in it. For Easter I put plastic Easter eggs in it. I also used it as a vase for some beautiful tulips on Mother's Day (or in my case, Wife's Day). I wanted to use it for the 4th of July but didn't know what to put in it. Finally, I came up with this idea.

A Picture Frame!

All I did was take some 4th of July themed paper and cut it to fit in the vase. I used a flexible measuring tape to measure the height and circumference of the vase. This works best for vases where the circumference is the same throughout the entire vase. I used a picture of us from 4th of July last year. I was really pleased with how it turned out.

Here is a 4th of July tradition from my family. We always make this flag cake. I didn't make it last year because I knew we would never eat all of it. But this year we had my sister's family staying with us to help finish it off. Here are my cute nieces who helped me make it. We dished it up while waiting for the fireworks to go off.

1 box cake mix, baked according to directions on the box
Strawberries, halved
Blueberries
Raspberries
1 package of whipped topping

1. After cake has cooled off, top it with a layer of the berries so that the cake is completely covered.
2. Top the berries with the whipped topping.
3. Use blueberries and strawberries to make the cake look like a flag.

Enjoy!

Something Healthy: Katherine’s Green Drink

Because I am pursuing a master’s degree in Health Promotion, I am often asked for advice on how to eat healthy. So I thought I could devote a theme to my blog on ways to do just that. For the most part, I try to ‘healthify’ any meal I make, but some are better than others. In the future, look forward to more “Something Healthy” posts.

My advice to go along with this post is to strive to eat a serving of vegetables for breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I never crave a salad when I first wake up. Most people eat veggies for breakfast by adding them to omelets and frittatas. Not a terrible idea, but I wouldn’t recommend eating eggs every day. Other methods do exist. I’m sure you have all seen those green drinks and smoothies at grocery stores. The most common brands are Odwalla and Naked Juice. These drinks sound and look healthy (the green color), but I have a better alternative for you, I promise.

My parents came to visit me recently for my husband’s graduation. While they were here they bought me one of those huge bags of fresh spinach from Costco. I love spinach, but let’s be honest, those bags are huge. I worried I would not be able to finish it before it went bad and freezing wasn’t really an option because I do not love frozen spinach and my husband especially does not care for it. So I started experimenting with it! And this is what I came up with.

Katherine’s Green Drink

2 cups fresh spinach

8 medium strawberries (fresh or frozen), halved

1 medium banana, sliced

½-1 cup of cold water

1. Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth

2. Enjoy!

This drink/smoothie is surprisingly delicious. The banana contributes most of the calories and sugar, but it does its job well! It adds sweetness without adding extra sugar, and it also adds creaminess you would otherwise get from yogurt, milk, or cream. If you don’t want the sugar, use less of the banana or skip it altogether.

Let me now introduce you to a good friend of mine. Meet Sparkpeople’s Recipe Calculator. This allows you to input ingredients from recipes and spits out the nutritional information.

Let me point out some selling points from the nutritional information from my green drink. If you ate the amount the recipe makes (about 20 oz) you will only consume 151 calories, 6.4 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of sugars (from the banana). Let’s now compare to Naked Juice “Green Machine.” An 8 oz serving gives you 140 calories, 0 grams of fiber, and 28 grams of sugar. However, the typical bottle size is about 16 oz. If you drink the entire bottle you will get 280 calories, 0 grams of fiber, and 56 grams of sugar. In addition, the “Green Machine” only contains 100 mg of spinach whereas my version has 85 grams of spinach. I would definitely recommend my version with a slice of whole wheat toast for a quick and satisfying breakfast.

*Note: Smoothies are often the key component to many silly diets out there. I’m not advertising this smoothie as a weight loss plan. Consuming ample amounts of fruits and veggies (especially leafy greens like spinach) is strongly associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancers, and other chronic diseases. My goal here is to enable you to eat more fruits and veggies and to enjoy doing it!

Cinco de Mayo, it's holiday time!

I'm back! I know it has been a while. Like always, my excuse is that I was busy with school. But now that it is Spring/Summer term, I am only taking thesis credits and have zero coursework! Yea!

I realized it was Cinco de Mayo while I was at work yesterday. So while I walked home, I came up with this festive meal...

Dora's Mexican rice, Refried Beans, and Chile Lime Quesadillas

I was really happy with the way this meal turned out. And it surprisingly took little time. The rice recipe is from a family friend who comes from family of excellent Mexican cooking. It is authentic, easy, and delicious. The beans and quesadillas are satisfying creations from simple ingredients that were already in my pantry. Here are the recipes.

Dora's Mexican Rice

Ingredients
2 cups rice
1-8 oz. can of Mexican Style tomato sauce
4 cups water
5 tsp chicken flavor bouillon
drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt

1. Drizzle olive oil in a 2 qt pot. Heat oil and add rice. Cover rice in oil and heat until golden. Do not let the rice burn. This gives the rice a nice authentic texture.
   
2. Add water, tomato sauce, and bouillon. Stir until well mixed.
3. Let simmer until rice is done. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Refried Beans

I would like to make real refried beans one day, but I was short on time last night. So here is what I came up with.

1 can refried beans
1 Tbs lime juice
Sprinkle of goat or feta cheese
cilantro

1. Mix and heat through.
2. Garnish with cheese and cilantro
   

The lime juice definitely spruced up the boring can of beans.

Chile Lime Quesadillas

Ingredients
1-16 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1-4 oz. can chiles
1 Tbs lime juice
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup pepperjack cheese
cilantro
4 tortillas of your choice

1. Drizzle olive oil in pan and turn heat to medium.
2. Add beans, chiles, lime juice, and salsa.
   
3. Mix and heat through.
4. Add half of the mixture to one tortilla and the other half to another. Top with cheese and cilantro. Top each quesadilla with a second tortilla.
   
5. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
   

I would recommend enjoying this meal with horchata, preferably served in a margherita glass. Enjoy!