tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2112196339274374322024-03-13T16:15:14.787-07:00Mom loves to cook!I am a mom who loves to cook. I started cooking when I was 11 years old, and have never stopped. I do admit that since I had my first child, it has definitely become more of a hobby than before. I find culinary adventures to be very soothing. I love to try new things, and even though I fail sometimes, the learning is all part of the fun.KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-25237138421451655172009-02-19T13:59:00.000-08:002009-02-19T14:17:58.744-08:00Working on ideas<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5dflcy85OsRSYzMEK1xC-jodOdNF5Fek_BV74Ys1Wv7G-8rF5AioyLkQ9AEQLHcZtLI_6CWCPRtleRo-qdhfdbmvmjsJ8SmQLTQcBlOpdXKQYiexp8NoHuTScraQ3rESgkMXLtHXtKnS/s1600-h/bbqchx.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304633002402243426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5dflcy85OsRSYzMEK1xC-jodOdNF5Fek_BV74Ys1Wv7G-8rF5AioyLkQ9AEQLHcZtLI_6CWCPRtleRo-qdhfdbmvmjsJ8SmQLTQcBlOpdXKQYiexp8NoHuTScraQ3rESgkMXLtHXtKnS/s320/bbqchx.jpg" border="0" /></a> Citrus Marinated BBQ chicken-I used thighs to experiment with the sauce because, well, honestly, they are cheaper, right? I used three different fresh citrus juices and actually a lot of Asian flavors for the marinade/basting sauce. My husband loved them, but I think they were just ok. They look pretty though :o)<br /><br /><br />So, the reason for all this recent posting, is that I was watching Food Network Challenge and decided wouldn't it be fun to create a recipe that I could enter in the contest too??? It is fun, but also a lot of work. SO! I am not going to post the recipes until I have entered them, because I don't want to give my secret ingredients away ;o) I have been pretty happy with the results, but honestly, I just don't think that they are good enough to win a spot on tv. I don't feel like they are very original either, but it is still fun making (and eating, especially the cupcakes, YUM!) them.<br />These cupcakes were made with a vanilla batter, and then I put slices of fresh fruit in the middle and baked them. The frosting I just made as a butter cream chocolate frosting, but I used melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder. The best part of making these cupcakes is that my 3 1/2 year old son helped me portion them out, and he did a really good job. He was so proud of himself too! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304633010845620642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwPZb-OZaGGPn7PNmKMv-wdbHPhMqOHWvdpa1ALgvT1FGgkXsjzK0UMCWkCXubRKfOSVO1tM9cPdC3Uudi6nDfzjCWWfq7jdyVbvjxGBqf-otT7L8jcMDCTV4940JUyJxWp6S9DDzzgin/s320/cupcakes.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304633006125723794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMVtkSQzE4uIY1kyeMTGNvvPkJm_1aUkDO4t2J9Ax6DJS1c-GAzA_p7yOh1vNXonBtCCeHc4MlXsZUAevHVPNCn_U8ti_E_hqGbUnaa_bFV6pkgFh_3b0a6QvcqG0UKr7wQXpvw0vtAIs/s320/Citrus+Berry+Cake.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>This cake I decided to do three kinds of citrus again, and then I made a blackberry filling that I spread in between two layers. I just did a really simple citrus glaze over the top. You can see I had an air bubble in one of my layers in this pic, but I thought it was kind of pretty. </p>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-3017483862021109732009-02-19T13:13:00.000-08:002009-02-19T13:15:31.705-08:00pregnant and cookingWhile I had to forgo blogging for a while about cooking, I am back in the kitchen as I near my third trimester, and am finding myself bored. Cooking keeps me happy! So, hmm, a couple of things I have made lately and remembered to take pictures of. Hopefully my new camera will produce better images.KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-40967476207174576282008-08-29T17:28:00.000-07:002008-08-29T17:38:32.648-07:00Herb Potato Salad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLtrWHWgNv81YB5B8VSpsXgSvvHuymJiToClV4fkWAIGcJ8A9qoz_cvjn1UQBI6L-BROyk_WTJJ_zPVj0_qt9smyMj56GUgoK51Rp8XA1c-pnAUfLKMdiiKPbU8c8qAePiSEmrJA8qdnl/s1600-h/potatoes.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240103612961390114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLtrWHWgNv81YB5B8VSpsXgSvvHuymJiToClV4fkWAIGcJ8A9qoz_cvjn1UQBI6L-BROyk_WTJJ_zPVj0_qt9smyMj56GUgoK51Rp8XA1c-pnAUfLKMdiiKPbU8c8qAePiSEmrJA8qdnl/s320/potatoes.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>More wonderful gluten and dairy free food! Yum, these potatoes turned out way better than I thought! I just thought the idea up tonight, and made it up as I went along. Enjoy with some grilled chicken and a fresh salad. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>1 lb. red potatoes, quarterd, then boiled until soft</div><br /><div>2 tlbs. olive oil</div><br /><div>1 onion, thinly sliced</div><br /><div>1 tlbs. Red Wine vinegar</div><br /><div>2 cloves garlic</div><br /><div>1 tlbs. fresh chopped rosemary</div><br /><div>1 tlbs. fresh chopped thyme</div><br /><div>sea salt and cracked pepper to taste</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Saute the in 1 tlbs. of the olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. The onion needs to carmelize a little bit, so resist the urge to stir too soon. (about 7-10 minutes over med-high heat) Add 1 tlbs. Red wine vinegar, and toss onions to coat. Add minced garlic and herbs and reduce heat to cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. (be careful not to burn garlic)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Top potatoes with 1 tlbs. fresh olive oil, and add the onion mixture. Toss to coat, and finish with salt and pepper to taste.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So simple, but they were really delicious! At least we thought so, I hope you enjoy! </div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-23247654824237289092008-08-26T18:07:00.000-07:002008-08-26T18:35:11.050-07:00Coconut Chicken Curry<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpcoZZ_9YdzvawTfGfvGhHcQ4mBVAEZb5nBV5dwTm7bV2ZWTgHbbZBy_QwMTk5V-pI7h77LnkNrm8bjtbVW6WpRul5kLJt7_arxVAxi-8HqzCF9adK6LKE4rHyqI-fZpgl3iYu8o55r_n/s1600-h/curry.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239004374008598610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpcoZZ_9YdzvawTfGfvGhHcQ4mBVAEZb5nBV5dwTm7bV2ZWTgHbbZBy_QwMTk5V-pI7h77LnkNrm8bjtbVW6WpRul5kLJt7_arxVAxi-8HqzCF9adK6LKE4rHyqI-fZpgl3iYu8o55r_n/s320/curry.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>I found out last week that I am supposedly allergic to wheat and dairy. So, for the next 3-4 months, I am on a detox diet, meaning none of the following things:<br /><br />wheat, oat, barley, bran, corn, no grains except for rice. (brown, white, wild, whatever.)<br />no dairy, no eggs, no beef, no shellfish, no tuna, no table salt, (only small amounts of sea salt.) no sugar, no peanuts, no peanut butter, let me think...there is a whole bunch more, but basically i can only have some fish, chicken, Lamb(what???) and turkey. preferably organic. Ditto veg and fruits, and rice. I can have some brown rice syrup and maple syrup or stevia. So why am i telling you all of this? Because i love to cook, and I am Italian, so for my entire life my diet has revolved around dairy. Admittadely, I have layed off carbs for a while in an effort to tame my waistline, but apparently it was doing me no good because their is gluten in everything, and it causes my body to bloat and retain water like mad. What a world! So, I am experimenting with different dish ideas in order to satisfy my palate but also tame my tummy. Who knew? Here is my recipe for Coconut Chicken Curry, I made it up on the fly, it was delicious! My husband thought it was pretty awesome too. </div><div> </div><div>I also have to apologize for my pictures, apparently i am camera challeged, as you might notice from previous pics. However, I am going to be getting a new camera for my birthday, so hopefully things will get better soon!<br /><br />2 chicken boneless chicken breasts, cubed<br />1/2 an onion chopped<br />1 jalepeno seeded and halved lengthwise<br />2 plum tomatoes, quartered.<br />1 tlbs. Olive Oil<br /><br />Sauce:<br />1 can light coconut milk<br />2 tlbs. yellow curry powder<br />1 tsp siracha<br />1 tlbs. ground ginger<br />1 cinnamon stick<br />1 tlbs. fish sauce (ok, i broke my rules on this, but it serves 4 people, a girl has to live a little)<br />2 tlbs. rice syrup (you can use honey if you don't have to buy this expensive commodity)<br />1/4 cup golden raisin's.<br /><br />prepare 2 cups of brown jasmine rice<br />1/2 cup flaked or shredded coconut, unsweetned<br /><br />heat oil in large skillet, saute onion, tomatoes and jalepeno for a few minutes until golden brown. Add chicken and saute for about 5 minutes more. Cover chicken mixture with sauce, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, and simmer for 10-15 minutes more until the sauce reduces. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Just before serving, add 1 tlbs. freshly chopped cilantro and the juice of 1/2-1 lime.<br /><br />To prepare the rice, cook according to package directions. In the last 10 minutes, add the coconut to the rice and cook together.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239004377459280914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0avjBtxU5eTCJQNv0c7bYTEZSfd5Zfdupkq_A_xiNSUo7Vlf9sS6HQ2hoZYdPg9p3Q5r1R5ss2ZNnWOux1QE-uGq9ybL3vAVsYinTzd6E7_1paMiyNpNQ01ZEDlLozVi8N9tcIDq6jLo/s320/finished+curry.JPG" border="0" /><br />Serve in bowls with lime wedges for each person.</div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-34468366493809180672008-05-09T18:46:00.000-07:002008-08-26T19:20:32.554-07:00Ok, so I am baking today....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yT2zlDe2BBsVfyHNjLImrQwrR0Mn-1nEq14i3a3oVe_hs9UlAbbRC59z3Uki4j8wXg_tVFnqm3wCrtBnHe88YJV7Cxlh7R_6mJC0L02ORnCNk0uoNQEmvNe4GlYNrKl7eeExBum3LQYU/s1600-h/cupcakes.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239016604029125522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yT2zlDe2BBsVfyHNjLImrQwrR0Mn-1nEq14i3a3oVe_hs9UlAbbRC59z3Uki4j8wXg_tVFnqm3wCrtBnHe88YJV7Cxlh7R_6mJC0L02ORnCNk0uoNQEmvNe4GlYNrKl7eeExBum3LQYU/s320/cupcakes.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I don't particularly love to bake. When I finally get into it, I usually enjoy it. But, I don't really look forward to it. There are a couple of reasons for this:</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>1. I don't like things to be messy, and for some reason when I bake, I feel like my kitchen gets destroyed! </div><br /><br /><div>2. I don't like that with baking experimentation is limited. I like to cook by how I feel- to take a recipe and tweak it with what I think will make it more accomodating to my palate. That being said, I tried this recipe from The Barefoot Contessa on Food Network, and OMG! So good...I keep calling them my little sugar bombs...because they are sweet, but they are soooooooo good. I did change something- but not on purpose, I accidentally put too much butter in them, but who cares? They came out great, and so I am giving you the recipe with my mistake included. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>preheat oven to 350!</div><br /><br /><div>3 cups flour</div><br /><br /><div>1 tsp baking soda</div><br /><br /><div>1 tsp sea salt</div><br /><br /><div>1/2 cup corn starch</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>sift dry ingredients together and set aside. </div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-27728117026256501682008-05-09T18:26:00.000-07:002008-05-09T18:45:51.675-07:00Lasagna!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXu1cgeKj10F8BPxBvOmDVdrft25SjMe4mu1QubiCG0WsIAqsOZ63q5PR6Ud2lOdtd36TBtwLmPj7okcIbAC3_5EjK44wd0Ha1TvuBv0axuwlloixFAmwJhANu-5gMm3ERFHaVobO8prz/s1600-h/lasagna.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198559318231621266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXu1cgeKj10F8BPxBvOmDVdrft25SjMe4mu1QubiCG0WsIAqsOZ63q5PR6Ud2lOdtd36TBtwLmPj7okcIbAC3_5EjK44wd0Ha1TvuBv0axuwlloixFAmwJhANu-5gMm3ERFHaVobO8prz/s320/lasagna.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF7F8UPuUAgccoSiZlWC5T-FS3ziqsZ8vIN8ecck8JVUSC2ZlmBgHXyQOLqyB2V3EaTzg4ZmFogumhSUdEeGEy_qebvVm2XlrceoaZR-RsH5z4Vl03pVOlz6bE5fE3thPM40mo8X1GUsI/s1600-h/lasagna1.JPG"></a><br /><div>My neighbor just had a baby about 2 weeks ago, so as soon as her family from out of town left, I decided to take her some lasagna. The sauce in this recipe is the recipe my grandmother supposedly taught my mom when she married my dad, so it is a family hand down. I have made come changes over the years, but it is basically her sauce!<br /><br /><br /><br />Homemade Lasagna!<br /><br /><br /><br />Marinara Sauce:<br /><br />1 small can tomato paste<br /><br />1 15 oz. can crushed tomato's<br /><br />1 15 oz can tomato puree<br /><br />2 tlbs. olive oil<br /><br />2 cloves of garlic, finely diced<br /><br />2 shallots, finely diced<br /><br />1 tlbs. dried whole leaf oregano<br /><br />1 tlbs. dried basil<br /><br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />2 tlbs. butter<br /><br /><br /><br />heat oil over medium heat and saute garlic and shallots until tender. Take care not to burn the garlic! Reduce heat to low, and add the rest of the ingredients besides the butter. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours or longer over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is a little acidic, add a little butter to taste until the acidity is reduced.<br /><br /><br /><br />Bechamel Sauce<br /><br />4 cups whole milk<br /><br />1/2 cup flour<br /><br />5 tlbs. butter<br /><br />1/2 cup fontina cheese<br /><br />1/2 cup mozz<br /><br />1 1/2 cups marinara sauce<br /><br />pinch nutmeg<br /><br /><br /><br />melt the butter over medium heat, and whisk in flour. Slowly add milk, whisking the entire time so that there are no lumps. When sauce is bubbly and thick, add cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat, and add sauce and pinch of nutmeg. Cover to keep warm and set aside.<br /><br /><br /><br />Lasagna!<br /><br /><br />1 lb. extra lean ground beef<br />2 tlbs. olive oil<br />2 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed.<br />2 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese<br />3 whole eggs<br />salt and pepper to taste</div><br /><div>1 pkg. no cook lasagna noodles, such as Barilla</div><br /><div>1 cup shredded mozz</div><br /><div>1 cup shredded fontina</div><br /><div>1/4 cup grated parmesean (mix these three cheeses together in mixing bowl and set aside)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>preheat oven to 375. Heat oil in skillet and cook meat until brown. Drain, and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, salt and pepper until creamy and smooth. Set aside. To assemble lasagna, pour 1/3 of the bechamel sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13x2 glass baking dish. layer noodles, slightly overlapping. (this should take about 4 noodles). Spread entire ricotta mixture over noodles, and then top with the spinach. Top with another layer of noodles. Spread the entire ground beef mixture over the fresh layer of noodles, and then spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over the ground beef. Spread another 1/3 of the sauce over the cheese. Place the final layer of lasagna noodles over the cheese, and then top with the remaining sauce and then cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil, and then bake 15 minutes without the foil. Enjoy! I hope you like this recipe. It is totally time consuming but so worth the effort! </div><br /><div><br /><br /></div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-77774987772248102152008-04-24T20:01:00.000-07:002008-04-24T20:34:19.900-07:00More Enchilada's....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTkR0G7nXz_TORL_Zclf4JVQuv6Hi4AyXOwNzlS5iPArN-ie-MpiFgZrElrn57NXgmiclGC7kSbsizw9LoOEMjM2JCMP4-OUF9Vu85PiMflwMaC08Jrg8051-N4kFoumzNIoYpOi6O7g6/s1600-h/green+chili+enchilada.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193021117258197906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTkR0G7nXz_TORL_Zclf4JVQuv6Hi4AyXOwNzlS5iPArN-ie-MpiFgZrElrn57NXgmiclGC7kSbsizw9LoOEMjM2JCMP4-OUF9Vu85PiMflwMaC08Jrg8051-N4kFoumzNIoYpOi6O7g6/s320/green+chili+enchilada.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Tonight, I whipped up my husband's favorite Green Chili Chicken Enchilada's. I was originally inspired to make this dish from a recipe that my mom used to make. However, when I set out to make it the first time, I did not have her original recipe. I improvised! The result was a fresh tasting enchilada. Normally, I use corn tortilla's and just stack it up, but since my last recipe used whole wheat tortilla's and it came out so well, I thought I would use those again. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>2 green chili's</div><br /><div>2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded</div><br /><div>3 green onions, chopped</div><br /><div>2 cloves garlic, finely diced</div><br /><div>1 big handful of fresh cilantro leaves chopped</div><br /><div>1 jalepeno pepper finely diced</div><br /><div>1 roma tomato diced</div><br /><div>2 tlbs. softned cream cheese</div><br /><div>3 tlbs. sour cream</div><br /><div>1 cup jack cheese shredded</div><br /><div>1 tlbs. oregano</div><br /><div>1 tsp. chili powder</div><br /><div>1 can green enchilada sauce (15 oz) </div><br /><div>sea salt and pepper</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>8 whole wheat tortilla's</div><br /><div>1 cup jack cheese</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 13x9x2 inch pan with non stick spray, and spread about half a cup of green enchilada sauce over the bottom of the pan. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Roast chili peppers until charred, and place immediatly in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, and the next 10 ingredients. Remove peppers from fridge, and peel and dice. Add to the chicken mixture and stir all ingredients until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>One at a time, spread a couple of spoonfuls of enchilada sauce on each tortilla, and then top with about 1/2 cup chicken mixture on each tortilla. Carefully roll each tortilla, and place in 13x9x2 pan. Once all enchilada's have been assembled, pour remaining enchilada sauce over entire contents of pan. Top with remaining 1 cup of jack cheese. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Cover with foil sprayed with non stick spray, and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa. </div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-11437963046765527262008-04-23T13:44:00.000-07:002008-04-24T19:25:28.594-07:00Mediterranean Chicken Gyro's<div>I love Greek and Middle Eastern inspired food. So, I thought it would be fun to mix up some flavors and instead of making a traditional Greek Gyro, combine some different spices from the general region and make a Mediterranean Gyro, with spice influences from all over the region. The marinade is especially important, so make sure you let your meat marinade for at least 8 hours, if not overnight.<br /><br />Marinade:<br />1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />Juice and zest of 1 whole lemon<br />2 cloves garlic<br />1 tsp. paprika<br />1 tsp. ground coriander<br />1 tlbs. whole leaf oregano, dried.<br />sea salt and pepper to taste<br />1 lbs. white meat chicken breast<br /><br />Mix all ingredients except Chicken in a food processor until smooth and thick. Pour marinade into container with chicken, seal tightly and marinade for at least 8 hours or overnight.<br /><br />To make Cucumber sauce:<br /><br />1 cup of whole fat plain yogurt<br />2 cloves of garlic<br />1/2 cucumber, shredded (squeeze dry between paper towels)<br />1 tsp. fresh mint, finely diced<br />1 tsp. fresh dill weed, finely diced<br />juice and zest of 1 lemon<br />salt to taste<br />fresh cracked pepper to garnish<br /><br />To make chicken, heat out door gril to medium heat. Grill both sides of chicken until done, about 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken and allow to sit. Meanwhile, prepare fixing for gyro's. Finely slice red onion, tomato, lettuce. lightly grill pita, and serve with chicken, cucumber sauce, lettuce, onion and tomato and crumbled feta cheese. You can also add your favorite olives if you like. I also spread some store bought hummus over the pita before my chicken and fixings. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193003147115031426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiqkqMHR4Hg3SNs8HxCmktaVX51Ta49s6hhkpi4N1FbO2IHsZHVPYqx2gI-QmGldcsiXrdKXIL6pi0jP2_rLmj-RbwDs9suHU3yz0sf33xjriwlkyK0fS5iaw3kHL3fNguMfrV7ICqu_F/s320/chicken+gyro%27s.jpg" border="0" /></div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-41928206399229734512008-04-19T17:28:00.000-07:002008-04-20T18:12:10.349-07:00Mexican Food Night...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5sSzJ6Y3xOqscosRP9LTvIiINSZdpWBARROHRD-MHSjSQ8dagEeFltAHJEDDr6IQVcVrR0kfzacgxYI9JqIt2Ibt5ZrpoB95GWSyqKI_BXOyMQxe6jFq9jfR3u2fOBwAPUFtL1VmjOFV/s1600-h/guac+dip+(2).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191499346215473714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5sSzJ6Y3xOqscosRP9LTvIiINSZdpWBARROHRD-MHSjSQ8dagEeFltAHJEDDr6IQVcVrR0kfzacgxYI9JqIt2Ibt5ZrpoB95GWSyqKI_BXOyMQxe6jFq9jfR3u2fOBwAPUFtL1VmjOFV/s320/guac+dip+(2).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMKG9x57mO0BWg23sV-feVcTvP2fXM8_H8b_JZuAwFwKofCdHE6PErmyxoqTDGpRgPn7fuaFyqePrcc_MLBPwgWS8agfTdUVK6tZNY0XTZtdyEFKp79Mk9VLsN6trowcfqElSuQ2fBytD/s1600-h/enchilada's.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><div>I have been obsessed with avocado's lately, putting them on top of just about everything and making guacamole toppings to go with just about everything. I thought, since I am making <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mexican</span> food tonight, I would share my recipe for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">guac</span> topping. I get a lot of compliments on it, but one word of warning, it is heavy on the garlic, so if you don't like garlic that much, I would definitely cut back.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Guac</span> Topping: (for food or for dipping chips!)<br /><br />2 avocado's, pits and skins removed<br />2 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tlbs</span>. Lite Sour Cream<br />2 cloves garlic<br />1 tsp. Lime zest<br />Juice from 1 lime (You should get about 2 tlbs. juice. If not, use another lime)<br />1 handful fresh cilantro leaves<br />1 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">JalapeƱo </span>pepper, seeds removed and chopped<br />Sea Salt to taste<br />Fresh cracked pepper to taste<br /><br />Place all ingredients in small food processor and pulse until well blended but not entirely smooth. Serve immediately.<br /><br />**if you like your guac topping spicier, leave the seeds in the mixture from the Jalapeno! You can also mix everything up by hand using the back of a fork if you prefer a chunkier texture. Just make sure you dice everything up before mixing it all together.<br /><br />Enjoy. This goes great with any dish that you think needs a little Southwestern kick. I served it with yummy Black Bean and Pineapple enchilada's, a recipe I got from my sister. </div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191499973280698946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZBBNsQk5AzweJm3ThrWH7fvmRnrfi1O3nXXxcpLXCn7jU14zQ2rNlfiT4CSdjAq0EFBJsaFB2YYpLXIuqHEL-U_Hpo2iLzkUdTMdyftQBMKoV2zn9Yckanjqho-N9T7E1MrF24S_1Qxx/s320/enchilada's.jpg" border="0" /></div></div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-21764614783186601832008-04-19T13:46:00.000-07:002008-04-19T14:35:10.432-07:00Dinner Last Night...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPVYfe6wUtrvv9HPavSeml8lkubbxQcfX6VcbJ_dFq8csK2uS9X40KXCkxoKZXuLWFpP4staMu6umtTM9pStpjUxkgf843ELSQgxsvf9Vqy9r0aRoapM1DkTN7_GXY3agHw6IgblIITlB/s1600-h/2008_0418recipe0027.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191072679869321682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPVYfe6wUtrvv9HPavSeml8lkubbxQcfX6VcbJ_dFq8csK2uS9X40KXCkxoKZXuLWFpP4staMu6umtTM9pStpjUxkgf843ELSQgxsvf9Vqy9r0aRoapM1DkTN7_GXY3agHw6IgblIITlB/s320/2008_0418recipe0027.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5R73kKW2EVjQZld_fO3pXmDGPMus7zBY8QTJ1cfqaL-ZTQhXjiwRUyQ7H7y2Y-BmSrKPam4iU1GSyBqXnuVkVEFl45ifhQawwgGmWBFz-Rtdht7GCJ2epHLF8pSIrMcW7i76LdYyE5Rm/s1600-h/2008_0418recipe0027.JPG"></a><br /><br /><div>Over the past few weeks, my sister has been sharing other blog's of people who share their love of food. So, after reading some of the exciting recipes out there, I decided that I should share my recipes and love of cooking as well.<br /><br />Last week, I picked up some Sea Bass, and decided I would make it for dinner on Friday night. I was searching through recipes, and (this happens to me a lot) I came across a recipe that sounded interesting, but I did not have all the correct ingredients. I know typically when I get creative with an idea, it goes one of two ways- either not so great, or it becomes something I am very proud of. Well, this particular experiment was a winner. I was so proud of the outcome, that I even took some pictures that I am going to share with you. I hope you all like the recipe! It isn't terribly healthy, but at least it is low carb, and it is fairly easy for a fancy dinner.<br /><br />Chilean Sea Bass with Saffron-Cream sauce and blanched Asparagus<br /><br />1 tlbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />2 tlbs. Butter<br />Sea Salt and fresh cracked pepper<br />4 4-6 oz. fillets of Sea Bass (or Cod, Halibut, or any other mild flavored white fish)<br /><br />1/3 cup good quality Sauvignon Blanc<br />1 clove of garlic, minced<br />2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced<br />1 good pinch of saffron threads (depends on your taste, I personally love Saffron, so I use a big pinch!)<br />3 sprigs of Thyme<br />1/4 cup heavy cream<br /><br />1/2 pound fresh Asparagus<br /><br />Fresh Basil, julienne for garnish<br /><br />Trim aspargus, and add to pan filled with boiling, salted water. Cook for about 1 minute, depending on thickness of spears, and remove from water. Set aside.<br /><br />Rinse fish fillets, pat dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.<br />Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, add Olive Oil and 1 tlbs. of the butter. Cook the fish for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.<br /><br />Add the wine to deglaze the pan, and then add the garlic, tomatoes, saffron, thyme and simmer until sauce is reduced by half. Bring heat on the pan down to low, add the next Tablespoon of butter and whisk into sauce until melted. Add cream to sauce.<br /><br />Place aspargus and fish on plate, and spoon generous serving of sauce over fish and aspargus. Garnish with fresh basil and fresh cracked pepper.</div><br /><div></div><div>I also decided to add some pasta to this dish, because my husband has to have carbs with each meal. So, i just cooked up some pasta barilla, tossed it with a touch of Olive Oil and chopped garlic, and just topped it with some of the sauce. It was fantastic! We loved it, and we drank the rest of the Sauvignon Blanc that we used in the recipe. Even my two year old son loved the Sea Bass. Enjoy! </div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3UCm-OwLhqWYGfdlmPcYBrImKdW6IbdrQDvbeWiaeJWr8fADezUgZToCaQZMSA5zAhr3xlvdf-JZe5mXEv3Y89o1MisftoIQ6OTf23OhN5jfIrh7gPgS4GGeeVqkQs-WQ1zFM3noFJCS/s1600-h/2008_0418recipe0031.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191072675574354370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3UCm-OwLhqWYGfdlmPcYBrImKdW6IbdrQDvbeWiaeJWr8fADezUgZToCaQZMSA5zAhr3xlvdf-JZe5mXEv3Y89o1MisftoIQ6OTf23OhN5jfIrh7gPgS4GGeeVqkQs-WQ1zFM3noFJCS/s320/2008_0418recipe0031.JPG" border="0" /></a></p></div>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-60819661431137032902007-12-14T20:00:00.001-08:002007-12-14T20:04:58.184-08:00Winter Wonderland !<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiBVX4Uv6xgZ6fpx9vfNrwOh6dKwpqEzisJvnvM_yc0m7FvGM-lRbevUTgJlJAi8welTwjPGBURNZqWwpkgDj4FGu2pwdFjfmgQU3uwpc95eVqibhFo8nMdBp5400eJXWWaM6sy-FoifG/s1600-h/parker+sledding.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144045572652187602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiBVX4Uv6xgZ6fpx9vfNrwOh6dKwpqEzisJvnvM_yc0m7FvGM-lRbevUTgJlJAi8welTwjPGBURNZqWwpkgDj4FGu2pwdFjfmgQU3uwpc95eVqibhFo8nMdBp5400eJXWWaM6sy-FoifG/s320/parker+sledding.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogczA-BXDRw0cGjPBPeafzJZUpT9Oqv7TUnwVtbvKtqFzuZ4Tvraxi0yYL6a5ID6KtcMRDGOpKWjwCsrWgztGvOkJnyPqYO3SL_WNOhSvdnhW5xY2nYz1euwiuZjRyW-SDXEe9mRMDiCI/s1600-h/trees+in+heber.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144045594127024098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogczA-BXDRw0cGjPBPeafzJZUpT9Oqv7TUnwVtbvKtqFzuZ4Tvraxi0yYL6a5ID6KtcMRDGOpKWjwCsrWgztGvOkJnyPqYO3SL_WNOhSvdnhW5xY2nYz1euwiuZjRyW-SDXEe9mRMDiCI/s320/trees+in+heber.JPG" border="0" /></a>KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211219633927437432.post-2803269871725064682007-12-14T19:44:00.000-08:002007-12-14T19:51:45.609-08:00This past week....This past week was a lot of fun for our family. We decided to go up north to Heber, AZ and enjoy the snow with my sister and her husband and their kids. So, we stayed up at our condo's for a couple of nights. IT was so much fun to get to be able to hang out with my sister and her family. It is funny that we live so close, and we are such good friends. I know many siblings who do not have that kind of close relationship. When my sister, who is 1 1/2 years younger than me were little, we were very close. During my turbulent teen years, we drifted apart, as we had very different interests. I am so happy that through our twenties, we have become close again, and now as we enter our early 30's, we get to be there with each other as we raise our kids. On the drive home, I just said a prayer of thanks to God for blessing my life with the wonderful family members I have, but this week I am especially thankful for my younger sister and her beautiful family. Being with them was such a wonderful memory I will truly treasure for the rest of my life! Not to mention the joy my son has when he gets to spend time with his cousins.KAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17096400176204195570noreply@blogger.com0