anniversary dinner part two: the perfect side

My boyfriend loves three things when it comes to food - Peanut Butter, Spicy, and Garlic so that was my inspiration for this Thai inspired cold noodle salad i made to go along with the fried shrimp.  like i have mentioned before i cook in a chaotic way but to me there is method to my madness.  i researched tons of different peanut sauces, and dressings, and noodle this and noodle that until i was able to gather the best of all the recipes and mash it up into what i thought would taste the best.

i started with linguine noodles and used about half a box for the two of us knowing that my boyfriend was going to need some leftovers for lunch the next day.  i like my pasta al dente so after about 12 minutes i drained my noodles and let them cool.  be sure to give your water a good dash of salt and olive oil, this not only flavors the pasta but also prevents your noodles from sticking to each other.  also keep in mind that i am on weight watchers and constantly trying to create health conscious dishes so i did use whole wheat pasta but feel free to use white flour pasta, even soba noodles if you had the time to go to the Asian market.

the sauce is super easy also, i started by adding 1 cup of peanut butter and half a can of coconut milk (again i used the light coconut milk but you can use the full fat if you prefer) and put it on med-low heat.  as the peanut butter began to liquefy i added in a heaping teaspoon of minced garlic, the juice of half a lime and began to squeeze in the siracha paste.  siracha is like a spicy Asian ketchup and it is freaking awesome.  my boyfriend and i can handle a little heat (in and out of the bedroom -- gosh i just set myself up for that one) so i started with a generous squirt, worked it in and then tasted.  the amount of siracha is personal preference only, i ended up using about 4 teaspoons which gave the sauce a nice heat that snuck up on you once the coconut and peanut butter taste subsided.

incorporate the warm noodles [you do not want them to be entirely cooled down, if the pasta is warm the sauce will stick better and really be absorbed better] with the sauce.  allow to cool completely.  now you could stop here... but why would you?  ransack the fridge for all the veggies you have that you need to use up.  i added shredded carrots, thinly sliced red onion, julienne red peppers to my noodle salad.  adding bean sprouts, snap peas, water chestnuts would also be tasty!  this salad is perfect it has subtle heat, elements of crunch and creaminess and lets be honest pasta is always delicious.

stay tuned for the easiest fried shrimp recipe and the chili garlic sauce that passed what Guy Fieri would refer to as the "flip flop test." until next time, eat laugh love and enjoy!

anniversary dinner part one: dessert first

so, i cook for my boyfriend pretty much every chance i get.  and let me tell you, it gets kind of difficult coming up with new and exciting ideas.  my guy is a foodie much like myself, we love to try new places and split as many small plates as we can, its kind of our thing -- so when it comes to cooking for him i feel like it needs to blow his mind everytime, and then again after dinner .. cue bad joke drums..

as he and i approached our 6 month anniversary, i racked my brain for the perfect menu to really show him how much i care about him and here is what i came up with: fried shrimp with chili garlic sauce, thai peanut noodle salad, and chocolate peanut butter cake for dessert.  if that doesnt say "i think your pretty cool" then i dont know what does!

so the way i cook is kind of like organized disaster.  i google as many recipes as i possibly can and then take the best parts of each recipe and sort of then do my own thing.  luckily for me.. and for anyone who eats my food it always comes out well.  i show up at the grocery store, like a wild amazonian princess and start grabbing everything i need:  shrimp, garlic, siracha, coconut milk, peanut butter, limes.  and then i forgot the cocoa powder so i go back and grab that along with chocolate bars, some red bell peppers, red onion, shredded carrots, SHIT i forgot the corn starch so i race through the aisles looking for corn starch, finally when i think i have grabbed everything i make my way to check out and treat myself to a well deserved, ice cold diet coke.  murphey's law teaches that i in fact DO NOT have everything so i run back to the store to get the few things i forgot.

i had made my chocolate cake the night before our anniversary dinner.  i used an amazing Paula Deen recipe for chocolate cake.  it came out light and moist and was just the right amount of buttery. yeah get over it i said buttery..for the filling i combined 1 cup of peanut butter, 8 ounces of cream cheese, a splash of vanilla, and added powdered sugar in until it became thick and creamy.  for the frosting i made a chocolate ganache by melting bittersweet ghiaradelli bars in warm half and half, when the mixture became cool i mixed in room temperature butter until the ganache thickened, and almost turned into a mousse texture.  i wish i could have recorded my boyfriends reaction to the dessert, i think his exact phrasing was "mmmm SHUT THE FUCK UP"  at this point he had not said those three little words, but STFU was almost sweeter.  he was more turned on by the dessert than the sexy lingerie i had worn.. my cooking skills are a blessing and a curse, a real catch 22.

stay tuned, this three course meal is a three course blog, until next time eat laugh love and enjoy!

easy as puff

hello foodies, and let me start this post by apologizing for my time away.  my busy schedule should be no excuse to go this long without sharing my culinary creations...i am forced to quote the wise movie Wedding Crashers- Rule 76: no excuses, play like a champion.  and that i shall do, i am going to share with you this super easy recipe that will take you 30 minutes or less to prep and cooks up so quickly you barely have time to clean up the mess you didn't really make!  how great does that sound?!

so truth be told, this recipe idea came from a culmination of a few different things i saw on pinterest.  the great thing about it is the only ingredient that must stay the same is the pizza dough, everything else can be swapped out.  i started making these pizza puffs for my boyfriend a few months into our relationship.  he works odd hours and he's a guy so his idea of cooking is pretty much making coffee (joking, my boyfriend is actually a good cook -- have i tried anything yet?? NO but he claims to be) and i thought it would be nice to make something that was filling, yummy, and most importantly very easy to reheat.  during this time, the great food truck race was airing on food network, so he and i instantly went into "if we had a food truck mode" and started coming up with all different types of fillings to try and let me tell you the possibilities are endless!

*Here is the basic pizza puff:  one ball of store bought pizza dough can be cut into 12 smaller balls.  stretch the dough gently and kind of stick it to one hand, you are going to need your second hand to stuff the filling and then fold the dough back around itself.

*Filling:  mix one cup of ricotta, a sprinkle of oregano (dried), a generous dash of garlic powder, and some shredded mozzarella.  this is a classic cheesey filling -- add pepperoni, sausage, meatballs for a delightfully meaty italian twist.

*Filling: are you feeling like a fiesta? mix together cheddar and jack cheeses, some taco seasoning, and sauteed onions and peppers.  why not a bit of grilled chicken? 

*Filling: left over steak from dinner?  slice it thin and add in sauteed mushrooms and provolone.  who said a philly steak cant come in a puff?

*Filling:  mix 8 oz cream cheese, with 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing, a grilled chicken breast diced, and add hot sauce- to your liking and voila .. buffalo chicken

are you starting to get the idea?  lots of great ideas!  you will want to put a tablespoon of filling in the dough that is right in the center of your palm.  begin to stretch the sides around the filling until the dough has completely closed in the filling.  place seam side down in your baking dish, brush the top with olive oil to get a nice golden brown and bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes.  

until next time, eat laugh love and enjoy!

did somebody say "Bacon Sprinkles" ?!

so if you are a consistent follower of my blog posts you might get the impression that i am a wild child and a bit on the promiscuous side.. BUT when i am dating someone i am probably the most amazing girlfriend ever because i just bake and bake and cook and cook and next thing he knows he has gained 10 lbs [luckily i have a few bedroom excercises to burn off those calories ] any who back to me being an amazingly generous with the baked goods girlfriend ... peanut butter treats.  i am sure you probably just felt a little excitement bubble inside of you but it gets better, because as eluded to by the title of the post there are BACON SPRINKLES!

so my boo has gone on a 3 week tour de basketball and the martha stewart in me has decided i need to send him off with some goodies to keep him fed and happy during his trip.  i am racking my brain for something that will hold up well in the car and i decide on cookies.  i start raiding food network and pinterest for cookie recipe's and i come across this chocolate peanut butter cookie and it occurs to me how amazing would it be with bacon added to it! so now i start looking for recipes involving dessert bacon.  and i combine everything ive seen into one amazing rich dessert "sugar cookie cups rimmed with chocolate filled with peanut butter cream and topped with candied bacon sprinkles" -- i do not think its any surprise that these bite size treats did not make it that many hours into the roadtrip, but they definately earned me girlfriend brownie points :)

the recipe is super easy and if you take a few semi-homemade steps its really fast but it tastes like you've been slaving all day!  i am going to break it down into the cup, the filling, and the topping..

Sugar Cooke Cup
- follow sugar cookie recipe
-OR pre-made sugar cookie dough -- semi-homemade (because lets be real, we work and sometimes we just dont have the time)

roll the dough into small balls or if you are using the cut and bake kind break off the chunks.  place them in a greased cupcake tin.  i used the mini cupcake tin so its a bite size portion but feel free to make larger size also.  bake 9-10 min and the cookie balls will puff up.  take out and using the end of a wooden spoon press the center down, this is how the cookie becomes a cup.  put back in for another minute just to crisp up the cookie.  take out and cool.  (i rimmed my cups with milk chocolate by microwaving the chocolate in 30 second intervals stirring between every cycle until fully melted.  put cup face down in chocolate and coat the rim of the sugar cookie cup)

Peanut Butter Cream
cream one cup of peanut butter with half a stick of cream cheese.  on low speed start to add in confectioners sugar.  i would say about 1-1/12 cups.  you are looking for a smooth creamy consistency.  if it looks really thick add a splash of milk to thin it out.  you are looking for a middle ground between a glaze and frosting consistency.  fill peanut butter cream into piping bag (or use zip lock bag and cut off a corner) and set aside until cookie cups are fully cooled.  fill the cups so that the filling is taller than the rim of cookie.

Candied Bacon Sprinkles
generously coat your bacon with brown sugar and lay on a wire rack that will drip into a sheet pan.  you want the fat to drip off leaving the bacon crisp. bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  after 15 minutes flip the bacon and bake for an additional 15.  the brown sugar will melt and then harden into almost a candy coating.  (from here you are more than welcome to dip the cooled candied bacon into the left over melted chocolate -- dont judge me its amazing)  but to make the "sprinkles" you are going to want to  cop the bacon up super tiny and then sprinkle generously over the top of the peanut butter cream. 

this is the perfect treat for any man.  chocolate peanut butter and bacon, he is going to love you forever.  it's great for parties also because it is portable and you are eating the cup so there is no additional trash.  these sugar cookie cups are the pefect vessel for any filling -- strawberries topped with whip cream, a small scoop of ice cream, endless possibilities.  until next time i hope you try this out and eat laugh love & enjoy!

indulge a little

my job has the most amazing cook.  heis this crazy loveable Jamaican guy who was possibly put onto this earth to cook.  hemakes me dinner every night at work and  i can taste all of the love he puts into preparing it.  today is his birthday and i felt like it was time for him to indulge a little so i whipped up tart raspberry cupcakes with a smooth and creamy white chocolate frosting.  this is a twist on a classic vanilla cupcake recipe (or truth be told, i baked this after working an 11 hour day and getting stuck in 45 minutes of traffice -- USE A BOXED CAKE, you will be adding so many extra flavors and so much love no one will know)

i had originally intended on making this whole she-bang from scratch, but lets be real .. after working 2 pm - 12 am and then getting stuck in 45 minutes of traffic, i just wanted to crank out some cupcakes and somehow make it to bed by 3 am.  prior to going to work, i put about 2 cups of frozen raspberries in a bowl with some sugar (this is called mascerating them)  i added juice from 1/4 of a lemon and allowed it to sit.  the berries leached out all of their juice making this super sweet syrup like liquid. 

for the cake itself, i luckily had a boxed vanilla cake on hand so i just followed the directions, however you are going to cut back on the amount of water you use which will intensify the raspberry flavor, not allowing the water to dilute the berries.  most box cake recipes call for 1 cup of water.  if you were able to extract 1/3 cup of juice then you would only want 2/3 cup of water.  basically however much juice you get just fill the remainder of the cup with water.  blend this into the cake mix and bake according to directions.

for the frosting -- in your kitchen air or with your hand mixer combine 1/2 stick of room temp butter, 1/2 stick of room temp cream cheese and 4 oz of greek plain yogurt.  the greek yogurt adds a tang that helps cut through the sweetness of the white chocolate. when your butter and cream cheese and yogurt are combined smoothly begin to slowly add the powder sugar about 2 cups in total.  (if frosting looks to sticky just add a touch more sugar remember its easy to add not as easy to take away)  melt 5 oz of white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals.  the chocolate will melt very quickly (faster than milk or dark chocolate does)  stir between each interval. when the chocolate has fully melted continue to stir it rapidly, this will cool it down but also keep it from re-hardening.  once the chocolate has cooled, add it to the frosting and mix to combine.  frost your cupcakes and garnish with white chocolate shavings. YUM

god bless the grill!

memorial day really kicks off summer time, its when people open their pools, when we know we can put away the cardigans and break out the tank tops and most importantly when we shift from the heavy lager beers to the frozen refreshingness of a margarita.  memorial day is also the time when we get to give thanks to the brave who make our land free.. free to grill baby! 

it is with great pleasure i share with you my recipes (and stories) for my "make your own gyro bar," orzo pasta salad side dish and my almond cupcakes with orange ricotta frosting for dessert. 

idea's do not just come to me, i need to be inspired to make something.  so the other night i am out and i've been drinking and chatting with my favorite bartender.  we begin to share some of our awesome recently tried recipes and all she has to say is "lamb meatball" and i am inspired.  in an instant i decide to make that on my next day off which happens to be memorial day sunday.  i brave the crowd and the masses who are doing their last minute BBQ shopping in search for a few key ingredients [i am a lucky girl because my momma has an herb and veggie garden in our backyard that she so fondly refers to as Dandelion Farms]  I am scouring the meat/poultry section for ground lamb, and i do not see it. so frantically i changed my game plan and decided we were going have grill lamb gyro's!  so that was my inspiration, and my recipe and pictures are below

I bought 4 lamb chops with bone in (next time im going to experiment with a leg of lamb no bone). 

Marinade - SO EASY - 4 large cloves of garlic minced, one large handful of mint, one large handful of oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper sprinkled on top.  okay so if you blend your fresh herbs with olive oil and kosher salt it will make almost like a paste (similar to a pesto consistency)  then generously rub the lamb with the minced garlic and the herb paste and place in a plastic bag for your flavors to party together.  marinate as long as possible.  3 hours-overnight.

Fire up your grill and when your coals/wood chips turn white its time to throw the lamb on.  I cooked my about 6-8 minutes per side or when it was juicy but the juice was running clear.

now it's time to assemble.  Like any good "make your own...bar" there needs to be a LOT of options.  I went with the classic tzaziki sauce (8 oz greek plain yogurt, half a cucumber shredded, 1 clove of garlic minced, salt and pepper to taste and let this chill in the fridge for a few hours), i chopped some romaine lettuce into beautiful ribbons of lettuce, cucumber tomato salad (chopped cucumber, chopped tomato, chopped white onion, and chopped kalmata olives), and hummus - store bought SUE ME i was on a time constraint.

are you thinking to to yourself what is that delightful little scoop of yumminess on the side of the plate?  well if you are thinking it then GOOD let me tell you, if you are not thinking it then SHAME ON YOU is #AMAZING. its so amazing i added a hashtag. 

So orzo salad is crazy easy to make.  cook orzo like any other pasta, in boiling salted water, cube 1 whole eggplant and 1 whole zucchini, and one large onion into similar bite size chunks.  saute them with olive oil and salt until they get soft.  sauteing your veggies is like good sex -- it's not a race, if you go slowly then nothing gets burned.  some veggies finish faster than others so cut everything the same size so everybody finishes at the same time.  add the soft veggies to the drained orzo and set aside to chill.  i like this salad cold.  i top it off with crumbled feta and orange mint vinaigrette ( handful of mince mint leaves, 2 splashes oj, one splash of vinegar, one large squirt of mustard, and whisk in a steady stream of olive oil until emulsified or thickened).  drizzle the dressing over the top of your cold salad for added flavor and it gives the orzo a great shine.

last but certainly not least its time for dessert!  i made a super light almond cupcake.  the almond cake almost reminded me of biscuit.  it was so fragrant and light.  and the filling provided some creaminess and helped the cake remain moist.  here is how i made my cupcake - start by creaming 1 stick of room temp butter with 1 cup of sugar.  when combined add 2 room temp eggs one at a time and replace the 2 teaspoons of vanilla with almond extract.  then add in half of your dry ingredients.  1 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder.  add 2/3 cup of room temp milk and then the rest of the dry.  once the mix comes together turn off the mixer and spoon your cupcakes to about 2/3 full.  bake for 20 min at 350 degrees and let cool. 

i wanted something light and refreshing but still had the sweetness of a dessert.  so i mixed 1 cup of ricotta, with 2 splashes of OJ (to tie into the orange from the meal) and about 1 cup of powdered sugar.  i have a special frosting tip that allows me to fill cakes but if you do not have one just  pile on this light refreshing tastiness right on top.

I hope you enjoyed my stories and recipe's.  now that grilling season is upon us be sure to look for lots of my grilled recipes.  until next time eat laugh love & enjoy!

sweet tea pecan pie home made wine ..

it's not just a lyric from my favorite song [zac brown band - chicken fried] and its not just a way of life [southern girl trapped in a yankee civilization] but it's a food philosophy that i thoroughly believe in and live by.  attention to detail, highlighting the ingredients, cooking with love and when in doubt adding butter make good down home cooking my favorite go-to comfort food.  after living in Tallahassee's, florida and charleston, sc for the past 6 years i have been spoiled by amazing bbq, boiled peanuts, and fried chicken that i cant even imagine to replicate (but i will replicate at some point and then post a blog).  this blog i am going to share with you my boiled peanut and low and slow brisket recipes.. and the obvious stories to go along with them! hope you enjoy

*Cajun Boiled Peanuts*

if you've ever travelled below the mason dixon you have probably encountered a boiled peanut.  you may be saying "ew" but let me tell you they are a little peanut size of deliciousness.  there is the traditional boiled which is salty and its good but let me tell you, if it's not cajun then your not ragin'.  i started going to this bar, the palace saloon (when i was of age of course haha) and its the best bar on earth. your beverage choices are beer, tiny wine and sake bombs and if you are a regular or a pal-rat like myself you know to get the cajun boiled peanuts.  these little babies are spicy and salty and piping hot amazing.  long story short i was starving and poor and did what any one would do.. i flashed the gorgeous bartender for free boiled peanuts.  i knew after my first one i would have to come up with my own recipe, so i would be able to snack on them whenever i wanted. 

one bag of peanuts in the raw

large pot of boiling water or a slow cooker

cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and salt

Bring water to a boil and add in your seasoning, use a liberal amount (3 heaping tablespoons) of the cajun seasoning or seasoning salt (if you use seasoning salt kick up the amount of cayenne) now add the cayenne, this is up to your personal palate, but i usually add a liberal palmful and just a sprinkle of salt.  stir until all of your seasonings are mixed into the water.  add your peanuts (very important the water remains fully covering nuts the whole time) boil water for about an hour and then drop to a simmer over night.  these really do need to cook for 24 full hours.  i have tried less and they just don't get soft and melt in your mouth spicy. after 24 hours its time to enjoy. i think they are best served warm. enjoy the pictures -- some good times from my favorite bar and obviously the peanuts.  the white cup are the free ones and mine are in the pink bowl!

 

*brisket low and slow*

I'm at the bar and I'm having this great conversation with a handsome guy (whom i did end up shacking up with for a few months) and at some point in any conversation with a good looking guy i like to throw out that i am incredibly skilled... in the ... kitchen. you people have dirty minds! so anyway, i mention that i make a really good brisket, and that the only way to truly get a brisket nice and tender is to cook it low and slow. well after saying low and slow about 6 times in a row, he and i went home to have our own low and slow fun about 6 times in a row..but the point of this blog is to share recipes so enjoy.. here is my brisket recipe handed down to me from my gram..  and then a second recipe with my bbq twist on it

Classic Brisket

carrots, onions, celery

ketchup

brisket (go big, this is a meat that will shrink in size)

BBQ brisket

brown sugar

ketchup

mustard

garlic powder, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning

carrots, onions, celery

classic - start by searing your brisket on top of the stove (high high heat with olive oil and get the crusty brown outside of your meat to seal in juices) then you are going to want to add the chopped carrots, onions, and celery all around the pan.  give your brisket a rub down with ketchup and add maybe a half cup of water.  cover and cook at 300 for about 6 hours. you will know it is done when it is fork tender and your house smells like wonderful

BBQ - mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and some cajun seasoning. this just became your dry rub.  coat the brisket and let it rest to marinate.  after a few hours (this works best if you give your meat a rub down before work and then it'll be good to go when you get off).  follow the above directions to complete this brisket.

until next time... eat laugh love & enjoy!

Palace 5K - April 2011

i crush, i cook, he eats

for anthony it was cheesecake
for dave it was chocolate chip cookies
for blake it was chicken parm and homemade garlic bread
for michael it wa s brisket low and slow and cajun boiled peanuts
.. see the trend? as much as i love to cook for myself i learned at a young age that the way to a man's heart is right through his stomach.  not only is my frosting good enough to make a man's knees weak, but i have mastered the art of a dense yet moist cake.

its not that i dont find myself pretty or that i have low self esteem, because ask anyone that knows me.. i am loud and out going and almost obnoxiously friendly.. but whenever i meet a new guy who has captured my attention for more than a day i instantly find myself looking through every cook book or racking my brain for possible recipe idea's.  my mom told me to with hold sex from a guy until i could be sure that he wasnt going to leave when he got what he wanted, but i almost think i with hold cooking because thats a skill so great and so precious that the longer i can tease and entice the longer i can keep him coming around. 

Young's Double Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Strawberry buttercream (follow standard vanilla cupcake recipe, use beer for liquid and add some co-co powder)
Picture this, its Valentine's Day and I am the only girl working at a hotel in downtown Charleston where every single male employee is J.Crew attractive.. i'm talking tall, tan, athletic and young.  these college bellman are just the most picturesque sight that makes the 8 hours of my night go by that much faster.  with that being said, i wanted to do something nice for Valentine's Day as  I was stuck at work and had no real better plans.. so i decided on cupcakes and what could be better than beer, chocolate and strawberries.  thats a quintisential combination if i ever could imagine one so this is where the idea of my cupcakes came from.  as i researched recipes i came across a guiness beer cupcake and it looked good but then i remembered trying young's double chocolate stout and instantly knew that the chocolate and underlying coffee flavor or the beer would make my cupcakes dense and rich and almost sponge like.  from there the strawberry frosting was an almost obvious choice, i mean HELLO chocolate and strawberries, if that isnt an aphrodisiac i dont know what is?! 

milk chocolate cupcake with strawberry cream cheese frosting (vanilla cupcake with co-co powder)
so i kind of like this boy, he's nice and funny and it's time to lure him in.. so i start to brag about how awesome i am at cooking.. i then decide to make a cupcake light and airy with the slightest bit of sweetness to showcase the fresh strawberries and cream cheese frosting i have prepared to go on top. 

whether you are trying to have a meaningful relationship or just enough fun to last you until the cupcake is done the best way i think to spark a man's interest is to bake for him.  i mean you just have to use what you've got! until next time.. eat laugh love & enjoy!

a dish worth paying for

so i make/create a lot of things, and they 99.9% of the time are really good. i go through some trial and error, but on a rare occasion i make something completely generated from my mind in the moment and when its done and i have that first bite i think to myself, HOLY SHIT this is amazing.  i recently cooked dinner for myself and my mom and made a seared tuna lettuce wrap and honest to goodness thought to myself..this is restaurant worthy.  this is a $12 entree at a restaurant.  i created a simple dish, with fresh ingredients, with a complete spontaneous train of thought, and it turned out great, i hope my readers and followers will try it and i wont even charge you!

i got inspiration for this dish the minute i took out the most beautiful hearts of romaine lettuce from the fridge.  my mom must have picked the greenest and freshest bunch of lettuce and when she asked me to prepare a salad as a side to our tuna i knew that i couldn't crush these vibrant crunchy leaves, hence the lettuce wrap.  so here is where the journey begins..

Seared Tuna Lettuce Wrap
-8 oz of tuna will make about 4 lettuce wraps.  (it gets diced into bite size pieces and divided evenly among lettuce)
-salt and pepper
-hot hot hot skillet with a touch of EVOO
good quality tuna steaks BEG to be seared, trust me. they want it, they want their pink flesh to hit a hot pan more than a college senior wants to take home an 18 year old freshman from a bar at last call.. facts are facts.. season your tuna steak with salt and pepper and when your pan starts to smoke put your tuna steak on. DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF IT. once you see about 1/8 inch change to a darker color, flip your tuna and sear on the other side. same thing, 1/8 inch and remove from heat, set aside and continue on to preparing your wrap

so after i seared the tuna, i thought to myself, why not take everything i was going to use as salad toppings to make a fresh veggie salsa for the wrap, so i frantically gather and begin to chop..

Fresh Veggie Salsa - makes enough for 4 wraps, add more veggies for more wraps
-1/2 red bell pepper
-1/4 large red onion
-1/4 cucumber
-1 tomato
-1 large carrot shredded
keep in mind you want uniform sizes, and its a salsa, so the veggies should be a small dice.  toss with salt pepper and a little garlic powder.  I then chose to toss them in a homemade vinaigrette just for some added moisture, it is really easy to do
-2 tbs of mustard, (grainy mustard works best)
-2 splashes of vinegar, what ever on handy, i used red wine vinegar
and begin to whisk as you slowly add olive oil, when its all incorporated and begins to thicken its done!  emulsion is a crazy cool thing. toss the veggies

so now lets recap where we are.. plate.. lettuce leaves waiting to be filled, seared tuna, and now salsa.  but wait, i could not stop.  i needed to add more to this wrap.  and it hits me, i need sour cream.  but i am on an ever continuing diet, so i decide that plain greek yogurt will do the trick.  but plain is boring, so i added a generous pinch of paprika and cumin to give it a smokey and tangy flavor. like a well trained construction worker of all things food, it is time to build. on the bottom is my seared tuna that i have diced into bite size chunks, each chunk has a little of the seared crust on the outside with the bright pink fish in contrast.  i then topped that with the veggie salsa, which adds some crunch and sweet and spicy from the pepper and mustard and then dollop the greek yogurt on top of it all, which is tangy and smokey and just really makes this dish amazing.

i hope you enjoy this recipe, it really can pass as something so gourmet, but it was so easy to make.  until next time, eat laugh love and enjoy!

not your mama's brussel sprouts

when i say brussel sprout, what is the first thing that comes to mind? bad smell, bad taste, the veggie side dish that you try to feed to the dog. well get ready for a brussel sprout revolution.  i may have created a low fat dish that smells good and tastes good and one that you will definatley want to keep for yourself and not give to your pup.

now that i am living at home and i have a crazy variety of foods and spices to use i am really trying to create new idea's that taste great so my mom doesn't have to cook so much, its the least i can do living back at home rent free.  so I'm re-organizing the fridge and i come across a bag of frozen brussel sprouts, and i think to myself one thing, AU GRATIN.  here is what i did, i highly recommend you try it because it was seriously amazing!

1 bag of thawed brussel sprouts
1/2 cup low fast mozzarella cheese shredded
1 egg
1 cup of skim milk
1 generous splash of half and half ( for a little luxury taste)
and a equal part of whole wheat bread crumb/parmesan cheese mix for crunch on top - i used like 1/4 cup of each
salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder for seasoning

combine wet ingredients with the mozzarella cheese and egg, pour mixture over halved brussel sprouts, top with bread crumb mixture and bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes til bubbly and delicious.
trust me this will change your life and your view on brussel sprouts.  eat laugh love and enjoy! until next time foodies

my weight watcher's friendly recipes!

so after spending over $50 for a 3-month online weight watchers membership, i am going to really commit and stick to the plan! i mean i put a financial investment into losing a few LBS so i might as well really stay focused and do it!  after the first 2 weeks of living off of turkey sandwiches on bagel thins with mustard (5 points) i have decided i NEED to branch out into filling and yummy food that isnt super high in point value. here are a few recipe's ive come up with that are helping me stay on track and stay full! more to come, until then eat laugh love and enjoy!

eggplant lasagna
-1 large eggplant [ 0 points ]
-2 cups low fat ricotta [ 5 points ]
- 4 slices reduced fat cheese [ 8 points ]
-1 egg [ 2 points ]
-1 cup marinara sauce [ 0 points ]
*serves 5 - 4 points per serving*
slice the eggplant into thin strips and season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. begin by layering a casserole dish with sauce, place an even layer of eggplant and then add layer of riccotta mixture (egg, ricotta, salt and pepper) layer of provolone or mozzarella and sauce. repeat until you have finished with your ingrediants. cover with foil and bake until bubbling and cheese has melted. about 30 minutes at 350

veggie dip
- 6 oz plain greek yogurt
- italian seasoning
*serving size 6 - 1 point each*
combine yogurt with italian seasoning. eat with veggies [ 0 points for veggies ]

banana split - gather ingrediants and assemble
- 100 calorie size Klondike Bar [ 3 points ]
-  frozen strawberries [ 0 points ]
- banana chopped [ 0 points ]
- cool whip 2 tbsp [ 0 points ]

new year, new gadgets, new ways to recreate old ideas!

as we set into the new year its the same old thing..same old resolutions drop 20 lbs, work out more, eat less carbs but after a few weeks we get tired of living on celery and lettuce and working out becomes monotonous and before we know it we have given up and decide that "hey our jeans still fit okay enough, and if we wear a shirt that is a little more flowy it'll camouflage and #WINNING the flowy shirt is in style this season anyway" but just shy of 2 weeks into the new year, i am not going to give up. i am going to share some idea's of mine that are helping me finally stick to my resolutions and make it part of my life style and not just some unattainable goal.

1. new way to re-create an old idea:  i love quiche, so much so that i have already blogged about it.  but as the new year settles in and i wanna get into better shape i realized 2 things- 1. the crust is delicious but not necessary when i am trying to drop some pounds and 2. the 10 in pie crust allows me to "create" my own portion size and i am pretty sure i should be getting more than 4 servings out of a 10 in quiche.  so here is what i did to make individual portions that i can just grab and nom on.  it all starts with the "crust" -- i got heat proof rubber cupcake liners as a gift.  you can find them at a kitchen store, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath and Beyond and they are really affordable and come in cool shapes (mine look like little flowers).  spray with a touch of non stick cooking spray and begin to fill. i used onion, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and cheese.  feel free to add what ever you have, heck quiche is the perfect way to clean out the fridge!  *siden ote, i like to saute a larger batch of onions and peppers so that what i do not use i can pop in the fridge and find other uses, like topping a store bought pizza with yummy veggies or mixing it in with whole wheat pasta and tossing in garlic and olive oil*  i used 3 eggs and 3 small splashes of half and half for a little extra flavor and then poured the egg mix over the filled liners. below you will see a before and after picture.  bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350, or until the eggs look cooked but still have a little jiggle.

2. switch up the work out routine:  i like to run, i like to dance, but if i am doing the same thing every day i think i would just give up on shear boredom alone.  i am alternating running with cardio and by cardio i mean i blast my ipod and do some crazy dance routine in my living room that i get for free from On Demand.  it's a seriously genius idea. i mean i have tons of options to choose from and i can pick one that ranges from 10 minutes for 45. its FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC

3. now i cant take full credit for this on my own, because i have probably heard this tid-bit of advice from every food network star but it seriously is such a good idea!  pre-chop and pre-saute and pre-grill food.  i find myself thawing out 10 chicken tenders seasoning them all, cooking them all and then its enough food for me to create dishes with throughout the week.  i have options, i can make pasta's or sandwiches or just eat them as chicken tenders, i used some in my sexy chicken chili.  the same goes for all my veggies, i find that if i saute a bunch and put it in my fridge when it comes time to heat up my  frozen pre-made pizza i now have the opportunity to add veggies to it which will fill me up and make my pizza a little bit healthier.

thats all the tips i have now, but when i think of more i wont hesitate to blog them! until then, eat laugh love & enjoy!

sexy chicken chili

now for the average joe food may not be sexy, or passionate.. but for a culinary (wanna be) master like myself i see all the emotions that food can portray or invoke. it can be nostalgic and warm like re-creating mom's meatloaf.  it can be innovative and clever like a creation we may see born from a food network star.  food can turn tears into a smile like eating a spoonful of your favorite ice cream or a bite of raw homemade cookie dough after a bad breakup.  food can be happy, sad, but most importantly food can be passionate and sexy. 

the sexiness of food comes from the reaction we feel from all of our senses.  first with our eyes, then with our nose and our mouths.  now that the winter is fully settled in it's time to bring a little warmth and a little heat into our kitchens and our stomachs.  i have whipped up a sexy chicken chili that will surely put some heat in your night.


first i take about 4 boneless chicken tenders and sprinkle them with a little salt pepper and olive oil, i grilled them and when they cooled enough to touch i shredded the chicken.  in the meantime i sweated 1 large onion with garlic and olive oil,  once my onions become translucent i added in smoked paprika for some smokey sweetness and some chili powder for heat, and then in a moment of pure genius (luck) i added in a small palmfull of cinnamon.  the cinnamon is what gives this chili the warmth and with each bite makes you wonder what that lingering flavor is on the back of your palate.  i give the spices a few moments to heat up and coat the onions.  these ingredients need a chance to dance and get to know each other because after all this chili is sexy.. and for your ingredients to bring sexy to the pot they need time to meet and greet! after about 2-3 minutes when the spices really give off a great earthy rich aroma add in a 12 oz can of diced tomato, 1 can of beans (i use black beans because they are my favorite, but pinto or kidney beans would work as well) i threw in some deeply carmelized onions that i had in my fridge from something else i had made.  the caramelized onions* add a little sweetness and a different layer of flavor in contrast to the diced onions and last but not least 1/4 cup of salsa. the salsa gives your chili a little extra heat and some tang from the vinegar.  once your chili has come up to a boil add in your shredded chicken and then to give your chili a little extra body add in 2 corn tortilla's that have been cut into thin strips.  these will slowly dissolve giving the soup body and additional texture.  when your chili achieves a rolling boil, drop the temp to a simmer and cover. after 30-45 minutes your chili is ready to go, dress how you like with sour cream, cheese, chives, chips, jalapenos

so next time you get the chills, whip up this hearty and earthy chicken chili that will surely bring some heat and passion into your meal. until next time eat, laugh, love & enjoy

*to caramelize onions, put in a saute pan with olive oil on medium heat, add in a little salt and just continue to stir and check on them, the onions will slowly go from raw to translucent to brown to this dark brown color, this process does take about 30 minutes