Skinny Mug Muffin Recipe

After Spring Break is typically my New Year time.  It's so much easier to lose that stubborn extra 5-10 lbs that you acquired over the winter.  Low carbs and sugar and minimal meat has always been my go-to for shedding those pounds.

I'm loving this easy and flexible recipe to make in the morning for breakfast.

Jorge Cruise's Skinny Mug Muffin (with my variations)

1/4 cup ground flax
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coconut oil
1 egg
1 tsp stevia
10 blueberries (optional: substitute with other berries, nuts or a couple of dark chocolate chips)

Mix in a coffee mug and microwave for 1 minute.

Turned out pretty good for a quick breakfast.  You can also pop it out of the mug pretty easy to take with you.

Weekly Clean Eating Menu #1

It is time to get my butt back in gear.

We bought a house.  We remodeled it.  I labored. I drank. I ate. I drank. I ate. Holidays came. Holidays went. I drank. I ate.

And now, my pants are too tight!  Yikes.

Two weeks in to cleaner eating now.  I also am a religious Myfitnesspal app user.  It's a food diary that is so easy to use and it helps me stay accountable! It also shows your nutrient level so I can tweak my day if say my calcium or potassium level is low or my sodium is too high.  I am also getting counseled by my friend, Whitney Tucker (give her a follow on Instagram @tuckerandbabe).  She is helping me lead a healthier lifestyle and keeping me on track with wellness for myself and my family.  She is a wonderful resource and I highly recommend her helping you too!

Here's my recipe links for this week's menu.

Light Chinese Chicken Cabbage Salad

Skinny Loaded Chili Cheese Fries

Roast Beef Sandwich With Herbed Goat Cheese, Crispy Zucchini And Sweet Potato Chips And Watermelon Radishes (I'm using elk to make my roast beef)

Gobi Aloo Wrap - Cauliflower Potato, Toasted Red Lentil hummus, Pickled Onion Wrap

Mexi Chopped Salad with Avocado Dressing (I added spinach, kale, and red leaf lettuce)

Kale Stuffed Salmon

Zucchini Noodle Shrimp

Girlfriends in the Kitchen - Butter Chicken, Vegetable Stew and Baked Ziti

When I lived in Montrose, I created a group of my girlfriends called Girlfriends in the Kitchen.  It was a fun collection of my friends at a time when we all had little ones and babies.  We would meet one to two times a month and create a meal or two to take home.  I have many blog posts with recipes on here from then.  I adored that time with my friends!  There's just something about a group of mamas making a meal together that nourishes the soul.

Since I moved back to Telluride, it has been an awesome thing but I have so missed my tribe.  I decided that I am pretty settled in now and feeling more grounded.  So, I decided to start cooking with my new tribe of ladies and today was the first day.

We made Baked Ziti, Butter Chicken (Makhani) and Vegetable Stew and as promised here are our recipes:

Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (26 ounce) jar marina sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes; drain.
In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add marina sauce, and simmer 15 minutes. Then add the ziti, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and sour cream.  Stir together.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Put mixture in dish. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Butter Chicken

2 pounds chopped chicken, skinned and boneless (I combine breast and thigh)
4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
8 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup almond meal
½ cup water
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (fat, low-fat, or non-fat)
2 teaspoons red chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons garam masala
8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed in mortar and pestle
1 tablespoons salt
5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large onions, thinly sliced
8 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter (1 stick)
½ cup heavy cream or half and half
½ - 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Turn empty slow cooker to high while you prep to heat it up.
Wash and cut chicken into chunks. Don’t cut it too small or it will dry out while cooking.  Set aside in a bowl.  Add all the ingredients except the cilantro into the crockpot and stir.
Turn slow cooker on low and cook for 6 hours.
After cooking, add the cilantro and stir.
Optional: Top with chopped onions and green chilies. Serve with Basmati rice or thick naan.


Vegetable Stew

1 med chopped onions
2 ribs chopped celery
2 medium chopped carrots
2 cups cut green beans
1½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic
5 cups vegetable broth
2 large cut up potatoes ( I leave the skin on)
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon oregano
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Ground black pepper to taste

Heat your crockpot up. Then add all the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Peach Basil Mojitos & Buffalo Chicken Salad

Peaches are my absolute favorite fruit.  Pineapples are a close second!  Nothing says summer to me like a fresh fruity cocktail and a yummy salad on a summer Friday night.

I decided to make a Buffalo Chicken Salad and Peach Basil Mojito.  I am not much of a measurer - more of an estimator.  So a lot of my recipes are a round about idea of ingredient quantity.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. And yes, I use my christmas dishes year round.  We live in the mountains so I feel trees are relevant year round :)

Peach Basil Mojito

Fresh Peach
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mint
Lime
Sweetened Lime Syrup
Rum
Club Soda
Ice

I muddled a handful of mint, basil, syrup, 2 lime wedges and half of a peach in a cocktail shaker.  Then I added some ice and about 1/2 cup of rum.  Then, I shook it up really good.  I filled up two glasses with ice and divided the mixture between the two glasses only filling 3/4 full.  Then I top it off with the club soda.  Don't stir it.  The club soda cuts the rum a little at first and helps nurse your way into the stronger drink at the bottom.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Grilled Chicken Tenders
Buffalo sauce
Lettuce
diced tomatoes
bacon crumbles
blue cheese crumbles
fresh corn
black beans
diced red pepper
dressing of choice

I like to serve my salads on platters that way the goody doesn't fall to the bottom.  Just load up all the ingredients and add any more that you may have in the fridge.  After grilling our chicken tenders, I tossed the adults in buffalo sauce and left the others plain for the kids (I did salt and pepper them before grilling).  I served my salad with several dressing choices.  I like blue cheese, ranch or a good vinaigrette with mine.

20 Dairy & Egg Free Meal Ideas

Well, we thought we were out of the woods with food allergies but they are back and are very apparent in my children's lives.  My oldest daughter has had a pretty strong allergy to eggs since she was little.  It's an allergy that the doctors thought she might grow out of.  We thought that she had after letting her try them a year ago but after only 2 weeks the allergy came raging back.

About a month ago, my second daughter was tested for food allergies after complaining for some time about her tummy hurting.  The results came in with a dairy and egg allergy.  I had gotten down how to cook without eggs and now adding dairy was another challenge.  I realized how much of it that we were eating including butter, cheese, yogurt, milk, sour cream, etc....

I scoured Pinterest and Google for more ideas then kept a meal diary of my own to share with you all.  I have found that the advice of others including my mother who also has a dairy and egg allergy has made it easier.  And that some vegan products are really good and others are just not worth the money.  I have been super happy with all the coconut milk products!  I also prefer to use oil or vegetable shortening instead of the vegan butter.  I just avoid vegan cheese although the vegan cream cheese isn't too bad.  I hope this might help some of you who are also not Vegan but cooking for food allergies.

-Tacos with guacamole cream

-Vegan pancakes/waffles and sausage and fruit smoothies (I like to add oats to my batter)

-Thai Coconut Veggie Stirfry over rice ( I like to use all kinds of yummy veggies)

-Hamburgers and hot dogs with salad, Vegan Mac & Cheese (used the box kind & it is pretty good) and fries 

-Baked fish with breadcrumbs/olive oil/lemon/Greek seasoning with broccoli & rice pilaf

-Chicken, shrimp & sausage jambalaya 

-Bahn Mi steak sandwich, broccoli & sweet potatoe fries

-White Bean & Rosemary Soup with sourdough bread & olive oil w/balsamic

-Chicken pot pie soup (almond milk and oil to sub), toast & vegan brownies (using flax seed/almond milk)

-Greek Chicken pasta salad (we used penne and omitted the feta)

-Burgers, salad & tots

-Spaghetti and salad (vegan parmesan)

-Pork & veggie fried rice (good base recipe - omit egg) and potstickers (frozen kind are egg free)

-Mustard Glazed Pork tenderloin, green beans, roasted potatoes & salad

-Chicken & tofu lettuce wraps with peanut sauce

-Grilled Steak, rice pilaf and green salad

-Korean beef bowls (so easy and a new fave -topped ours with some shredded carrot & cabbage, cilantro, fresh jalepenos)

-Jamaican Beef Stew over rice (left out habanero)

-Chicken, broccoli & pasta skillet meal with almond milk "cheese" sauce (flour, almond milk, olive oil, oregano, garlic, basil, parsley, seasoned salt, nutritional yeast)

-Chili with corn chips (so many yummy chilis to make - we love it with sweet potato in ours)

So there you go!  As you can see that a lot of Thai/Korean meals are super easy on a dairy/egg free diet.  Bon Appetit!

Easy Soul Food Recipes - Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole and Mexi-Skillet Dish

Lately, I have been cooking to feed my soul.  I've made super simple meals that are yummy, creamy, one dish and EASY.  I thought I'd share some of the great recipes that I have used and the ways that I have tweaked the recipes to my liking.  I hardly ever follow a recipe exactly. I see them as mere suggestions.  Then, I can just tailor it to what I have available in my kitchen.  You can do the same!

I made this chicken crescent roll casserole the other night and every one of us cleaned our plates.  I thought my kids were actually going to lick their plates!  I went ahead and made two of these casseroles so I could freeze one.  I am so glad that I did.  I like to freeze recipes like this because it is so helpful on those days that you just don't have time or you don't want to make time.  I also love being able to offer up one of my freezer meals to someone else who might need it.

Photo credit Dine & Dish

I made a variation of Kittencal's Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole. But it was my inspiration that I found on Pinterest.

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

2 cans crescent rolls
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breasts
2 cups Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (I added celery, carrots and peas to mine)
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

I oiled a casserole dish about the size of the one above.  I laid out the crescent roll strips with the small part hanging over the sides of the dish and overlapping the rolls on the bottom of the dish quite a bit.  I didn't do individual bundles like above.  I did one big roll.  I felt like it was too hard to do them separately but you can try it that way too.  Then I spread the chicken on top, then topped with the cheese.  I folded the rolls over the top. Then poured my cream of chicken soup all over the top.  All the seasoning and spice is in the soup mixture.  I made my soup a little less thick so it would cover nicely instead of being so thick.  I also added veggies to my soup mix too.  Then Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.


This next dish is one that I make a lot.  I love a good one dish meal.  I hate having a lot of dirty dishes and I am always up for Mexican food.  I love my hot sauce!! It's a flexible recipe that allows for all kinds of substitutions.  My kids dig it too!

Photo credit healthy-delcious.com

Mexi-Skillet Dish

1 lb meat of choice - chicken, pork, ground beef, turkey, tofu
1 can beans rinsed - black or pinto
1 can Rotel (tomatoes w/chiles)
1 chopped small onion
1 cup cooked grains - quinoa or rice
1 T olive oil
1 cup grated cheese of choice - colby, queso fresco, cheddar, monterey
Sour Cream, Sliced Avocados, Hot Sauce, Chips, Tortillas

Saute onion in olive oil.  Add meat until browned.  Add beans, rotel, grain and heat up.  Then top the skillet with cheese.  Place in heated oven to melt the cheese.  Serve with condiment of choice and either chips and/or tortillas.  So yummy and good!
*You could cook the grain in with the skillet but mine always ends up mushy.  I like to make this dish when I have leftover rice from the night before.

Southern Style Baby Shower

All ladies end up hosting one if not many showers in her lifetime.  I have had the honor to throw quite a few for my loved ones as well as catering some when I used to be a caterer.

Sometimes, hosting a shower without a couple of ladies can be a little overwhelming.

My advice is always to:

1. Keep it simple. Less is Always more.
2. Do as much ahead as possible.
3. Delegate. (put your kids to work if you have them)

Since our family has been uprooted from the South to Colorado, there are some traditions that we miss.  So, my sister-in-law decided that she would like to have a Southern Style Baby Shower to remind us of all the love and goodness that we miss from Georgia.

I decided to do evite invitations to make it easier on myself.  Although that is kinda Not very Southern Style.  Oh well, you can't do it all.

Me and my beautiful sister in law

For favors I did little bottles of Tabasco with Monogrammed initial tags.  If it's not monogrammed then it's not Southern.  I had two bottles of Moonshine - one for my mom who let us have the shower at her house and one for the winner of our fun game.  I made up a Southern Sayings Trivia Game.  I typed up 20 different Southern Sayings and left out a word to see if these Colorado-ians could complete the saying.  For example - He's living in high _______.  (answer: cotton).

For Drinks, I made Coffee Punch which is a must have at any shower in the South.  It's super easy too.  1 Gallon of Vanilla Ice Cream, 2 pots of coffee, 1 tub of cool whip and a dusting of cocoa powder.  Pour room temperature coffee over ice cream.  Top with cool whip then dust with cocoa powder.

We also had Orange Juice and Grapefruit Juice with Champagne.

For the Food, I did a Buttermilk Biscuit Bar with honey ham slices, sausage gravy and honey/butter/peach preserve.  We had a fresh fruit salad (don't do the frozen kind - that's so yucky).  I made Paula Deen's Grits Casserole.  I printed out a menu, used disposable wares and had a pretty fresh floral centerpiece that also had a monogrammed initial medallion in the center.  

My mama making the biscuits

After letting our tummies settled, I brought out the Monogrammed Vanilla Bean Cupcakes which is the mama-to-be's favorite flavor.  A dear friend of ours made these for her.  Aren't they awesome!

A classy {oh! so frenchy} list of cocktails

I just love a fun cocktail!  I sometimes get in the rut of wine and beer because it's just easy and satisfying.  But whenever I get the energy to make a cocktail, it just makes the evening turn into a celebration.  One of my faves to use is St. Germain Liquor.  I looked up some great ideas to help inspire a reason to celebrate.  It just reminds me of times of being young and in Paris and feeling so carefree.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

St. Germain Mojito

St.Germain Champagne, The Pear Tree, The St. Germain Cocktail and Dia Del Amor

St. Germain Salty Dog

St. Germain Sangria

St. Germain Margarita

Stormy Morning Cocktail

St. Germain Rosemary Lemonade

Lady Germain (a twist on the French 75)

The St. Germain Cocktail

Refrigerator Pickles

I haven't been my regular canning self that I typically am this time of year.  Since I moved back to Telluride my plants still look about the same size that they did when I planted them.  But as I went to the veggie stand to buy my produce in town, I saw pickling cucumbers and had an intense craving of fresh pickles.  I had pinned a recipe that I have been wanting to make for some time.  My family can go through a huge jar of pickles in a couple of days!

Let me tell you what!  If you crave pickles, then you should make a batch of these.  It's super easy and they taste amazing.

Here's the recipe that I used - Click HERE

I tweaked the recipe a little bit though.

I changed the ratios of the vinegar broth.

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup rice vinegar
9 cups water
1/3 cup of salt
3 T sugar

I also added peppercorns in the bottom of my jars too!

Enjoy!!

A {Blue} Birthday Party

My little Evelyn Blue turned 3 yesterday and she loves everything BLUE because she's Evelyn Blue. This year for her party she said she just wanted a Blue Birthday.  With the moving and unpacking into the new house, my motivation level for the party was way below par.  I didn't even come up with games to do until about a hour or two before the party started.  But she's 3 so it's all good.

But I was pretty happy with the small things that I did do.  Evelyn helped me decide on the cake, punch and ice cream.  We did a Southern Style Strawberry Cake with Blue Cream Cheese Icing, a Blue Sorbet Punch and Blueberry Ice Cream.  I served the kids on my blue trimmed little plates and cut crystal punch glasses.  They were all very excited about the fancy dishes (even the boys).

We ended up playing:

Duck Duck Goose

Freeze Dance 

Dance Off

Hokey Pokey (2 times because she loved it so much)

Southern Style Strawberry Cake

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry jello
1 Tablespoon self rising flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cake mix, Jello, flour and sugar in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Add the oil & add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition then add the water and mix.  Divide the batter evenly into three 8-inch round baking pans that have been oiled and floured.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the layers pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the layers from the oven to wire racks.  Let them cool, still in their pans, for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of each pan, then unmold each layer onto the racks to cool completely.  I like to flash freeze my layers before frosting them.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 (1 pound) boxes powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
blue food coloring
Blueberries
Sprinkles


To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the cream cheese and butter.  Beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain.  Add one box of the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Beat until incorporated.  Add the second box of sugar and mix until incorporated.  If you would like a smoother consistency add a splash of milk.  If you would like a thicker consistency, and a bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved.  Then add the food coloring.  Frost the cake and garnish with blueberries and sprinkles.

Blue Sorbet Punch

Get the Recipe HERE

And here is the delicious Blueberry Ben & Jerry's Frozen Yogurt that we had.

2 Things to a Lasting Marriage ++ a recipe

Today marks our 14th year being married and 19 years together.  Next year, we are due for a big celebration!  It's been a road that has had lots of joys, tears and lessons.  But that's life and that is surely marriage.  I've been thinking about what makes a marriage last because we have had our share of stuff that would rip most marriages apart.  So, what is it that makes us stick it out and all the other marriages that last compared to the ones that don't.  I come from a family that has both lasting marriages and divorces.  So, I have witnessed and experienced both.

I think it boils down to only 2 things that distinguish a marriage that lasts compared to ones that don't.


1)  You and your partner are both willing to improve yourselves.  You are both willing to admit your flaws and work on them.  You both want to "Do the Work".  I read in a book by Harville Hendrix that said "your partner isn't here to make you happy if given the chance your partner is here to help you fix your wounds of a lifetime".  I just love that!  If you can stick with the hard times, you both can heal each other.  The key here is BOTH.  From my experience, most failed marriages are from only one person or neither one wanting to improve and the saying " F* off.  I am how I am. Deal or Leave."  I am blessed to be in a partnership where we are both up for healing and being the best selves that we can be.


2)  The other type of lasting marriage is the one that reminds me of my grandparents.  They both disliked a lot of things with the other but they both accepted the other's flaws.  And they both loved each other anyway.  It's the mentality of "I made my bed and now I have to lay in it."  I don't necessarily prescribe to this personally but it does work for a lot of other people.  Some people have some wounds that are so great and so big that it is just too hard or they don't have the tools/knowledge of how to make things better.  My grandfather fought as a foot soldier in WW2 and had to do horrible things.  My grandmother said that he still woke up with nightmares until the day he died which was at an old age.  Even though this approach doesn't necessarily work for my marriage, I totally respect this because I don't have those types of wounds.  It's the mind set that "Yeah, he/she has some really messed up ways but, I choose to love anyway.  I choose to stick with it anyway."

So, there you have it.  The 2 secrets to a lasting marriage from me who maybe doesn't know it all but who is learning and loving along the way.

 And Happy Happy Anniversary to my love, Andy.  I'm looking forward to the many many years to come with you.  So, here is a recipe for one of his favorite things : Pina Colada Cheesecake.  And if you liked this article, you have to also read 15 Ways to be Married for 15 years.

Vegetable Broth Recipe

The other day I realized that I had a lot of veggies that were starting to look a little tired for eating but weren't quite ready to be thrown out.  That's when I like to throw them all in a big pot to make vegetable broth.  I prefer to use vegetable broth over chicken broth in almost all of my recipes.  To me, it feels like it adds more flavor - a more complex & interesting flavor to dishes.  Every time I make mine it is completely different depending on what I have in the fridge.

Then, I strain out all the goodies and freeze the broth in ice cube trays.  That way I can pop them out for later uses.

Vegetable Broth

celery
carrot
onion
zucchini
tomato
fennel
bell pepper
broccoli
garlic
peppercorns
marjoram
bay leaf
tamari
*plus any other herbs or veggies that you have on hand

I roughly cut up the vegetables and leave the peel and stems on because I will end up straining it all out and throwing it away.  I fill the pot of veggies with water and bring to a boil.  Then I turn it down to medium heat and cook it for several hours.  The broth will start to concentrate and get a darker brown.  Right at the end I like to add a little tamari for salt and flavor.  Then strain out the veggies.  Fill ice cube trays to freeze.  The next day pop the ice cubes into a zip loc bag for later use.

Healthy Shrimp Scampi - low carb & paleo

Last night I experimented with dinner and it was definitely a winner winner!  I wanted to have shrimp scampi but without the pasta noodles and I wanted to have it in one dish to put in the oven.  Sometimes my experiments are a flop but this one turned out amazing even the kids gobbled it up.  We didn't have any leftovers at all!

Shrimp Scampi Bake - low carb & paleo

2 lbs shrimp (you could also do half scallops too)
2 zucchini cut into ribbons on mandela then into strips/noodles
7 large leaves of swiss chard cut into long strips
1 stick butter
5 chopped garlic cloves
2 lemons
1 T Greek Seasoning
salt & pepper

After washing and cutting up my chard and zucchini, I placed it in my casserole dish and topped it with my peeled and detailed raw shrimp.  Then I added my greek seasoning on top of the shrimp, then the garlic.  I squeezed the lemons on top and then chopped a little bit up of a half and put on top of the shrimp.  Add your butter - I cut it up into sections to place around the top.  Then add salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

13 Summer Freezer Meals - Yummy & Low Carb

Since we are now living in the mountains and away from the conveniences of town, I am lacking on those last minute quick meals that are healthy.  I have never been a big fan of the freezer.  I am much more in the European mindset of going to the market every day and only having a little tiny fridge under the counter.  Unfortunately, my romantic notion of groceries isn't realistic here.  I have been forced to be like the squirrel which reminds me of a White Stripe's song.  I have decided to buckle down and make some freezer meals to have on hand for those days that I would have ordered a pizza or chinese.

The only problem I keep finding is that the freezer meal ideas that I keep coming across are not low carb or they don't sound appetizing to me.  After much searching in my own recipe box and on the internet, I created a list of some pretty good and healthy ideas.  Today, I am going to get all my ingredients and tomorrow it will be a freezer cooking party.  Anyone is welcome to come join me!

1. Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas - I'm going to do roasted chiles, use corn tortillas and add spinach.  I love pickled red onions so I will just have a jar of them handy but they are easy to make and pretty fast to do at the last minute.
2. Shrimp Scampi - I will will cut panko in half and also use some almond flour for topping.
3. Spanakopita Meatballs - I will make the Ziki Sauce the day of and serve this with a big Greek salad.
4. Beef Ragout and Cauliflower Mash - You can do beef or lamb.  To Freeze, I will put the mash down in a freezer dish and then the ragout on top.  Then Bake it at 350 F for 1 hr if frozen.
5. Jalapeños Popper Chicken - These will be great to freeze on a cookie sheet then throw into a freezer bag.  I think these would be so good with some collard greens.
6. Stuffed Salmon
7. Cuban Sandwich Pie - I will add the pickle and fresh tomato after cooking with mojo sour cream.
8. Chicken Cordon Bleu - I'm going to add almond flour with the pork rind dust and some kale inside the chicken. 
9. White Turkey Chili 
10. Greek Chicken Pie - I am going to use a phyllo top for the crust with no bottom crust.
11. Summer Veggie Strudel
12. No Noodles Garden Lasagna - I'll make my own tomato sauce and also add some homemade pesto.  You can add whatever veggies that you would like.
13. Breakfast Burritos - These are great.  You can add any filling.  I will make some with regular tortillas and a few with low carb tortillas for me.

Homemade Mayo

Now that we live up in the mountains it isn't quite as easy to run to the grocery store when you need something.  We ran out of mayo last night and were making Fried Cod Sandwiches.  So, I couldn't have mayo on it or make any tartar sauce for it.  I have been thinking a lot about making mayo for us anyways.  The good stuff in the store that is not GMO is so expensive and even the GMO stuff is expensive too!  So, I decided to make my own.  The first try turned out runny but I kept at it until I had that "ah ha" moment (the one when you say 'I got this').

And Happy 4th of July everyone!  It doesn't get much more American than Mayo.  We live on this stuff!

Homemade Mayo

1-2 egg yolk depending on the size

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1- 1.5 cups of oil in any combination. Grapeseed Oil, sunflower oil, olive oil and coconut oil are good 

salt to taste

Make sure your food processor has a place where you can drip in an oil. Otherwise you can do this by hand in a bowl with a whisk. I recommend using the whisk for the first attempt that way you can see the emulsifying happen. In your food processor or bowl put the egg yolk. Process a few times until the egg becomes blended. Add the mustard and process a few more times. Slowly add the lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Then while the processor is running very, very slowly start pouring in your oil.  This is why I recommend using the whisk.  If you add too much before it mixes in then it will be runny and not thick and creamy.  Keep going until you notice the mayo will suddenly lighten up in color and get thicker (if you are using olive oil, it may not lighten too much and may even have a greenish/dark yellow tint, this is okay.) When you can make peaks out of the mayo with your tasting spoon you are done. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  It only takes a few minutes to make and the flavor is amazing!

*If it does get runny, don't worry.  Get out a new clean container and whisk up an egg yolk.  Then very slowly pour in your runny mix until it mixes all up.  You can keep doing this if you keep getting it runny.  The key is too add a tad until it gets thick and add a little bit more and so on.  When you hand whisk it, you see what I am talking about with the emulsifying.

*Also, since this has a lot of oil in it you want to choose one or a combo of oils that gives you the desired flavor.  If you olive oil then it will have a very strong olive oil flavor which could be desirable depending on the use of your mayo.

*I have read about adding a probiotic to your mayo for health benefits but also because it acts as a natural preservative.  Just add 1 Tbsp of liquid whey (liquid that separates in yogurt) from plain yogurt when you are adding the vinegar and lemon juice.

*Now that you have it you can add all kinds of flavorings to your mayo.

Buttermilk Biscuits & Sausage Gravy Recipe

Anyone who knows my mama knows she doesn't live to cook like me but rather she cooks because she needs to eat!  But don't let her fool you.  She is a great cook!  She is the type of cook (like my husband) who has to follow the recipe.  Andy gets so blustered when I start adding things that aren't on the recipe or eyeballing measurements.  My mother is the same.  I try to rattle off a recipe to her and she always tells me to "email it to me" and I always say, "I don't need to email it.  It's so easy.  You can memorize it."  I love these little dances that we have with the ones we love.  These are the little things that you remember and hold onto.

With that being said, my mama is a world-class, professional, master Buttermilk Biscuit Maker.  I always ask her to make biscuits whenever possible.  I also love her traditional english trifle too.  I have asked her to make that numerous times as my birthday cake.  She also hand forms each biscuit.  She never has a crack in hers unlike mine.  They are always the perfect size and perfect crumb.  Her recipe is simple but I still cannot make them like her.  I usually roll mine and cut them with a cutter but this morning I decided to give it a go with hand forming mine.  They turned out pretty good but still no comparison to my mama's biscuits.  The other secret of hers is Self-rising White Lily flour but out here in CO you can't buy white lily flour.  I haven't found a comparable flour for biscuits here in CO.  I think I might have to smuggle some in my bag on the next visit.

My sister in law, Heather also makes amazing biscuits.  She makes the 7up biscuits.  They are light and fluffy like a pillow of heaven.  At first you think they are a yeast biscuit and then you find out that 7up is the magic ingredient.  Here is a recipe that you can try for 7up biscuits. 

Buttermilk Biscuits & Sausage Gravy

Biscuits:
2 1/2 cups Self-Rising Flour
1/2 cup Shortening
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat Oven to 400 F.  Cut shortening into flour using a fork or pastry cutter.  When the shortening is well distributed and pea size, add the buttermilk.  Mix.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead slightly.  The key is to not over knead.  The dough can still be wet on the inside as long as it's not too sticky on the outside.  Pinch off biscuits and form in hand or roll out to 1 in thickness and cut using a round cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet having the biscuits touching.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Makes about 8 biscuits.


Sausage Gravy:
1 lb. breakfast sausage
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk
1/2 t seasoned salt
2 t freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

Brown the sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink and break up into small clumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle on the flour and stir so that the sausage soaks it all up. Cook it for another minute or so, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Cook the gravy, stirring frequently, until it thickens.  Sprinkle in the seasoned salt and pepper and continue cooking until very thick. If it gets too thick too soon, just splash in another 1/2 cup of milk or more if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the sausage gravy over warm biscuits and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

The Best Burger I Ever Ate

Since we have moved down in Placerville, we have become regulars at the Angler Inn Restaurant right down the road from us.  It is a wonderful restaurant and all the Down Valley folk gather there.  I ordered the lamb burger because I was intrigued by it's composition.

Let me tell you!

IT WAS FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!  I mean so good that a couple days later I couldn't stop thinking about this burger and had to go have another one.

The tart of the feta, the sweet & sour of the pickled grilled onions, the earthiness of the chimichurri, the umami of the sundries tomato mayo, the bitterness of the arugula, the juicy goodness of the lamb and the soft toasted bun MAKES it the best burger I ever ate.

The Angler Inn Burger 

soft brioche style bun
lamb burger (I prefer med - med rare)
feta cheese slice
sun-dried tomato mayo
chimichurri (get recipe here)
grilled pickled red onions (recipe for pickle onions here)
arugula
tomato slice

Peace. Love. Pineapples.

I love pineapples!  It is my favorite fruit.  It also symbolizes hospitality.  In the South, it was customary to place a pineapple at your front gate to let your friends know that you were accepting guests to come visit.  That's why you always see welcome signs, plaques for your house number or doormats with pineapples on them.  It has such a unique shape and is so versatile in cooking.  It also helps with suppressing coughs and is linked to fighting disease.

The pineapple also reminds me of Hawaii where my best friend lives.  I can help thinking about her and wishing I could go for another long visit to see her.  It also reminds me of my mother in law who is struggling with her battle of cancer right now.  Keep her and our family in your thoughts and prayers right now.  Claudia adores Hawaii and loved to vacation there every chance that she got.  Her mother and sister and her would go on these girl trips together and every time they would go to Hawaii.  We would all laugh because we thought that there are so many other places that they could go see and experience.  But, they always picked Hawaii - home of the Pineapple.

This past Sunday we cut up our pineapple and made Pineapple Margaritas and Pina Colada Bread (will post later).  They were both delicious.  Recipe at the bottom of this post.

Here are some other Pineapple Faves of mine:

Pineapple Tattoo

Image of Summer

Print your own pineapple paper

I need a big brim hat, a beach and cocktail with these pineapple shorts.

This pineapple fabric is so fun. It would look cool as curtains too.

How cool and easy to be a pineapple for Halloween!

Cute pineapple top

Get the Dole Pineapple Whip Recipe!

Marmie's Frozen Pineapple Margarita Recipe

2 Cups Fresh Pineapple, cubed

1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice

3/4 Cup Tequila

1/4 Cup Triple Sec or Grand Marnier

1/4 Cup Simple Syrup (cook 1 c sugar to 1 c water on stove, cool, store remainder)

3 Cups Ice

1 Tbls Granulated Sugar

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

Place first 6 ingredients in a blender and blend completely

Mix together chili powder, granulated sugar, and salt in a shallow dish.

Moisten the rim of a glass with a lime slice, then dip the rim in the chili powder mixture

Pour the mixed margarita in the glass and garnish with a pineapple slice.

serves 2-3

Tomato Pie Recipe(s) and Growing Tomatoes

I could have sworn that I had posted my tomato pie recipe on here!  I think it's cotton picking time to put it on for everyone.  This recipe is one of my all time favorites.  Tomato pie goes with just about any meal at any time of the day.  I used to make little mini bite size ones when I catered.  I love cooking it my beautiful fluted Emile Henry red fluted pie dish that my mom got me for Christmas one year.

Andy and I got our garden bed planted with tomatoes.  I can't wait to have them start taking over my kitchen.  Since I am in Placerville this summer, I decided to go with Early Girl tomatoes that were already pretty big due to our short growing season.  I can have ripe tomatoes by the end of August.  I also planted a Sweet 100 that was in a bigger size too.  I always recommend amending the soil before planting and using a good quality fertilizer to ensure amazing veggies.  Ask your local garden store for their top picks.  These are the ones that I used - Happy Frog and Soil Pep by Mountain West.  I also love to make my own compost bin and use but we left our compost at our old house for our renters so we have to start a new one here.

Growing tomatoes seems to me to be the quintessential characteristic of a good gardener.  I don't think I've heard any backyard gardener rave and share growing and fertilizer secrets about zucchini or  beans.  Tomatoes are called the "love apple" and symbolizes good health.

Tomato Pie

4 - 6 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
2 T Dijon mustard
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell - get my recipe HERE
1 1/2 cup grated colby jack cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1 T chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.

Spread the Dijon mustard on the bottom of the pie shell.  Layer the tomato slices in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheese and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes, sprinkle with parsley and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.


And Here is also another recipe variation of the Tomato Pie that I make:

Get my French Tomato Pie Recipe HERE!

Haute Cuisine. {A cook is not an accountant}

Haute Cuisine Star Catherine Frot

When you watch a movie and it makes you want to research all the info that you can, it's a great movie!  Andy and I watched the french film called Haute Cuisine.  It's about the cook, Daniele Delpeuch who was appointed as the personal chef to President Francois Mitterrand from '88-'90 and while she cooked for a research camp in Antarctica.  She was picked to be his personal chef by the recommendation of a friend who briefly met her.  She wasn't a taught chef or anyone who even had a cooking establishment.  She was just like me and you who enjoyed cooking and learned the French cuisine recipes from her mother and Granny.  The President wanted her to feed his soul with flavors that were simple, not fussy and reminded him of his childhood.

Daniele Delpeuch Photo source

I was drooling over the exquisite style and creativity of the dishes that she would make for him.  I also loved her informalities in the kitchen.  She used her hands to toss the salad.  She wore everyday clothes when cooking.  She said the recipes out loud when she cooked.  She cooked from her heart.  She's my kind of women!

My favorite quote of the movie -

"A cook isn't an accountant.  A cook is an artist."

This is what she said to her sous chef on giving him the recipe for the salad dressing.  It was 1/3 balsamic, 1/3 walnut oil, 1/3 olive oil and 1/3 dijon mustard.

Here are the noteworthy items that I wanted to learn more about:

*Cookbook that the President tells her about: “Eloges de la Cuisine Française” (1933) by Edouard Nignon. - link takes you to amazon with a new release of the old cookbook which sells for a pretty penny.

*Choux Farci au Saumon (Cabbage Stuffed with Salmon) Recipe

*Les Jonchee  -  I looked everywhere and I can't seem to find a recipe on the computer.  It's a type of cheese that is fermented in reed mats but it has a sweet, smooth taste with a hint of almonds.

*Saint Honore Recipe - It's a big cream puff pastry cake that looks divine.

*Here's a great interview of Daniele from the Examiner.  Learn more about her HERE.