It's a grand thing when you find a new way to serve alcohol, all it takes is a bit of curiosity and a little bravery. In this case it was more of a 'I bet that would taste good' moment, so I went for it. This drink is very much for curling up next to the fire watching a good flick and getting a bit sleepy with a sweetheart, be it your man, woman or pet. A couple nights have been spent like that here at the William's household and I have nothing to complain about, except maybe this dumb cough. Anyway, please enjoy responsibly, this wonderfully simple cup of cheer.
Ingredients:
1 cup dark hot chocolate (or one that is 'rich')
2 shots bird dog maple whiskey (I've also tried the cinnamon one and it was good)
Marshmallows (if you're so inclined)
Watch these too drunkards we know as Martin and Sinatra, it'll get you in the right kind of mood for a whiskey winter night:
It's been a while since my last post due to it being cold season and I was busy sleeping the past two weeks. Who doesn't absolutely abhor being sick? Not only do you fall behind on the things you need to do but you're constantly tired ALL THE TIME. This weekend I am sucking it up, popping those cough drops and having a good time dammit. Before I can let the 'I'm ignoring the amounts of mucus my body is producing' fun begin, I thought I'd leave a nice little treat for you. I prepped this dish for Thanksgiving and it was positively scrumptious, people who don't sprouts liked this simple recipe, I hope you enjoy it too.
Ingredients:
2lbs brussel sprouts washed and cut in half
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 heaping cup + 1/4 set aside shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp pepper
This weeks posting will not include music, but the beautiful and epic video of a man we have all come to love and hold dear to our hearts. Enjoy the silence, maybe try this at home, good for the soul and all that.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large stock pot bring water to a boil and blanch your brussel sprouts. They should only take about 2 minutes to blanche correctly, too long and they become soft. Strain the sprouts.
In a large skillet, heat up your butter, quickly stir in your flour until the clumps are gone, then remove from heat.
Next add your milk, 1 cup warm, salt, mayo and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted fully.
In a large bowl mix your cheese mixture in with your brussel sprouts and coat evenly. Pour into baking dish.
Sprinkle your 1/4 cup parmesan over the top and bake for roughly 45 minutes, or until browned on top.
It has begun. The Christmas season is upon us, I am starting the day off right with a peppermint mocha, maple sausage and writing my christmas cards. In the background White Christmas plays on the TV and a fire roars. I can't help but to feel so full of the spirit, soon the decorating will ensue! Everything about the season makes me feel cozy, even though its only a whopping 29 degrees outside. We have to ensure a warm belly, so here's a recipe to feed you and a whole dinner party! Enjoy each other's company and have a meal together.
Ingredients:
12 ounces baby red potatoes, scrubbed
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 of a large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups water (more to thin if needed)
4 oz tomato paste
1 short container of half and half
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1" chunks and softened
1 canned whole kernel corn, drained
1 pound smoked salmon shredded
salt to taste
2 tbsps your choice of hot sauce
Hey! Let's dance!
Directions:
In a large pot boil your potatoes until soft. Drain and set aside to cool.
When cooled down, dice your potatoes and keep to the side.
In a large stock pot, add your butter and onion, cook until translucent.
Add your flour and stir until thick.
Next add your water and bring to a boil. Add your half and half. Then slowly add the rest of your ingredients. Keep stirring until cream cheese is is melted, and tomato paste is broken up.
Add your diced potatoes and mix well.
Serve hot!
Have a wonderful Holiday Season and happy eating everyone!
Everyone around the world is feeling the weight of the harsh attacks happening throughout the Middle East and Europe. I hope we can all agree that we hope for peace soon. We hope that the Syrian refugees find homes, Beirut can rebuild, Paris can overcome and most of that ISIS becomes a thing of the past very soon. It's hard to imagine the heartbreak these nations are feeling right now, we in America tend to forget just how removed from the rest of the world we are (this excludes our nation's armed forces), but me, as a citizen in the Pacific Northwest, can't even begin to grasp the pain of being displaced or of losing hordes of the people I love because of extremisms.
So as we sit down to the table, let's take a moment to look at those around us, remember those who can't be with us and reflect on just how much we love them, but also to hope and pray that everyone being effected by these attacks soon finds a table for themselves to sit down at and bask in a good meal and those they love.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground venison, or venison sausage
2 cups plain bread croutons
12 eggs
8 oz shredded cheese
1/4 diced yellow onion
salt and pepper to taste
I know a lot of you will yell at me that it's too early, but if you just take the time to really listen to this beloved holiday song you'll recognize just how much we need this type of message right now, and although we don't all recognize "Christmas" per say, I think we all can relate to the sentiment. Maybe it's a little naive of me, but the optimist in me refuses to believe the world can't find some kind of joy soon.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a fry pan, crumble and fry up your venison. When cooked well (no pink), drain the fatty liquids and place in a bowl.
Next add all your other ingredients and whisk until eggs are scrambled.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it starts to brown a little on top.
Progress! Nothing feels better than setting goals and really going for them. As the saying goes, goals without a plan are just wishes. Well no more wishing, that phase is over and through with. That phase is always fun and giddy but the butterflies go away after a while and you need to take action so it's not just an idea you once had a few blue moons ago. I am pleased to be taking some actual steps towards something tangible. I can almost TASTE it, like I could taste these wings. Get it!?
Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings
2/3 cup of Franks or Cayenne Pepper Sauce (whatever floats your boat)
1 tbsp of garlic, minced
DANGER, this song is EXPLICIT. I am not the type to watch the music videos for songs because I like my own interpretations or I like to envision things for myself. Some songs need that visual aspect though, I heard this song a couple times but the music video was what did it for me. Feels.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
In a large plastic bag or tupperware container, place all of your ingredients and shake well until well coated.
Grease a cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes then flip and bake again for 20 minutes.
It has been a tough week. I have been working long hours, coming home and studying for my educators test then immediately falling asleep everyday. Yesterday I took some time to breath and to actually enjoy my Halloween, but sometimes it just feels like no matter what I do to try and take my mind off of things, the stress of it all just hangs above me. I just can't seem to shake this cumulus nimbus. If you live with any type of anxiety you know exactly what that means and just how painful it can be on your muscles and our mind. There is not enough de-stress tea in the world to help, BUT there are enough recipes to help steer my mind, even if it is just for an hour, away from my stresses.
Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes
15 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika
dash of salt
Sauce:
1/4 cup traditional hummus
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dill
3 cloves garlic, minced
Water (for thinning)
Toppings:
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
1/8 cup cilantro
2 tbsp lemon juice
When things are feeling a bit heavy I like to put on something that I can dance to, nothing heavy that will contribute to my moods, but something that tries to combat it. Who better to send to the font lines with his funky beats and sick dance moves, than Mr. James Brown himself? Get on up! He will berate your anxiety with so much soul, your stress won't know what hit it. So appropriately I will play Get up Offa That Thing.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
Wash your potatoes then cut in half, rub with a little olive oil, then place open half down on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Mix together your chickpeas oil and spices until well coated, then bake with potatoes, for roughly the same amount of time.
To prepare your sauce, whisk together your sauce ingredients and add water if too thick.
While potatoes are cooking, you can also prepare your toppings. I just mixed together the cherry tomatoes, cilantro and lemon. Then just let it sit to marinade a bit.
When the potatoes and chickpeas are done, flip potatoes and smash down the insides to make a little crater. Then top with chickpeas, sauce and parsley-tomato.
Compare and contrast, it's a wonderful thing to do in English class but in life, I feel like we do it to often with other people in our lives. This person has a better career than me, this person got their masters before I did, this person is better at music than I ever will be... so on and so on. No matter where you are in your life, please know that it's just that, YOUR life. People move at different speeds, some know that they want kids right away, others have one career goal and have been working towards that, it's nothing to be embarrassed or upset about if you don't have the things you want right away. Things take time, practice, discipline and most of all patience. I hear way too much of this with my age group and we just need to sit back, breath and remember we're still young! There's time!
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, leaves removed from stem.
1 small sugar pumpkin, baked and cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup goat cheese
Because it's morning and I'm in a weird mood, here's a clip of one of my favorite comedians instead of music:
Directions:
In a large skillet fry shallot in olive oil, once soft add your kale leaves.
Once kale begins to wilt, add your vinegar, salt and pepper and pumpkin.
When the mixture is well cooked place in individual bowls.
It's been a rough couple of weeks, it seems like if something can have a snag in it, it will. I've been trying to keep a positive mindset and just accept the reality at hand but sometimes it's just easier to stress eat and watch shows that borderline soap operas so that you have someone to share your melodramas with. The moral of these past few weeks is that being an adult is hard. I just want to curl up in a fort, watch my nerd movies and maybe read a book from my childhood. Alas, no matter how hard you try to avoid it sometimes you just got to take life by the horns and do what you can to wrangle it in. Starting with dinner. No matter what, at least I have great food to cook and share.
Ingredients:
4 small round pumpkins
5-6 small russet potatoes, washed and cut into cubes
4-5 leaves of fresh sage, chopped finely
3 shallots chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 lb ground turkey (optional)
1 tbsp butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
One of my favorite bands of all time is The Band, I believe Levon Helm to be one of the greatest singer songwriters to have walked this great planet. Even in his old age he was still making beautiful music, his album Dirt Farmer is a beautiful folk album featuring his daughter on backing vocals. It's one to listen to folks:
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut a cap off of each pumpkin, then remove seeds and stringy bits.
Next drizzle olive oil in each, place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
In a large skillet, start frying your shallots in the butter. Once soft add curry powder and mix well.
Then you will add your sage and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are easy to pierce with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you are adding meat, cook in a separate skillet then add to your potato mixture.
When pumpkins are done, place the stuffing in each pumpkin, put the top of each pumpkin back on and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Happy Eatings Everyone! Here's to things turning around!
It's the middle of freaking October and we're enduring 70 degree weather. I do not approve. When the trees start changing color and the everything harvest starts popping up I don't want to be sweating, I want to see my breath, I want to be chilled and in need of my big wool socks. So, lately I have been conjuring up fall in other areas of my life, mainly in the kitchen as you probably already know. If you are in an area struggling to grasp that autumn season weather here is a recipe to help keep you in the mood.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, cut in half and seeds removed.
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp garlic powder
1 zest of a lime (set aside)
Juice from 2 limes
3 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup roughly chopped peanuts
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsp sriracha
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup milk
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
In no relation to anything on this post, I have had this song stuck in my head for about a week now and I don't even care. I love this movie and I believe Hollywood made a huge mistake remaking such a classic flick. It didn't offer any of the same glorious feelings of imagination and wonderment that the original did, not to mention it didn't have Gene Wilder and ergo sucked.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place squash face up on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour.
When done, remove skin and dice.
Mix together all ingredients in you slow cooker, minus peanuts, zest and cilantro.
Low cook for 5 hours.
In a blender, blend your soup until creamy.
Sprinkle your remaining ingredients over each individual serving of soup.
Ok it's a bit late, had a trip over the weekend with no computer and just some good hearted people. It was a good time visiting an old place full of memories not all good, but some how when I am there I forget the bad and remember all the wonderful times I had. Ugh, that's so corny and I am making myself sick with how sentimental I get. Anyway, I am so happy to share this super tasty recipe, though late to the party on the blog site it did partake in my apple week last week, and it served two well deserving bellies last friday!
Not the best picture, but oh well!
Ingredients:
1 granny smith, sliced thinly, core removed
Hamburger buns
1 lb ground turkey, made into 2 1/2 lb patties, or 4 1/4lb patties
Mayo
2-4 pieces of bacon cut in half and cooked
In leu of my trip back to my college town. I have but one thing to share with all of you. Please enjoy this talented man and his fiddle:
Directions:
Cook your patties how you prefer, I used stove top, 5 minutes on each side. But if you want to grill, go crazy and grill!
Spread mayo on one half of each bun. Place 4-5 slices of granny smith on each bun.
Place a bun on opposite half of each bun. Then put 2 pieces of bacon on each hamburger.
Hellooooooo curry powder! Sometimes spices will sit in my spice drawer, untouched, unloved for so long and it's heart breaking. I try so many recipes that sometimes I get stuck in a spice rut. Cumin, chili powder, paprika repeat, repeat, repeat. It get's a tad mundane and I crave my unique spices, the ones that like to stand out, rosemary, dill and most of all curry powder. These guys know how to liven up a party. Come on and spice up my life! HA! Pun most definitely intended.
Ingredients:
1lb pork tenderloin
2 tsp curry powder
2 apples (I grated mine in a cheese grater to get it sliced so thin)
1/4 red onion julienned
1/2 cup grated carrots
7 oz plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp sombal oelek
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
Hamburger buns
It's my husbands choice tonight and OF COURSE he goes jazzy with some good ole John Coltrane and one of his favorite seasonal songs. The whole song should take you the length it takes to make dinner!
Directions:
Combine your peanut butter, sambal, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce. Mix together well.
In a medium sized bowl combine your yogurt, carrots, onion and apples. Stir until yogurt is coated over everything.
Cut your pork tenderloin into medallions or 2-3 inch pieces. Sprinkle both sides of each piece with the curry powder.
Fry until no longer pink in the middle.
While pork is frying spread some peanut butter mixture on one side of a hamburger bun, then top with slaw mix. There should be about 3 pieces of pork per sandwich.
Come and get it! The rains of autumn are here and that means its soup season baby! It also happens to still be in the middle of my apple week and I love taking what's normally a sweet treat and making it savory. This soup was the perfect 'Welcome Cold Weather!' recipe my belly just needed right now. When you make it I would suggest adding salt and pepper and tasting it throughout if you don't add enough salt it starts having a hot apple sauce with onions flavor, which isn't my idea of om nom good. Let's do this Fall 2015.
Ingredients:
8 oz brie, rind removed
16 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 bottle of beer, something fall flavored to accent
1 bouillon cube
2 cups water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 sweet onion
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp thyme
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cups apple cider
2 gala apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
I've been feeling like REM really get's me these days. Their songs have hit a chord with my heart and I am sold. So here's a well known favorite that I woke up to this morning:
Directions:
In a small bowl melt butter in with pecans in the microwave. Remove and stir in your cinnamon and brown sugar until the pecans are coated. Set aside to cool.
In another small bowl whisk together milk and flour until the flour completely mixed.
Then add your your bouillon, water, beer, spices, and apples. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes or until your apples are soft.
Next blend your apple and beer mix in a blender until its chunky smooth or just smooth.
Put the contents of the blender back into your soup pot and add you milk and cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and soup thickens. Salt and pepper to taste, really taste after each addition until it's savory and to your liking.
Apple week is full of recipes so far and I am ready to share 'em. I've got a soup, some sweets and this absolutely wonderfully scrumptious pizza that you need in your life right now. Just now I happen to be watching the wonderful show Bob's Burgers, I love this show. One of my favorite aspects is the pun intended burger names always so nicely displayed for us to enjoy. I wish I could just do pizza all the time and place a wonderfully pun-tactic name over the top but alas, I can't make pizza all the time and I don't own a pizza shop, so here it is:
Under the Deep Bleu Pizza
Ingredients:
1/2 cup bleu cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 pizza crust (I get pre baked crusts)
2 pieces bacon cut into bits and cooked
1 apple cored and sliced thinly
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup
I could never get enough of this man's voice, it commands your attention and begs you to stay. He makes me feel powerful, sexy, bad ass and poetic all at once. I give you my undying love Mr.Waits:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Drizzle the maple syrup over your crust.
Place your apple slices in a pinwheel pattern on top.
Then spread your monterey jack over the crust evenly. Do the same with the rest of your ingredients.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and your crust is a bit crunchy.
My apple week is under way! The husband and I went up to the orchards the other day and stocked up for my recipes and we are just going to eat like kings this week. We have some decadent things planned but also some simple succulent ones as well. I hope you can partake in some of these, it's only day one and I have already done two recipes! Now that's being productive. Any way, please go out and pick your own apples this season, it's not only a great date day or family outing, but you also just get this extreme satisfaction of know exactly where your fruit came from. From our hands to pot, here is my first apple recipe:
Ingredients:
2 apples, cores removed and diced
1/2 gallon of apple cider
1.5 liters of Brut champagne
Been listening to this classic a lot lately. Came up on the radio one day and gave me a hankering to revisit Pink Floyd, never really stopped listening to them per say, but haven't avidly listened to them since I was like seventeen.
Directions:
Pour your cider into a punch bowl or drink dispenser, then add your other ingredients slowly.
Hey everyone, sorry for the no posts lately. Everything I have made of late hasn't really been blog worthy, just a hodge podge of one pot mashes, hashes and stir-fries that don't really stand up to my other posts. But fear not, I have a great new one for you and a few other things planned this week and next that will be sure to satisfy your hungry bellies. I hope you enjoy this super fast, super easy and wonderfully homey recipe I made tonight. Usually I am not about the processed foods or frozen veggies, but let's be honest people, Pillsbury is awesome and I have yet to find a good recipe for at home DIY cream of whatever soup, but these are delicious, so eat them.
Made 16 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 cup cheddar cheese
14 oz cream of mushroom
1 chicken breast cooked and diced
1 cup frozen veggie mix
2 packages Pillsbury biscuits
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsps Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
Listened to this gem of an album while I prepped today, you can never take the punk outta me! RIP Joe Strummer. You beautiful man you.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease 1 or 2 cupcake pans.
Take each individual biscuit and gently spread out to make them thinner, bigger discs. Place each one into their own cupcake holder. Making sure the biscuit goes up over the lip of each cupcake holder so it rises properly.
In a medium sized bowl mix together your cheese, chicken, soup, spices and veggies. Stir well.
Trying to make major life changes is hard, meaning it's hard to find motivation. It's hard to get up and just do, especially when fear and doubt are biting at your heels. If there ever was a time for The Little Engine That Could, now is it. I need to buckle down and really evaluate what it is I need to do to take steps forward and then ACTUALLY DO IT! For tonight, I shall make a delicious little morsel and chew on some ideas, pun intended. Enjoy this tasty treat and I hope no one out there is just settling, move forward and make things happen!
Ingredients:
For the Avocado Dressing
1 ripe avocado
1 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water (more as needed)
1/2 of chopped cilantro
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
half of a annaheim pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of one lime
For the Roasted Veggies
1 head of cauliflower chopped
1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
1tsp chili powder
1tsp garam masala
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste
4 pitas
Greek yogurt for topping
I don't know where these songs come from sometimes, but I was at work today and just couldn't stop singing the chorus to this CLASSIC song, don't get too hypnotized by that magnificent fire:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.
On a cookie sheet place your cauliflower and chickpeas. Drizzle with oil, then top with your spices.
Bake for 15 minutes, stir then another 5-10 minutes.
In a food processor, puree your avocado dressing ingredients.
In order, place a good dollop of your avocado mix onto each pita and spread it over each evenly. Then top with your veggies. Top with greek yogurt and a little more cilantro.
It's finally here, the football season is starting and I can't wait to make all these delicious recipes I have lined up. I even went so far as to create a season schedule recipe list to match my team's game days. It's a little insane but I just don't care, I am having way too much fun with this. The next few months are going to very cheesy, full of sausage and stuffed with casseroles. Are you ready for this? Even if you aren't a football fan, make these recipes and you're sure to feel the ultimate form of satisfaction. Eat up.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa cooked as directed
10 oz can of mild enchilada sauce
4.5 oz can of diced green chiles
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, halved
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, halved
1 avocado pit and skin removed and diced
Shopping the other day and this song comes on the sound system, made my shopping experience a whole heck of a lot better, even persuaded me to go retro in some choices, thanks Smiths:
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking dish.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients except for reserved 1/2 of cheeses and avocado.
Mix well, then pour into your baking dish. Then top with your remaining cheese.
It feels like October already and I love it! Fall is trying it's hardest to poke it's head out and give us the cold crisp air, sweater weather and the need for tea again. This is when I get a little soup crazy. I am surprised that my crockpot is still going strong with how much I abuse it during this season. There's nothing better than coming in from the cold and getting hit with a warm, savory aroma from what's been cooking all day, nothing about this season brings me down. So let's get to the slow cooking recipes!
Look at that glorious steam coming off the top!
Ingredients:
1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight
1.5 lb andouille sausage, sliced
6 c. organic chicken broth
1 large white onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 anaheim pepper
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp creole seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsps black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried thyme
4-5 dashes of hot sauce
I'm in a folky kind of way today, after cleaning the house with the husband and now just relaxing next to the window.
Directions:
In a stock pot fry up your onion, peppers, celery and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are soft.
Then add your beans and chicken broth, cook until boiling, then remove.
Next pour your mixture into your crock pot and the remainder of your ingredients.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
After it's done cooking, mix well and then smash some of the beans down with a large spoon. Stir again.
Hey you guys, you like how I talk to the internet like I know all of you reading this? Yeah it's pretty cool. But let's get down to business. Your tastebuds, my taste buds, our taste buds. In life, I believe you need good people, good drink and especially good food. When it comes to people microwaving plastic wrapped food for dinner or shoving the easiest thing in their face, I am at a loss. What are you doing? This isn't enjoying life and the marvels it offers us on a literal platter! It's a waste of a perfectly good mouth and the excuse of 'Oh I'm not a good cook' doesn't cut it, I am self taught, it didn't take long until I started recognizing what was good and bad when I was living on my own. I believe in you. You can do it. Try it out:
Ingredients:
2.5 lbs chicken wings (with tips)
2 tsps himalayan salt
2 tbsps olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 cups frozen blackberries
1/4 cup honey
4 oz fresh blackberries
Green onions chopped finely for garnish.
Feeling a bit feisty, don't mess:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare a cookie sheet by putting a cooling rack on top for the chicken to cook thoroughly.
In a pot, heat up your oil, jalapeño, onion and garlic. Heat until they are soft.
Next add your frozen blackberries and your honey, stirring well, heat until blackberries and honey are bubbly.
Then putting your pot ingredients into a blender, puree until it is a smooth sauce. Set aside.
Place you chicken in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove and evenly spread your blackberry mixture on top of each piece, getting both sides well coated.
Bake again for another 25-30 minutes or until chicken is crispy and fat is dripping onto the cookie sheet below.
It's the end of my Peach week! I have gone through the box and there's nothing more to make. It was a challenge trying to incorporate peaches into recipes for an entire week and not get sick of them. Each recipe was different so I suppose that's why we didn't get fed up so easily. Well with my last recipe, I had my mom's help, because I don't I could stand cutting one more fuzzy peach and I was losing inspiration. So she helped in finding the recipe and making the filling while I was being lazy and did the crumble top. Sometimes it's just best to step back. Well here you are, the last of the peach concoctions.
Ingredients:
For filling:
• 8 large peaches, peeled, pits removed and sliced • 3 tbsps bourbon • 1 1/2 tsps pure vanilla extract • 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon • 3 tbsps all-purpose flour • 3/4 cup brown sugar
For topping:
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 3/4 cup old fashioned oats • 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans • 3/4 cup brown sugar • 1 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces • Dash salt It feels like fall with the rains coming back and I cannot wait until I am no longer hot, sweaty and gross. So to slowly introduce my favorite season and get rid of the summer time heat here's one of my favorite fall songs:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl combine all topping ingredients and stir until its crumbly.
In a separate large bowl, combine all of your filling ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
Next in a 12x9 greased pan, lay your peaches down. Then evenly coat the top with your crumble mix.
It's the weekend and the husband and I have little to nothing planned. This is the first weekend in a while where we won't be running all over town doing this and that, no, we're going to the farmers market up north and then doing nothing. Sometimes we take Saturday and Sunday and try to just shove everything to do into the day, but weekends are meant for relaxing, recouping from the week and enjoying having nothing to do. Let's kick our feet up and enjoy our home with a nice cocktail and each other's company, wouldn't that be grand?
This is a for crap photo, the excitement got to me and I just didn't care
Ingredients (makes for 1 cocktail):
2 shots vodka
2 shots lemon drop mix
1/4 peach
So I just started putting hip hop on my blog, I had reservations before just because I know a lot of people think of every stereotype possible when it comes to this form of music. Lately, I have had to explain to people (A LOT) that hip hop isn't the misogynistic, auto tuned crap you hear on the radio and maybe it's because of the area I live in now but I'd like to TRY and set it straight. It's a true art form and an excellent venue for expression, like all other forms of music it is poetic and you have to dig to get to the good stuff. So if you are a bit curious in getting into hip hop but have no idea where to start, I will show you my first ever introduction into it and the song that made me fall in love:
Directions:
In a martini glass, pour your vodka and lemon drop mix.
Next, I literally took the quarter of a peach and squeezed with my hands, the juice out of it into my martini. (I love squishing things).
Being tired has been a regular part of my day recently, I take naps more than I used too and just feel exhausted even though I know I haven't really done much in the short time that I have been awake. I might start taking iron pills just to see if it makes a difference. The sad thing is, sometimes I don't want to let my exhaustion go because it leads to absolutely wonderful and hilarious delirium. There's really only a few people in my life that I feel ok being completely delirious around (Thanks for today Emilie), with no fear of judgment. It's just better that your state of being is contagious to the person next to you and before you know it you've both been laughing at nearly nothing for hours on end. It's absolutely sublime. But since I'm alone right now, it's just me and the kitchen. It doesn't really pick up on nuances or like puns, so it's of little help to me. Pizza on the other hand. Pizza gets it.
Ingredients:
1 pizza crust, already pre-baked
8 oz brie, shell removed and cut into thin chunks
6-7 slices proscuito, ripped into smaller pieces
1 peach, skin removed and cut into thin slices
1/4 thinly cut yellow onion, cartelized
I think I'll watch one of my favorite movies tonight, a musical of course, please enjoy this number from the wonderful movie Gigi, a song that captures how I want to feel every night:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
On your crust spread your onion slices evenly. Then in a circular pattern place your peach slices.
Next add your prosciutto, then evenly place your pieces of brie on top of everything.
Bake for 15 minutes or until brie is nice and melted.
The fires here in Washington are just horrible this year, the smoke is sticking on to the city and you can't help but think about the people who have lost everything, in immediate danger or the firefighters out there everyday fighting to protect people's livelihoods and the Indian Reservations at risk right now. It's just awful, COME ON RAIN. Isn't that something we're suppose to be good at here in Washington? Rain? Here in the country our view of the mountain is almost completely hidden by how much smoke there is in the air. We just need to keep busy and hope for the best. So here's me staying busy.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced onion
1 medium avocado diced
1 large peach peeled and cubed
1/2 of a hot house tomato diced
1 tbsp dried cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
Having a good time with my good friend Chance the Rapper playing over the speakers. Been playing this all the time lately, it's my jam:
I am on a roll! This house brimming with the fresh peaches, and speaking of brimming so were our glasses last night! The husband and I finished our day off with a smorgasbord of meats and cheeses and of course some libations! I took the recipe from the Peach Bellini and made a few adjustments for the tequila. When it comes to tequila, I am the last person to do shots and the first to suggest covering it up, probably because I've never really sprung for the good stuff. Anyway, down the hatch!
Ingredients makes about 4 drinks:
2 fresh peaches skins removed, cubed
1/2 cup triple sec
2 tsp sugar
2 shots silver tequila per drink
ice
Had enough peach stuff yet? Well too bad. This is happening, now listen to some 90's jams and enjoy your drink!
Directions:
In a blender, place your peaches, triple sec and sugar. Blend until smooth.
Place your 2 shots in a glass with your ice. Pour peach mixture over the tequila and stir well.
My Peach Week continues! I have done three recipes so far and have about three more to go. Boozey, sweet and savory goodness. Right now its the sweet side of life, a good old fashioned cobbler that you can make in jiffy instead of getting fancy. Sit back and enjoy this simple summer treat. This is straight out of grandma's kitchen and you won't regret a single delicious bite.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
5 peaches, skins removed and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
You knew this was coming:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In an 8x8 pan pour your melted butter.
In a bowl mix together your flour, sugar, baking powder and milk.
Place mixture on top of your butter.
Lay down in layers, your sliced peaches.
Top with last 3/4 cup of sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
I made an icing to go over the top, but you don't have too.
