Tuesday, May 25, 2010

San Diego Chicken?

I've been to San Diego before but don't remember a specific type of Chicken being eaten, but our new recipe of the week was San Diego Chicken from this book.
My husband had gotten this book as a gift and we have never cooked anything from it, but as a joke he suggested San Diego Chicken for this week's recipe. Turned out better than we both expected and we actually would eat it again. Basically, orange juice, tomato sauce, lemon and lime juice and garlic and mixed together and chicken is marinated overnight. Sounds a little odd, but after marinating and grilling the chicken it looks like this.
It was delicious- charred on the outside and juice on the inside. We served it with Mexican Style Rice and green beans which made for a healthy and tasty meal. Simple and delicious! A perfect weeknight meal. Yummy!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Mariscada Salsa Verde

Being that my husband is from New Jersey and we live in the Midwest now, we can't always get the food that he craves- New York Bagels, NY Pizza and the most recent addition, Mariscada Salsa Verde are all foods that he often craves, but aren't readily available where we live. So, for his birthday he requested Mariscade Salsa Verde and I agreed to make it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the dish, as I was, it is a Portuguese seafood dish similar to a stew. So, I cooked it for my husband. It started out like this:
Some clams, parsley, garlic and onions sauteing in a pan. Smells delicious and garlicky!

Then, more seafood was added to the pot:
Mussels, Shrimp, Lobster and Scallops- Yummy!

After adding wine and fish stock, the final product is served:
Please excuse the blurry image- steam will do that!

The overall result was a hit! My husband loved it and had memories of his time out east while enjoying his birthday dinner at our Midwest home!

What recipes make you feel at home or give you memories of your childhood? Are they the traditional comfort foods like macaroni and cheese or are they something more unique like Mariscada? Whatever they are, enjoy them and enjoy the memories that go along with them!

Sparkle Gel

Have you ever seen this?
Because it is the best thing ever! Well, maybe not ever, but definitely the best way to decorate cakes! It is easy to use, fun and sparkly! What could be better??

It turned this boring chocolate cake

Into this delicious birthday cake for my husband!



Yummy!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Brussels Sprouts. . .

Does anyone really like these?


Personally, I think Brussels Sprouts are one of the most unappetizing and flavorless vegetables, but maybe I have never had them prepared in a can't resist way. What is the best way to prepare them? Roast them? Steam them? Saute them? What's the best seasoning to top them with? Butter (makes everything better)? Salt and pepper? Seasoning Salt?

I'm out of ideas when it comes to Brussels sprouts, but am curious to hear your suggestions. Maybe I'll try a new recipe next week with Brussels sprouts. Or, maybe no one does like them and it won't be worth my effort!

photo credits- www.marcoborges.com

Monday, May 10, 2010

Steak Monday

It's no secret that Monday nights are possibly the worst night of the week. You've worked all day after a great weekend and have no desire to cook a nutritious dinner for you and your family. So, what do you do? Heat a frozen pizza, scramble some eggs or even order Chinese. What should you do? Have steak!


What? Steak? On a Monday? Yes! A meal that is typically reserved for a weekend or special occasion is equally delicious, make that more delicious when served on a Monday. What a great way to end a long workday. Serve it with some mashed potatoes, salad or even garlic bread. Whatever you choose, steak is sure to spice up your Monday! Go ahead, indulge and make yourself something special- you deserve it!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

A new recipe

It has become a recent goal of mine to try a new recipe each week. We've gotten ourselves into a rut lately- eating the same meals over and over again- and it's boring! So, we have tried a new recipe each week for the past 3 weeks. It's enlightening, like reading a new book or watching a new movie. It's also exciting- at least when the recipe is delicious!

I have to say that my favorite recipe that we have tried lately was this one from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/balsamic-chicken-with-baby-spinach-recipe/index.html from Ellie Krieger. Ellie is one of my favorite chefs on the food network. She's definitely not one of the most popular, but she has delicious, healthy recipes that don't make you feel guilty about eating yummy meals! I love that she gives you suggestions on how to make your favorite meals and allows you to eat chocolate and salty snacks- just healthier ones! This chicken is sweet and flavorful and the sauteed spinach makes a gorgeous side dish. The balsamic vinegar adds a unique touch to an easy chicken dinner. This is easy enough to make on a weeknight, but delicious enough for company. Try it and you won't be sorry!

The Beginning

Today's the day. I have been meaning to start a blog for awhile now- ever since I began reading other blogs and became fascinated by strangers' thoughts, lives and interests. I just wasn't sure where to begin. I didn't really want my life story all over the internet. I didn't want my family photos available for strangers to view and I didn't want personal information everywhere. Yes, I know I have a Facebook account, but it is only available to friends, which is how I justify that as being different. So, I decided to write about food. Eating food, cooking food, reading food blogs, anything food! We'll see how this goes. . . Thanks for reading this far!