Best Green Beans That'll Ever Meet Your Mouth

Long time no see! Hope all is well with everyone. I know I have been busy with school and such but I will try to get on here more frequently these next few weeks since Spring Break is coming up and my schedule is slowly dying down (yippee!). So, let me tell you I love green beans but always seemed to prefer the canned ones because I guess I just never had fresh green beans cooked the right way. Well ladies and gents, I have created an enjoyable fresh green bean recipe that I cannot get enough of. I have cooked these fresh green beans twice this week, um yeah and it's ONLY Tuesday! But anyway here we go

Fresh Green Bean Sautee:

Ingredients:

1 to 1.5 pounds fresh green beans
2 tablespoons garlic salt
Juice from one medium sized lemon
3 tablespoons Brummel & Brown Butter Made W/Yogurt
Extra Virgin Olive oil

Directions: First thing you're going to do is put on a large pot of salted water and bring to a rolling boil. While you wait for the water to boil what you're going to do is trim and snap the ends of all the green beans (after being washed, of course). Once all trimmed up, dump them into pot of boiling water for 4 minutes! While green beans boil for 4 minutes, prepare a large bowl full of water and ice. Once green beans are finished boiling drain and then dump them into the prepared ice bath. (now I have pictures below--sorry I didn't have pictures of the first part!)

After 15 minutes in the ice bath, drain and then toss green beans into large skillet with the bottom coated in a fair amount of olive oil.

Wow, sorry that picture turned out sideways. But anyway, you're going to set on medium heat and let sautee a little bit in the olive oil--for about 1 minute, make sure you move the beans around so they get equal heat. Then you're going to add butter, lemon juice, and garlic salt to the green beans in the skillet. Then you're going to toss with tongs and make sure they are fully coated. Let them sit and sautee and soak up the juices for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Let the tips of the beans turn yellow/golden and then they are ready to toss in a bowl and serve!

Salty, crunchy goodness. Who knew vegetables could be so tasty??

My picky friends even approved!

Until next time,

Bon appetit!

My Favorite Girl Scout Cookies--in Truffle Form

Hello! I hope I find you enjoying your Tuesday--it is a beautiful day down here in the South. What is your weather like? Snowy? Rainy? Well, whether it is sunshine, snow or rain I have the perfect treat for you! Everyone knows the end is near...and then you may ask "wait, what end?". Well my friend, it is almost the end of Girl Scout Cookie season. My waist and buttocks are looking forward to this tragic ending, as for my taste buds--let's just say: too soon, too soon. But anyway I have taken a survey of what people's favorite girls scout cookies are (disclaimer: I only asked family and friends so this is totally unofficial). But anyway, I found that Thin Mints were first and foremost the most popular amongst my loved ones. And then coming close in second were the infamous Samoas (I am well aware that they are now called Caramel Delights but I refuse to call them that--thank you very much). But anyway, today I will share with you two recipes for Thin Mint Truffles and Samoa Truffles! Here we go:

Caramel Delight Truffles

ingredients:

• 1 package caramel delights (only reason I used Keebler is because Girl Scouts are in school during the day, therefore I could not hunt one down for cookies)
• 1/3 bar fat free cream cheese
• Chocolate Candy Coating
• Shredded Sweetened Coconut

First, get out your food processor and secure it with the large blade. Dump the whole package of cookies into the food processor.

Process the cookies until completely smooth and all crumbs. Next cut cream cheese into small pieces and place in food processor. 

Next process cream cheese and crushed cookies until making a thick, crumbly like mixture. It will get stuck and the processor will stop, so take spatular and unstick sides and bottom of the bowl. And continue to process until fully mixed together.

Next, what you're going to do is take about a thumb print amount of mixture and form into round balls with hands. And place on a pan.

Next heat chocolate candy coating in microwave by directions on back of package. Once melted, take spoon, dip in chocolate, and drizzle over balls of cookie mixture. Before chocolate dries on top of truffles, sprinkle shredded coconut over all of them.

Once finished, pop tray into refrigerator for an hour and then enjoy!!

Now...

Thin Mint Truffles

ingredients:

• 1 box thin mints
• 1/2 bar fat free cream cheese
• Chocolate sprinkles

Directions: DO THE EXACT SAME THING but instead of coconut, add the sprinkles!

And the last step...ENJOY!!!

See you tomorrow.

Love you long time.

Skinny Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Hello! I hope I find you having a pleasant Monday evening. It has been too long since I have posted a recipe. So guess what? I am posting a great recipe right now for your enjoyment! Enchiladas are a staple food in our home, I think it's a Southern thing. Usually we go for beef enchiladas but I decided to change it up a bit and try something new. So ladies and gentlemen:

SKINNY GREEN CHILE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

ingredients:
1 cup light sour cream
3/4 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 small cans chopped green chiles
1 can mexican Ro*Tel
6 whole wheat tortilla wraps

First what you're going to do is in a large skillet, add shredded chicken, onions, green chiles, and Ro*Tel. (DO NOT DRAIN THE RO*TEL--THE CHICKEN WILL SOAK UP THE JUICES). Let this mixture simmer together and combine until well mixed. Turn on medium heat and let sit and simmer in the juice until soaked up.

While you have your chicken mixture simmering, take a small pot and combine sour cream, cream of chicken, chives, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Put over medium to high heat and keep stirring--it will eventually melt and become liquid after stirring for about 6 minutes. Once it becomes liquid-y turn heat off!

(sorry this picture stinks)

Next, what you're going to do is take the whole wheat tortillas and lay them on a plate, and then make a line with the chicken mixture and then sprinkled shredded colby jack cheese on top. Fold and then put into glass pan.

Continue to fold and roll enchiladas until all 6 are lined up in the pan.

Next, what you're going to do is pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the enchiladas and then sprinkle with colby jack cheese.

Next, pop in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes! And then enjoy!

See you manana!

Love you long time.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Well hello there. Sorry I have been kind of MIA a few days this week, school has started back up and it has been non-stop since Monday morning bright and early. But now, my weekend has begun because I have no classes on Friday (wahoo!). But anyway, how are you doing with your healthy eating? I'd love to know your tips and such in the comment section below! I have been doing pretty good. I have created this turkey/veggie wrap that I have eaten for lunch the past 3 days and let me tell you, it is HUGE and delicious and comes out to be 215 calories! Here's a colorful picture of my lunch, under the photo I will tell you the fabulous ingredients:

Wrap: EVOO Whole Grain Rye 90 calories for a giant one!

Turkey: 2 slices of low-sodium turkey from the deli counter

Spread: Weight Watchers Swiss Spread 30 calories!

1/4 Avocado

5 golden snack tomatoes cut in halves

4 pieces of yellow and orange sweet bellpepper

Cheese: Athenos Reduced Fat Feta (a little less and 1/4 cup around 50 calories)

Mustard: French's Spicy Mustard 5 calories!

My side:

sauteed asparagus and mushrooms sprinkled with pecorino

Now for dinner I am having a grilled turkey patty with roasted butternut squash and here's how I'm roasting it! It's super easy and delicious:

• 1 butternut squash (peeled & cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Molly McButter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place squash and ingredients on top and then toss with hands to make sure everything is coated nicely. Then pop it in the oven for 15 minutes and then move around with spatula and then put back in for another 15 minutes or until soft. And then you have roasted butternut squash--a healthy way to eat your carbohydrates! :)

Until next time, stay healthy happy & sassy.

Bon Appetit!

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Salad

Hello Everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Monday whether it was back to school for spring semester classes or just back to work from the weekend. Today for me was back to school for spring semester classes and let me tell you, there are some rude people in this world. Had to deal with a very rude food science advisor that was just not a happy bear but a grumpy old man bear obsessed with Mickey Mouse. But anyway, enough about my Monday blues. Have you been good on following up with your new years resolutions?? I have and I am very proud of myself. I have been eating healthy and balanced--NOT DIETING. Just lower fat content, smaller portions, and exercise! So if you know me really well, you know that I love salads. All kinds of salads--pasta, chicken, crab, veggie, etc! Love it all! So I wanted a low fat version of chicken salad tonight with a handful of reduced fat wheat thins and I think I created a monster. It is deliciously light, sweet, spicy & salty just the way I like it! So here we go:

Ingredients:

• 2 boiled small boneless skinless chicken breasts (shredded or chopped into small pieces)
• 1 tbsp of light mayo
• 1 tbsp of Lone Prairie Farms Strawberry Jalapeno Jam (if you are in TX, this can only be found in your local HEB or you can call them @ (817) 866-2113) trust me on this, it is WORTH THE CALL!
• 1 tsp instantly fresh chives
• 1 tsp instantly fresh dill
• S&P to taste

Mix it all together and you're done! You've got a sweet, spicy, and salty chicken salad! 

Until next time,

Bon Appetit 

Lightened Up Eggs Bennie

Good morning everyone! Hope all is well. So, all of you have a pretty good idea that I'm a total foodie. With that being said, I can never pass up a good plate of eggs benedict if it is on the menu at a place I know cannot mess up a good hollandaise. Only problem is, this doesn't squeeze into my new healthy lifestyle. So guess what! I made a lightened up version, one that my waistline gladly welcomes. And I'll be the first to tell you, this is still not comparable to the eggs bennie at the Peacock Alley at the Waldorf. But this lightened up version will satisfy your craving, most definitely! So here we go:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp hot water
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 1/8 tbsp lemon juice
1 Thomas Triple Health English Muffin
4 slices turkey bacon
2 large eggs

First you're going to want to whip out your double boiler. I, unfortunately couldn't fine mine so I had to make one that worked just as good. I took a pot and then a bowl and set it inside.

Next, what you're going to do in this double boiler (or makeshift one) is blend the mayo and hot water until heated throughout which takes about 4 minutes on low-med heat. Make sure to stir frequently, so it is well blended. After several minutes, stir in lemon juice and then set aside. (You can also add yellow food coloring if desired).

Then take bacon and put in non-stick skillet and cook until a little browned and crisp. (I know I have 5 pieces in the skillet, my sister wanted to eat one)

While the bacon cooks, take a deep dish skillet and fill with about 3 1/2 inches of water and heat until tiny bubble are on the bottom (right when it starts to boil). Then crack one of the eggs in a small bowl and then slowly pour into the boiling water. When the egg is ready to flip sides, it will be all white and be floating to the top, make sure to carefully flip it as to not break the yolk. Cook for about 2 more minutes and then take it out. Do the same for the second egg.

Finally take the english muffin and split in half and put in toaster. Once finished toasting, place on plate with insides up. Take 2 slices of bacon and make into 4 pieces and place on one half the muffin, do the same with the other side. Next, place one poached egg on one half, and then another on the other half. Finally spoon a little bit of hollandaise over each half of the eggs benedict. And then for garnish, I sprinkled with a little bit of chopped dill! :)

I served this with coffee and a handful of red grapes. 

Until next time,

Bon Appetit!

Healthy Living--Choices

Hell everyone! Well I'm back from my little time away in Dallas. Which means back to healthy eating. I know a lot of people are trying to eat healthier after this holiday season and it being a new year and all. It has been a while since I have done a nutrition post. So I figured what better way to start off a week with a healthy living post? Over the years I have had several trainers/nutrition enthusiasts in which I have learned a lifetime of information. As I was doing burpees or running sprints, they would talk to me about nutrition and I would soak it up because nutrition has always fascinated me and I love eating healthy and feeling good. And I'll be the first to tell you, that it is not easy--I am the queen of yo-yo dieting. But I had this new sense come over me that dieting DOES NOT WORK. Healthy lifestyle change is the way to go--forget all of the fad diets and just eat healthy. Do not deprive yourself; this weekend I ate half of lox and bagel instead of a whole and was just as satisfied. Same with my beloved eggs benedict (hollandaise can be a killer), I ate only one half of the eggs bennie and was completely satisfied and totally got my fix. Depriving yourself of things you love can ultimately turn into a disastrous binge. So next time you're at a cocktail party and the hors d'oeurvres are just tugging on you, go for it. But go for small portions, just enough to satisfy your craving. I will share with you what I had for breakfast and some of my favorite healthy snacks:

This morning I had 1/3 avocado & a poached egg on 40 calorie whole wheat toast with cracked sea salt & pepper. With fresh pineapple & red grapes and farmstand juice. It was extra filling and delicious. And of course I had a cup of coffee with some Splenda. Although avocados are full of fats, IT'S THE GOOD FATS. They are heart healthy, full of protein, anti-inflamtory, carotenoids, and boost levels of the good cholesterol. So don't be afraid of this green goddess called an avocado!

Now on to some snack options:

Today I had 12 golden snacking tomatoes and a hard boiled egg with s & p. It was completely satisfying. And let me tell you, this golden snacking tomatoes are DELICIOUS! This is an easy way to get a veggie in and a quick protein!

Another snack option:

Okay now let me tell you, I am a peanut-butteraholic. Seriously though, I can eat a whole jar of creamy peanut butter in one sitting. But regular PB is full of fat and unwanted sugars. So I was searching for something that tastes just as great as peanut butter but is more reasonable for my waste line and let me tell you, I FOUND IT! It is called PB2--all you do is mix 2 tbsp. of PB2 with 1 tbsp. of water and stir it until smooth. It is fantastic. I spread it on a Quaker Unsalted Rice Cake and it tastes delicious. I also stack on a 60 Calorie Pack Dried Prunes which makes it sweet, salty and all around delicious!

One more snack option:

Last, but certainly not least is another healthy snack option. 10 small boiled shrimp and 2 pieces of Dried Mango. This was you can get your sweet & salty fix with protein and a fruit. Delicious and filling.

Until next time--lots of love, health, & happiness.

Reminiscing 2012 & Vanilla Macarons

Well I don't know if you have heard, but we survived the end of the world and a new year is coming in less than 2 hours...And WOAH! Let me tell you, this year has certainly been a mixture of emotions. But summed up, I have realized how incredibly dang blessed I am. I have lost friends, I have gained many. I have lost many pounds, I have gained a few pounds. But everything is pretty balanced in where I am with life right at this moment. I am content, yet anxious for what 2013 will hold--there are many things I want to accomplish this coming year and feel that I have the capability to do so. God has given me undying love and strength this year, that has in return made me an incredibly strong woman living through Christ himself. I am blessed, very blessed. Thank you to my readers of my blog, (even if there aren't that many) hopefully someday it will make something of itself and can inspire people. I hope you have a blessed New Year and here, I will leave you with a few answered questions that are passed around my family at the dinner table tonight:

What was your favorite song of 2012? Well my favorite song of this year actually came out in 2011, but I discovered it in 2012. It is incredible. 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman & of course I love We Are Young by Fun.

What was your favorite movie released 2012? This is a tough questions, so I'll just say whatever is off the top of my head that I really enjoyed this year: Pitch Perfect, The Lorax, The Hobbit, & Brave (I am missing so many more!)

Favorite meal you have eaten in 2012? My most favorite meal I have probably ever eaten was at Fig and Olive in NYC on 5th avenue. We ate lunch here and it was crowded with local moms lunching together while the nannies were at the opposite side of the room with the babies. I ordered the Fig & Olive salad that was DIVINE. I seriously have never eaten a salad this good and I am a salad connoisseur! It consisted of fig, apple, manchego, gorgonzola dolce tomato, walnut, olive, romaine, mesculin scallion, fig balsamic--Arbequina olive oil. Delicious!

Best sweet treat you have eaten in 2012? This, once again was in my beloved city of NYC. It was a Pistachio Macaron at this French bakery between 3rd & Bleecker St, right next to the NYU bookstore called Mille-Feuille Bakery. It was a tiny little bakery/cafe that was super chic and cozy and you could actually watch them make macarons!

After my mouth watered for 30 minutes after writing this post and thinking about that dang macaron, I decided to whip some up myself. So I made vanilla macarons tonight after attempting it two times. So I must leave you with vanilla macaron recipe:

This makes 14 normal sized macarons.

Ingredients for cookies:

3/4 cup sliced and blanched almonds
1 cup powdered sugar
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup extra fine sugar (just regular Imperial granulated sugar is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for filling:

4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened<---this is very important)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions for cookies: Place the almond slices and powdered sugar in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, until every thing is nice and grounded. Sift the mixture into a bowl to make sure it is super fine texture. After doing this, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

Place the egg whites in a bowl and mix with electric mixer until it is holding soft, white peaks. Slowly incorporate the extra fine sugar to make a firm and glossy meringue and then whip in the vanilla extract.

Using a spatula, fold the almond and powdered sugar mixture into the meringue one-third at a time. DO NOT MIX WITH MIXER. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, continue to cut and fold the mixture until if forms a shiny thick batter.

Pour this thick batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1 cm plain tip. Pipe 32 small-ish circles onto the baking sheets. Make sure you don't have many air bubbles. Let stand at room temp. for about 30 minutes until dry and shiny. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Bake in the preheated oven for 9 minutes and then cool for 10. After that carefully peel the macaron cookies off of the parchment paper and let them cool completely.

To make the filling beat the very soft butter and vanilla in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Use to sandwich pairs of macarons together.

this recipe was adapted out of macaroons: 30 recipes for perfect bite-size treats

Bon Appetit!

Everyone have a safe and happy new year! 

Eat your cabbage and black-eyed peas!

Power Salad--Kale Style

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a blessed holiday! Sorry I have been MIA for a while, I have been spending time with my family and...trying to perfect bread baking. Let me tell you, bread baking is TOUGH! I still have yet to succeed, although I made this rustic Italian chocolate raisin bread that was divine on the inside, but I unfortunately burned the crust (that was hard as a brick, I might add). But anyway, my family and I made a trek up to Houston yesterday and of course, had to stop at Central Market. Mother and I are absolutely in love with this place and their turkey meatloaf and kale salad. We always tend to stop and get the same thing as always: turkey meatloaf, kale salad, & organic Asian yams, plus some new things that we find on our adventure every time we go! But anyway, this kale salad I talk about is incredible--Mom and I devoured two boxes of it in one sitting (oops). So I was thinking, kale is such a POWER FOOD and a lot of people's new year's resolutions will be to watch their weight and be healthy! So of course, I thought there is no better way to start the new year than without a kale salad! So I created my own version of a kale salad that to be honest, I'm eating it right now with my turkey meatloaf...But anyway here we go! I didn't do precise measurements on the dry stuff, so just do what you like! :)

Ingredients for Salad:

• Chopped Kale
• Tamarin roasted pumpkin seeds
• Sliced, Blanched Almonds
• Dried blueberries
• Dried cranberries
• Gorgonzola Cheese

Recipe for dressing (serves 1-2 people):

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon orange juice from concentrate
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Just dump these ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk until it is all blended. And then pour over salad with all dry ingredients, toss and then serve! 

Bon Appetit!

Texas Tumbleweeds, A Holiday Treat!

Well I got a call from my grandfather last night and he told me that he had eaten the most delicious thing he has ever put in his mouth yesterday. And I was like "TELL ME ABOUT IT!", turns out it was a good ol' Texas Tumbleweed! Sweet, little bit salty, and TOTALLY delish! He will be arriving tomorrow for Christmas so I decided that I would surprise him by making a batch, (BIG BATCH--4 dozen to be exact) for him to munch on throughout the upcoming Christmas festivities! Not only are they absolutely delicious, they are also extremely easy and incredibly quick to make! So here we go!

Ingredients:



1lb Chocolate Almond Bark
13 oz Peanut Butter Chips (they come in 10 oz bags, so I measured the last 3 ounces with my eyes!)
16 oz Dry Roasted Peanuts
12 oz Potato Sticks (I used three 4 ounce bags of potato sticks)

 In a microwave safe bowl, combine almond bark and peanut butter chips.

Microwave on 50% for 4 minutes (my microwave does not have the option to reduce power so I just eyed it until it melted) Once melted, mix together:

Then stir in peanuts and potato sticks (don't worry too much about crunching the potato sticks) Stir until EVERYTHING is coated (I had to transfer to a bigger bowl because everything together was bigger than I had anticipated!):

Then drop on parchment paper or foil (make sure to spray a tiny bit of Pam on it if you are using foil) take a large spoon and one hand (clean, preferably) and drop onto foil or paper, make sure all parts are connected so they will dry as a whole.

And then let dry for about 20 minutes or until they harden (to speed up this process, pop them in the refrigerator!) And then last but not least, ENJOY! :)

BON APPETIT!

Holiday Tea Cake Cookies

So in the post before this, you found out that I was rummaging through my grandmother's recipe collection. I have pulled out so many great old recipes of hers that I will be so incredibly full by the time Christmas is over that I will be in a food coma going into the new year. But anyway, I found this tiny, stained, scratch piece of paper with a recipe I could barely read. It looked so incredibly USED that I just had to make whatever was on this tiny piece of paper. Well turns out it was "my friend Mable's tea cake cookies"! They are cakey, fluffy, not too sweet and just delicious! I've never really tasted anything like them before. They are perfect for a cup of hot chocolate by the fire, because the cookie isn't so overpoweringly sweet that the cookie and hot chocolate balance it out to a perfect medium. So here we go "My Friend Mable's Tea Cake Cookies":


Ingredients:

5 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs

First preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, salt and baking powder together.

then I creamed the shortening and sugar and then added in the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. This worked beautifully thanks to my Mom's KitchenAid Stand Mixer (secretly wish it was mine). Then slowly add in the flour and keep mixing until dough is formed.

Roll out on floured parchment/wax paper and cut with cookie cutters or roll into small balls to make normal cookies :)

Then pop them in the oven on cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake for 10-11 minutes until they have risen and look cakey and not sticky. I made icing and drizzled it on top...but I think I seriously joined the ugly Christmas cookie club. Actually, I think I'm the president of it. They taste delicious though! All that counts! 

bon appetit!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Every year my Dad and I get in the kitchen and make homemade Chex Mix (aka trash, I honestly do not know why it is called Trash but hmm, something to ponder) and Peanut Brittle right around Christmas time! It is great father-daughter bonding time and I look forward to it every year! This year we had trouble finding raw peanuts at the local grocers (did you know raw peanuts are usually in the produce section in the grocery store? Yeah, me neither) but eventually found some just as fresh in our freezer from earlier this year. Since before I could remember, homemade peanut brittle has been a holiday staple in my house and I can't imagine this time of year without it. This easy, microwave peanut brittle recipe is my grandmother's recipe. Last night I had the pleasure of looking through her old recipe collection with her cursive scribble on scraps of paper that I could barely read, but it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside just looking at the incredible recipes that had been passed down through generations. So anyway, this makes one batch of peanut brittle, my dad and I made about 5 batches last night for all of the fun festivities coming up!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup raw peanuts

1/2 cup white corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon  butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

In a 1 1/2 quart bowl than can be used in a microwave, stir together peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Cook for 4 minutes, and then stir well and then cook 4 more minutes. After cooking a total of 8 minutes, add butter and vanilla and cook 2 more minutes. At the end of the last 2 minutes, take out of microwave and then add the baking soda, then stir REALLY fast until light and foamy/bubbly. 

Immediately pour onto a lightly buttered foil and spread out. When cool, break into small pieces.

(Set microwave on high. If this setting should burn the peanuts, reduce setting)

Remember: ALL MICROWAVES ARE DIFFERENT!!

OH! & if you want to add shredded coconut to this peanut brittle, add it after cooking the FIRST 4 minutes! :) 

bon appetit!

Have a great Friday everyone! I will be spending mine baking, listening to Martha Stewart Radio, watching Food Network by the fire, and drinking hot coffee! I LOVE this cold weather!

Sean's AMAZING Gumbo

So, my good friend Sean has been wanting me to try his gumbo recipe! And I kept putting it off because it just wasn't cold enough outside for gumbo. Well finally, we got a cold front in and it was chilly enough outside to have something warm and soupy in our tummies (that sounded really gross, my apologies). But anyway he sent me this recipe through text message photo and told me how to tweak it to make it perfect! I also added a few twiks and tweaks of my own. So here it goes:

2 links of venison Slovacek sausage
1 tsp Cajun spices
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth, defatted
2 tsp onion flakes
2 cups frozen, cut okra
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 poblano pepper, diced
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups water
1 cup instant rice
1/2 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Dash of seasoned salt

In large skillet put a few drops of water and then place both links of pre-cooked sausage in skillet and let warm. Warm until
both sides have dark marks on them.


Next, I cut the sausage into small pieces and tossed it into a large pot. Along with literally EVERYTHING else except the rice. I brought everything to a hard boil and let it stay there for about 3 minutes. Next, I added the rice and mixed it in, turned it down to low/simmer and put the lid on it and let it simmer for about 6 minutes, occasionally scraping the bottom and stirring. This way, it well cook the rice and condense and make it less soupy and more gumbo-y! After that, it's pretty much done. SUPER DUPER DUPER DUPER easy!

BON APPETIT! 

Low Fat Turkey Corn Chowder

I don't know about you but we had a lot of turkey left over from last week that we needed to do something with before it went bad. I really like soup this time of year--even though it's not very cold here in Texas... :( but hey, I can dream! So I really like the corn chowder at this local restaurant here in College Station, called Cafe Eccel. Only problem is, there are many many calories in the full deliciousness of Cafe Eccel's version of corn chowder. So I decided to try to make it lower in fat & add turkey! And let me tell you, it turned out DELICIOUS! Here we go:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 of a large sweet onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped)

1 tablespoon chives (finely chopped)

7 oz. turkey breast (shredded)

1/3 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups of fat free, low sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

3 cans of corn (9oz. each)

1 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk

First, put butter in large saucepan/pot over low heat, add chopped onion, garlic, and chives to skillet. Let saute until onions are translucent (about 3 minutes over low to medium heat), make sure they don't brown, then they'll turn crispy and chewy and the garlic will taste bitter. So that is definitely a no no.

(onions, chives, and garlic with butter)

Okay next step stir in 1 can of corn to onion and garlic mixture, add broth (KEEP STIRRING), then add kosher salt and pepper, keep stirring! Then add the turkey! Stir one more time and then bring to boil, make sure you stir/scrape the bottom because flour likes to get stuck on the bottom of the pot. Let boil for about 7 minutes. White this is boiling get our your food processor. Take milk and remaining corn and sugar and dump it into the food processor. Puree it until smooth, and then dump mixture into pot and stir stir stir! Let sit and boil for about 15 minutes, continue to stir and scrape every now and then. I served my chowder with chopped chives to top it off! 

Sorry the pictures are so terrible on all of my posts. Hopefully I am getting a camera with a great lens for Christmas! Until next time, Bon Appetit!