The Unexpected

Dear Diary-
My day is all frazzled up now because i have had a monkey wrench thrown into my little life leaving me scratching my head over some new possibilities... ughhh could be good though we will see...
I wish I had my camera with me to take pictures of my adventures but it got sand in it in St Thomas and the lens no longer works.. so picture a crispy looking super delicious chicken that i baked last night here.... and here is the recipe OH YUMMMMMM
Spanish Olive Baked Bird
1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry ( take the bag of gizzards out of the cavity COLLEEN! )
1 cup of small green spanish olives
1 large red onion cut into big chunks
olive oil
butter
Adobo Seasoning

Preheat oven to 425
place onions and olives in bottom of baking dish
season the chicken liberally with the adobo seasonings on all sides and in the cavity
cook in the oven uncovered for 1 hour and 45 min or until temperature in the chicken is 180, baste the chicken several times with the pan dripping to make a super crispy bird
remove the chicken from the pan and let rest
sprinkle some flour into the pan and whisk together with the juices to make a perfect pan gravy

Slacker

Dear Diary-

I have been such a slacker with my postings... but it was for good reason.... I just got back from St Thomas! :) oh so so much fun Diary! I saw such pretty beaches and had a blast with friends for My Colleen's birthday... recipes... well the food prices were OUT OF CONTROL there. I think chicken was like 27.99 a pound! But i did get one good recipe... sip sip!

THE PAIN KILLER

2 oz Dark Rum

1 oz Cream of Coconut

4 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Orange Juice

Splash of Grenadine

Garnish with fresh ground Nutmeg

Cold Weather and Crazy Purchases

Dear Diary-

I do not even know where to begin.... my love came home Friday night from a work trip and I was so happy to see him. So Saturday I left him for a little bit- he was on his own for maybe an hour. I get a call from Gabe when I was out with my mom and he told me that he made a purchase that I wasn't going to be to happy about...i had a hundred thing running thru my mind NEVER could i have imagine what he was going to tell me. He said he bought a bear- i was like why would you buy a teddy bear? He let me know that it was not a teddy bear... it was a bear that used to be alive that was now skinned and adhered to felt. I could have died- Gabe was so proud. Ugh Diary who goes out and buys a bear after seeing something furry at a garage sale? So now Gabe has a bear on the wall next to his 8 foot long fish tank that he refers to as his "show piece". Seeing that his office now resembles some sort of tropical camping lodge and it was "cold" out. Being in Florida if it drops below 75 it's considered cold. Anyway I was inspired to make some chili. The boys came over and watched football outside in the back patio and made fun of Gabe and his bear....

Chili
2 teaspoons oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
3/4 lb beef sirloin, cubed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can dark beer
1 cup strong coffee
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 can beef broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans
1 jalepeno pepper, chopped

Heat oil, cook onions, garlic and meat until brown.
Add tomatoes, beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth.
Add spices Stir in 2 cans of kidney beans and peppers.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Jerkie's Dinner

Dear Diary-

Now that I think about it, Dear Diary started in culinary school. A select few of us all had our little books that we jotted down recipes and food tips- but we would also trade and then write Dear Diary entries in each other's books. Chef Heather made fun of our Diaries but it brought Ben, Natalie, Ashley and I great joy.... ahh MEMORIES!

So this is my favorite Dear Diary friend's dinner from last night. Ben aka Jerkie made an amazing poached Halibut. It almost looked like a vegetable terrine of sorts. But no... when I asked Jerkie about it he told me it was fish. Looks DELICIOUS! So here is Jerkie's recipe....

Take a piece of fish, throw some salt and pepper on it, add tomato confit on the top, basil leaves on bottom, douse in olive oil, wrap in plastic wrap and put the whole packet in simmering water for a few mins

My Art minus Spell Check

Dear Diary-

ohhhh wow only 11 days til i fly away to paradise for Colleen's birthday party! I can't wait- it's all i can think about and therefore i made some art....but i forgot the use spell check and so it's not a real masterpiece....

Telina's Awesome Party Dip!

Dear Dairy-
ughhh it's the afternoon and i am hungry- didn't help that my good friend Telina posted pictures of her famous yummy dip on Facebook! :( Ugh what I would do to have some of that now! Anyway it's easy and a crowd pleaser! Below is miss Telina's awesome dip- I PROMISE you will need to make a couple of batches- it's gone before you know it!

TELINA'S BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Mix 1 bottle of Frank Hot Sauce, 1 block of cream cheese, 1 bottle of ranch dressing, 1 bag of Tyson precooked diced chicken breast. Warm in oven and top with shredded cheese

Evidence below- this was a picture of the dip 5 minutes after it hit the table......

John Deere Green

Dear Diary-
Gabe wanted to go down to the neighbor's house yesterday. It's maybe 2 blocks away- instead of walking or riding a bike or even using his car Gabe whipped out his trusty John Deere to ride on down. I wish I had had my camera when I drove by the house and saw that Gabe parked his pimp ride right in our friend's front yard....

Important Update from Nurse Linda

Dear Diary-
Oh Diary I forgot to tell you that Mom KILLED last weekend on stage at the Food Fest talking about the Swine Flu. Shannon and I nearly fell out of our seats laughing so hard! Anyway Mom ins making her rounds and here is her letter to all parents and what they should know about the flu...GO MOM!

Dear Parents:
Cold and flu season is upon us. The school clinic has seen an increase in visits; many require that the student be sent home. Help us to prevent spreading illness to others in the classrooms, by following the guidelines below.
Guidelines for Keeping Sick Children Home from School
Appearance: Unusually tired, pale, irritable, lack of appetite.
Fever. The child should remain at home with a fever greater than 100°. The child can return to school after he/she has been fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin).

A sick child cannot learn effectively and is unable to participate in classes in a meaningful way. Keeping a sick child home prevents the spread of illness in the school community and allows the child opportunity to rest and recover.Please keep the clinic updated on your contact numbers and any health concerns you may have regarding your child. We are here to assist in any way we can, and thank you for your support.
Sincerely,

Linda S. Gabel, RN, CCM
Tildenville School Nurse

Reality/ Not really Reality Contestants

Dear Diary-
I was pumped to be part of the Latin Food and Wine Fest this past weekend. I had a great time and met a bunch of new peeps and hopefully some bigger and better things will come of this. I was most looking forward to meeting Jeff McGinnis from Top Chef. He really rocked on his season and was even brought back to try to knock another competitor out. I like the whole idea of being brought back :) HINT HINT Food Network! Just sayin...Anyway Jeff made a delicious looking watermelon and hot cheese salad with celery hearts- my favorite part of celery! He was cool to chat with Gabe tried to get some good dirt on the Top Chef behind the scenes as I prepped for my chicken lettuce wraps demo. Gabe for sure went out of his comfort zone and well outside his dome when he asked Jeff and his lady friend to stay around for a drink before they drove back to Miami. Cool to see someone you really thought was talented in person.. looking forward to meeting more chefs!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Tenderloins
Hydroponic Bibb Lettuce
4 Blend Mexican Shredded Cheese
Avocado Slices
Grape Tomatoes sliced in half
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Chipoltle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
Jalapeno
2 cloves of garlic
LimeAid Concentrate

Marinate the Chicken Tenderloins with 2 tbs of LimeAid Concentrate, 1/4 cup of olive oil, crushed garlic cloves and salt and pepper for up to 2 hours

Mix sour cream with 1 tbs ( or more according to taste ) of the adobo sauce found in canned chipotle peppers. Cover and refrigerate for the flavors to marry

Saute chicken tenderloins a couple of minutes per side until cooked thru

Use lettuce leaves as cups and fill with the sour cream sauce, chicken and toppings to your liking

Have it Your Way

Dear Diary-
I think I'm going to maybe start focusing on dinners that are build your own- kinda like Burger King- have it your way. Seeing that Gabe has strong opinions on how he would like his dinners i think him building his own will work out for the better. So i made a salad nicoise- which when i told him what was for dinner he said he didn't like nicoise even though he doesn't know what that meant. I lied and told him we had had it before and that he liked it. Now I can't remember if I have made him a salad nicoise before but i went with it. So when dinner rolled around and he got to make his plate he was a happy boy and then said he liked nicoise. I think he liked making it his own.....
You may ask yourself- what is salad nicoise? It's basically a composed salad. I used boiled fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, blanched french beans, artichoke hearts, hard boiled egg, baby lettuces and sauteed shrimp. We built our salads and topped with with a balsamic dressing and grated parm cheese...
Balsamic Dressing Recipe
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Mix all ingredients together in a small Tupperware and shake until combined

Skin Burn

Dear Dairy-
As I was pursuing the aisles in Walgreens yesterday I found myself picking up random things and putting them in to my basket. I was kinda having a pitty party for myself and all depressed and really wanted to go shopping. But seeing that the big banquette project will most likely put us over budget i went on an impromptu shopping spree in Walgreens instead. So i bought new eyeshadow, fake lases and a new lip liner then some lotion, bath salts and then I came across the Smooth Away- as seen on TV. I was intrigued. Gabe shaves his arms but i don't want to be some arm shaver. So I was like hmmm I'll try this- I'm not saying I'm like Teen Wolf or anything- i have a little bit of blond arm hair. But not anymore! I buffed away dead skin and the hair off my arms! It didn't even hurt- well except for the spot where i was a little over zealous and buffed too hard and gave myself a skin burn. Now it's red- great... but SMOOTH!

Hot Mic

Dear Diary-
Well the festivities have begun. It's time for the Latin Food and Wine Fest! Today I was on the radio with Dave and Leslye on Magic 107.7.... well i was all flustered because I got lost going there in the dark at 6:30am. And the tint on my windows is WAY too dark and illegal to see so I couldn't even find the building because i couldn't see the numbers after i got onto the right street. But I finally made it into the studio and sat down to promote to the Latin Food and Wine Fest. What a fun way to start my morning. But... I'm dead tired. I was awake all night fearing I was going to be late. Which i was... first off because the alarm didn't go off but i was wide awake and saw that i had to get up and then because i was lost in a maze of black streets and look alike buildings. Regardless- it was a blast. As will tonight- i can't wait to meet all the other chefs! http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_food_blog/2009/10/latin-food-wine-festival-spices-up-central-florida-oct-12.html

I'M A DESIGNER!

Dear Diary-
I must say i am pretty impressed with my sketching skills! Dad is coming over next weekend to build our banquettes in our sunroom. Now this could be quite an adventure-let's see how many arguments occur over this. Anyway here are my master plans...i think it looks pretty stellar. Let's see how it looks come next weekend...i need to learn to sew cushions....

Learning Southern Roots

Dear Dairy-
My dear dear dear sweet southern, dip spitting, NASCAR watching husband Gabe has given me his wish list. At least once a week I have been asked to incorporate a southern meal. So he sent me over a list...now it's my turn to get all Southern... maybe I can ask Paula Dean to be my friend on Facebook and ask her for some help. Then she could invite me on her show.... yes this might work out just perfect




These are Gabe’s Southern Sides- Jen can pick the meat any way she chooses :)

Brown and Serve
Fried Okra
Fried Squash
Beans of some sort (pinto, kidney..ect)
Cornbread
Mashed potatoes ( with brown gravy )
Sweet potato’s
Steamed cabbage
Dumplings
Green beans
Corn off the cob
Macaroni and cheese
Baked apples

Cabbage and Pinto Beans

Diary-
I am so so confused. How did I manage to marry someone with such an awful culinary taste?! I mean Gabe is open to trying new things and we do enjoy some of the same things but then out of nowhere something like this happens. Keep in mind I was talking about making meatloaf sandwiches tonight....then we got into the sides.....

GABE: you gonna get some nice bread to put the meatloaf on tonight?
GABE: some nice toasted french
GABE: maybe some steamed cabbage on the side
GABE: with some pinto beans?
JEN: what?! ewwwww
JEN: cabbage and pinto beans?!
GABE: mmm
GABE: i love that combo
GABE: i never get anything i like
JEN: gabe that is a DISGUSTING combo!
JEN: where did you ever eat that?!
GABE: if you tell my dad that he will shoot you-
JEN: I have spaghetti squash as a side tonight
GABE: that is a staple of southern cuisine
GABE: NO
JEN: OKRA is a staple cabbage and pinto beans is not
GABE: i hate that\
JEN: you have never had it
GABE: there are some black eyed peas in the cabin
JEN: it's good at Bone Fish
GABE: cabinate
GABE: just heat those up for me
JEN: is that how you spell cabinet?
GABE: yes
JEN: we need to work on your palate

My culinary school friend Jerkie agreed with me saying that the cabbage and pinto beans combo
"sounds like an air lingus flight crashed off somewhere in mexico and the survivors intermarried with the natives and had to eat what they had to survive"

A+ for the Veggie Tart!

Dear Diary-
Oh Diary I told you that veggie tart was tasty! Miss Beth tried it out and just look at her comments below!

I just wanted to tell you I made your roasted veggie pie last week and it was fabulous! Craig could not stop eating until after his third helping! He even called his sister (who's husband is a chef) to come by and try it out. I think we found a new family favorite. I think we will try the fig tart this week. I have another crust left over. :)


Thanks,
Beth Miller

No Soup For You- NO MONEY FOR YOU!

Dear Diary-
Dude what the hell- I'm sick and just wanted some good Tom Yum soup from the Thai House. Well now I'm pissed... who doesn't let you pay over the phone?! Help a sick sister out. I was going to have my nice coworker pick me up some tasty Tom Yum soup but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO they can't take the payment over the phone. So I got mad and hung up.
Curious as to what Tom Yum is? It's this amazing Thai Soup... it's tangy, spicy and filling. Look how good it looks!! Damn it Bobby....
The below recipe is from www.recipezaar.com
Ingredients
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
2 small tomatoes, cut into eighths
1/2 lb skinless chicken breast, diced (*) or 8 ounces extra firm tofu, pressed and drained, cubed (*)
10 canned straw mushrooms
5 button mushrooms, quartered
4 cups chicken stock or mushroom stock (*)
2 stalks lemongrass, cut the stalks diagonally 2-inch long, scored lightly
6 kaffir lime leaves, fresh, scored lightly
6 slices fresh ginger (approximately 1-inch in diameter, 1/8-inch thick)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons chili paste (Nam Prik Pao, Thai chili paste with soya oil)
2 serrano chilies, thickly sliced (optional)
1 cup fresh cilantro, washed and roughly diced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup lime juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
Directions
In a medium-sized soup pot, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Saute the chicken and/or tofu, onion (not the green onions), half each of the ginger and lemongrass until the chicken is only a little bit pink and the onion translucent.

Add the stock, fish sauce, remaining ginger and lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and (optional) serrano chilies. Simmer 10 - 15 minute covered on medium-low heat.

Add the sugar, Nam Prik Pao, and sliced tomatoes. Simmer an additional 2 minute.

Turn heat fully to low and add the lime juice to taste. Add half of the diced cilantro and the green onions, then let simmer on low for another few minutes.

Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with additional lime juice.

May I See Your ID?

Dear Diary-
Gabe was so kind as to give me his cold. So I went to the store today to pick up some Nyquil to kick my cold. I was IDed when I tried to check out. Confused because I was not buying any alcohol I asked what for and the check out girl said she needed to make sure I was of age to buy the Nyquil. OK then... well I guess it makes me feel good that being nearly 31 that I was IDed to make sure I was 18. Not too bad :)

Short Lived

Dear Diary-
Well damn it- the turtles were not a success :( The sneaky little things freaking ran away last night! Not sure how far they got- they are little turtles but still- we no longer have turtle pets. Maybe they didn't like their names. Anyway I feel like Jessica Simpson- maybe I should put out an alert.... I'm pretty sure that they weren't taken by coyotes though... bet they are still alive.

Our New Babies

Dear Diary-
Oh Gabe brought home our new babies today. Our new additions to the Isham Family- which so far includes
Kiwi- the chihuahua
Caleb- the boxer
Cesar- the rottweiler

Fish- we have a ton of fish in Gabe's "showpiece" of a giant 100 gallon fish tank

Well now we have two new babies. Our new turtles for our new pond...
This is Tahini and Gabe named his Stinky...my name is much much better

Dear Diary-
Housewife 2.0 to the rescue... maybe i need a cape. My friend Tricia has her hands full with a busy family and kids. Her oldest has decided that she is now a vegetarian and Tricia is in need of some help...

okay miss house wife 2.0...:o) My 8 year old animal lover Alexa, just decided that she is now a vegetarian! Will not eat meat and barely ever touches her veggies... got any creative recipe's for kid friendly veg. meals??? or perhaps good website to check out some recipes? and don't forget this has to feed Jeff, myself and 3 little boys! :P... up to a challenge? :o)

Tricia- I'm on the case! Anyone else have this problem? It's so important for growing kids to get a balanced diet so for their growing bodies- we don't want any malnourished kidos on our hands! The important thing is to provide a balanced meal that will please the new vegetarian and keep the rest of the family happy too!
Here some tips...

1. Interactive Cooking Family Style- get the kids in the kitchen- Tricia...hubby Jeff can help too! :) How bout have a kabob night? The whole family came make their own kabobs- have plenty of fresh hearty veggies for Alexa ( take her shopping to pick out new and cool veggies at the store, ibet she would love a mom and Alexa day to a local Farmer's Market...kids love to be involved ) and some added cubed chicken, steak or shrimp for the rest to add to their skewers. Same can go for build your own pizzas or loaded baked potato bar.

2. Sneak in the protein! Casseroles or stuffed shells are a great way to sneak in some meat here and there...

3. Beans and Eggs are great sources of protien and needed nutients. It's ok to have breakfast for dinner too! Pancakes and eggs can make for a fun and unexpected dinner for the kids. Egg salad sandwiches make for an easy school lunch and Cheese and Bean Burritos or Quesadillas are always a hit too!

Important thing again is to make sure your animal loving miss Alexa gets what she needs. A daily vitamin is essential if she is wanting to take a stand against eating meats. Here is a nice article on kids and vegetarianism.... good luck mom! :)
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/nutrition/vegetarian_diets.html

Running the Stairs VS Cheesecake and Curry

Dear Dairy-
ughhhhhhhhhhhhh I felt so good today after I drug my co worker Treena with me and we ran up and down all the stairs in our building after the day ended. We huffed and puffed our way up and felt the burn. Then when I got home as I made some Vegetable Green Curry- I found myself sampling some left over chocolate mousse cheesecake. Ahh dang it- going with that negated my fitness...anyway it felt good running the stairs, felt good nibbling on cheesecake and really good eating the curry. The only thing that feels good right now is the wine I'm sipping as I sit on the cough feeling WAY to full! My friend Katie would be disappointed because I obviously went way beyond feeling satiated and ate too much! More stairs tomorrow....

Vegetable Green Curry
1 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
1 can of drained water chestnuts
2 cloves of garlic chopped
hand full of cilantro leaves
1 13.5oz can of coconut milk
2 tbs Green Curry Paste
2 tsp of Fish Sauce
2 tbs of brown sugar
1 tsp lime juice

Saute the vegetables and garlic until cooked thru
Combine remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes
Serve over rice and top with cilantro leaves

This makes for a good vegetarian dish or you can add chicken or shrimp for some added protein

Hair Night, Accessories and Eggrolls OH MY!

Dear Dairy-
I tell you what- hair night is BY FAR my most favorite thing to look forward to every 6 weeks. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my fierce hairdresser miss Bre- I've known her since the 5th grade and think she is a genius with hair. She actually made a call back for the Sheer Genius show- but we think the show may have gone off the air- we can't find info on it anymore.. interesting. Anyway you should check out her blog- it's hilarious! http://hairdrama101.blogspot.com/
Well after I had my nice new hair did I went on over to the mall for a cheap accessory shopping spree then met up with Bre for dinner. We realized that we both have a mutual love for the Avocado Eggrolls at the Cheesecake Factory. These things are so so so good- I'm sure they are bad bad bad for you but who cares if you split them right?! Anyway here is a copy cat recipe for all those out there who love them too!


dipping sauce
3-4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp**
1/2 cup honey
1 pinch powdered saffron, opt.
1/2 cup cashews or peanuts
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil


egg rolls
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, & diced
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped***
1 tablespoon minced red onion or shallot
1/2 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, beaten (I use warm water. Works great. Not worth wasting and egg.)


Stir together vinegars, tamarind, honey, and saffron in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute.
Stir until tamarind is dissolved.
In a blender, Puree tamarind mixture, cashews, 2/3 cup cilantro, garlic, onions, sugar, pepper, and cumin.
Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in oil.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon cilantro, and salt.
Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper.
Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up, 1/4 of the way over the filling.
Brush remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with egg, roll up from side to side, fold top corner over all and press to seal.
Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
Drain on brown paper bags.
Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and serve with prepared dipping sauce!
ENJOY!

More Veggies Please!

Dearest Diary-
I got a message from a friend that is need of some culinary intervention! Miss Helen is the super talented and lovely wife of my college roommate John. Oh yeah and she is also one heck of a Mary Kay rep- she has her very own Pink Cadillac! It's very pretty- just like her. Anyway she is in need of some veggies in her menu planning-

Subject: Hey Sweetums--need 'cooking' advice

Hey Sweetuns!

I am really needing some yummy 'non-boring' healthy recipes to increase the
amount of veggies we are getting each day. Do you know of any great cookbooks I
could buy that would help me in this? (We are also trying to eat more
organically) You're my diva when it comes to cooking so I thought I'd ask:-)
Miss you! xoxo

Miss Helen- instead of going out and buying a cookbook- there are a ton of online resources that I adore. That way you are saving a tree or two in your quest for more veggies and organic living! For all you Diary fans out there here are a few of my favorite recipe go to sites. My fav is recipezaar- great tools for menu planning and even your grocery list! Tons of pictures and comments. Have fun cooking for John and Gracyn- miss you too dear!

www.recipezaar.com
www.chef2chef.com
http://www.edenfoods.com/recipes this is a good organic site
www.foodnetwork.com had to put that on in! :)

Subs to Puff Pastry Hearts

Dear Diary-
Ugh I am one tired human. I have been walking around today wondering why my lower back was killing me- I've finally realized it was from listing 3,100 pounds of Tennessee river rock. Granted it was not all at once... but still i picked up each mini boulder and passed them to Gabe so he could construct his pond. He is very proud of his pond and it's nearly done. Maybe then he can go back to putting the last coat of red paint on the front door that is still sporting blue painters tape.
Seeing that I'm exhausted I figured I'd show you some pics of some of last week's and this weekend's tasty plates... recipes to come later- maybe. Realistically they aren't coming but maybe I'll get this overwhelming urge to follow up before I forget...I need to go take some IB Profin and maybe a hot bubble bath in my nice big jet tub...
 

 

 

 

Opportunities

Dear Diary-
I must say I am pretty pumped about the latest and greatest potential things on the horizon. I have a couple big meetings next week. I'm thinking that the future is looking so bright i gotta wear shades........

Prelude to the Dream

Diary-
Ugh I am tired! The last hour of work was just a ridiculous chaos of 60 minutes. I thought my head was going to explode from my blood pressure sky rocketing out of control- good thing I went to visit my friend after work who graciously offered me a glass of wine. Then I scared the hell out of her 4 months old twins because they had no clue who I was- note to self need to visit them more! :(
Anyway cooked meatball sandwiches and a great pasta salad for the boys tonight. They rented the Prelude to the Dream race on pay per view and I did the cooking. I hung around long enough to watch my NASCAR love Kasey Kahne win his first race- but was too tired to stay and watch him perhaps take it all again- twice in a week that would be nice- GO KASEY!
Anyway I left my camera over at the race house and Gabe can't find it... i know it's sitting on the counter. So the recipe for the meatball sandwich and the pasta salad with pictures will come tomorrow. Off to bed for me- night night termite Diary!

Little Chefs

Dear Dairy-
Ok so I have talented friends and the cutest "nieces and nephews"!This is miss Charlotte, my friend Kelly's cutie pie. This is her first time helping Mommy bake. Charlotte is making some cupcakes- Kelly said that she cried when the cupcakes went into the oven... bet she will like decorating them with the icing and sprinkles.. if only they had Elmo sprinkles- Charlotte LOVES Elmo. Aunt Jen loves it that Charlotte is getting into the kitchen- way to go Mommy Kelly!

Vegetarian Delight

Dear Diary-
This one is for Erika- and I bet her hubby wouldn't mind it either. I had my slice nice and cold out of the fridge- Gabe said he would prefer his to have been served hot. Seeing that our hood and microwave has yet to be installed in the house and Gabe has no patience..he ate his cold as well- and because I cooked- he just eats. So Erika and all you other non meat eaters out there here you go...
Roasted Vegetable and Swiss Cheese Tart

1 9inch store bought pie crust
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1 egg
1 cup of grated swiss cheese
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 red bell peppers
1/2 large red onion
1/2 pint of sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/2 small eggplant
1 yellow squash
5-6 garlic cloves

Preheat Oven to 425
Bake pie crust in oven for 6 minutes then set aside to cool
Combine all veggies except mushrooms and roast after tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh thyme springs for 15 minutes- stir occasionally. After done baking set aside to cool
Saute up the mushrooms in butter and a little oil to create a nice caramelized outer crust
At the same time bring the heavy cream to a boil along with 2 crushed garlic cloves and a spring of thyme. After cream comes to a boil turn down to simmer for 5 minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn't overflow the pot- BIG MESS!)
After the pie crust and veggies are cool layer the veggies into the pie crust- either all mixed up or in nice layers.
Combine the heavy cream ( once cooled ), egg and cheese then pour over the veggies inside the tart.
Bake at 425 for another 15 minutes- keep a eye on the crust to make sure it doesn't burn.

Refrigerate or serve hot... YUMMY VEGETARIAN DINNER! Makes for a good lunch the day after too! 

League Love

Dear Dairy-
I am telling you what Diary- I have some pretty snazzy friends. Ok so Keri from Mimi & Dolores http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mimi-and-Dolores-by-keri-visconti/111868675950 has teamed up with her fantastic dress designing friend Gloria to make the hottest game day wear. I want everyone to check out League Love! Look for League Love on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/League-Love/159082318274?ref=ts - below is what they are all about. Or contact Keri and Gloria at LeagueLove@gmail.com



Introducing League Love, a dashing, chic way to wear your teams colors and wear them comfortably!

We are two New York City gals with a passion for chic comfortable looks. After searching unsuccessfully for years for the perfect game day gear, we took matters into our own hands and voila! League Love was created. For sure check them out!
We want to outfit every sassy, chic fan who wants to get rowdy for her team, and look dashing while doing it.

This fun design can be worn in so many different ways. The style and fit of these dresses make them ideal for all body types. Check out our photos for some unique ways to wear your League Love dress, but keep in mind, there are many other options for you to discover.
We have both long and short silhouettes in either orange or blue, customizable colors upon request. These dresses are made with a super soft Bamboo Stretch Cotton Fabric which is moisture wicking and antimicrobial for those long game days outside!

One size fits all, special sizing upon request. If you order by Monday, you will have your dress in time for that weeks game! Major credit cards accepted. Email us at leaguelove@gmail.com with questions and to place your order

CONGRATS KERI AND GLORIA! Wow my talented friends amaze me! :)

What's For Dinner

Dear Diary-
Just laid out my recipes for this week's menu. What a great way to spend Labor Day- enjoying being off work, planned ou my menu and might lay by the pool to even out only getting sun on half of my body yesterday. They distinct line down my legs is not that hot. This week's menu has some tasty dinners that don't include meat- this for my friend Erika who can't handle eating animals anymore. Check back for the recipes and pics each day this week...
Monday
Baked Stuffed Clams with Grilled Artichokes
Tuesday
Roasted Vegetables and Cheese Tart
Wednesday
Meatball Sandwiches with roasted corn & tri colored pasta salad
Thursday
Broiled tilapia with butternut squash puree and crispy new potatoes
Friday
Date Night- Jen is now cooking :)
Gabe is eating well this week

The Ultimate Harvest Cookbook

Dear Diary-
OH Diary- as I was checking out of the grocery store line the other day at the neighborhood Publix- which I still have not mastered. You know how I like to know my aisles and have my game plan all mapped out before I enter the store- this new Publix I now shop at is all set up different. I can't find a lot of things and get all flustered- my once a week trips have turned into like 3 trips a week. Anyway when I was checking out with almost all of my list I picked up the new Ultimate Harvest Cookbook by Gourmet magazine. OH WOW there are so many DELICIOUS looking treats in there! I so so so recommend everyone go get this now! The recipes inside are not overly complicated yet will for sure make you step outside of the normal dinner dishes that grace the tables in so many homes. I'm gonna be on the hunt for squash blossoms this weekend at the local Farmer's markets to see if I can whip up the Squash Blossoms stuffed with Ricotta Cheese that is on page 93- I've been craving them since I was in Maine and saw a few in Mom's garden. Ugh Diary- why can't I just get paid to get overly excited about food? ONE DAY... ONE DAY

Fake It at Home!

Diary-
As I stood in front of the stove this evening in my work out attire and sneakers ready for my walk to prep for my St Thomas trip in only 55 DAYS I found myself not walking out of the door. Yes I used the excuse that the storm had really rolled in quick and I was not able to get out- all the time knowing damn well that the ONLY reason was that the creamed spinach I made was way too good to walk away from! :( Oh Diary I was supposed to be getting my fitness on so that I'm lookin all jazzy on the white sand beaches of the tropics... instead I scarfed down way more than a single serving of creamy, cheesy spinach. GREAT....
Anyway here is an easy, quick and CHEAP way to make fancy creamed spinach at home!

Instead of Working Out Creamed Spinach
1 10oz frozen package of spinach leaves ( defrosted and drained )
1 container of garlic and herb aloutte ( found in the dairy section )
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine the spinach and aloutte cheese in a saucepan and heat until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes
Sprinkle with nutmeg and stir until well combined


That's it! So good- tonight I had it with panko crusted tilapia and oven roasted ugly tomatoes...ugly tomatoes aren't ugly- just not a perfect round globe... lesson of the day!
Now I gotta go do some leg lifts or something because you know my butt is not going to wake up early to get my fitness on!

Fig Update

Dear Diary-
Oh Diary I am a fan of the fig! Josh- not so much...but heart figs- not as much as beets but I still like them. Publix had buy one get one free on containers of fresh figs. So I bought a package of Brown Turkey- UGHHHH that reminds me of a random college party at a pool passing around a bottle of Wild Turkey- I digress- I bought Brown Turkey FIGS and Black Mission Figs- figured I'd try them both out. My first dish was a Fig Tart

I used the recipe in Cooking Light http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1911265 I kinda veered though- first off, I used a store bought pie crust- because my new kitchen does not have enough counter space needed to make a real pie crust. I followed the recipe the same except added the cinnamon in with the figs since it didn't make it into the crust. I also used a mixture of the Brown Turkey and Black Mission Figs. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM yum! This was so freaking good! The Greek Yogurt really topped it off and made it something so unexpected!

I also made a tasty Grilled Fig, Chicken and Blue Cheese Salad

I marinated chicken tenderloins in olive oil, garlic slivers, salt and pepper
I sliced the figs in half and let them sit in some sugar for a few minutes
I grilled both the chicken and the figs until cooked thru
I put both on a bed of baby arugula and dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and crumbled blue cheese
This was so good- the warm chicken melted the cheese and the smokey caramelized figs were a perfect component to the peppery arugula
Diary, I think I'll be buying more figs...

Dear Diary-
I'm really getting pumped for my participation in Orlando's Latin Food and Wine Fest. I have no clue if I am going to be cooking or what... guess I need to think up something tasty. My most favorite latin dish is really a side dish- tostones with the special ketchup, mayo and garlic dipping sauce I was taught to make back in high school. So so so good...

Maybe I can come up with a new spin on tostones and make some app... need to practice. This week figs next week latin flavors....
Anyway- here is a little tid bit on the upcoming event- my second Orlando Sentinel mention- so fun! :)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_food_blog/2009/08/save-the-date-latin-food-and-wine-festival-2009-oct-13.html

Brutus the Birthday Dog

Dear Diary-
Obviously, you know I like to cook... well so does my brother. He has joined my way of planning a weekly menu and cooking each night too. Well the other day was Josh and Chelsea's standard doberman's 2nd birthday. Now this just killed me... look at Brutus' birthday dinner!
ROASTED SALMON WITH MUSTARD GLAZE ON TOP OF OVEN ROASTED SWEET POTATOES.
ON THE SIDE FOR DESERT WAS SLICED GRANNY SMITH APPLES AND ORANGE SECTIONS.
Only Josh...