Dear Diary

Addicted

2010-06-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Oh Diary I have discovered JetMax cubes. Oh happy day! They are these cute mix and match cubes that you can put together to make craft desks. I have been on a coupon clipping once a day trip to Michaels mission!I need to get two more cubes to complete my desk- my cute desk that fits perfectly into the spare room's closet. So cute!

LONG TIME NO POST

2010-06-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

As I sit somewhat jaded watching the premiere of the new season of the Next Food Network Star ( so far the finalists are on their SECOND individual challenge, wish I had had the opportunity- don't be a hater Jen ) I have got the urge to break into Dear Dairy. It's pretty pathetic how I have let this little blog just collect some dust! I'll do better Diary- so sorry! Last time I was here was in NOVEMBER?! Wow 7 months? Are you serious? Anyway ok what do I have that is profound and witty... Profound... Gabe and I are having a BABY! I'd say that's leaning on the profound side when it comes to updates. Baby Isham is due this December... so in less time than I have been away from this blog. That puts things into perspective... I have a lot to do! lately, I have been asked A LOT if I have any pregnancy cravings without hesitation I answer every time with the same answer- Chicken Piccata. Of course being the foodie I am it's not simple like chocolate or the quintessential pickle... it's Chicken Piccata. So the fridge is stocked with a whole bunch of capers and garlic and lemons... mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
MISS YOU DEAREST DIARY!
Oh and witty... I should have not been kicked off first last year- maybe that wasn't so much witty HELLO BITTER

The Unexpected

2009-11-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-10-13T14:00:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-23T10:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-21T11:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-15T08:19:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-09-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T16:17:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-08T16:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-08T13:26:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-08-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-08-25T14:39:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-22T11:39:00.000-07:00

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...

Fig Fascination

2009-08-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I'm all about the figs now. I saw some amazing figs last night in the produce department and now all I can think about is what I can make with figs. I'm for sure going to center next week's menu around those pretty little plump figs. Fig salads, grilled figs, fig sauces, fig desserts, tarts maybe? Gabe is going to be over figs by the time next weekend rolls around!

Latin Food and Wine Fest

2009-08-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
OMG I'm so pumped to participate in the Latin Food and Wine Fest event! I got a peek at the poster today and I am pumped!

Lesson of the Night: Papillote

2009-08-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
So I thought I'd start adding some little demos here as I cook dinner when I get home. So here is the first one- holy hell! don't mind my lines on my forehead- jeeze i guess i have 3 options...
1. grow my bangs back out
2. botox
3. stop making faces when i talk

Also disregard the blue painter's tape above the dang stove- still working on the new house!

Anyway here is the first lesson... cooking en papillote...and the final product on a bed of sauteed spinach and topped with kalamata olive and artichoke tapenade with grape tomatoes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLnhH75-QFs

To be in the NEST

2009-08-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I want to work for www.thenest.com-
it is my new goal... that and HSN too I guess. Read below i think i am their missing piece...i must work for them
TheNest.com is the Web’s round-the-clock spot for hip and harried married gals. Log on anytime--in your stilettos or in your slippers--for chic style, sex solutions or recipes on the fly. We also dish all the info you need on “the future,” from buying a house to having a baby. Want to vent? Chat with thousands of other gals--all ready to dish out tried and true advice.

So Diary- I need to ramp up my plan and get motivated and focused- good thing I bought a bulletin board at Target last week. I am going to be their cooking and entertaining expert. HOUSEWIFE 2.0 REPRESENT!

Girls Night

2009-08-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I had my first official girls' night at my house last night. I invited over some of my good friends over to our new house for dinner and drinks. We sat around and ate and talked and enjoyed some nice wine. Old friends and new friends and even a friend's little boy all made it over last night. I wished we could have enjoyed my new garden but with like 800% humidity and about 98 degrees that option was out. I think I will save that for like November...so that i don't drown in sweat and frizz out my hair- maybe we can handle the weather then. Anyway my dinner was a hit and I was asked to post the recipe here. So here is the yummy recipe that had a surprise ingredient- clementines. Diary you may ask yourself- clementine? Oh yes this little tasty citrus is a pretty much seedless alternative to oranges. They are sweet like tangerines with a little tang too. They are so easy to squeeze the juice since there are no seeds!

Roasted Veggie and Couscous salad with Clementine Dressing
1/2 Red Onion Sliced
1 Red Pepper Sliced
1 Zucchini cut into long strips
1 Leek slices of white part only
1 small bunch Asparagus
1/2 can drained Chick Peas
Juice of 3 Clementines
Couscous
Olive Oil
1/4 cup of flat leaf Parsley
Slivered Almonds
S&P

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Toss all vegetables in olive oil and salt and pepper
Place all Veggies ( except asparagus )on sheet pan and squeeze the juice of 1 Clementine on top and roast for 25 minutes stirring occasionally until caramelized
Prepare the asparagus the same as the other veggies and put in the oven for 10 minutes to roast
Make couscous according to directions and place on serving platter
Pour veggies and parsley over the couscous and top with slivered almonds, chick peas and juice of remaining Clementines

Emma Weaver is too CUTE!

2009-08-15T10:45:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary-
All I have to say is I am in LOVE with Emma Weaver! She is too cute! This is from miss Alicia this morning- she sent out a picture of what her 7am hour looked like this morning. After Emma had fed all her babies, read them all books and worked on a puzzle together... this was the gang watching Mickey Mouse... hehehe :)

Lobster Fest 09

2009-08-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Catching up here. We got back from Maine a couple of weeks ago- ugh still wish we were there. If only the temps didn't dip so low in the winter and the town shut down- I'd so dig living there! I guess we will just have to settle for visiting in the warm summer months. Anyway- we went and we ate lobster. ohhhhhh the boys had a few more than the girls did but i did have my share that's for sure. We had lobster rolls, lobster dips, steamed lobster, lobster claws at the raw bar- Greg even bought a new new pet lobster named Spike- he later threw him in some boiling water and steamed his beloved pet and ate him- but I think they created some lasting memories before spike met his maker.
All I have to say- and my Dad will agree- lobster just tastes better in Maine. Even if you get fresh Maine lobster here in Florida- it is nowhere near as good!

Lettuce Wraps Still Reign Supreme

2009-08-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I spoke too soon. Brandon has decided that he still prefers the lettuce wraps as his favorite dinner dish. Gabe agrees that the lettuce wraps are 100 times better. So the wraps made another appearance. Gabe has just suggested that I serve the lettuce wraps with shredded chicken and some " sea cucumbers"- what the hell are sea cucumbers? Oh he meant sea scallops...again i was confused... now we nailed it down- he meant water chestnuts. :) heheheh
Ok so next time I will try them with shredded chicken and water chestnuts for my love...until then here is how i make the standard lettuce wraps that the boys so dearly love.

Chicken Tenderloins
Limeaid Concentrate ( little tubes of frozen juice )
Jalapeno Pepper
Sour Cream
Canned Chipotle Peppers in Sauce ( find it in the ethnic foods aisle by the taco stuff )
Bibb Lettuce- the hydroponic type is best that comes in the plastic containers
Grape Tomatoes
Avocado
Corn Kernels
Lime
Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
Cilantro

Marinate the chicken tenderloins with 4 tbs of limeaid concentrate and chopped jalapeno pepper- at least 4 hours
Combine sour cream with 1 -2 tbs of chipotle pepper sauce and let sit- at least 2 hours
Grill or saute chicken tenderloins
Serve on big platter with all the sides
Use lettuce leaves to make a kind of taco out of everything

SOOOOOO GOOD!

St Thomas

2009-08-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
73 days and counting until my awesome trip to St Thomas for my Colleen's birthday... i booked my flight today and i am overly excited! I can't wait to sit on the pretty beach, get a good tan, snorkel and eat and drink yummy Caribbean treats!

Not Just A Snack

2009-08-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Brace yourself Diary- you may ask what I'm smoking with this crazy suggestion but I promise I'm clear headed and it's a tasty hint. Ok you ready....here we go. So Gabe is out to Lee and Ricks for some perfect raw oysters with the boys so I put my planned stuffed peppers on hold for tomorrow night. Therefore after work I swung by the wine shop and picked up a bottle of chilled white wine and came home to make a super yummy tex mex salad. I had some left over veggies in the fridge and sauteed up some eggplant, yellow squash, red onions, grape tomatoes and seasoned up with some cumin, cayenne pepper and fresh lime juice. Topped with sliced avocado, cilantro- and here it is... POPCORN. Yes Diary you heard me right, popcorn. It's not just a snack- it makes one heck of a tasty crouton alternative! Don't get me wrong popcorn topped with Parmesan cheese and spices and a nice ice cold glass of milk is my favorite bedtime snack- but wow popcorn is fantastic on salads! Random...perhpas- unexpectedly good...for sure.

Brandon's New Top Pick

2009-08-07T07:57:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary-
UGHHH FRIDAY DIARY! I am so pumped- and can't wait til the end of the day to enjoy a nice weekend. I need to do a hard core grocery shopping run this weekend because I have cleaned out our new stainless and it's looking pretty bare. I used up pretty much the last of my rations last night on a winner of a dinner. Our favorite dinner guest, Brandon, came over last night for dinner and of course he came over with his payment- bottle of red wine. He also helped moved a few things for me so he earned his dinner. Diary, seeing that Brandon is a frequent dinner guest he has his list of favorite dinners form his favorite cook ( that's me )I was really happy about his review of last night's dinner. It actually made it's way to the top of Brandon's favorite dinners made by Jen list.
It has officially knocked off the lettuce wraps. So here is the easy and tasty recipe... I served it with sauteed summer squash and zucchini and Gabe's left over Mac & Cheese minus the fake cheese pack- we had feta instead...

Mediterranean Cornish Hens
2 cornish hens
1/2 cup kalamata olives
hand full of capers
5 garlic cloves
1/2 lemon
1 white onion sliced
5 sprigs of thyme
Sea Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Olive Oil
Butter
Flour

Season Cornish hens with sea salt and cayenne pepper on both sides and inside cavity
Truss the legs together and place in shallow baking dish.
Toss the olives, capers, whole garlic cloves, onion and thyme with olive oil and juice of one lemon and pour over the hens.
Bake in the oven at 350 for one hour.
Baste often with butter- this makes the little hens so crispy!

Take hens out of dish to rest and place baking dish on the stove top over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 tbs of flour into the pan drippings and whisk until smooth and slightly thickened.
Top hens with pan sauce and serve with veggies and your favorite starch

Try it out... if Brandon say's it a winner I'm sure Diary's friends will like it too!

Airbrushed with pageant hair

2009-08-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
AHHHH I had so much fun yesterday! I was an on air guest yesterday at HSN! :)Oh it was a long long day- I was up at 6am and left at 7pm. But the day was so much fun. I worked with the food stylist for my little demo table, i had this ear piece smashed into my ear- not that I could hear anything or maybe i just blocked it out. Oh and I had my hair and make up done. It was the first time I had airbrushed makeup put on my face- and it freaked me out! For some reason I refused to breathe! The make up lady was like Jen just relax it's ok. But I could not handle it! I ran out of breath each time she did this! Anyway, it looked great and then Stacey- I think that was the makeup lady's name...she did my hair. WOW I felt like I was in the running to be Miss Texas. I had full on pageant hair! I was scared... but I guess you need it that big to make an impact on TV...who knows! :)
Soooo I peeled and chopped away. And then I had an audition too to be an on air regular... I think I rocked it! I had them laughing and they loved my kalamata olive tapenade... recipe below. I talked about cooking techniques and what a tapenade was... the flavors and how I got into the cooking world and how I live my life and where I want to go. Before my last spot Diary I got to meet a big wig over there that said she was impressed with my first segment and that she was hearing a lot of good buzz around the HSN campus about me! She said that she wanted to talk further and work with me more. Ohhhhh man yesterday could have been a huge turning point for me and my life's path. I'm pumped and jazzed... fingers crossed I get back to be airbrushed and have my hair teased again soon!
Check out my HSN debut below!
http://www.hsn.com/infomercial/viatek-veggie-peel-and-chopper-combo_p-5540361_xp.aspx?web_id=5540361&ocm=sekw

Kalamata Tapenade
1 jar of kalamata olives pitted and drained of juice
1 small jar of capers drained of juice
2 garlic cloves
1 tbs thyme
2 anchovy fillets

Combine all ingredients in food processor and mix until well incorporated yet still a little chunky.
Serve on toast rounds

Sweet Sweet Lobster

2009-08-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
More entry to come later...but I'm so sad to be back in Orlando. I wish I was still in Maine eating sweet sweet lobster. And at only 4.80 a pound it was a steal!

Cute Girl Coolers FINALLY!

2009-07-30T10:08:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary!
Oh happy day! There finally some cute girl coolers out there that can hold all my yummy treats and sips! And best of all... they are PINK! I heart my new pink camo cooler so much. I think I look pretty stylin on the boat with my cooler!

Anyway for all the Diary friends out there if you are looking for a jazzy pink cooler then order away here www.norchill.com they even have some boy coolers too- but not as cool. They make the perfect gifts! If you want a little discount use CARD25 at check out! Maybe I'll bring mine to Maine and carry along my lobster friends inside until I cook them up!

Artichokes and TV Trays

2009-07-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I am gearing up for my 4 day long lobster binge which starts this Friday. So figuring that I am about to gorge on tasty, sweet , plump, fresh lobster non stop in just a couple of days I have decided to load up on veggies. Thinking perhaps my system would appreciate some veggies leading up to the onslaught of lobster I steamed up some artichokes last night. Anyway it seems that when Gabe and I eat yummy yummy artichokes we must eat them on the couch on TV trays... strange combo... we look like some TV dinner couple on artichoke nights

My Talented Friend and Mimi And Dolores

2009-07-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I have so many talented friends in my life. I think we all need to open up some lifestyle company and I swear we could rock the world with fabulousness- and I'm pretty sure we could do it better than Kimora Lee- or just in a more realistic way I guess. Anyway Diary I wanted to show you and all your friends Keri's Awesome pretties that she creates! I can't wait to hit it big on HSN or in Crate and Barrel and buy all of her stuff! I do heart J Crew jewels.. but Keri's would be so much better!
<

http://mimianddolores.blogspot.com

LOBSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
ohhh Diary it's only Monday and I can not wait until Friday! On Friday we fly out to Maine. I am so PUMPED to eat at Red's. It will kick off my 4 day lobster binge. mmmmmmmmmmmmm I can just picture the nice lobster roll in hand.....

Paint War........... It's On

2009-07-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
We have been working so hard on our new house... Dad comes over after work to do the grunt work. Gabe's Mom is in to help out too. She took us shopping last night and we picked out such pretty things! Gabe was not a fan of the pretty candelabra- but we liked it. Anyway I think she may be painting our house as we are at work today...I'm working so hard can't you tell? The paint... what a battle. How come I got a husband that has a STRONG opinion on decor? We already had the fight over not putting his 7 foot monstrosity of a fish tank in the living room- even though he thought the light oak coffin looking set up would make a nice centerpieces. Ugh the paint- it was like pulling teeth to get him to agree not to paint the walls taupe. I got him to go for a light gray even though he considers it a gloom and doom color. He doesn't get it. I think I will wait til he leaves for Europe to pick out the paint color and new bedding for the master bedroom- that way I can avoid Paint War II.....

Home Shopping Network Here I Come

2009-07-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
It's my day off but instead of relaxing and maybe doing some things around the house I will be driving to Tampa. But that is ok Diary because I am training to be on air at the Home Shopping Network- better known as HSN. I know random but kinda cool too. I need to work on my enthusiastic words.... BAM, POW, WOW, PRESTO maybe.... anyway I hope I run into Todd English!

How to Pickle Radishes

2009-07-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Mom is proud of her radishes she has grown in Maine... she wants to know how to pickle radishes... i have never done this so i looked it up... BUT dipping them into sea salt is pretty yummy too... maybe Mom needs to make some radish tea sandwiches and put on a hat and gloves- she could find some at the chicken coop antique place up there...
HERE YOU GO MOM!

Easy Radish Pickles
From: LA Times

Ingredients:

2 bunches radishes (about 3/4 pound with tops removed)
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon whole mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions:

Trim the tops and tails of the radishes and quarter them lengthwise. In a large, nonreactive bowl, toss them with 1 tablespoon kosher salt to coat well. Add water to cover and several ice cubes. Set aside until the radishes have softened slightly but are still crisp, about 2 hours. Alternatively, transfer the salted radishes without the water and ice cubes to a Japanese pickle maker and screw down the top.
While the radishes are softening, toast the mustard seed and black peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, one-half cup water, the sugar and the remaining one-fourth teaspoon salt and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool until the pickling mixture is just warm to the touch.
Rinse the radishes well and pat them dry with a towel. Place them in a small, nonreactive container and pour the warm pickling mixture over them to just cover. Seal tightly and refrigerate at least 1 day to mature.

Mission: Veggie Dinner

2009-07-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Diary-
Gabe is at his conference all week and that means lonely Jen eats by herself every night this week. So I'm thinking about how I am going to make something tasty out of the veggies in my fridge. I think I have a red pepper, an orange pepper, corn on the cob, a red onion, cherries and lemons. I think I'm going to try to make some sort of spiced grilled veggie concoction and sauteed cherries over a lemon cous cous... we'll see how my adventure turns out later- maybe it will be kinda like Morocco- even though I have never been to Morocco. Diary, I think I would like to add Morocco to my list of places I want to see... yes Morocco- I could get a cute dress and some jazzy bangles... wonder if Keri could make me some.

Mom's Maine Salad

2009-07-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Mom aka Linda Lou is up in Maine for the summer. She planted a garden with Dad up there back in June... and tonight she had her first salad from her garden...I can't wait til we go up there.. maybe i can find some nice cheese to go with her fresh garden delights!
From Mom...
French breakfast radishes, Red Sail lettuce, Green tower lettuce, Loose leaf lettuce from our plot in the community garden. All planted 6/13/09. Also pictured are wild raspberries from Benz’s walk this afternoon picked along the road side (I washed them very well), and Mescaline mix lettuce sprouts from the salad bowls I planted on the deck off the family room. I was tempted to pick the baby zucchini that seem to grow an inch a day, but I’ll hold off.

Hello Lover

2009-07-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

Dearest Diary-
Oh Diary ever since New York I am addicted to beets. I feel like my Mom used to maybe serve canned beets- and as you know Diary, I hate ALL canned vegetables. So I think that is why I was so turned off when Ker and I ordered some bruschetta with goat cheese and beets the night I got kicked off The Next Food Network Star. BUT OHHH MY do I love beets now! BUT you have to roast them... none of that canned crap. Gabe is out at a dinner meeting and I'm gonna dice my beets and make a nice salad with goat cheese and a champagne vainagrette. Maybe beets for breakfast too....it's love
TO ROAST A BEET
Cut off the tops (save the greens for another use- cook them down like turnip greens)
Wrap each beet in aluminum foil
Bake at 425 for 35 min
Wait til they cool
Peel the skin off
Dice into cubes, slices whatever floats your boat..
WASH YOUR HANDS!
>

Eye on the Prize

2009-07-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I'm telling you I'm having all these epiphanies lately. First I found the Lord after praying for the wallet and now I'm all pumped and jazzed after listening to an awesome speaker this past weekend. This guy was fantastic and really turned up the heat under my butt to get motivated and moving on achieving my goals. John Schultz - www.beyondthepodium.org GO SEE HIM! Diary, I know before you know it I'm going to be some totally new random person that you don't know...
Anyway during the presentation we were given an exercise. John talked about how to accomplish your goals strategies to staying motivated and energized. Well here is my project. You can't do anything unless you
1. Get Ready
2. Get Set
3. Go
So this is my Get Set.... I'm soon off to the races Diary eat my dust!Just kidding I'll take you with me

2 Years

2009-07-07T05:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Wow I can't believe it has been two years that I have been married! Wow it seems like I just woke up and drove with Shannon to The Retreat and got ready for my big day. It was such a pretty pretty day. It almost rained and I made Shannon make the call on if my ceremony was going to be inside or out- she picked right it was perfect out. Perfect day perfect groom- until he stepped on my dress and ripped my bustle... anyway good memories and it's been a great 2 years. Can't wait for all the anniversaries to come
LOVE MY GABE!

Saturday

2009-07-06T07:54:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary-
So it was moving day/ weekend/ still moving this past weekend. Anyway picture this... we are making a run to get more things to move to the new house, Gabe realizes he left his cell and his wallet on the back of his truck when we pulled away. So this nice lady named Noel calls and says she found the phone and will drop it off- good thing cell check wallet who knows. Gabe then instantly is thrown into a panic/ hissy fit. So being the good wife I am and with hopes that perhaps I can find the wallet and our entire weekend will not be ruined I go off to look for the wallet. As I scour a 3 mile stretch of pavement and curves looking for his little wallet with no glasses on I am praying to God that I find it or some nice person like Noel found the wallet and put it in our mailbox... I would do that! Anyway I am praying and praying and I spot the wallet! I instantly swerve over to the side of the road and then get honked at, yelled at and flicked off by the angry driver behind me- yeah Happy 4th of July to you too jerk off. Anyway so I grab the wallet just to find it empty. I think dang it some idiot stole all the cards and ditched the wallet. Then I see this glimmer of gold... the AMEX! WOOOOO WHOOOO then I see more and more cards. Keep in mind Diary I am dodging cars and picking up strewn cards across 4 lanes of traffic- in a really attractive outfit covered in pain primer and flip flops. Ok so I gather the contents that I could find and I am pretty sure that I got it all. I hop back in my car and turn around to go back to the new house and tell Gabe that I saved the day. Now this is when it gets interesting... as I am passing over Mills Ave and smiling ear to ear I hear myself say OUT LOUD "God is Good". Yes Diary it seems that I had a true moment- that I was reborn and have realized the power of prayer... I decided I needed to go to church since I prayed so hard to find the wallet and it showed up. I did not go as far as raising my hands up to feel the power of God's love but it was close.
So feeling full of pride, happiness and the Lord Our Savior I pull up to the new house and honk the horn to tell Gabe the good news. I see my Gabe and proudly waive his wallet at him- which he takes and looks thru... Diary I was thinking he would be so excited and hug me and thank me and feel the power of God too... well this is what he said
" Where's my concealed weapons permit? "
Apparently dodging traffic and bringing home all of his cards was not good enough because the weapons permit was not recovered. Well Diary I felt the happiness and the Lord leave me as I went inside to call Gabe's mother and curse him out.
I didn't get to church the next day...

Dinner for The Busy Kirklands

2009-06-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
OK the pictures look a little random but these are the key parts to a yummy dinner that will please all the Kirklands. This can be made in advance and sealed up and even put into Tupperware and frozen.. so what's for dinner? Coca Cola Baked Chicken and BBQ Pasta Salad with hidden veggies for Stella

Pasta Salad
1 box of tri color spiral pasta ( fun colors for Stella )
1/2 cup of ranch dressing
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce
1/4 cup of chopped carrot
1/4 cup of chopped green pepper
1/4 cup halved grape tomatoes

Cook up pasta, and rise with cold water. Mix with remaining ingredients and
refrigerate.

Chicken
1 whole chicken cut into parts ( your butcher can do this just ask )
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup of any flavor jam
1/2 cup Coca Cola
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbs onion soup mix

Pre heat the oven to 350
Rinse chicken and pat dry
Mix remaining ingredients together until combined
Place chicken parts into a baking dish and cover with sauce
Bake chicken covered with foil for 1 and a half hours
Remove aluminum foil and bake for additional 30 min

This will be right up Bre's alley and Mark will be so happy- and it's a sneaky way to get Stella to eat her veggies...it's not too crazy but still has some yummy flavor...you can do this on Sunday and eat on Monday! PLUS this is a very budget conscious meal...

ENJOY!

Help Me Dear Diary

2009-06-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
My fantastic hair dresser/ lifelong friend is in need of some culinary intervention!
See below from my Bre

Dear friends diary,
I'm a mom of two girls under the age of 3... I work and supprt the family financially, I don't have lots of time for dinner an when I get home from work it's late and I'm starving and need food fast? Is there yummy recipes for pre made food that I can freeze for the week??? And on the side, I would like some new chicken recipes ?? I'm a pizza burger kind of girl! Thx a bunch
Signed, a tired mom with not a lot of time to cook!

OK so Housewife 2.0 to the rescue... you see Bre is a meat and potatoes kind of eater... and she LOVES a big can of Coca Cola... so I need to come up with something good for her...and her hubby Mark and SUPER cute babies Stella and Ivey...Recipe will be listed soon... tune in!

Dinner for Keri and ANDDDDREEEEEEEEEEEWW

2009-06-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
My dear dear friend and NYC buddy Ker asked for an Orange Roughy recipe... she had some Orange Roughy and Israeli Cous Cous. What is Orange Roughy you may ask? Well Diary it is a firm fish with a mild taste- great for people who don't like strong flavored fish like salmon.
And here is my recipe for my friend Ker and her ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDREEEEEEEW!

2 Orange Roughy Fillets
1/2 sliced red onion
1 tbs of lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
One bunch of fresh oregeno
2 tbs of chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup of feta cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp white wine

Israeli Cous Cous
Chicken Stock
White Wine

Cook the Israeli Cous Cous according to package instructions. Use 3/4 of liquid as a chicken stock- the remaining 1/4 use white wine or lemon juice ( added flavor )

Pre heat oven to 400
Place fish on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and non stick spray
Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper
Combine the red onion, lemon zest, olives, oregeno, sour cream and white wine.
Spread mixture on the fish and top with crumbled feta cheese
Bake for 10-12 minutes
Serve over the Cous Cous, garnish with lemon wedges and sip on some white wine!

Love The French Food

2009-06-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I felt like I was kinda back in Paris today. I sat at a little table by the window enjoying my tasty Parisian Sandwich. MMMMMMMMMMM warm tasty ham smothered with grainy mustard and swiss cheese all pressed between some crusty bread... it would have been better with a glass of white wine but I'm here to work- so no wine at lunch. I wish I could have a second home in France and eat tasty French food and sip on tasty French wine whenever I wanted...ok that's the new goal to put on the list... HOME IN FRANCE...
Bonjour Diary....

Steak and Shake with Dad

2009-06-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
So Mom is out of town and we decided to support Dad at Holy Family's Steak & Shake event. It is only fitting since Steak N Shake is Dad's FAVORITE restaurant- I don't even know if that place is really worthy enough to be called a restaurant but whatever it is Dad loves it. Thing is all the Orlando locations of the Steak N Shake are in some less than desirable neighborhoods...
So this Steak & Shake was actually a steak dinner and dance. Anyway we all went to support Dad- and WOW he needed it! When we finally got to see him it looked like he lost about 10 pounds sweating over the grill!

<
He grilled over 200 ribeyes... granted they were frozen as they hit the grill so it was not the tastiest steak but Dad did a good job.
So we ate our "steak" and left before the shake...

Best Lemonade Ever

2009-06-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
OMG so I found this lemonade when I was in Maine... at a place called Tidal Falls- this is where Gabe proposed... anyway. The Lemonade was so freaking good! So I found the recipe and made it for Father's Day...I could have guzzled the entire pitcher! I didn't I shared with the family and everyone agreed that is was a hit. Although some asked if we had a little Vodka to throw in to make it REALLY good...we did not.

Makes 9 Servings
*8 cups of Water
*1 1/2 cups of sugar
*1 1/2 cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice

*1 tbs of lemon zest (use a microplane to zest the lemon)
*Mint for garnish

Heat 2 cups of water and sugar over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved
Mix remaining ingredients together and chill
Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint

Drink and then Propose to the one you love....

ahhh Gabe and Jen getting engaged kissy face

How Can You Not Be A Fan

2009-06-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I stayed true to my driver this year- and after a much awaited win... my boy KASEY KHANE drove into Victory Lane last night. Oh Diary I was biting my nails in anticipation last night! The dang double starts after cautions had me so nervous... Smoke was on his tail the whole time. And of course Diary Gabe is a Smoke fan... I was happy the Ishams had a 1 2 finish last night- Gabe was of course upset that my driver won....
I want to meet Kasey one day....

To Work or Not to Work.....

2009-06-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I am stuck in the office on a Saturday- MOD :( BAHAHHH! Anyway I figured since I was here that I might as well be productive- productive on a crafty craft that is not work. I am so pumped with my creation! I made the CUTEST moving announcements! I am so proud of myself for sneaking the layout and design off a great site and making them for FREE! I just have to finish them up on some more card stock but i think the product so far is STELLAR! I also enjoy the nifty return address labels... I can't wait til 3 so i can jet on over to JoAnns and finish these puppies up! I think i even have a coupon for JoAnns- happy Saturday!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2009-06-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I HEART that I can grow such awesome tomatoes all year round. We picked 6 yesterday and I also picked another 3 jalapenos and our basil and oregano are just out of control.
Granted I need to wash the tomatoes because that bush is Cesar's favorite pee spot... oh god... do you think the pee is getting into the tomatoes? Now I'm second thinking my excitement....

Kristen's "Sandwich"

2009-06-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
OMG my friend made the BEST "sandwich" this weekend! I'm glad it was good because she talked this puppy up! Well Diary- it was not a let down at all- it was FANTASTIC! I think it's so good because you can get all the ingredients at any store- hell, i think you can get them all at a gas station store too. It's also super yummy because you make a kazillion variations of this.
OK so how you make it... here we go
1. preheat oven to 350
2. grease bottom of glass baking dish
3. unroll crescent roll dough and cover entire bottom of dish
4. top with sliced turkey meat
5. top with sliced banana peppers- make sure these are drained!
6. top with lacey swiss cheese ( has tons of tiny holes in it )
7. top with sliced ham
8. top with another layer of crescent roll dough- make sure everything is covered
9. top with egg wash mixed with chopped garlic
10. sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese
11. bake for 40 minutes uncovered
12. let stand for 5 minutes before serving

Diary, I want one now! But think about this- you could throw some pickles in and make it a cuban version or make an Italian version with salami and provolone.

THANKS KRISTEN!

Boom Boom Pow

2009-06-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
OMG I had such a great weekend with my girls! I needed a weekend to unwind for sure. We had a blast eating SUPER yummy fresh seafood at JB's Fish Camp, danced our butts off, sang the hell out of some Celine Dion and had many many inappropriate conversations.
Oh yeah I forgot... picture this Diary. I was on the dance floor minding my own business... and then out of nowhere this "dancer" comes heading my way. Before I knew it I was in some sort of strange dance off- yet I was pretty much an apparatus in this girl's routine. Diary- I had nowhere to go and then all of a sudden she dropped it like it was hot and did a split in front on me as she pulled down my dress....
I felt a bit violated and to be honet scared.....

Thanks Straight Talk!

2009-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I think I might want to move to Sarasota. Why you may ask? Well the awesome radio program Straight Talk on WSRQ has been so awesome to me! I have now been on their morning program twice now and the support from Gid Pool has been the best. It's great to have some people that I have never met really stand behind me and believe in my Housewife 2.0 point of view...makes me more determined to be published and spread the word....
Housewife 2.0 to rule the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think of the infamous words of Meg Ryan in French Kiss...
I WILL TRIUMPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.newstalk1220.com/

This is Ron Burgundy

2009-06-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
I did the news today! I felt kinda like Ron Burgundy- needed a sweet red suit and wish I had some of that Sex Panther by Odeon cologne. That would have been awesome to sport on Fox News....

Anyway I made some tasty treats! I made a Blueberry Bruschetta.

Slices of grilled baguette
Top with gorgonzola cheese spread ( available in cheese section- a milder blue cheese )
Top with an arugula leaf ( it's a peppery lettuce )
Top with a few fresh blueberries
Drizzle with honey

The result? A tangy and sweet crunchy treat. AND it's Blue and White- perfect app for Orlando Magic fans!

Here's a link to today's segment on Fox News!
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/entertainment/television/060809food_network_star

Next Food Network Star

2009-06-08T15:49:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary
This whole crazy roller coaster started back in October last year when I went to an open call. Although I was the first to get the boot, I am so proud of myself that I had enough guts to get up and try out for this. I will never be able to ask myself “what if” because I did it. I went after this and I landed a spot in the top ten out of thousands of applicants. I’m so lucky to have a seat on this crazy ride.

Ugh, so yes, I was the first one to be kicked off and I’m not going to pretend that it’s all good, because it’s not! Being kicked off first was the ONE thing I did not want to happen and I must admit I was completely blindsided. I honestly don’t know why I went home. The whole final portion of the elimination process was a complete blur. I remember burying myself into Eddie’s chest and trying my best not to “ugly cry.” I had my mind set from the beginning to be who I was and not pretend to be anything that I wasn’t. I represented my culinary point of view. I LIKED my green beans. I have not had green beans since that day, but that night I liked them! I guess I could have been a little more animated in my presentation and given them more “Jen” I guess. But at the end of the day they had to send someone home that they only met for maybe 20 minutes. I was the fall guy. I was who I was, and if they aren’t looking for me then that’s ok.

In my short time on the show, it was no less than a chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to meet all the Food Network chefs and even be interviewed by Nancy O’Dell was something that only a handful of people in this world will ever get to experience, and I am one of them! Just regular old Jen Isham got to do this. I’m going to miss the feeling of waking up in the morning and wondering what is going to happen and the hope that “wow” I could maybe win this whole thing. Not having the “what could happen” feeling is something that I’m struggling with. But hey, at least I don’t have to keep this secret and keep avoiding answering questions anymore! My Dad finally knows the big secret. I’m going to miss the nine friends that I made too. Katie, Debbie, Jamika, Melissa, Teddy, Eddie, Jeffrey, Michael and Brett will be these nine random people that shared the most exciting adventure I have - and mostly likely will - ever experience. They will always have this crazy special place in my heart.

So what’s next? I know with absolute certainty that I am meant to get back to food. It is now my goal to get my Housewife 2.0 way of life out there to the masses. I am hell bent on finishing a Housewife 2.0 cookbook/guide for the modern gals out there. Look for me on The New York Times best sellers list! It’s not that far-fetched. After all, I have said I was going to be on Food Network for the past five years. I did that. So if I set out to have a best-selling cookbook, I bet I can do that too. Right after I cook Gabe dinner.

Oh Crap

2009-06-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
It's never good to be cooking dinner- chimichurri skirt steak with black beans and red onions over cumin spiced rice- and hear a chainsaw start up. Even worse when you realize it's your husband on the back porch and you know there is nothing that needs to be cut- let alone with a powered rotating spiked chain......

Ahhh and best yet- I asked what he was doing with the chainsaw. Diary he said he just wanted to start it up and is now going to put it in the back of his truck- "because you never know when you need to cut something down"
Yessss don't we all need to travel with a chainsaw like a spare tire...that's why I love my man always thinking ahead...

food network addict

2009-06-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

food network addict

Posted using ShareThis

Single Minded Women

2009-06-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Wow Diary this whole week has been so freaking cool. I can't believe I am really in all these publications- even on the side of a building in NYC! I mean I always said I'd be on the Food Network- and it wasn't totally shocking when i first found out- but still it's so random. I guess i still don't quite believe it.
Anyway... hahah i'm all over the place which is pretty evident by my wandering posts-and therefore makes it very ironic that today there was the BEST article on www.singlemindedwomen.com. It is BY FAR my most favorite write up!
I can just see us now... Debbie, Jamika, Katie, Melissa and I jamming out to Unbrella...el el el el ella......with the hot French photographer...MEMORIES...

Examiner Online Magazine

2009-06-03T16:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary-
This is the most amazing yet crazy and stressful week. I feel like a full on Food Network personality! So far this week Miss Alexis has set me up with a few interviews and my first on air radio show! That was mad cool... i have no clue what I said but it was cool- Shannon and Gabe said I did a good job.
Anyway just really grateful for all the amazing opportunities that have come my way and that will continue to come my way. This is one fantastic roller coaster and I'm so happy I have a seat!
Off to finish roasting a chicken with peaches and rosemary for Bre tomorrow. It smells so good! Cumin, and honey, peaches and rosemary- wow Gabe is jealous he doesn't get any....
Below is a link to a new article- click below and then choose Orlando as your city- thanks Examiner!
Night Diary off to bed.... I'm way too tired.

www.examiner.com

White Wine

2009-06-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
What happens when you mix BFFs and white wine? Well when it comes to Jen Isham and Alicia Weaver it means unwrapping her wedding gown from her preservation box and playing dress up.
It's a nice night for a
WHITE WEDDING...................

Im Tabloid Gossip!

2009-05-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Holy CRAP! Can you believe that I am in Star Magazine?!!! Are you freaking kidding me? Me, Jen Isham tabloid newsworthy?! Yes tabloids are news- everyone knows that most of it is true. Hello John for sure was doing the 23 year old teacher and Kate is total BEOTCH! lalalalalaal whatever BUT I am in Star magazine! In the same issue that talks about that Duff girl- not sure which one Haley or Hillary- and her new nose and chin job! I'm also in the same issue as freaking LADY GAGA! Well Diary they don't say my name BUTTTTT I am the only one to get a picture in the issue besides the group shot!
This is the most exciting day!!!!! Engagement Day and Wedding Day were the best BUT this is right up there! OMG Diary- do you think the paparazzi is trailing me? Maybe i need a body guard.....
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I'm on Entertainment Tonight's website too! I just need to pour myself a drink to celebrate my 15 minutes of FAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Orlando Sentinel Article

2009-05-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Yep that's me with my boy Bobby Flay. Right before this picture was taken we gripped up with the secret FCI grip- no really I'm kidding there is no grip.

So my premiere is coming up. Can you believe that I started this crazy adventure 7 months ago? I mean I could have grown an almost full term baby by now! Anyway went by Dad's office today to scope out my new veneers for my teeth. I'm gonna look all fancy with fancy people teeth! Although I have been warned to no longer open my beer bottles with my mouth. That will be a hard habit to break- but it's either the habit or the veneers. I choose the perfect teeth over the trashy habit.
FOCUS
OK so while I am at Dad's office I pick up the Orlando Sentinel to read Heather McPherson's awesome article on me! hehe It was great! I need to get an awesome scrap book to put all my Food Network stuff in. Then I will be a scrap booking, coupon cutting person. I hope they make cute housecoats....

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/lifestyle/orl-livheather-052709-nextfoodnetwo052709may27,0,677064.column

How is this possible?

2009-05-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
There are no real words for this... this is our neighbor. Well he's one of the kids renting across the street from us. I do not know or can even come to close to figure out how the mounting and dismounting of this contraption is possible. Is there a ladder in his backpack that can be opened? How do you stop? Balance? Or just "fall" into the grass or oncoming traffic...
Who thinks to stack one bike on top of the other... oh yeah the apparently unemployed kid renting the house across the street. Now I could be wrong- there could be possible employment but if there is I want his schedule... because he is still home when I leave for work and home when I get home from work.
WAIT! I forgot- he collects left over produce from groceries stores and gives it away under his carport- i did get that flyer. As did most of the vagrants and homeless in the downtown Orlando area... this all makes for fantastic views for the people who come to look at our house that is for sale....
CRAP

Dinner #2

2009-05-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Wow tonight was a very long but good night. First off I got home from work late- like 7ish because I was there helping plate a dinner for 165 but have no clue why the "chef" decided to cook and then plate and put steaks into a hot box 1 hour before service.... wonder if the peeps enjoyed thier hockey pucks. Anyway I digress back to my original train of thought... my dinner #2 i cooked last night. Our kinda big night dinner. The dinner we had when we signed the contract on the new house we hope to close on- if the inspection passes. Ok so Dinner #2 on the week challenge was a 5 spiced seared tilapia with a red cabbage and red onion with cider vinegar reduction and oriental rice.
* Slice 1/2 small red cabbage and 1/2 red onion
* Saute cabbage and onion in butter and season with salt and pepper- saute until softened and the add 2tbs of cider vinegar and reduce
* Cook Rice and add peas and soy sauce to taste
* Season Tilapia filets with 5 spice seasoning
* Saute a couple minutes per side until fish is cooked thru

So we ate our yummy food and then drove over to Barry Os to sign the contract on the 4/3.... inspection in 7 days... closing at the end on June. Fingers crossed all goes well and we sell our current house.....hmmmmmmm St Joseph you around? Hello.....

Dinner #3

2009-05-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
WAY OUT OF ORDER... IM NOT A CONSISTENT BLOGGER- JERKIE WOULD BE MAD!

Ok so Gabe is still not home from work yet but Dinner #3 on the $25 a week Challenge was sooo good! A new recipe... and get this my dad who stopped by liked it. This is the guy that does not like "things" in his food. "things" would be anything that is not a hum drum ingredient especially not a mushroom or fungi. Anyway my Thai turkey stuffed peppers were way too good. Gabe's pepper is still sitting on the stove and I'm pretty tempted to eat it and make him a Tostinos. Anyway it was awesome and fit right into the week's tight budget.
* Cut the tops off and seed 2 green bell peppers
* Place in a shallow bowl with an inch of water and microwave for 4 minutes
* Saute ground turkey and season with ginger paste, salt and pepper- drain and set aside
* Heat 3/4 can of coconut milk, 1 tbs of ginger paste, 1 jalapeno pepper sliced, 2 tsp of fish oil and 1 tbs of brown sugar
* Saute 1/2 sliced white onion and 2 green onions- then add to the coconut milk sauce
* Stuff peppers with ground turkey and cover with coconut milk sauce
* Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes
* Top with cilantro
* EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STUPID FU@%ING SCANNER

2009-05-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
Why do men (or at least my man- although I'm pretty sure it's a majority of men )feel the need to get mad at objects that are not living? I mean I suppose that the scanner not working could cause some frustration yet I do not curse the printer/scanner combo out because I can't figure it out. Well maybe I have had my moments but I don't think I'm that bad. Road rage is one thing- utter frustration over the scanner just seems a bit ridiculous... but makes me crack up quietly to myself so that Gabe doesn't hear me and get even pissed off... hahahahahahh
But it is all over sending back the contract on the house we are buying. My first house that has my name attached... I am cautiously ecstatic... and at the same time praying my butt off that our house sells... it has it's cool sign out front! Anyone want a house?

Dinner #1

2009-05-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
So the $25.00 challenge- i did it! Well at least the shopping part on the budget! Here was Tuesday's Dinner...
*Slice the Eggplant 1/2 inch thick slices
*Dip in Egg
*Coat in Breadcrumbs ( i used left over herbed croutons- mashed them up into crumbs- TASTY!)
*Saute in oil and butter in saute pan 2 minutes per side
*Top with Mozz Cheese and put under the boiler to melt cheese
Layer one eggplant slice on toasted hamburger bun, top with spicy tomato sauce,top
with second slice of eggplant, top with more sauce and basil leaves ( have some
growing on my porch! )

served with roasted asparagus and sliced shallot.... mmmmmmm yummy- smokey and crispy and tangy

So I cheated by using left over croutons for breadcrumbs, butter, salt and pepper and used my basil that grows on our back porch... but other than that all ingredients were bought on my $25 budget! I think that is still pretty damn good if i don't say so myself...

Vintage Dear Diary

2009-05-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary-
DECEMBER 2008- when I found out I was going to be on The Next Food Network Star!

so I am going to “pursue a new career opportunity” in T minus 27 days- it is also my big 30! So anyway I get the call at Chili’s over a happy hour glass of Chardonnay with my Colleen and Mel- buddies from the CP Universal. So as I was finishing up talking about my trip to NYC last week and what I did at the audition the phone rings and it’s a 323 area code. I instantly recognize the number as no other then chick from the casting company. So I freak and Colleen freaks and then I get up out of my chair in the bar and leave my second glass of Chardonnay on the table to talk to the casting girl. Diary my heart was beating so fast! And I had already started to cry. Then she tells me I’m on the show- I cry more and my Colleen cried too. So I don’t really remember what she told me but she said to call her today- which I just did and got her voicemail DAMN IT BOBBY! So I sat back down after hugging my Colleen and was touched that both her and Mel had tears in their eyes- I had mascara on my face. My old boss was there at that point too and was there for the big news. So I decide I’m gonna tell Gabe in person and sat there shell shocked. So I text Shannon and told her I’d call her in the car. So I ditch my plans of attending the CP Universal Christmas- oops must be PC “Holiday Party” and went home to tell Gabe. So I call Shannon and she is still at work busting out some awesome bowl game stuff and she has to call me back. I call my parents and get no answer- come to find out they were on their aerobic walk- because Dad’s cardiologist told him he needs to get in shape or he’s gonna drop from a heart attack. ( He had to buy tennis shoes ) So I pick up a bottle of Champagne- which is not part of my 75 a week budget Gabe has placed me on just in case I actually got the call I got last night. So I get home- he is in the shower and I go in there and tell him that I’m gonna miss him. And I cry some more… then I had champagne and Shannon and Scott came over to toast well. So I had 2 glasses of whit wine- champagne and then the red wine came out. Needless to say dear diary I do not feel too hot today. Then my mom shows up at work with flowers- she is not good at keeping secrets. BUT she also showed up with a mini cooler with her FLU SHOT KIT! She insisted that I go into the bathroom with her and she shoots me up with the flu shot so that I am not sick when I got to Jamaica and then to NYC! Seriously dear diary- who’s mom shows up at work with the flu shot? RANDOM!

GOOD THING I GOT THE FLU SHOT IN DECEMBER- PERHAPS IT PROTECTED ME FROM THE SWINE FLU.....

House Hunting

2009-05-07T19:43:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary-
I want the house- the new house the 4/3 with the pimp master bath- but the sucky kitchen...the red tacky small kitchen.... no room for my awesome serving dishes :(
BUT waiting and crunching numbers for the prospect of the big 4/3 on a double lot in the desirable zip is making me want to hit myself in the head with a hammer......

Coupon Lady

2009-05-07T10:36:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary
I think I need a housecoat and slippers... I have just crossed the line into coupon land. I figured if I found some coupons that my $25 challenge next week would be a little easier. Now there is no turning back- I signed up on a website for coupon junkies...what's next a cat? I can see how this can be engulfing and that there is a very real danger of this turning into an OCD hobby and i could turn out to be a recluse with tons of plastic tubs filled with cut out pieces of paper. Wonder if Gabe would still dig me....
meeeow

Kick Off

2009-05-06T14:39:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary-
I sit at my desk wanting so badly for the damn clock to read 5:55pm so I can be in my car at 6pm.... that being said I'm also running multiple wants thru my cluttered head. First fame and stardom from my fantastic venture on the Next Food Network Star... tune in Sunday nights at 9pm eastern and pacific time starting June 7th to see if I will be the Next Food Network Star- that was the line i learned at PR training last week- sound professional? Anyway NFNS, selling our house, bidding on the other. And then the economic challenge I'm about to set forth on. $25 a week to spend on groceries to cook dinner for 2 for 5 nights.... it's going to kick off on Sunday May 10th. Diary I will steer clear of all canned veggies and boxed dinners- the goal is to dine on sumptuous tasty meals and stay within the confides of a twenty and a five....it will be tough but if i succeed it will be more money to spend on jazzy things for the new house that we hope to get- if the freaking realtor would come back with a response to the offer. Oh yes and i will be filled with elation over my culinary triumph...wonder if i can get Morimoto to be proud? Ok off to rub Icey Hot on my aching shoulder- it still hurts from my inexperience dancing the hora at Ker's wedding 10 months ago.... who the hell hurts themselves doing that?! Oh yeah I do....