Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies!

It's not only been easy, but pretty unfortunate that I have been so caught up in my "everyday routine". Wake up, rush out the door to class, scarf down lunch, go back to class, race home to eat more food, study. Repeat. That's my the life. I haven't talked to some friends in a few days or even checked in with my family. I find myself just going through the motions. Worrying about things instead of enjoying the adventure. I know it's not a switch I can turn, but a process that I have to change. Approaching each day with a better mind set and reflecting on the opportunity that I do have will hopefully allow me to make the most of each day.

It's the night before my first medical school exam. I should probably be learning more about the heart and nervous system and where all the blood vessels drain into God only knows what. But I am not. I decided to take a little break from it all to hopefully calm me down a bit. I think my CCL group will appreciate it :)

Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
1 TSP baking powder
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2 cups chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 375. cream the butter and sugar together. add in the vanilla and eggs. stir in the flour and baking powder. then add the chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

use a spoon to make semi-even sized cookies. bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes depending on how large the size. I like mine a bit softer so did not cook them too long!

let them cool and enjoy with a refreshing cold glass of milk...or be a good team player and wait to enjoy tomorrow with your classmate to celebrate anxiety of test one disappearing!

It's not that I haven't been doing my best or working hard. But I think that I have been losing sight of some pretty important things. I am hoping to get back to a better balance and remember that I am a person, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and classmate. I am looking forward to enjoying a fun weekend and making the most of it!!

Peach Cobbler!

After a busy, but fun week of orientation, I had a great time celebrating with my classmates last night! It was fun to get dressed up, not talk about classes or assignments, and go out and get my dance on! A super great way to officially get things started! I am excited for the road ahead!

I told myself that I was going to take it easy and relax this weekend. This morning that started with setting off the house alarm bright and early. I was cleaning up from last night and hit a glass bottle against a glass shelf and apparently my alarm took that to mean someone was smashing in my front window! Luckily, the cops did not come, but the blaring alarm at 9 AM was less than pleasant!

Summer and peach cobbler are pretty much synonyms and I have been waiting way too many months to finally utilize some sweet Georgia peaches! Morning brunch conversing about the happenings of last night was filled with plenty of delicious eats and great laughs!

Peach Cobbler
5 large peaches, super ripe 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
3 tablespoons butter (can use shortening)
1/2 cup milk 
1 cup flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 


wash and cut ripe peaches into about one inch pieces. place in a bowl with brown sugar. preheat oven.

cut peaches!

in a separate bowl, cut butter and add in milk. mix in flour, baking powder and cinnamon and stir until evenly mixed. pour the peaches into a baking dish and spread the flour mixture on top. bake in the over at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

golden delicious!

If there is a way to bake my way through medical school, someone should let me know. ASAP. I am thinking maybe I will sell powerbars in the morning to help us with anatomy...

Okra with Tomatoes!

I feel like I fell off the side of the earth. This past month has been a whirlwind, but I made it through. Lots of big life changes all at once. Definitely overwhelming, but with the help of some pretty awesome people, I am working on enjoying it as it is thrown at me.

I now call Winston Salem "home" which is pretty weird. I have been orienting myself with a new town, many new faces, and new structure of life. Not going to lie, this thing called "med school" is a bit intimidating and my lifestyle will be drastically different come Monday when classes start full speed ahead. My goal is to do my best and not stress about the things I cannot control. (lofty huh?) To take it one day at a time as mama says!

Fears are a pretty interesting phenomenon and I have been thinking about them lots lately. I decided that I could live my life afraid of the unknown, or take a chance to try something new. It's a bit uncomfortable to be away from "home" at times. It's a bit overwhelming to know that I am going to be spending countless hours studying instead of socializing as much as I may want. It's a bit risky to put yourself out there, but, honestly, I feel like it is the only way I will learn and grow. 

Okra with Tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1 small onion

about 20 medium sized okra

1 ripe large tomato

olive oil
water

white wine 

fresh basil 

pepper

chop the garlic and onion and saute in pan with olive oil. once nice and brown, add tomatoes, okra and a bit of water to help them steam. cover with a lid for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure it does not burn. add in the chopped basil, pepper and (optional) white wine for some extra flavor. put the lid on for another 10 minutes until the okra is tender and soft. 

I served it over a bed of spinach!

The farm fresh okra was sitting in my new fridge for about a week before I built up enough courage to experiment with it. It was the first time I cooked okra and, to be honest, I was super impressed with how this dish turned out after chopping the slimy vegetable! I think it would be great served with whole wheat pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese!

I have been enjoying this past week getting to know my classmates and am looking forward to creating some fun times together as we learn what it takes to become physicians. I know I have lots of hard work ahead of me, but I hope that I can keep it in perspective and continue to live a some what "normal" life (aka still bake, workout and smile!) I know that I could not be doing this without the support of so many and it really means the world to have loving people in my life! Whether it's cooking okra for the first time or adventuring into the unknown to learn more about myself, overcoming fear is the first step!

Salmon, Green Beans and Sugar Snap Peas!

Spring is here and I am pretty pumped about it. Some friends had a little din din/cooking party the other night and it kind of inspired me to cook. I didn't take hours because I was super hungry when I got home, but I did want something fresh and light! Farm fresh veggies to the rescue! :)

Salmon

The salmon was pre-marinated, which I am not a huge fan of so I tried rubbing/washing most of it off. I put a bit of olive oil in the pan and cooked the fillet for about 7 minutes. I added some pepper while it was cooking and lemon juice after it browned.

Green Beans with Slivered Almonds

Add a bit of olive oil to a pan and saute the green onion. After rinsing the green beans, add them to the pan. Steam with the lid on for about 5 minutes or until the beans are cooked half-way. Add in the almonds and cook for another 3 minutes. 

Sugar Snap Peas

I am not going to lie, I quickly steamed them in the microwave for one minute and chopped some fresh tomatoes to put on top! 

Not too fancy, super quick and healthy so I had to share.
PS I am accepting applications for a live-in chef or baker! :)

Veggie Eggs!

My mom has always been wanting breakfast in bed. So this year I decided to do it. Only problem is, Mom lives a thousand miles away. I enjoyed my breakfast in bed and reflected on how lucky I am to have the best mama around! She has taught me so much and I cannot begin to thank her for everything she has done, and continues to do for me.

If I told my mom I ate eggs, she would probably say "What?" and think I was joking. I am not a big egg fan. I am a weird texture person and the rubbery, mushiness of eggs creeps me out. BUT...I am getting better at expanding my tastes as I experiment with my own cooking and trying new dishes. Eggs are a good source of protein and are packed with lots of vitamins and minerals so I have been trying to eat them a bit more. My secret: load them with other things that don't have a weird texture!!

We get a fresh veggie box each Tuesday through CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). It is awesome because we get tasty, fresh veggies each week and support local farmers. My favorite way to mask the egginess: pile on awesome greens from the farm!

Veggie Eggs

2 eggs 

milk

pepper

4 baby asparagus

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

1 green onion

5 cherry tomatoes 

olive oil

I whisked one entire egg plus the white of a second with a splash of milk and a bit of pepper. 

After rinsing the veggies, I chopped the baby asparagus, spinach, green onion and cherry tomatoes.

Heat a pan with a bit of olive oil, then add the egg mixture. Once it starts to thicken, add the veggies on top. I chop my eggs up in the pan after it solidifies a bit, but you can do an omelet as well. I cook it for about 3-4 minutes after adding the veggies, mostly paying attention to the spinach.

cooked eggs and veggies!!

Big bro is obsessed with Frank's hot sauce. He puts it on everything, including his eggs. I must say that I stole that little tip from him, but it adds a lil kick in the morn!!

delish!

My family is coming to visit next weekend for my sister's hooding and graduation ceremony, so I will save the Mother's Day celebrations for the following Sunday. Better late than never, right?

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

Hawaiian Chicken with Rice

Living Alone Lesson 4: Screaming will not kill cockroaches.

Hate is a pretty strong word. I know I over-use it and don't really mean it sometimes when I say it. Honestly, I feel privileged to say that there are only a few things in life that I truly hate.

Growing up in South Florida exposed me to the nastyness of palmetto bugs. Just thinking about them makes my skin crawl. There wasn't much you could do to prevent them from crawling into the garage or house in the hot, humid weather! Luckily I could just scream or run away and someone else would have to deal with it. 

Spring break in high school, I was in Texas with the besties. We were having a great "before bed" conversation when I quickly jumped out of bed to run to the bathroom. I flipped on the light, did my thing, then turned around to flush the toiled...AND SCREAMED! A huge palmetto the size of my middle finger went scurrying across the back of the toilet into the vanity. I woke up the whole house: parents, brothers, friends, everyone.  When they came to the rescue there was no mysterious bug to be found. I am positive it is hiding in the wood. To this day, they all probably think I was on hallucinogenics.

College came around and I was supposed to mature. There was a small, more private weight room in the basement of one of the old, dingy dorms near mine. It was beyond disgusting, smelled like feces, and the roof leaked in more than seven places. I am still shocked that I used it, but it was closer than the trek across campus in the -40 degree weather during the winter. I usually felt pretty safe around one of my good buddies and would venture to go lift over there with him as I was confident he had my back if a creeper ever decided to get me while lifting. Pretty sure it was a Sunday afternoon when my perception of this brave soul drastically changed. As soon as we entered the hell hole of a room, I recognized these HUGE, nasty antenna and immediately freaked out! (Well, I thought it was a freak out until I witnessed Ben's reaction.) He legit was in the corner screeching like a girl telling me "to do something about it." After I realized that the two of us combined yelled louder than a school yard full of children and that I would have to be the bigger person in the situation, I started chucking 25 lb. plate weights across the room. I creatively trapped the nasty cockroach, then smashed it with a mound of six weights. They sat there for the rest of the school year and I never, EVER, will go back to check on it. 

After over twenty years of my life, Jeanie can finally say she witnessed me screaming like a girl. I turned on the toaster oven for her one night and after about three minutes of it heating up, I opened it to put her bread in. Never thought I'd ever see a cockroach run from a heated toaster over, but it happened, literally, right before my eyes. I jumped to the ceiling and let out the highest pitched yell of my life. For sure thought the bug was going to crawl on my face. Just one of those things I never expected to find toasting bread, but was glad to have someone close by to take care of the bug for me!

Yesterday I was in the bathroom and saw a big, black mark on the wall behind me. At first, I was trying to figure out what dinner guest made a scuff that high up on the wall and how I would come up with a story for the house owner upon arrival. Quickly I noticed the trademark, long antenna and realized it was no mark at all. I could yell and scream all night, but that bug was not going to magically disappear and the neighbors were probably contemplating calling the police. I gathered myself together, did a little pump up speech and ran to grab the vacuum. I closed my mouth really tight, turned on the high powered thing and sucked him up super fast with one eye closed. I heard the crunch and left the machine on for a few more minutes just to make sure he was drowning in the sea of hair already trapped in the vacuum. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. 

Hawaiian Chicken

3 chicken breasts

4 cups pineapple tidbits with juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

splash of olive oil

1 cup brown rice 

1 cup white rice

2 cups water

I surgically cleaned and chopped the chicken into about 1 inch pieces and added the pineapple pieces, juice and sugar to the crock pot. After about one hour or so I added a splash of oil to prevent it from sticking together. I let it cook on high for about 3 hours total and it was moist and tender!

With about 20 minutes remaining on the chicken, I cheated and used the rice cooker for the rice. Half-white, half-brown rice and it was ready in just a few minutes!

I don't hate pineapple, or chicken, or people that kill bugs for me. I can handle fruit flies and spiders, but Lord bless me when a nasty cockroach (or any closely related relative of his) enters my home. I like to think I am making baby steps in the right direction.

Coconut Pound Cake with Rum Glaze

Living Alone Lesson 2: Hosting is fun work.

In college I always said "I am going to have parties all the time when I get my own place." I lived in the dorms all four years and was a RA so "partying" in my little abode was difficult to say the least. Although I still don't really have my own place (yet), I think I can still host. And for the next week or two I get to pretend the house is mine! :)

The awful 30-40 degree rain we had ALL last week made me want to stay in bed and drink tea al day, but yesterday and today's glorious weather made up for it! I have had spring fever for probably a month now and am definitely ready for the beach weekends and hot runs to start up again! To prepare others for the greatness, I decided to have a themed din din party. I think it is safe to say it was Hawaiian-themed. Pineapple dominated and, as we all learned, it pairs well with lots of things!

I originally wanted to host a bake-off, but I realized that most people eat normal foods and don't run off baked goods like I do. My main dish was Hawaiian Chicken served over rice (post to follow), but as the host, it is only proper to have a dessert option too just in case someone else doesn't bring one right...? Coconut and rum are both pretty tropical!

Coconut Pound Cake with Rum Glaze

1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temp

2 cups sugar

1/2 tablespoon coconut extract

4 eggs

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

1/4 cup Captain Morgan

1 cup sugar

Preheat over to 350. Cream the butter and sugar together until nice and smooth. Add in the coconut extract and beat together with the eggs until light and fluffy. Combine the flour and baking powder together. Slowly add in the flour mixture, one cup at a time, with the milk, a little bit at a time. Do not over mix the batter. Once everything is incorporated, pour into a well-greased bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 60 minutes, checking with a toothpick to make sure it is cooked all the way through. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before flipping onto a plate.

the masterpiece!!
(I feel like there should be a flower or plant in the middle)

For the glaze, add the rum and sugar to a small sauce pan on low heat. Bring to a slow boil and stir. Let it boil for about one minute or until the sugar completely dissolves. Slowly pour the glaze onto the top of the cake letting it drip down the sides. When it cools it will crystallize and make a pretty pattern!

the inside was nice and moist!

My (baking) services are up for auction. Tonight I was offered a basement bedroom with a private bath. Even the non-loving coconut fans in the house thoroughly enjoyed the cake, which pretty much made my night!


I am kind of glad I didn't host parties in college. I couldn't deal with mopping up beer from the floor, picking up millions of solo cups all over the place, or finding other fun random messes in the morning. I still had a bit of work to do when everyone left and I didn't even throw a rager! I will say that the best thing about going to someone else's party is that you get to go home to a clean(er) house! :) No matter how well I vacuumed and cleaned the counters before people came, I did it all over again! 


Totally worth it! It was great to have people over and share yummy dishes! Can't wait for the next one!!

Lamb Stew!

Living Alone Lesson 1: How to de-clog the sink.

The sister is out and about enjoying pineapple, coconuts, and volcanoes. She is celebrating her birthday, her recent addition of PhD after her name, and many years with her hubby. In the meantime, I am throwing raging parties every night. The house will be clean before she gets back.

It's been nice to make a mess when I cook and not have to worry about it. Or leave my clothes all over the house. In fact, I think I have been doing it these past few days just because I can! I will admit, I did pick up and play housewife today. The counter-tops are shining and I can see the carpet in my room!

Garbage disposals are great. Don't have to worry about scraping out the crumbs or peels from the sink. Just push the little button. However, today we had a little spit up. Usually when this happens, I just stand there and look cute while Jeanie plugs the mess away. Doesn't seem too complicated and, to be honest, I have plenty of toilet plunging experiences from the good ol college days (o how I miss the roomies!) With no Jeanie to do the work for me, I was left to use my own skills...

Lamb Stew
1/2 medium onion
3 stalks celery
3 carrots
2 potatoes
6 stalks of parsley, stems removed, tops chopped
about 3/4 lb lamb meat
1 bottle dark beer
1 can Hunts tomato sauce (you can use fresh or diced tomatoes as well)
rosemary
thyme
pepper
olive oil

Peel, rinse and chop all the veggies and add to crock pot. Remove the stems from the parsley, chop the tops and add to the pot. Carefully trim the lamb meat, cut into chunks and add in. Pour in the beer and tomato sauce. Add a splash of olive oils and seasonings to taste. You can always add more later! Set the crock pot on high for 4 hours and enjoy!

my stew with some fresh French Baguette!

We all know how capable I am...so after plunging for 20 minutes, I called papa bear for some guidance. I learned how to create more pressure by using the stopper for one side of the sink and plunging on the other. I heard WOOOOOSH and magically the water drained! Thank God for cell phones, the engineers in my life, and my amazing ability to follow directions.

I am not sure if it was the potato peels or carrots, but needless to say, next time I might just throw the peels in the garbage. (My personal plumber highly recommended that) I know I should probably be eco-friendly and compost, but I don't want raccoons. I do not think I am ready to deal with them. At least not yet.

I know some people that are always happy, optimistic and smiling. Definitely have some close pals that are not so cheery all the time. I'd like to think I am somewhere in between the two extremes. Most of the time.

It's still a work in progress, but I am slowly learning that you cannot change others' attitudes or behaviors. No matter how much you love spending time with someone, they will start to get on your nerves. Some smart woman once told me, "Relationships are about compromise." Not just between couples, but among friends, family members and complete strangers.

This past week was action packed. Jeanie's defense, birthday, St. Patty's Day, parents visiting, sister's in-laws, and the month I have been waiting for! I had plenty to do and prepare for to keep semi-busy, but also found my mind constantly racing. I tried my best to please everyone and do the in-between thing. But I feel like maybe I would have been better off if I was just myself and didn't try so hard.

I was super excited to make an awesome cake for my sister's defense celebration/St. Patty's Day/birthday partay. Not going to lie, I started thinking about it a few months ago. She is not a fan of baked goods/sweets, but when I saw her two favorite ingredients combined in one cake, I figured it had to work...

Chocolate Avocado Cake

from Joy the Baker

3 cups flour

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup soft avocado (1 medium avocado)

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

preheat oven to 350. sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and soda. 

mash the ripe avocado in a separate bowl. stir in oil, water, vinegar and vanilla. add in the sugar. 

mix wet ingredients with dry until incorporated. add batter to two greased, round cake pans.
bake for 30-40 minutes until cooked all the way through. let the cake completely cool on wire racks.

Avocado Frosting

2 ripe avocados (brown parts removed)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar  

using super ripe avocados, whisk together with lemon juice and vanilla until it becomes smooth. slowly add in powdered sugar.

*the color of the frosting will lighten as you add more sugar. my frosting was Shrek-green because I did not want a super sweet cake*

I had to remind Jeanie how old she is!

The cake was super moist and tasty! Vegans know how to bake too I guess! I think if I make it again, I would try to enhance the avocado flavor, or use a white cake since chocolate isn't my thing. But it was a fun experiment and definitely a unique cake!

Now that things have settled a bit, it is more clear that you can really only impact yourself. I am the only one that can control my mood, how crabby pants I want to be or the way I treat others. The people around me may enhance my mood or make me want to run away, but at the end of the day, it is my life and my choice.

Carrot Cake

Online shopping is so easy and convenient. You can compare lots of prices and products without traveling to millions of stores. No waiting in line or dealing with crazy crowds. Once you make up your mind, you just click and it's shipped right to your doorstep! Or so I thought...

Lately I have been having some issues. I ordered my mom and sis the same Vday gift (I know I am cool). Mom gets hers in three days. Perfect! Jeanie's never comes. At all. Long story short, company says something stupid about it being a seasonal item and not having anymore so they can't replace it. So no Vday gift for the sis. Fail!

Ordered some weight lifting gloves a few months ago. A week after I ordered them, I get an email with some stupid response about how the company cannot fill my order. Two months later, I decide to re-order from a different company. They came in late last week. Semi-fail!

Now I am getting smarter after all these fails. SO I order my friend Michelle's birthday gift two weeks before she is leaving for her hot getaway to Vegas. For sure in two weeks it will be here, right? I track it every day online. Feb 16 it is in Raleigh. Feb 17 USPS says it is delivered in Durham. Feb 19 it is in Indianapolis. hmmmmmmm? I politely tell the company that I have been tracking this thing and I need it here. They respond and say yea they guarantee delivery by the 24th so if it is not there by then to let them know. Sure enough, just like I predicted, no package on Feb 24. Enraged, I email them, not so politely this time, and say that not only should they have done something about it last week when I emailed, but now I won't have the gift for my friend's birthday party.

I guess the birthday cake I built her was better than nothing...

Carrot Cake
fresh squeezed orange juice from 2 medium oranges (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium sized carrots)
1 cup chopped walnuts

preheat oven to 350. beat together juice, oil, and eggs. mix dry ingredients together. add in the wet ingredients. fold in carrots and nuts. pour into cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Frosting
8 oz Neufchâtel cheese, room temp
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

while the cake is cooling, whip ingredients with hand or stand mixer. make sure the cheese is warm before starting. i recommend taking it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting to make the cake. when the cake is completely cooled, frost the cake! I added some grated carrots on top!

happy birthday Michelle!!

It's usually the little things in life that make a big difference. Packages that don't arrive on time make me incredibly angry. A simple "thank you" makes me feel warm and fuzzy. People that use the wrong door and walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk drive me nuts! Little notes and cards mean the world to me. Seeing someone smile from ear to ear while cutting into her birthday cake is priceless! 

A smart ass man once told me, "seems like things never go quite as you plan." It ended up being a fantastic birthday party, even without the gift I ordered and I knew we would celebrate after the trip! Tonight we had din din plans tonight to catch up, celebrate birthmonths/days and hear about the hot Vegas trip. That did not go quite as planned either. But the girly, heart to heart chat was way better! Gift was exchanged. Dessert was still consumed. And necessary chatting was completed! :)

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes!

Happy Birthmonth to my dearest sis and awesome pal Michelle!! WOOT WOOT. So happy that it is finally March. Big things coming up this spring: lots of celebrating, decision making, and fun times ahead!!


I knew it was going to be an awesome day when I found out it's National Pancake Day today!! Sorry IHOP. Not a fan. The fake butter, maple syrup triple stack doesn't cut it for me. So all day I dreamed of eating pancakes for dinner. And celebrating with my bestest roommate ever!


The only thing better than breakfast for din din, is pancakes for din din. Peanut butter pancakes to say the least. 


Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes
adapted from Baking Serendipity (the pancake queen)


1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 ripe banana
10 mini Reese peanut butter cups, quartered


melt the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. stir in mashed banana, egg and milk. 
combine flour, cinnamon and baking powder together in separate bowl. add to wet ingredients. 
fold in the peanut butter cups. 
spoon batter onto a hot griddle, or oiled pan. cook until the pancakes start to bubble (5 min). flip and cook until golden brown. 

I thought I would be a bit healthier and add chopped banana on top. I know. Me eating banana....It's ok as long as there is PB with it. And I plug my nose!

These pancakes rock. Happy March!!

Cappuccino Biscotti

When you can't run, bake. Sounds pretty legit to me.

It's a co-workers bday tomorrow and I wanted to make him something tasty. He's not a big sweets fan. SO... my usual make a big bday cake, take it to work to let people ooo and ahhh over it plan kinda went out the window. Then I was thinking maybe cookies. Or muffins. Or a loaf of bread?

Finally, it hit me! He LOVES coffee. And what goes better with coffee than Biscotti? I'm not going to lie, I've never made the fancy treat before. It's 9:30 at night and the only secret family recipe I have is almond biscotti. So there I had it.

As I was running out the door (ok, hurrying not running) because I only had two eggs in the fridge, I suddenly remembered: nuts = a NO-GO. He's allergic. That pretty much wipes out 99.9999999999999% of the things I make. I found this new gem of a recipe that combines coffee and biscotti. Sounds like it could be a winner winner!

Cappuccino Biscotti
from Joy of Baking

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee
1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extra
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

*original recipe calls for 3/4 cup hazelnuts, but I obviously did not add them*

preheat oven to 350. whisk together the COOLED coffee, egg, milk and vanilla in small bowl.
mix flour, sugar, soda, powder, cinnamon and cloves. add the wet ingredients until incorporated. add chocolate chips.
with flour on your hands, divide the batter into two. using extra flour, roll the half into a log (about 10 inches long by 2 inches wide). bake for 25-30 minutes at 350.

let the logs cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. cut the logs into pieces and place back into the oven at 300 for another 15 minutes until golden brown.

They are a bit sweet for my liking and I would def add some nuts for an extra crunch if I make them again! I hope the birthday boy enjoys them!!

Brownies!

Happy Feb 16th! SURVIVOR PREMIERE NIGHT!!!

I am not completely against celebrating Vday. Buying over-priced flowers that will die the next day and dealing with the 8913789 other lovebirds that flock to restaurants for a fixed menu does seem a bit outrageous to me though. I am not really a fan of chocolate either. I'll take shoes.

This Valentine's Day I did share a special bonding moment cleaning the house from floor to ceiling. It needed a major face lift and many toxic chemicals were involved in the process. Bleach works magic! I did get to enjoy awesome salmon cakes, edamame, a salad and some rosemary pasta. And even managed to catch a few precious minutes of the drama-filled Bachelor...quite a glorious day I will admit!

With that being said, I am still waiting on a company to mail the Vday gift that I ordered (back in Jan). So I have decided that I will just "celebrate" whenever I feel like it. I needed a little help to get through this hump day and to make the bestest show ever a little more exciting! What better way than to bake. Bake brownies that is!

Brownies

from a box

1 box o greatest

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup water

walnuts

caramel bits!

I know. I cheated and used a box. But Dukie was playing ball. And Jeff Probst was airing. I was rushed...

I did get a bit creative and used some extra fixings and a cute pan! Brownie points? Dukie dominated. Survivor was great. Milk + gooey brownie = awesome hump day on my clean, germ-free couch!! Looking forward to a warm weekend!!

Chili and Corn Bread!

Comfort food. Does it really comfort you?

Some dishes, and even drinks, make me think of certain people. It usually brings back lots of good, fun memories of times together.

I have been craving chili all week. It could be cause it's Super Bowl weekend. Or it could be because I needed a minor trek down memory lane...

I miss hanging out with one of my good pals and the long chats we had together. We would stroll to the dining center for bunch after a wild night out. I would eat cereal by the bowl full. He would dominate the chili. And corn bread. I think it helped us recall the night's happenings...

I remember multiple tailgates when warm chili in my belly made me so much happier! My favorite memory probably has to be the VT Duke football game last fall. My cousin, sister and I had a super fun time "taste tasting" the chili at 3 am the morning of the game! Hey, we did discovered a new love for chili with corn chips! And only needed two hours of sleep...

Chili
1 1/2 onions (or one really large one) chopped
1 pepper, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
2 cans dark kidney beans, rinsed
2 cans light kidney beans, rinsed
2 cans diced tomatoes (can use one can of fire roasted)
1 can tomato sauce
1 jalapeño, diced
chili powder
pepper
Frank's hot sauce
cheddar cheese
corn chips

sauté the onions and peppers on medium heat with some olive oil. add in the ground beef and let it brown. you might need to drain the excess liquid that comes off as it cooks. lightly season the meat while it is cooking. 

drain and wash the beans in a colander. add them to the crock pot and combine the meat on top of the beans.

pour the diced tomatoes and sauce on top of the beans and meat. add the jalapeño, spices and hot sauce. gently mix it together.

let it simmer on low heat for 5-6 hours. mixing every few hours.

beef n bean chili!!

Corn Bread with Chiles
from mama!

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup corn meal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup shredder cheddar cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 can corn, drained
1 can green Chiles, drained

preheat oven to 400. mix together dry ingredients and cheese in bowl.
beat together egg, milk and oil in separate bowl.
add wet ingredients to dry. do not over-mix. add in the corn and green Chiles.
put in muffin tins, or bread loaf pan.
bake for 20 minutes until golden brown on top!

I heart football. Lots. And am pumped for the big showdown this weekend. Rodgers was on my fantasy team so part of me feels like I need to cheer him on. Having some roots in PA, cheering for the Steelers seems appropriate. Honestly, I don't really care who wins. I just want to be entertained. Whether it's MillionDollar HairBoy picking everything off or Concussion Man airing out 1298371982 yard passes to Jennings, I'll take it.

The commercials never fail. And the Black Eyed Peas always make me wanna dance! I am looking forward to a good time with more friends, good eats and sports! Chili goes great at any get together, inside or out.

Powerbars!

I love traveling. Seeing new sites. Exploring big cities. Wandering aimlessly around town.

Last week I had a blast in San Fran. Visited some awesome eateries and had delish, fresh seafood, toured an amazing winery, hiked with the big redwoods! It was awesome.

I'm usually afraid of heights, but I was climbing/crabwalking on high overlooks. The scenery was beautiful and it was so peaceful. I didn't have time to get scared.

me and the world!

Cali residents are all about going green. Earth loving people. Recycling. Composting. Made me think a bit more about how much I waste. So I decided to try something a little different when I got back...

Powerbars!
2 cups oats
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flaxseed
6 tablespoons water

preheat over to 375. mix flaxseed and water in a small bowl.
combine dry ingredients together. stir in chocolate chips and cranberries.
mix together syrup, honey, sugar, and peanut butter. add to flaxseed and water mixture.

the not so pleasant-looking, peanut butter-flax goo...

add wet ingredients to dry and mix. for a while. keep going. until fully incorporated.
press into a baking dish. bake at 375 for 15 min.

allow to cool. then cut into bars!

I am not exactly a tree hugger. Or vegan. But I did stumble across a delish new concoction that I will take with me the next time I encounter Muir Woods!

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies

Cake? Bars? Cookies? 

Chocolate Chip? Peanut Butter? Oatmeal Raisin? Nuts?

Yea I get a little carried away sometimes. And overwhelmed by all the possibilities cause I want to create the best thing possible. Especially when I haven't baked in a while. But I was having difficulties coming up with something this time. 

I weighed the pros and cons. Multiple times. Back and forth like a yo-yo. 

Most people like cakes for their birthdays. And I have a pretty famous Layered Chocolate Raspberry Cake. But I don't really like cake. At least the traditional, frosting-loaded type. And I made that a time or six before...

Cookies always please me. But is that enough to make someone feel special on their birthday? It's not my birthday.

Bars are a bit more unique. Maybe fancier than a simple cookie?

Ever feel like you get so worked up about the dumbest things? Things that should be fun, enjoyable, or not so stressful? Yea, I found myself falling into this category...again...

So finally I decided to put down the computer. Stopped looking at cookbooks. Started throwing around ingredients... 

Awesomeness. 

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies

something I created

1 stick butter 

1/2 cup oil 

1/2 cup white sugar 

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups oatmeal

1 1/2 - 2 cups flour

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

beat butter, oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla together. mix in baking soda, powder, cinnamon, rosemary. fold in oatmeal, flour, cranberries, chips and nuts. 

use a teaspoon to place onto cookie sheet. *or press into a baking dish to form bars*

bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.


I like my cookies a bit softer so I watched the timer very closely and did not overcook them. 

yummo!!

 *I clearly could not decide on bars or cookies so I did both! :)

the bars!

I will place a candle in the cookie bars and present it to the birthday queen in just a short bit. Hopefully they will not be overcooked and will be soft, chewy and moist!


At the end of the day, I think it's best to go with you gut. Trust yourself to make good decisions. It's ok to be cautious, but sometimes it's ok to not over-think everything. Once you make a decision, stick with it. Confidence is key. You learn with each mistake. And decision.

Happy 2011!!

Happy 2011!! I am still in denial that another year passed, but 2010 brought lots of new things.

I enjoyed a fun graduation celebration for lil bro and a great Christmas in Iowa last week. It was awesome baking dozens upon dozens of cookies and other treats with Mom, trying to beat Dad in Backgammon, catching up with the besties, and, yes I’ll admit it, shoveling and sledding! I guess a little bit of the white stuff isn’t too bad every now and again…

I also think it is safe to assume, we may have altered an old family tradition. I have fond memories sneaking out of my room to partake in Monopoly matches. It started as a fun and friendly way to pass time so we could stay up late enough to witness the Times Square magic. Family friends started joining the party, the snacks got a bit more sophisticated, and I eventually toasted bubbly at midnight. I treasure the Monopoly bragging rights and it didn’t seem right if we did not play at least one game.

This year, Dad got Monopoly Deal as a gift. (I do need to sincerely thank my din din date pals for introducing me to the most addicting card game!) Needless to say, my week in Iowa was filled with many, many cut-throat matches of Monopoly Deal. I think the transition from board game to card dealing was well received by all despite my awesome wins! J We stayed up nearly every night together battling it out!

While I accepted the small change in the family game, I could not move on without the guest star New Year’s treat. It’s no New Year without the shinny silver coin buried in the cake and bread. 2011 marked the first year I ventured to create my first New Year’s cake.

New Year’s Cake (Vasilopeta)

a Greek family secret!

½ lb butter

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

6 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup warm milk

½ teaspoon baking soda

juice of ½ lemon

chopped walnuts and sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and stir until it is mealy. Add the eggs one at a time beating after adding each one. Stir the baking powder into the warm milk and add into the batter. Mix the baking soda and lemon juice together and stir in. Mix well and pour into a greased 10 inch cake pan.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and sugar mixture on top after 20 minutes. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until the cake is done all the way through.

my lovely new blue platter!!

Mom would wrap a quarter in tin foil and plop it in the cake batter, and also with the New Year’s bread, before baking. Dad would carve our initial on top of one piece and we would search for the shinny piece. The person that got the coin would have good luck for the entire year!

no silver...

I have a 50/50 chance this year as my sister and I are searching for the lucky piece! I am looking forward to a fun filled 2011 and know that more changes are coming, but this Greek family tradition is here to stay!