The Hortts Hear A Who !

Spring and the Bun In the Oven

2011-04-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Easter was a beautiful day and I woke so cheery...dreaming about holding my baby in my arms. I am now 17 weeks pregnant and happy.

This past weekend Matthew and I enjoyed a beautiful Easter holiday with his parents. It's always so nice to spend a relaxing Sunday with family, especially when there is a home cooked meal to bring us together around the dinner table.

Though I haven't been cooking much or photographing. Food and photography have been my passion for the last 2 years, but in the last few months I have been plagued with food aversions and fatigue. I rarely even touch my recipe books. As for my camera, its just collecting dust. Its a strange thing to become enemies with food.

In the last few weeks food and I have been getting a long a little better. I am finding that I am slowly getting inspired again by recipes and by curiosity...I am starting to wonder what certain things taste like which is waking up my desire to start cooking again. But its coming back slowly.

This Easter was a bit of a triumph for me because I was able to create a fresh strawberry lemonade that I brought over for our Easter dinner. It felt like a small but meaningful achievement to me because even though I feel so exhausted all the time, I was able to make a contribution. And though as small as it seems, making something from scratch comes from the very bottom of my heart.

I hope everyone reading this had a wonderful Easter.

More Healthy Recipes

2011-01-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I left my job of three years at Allegiant. During my 3 years as a media coordinator, I had met many amazing people and learned many things about myself and others. But toward the end of 2010, I had an epiphany. I realized that I was hungry to learn new things and I was eager to experiment with new concepts. I was ready to take a leap and I was no longer afraid to make the change.

This year I feel fresh and renewed. I am grateful for the chance at a new start where I can strive to be a better person. I have made several resolutions and have been tenacious about sticking to them. But my new goals have been very time consuming so I have not been able to take any new pictures of recipes. In fact, I may not post very often. But I plan to share the last few recipes that I had photographed last year starting with this sprouted garbanzo bean burger.

I originally found this recipe on 101 Cookbooks and its a very delicious and nutritious meal. I recommend that you sprout your garbanzos at home for more of a healthy punch. I found this great blog post on how to sprout the beans at home. Also I used sunflower sprouts, pea shoots, and yogurt as shown in the picture.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Source: Recipe is from 101 Cooboks and chalk board by Shabby Blogs.

Sweet Caroline and Her Quince

2010-12-29T20:12:00.000-08:00

Oh, sweet Caroline. Good times never seem so good.

Caroline has turned 15 and is blossoming into a beautiful young woman. She loves to read Harry Potter books and hopes to someday become a doctor. Snapping pictures of her was such a blast since her and I both share a love for all that is vintage.

Oh and if you are wondering where I got that sweet logo at the top of this post, it from Shabby Blogs.

Young Women are like Flowers

2010-12-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, four girls in the Young Women's program of my church completed their personal progress. As a reward for their accomplishment, the Young Women's President organized a fun retreat that included a one night hotel stay, goodie baskets full of treats and spa products, and a photoshoot at the temple. I had the honor of taking the pictures which was so much fun. I really love being part of the Young Women's program as it is wonderful watching the girls as they develop their spiritual growth. It is also very rewarding for me to know that I am helping to contribute to their knowledge of eternal principles and appreciation for the worth and potential of their own sweet souls.

The inspiration I received for these photos came from the beautiful flowers that are nutured at the Temple grounds. The delicate beauty of the flowers remind me of the Young Women as they have so many similarities. Just like the flowers, the girls of the Young Women's program are each special and beautiful in different ways. The values are like the seeds that have been planted. The seeds grow with each passing season until eventually each girl becomes a woman that works to make the world a better place through service and self improvement.

Sweet Caroline Preview

2010-12-04T23:08:00.000-08:00

Squash Lentil Soup and Muffins

2010-11-30T18:39:00.000-08:00

I originally made this Squash Lentil Soup and Squash Feta Muffins back in October but never got around to posting the recipe. The soup was really delicious so I decided to make it again over the weekend, only this time I added carrots, celery, and spinach which made it even better!

I had originally found the Squash Feta Muffin recipe on 101 Cookbooks where Heidi Swanson shared with her readers a self-published cookbook called Martha Goes Green. It was my first time making savory muffins so I wasn't entirely sure what to suspect. But since I had a huge 25 pound sweet meat squash sitting in my kitchen waiting to be roasted, I figured I had nothing to lose.

The muffins turned out incredibly scrumptious and they paired up so perfectly with the lentil soup. My husband really enjoyed it and he usually doesn't care much for soups. But after eating this meal, he was really stuffed! Any leftover muffins I froze and they actually do really well when you re-heat them in the microwave.

Its been really fun planning for the holidays lately and thinking about all the yummy recipes that I want to make and share with my family. During the entire month of November I thought of all the things I was grateful for in my life--my husband, my marriage, my home, my family, my job, my health and my friendships. I really wanted to keep a jar and drop a note of all the things I was grateful for each day to share the day of Thanksgiving aloud. Unfortunately I didn't get around to doing it so I think I will definitely do it next year.

This past weekend when we celebrated Thanksgiving, I was really happy spending time with loved ones. I felt like my heart was just swelling with emotion. The only family member missing was my step father since he spent Thanksgiving at the hospital. His health has been declining and he was hospitalized 2 weeks ago after having a colostomy reversal. Since his sugery, he hasn't been allowed to eat or drink anything--not even water. But I spent a few hours with him the day before Thanksgiving, reading to him the life of Gordon B. Hinckly at his bedside. I was hoping it would bring him some comfort and entertainment. Sitting next to him made me think of how grateful I was that he took care of my mother and helped her become the person that she wanted to be--spiritual, confident in speaking her mind, and generous.

Source: Inspired by The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Soup

Squash Feta Muffins

2010-11-17T22:37:00.000-08:00

Source: Martha Goes Green.

Zucchini Ribbon Lasagna

2010-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

This morning it was cold. It made it hard to climb out of my warm bed. I guess the chilly climate finally decided to come. In September the weather started to cool off, but then it changed its mind and it got warm again. The same thing happened in October. I thought for sure it would get cold by Halloween...but no, instead it was cool. We even had some rain in October. But today, the winds have finally changed. Now I can officially wear my cozy sweaters. Soon I'll have to start thinking about how I can avoid the flu season.

So in celebration of the cold, I decided to post this great zucchini lasagna recipe I found in my whole living magazine (A Martha Stewart Publication). Squash is in season so this dish is most appropriate. This delicious easy to make lasagna is very healthy and gluten free. You can even leave out the meat to make it vegetarian.

Source: Wholeliving.com.

Pear, Prosciutto, and Gorgonzola Pizza

2010-11-02T22:45:00.000-07:00

Lately all of my recipes have been inspired by the fruits and veggies that I receive in my food co-op basket. A few weeks ago I received a nice batch of pears and I immediately thought of the Pear and Arugula Pizza I often get at Sammy's Woodfire pizza. So I figured I would try to make a version of that.

This amazing dish is such a delicious surprise since you would never expect pears on pizza. But trust me, its AMAZING!

But instead of using arugula, I used sunflower sprouts and purple basil. These are my favorite and I am always sure to pick up a small bundle at Molto's Farmers Market on Thursdays. But you can probably use any other kind of herbs like pea shoots.

Source: allrecipe.com

Pumpkin Festival

2010-10-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

5 Feel Good Things

2010-10-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

A feel good song:

Panna Cotta with Honey and Poached Pears

2010-10-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

A normal day for me is waking up at 5:50 am to make the gym where I usually hit the snooze button and 25 minutes later I finally get up resigning myself to a short jog around the neighborhood. Then my day proceeds with work promptly at 9 am and when I finish at 6 pm, I either head to church to attend a Wednesday meeting, do my visiting teaching, or I drop by at a family members house to catch up. Otherwise, I head home to start dinner. With everyday jam packed with activities, finding time to relax has become challenging.

But lately I have discovered that when I find a quiet moment to myself, I really enjoy doing nothing. Sometimes it is for 2 minutes, other times it is for 1 hour. But either way, I allow myself a moment to sink into myself. Now don't get me wrong, I don't spend a whole lot of time doing nothing. I just give myself a time to take a mental break.

For a person who often thinks about the future and thinks about everything in the long run, a moment of doing nothing gives me a chance to appreciate the beauty of the present. I get to just let my mind wander to a warm and calm place. Without even realizing it, my mind took a mental nap. Then I snap back to reality refreshed ready to tackle the remainder of the day.

Bacon Wrapped Figs

2010-10-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

Figs are a fairly new food to me. I have heard of them but I have never seen them in a grocery store here in Las Vegas. This past weekend at the Farmer's Market I decided to buy a pint so that I might find out why these expensive little fruits are so coveted by food bloggers across the nation.

I decided to try bacon wrapped figs. I figured it was hard to go wrong with anything wrapped in bacon. I was a little unsure how they would taste...but they were surprisingly pleasant. This recipe was really simple so I think it would be worth tweaking the recipe a bit. Just to bring out more flavor. After a little research, I found that you can also use prosciutto and pancetta in place of turkey bacon. Also I have read that mascarpone or ricotta cheese gives the bacon wrapped fig a nice sweet finishing touch.

Doughnuts Cookbook Now Available on Amazon

2010-10-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about Lara Ferroni's new Doughnuts cookbook! If you have never heard of her, she is an amazing food photographer and she offers fantastic photo tips and tricks on her blog.

To promote her new cookbook, she created this really cool little trailer. Check it out!

Apple Cupcakes and MMA

2010-10-06T22:43:00.000-07:00

Its been 4 months since I stopped hitting the bags at the MMA gym. My contract had expired over the summer and I had decided not to renew. At the time Matt ha made the decision to go back to school and get his Ph.D, and I agreed to spend more time at home to be with him and support him. Now 4 months later I am out of shape and I find myself desperately seeking ways to release stress. MMA served as an outlet for me and I miss it terribly. I miss kicking and punching the bags, the rigorous work outs, the painful aches that ensued the following mornings after a tough work out, Miss sleeping better and I especially miss that feeling of being invincible. I felt confident. Now I try to get my fix by jogging in the mornings and by watching The Ultimate Fighter on Spike.

In this season of the Ultimate fighter, Mike Tyson pays GSPs team a visit. St. Pierre has been a fan of Tyson for years and Tyson is a fan of UFC. Tyson stayed to watch a fight and after GSPs team wins, he offers some words of advice. He said, "Its all about confidence. You start thinking better you start feeling better about yourself. You have to think day by day, in every way, better better, than better. Confidence breeds success, success breeds confidence...the whole name of the game is never getting scared." What he said really struck me as fascinating and I thought to myself, "I bet you could apply this idea to everything in one's life". I suppose it is important to train and install confidence in oneself in order to succeed at anything. Its a powerful thing to be able to influence yourself and others.

Although Mike Tyson had gone off the deep end a few years back, I have a profound respect for him as an athlete. If you are interested in wacthing the clip of Tyson playing Guru, here it is: watch

Apple Tart and Thoughts About Beauty

2010-10-03T16:08:00.001-07:00

My father has always said, “no hay mujer fea, sino mal arreglada” which means there are no ugly women, only women who do not care for themselves. I have always liked that saying because it implies that all women are beautiful. Beauty is about taking care of yourself, not looking perfect. There is beauty in the imperfect. I see it all around me.

An asymmetrical heirloom tomato is more interesting than a perfectly formed round and red tomato that is typically found in a grocery store. The heirloom has surprising colors and its story is fascinating.

When I go to the farmer’s market, there are so many beautiful yet simple foods. They come in all shapes and sizes—lumpy, irregular, and imperfect. The colors, shapes, and textures allow me to prepare recipes born from intuition.

The notion of finding beauty in imperfection is the opposite of what our society tells us. But it is a thought that is very compelling. The idea of abandoning perfection is very inviting. Its almost a relief.

In these pictures, I was inspired by the colors of this “pink pearl” apple. It is a heirloom variety. A heirloom vegetable or fruit means that the plant has been passed down through generations. The seeds are some of the oldest varieties of vegetables available. This particular apple is homely on the outside, but shockingly pink on the inside. Its as though they are keeping a little secret inside. The flavor is sweet-tart with a pleasant crisp. If you have not explored heirloom varieties yet, I encourage to do so. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Sourdough English Muffins and Fall

2010-09-30T07:44:00.001-07:00

This morning when I woke up, it was completely dark outside. My husband moaned when he observed this as if the transition of summer to fall pained him. I instantly knew that it is officially time to start pulling out my cold-weather clothes, boots, and Halloween decorations. Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday of the year and I want to get a head start at celebrating it with fun kooky décor. I try to savor every single day of it. Last year we decorated our house only a few days before Halloween, and I promised myself that I wouldn’t do that this year.

In the past when I was single, I used to dread the fall season. It was hard for me to be cheery when the day would disappear so quickly and darkness would fall at early hours. But now I welcome the changing weather. In my adulthood I have learned how to enjoy it. One of the things I find pleasure in is going outside in the early morning and looking up at the less than bright sky. I take a deep breathe and I can taste the slight chill in the air. This is usually how I know that the colder weather is creeping closer. It reminds me of the holidays and makes me think of family.

For this recipe I used a 100 year old sourdough starter. Its been in my step dad's family for a long time. My mom gave me a scoop of it and I have since then tripled it. After forgetting about it in the fridge for a while, I decided it was time to take it out for a feeding. Then before putting it back in the fridge, I used the left over batter for this recipe. The recipe was inspired by a an old recipe book that my mother-in-law let me borrow. It has really fantastic information about food storage and great recipes for making your own homemade yogurt, different kinds of starters, and baking with your own freshly ground wheat.

For more information on sourdough starters follow this link.

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup

2010-09-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

I always wonder what life would be like if I was not always in a hazy, lethargic and tired state. You see I just have this horrible habit of functioning on very little sleep. Its become a bit of a vice, really. I am always compelled to stay up late to either finish a movie, a tv show, or to surf the net. At the time it always seems like a good idea, but then the next morning when I am struggling to wake up I inwardly scold myself for being so undisciplined. But yet every day I always tell myself, "This time I will definitely go to bed early." Yeah right.

Well lastnight I actually accomplished the impossible. I had the will power to go to bed at 9:30 p. So today I feel like a million bucks. That is why I am here tonight, staying up late to blog about this wonderful recipe for Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup. It is such a quick and easy soup and so perfect for the upcoming fall weather. The red pepper flakes and paprika give it a tasty zing.

And since I am in such a cheery mood (yawn), I want to also share this lovely stop motion movie I stumbled across called ideas by heart that was created by an advertising student. According to Annika Backstrom, the goal was to make advertising a bit more colorful and happy.

Source: Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Peach Ice Cream and Mosques

2010-09-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

So now summer is over and I never had a chance to post my delicious Peach Ice Cream recipe until now. I thought it would be appropriate to crow bar in this recipe, since we won’t be seeing any more peaches or other delicious stone fruits now that they will be out of season. I must say that this is a delicious very rich ice cream. Its not a smooth ice cream like most, but chunky due to the fruit. You can also substitute nectarines in place of the peaches. If you prefer a more smooth cream, use less chopped fruit.

On a different note, I read a really interesting article the other day regarding the proposed mosque on Manhattan’s Ground Zero. The headlines have really stirred up a lot of controversy and a huge debate regarding religious freedom and tolerance. It hits a very sensitive nerve with the American people who would like to protect the sanctity of the site. Adweek proposed a really interesting question: “How would ad agencies tackle the problem of religious intolerance toward Islam and help resolve the issue of the Park51 center?”

This was a very interesting to me since I myself am an advertising professional. I pondered the question and wondered how I would approach the issue. It was very tricky. However, there were 30 brave agencies that took on the challenge and applied their advertising expertise to build a theoretical campaign that would answer the question. This is what they proposed.

Comic Con 2010

2010-09-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

ne of the highlights of this summer was going to Comic Con 2010! Yes we got tickets and we got to experience all that nerdom has to offer. We got to see everything from the newest video games, movies, tv shows, comics, celebrities and even zombies! It was quite the unforgettable experience. Going into it, we thought we were pretty big nerds but when we got to Comic Con we quickly discovered that it was way beyond us. I think we were forever changed. It was more chubby pale skin poured into spandex than I have ever seen in my life. Literally, it was Halloween in San Diego that day and all the nerds came out to play. What can I say...it was a BLAST!

Here are a few photos of the madness. Be sure to play the song I chose on youtube before you start to scroll down the pictures. I think it accurately creates the mood that all the nerds felt when they got through the convention doors. Enjoy!

On Saturday we took a break from Comic and went to La Jolla.

On Sunday we were back at it again...in Comic Con fighting the nerd herds.

Source: by Jessica Hische.

Here are a few of my favorite things

2010-09-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

fter enduring a nice HOT summer, it has finally come to an end. This past weekend was the last official weekend of the summer and we are now in fall season...tear. I can't believe how quick it went by! I am not really ready for the cold climate that is to come, but I am definitely ready and excited about the holiday season. But before I embrace this new season, I want take the opportunity this week to post a few pictures, a few summer stories and some of my new favorite things that I picked up a long the way.

Favorite thing #1: Molto's Farmer's Market. This summer I went to Molto's Farmer's Market religiously every single Thursday. I have discovered many news flavors there and it has been heaven! At Molto's I tasted for the first time dragons' Fruit, black garlic, dates, purple basil, and best of all BRIOCHE BREAD! YUM!

Favorite thing #2: Ruche. This summer I found many beautiful dresses and accessories online on Ruche. They have the cutest accessories and everything has a vintage flair. It has become one of my favorite online stores.

Favorite thing #3: Canelle Et Vanille. Canelle et Vanille is an incredibly beautiful food blog written by the amazing Aran Goyoaga. Her pictures are exquisite and I can never get enough of them! If you don't believe me, take a peek. It is a real feast to the eyes.

Favorite thing #4: Nest Pretty Things by Tamar. This is a lovely etsy shop with the most beautiful handmade jewelery. It is colorful, fun, and best of all it looks like candy. I am always checking back to see what new creations she has added to her store.

Favorite thing #5: Eat Drink Chic is a blog written by Amy Moss, who is inspired by all things that are beautiful.

Favorite thing #6: What Katie Ate is a delicious food blog written by an Australian Food Photographer, Katie Quinn Davies. Her photos are a real inspiration and oh-so-yummy!

Favorite thing #7: Daily Drop Caps by is an ongoing project by typographer and illustrator, Jessica Hische. Every post has a new decorative cap that she shares with all bloggers for the beautification of posts everywhere. Like the one I used for this post!

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Verbena Bread

2010-08-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend my cleaning lady came to visit me early Saturday morning. I was happy to see her since the house was a total mess, but I couldn't help feel a bit sluggish. I was feeling pretty down in the dumps.

She immediately picked up on this and wanted to console me. I really wasn't in the mood to share my problems, but as I started to explain my woes I found myself telling her everything in great detail. She tried to advise me and even gave me a hug, but I really wasn't satisfied. I still felt depressed. But then she began to share with me her own problems. She explained that she felt lonely and there was never anyone at home to greet her when she arrived after a long day. She shared with me her experiences of customers that would pay her too little, or would demand extra service such as cooking and day care for a days worth of work and only pay her $50. And then there were the customers that after a full day of cleaning, would give her a ride home and charge her $40 becuase gas was expensive, leaving her only with a meager $60. And then...

My cleaning lady began to cry. It occured to me at that moment that my problems were so small and ridiculous. I also realized that there are people out there that truly have big obstacles in their lives that they are trying to over come. Or there are people out there struggling to make a living and that are truly suffering. In my cleaning lady's case, she is an elderly woman in a strange country where she does not speak the language. She is destitute, sick and often taken advantage of or swindled. But yet, she always keeps her head up and maintains an optimistic outlook on things.

After my conversation with her, it occured to me that I felt better and I realized that I should be happy even when times get bad. I should save my tears because there is always someone who is probably going through something worse. I truly have many things that I should be grateful for and I should continue to count my blessings. Even when my ego gets bruised, I should remember that life is beautiful. So when life hands you lemons, it is best to make lemon verbena bread.

Count your blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
Refrain

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Note: The pictures in this post are of pink lemons which I used to make lemonade and lemon verbena bread. I did not post the recipe since so few people visit my blog, but if you are interested in the recipe, just leave a comment requesting it.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins and The Time Travelers Wife

2010-08-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Its so funny how you can feel attached to the characters of a book. You can feel their pain as if they were real people that you know or as if you were living through their experiences. Only a few minutes ago I was crying like a baby. The story really penetrated me and moved me to tears. I felt like such a ninny because I was starting to cry so hard! Muppet, my dog, was even startled by the sound of my sobbing. The look of alarm on his face made me laugh. He was staring at me like What is going on?! But I had the afternoon to myself and I was determined to finish the book before watching the movie. I had Matt order the movie via Netflix and my plan is to see it today. But I am so anxious to watch it. There is a small part of me that is a little afraid to see the movie. Am I going to cry again?

Last year everyone was reading this book—it was very popular. Obviously I jumped on the band wagon kind of late with this story—oh well.

If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it. It is heartfelt love story about love, longing, and absence making the heart grow fonder. Henry is a time traveler who involuntarily time travels due to a genetic malady. He meets Clare for the first time when he is 28. But Clare had met Henry for the first time when she was six. Henry travels to the past and sometimes to the future and at some point in time the two of them intersect and meet in “real time” only to fall hopelessly in love. The story follows them across time as they do their best to live normal lives. Although it may seem confusing, the author patiently and carefully guides the reader through the story by shifting between each of their view points. If you decide to give this one a try, I’ll be posting it on Swaptree.com. Swaptree.com is the easiest way to swap books, music, movies and video games for free. Here is the link if you want to swap books: http://www.swaptree.com/book/time-traveler-wife-audrey-niffenegger/isbn/9780156029438/The Time Travelers Wife.

Coffee Cake Blueberry Muffins

Batter:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cane sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems

Topping:
1/3 – 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

Topping:
Mix flour and brown sugar. Add butter using a fork or pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly.

Batter:
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. With a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. Add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Do not over mix. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top. Sprinkle the topping on top of each muffin. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.

Source: Adapted from
Barefoot Contessa.

Sweet Disposition

2010-08-09T22:20:00.000-07:00

Before I made my decision to give up on people pictures, I did shoot my little sister before and during her quinceanera. For those unfamiliar with this, it is a basically a sweet fifteen and a very important cultural celebration of a young girl's coming of age. It is practically celebrated like a wedding with big beautiful dress and a huge party. I decided I wanted to take her pictures before she became this grown up young lady. I thought this song, Sweet Disposition, really captures the moment and creates that mood of a young person full of hopes and dreams.
Be sure to play the music as you scroll down and view the pictures.

Here are the shots of her at fifteen. She's now a lovely woman.

Cranberry beans and pistachio pesto

2010-07-13T09:15:00.001-07:00

After reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, I have come to learn that eating too much meat AND chicken is actually not good for you. Meat and chicken are not necessarily bad for us, but in our society we eat meat in tremendous quantities. We should probably eat it as a side dish and not as our main course for every meal.

There are many studies that have shown that the more meat you consume in your diet, the greater your chances are of having heart disease and cancer. I have wrestled with this and wondered if I should become a vegetarian. But after much thought and deliberation, I have decided against it since studies have also shown that the lack of meat and chicken in a diet can cause the brain to shrink over time. So…I have decided to follow a happy medium and to eat less meat and chicken. I will not remove it completely from my diet, but I am going to make a conscious effort to seek out more plant based foods that are rich in protein such as beans, tofu, nuts and seeds. I haven’t exactly shared this plan with my husband since he claims to be a full on “meatatrian”, nor do I plan to… but I’ll be sure to make meals that he will enjoy without him suspecting my plan. So far the results have been positive. Shhh! So far he hasn’t noticed that I have only been cooking chicken once a week!

This thought process is what inspired this recipe. It uses creamy and meaty cranberry beans fresh from the pod and paired beautifully with pistachio pest. I’ve read about cranberry beans but have never actually seen any in the store. But upon seeing them at the farmer’s market, I was thrilled. They were really very hard to miss as the pods are adorned with brightly colored pink stripes and specs.

Cranberry Beans with Pistachio Pesto

2 quarts water
4 cups shelled fresh cranberry beans
2 Pinches of salt
¾ cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of pecans or walnuts
3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove

1. Bring salted water to a rolling boil in a saucepan; add cranberry beans. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes or until tender. Drain beans and place in a large bowl.
2. In a food processor, add basil, parmesan, olive oil, garlic, pecans or walnuts, lemon juice and pinch of salt. Process until smooth. Add herb mixture to the beans and toss. Serve as a vegetarian entrée .

Source: Cooking Light, June 2010. Page 166.

Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. Penguin Press, 2008.

3 Tomatoes and a Mozarella

2010-07-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

I have really become quite enamored with photography. I bought a camera last summer so that I can take pictures of food and journal my recipes, then I started to experiment with pictures of people, I bought Photoshop, PS3 actions, and even took a photography class in California. The thought of starting my own photography business even crossed my mind. But after much deliberation, I have decided that I no longer want to take pictures of people nor do I ever want to make this a business. Instead, I want to continue photographing as a hobby—and only food.

Food has progressively become a real creative outlet for me and a form of expression. The more recipes I make the more creative I become. I am also beginning to find so much beauty and peace in the beautiful colors, aromas, and tastes. Its like as though I am hungry to taste everything that is different, exotic and unusual. I find so much pleasure when I discover a new flavor. Then of course I want to share this discover with my husband so I recreate the recipe and I make him taste it. He is very hard to please as he is a picky eater, so my goal is always to impress him somehow. I usually feel so much success when he responds, “its really good”, as opposed to “its fine” or “its okay”. He has never come out and said, “this is terrible”, because he was raised to be very tactful, so I can always tell what he really thinks just from these subtle nuances.

So I have decided to take this blog in a different direction. I would like to use it to share the day to day life of our family, as well as a recipe and photography journal.
These beautiful heirloom tomatoes I purchased at the farmer’s market here in town called Molto Marios Farmers Market along with freshly made mozzarella. I paired the two together like a sandwhich with basil leaves and drizzled it with balsamic vinegar. It was divine! My husband HATES tomatoes but he really like this. It would make a great appetizer

Little Lady

2010-06-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

I think these pictures of Alexis came out so beautiful. I was listening to The Smith's from the 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack while I was photo editing and I think it really inspired me. Plus Alexis is such a lovely girl and it made it easy to shoot her. I thought surrounding her in flowers was very appropriate since she was the flower girl at my wedding.

Sneak Peek: Alexis in The Secret Garden

2010-06-16T23:14:00.000-07:00

Oh Deere!

2010-06-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

My mom and stepfather like to get away every weekend to visit a property they have in Arizona. I went to visit them there for the first a few weeks ago and it was 120 degrees! Way too hot for my liking...but my stepfather doesn't really seem to mind. I think its because he is inlove with his John Deere tractor. You can really see the joy on his face when he takes it for a ride along the desert to clear a path. Oh and did I mention they have a Rolls Royce there!

Meet the Washborns!

2010-06-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

This practive shoot was a lot of fun for me! I really enjoyed meeting the Washburns too! Ben, Spencer, and Robin were a great bunch.

Ben, Spencer, and Robin

2010-06-06T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneek peek at a practice photoshoot of Ben, Spencer and Robin. More to come soon!

I'm Snap Happy Workshop

2010-05-26T22:59:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I attended the "I'm Snap Happy" workshop by the lovely Joy Harmon of Wildflower Photography. It was fantastic and I learned so many new tips and tricks. Here are a few practice shots of our models.

Oatmeal Pancakes

2010-05-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

I recently ordered Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours by Kim Boyce and it has inspired me to experiment with different kinds of flours. With the help of my trusty L'Equip 760105 VitalMill Grain Mill, I have been discovering all kinds of new grains and flavors. One of my favorites is oat flour. Oat flour is ground groats--the same stuff oatmeal is made of but it is whole instead of steamed and rolled into "old-fashioned rolled oats". Or if you do not have a mill, you can also grind rolled oats using a food processor or spice grinder until it becomes flour. Oat flour is now a new favorite of mine because it has a delicious sweet milky taste. It is also gluten free, which means you must mix it with other flours to provide the necessary structure.

My first experiment with oat flour was used in this wonderful recipe for oatmeal pancakes. It was fantastic and it beat eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast!

Oatmeal Pancakes

Dry Mix:
3/4 cup oat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Mix:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup cooked oatmeal
1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Sift all the dry ingredients into a medium bowl. In a large bowl whisk together the wet ingredients.
2. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX.
3. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron pan or griddle. Rub the pan with butter. Using a 1/4 cup, pour batter onto the pan. Cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown on each side.
4. Serve hot with butter or topping of choice.

Source: Adapted from Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours by Kim Boyce.

Blackberry Vanilla Yogurt and Granola

2010-05-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny Mother's Day, despite the 20 mi/hour wind. I was hoping to be able to visit my mother, but she was unable to see me. I was a little disappointed, but not offended. My step-father has been deathly ill and my mother has been very dedicated to taking care of him. She said he was feeling cheery yesterday and had decided to take him out. He needed to get out of the house...and so did she. Being a caregiver is hard work and I deeply respect my mothers committment to him. Besides, I had stopped by on Saturday and while my mother was out, I dropped off her Mother's Day gift and some delicious homemade vanilla yogurt I made. I thought that they would enjoy it.

I love you mom.

Vanilla Yogurt

4¾ cups 1% milk
2-3 tablespoons agave sweetener
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons dry nonfat milk
1 packet of freeze dried yogurt culture
1 tablespoon of blackberry preserves, per cup
1 vanilla bean scraped

Scrape vanilla bean pods into the milk. Heat milk and vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not allow milk to boil. Once milk reaches 180°F and is about to boil, remove from stove and stir in the agave and vanilla extract. Allow milk to cool to 120°F. Once liquid reaches appropriate temperature, whisk in dried milk and yogurt culture until ingredients are thoroughly homogenous. While liquid is cooling, place a heaping tablespoon of blueberry preserves in each jar. Pour liquid into individual jars. Place jars into the Yogurt Maker without their lids. Cover the yogurt maker and set for 10 hours. When yogurt is finished, cover the jars with their lids and store in the refrigerator. Yogurt will keep refrigerated for up to one week.

Source: Yogurt adapted from the Waring Pro Yogurt Manual. Granola was made using David Lebovitz Recipe.

Great Girls Getaway: Tulip Festival

2010-04-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I did a girls getaway and went to Bellingham, WA to see the Tulip Festival. It was incredible how beautiful and picturesque the pictures came out. We had a blast during our visit and came back so inspired by the beauty of the colorful tulips, the old barns, and all the wild green grass growing everywhere! Bellingham was such a charming town that we vowed to visit again.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Buttery Croutons

2010-04-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend since I had some time to cook and photograph, so I decided to make some buttery croutons. I had 2 large loafs of sourdough bread left over and I really didn't want them to go bad before I can make good use of them. So croutons were the best solution since the bread was already getting hard.

The croutons were easy to make and they were delicious! At least my husband thought so.

Croutons
Loaf of Italian, French, or sourdough bread (10 ounces or 6 cups), cut into cubes
1 stick butter or 1/2 cup of olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
Course Salt
1 Tbs dry parsley

1. In a large skillet, heat the butter or oil with the garlic clove until sizzling.

2 Pour butter or oil mixture over bread cubes, toss, and then return to pan. Sprinkle with salt and parsley.

3 Heat over medium heat and, turning as they brown, cook them until evenly toasted. Serve immediately.

My Special Day at the Temple

2010-04-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures that my mom took of Matt and me. I actually got sealed to Matt at the temple back in September 2009 but I never had a chance to post any pictures. This day at the temple was beautiful and I felt like I was getting married all over again. Only this time, it was more spiritual and quiet, just like how I always imagined my wedding to be. We were so happy that you can visibly see us glowing in the pictures!

Tired Muppet

2010-03-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

I'm Going to the Temple

2010-03-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I went to the temple to watch my good friend and boss go through the temple for the very first time. It was a beautiful moment and we were all filled with the spirit. As you can see from the pictures, she is glowing with happiness!

Henderson Libraries 'Read and Run' Event

2010-03-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

My husband recently coordinated an amazing event for the Henderson Libraries to raise funds that will be used to purchase health related materials. The 'Read and Run' event was such a hit that it made the papers on Feb. 27, 2010. You can read Matthew's interview with the Las Vegas Sun here.

I decided to take Muppet to the event so that we can both get some exercise. We enjoyed the walk and Muppet even made some friends along the way. Here are a few pictures.

Nena's Rainy Day

2010-02-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

I had finished editing these pictures a while ago but haven't had a chance to post them. I was really please that my younger sister, Nathaly was quite happy with them. I am too, but every time I look at them I always seem to want to change or add something. I can't seem to make up my mind. So before I hold on to these any longer, I am going to go ahead and share these.

Each picture has a slightly different style as I am still experimenting with textures/colors and trying different things to figure out my style. But I think its pretty apparent that I seem to gravitate towards the "vintage" and "faded" look. I just like when the picures look kind of old and from another time. It makes me feel nostalgic.

Nena's Rainy Day - Coming Soon...

2010-02-06T14:35:00.001-08:00

I took some pictures of my little sister near Lake Mead last weekend and we had such a good time doing it! She was such a natural when it came to posing and I felt like she was always telling a story with her body language and her expressions. This was my first time ever doing a shoot and she made the process really easy. She really looked absolutely stunning. Here is a sample of the pictures I have been working on. I hope to finish by next week.

I hope you 'heart' them Nena!

Waiting to turn 15

2010-01-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

My beautiful sister is anxiously waiting to turn 15. But before becoming a woman, I wanted to capture her girlish innocence so that my family always has a picture to back at. They grow so fast. Tear.

The BBA Challenge: Anadama Bread

2010-01-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

After several months of following the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge that I first discovered on the Pinch My Salt blog, I have finally decided to bake along. This challenge is one that is taking place across many kitchens around the world with one goal in mind: to attempt every singe recipe in Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread.

So here was my attempt at the first bread. This is Anadama Bread, which uses a corn meal soaker, or put simply: corn meal soaked in water. I left mine soaking overnight. The next day I mixed the soaker with part of the flour, yeast, and water then let it sit for 1 hour to ferment. Then I mixed in all the remaining ingredients: molasses, flour, salt, and butter. I mixed the dough using a Danish Dough Whisk - Large I ordered through Amazon.com. Then I kneaded the dough by hand using the method from this video. The dough should pass the "window pane test", but I always have a hard time accomplishing this. Most times I just give up and bake it anyway, but I think I got it somewhat right for this bread. Lastly, I let the dough rise until doubled in an oiled bowl for 90 minutes and then proofed it for 60 minutes in a bread pan. Unfortunately, after I removed the plastic wrap from pan, the dough deflated. I'll have to be more careful for the next time. Although the loaves turned out miniature after baking them, they were still very tasty and made great grilled cheese sandwhiches!

Source: For exact ingredients and measurements, see The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread.

A few of my favorite photos

2010-01-14T23:02:00.000-08:00

Just having some fun with textures...

1st Winter Basket

2010-01-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

I joined a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) this year! This is the first basket I received for the Winter Share. Isn't it beautiful? The basket was full of bright healthy greens such as arugula, napa cabbage, cilantro, mixed greens, and buttercrunch lettuce. I can't wait to see what I get in my basket next week!

Joining a CSA is a great to eat local food that is organic and you minimize the distance that food has to travel to get to your plate. It keeps your dollars in your community by helping support your local farmer.

If you are interested in learning more about CSAs, check out this link for the one nearest you.

Healthy Whole-Wheat Apple Pancakes

2009-12-29T22:19:00.000-08:00

I would like to start the new year by posting this healthy and wholesome recipe for those out there that have made their New Year's resolution to eat healthier. These whole-wheat apple pancakes are DELICIOUS and you can eat them without feeling guilty! I too have made it my goal this year to eat healthier by incorporating more vegetables into my diet and by making more homemade foods that are free from articial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and long named preservatives.

Reasons I consider this recipe healthy: I used homemade buttermilk of which I extracted from store bought cream. Ideally I would eventually like to make it from raw cream, however, I haven't quite yet figured out where to get my hands on some fresh cream. If you are interested making your own butter and buttermilk from store bought crem, you may want to check out this tutorial. Also, this recipe cuts down on the refined flour by using half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose flour (using only whole-wheat flour would make a really heavy dense pancake). For the whole-wheat flour, I used freshly ground flour that I milled in my new L'Equip 760105 VitalMill Grain Mill
that Santa Claus brought me this year. Lastly, I used 100% pure maple syrup which is healthier than maple flavored syrup. Maple flavored syrup contains common sweeteners like corn syrup and sucrose which have had all their nutrition processed out of them, but maple syrup's health benefits are all there.

This recipe is also a great way for using up your food storage such as powdered milk instead of fresh milk, dried apples instead of fresh apples, or powdered eggs instead of fresh eggs. For the measurements on using powdered milk, refer to this handy conversion chart from the All About Food Storage Blog.

Whole-Wheat Apple Pancakes

1 medium apple, diced
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup freshly ground whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup freshly made buttermilk (or store bought low-fat buttermilk)
2 1/4 tablespoons dry non-instant powdered milk with 3/4 cup of water with liquid
ingredients (or 3/4 cup of milk)
2 tablespoons powdered egg with 1/3 cup water with liquid ingredients (or 2 eggs)
1 tablespoon honey
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients. In a soft bowl, whisk the wet ingredients. Slowly add the wet to the dry ingredients and half of the apple. Stir until just combined.

2. Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Either spray griddle or skillet with PAM or grease with fresh unsalted butter. Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake and sprinkle each with remaining apple. Cook until the tops are bubbly and edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown.

3. Place 2 pancakes on each plate and drizzle with syrup.

Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine, November 2009.

Winter Squash Bread

2009-12-16T22:13:00.000-08:00

I made this bread back in November and it turned out surprisingly good. I used homemade pureed banana squash and freshly ground whole wheat white flour. Since I don't have my own flour grinder at the moment, my mother-in-law was kind enough to left me use hers. It was quite the experience to grind my very own fresh flour! I can't wait until Santa Clause brings me my own flour grinder. Yippee!!

The only drawback to this bread was that the whole wheat flour made the bread very dense. Next time I make this I will probably adjust the flour and use either bread flour only or 1/2 whole wheat and half all-purpose flour.

Winter Squash Bread

1 ½ cups warm water (100°F)
1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup winter squash or pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
½ cup yellow cornmeal, plus additional for sprinkling
5 ½ to 6 cups bread flour (optional: Instead of bread flour, combine 3 cups whole wheat and 3 cups all-purpose flour)
Olive oil for bowl and baking sheet

1. In a large bowl, add warm water and sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of brown sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

2. With a whisk, beat eggs and squash puree into the yeast mixture. Mix in remaining brown sugar, salt, cornmeal, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix until smooth, about 3 minutes.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is soft and tacky. Add more flour if necessary. Oil a bowl and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Gently deflate the dough. You can either bake the bread right away, or put it away in the fridge over night to allow the dough to ferment and develop flavor. If you refrigerate over night, be sure to let the dough sit at room temperature for 4 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a bread pan. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Form the dough into 2 round loaves and put into pan. Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled. Dust tops of the loaves with flour.

5. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a rack.

To Make Squash Puree

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Use pumpkin or any kind of squash. Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds. Save seeds for roasting. Put squash in a baking dish, cut-side up. Brush with butter, season with salt and pepper.

2. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until tender.

3. Scoop out flesh and mash or puree until smooth in a food processor.

4. Press puree through a fine mesh.

Source: Unknown.

Happy Birthday Alexis!

2009-12-14T23:01:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, my little cousin Alexis turned 9. I wanted to capture the moment on camera but had a little trouble with the low light. Nevertheless, she looked like a princess!

A trip to Hearst Castle

2009-12-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

For the Thanksgiving holiday, my family and I took a trip to California and stayed in the charming dutch town, Solvang. While there, my cousin and I went exploring on our own and we visited Hearst Castle in San Simeon and we did a bike tour in the downtown district of San Luis Obispo. It was a grand old time! We saw so many beautiful things and even went olive oil tasting!

Squash Ice Cream with Short Bread Cookies

2009-11-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Squash and Short Bread Cookies Ice Cream

1 cup fresh Squash puree or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/3 cup condensed milk
1-2 cups crushed shortbread cookies

Squash Puree

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Use pumpkin or any kind of squash, such as acorn, butternut, or Hubbard. Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds. Put squash in a baking dish, cut-side up. Brush with a little butter or olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until tender.

2. Scoop out flesh and mash or puree until smoth in a blender or food processor. Strain puree to remove any stringy pulp.

Squash and Short Bread Cookie Ice Cream

1. In abowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and vanilla. Cover and chill for approximately 2 hours.

2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, 1/2 cup cream, and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk until smooth and sugar dissolves.

3. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 1/2 cups cream, 1/3 cup condensed milk and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cook until bubbles form around edges of pan, 6-7 minutes.

4. Remove cream mixture from heat. Gradually pour 1/2 cup of hot cream mixture into egg mixture all while whisking. Pour egg mixture back into pan. Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly to keep the custard at a low simmer and to avoid scorching, about 7-9 minutes. Custard will thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Pour custard in a bowl and allow to cool. Whisk squash puree into mixture until smooth. Cover and chill for approximately 2 hours.

6. Fold in crushed short bread cookies. Transfer custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Source: Inspired by Williams-Sonoma.

Tender at the Bone and Peanut-Butter Granola Balls

2009-11-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

In her memoir, Tender at the Bone, longtime food critic Ruth Reichl shares her childhood story of growing up in a dysfunctional family where she endured many culinary disasters and yet somehow manages to develop a love and passion for food.

At an early age, Reichl quickly discovers that she was able to read people’s personalities based on the food they’d eat. Her relationship with her manic depressant mother is complicated but it creates in Reichl a sense of duty to keep her mother “from killing anybody who came to dinner” and eventually it turns into a determination to make sense of the world through food. It is then that we follow Richl on her culinary adventures and where we meet the colorful characters that shape her world.

If you are a foodie, this is a great read full of stories that are sweet and charming. I recommend it as it is highly delicious and you may find it on the Hortt's Bookstore.

Peanut_Butter Granola Balls

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup dried fruit

1. Heat honey, peanut butter, and butter in a small saucepan. Stir until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cereal, oats, and dried fruit.

2. Drop mixture into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.

How to Get Feedback When You're Rejected - On Careers (usnews.com)

2009-11-13T10:02:00.001-08:00

How to Get Feedback When You're Rejected - On Careers (usnews.com)

Posted using ShareThis

Pan De Queso

2009-11-10T21:23:00.000-08:00

Recently my uncle met a woman whose family used to own a very popular bakery in his hometown of Cali, Colombia. He became good friends with her and she eventually shared her family’s secret recipe for Pan de Queso. I have to share this recipe as it is a big deal for my family because we all LOVE Pan de Queso, but I also want to share a story that shows what a small world we live in.

The woman my uncle met had inherited the bakery from her family but decided to sell it as she had no interest in baking. Instead, she was interested in business and eventually started her own a hotel in Cali. But after a long series of unfortunate events, she found herself in the United States trying to make a better life for herself and her son. Its amazing that she and my uncle came from the same town. My uncle had told me that back in the day, this bakery was very popular and well known for its Pan de Queso (or cheese rolls). People used to stand in long lines just to get a batch, but there was never enough Pan de Queso to go around. My uncle distinctly remembered that he and a family friend used to sneak to the back of the bakery to purchase their bag of Pan de Queso. At that time, people with money would sneak to the back of the bakery to by pass the line—they of course were able to pay a little extra for their batch of Pan de Queso. Who would have thought that they would meet someday and fall in love.

In the pictures below is my mother showing me how to make Pan de Queso based on what my uncle's friend showed her. This recipes however came from her memory and uses Colombian ingredients and in European measurements. We did our best to make the measurements more American friendly.

Take all the ingredients and mix them in a large bowl. Let mixture sit in bowl for 20-30 minutes.

Below is my mother's little helper.

Dust yucca harina over a flat surface. Pour the batter over the floured surface and kneed until all the ingredients are mixed well and dough is soft.

Create the circular shapes as seen in the picture and place over a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and allow to bake for 5 more minutes.

Pan de Queso (Cheese Rolls)

2 lbs Queso Cotija
1 lb Yucca Harina
2 tablespoons sour cream
¾ cup Arepa Harina (Venezuelen)
¼ tablespoons butter
¼ cup milk

Homemade Butter

2009-11-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

I never imagined that it would be possible to make butter in my own kitchen, but it is and it was delicious! I don't think people realize that they can make their own butter as it is a lost art. But I have discovered it is simple, cost effective, and most importantly healthy. Most people avoid butter because they think its bad for you, but it turns out that it is a good source of vitamin A, high in trace minerals and antioxidants. As long as you don't over do it and exceed your daily saturated fat percentage, you can enjoy butter without worrying.

For this tutorial, I was originally attempting cultured butter, but what I really ended up with was sweet cream butter. It was good nonetheless, but I'll have to experiment a little further to achieve the taste I am looking for. So here's how I did it..

I started out with a carton of leftover cream that didn't get used for ice cream and added a heaping spoonful of cultured yogurt. Then I let it sour in the fridge for about 1 week past its expiration date. It should aquire a pleasant tangy smell. (Note: If you cream looks like its curdling, or it smells or tasts bad, discard it.)

Once the butter was cultured, I poured it into a mixing bowl with a stand mixer. Then I covered the mixture with plastic wrap to avoid splashing and started to beat the cream.

The butter will undergo three phases: 1) creamy, 2) grainy, and lastly 3) chunky as it begins to split. Here you begin to see the buttermilk separating from the butter.

As you can see in the picture below, after about 5-7 minutes of beating, the butter started splashing as it began to split.

Now the butter has split leaving butter and buttermilk. I drained the buttermilk and reserved it for baking. I gave the butter a quick rinse to wash off any excess buttermilk. Then I put it on my wooden cutting board and smacked it around with a wooden spoon to get any residual liquid out. Wood works well as butter does not stick to it very easily.

Finally I shaped it and wrapped it in parchment paper. You can also add sea salt, however, I did not as I was planning on storing it in the freezer. The butter stores longer in the freezer when it is not salted.

So there you have it. Fresh butter!

A Gypsy at Trunk R Treat

2009-10-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

This year I was not planning on dressing up for Halloween. But after I saw a commercial for the horror flick, "Drag Me To Hell", I was inspired to dress up as the old gypsy woman with the discolored eye. My pet monkey rode on Muppet's back. I decided to show off my costume during our Trunk R Treat event held by my church every year. Needless to say, no one at the event recognized me. Ha!

Pumpkin Squash Festival

2009-10-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

I have noticed that every year during October, the Martha Stewart magazines are always chock-full of articles and pictures of pumpkins available in every color imaginable. They make the reader excited about the fall when they describe to you all the clever ways that you can decorate your table top with these elaborate squashes. But if you are like me, whenever I go looking for these unique colored pumpkins, they are no where to be found. Everywhere I look, I only see orange pumpkins. That is, until I read about the Pumpkin Squash Festival in this article on the Centennial View.

This is what I discovered...

Pumpkins and squashes come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and there are hundreds of different kinds of squashes and they all have unique flavors and textures. They are great for carving, but they are even better for cooking. You can make pies, soups, and even glazed pumpkin or squash that are delicious and packed with vitamin C, A, fiber and carotenoids.

Of all the unique squashes I saw this year, I recently discovered the spaghetti squash. It has a mild , delicate flavor and when it is cooked, it looks like thin translucent strands of spaghetti. You can either eat it like its spaghetti (with cheese and marinara) or you can make hash browns with it. But either way, spaghetti squash is a dieter's dream--a four ounce serving only has 37 calories!

Bake: Cut the shell in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and fiber. Pierce the shell all over with a large fork or skewer and place in a baking dish cut side down. Fill with enough water to cover the bottom. Cook in oven at 375 degree
approximately 1 hour or until flesh is tender.

Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns

1 Medium Spaghetti Squash, cooked
1/3 cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Tablespoons Butter or Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Prepare and cook squash (see basic methods above). Mix squash strands with flour and cheese.

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon butter or oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon 1/4 cup of squash mixture into skillet. Form a thick "hash brown" cake.

3. Cook until bottom is lightly browned. Cook until lightly browned.

Source: Spaghetti Squash.

Our Trip to Italy: Rome

2009-10-28T22:32:00.000-07:00

OK, I promise that this is the last post about our vacation. But I have to tell you that I got some great shots of the colosseum and I just have to share them. Out of all the things we saw, seeing the colosseum was our biggest priority. It was quite a site!

I also captured the Spanish Steps...which to my disapointment, were littered with people.

Our Trip to Italy: Assisi

2009-10-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

Assisi is the small beautiful medieval town that is best know for being the birthplace of St. Francis--the patron St. of animals and founder of the Franciscan order. This is also the town that Matt enjoyed most during our trip. After we toured the Basilica of San Francesco, a sacred site built in 1230, he was very pensive. Then he said to me, "If I were to be a Saint, I want to be the
Patron St. of Shenanigans."

Our Trip to Italy: Umbria

2009-10-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

After we left Siena, we raced toward Umbria to find our bed and breakfast before it got too dark. But our bed and breakfast was really far and hidden in the hills. It was pitch black so we could not see anything other than the road in front of us. After what felt like hours of driving through winding roads in the darkness, we finally arrived to what appeared to be a farm. It was too dark to really explore our surrounding and we were exhausted. We didn't waste too much time falling asleep. The next morning when we woke up, we were surprised to find ourselves surrounded by the most breathtaking landscape we had ever layed eyes.

I think the pictures do a pretty good job of describing what we saw.

Our Trip to Italy: Siena

2009-10-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

After two days in Florence, Matthew and I traveled down south towards Umbria. On our way down, we made a stop at the beautiful medieval Tuscan hill top of Siena.

As you can see in the picture below, I was probably taking too many pictures and he started to get a little impatient. But I just wanted to be able to remember everything.

Our Trip to Italy: Florence Part II

2009-10-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

Here are the last few pictures of our visit to Florence. Florence was one of my all time favorite cities. The food was fantastic, the scenery was breath taking, the musuems were intellectually stimulating...I really couldn't complain about anything in Florence...except maybe the driving.

When we first got to Florence, we took a cab to the airport to pick up our rental car. The drive there was very unsettling. The driver sped through tiny hidden street ways packed with parked cars, flew through red lights and barely missed hitting a few vehicles during his haste to take us to the airport. Matt and I began to panic at thought that we would soon be driving through this choas. But we took comfort in knowing that we had upgraded our vacation package to include a GPS navigation system with our rental car. That is, until we found out that the company we booked our rental car, Caesar Hotels Airway Vacations or Sceptre Tours, did not actually reserve a GPS for us. We started to get desperate. We told the guy at the car rental depot that we would pay for a GPS whatever the cost may be. But no, they did not have any more in stock because they were all booked. Our panic escalated. We had no idea how we were going to get to our bed and breakfast. We thought we were going to die. Two extremely stressful hours later, we finally found our bed and breakfast. This of course was after wandering around aimlessly and stopping at various gas stations to ask for directions. We were relieved to finally be able to park the car for 2 days. But I still had a creeping fear of having to drive cross country in a foreign country without a GPS system. In the end things worked out as we got our directions from MapQuest and we eventually got the hand of things. But I will definitely never drive in Europe again, especially when you could use the rail system which is so much better.

*Later we found out that our representative from Caesar Hotels Airway Vacations or Sceptre Tours, had misinformed us. The GPS upgrade is only an option for people booking a package to Ireland. I thought, “Hello! You just sold me an upgrade under false pretenses!” Obviously I was very upset. The representative specifically told me that the advantage of upgrading would be that we would receive a GPS as well as an automatic car. We had lost valuable time, not to mention the undue stress it caused us during our trip and the surprise bill charged on our card from the rental car company when we got home. Needless to say, I very much enjoyed the trip, but if I had to do it again, I would NOT book with Caesar Hotels Airway Vacations again and I would strongly suggest others to avoid them.

Our Trip to Italy: Florence

2009-10-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

So we are back after a glorious week in Italy! It was quite the adventure. And although we ran into a few snags during the trip, things all worked out and we made it back home safely with wonderful memories. I took a great deal of pictures and will not be able to post them all at once. So what I will do is make a series of posts that showcase the trip in each region. Here are a few highlights of Florence. More to come!

French couple receive woman’s 2003 note in a bottle - The Boston Globe

2009-10-02T13:33:00.001-07:00

French couple receive woman’s 2003 note in a bottle - The Boston Globe

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Fish Tacos and Coraline

2009-09-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

When I saw the movie Coraline (Two-Disc Collector's Edition w/ 3D)
, based on Neil Gaiman's book, I was really impressed. It was really beautifully animated, yet creepy--kind of like the Nightmare Before Christmas. I loved the movie, so much that my husband bought me the DVD version and we watched at home in 3D. But I couldn't get enough of the story that I had my husband bring me a copy of the book from the library (this is one of the perks to being married to a librarian). The book was just as creepy and I absolutely loved it.

Coraline [Mass Market Paperback] is a twisted tale about a young girl who discovers an alternate reality where she meets a creature that looks just like her mother, except she has 2 black buttons for eyes and she calls herself her "other mother". In the new world world, Coraline is pleased to find that the "other mother" is eager to shower her with attention and delicious meals unlike her real parents, but she soon realizes that there is something disturbing about her and that the grass is not greener on the other side.

Gaiman does a great job with this story as it is well written. It may be marketed as a children's book, but it is a real treat for adults. But although this might appear to be a good bedtime story for children, keep in mind it is full of dark surprises that can probably cause nightmares.

But enought about this book, let's talk fish. My step father recently went fishing off Langara, an island south of Alaska. He caught and brought home a great deal of fish. I didn't believe my mother at first when she said it tasted like chicken, until she gave me a portion of halibut that I brought home and cooked for myself. It really did kind of taste like chicken. It was so fresh and delicious that it didn't taste like fish at all. My husband doesn't normally like fish but he really liked this one.

Originally I wanted to make macademia nut crusted halibut, but ended up settling for this recipe for fish tacos I found on Martha Stewart's publication, Whole Living Body+Soul. They were delicious.

Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Black Beans

1 tablespoon oil
12 six-inch white-corn tortillas
2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tablepoon hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper
1/4 cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 3/4-inch strips
1 egg
1 cup panko
1 can (15 ounces) black beans
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Wrap tortillas in foil paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Toss in cabbage. Set aside.

3. Beat an egg in a medium bowl. Place bread crumbs on a wide plate. Season fish with salt and pepper. Dip fish in eggs, then on bread crumbs being sure to coat well. Spread fish on an oiled baking sheet (I prefer to spray mine with pam) and drizzle with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. After 10 minutes, add the wrapped tortillas in the oven to warm up.

4. While fish is baking, cook black beans in a medium sauce pan with cumin and chili powder, 5 minutes.

5. Remove fish and tortillas from oven. Arrange tortillas with cabbage, black beans, then fish.

Source: Adapted from Body + Soul Magazine recipe.

Nutella French Toast Bake

2009-09-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

At work we threw a surprise baby shower for one of the girls in our department. It was a breakfast theme so I brought in a delicious Nutella French Toast Bake that I made the night before. Everyone thought it was very tasty so needless to say, it was a big hit! I can’t wait to make it again.

We also made a really beautiful diaper cake that fooled people into thinking it was a real cake! It was so much fun to make and so incredibly easy. Normally a diaper cake costs $100 if your were to buy it, but it is so much cheaper just to make your own and it is so easy to make. I have included the instructional you tube video that we followed to make it.

Nutella French Toast Bake

12 slices day-old white bread
½ cup Nutella hazelnut spread
5 large eggs
¾ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon hazelnut extract

1. To make day-old bread, spread slices of bread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 200 degrees F for 15 minutes.

2. Spread Nutella hazelnut spread on 6 slices of stale bread. Put Nutella slices together with the remaining of slices of bread together forming 6 sandwiches. Arrange slices in a single layer in a oiled 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, salt, hazelnut extract, and melted butter. Pour mixture over sandwiches evenly and turn to coat. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight. Before baking, bring sandwiches to room temperature.

4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Source: Inspired by The Big Book of Breakfast: Serious Comfort Food for Any Time of the Day.

Coconut-Avocado Ice Cream

2009-09-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

My aunt recently bought a cute little condo in Green Valley and to celebrate, she and my cousin invited us over for dinner. They were very excited to show off their new place. For dessert, I decided to bring Coconut-Avocado Ice Cream. I knew well that this ice cream was very delicious, but I was hesistant to tell anyone that it had avocado. I wanted them to taste it first. When my aunt served it to everyone after our meal, everyone was eager to eat it without even bothering to ask what flavor it was. I was glad to see that they all enjoyed it. My aunt said that she didn't care that it had avocado--it was very tasty!

This ice cream is very rich with a pleasant aroma of coconut. The avocado really gives it a creamy texture. It does not have much of a presence in the ice cream in terms of taste, but it helps give it a lovely green color.

Coconut-Avocado Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 can coconut cream
1/2 cup white sugar
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
3/4 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

1. Puree all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and chill for 2 hours.

2. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Source: Coconut-Avocado Ice Cream.

Doggy Paddle and Play Day

2009-09-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today I took Muppet to Doggy Paddle Day at the Multigenerational center near our house. It was soooo much fun! The weather was beatuiful, the dogs were happy, and the air was filled with cheery music by the Beach Boys. There was even a furry friend fortune teller there! He told Muppet, "Something you lost will soon turn up...keep digging!"

Muppet was really excited to see other dogs at the event and he wasted no time in smelling them. Except the dogs that were deep in the water because there was no way he was going in to there to mess up his mohawk. I needed to help him cool down, which I accomplished by pretty much having to drag him into the shallow to at least get his feet wet. Sure he's a poodle and poodle's were bred to be water retrievers...but this little dog was not having any of that. He had to look good for the Owner/Pet Look-A-Like Contest...which we won 1st place!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures as they probably tell a better story than I can write. So I'll leave you with that and this Peanut Butter Bones treat recipe that came with our goodie bag.

Peanut Butter Bones

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup milk
1/4 cup molasses 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose white flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.

2. In a large saucepan, mix together the potatoes, milk molasses, chicken stock and peanu butter. Heat, stirring frequently until boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

3. Add dissolved yeat to potatoe mixture. Gradually blend in the egg, wheat, rye, and rice flours. Add enough flour for a stiff dough.

4. Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth. Shape the dough into a ball and roll until 1/2 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut into biscuits. Place on ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1/4 inch apart.

5. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool overnight.

Source: Unknown.

Visiting A Jewel of A Town

2009-09-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to visit a close friend of mine in Aguanga, CA, a town East of Temecula. She took me to a few little towns where we indulged ourselves in farmer's markets and antique stores. My favorite visit, however, was in a jewel of a town called Julian. Julian is a old Gold Rush town just 1 hour from San Diego. Julian is known for its apple pies and for their romantic bed and breakfasts'.

In the pictures I took, I was able to capture my friends vegetable garden and her very large family. I say large because she is the proud mother to a handsome little boy, a young little goat, 3 happy go lucky dogs, a turtle, 2 clingy cats, and a handful of chickens. I know that I can always find inspiration whenever I visit her and this time was no different. She never ceases to amaze me with her love for nature and all living creatures.

Beautiful Peaches and Twilight

2009-09-10T23:03:00.000-07:00

As a librarian, my husband is always bringing home books on cd. We generally like to load them on our I Pod. Reading is just so passé. Just kidding! No but really, listening to books on CD can be really helpful on productivity. All you do is put on your ear phones and just let your mind wander to a far off place while you leave your body on auto pilot. It really helps numb the pain of doing something totally mundane.

One of the books I have enjoyed tremendously on audio was the Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) series. I did not know what to expect at first, but boy, I was in for a treat! Being able to listen to the story and voices of each character on audio, rather than reading it, made the story seem so vivid and real. I don’t normally like these kinds of teeny bopper stories but with this one…I was totally hooked!

The story at first starts off a little slow and it appears to be bland. However, as the story progresses, you find that you are beginning to feel the same love sick emotions as Bella. When I put the book down, I felt like I was in love, but to no one specifically. It was the book that conjured these emotions. Then in book two New Moon(The Twilight Saga, Book 2)
), Stephanie Meyers takes you on a love roller coaster. During that read, I found myself moping around the house, depressed. Finally, book three Eclipse (The Twilight Saga)
and four Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)
goes off into an adventure (Sci Fi adventure to be quite honest). Everyone else I have spoken with swears that book four was their favorite, but I lost interest. I didn’t even bother to read the end. Nevertheless, book one and two I felt were very powerful. I’ll admit that the writing isn’t that great, but let’s be honest here, the book was meant for a young audience. And even with that, the author is able to provide the reader to experience strong feelings and that makes it a good read.

So, in case you haven’t read Twilight yet, I strongly suggest that you check out the “Hortts Bookstore”, which will allow you to buy it on Amazon.com. Or just check it out at your local library. And be sure to check my “Books I am Reading” icon on the right hand side of this blog for new reads.

Grilled Peaches with Caramelized Sugar

4 peaches cut in half and pit removed
6 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon ground cardamom

1. Turn grill on medium to high heat. On a flat plate, toss sugar and cardamom. Press each peach down into the sugar, flesh side down, until well coated. Grill for 7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized.

Source: Sunday Suppers.

Easy Breezy Banana Bread

2009-09-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

I love this recipe for Banana Bread! It is so easy and quick to make, yet foolproof. You don't even need eggs or shortening so I would venture to say it is a pretty healthy treat. A co-worker of mine brought me a huge box of ripe bananas so I thought it was a great opportunity to have fun with this recipe. I made several batches using white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and coffee flavored chocolate chips. I also added hazelnut extract or chocolate extract to one batch and vanilla extract to another. Every combination was very delish!

Banana Bread

3 very ripe bananas
2 tablespoons soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup white or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts – pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, hazelnut extract, or chocolate extract

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mash bananas in a bowl with a fork. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter. Add mashed bananas, flour, and baking soda. Mix until just combined and moist. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate and nuts.

3. Pour into a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan for 45 minutes or until done. If using a smaller loaf pan, adjust baking time. For muffins, bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Source: Adapted from Divine Domesticity, originally from Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories.

Black Bean Burger

2009-09-03T21:42:00.001-07:00

The first time I ever had a black bean burger was at the Pita Jungle in Tempe, AZ. They are know for serving healthy vegetarian meals and the black bean burger was one of their most popular dishes. It was SO delicious and I almost couldn't tell that there was no meat in it. Since my last bite, I have been trying to re-create it ever since.

Finally after a few years of trying to perfect my creation of the black bean burger, I finally found a great recipe. It has the right amount of spices and it is very filling, yet healthy. You can either grill the patty (which I liked better) or you can bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Also, if you add a roasted sweet bell pepper on top of the cooked patty, it really makes the flavor pop!

Black Bean Burger

1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1-2 cups bread crumbs

1. Pre-heat grill for high heat. Lightly oil grates. In a food processor, finely chop onion and garlic.

2. In a medium sized bowl, mash beans. Stir in cumin, chili powder, and hot sauce. When well combined, add in onion mixture. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Pour eggs into bean mixture and gradually mix in bread crumbs until mixture is sticky and holds its shape. Divide into patties.

4. Place patties in a sheet of aluminum foil and grill for 8 minutes on each side.

Source: Adapted from LAURENMU

Cheddar Frittata and Julia Child

2009-08-31T22:13:00.000-07:00

I never knew who Julia Child was until the movie Julie & Julia came out. When I saw the movie, I was completely charmed. Julia Child was an amazing woman and an inspiration. Although cooking was considered an art mostly dominated by men in France, she graduated as a chef from the Le Cordon Bleu and immersed herself in French cuisine. She showed American women that cooking could be a fulfillment and not an obligation. In some ways she was also a feminist and she didn’t even know it. It was uncommon for women in the 1940’s to find love later in life, but Julie fell in love and married in her thirties. After reading her book, “My life in France”, I felt very inspired by Julia’s love for the French. It was as though French food awoke a great passion inside her and some where along the line she had found herself in France.

I really enjoyed “My life in France” and anyone that is a foodie would very much enjoy it. I feel that in at my young age, I have not had that passion awake in me yet. But when I think about Julie Child and her story, I hope and look forward to finding my passion very soon. Bon Apetit!

Cheddar Frittata

1/2 pound potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
8 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package frozen chopped broccli, thawed and patted dry

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.In a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, toss potatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 10 minutes. Toss again and roast for another 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

2. In a medium bowl, whish eggs, milk, mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cheddar and broccli.

3. Pour egg mixture over roasted potatoes and distribute evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Everyday Food.

A Manifesto and Pineapple Sorbet

2009-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

I think I am becoming a serious food snob because the thought of eating food out of a box makes me cringe. Every time I taste food, I always wonder if it is made from scratch. And if it is not, I start thinking about the preservatives.

I am convinced that it is the preservatives in food that is so fattening, not the food itself. The more I think about preservatives, the more I distrust the common brands you see at the super market. Large food companies save so much money by adding preservatives to their food products so that they will stay on grocery shelves longer. It is the hydrogenated oils that start accumulating around our waist. And it is those preservatives that compromise the quality of the taste (Yeah, I’m talking about high fructose corn syrup!), but nobody can tell the difference because we as a consumer have become so accustomed to the taste.

Today I ate store bought ice cream and I could tell that the taste wasn’t as rich as it should be...and I kept wondering why it was so yellow. Mine never came out looking that yellow when I made it at home. I kept thinking to myself “I hope it wasn't made out of margarine”. Silly isn't it? Ice Cream doesn't even have margarine. But the color reminded me of it. Bleech!

Its funny because these strange thoughts never crossed my mind before. But it all started when I began to cook from scratch. I am beginning to notice that the more I cook from scratch, the more I can note a difference in the quality of the food and taste. Every time I discover a recipe for something that I can make from home such as my own butter, ricotta cheese, vinaigrette, bread, extracts, ice cream… or all-purpose solution, laundry and dish washing detergent… or dog food… the more I realize that you can make ANYTHING at home. So why as a society have we become so dependent on brand name products?? I think we have allowed ourselves to become so incredibly lazy. We say we buy these things because it is a trade off and we are purchasing the convenience of not having to make our own homemade food or products. But as a result, we have sacrificed our health. And the more we become loyal and dependent on brands, the more we get fatter and sicker.

That is not what I want for my family. I want to be able to control the ingredients that go into our bodies to ensure to the best of my ability that they are wholesome and healthy. From here on out, I vow that I will do my best to make my own food and house hold cleaners. I know this will not always be possible, but I will try and I will share each experience on this blog for anyone else out there interested in doing the same.

On that note, here is a great recipe for Pineapple sorbet. It was quite delicious and each spoonful was a burst of juicy pineapple flavor. The texture was not smooth, but more of a cold fine powder. This was definitely a refreshing treat to enjoy in the heat!

Pineapple Sorbet

1/2 pineapple peeled and cut in chunks
8-10 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup water

1. Puree pineapple chunks in a blender. Add sugar and water until smooth. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Source: Annie's Eats.

Mexican Style Strata

2009-08-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. It is important as it helps get your metabolism started early in the day and restores glucose levels. But the thing I enjoy the most about breakfast is that it is so good and easy to make.

A co-worker of mine gave me a loaf of Italian bread and I immediately knew I wanted to make strata with it. Strata basically consist of bread, cheese, and egg custard. You can also add other ingredients like bacon, ham, turkey and/or vegetables. But the real beauty of the strata is that it requires day old bread. This can include French bread, English Muffins, Sourdough bread or any kind of bread you may have. Once I discovered how to make strata, I stopped throwing out stale dry bread and instead salvage it for a good breakfast (or even dinner as it can be very hardy).

A strata is best when made the night before. It needs to be refrigerated overnight so that it can allow the bread to soak up the egg-milk mixture, which will result in a fluffy bread pudding consistency. It also needs day old or dry bread, which can easily be done by placing the bread slices in the oven on a baking sheet and toasting in a 200 degree F oven for 15 minutes. It is also best to use whole milk or half-and-half for a richer strata.

Mexican Style Strata

10 slices sourdough French bread, cut in large cubes (I used Italian bread as shown in picture)
3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese (Or use any cheese. I used mozzarella in picture)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast (optional)
2 cups medium salsa
1 cup sliced green onions
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles, drained (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Guacamole and sour cream for topping (optional)

1. In a lightly sprayed or oil a 9-by-13 inch baking dish or casserole dish, arrange the bread. It is ok if the bread overlaps. Sprinkle a generous layer of cheese, chicken (optional), salsa, green onions, and beans.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with milk, chiles (optional), salt, and pepper to taste. Egg-milk mixture evenly on top of bread. Cover and refreigerate overnight.

3. Remove strata from fridge and set aside for 10 minutes or until room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes uncovered. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with guacamole and sour cream.

Source: The Big Book of Breakfast: Serious Comfort Food for Any Time of the Day

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

2009-08-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

This ice cream was so great! At first I wasn't sure if it was going to come through since I was short a few ingredients (as usual)--I only had 2 egg yolks on hand instead of the six that the recipe called for and the mixture just was not thickening. Also, I may have over cooked the custard, but it stll tasted delicious in the end! Just as good as the store bought quality ice cream. The only flaw was that the texture was crumbly instead of creamy, but that may have been because I added too many oreos. But nobody seemed to mind that. The more oreos the merrier!

Cookies And Cream Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 egg yolks (should be 6 egg yolks)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon chocolate extract
15 Oreos chopped and crumbled

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and cream until warm and bubbles form around the edges. Remove saucepan from heat and slowly pour milk mixture in to the bowl of eggs while whisking.

2. Pour combined mixture back into saucepan over medium heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Whisk until mixture begins to thicken, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.

3. Remove mixture from refrigerator and add chopped oreos. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn/freeze acording to manufacturer's instructions.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eat's, orginally from Pennis on a Platter.

Watermelon Limeade

2009-08-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

From the Salpicon recipe I last made, I still had a big watermelon left over to use. There are so many beautiful tasty things you can create with a watermelon, but for this post, I decided to go with a watermelon limeade recipe that I found on Martha Stewart's website. Oh Martha, you have so many fabulous recipes to choose from!

But I have to admit, at first, I was a little nervous as to how it was going to taste. But it was quite refreshing and satisfying. I will definitely be making this again. I am sorry I ever doubted you Martha!

Obviously from the picture, I still have a hunk of watermelon still left over. Maybe I will just have to make watermelon pops with it...

Watermelon Limeade

6 cups chopped seedless watermelon
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
Ice cubes for serving (optional)

1. Puree watermelon in a blender with lime/lemon juice. Mix sugar until well combined. Transfer to a pitcher and serve.

Source: Martha Stewart.

Enrichment Night: A Class on Wheat Bread

2009-08-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

I am probably not the most qualified person to talk about food, since for many years I did not enjoy it. But I just wanted to share a quick note about myself regarding my journey as a foodie. When I was growing up, I was a very picky eater. My parents always openly shared stories of what a nightmare I was as a child during meal times. In high school, I think my friends secretly felt the same way.

But as I got older, I began to notice the power of food. Food would often bring my friends and me together during lunch dates. Food also brought my family and me together during the holidays. And most importantly, food would always bring my family (myself included), to my mother’s house. My mother always makes food in great abundance because she never knows who is going to stop by hungry. Food was always bringing me closer to the people I cared most about.

And as I fell in love when I was in college, my fondness for food became even stronger. When I was dating Matthew (now my husband), I began to understand food as a love language. Since I was very happy during our courtship, food became a positive association. I found myself looking forward to meal times. When invited to eat dinner at his parents’ house, there was so much love and happiness in their home that I think it made the food taste that much better.

Now that I am married and starting my own family, I am beginning to fully appreciate the power that food has in bringing people closer together and the comfort that it provides to many. And it is this realization that has fueled my love for recipe hunting and cooking. Nothing seems better than sharing a meal with the people you love.

But enough about me, let’s talk bread. For enrichment night at our ward, we had a bread making class and the President of Relief Society, Heather Lusvardi, did a wonderful presentation at her home. With her permission, I was able to take pictures of her making the bread step by step, from grinding the wheat to flour all the way to baking the bread. She has also allowed me to post her recipe, which is really fantastic because it skips the step where you have to let the bread rise. So instead of spending 3 hours making bread, Heather’s recipe only takes 1.5 hours to make.

The class was very informative and educational. I learned that after grinding the wheat grains into flour, it loses its nutrients with every passing day. So after you bake the bread, its nutritional value is strongest within the first of couple days. It is for this reason that bread that is bought at the store is not as nutritious as homemade bread because it sits in the shelves for long periods of time (it also contains preservatives to elongate its shelf life). You can also up the nutritious potency of your home made bread by adding beans to the grinder for more protein (a great way to use your food storage beans) or just adding 7 grains to the dough. For the bread that was made in the picture, Sister Lusvardi added Millet to the dough for that pleasant crunch. Another interesting concept I learned was that if you buy your yeast in bulk from Costco or Sam’s Club, you can store it in the freezer and it will keep indefinitely. This is a great food storage tip.

As you can see in the first couple of pictures, Sister Lusvardi has some really fun gadgets that she uses to make the bread (wheat grinder and bosch mixer). I have put those two items on my Christmas list. Hopefully as soon as Santa brings them to me, I will start making my own home made bread.

Thanks for sharing your recipe Sister Lusvardi!

Wheat Bread Using Red Wheat

Mix together:
3 cups whole wheat flour (made from griding Red wheat)
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

Add:
3 cups warm water (115 degrees. Any higher and yeast will die)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey (use same measuring cup used for oil)
4 tablespoons powdered buttermilk or 1/4 cup powdered milk
Mix well and let sit for 15 minutes

Add:
1/4 cup wheat gluten
3/4 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix well, knead for 10 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of bowl and be slightly sticky. Form 2 loaves and slap down against clean countertop to remove any air bubbles. Pinch sides of dough and put each loaf in a pan. Place into preheated oven at 250 degrees F for 20 minutes or until double in size. Turn heat to 350 degrees F and cook for another 20-22 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and mist top of each loaf with water or butter for a soft crust.

Source: Heather Lusvardi

Blueberry Coffe Cake Muffins

2009-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

I didn’t get very much sleep Friday night. I could hear my dog Muppet’s collar jingling all night long as he scratched himself desperately. It was like he had an itch that was driving him crazy. On Saturday morning, Muppet woke up with a bald spot around his eye. It was pink and raw. He had been scratching at it incessantly as well as his ears. I thought for sure he must have an ear infection, so I made an appointment with the vet. As I prepared breakfast, I decided I wanted to make blueberry muffins before I took Muppet to the vet. I had 7 pints of blueberries in the fridge that I had bought for .99 cents each using the price match deal.

As I opened each pint, I kept thinking of all the recipes I could make with the remaining blueberries after I baked muffins. I thought of blueberry pops, blueberry tarts, blueberry pies, blueberry sorbet, and blueberry jam…so many choices… I loved blueberries. They are so delicious and full of those healthy antioxidants. While I rinsed each pint, I caught the faint aroma of the fresh berry.

After rinsing most of the berries with a paper towel, I somehow managed to lose a few. Muppet is always looking to see what will fall and he immediately saw the couple of berries I lost. I didn’t think much of it since berries are not harmful to dogs. He sensed this and happily helped himself to the fallen berries. Muppet isn’t terribly picky—-he is an opportunistic eater.

So I prepared the muffin batter and put in the fridge. I left in a rush and took Muppet to the vet. Although I knew he didn't have a bad odor coming from his ear or any gooey stuff, I figured the ear infection would be the only plausible explanation for the scratching. But as it turns out, he was fine. He just had really bad allergies, explained the vet. So she prescribed some pills/ointment, sent me back home, and I went about the rest of my day.

Later that night, hubby came home from work and found the blueberry muffins. He enjoyed them very much and after a full stomach, he sat on the couch to watch TV. He strectched his arm under the pillow of the couch and upon doing so felt an odd sticky wetness. When he sat up to look at it, his gaze turned to the mashed up goo of blueberries that were plastered on the armrest. Guess I should have paid more attention to where Muppet went to eat the blueberries (wha wha wha!).

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pint (11 ounces) fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl, sift flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs one at a time, vanilla, sour cream and milk.

3. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in berries and mix.

4. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans (my pan only held 12). Scoop batter into muffin pans using 1/4 cup. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Choconut Crazy Pecan Ice Cream

2009-08-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

The last time I went to get ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s, I tried to order my favorite flavor, Coconut Almond Fudge Chip, only to find out to my horror that they had discontinued it. To my knowledge, that flavor didn’t exist anywhere else. Where on earth was going to get my fix?! I couldn’t believe it. I would never ever taste my favorite dessert ever again…until today. I give you, Choconut Crazy Pecan Ice Cream!

I was extremely pleased at how this ice cream turned out. Even my husband loved it…and I don’t think he even knew he would soon become a fan of coconut ice cream. So because of how spectacular it turned out, I thought it would be worthy of submitting this entry to the Got Milk? blog event held by Linda of Make Life Sweeter!. This blogging event was held to commemorate World Breast Feeding Week. Today is the last day as the event was being held from August 1-7, 2009. Although I have no children and I have never nursed, when I read the press release for this event, I felt touched by this movement and I somehow wanted to be part of this campaign. I can recall my mother telling me proudly that she had breast fed both my sister and that she knows breastfeeding was one of the reasons we turned out so healthy. I cannot imagine that nourishment being taken away from babies around the world, especially during emergencies due to lack of support. Nursing mothers need to be able to have priority access to food and water.

I hope to someday be able to nurse my own children for the six months that they need it. I am aware that it can be difficult, but I also know that there are many benefits that come out of breastfeeding. Linda does a great job of outlining the benefits of breastfeeding in this post.

Choconut Crazy Pecan Ice Cream

2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup coconut flakes, toasted
8 eggs yolks
1 teaspoon Pure Chocolate Extract 8 oz.
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup condensed milk
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
Pink of salt

1. Turn oven to 300 degrees. Spread cocnut flakes on a spread sheet and toast for approximately 10 minutes. Take out and let cool. Set coconut flakes aside. Repeat the process with the pecans.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until well combined.

3. Bring milk, heavy cream, coconut milk, and condensed milk to simmer in saucepan. Heat until bubbles form around the edges of the saucepan, approximately 8 minutes. Slowly add the milk mixture into the bowl of whipped eggs, while whisking to prevent curdling. Return all back into the saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken.

4. Stir in chocolate extract, coconut, and pecans. Let cool and cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.

5. Once chilled, add the bittersweet chocolate. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Source: Inspired by Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Almond fudge and Food Network.

Baked Ziti Pasta

2009-08-05T21:43:00.001-07:00

I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats and I just had to try it for dinner. I thought of my husband when I first saw it because he really enjoys pasta. This recipe was very delicious and very hearty. My husband espcially liked it, but it was a little bit too heavy for me. Still, I will proabably make it again.

Baked Ziti Pasta

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon table salt
Pinch white pepper
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
1 lb Ziti pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 - 2 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce (reserve a ½ cup)
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and then pasta; lower heat and simmer until almost al dente. Drain pasta and set aside. Whisk eggs and parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and whole milk. Set aside.

3. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until softened. Add ground turkey and brown. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano. Simmer about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Once cooled, stir in basil, sugar, salt and pepper.

4. In a large pot over medium heat, whisk cornstarch and milk until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add egg/parmesan mixture. Continue to whisk until combined. Transfer the ground turkey mixture into the pot and simmer until thickened, 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the pasta and toss in the sauce.

5. Transfer the pasta to a 9 x 13” baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

6. Remove foil and cook for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Cool for 15 minutes and serve.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats.

Green Cleaning: All-Purpose Cleaner

2009-08-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

Unlike most commercial cleaning brands, “soft chemistry” products are cheaper, safer and environmentally friendly. They are a natural alternative to chemical cleaning that do the same effective job without giving you a nasty allergic reaction. But the best part of all is that you can make them right in your kitchen, so you know exactly what goes into them.

One of the most common cleaners I use is the all-purpose surface cleaner. It works great on kitchen countertops, toilet seats, sinks and just about anything else you can think of--all while deodorizing bad smells. All you need is vinegar and essential oils. The acetic acid in the vinegar is what helps get the tough job done coupled with the disinfectant properties of an essential oil. It is non-toxic and will keep indefinitely. So get rid of your old household cleaner and go green with this fresh alternative.

All-Purpose Cleaner

1 pint of distilled white vinegar
20-30 drops of essential

Essential Oils with disinfectant properties include:
Eucalyptus Oil
Tea Tree Oil
Grapefruit Seed Extract

OR try bacteria fighting herb essential oils such as:
Lavender
Rosemary
Sage
Mint

1. Pour vinegar into an empty spray bottle and add drops of essential oil. Shake well before every use. No need to rinse. If vinegar smell is too strong, you may also add 1 cup of water to dilute.

Source: Home Hints and Tips and
Annie B. Bond.

Salpicon (Non-Alcoholic Fruit Cocktail)

2009-08-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I went grocery shopping and paid some really amazing low prices on fruits. The orginal plan was to go to my grandmother's house to make empanadas, but it was just too hot to fry outside (It was probably around 107 degrees which is normal Las Vegas temperature during the summer). We rarely fry inside the house since the smell will linger for days. So I justed payed them a short visit and caught up on stories. Since grandma works at a grocery store, she likes to check on me to make sure I am not paying too much for groceries. And when I do pay too much, she scolds me and reminds me that I need to buy using 'price-match' at the store she works...otherwise I am just throwing money away. She knows all the best deals that are available--we call her the Price-Match Queen. So, at the end of my visit, grandma stuffed my purse with grocery ad deals and sent me on my way to shop.

It was pretty exhilerating to get a grocery cart full of fruits for less than $20. I was able to bring home watermelon, peaches, green grapes, granny smith apples, papaya, a pineapple, plums and a few other things. I kept trying to think up recipes that would use up all the fruit. My husband and I have to eat it pretty quick before it goes bad. And then I had a faint memory of myself, five years old, enjoying a delicious Colombian fruit cocktail (non-alcoholic of course) that I drank when we used to live in Miami, FL.

Salpicon is one of my favorite fruit drinks. It is so refreshing and a real treat! You can also eat it as a dessert topped with vanilla ice cream and condensed milk. Joy!!

Salpicon

Fruit Cocktail
4 cups Passion fruit juice drink (or any other fruity drink)
6 cups of assorted fruit cut into bite sized sqaures
Assorted fruits include:
Pineapples, Apples, Seedless grapes, Peaches, Bannanas, and Watermelon

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir.

Dessert

1. Pour fruit cocktail in a glass. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with condensed milk.

Source: Adapted from My Colombian Recipes.

Sourdough Crepes

2009-07-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to make perfectly thin crepes, but somehow could not get it right. This time, in an attempt at making sourdough pancakes, I ended up with beautifully crafted crepes! I must say I was quite proud of them. All I had to do was leave out some of the ingredients, skip a few instructions and voila! You get crepes. They were delicious and they went very well with my cinnamon honey butter.

Sourdough Crepes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup fresh milk
1/4 cup salad oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup sourdough starter batter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Melted butter or margarine
2 cups whole milk
2 large fresh eggs

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sourdough starter batter, and buttermilk; beat until blended.

2. Beat together the eggs, milk, and oil. Add this to the flour mixture and stir into batter.

3. Combine sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter, then let stand for about 5minutes.

4. Get your pancake griddle ready to go. Coat lightly with melted butter or margarine. Pour batter onto griddle using a 1/3 measuring cup.

Source: Adapted from Yankee Grocery Recipes.

Sourdough Starter

2009-07-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Before there was store bought yeast, there was “sourdough starter”. A fermented mix of grain and water used to create dough. During the late 1800’s, pioneers traveling the Western US used to carry “sourdough starter” in order to make bread. They were very dependent on it as a food source and many families would pass it down from generation to generation.

I am happy to say that I recently received a very special sourdough starter from my mother. I say ‘special’ because it is approximately 100 years old! I was excited to receive it because I know that if it is properly cared for, you can make really fantastic bread. It will be like eating a piece of history. Because starter is wild yeast, it can be very unpredictable. But with patience and proper care, it can be very rewarding. Here is what I found out about how to care for your starter:

Storing
1. When you receive your sourdough starter, be sure to keep it in a clean glass jar. Cover it with plastic wrap. If you use a lid, be sure it is loose. The starter releases gasses when it is feeding and they need to escape. if the jar is too tight, it can explode.
2. Keep your starter in the fridge if you are not going to use it. The cold will slow down its metabolism.
3. Feed your starter about every 2 weeks. Chances are starter will be fine if you don’t feed it every 2 weeks, but you don’t want to risk leaving it at the brink of death either.

Feeding
1. Check to see if there is any dark liquid at the top of the jar. The dark liquid is called Hooch and it is alcohol produced by the starter after it is done feeding. The dark liquid is also a good indication that your starter needs to be fed. Too much alcohol content can kill your starter, so if it is very dark, pour it off. Otherwise mix it with a sanitized wooden or plastic spoon. Stainless steel utensils are ok, but not any other metals as it can kill the starter.
2. Pour your starter into a medium sized glass bowl. Ad 1/2 a cup of water and whisk. Then add ½ cup of flour and whisk again.
3. Cover the bowl and place in a warm dark place for 12 hours. I like to put mine in the microwave over night.
4. In the morning, you’ll notice the starter will be double the size. If you plan to cook with it, remove 1 cup of the starter for use and store the rest back in the fridge. Be sure to feed the remaining starter before putting back in the fridge. It will need 1 cup of water and 1 cup of flour.

These basic instructions should help keep the starter happy. If well cared for, the starter can live indefinitely. I plan to make sourdough pancakes in my next post so check back soon for the recipe!

For more information on how to make care for your starter or make your own, check this informative website or this.

Vanilla Lemonade

2009-07-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

I went to a bakery downtown in Las Vegas and they had the best lemonade I had ever tasted. I made every effort to get the server to reveal some of the ingredients of the lemonade. The secret? Vanilla sugar. Now where on earth do you get vanilla sugar? Well after much research, I found that there really isn't a recipe for vanilla sugar. But there are two ways to make your own. 1) Bury a cleaned and dried vanilla bean in a container holding 2 cups of sugar. Cover container tightly and put aside for 1 week. The vanilla bean will be good as long as it is fragrant and you can replenish the sugar as it is used. Or, 2) take the cleaned and dried vanilla bean and mix with 2 cups of sugar in a food processor on high. Once you have vanilla sugar, you can make vanilla lemonade!

Vanilla Lemonade

6 juicy fresh lemons
3/4 cup of vanilla sugar
6 cups of water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 of a vanilla bean

1. Stir together 3/4 cups of sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan on low heat. Using a sharp knife, slice a vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds from the skin using the edge of the knife. Add seeds and vanilla bean into saucepan. Remove when sugar is dissolved and let cool. This will be your simple syrup.

2. Juice 6 lemons over a bowl. Run the liquid through a sieve to remove any seeds. Add lemon concentrate, simple syrup, 5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the pitcher. Stir well.

3. Taste mixture. Adjust sweetness with more sugar or use more water if too sweet.

4. Serve over tall glasses with ice and enjoy!

Source: Myself.

The Loved Dog

2009-07-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

My husband got me this book on CD and I really enjoyed it. I am a first time new pet owner and as such, I want to know how to be the best Mommy I can be for my dog Muppet. This book has really helped me to better understand how dogs think and Tamar Geller, with her loving training tips, shows you how to build trust with your dog in a way that is nonagressive. You can have a great relationship with your pet without having to use choke chains, shock collars, and any other tools that would break your dogs spirit.

I have applied many of Tamar Geller's methods to train Muppet and they have been very successful. My favorite tool has been the three levels of positive reinforcement hierarchy--bronze, silver and gold treats. The bronze reward can be a small treat that is used when your dog does something he has already learned and does well. Silver treats are used when the stakes of learning are a little bit higher. Gold treats are used so that your dog can perform when the stakes are high. I use pieces of turkey bacon or chicken as Gold treats to get Muppet to do whatever I want or to get him to learn something new that is difficult. Once he learns the behavior or cue, I reward him randomly so that he can stay interested--this is called the Las Vegas method. The dog should receive a lot of treats on random occasions only -- as if it had just won the jackpot. This method also works effectively on tourists, I would know, I live in Las Vegas!!

The gold treats have worked wonders on Muppet when we give him a bath. He gets so excited about the chicken he is going to receive that he doesn't even realize that he is in water. I have even been able to blow dry his fur without a fuss using the gold treats!!

Pesto Pasta

2009-07-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

The last time I tried making pesto was a couple years ago and it was not very appetizing. The recipe called for spinach leaves instead of basil and it was a disaster. I also added raw garlic and it just over powered the taste. I thought that would be the last of my pesto making days. But recently I got brave and decided I would try it again. This time I used basil. I combined the pesto with simple pasta and it was DELICIOUSO! I was a little afraid with the garlic so I was conservative with the portion. I was very pleased with the outcome. It tasted great. My only complaint was that I was a cup short of basil. For next time, I’ll be sure to have more basil on hand and maybe I’ll get a little braver with garlic. This dish would also go great with cooked cubes of chicken.

Pesto

2 cloves of garlic, with peels
¼ cup of pine nuts
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed thoroughly
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch table salt
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1. Toast pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant—2 minutes. Be careful as the pine nuts burn easily. Remove from skillet. Add unpeeled garlic to the empty skillet and toast, shaking the pan occasionally—5 minutes. Let cool, then peel. Transfer pine nuts and garlic to the food processor.

2. Place the basil in a bag. Roll over with a rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised. Process pine nuts and garlic until finely chopped. Add all remaining pesto ingredients, except Parmesan, and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, stir in the cheese and pinch of salt.

3. Combine with al dente pasta and serve. Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Annies Eats

Cherry Garcia Frozen Custard

2009-07-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

With all the cherries that I have on hand, I decided that I absolutely had to try and make a Ben & Jerries ice cream copy cat--Cherry Garcia. I don't have an ice cream maker of my own, but my mother-in-law was kind enough to let me borrow hers. With the ice cream maker in my possession, I have been feeling giddy all week...as though I had just unwrapped a christmas gift. I was very excited to make ice cream for the first time ever and I was determined to make great ice cream on my first try. Originally I had planned to follow the recipe exactly, but the 2 raw eggs that it called for kind of threw me off. Raw eggs? It just kind of screamed, "Salmonella"! I decided to improvise by cooking the eggs. The end result--frozen custard!

Cherry Garcia Frozen Custard

1/2 cup of bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted and quartered (mine were frozen)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (vitamin D milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy. Continue whisking and add the sugar, a little at a time. Whisk until completely blended.

2. Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until bubbles form around the edges. Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.

3. Pour mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture is thickened. Stir in vanilla extract. Let cool and then cover. Chill in refrigerator until completely chilled (2 hours).

4. Once the mixture is well chilled, fold in chocolate and cherries. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Source: Adapted from Annies Eats.

Cherries, cherries and more cherries!

2009-07-11T23:21:00.001-07:00

On Friday I went home with a 20lb box of cherries that came straight from a farm in Utah. I had placed the order a few months back after I received an email from my church that someone from Utah was going to be arriving to Vegas with a large shipment of cherries. I wasn’t prepared to have so many cherries since I didn’t think my order went through and I quickly forget about it. But when I got the call that my shipment had arrived, I decided to go with it. I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to start exercising my food storage skills. But it was probably more than I had bargained for...

So I decided to make a cherry salsa that I have been dying to make for some time. It turned our great! I topped it on some grilled chicken and the cherries made all the difference in the taste. The only thing that I would add for next is the cilantro.

Grilled Chicken with Cherry Salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for grates
2 cups Bing cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or lemon juice
1/2 tablespoongarlic salt
coarse salt and pepper for taste
4 chicken breasts

1 Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. In a medium bowl, combine cherries, onions, cilantro (optional), and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine; set salsa aside.

2 In a small bowl, stir together garlic salt, olive oil and pepper. Dip chicken in mixture and coat well.

3 Grill chicken until done. Be sure not to overcook. Serve chicken topped with cherry salsa.

Source: Adapted from Everyday Food, June 2008

Muppet Graduates from Puppy School

2009-07-09T21:17:00.001-07:00

Hooray! Muppet graduated from puppy obedience school. He is on his way to becoming a well mannered little pup. I entered Muppet in obedience school when he was about 5 months old and he has really picked up the lessons quickly. The classes were a lot of fun and it gave us a great opportunity to bond. Here are some of the tips and tricks that I learned:

Watch Me: Most dogs do not like to make eye contact. In the dog world, eye contact usually indicates a confrontation. However, we can teach our dog’s that eye contact is ok. Here’s how I taught Muppet:

• I hold a treat right next to my eye and say, “Muppet, Watch Me”.
• When Muppet looks at me, I reward him with a small treat.

Sit: Before I could teach Muppet any trick, he had to learn to sit. This is the basic building block to all the other tricks. Here’s how Muppet learned to sit:

• I put a treat between my thumb and index finger.
• I hold the treat slightly in front of Muppet’s nose.
• I slowly lift the treat above Muppet’s head – this will force him to look up.
• As Muppet looks up, he automatically sits.
• I reward him with the treat for sitting.
• Once Muppet picked up the hand signal, I added the cue word “sit”.

Lay: Teaching Muppet to lie down was very easy. Usually everyone knows this trick as ‘down’. I had to switch the cue to ‘lay’ instead because I had already taught Muppet that ‘down’ meant to get off the couch or bed.

• I start Muppet with the sit position.
• I hold a treat between my thumb and forefinger.
• I keep the treat close to Muppet’s nose, and slowly lower my hand to the floor—Muppet usually follows my hand down.
• When Muppet assumes the lay position, I reward him with the treat.

Once Muppet started to pick up all the tricks, I started to reward him randomly instead of consistently. That way he never knows when there might be a treat, but it keeps him interested. I also shower him with ALOT of praise.

Welcome to my new blog!

2009-07-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to start a blog for quite some time but was too intimidated by the idea of it all. A few night ago I decided to take the plunge and here we are! I will be posting pictures, book reviews, recipes, and most importantly stories about our dog Muppet. Enjoy!