Pasta- good enough for a restaurant

Pasta- such an easy way to please people.  Especially when you need to cook for a lot of people, it's easy to make a lot of it.  + Pesto- the best thing ever made with fresh basil.  Although this is not the cheapest recipe on my blog, if you are cooking for a special occasion, or want to make something that tastes like something you'd eat sitting at a gourmet restaurant, then tie on your apron and get ready to cook my Pesto Pasta!

Ingredients (amounts will vary on amount of people.  This is for 4 servings)

Pasta- you can use any kind, but I used 2 packages of fresh linguini found in the fridge section
Chicken- 3 raw chicken breasts chopped in nugget sized pieces and marinated in a little olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper
Prosciutto- 3 slices from the deli- sliced into small strips (it may look raw, but because of how it's cured you don't need to cook it.)
Pine nuts- toasted in a pan until golden brown
Pesto- you can buy this fresh in the fridge section by the pasta, or feel free to make your own if you grow basil!
Sun dried tomatoes- grab a jar of them that are in olive oil, they are more moist and flavorful.  Chop several into thin slices

Cook pasta, fry chicken in pan til golden brown and cooked through.  Toss pasta and pesto together.  Serve on plate and sprinkle with chicken pieces, prosciutto, pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes.  The thing about this dish is that everything adds a little something to it, a different texture, and a different flavor, but everything goes so well together! 

Strawberry Pretzel = Magical

One of our family favorites at holidays is what we like to call Strawberry Pretzel (or Strawberry Pretzel Salad). It may sound strange at first, but it will change your life when you put that first bite in your mouth.  Just as a clarification too- this is not a dessert, but a side dish.  Jello salads are always a side dish.  Now please prepare to have your tastebuds changed forever!

This is from my Aunt Kathy:

2 cups crushed pretzels

3/4 c melted butter

1 (8 oz. ) pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 (8 oz. ) cool whip

2 small or one large package strawberry jello

2 cups boiling water

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen strawberries (I get the frozen sliced ones)

1. Mix crushed pretzels with melted butter.  Spread in 9 x 13 inch glass dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool completely.
2. Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, and Cool Whip with hand mixer.  
3. Spread over cooled pretzel crust.  It is essential to spread to edges and make a “seal” over the pretzels.  Otherwise the jello will seep down and make the pretzels soggy and yucky.
4. Cool in refrigerator.
5. Mix Jello and boiling water, add frozen strawberries. Cool til room temperature. Pour over cream cheese layer.
6. Chill until jello is firm.
7. To serve, cut into squares.
8. Enjoy!    YUM!           

The secrets of an ice cream cake

Everyone loves ice cream, and everyone loves cakes.  But an ice cream cake?  So much better.  When you go to a store (unless you want to spend the big bucks) you normally have very limited options of flavors for this delicious frozen dessert.  The trick is- to spend way less money, and get the flavors you want!  It is not hard at all, but there are a few steps that are very important.

Step # 1:  Pick out 2 of your favorite ice creams-  in this picture I used cookies and cream and mint chocolate chip.
Step # 2: Grab a box of cookies- oreos, grasshoppers (the chocolate covered chocolate mint cookies like Girl Scout Thin Mints)  chocolate chip, graham crackers.  Crush them up in a gallon ziploc bag.
Step # 3:  Get out 2 round cake pans and some sturdy non-stick foil.  Line both pans with the foil
Step # 4:  Press cookie pieces in bottom of both pans.  (If you are using graham crackers or some other dry cookie you may want to mix them with a few tablespoons of melted butter or chocolate to help them stick together better.
Step # 5:  Take out ice creams and let them soften enough so you can stir them and spread them in the pans on top of the cookie crust but not so much that it's liquid.  You may add in chopped strawberries, pieces of cookie dough, nuts, chopped candy bars, more crushed oreos or pretty much anything you find delicious
Step # 6:  Carefully spread one of your types of ice cream in one pan, and the other flavor in the other pan.  Freeze them for several hours, but not all day or all night, or they will be very hard to slice.
Step # 7:  Make whipped cream.  Cool Whip does hold up better than fresh whipped cream and doesn't melt, but doesn't taste quite as good.  Whichever you choose will work.  If you are making it- Beat a large container of whipping cream with a tsp of vanilla and some stevia or powdered sugar (til sweet enough) until it looks the consistency of whipped cream
Step # 8:  Once the ice cream pans are frozen solid, take one out and leave the other one in.  Flip it upside-down onto a plate and carefully peel off the foil.  Flip back onto a plate so the cookie part is on the plate.  Stick this plate back into the freezer and take out the second pan and repeat.  Stick this plate back into the freezer and take out the first one, spreading quickly the whipped cream on the top and replacing in the freezer.  Repeat with the second.
Step # 9:  The most important part is to leave the cake in the freezer until right when you are going to serve it, because it begins to melt within minutes.  Take out both pieces and stack one on top of the other, frosting the sides with whipped cream.  Replace in freezer until ready to eat- hopefully soon!

You may of course press cookie pieces around the entire cake, but just remember to keep putting it back in the freezer when it starts to melt.  They taste absolutely delicious, and it's awesome that you can make them however you please!

** To make this easier, you can always make it in a 9x13 inch pan.  Just put cookie pieces right in bottom of pan (leave out foil) and spread the ice cream on top.  Freeze and top the whole thing with whipped cream. This is faster and won't melt so easy (and won't make a mess), it just depends on how you want it to look, but the taste will be the same.**

The Best thing since sliced bread

Bread. One of the oldest foods in the whole word, and we are still eating it and loving it.  Many people shudder at the thought of making their own bread, not even knowing where to begin.  Although bread is not difficult to make by any means, it is crucial that you follow the directions exactly.  Even if you don't get it perfect the first time, don't give up!  The consistency of bread can even be affected by the weather- the amount of moisture in the air, so it may not even be anything that you can control. When you have a loaf in the oven, don't be opening the door and slamming it shut, because that can affect how poofy it turns out to be (or how well your bread rises). 

If you are going to begin your bread making attempts, may I suggest that you start out with a banana bread, or this Irish Soda Bread. 

Irish Soda Bread

It is called Soda bread because it has Baking Soda instead of yeast.  Yeast bread you have to mix up, let it rise, knead it, let it rise again and bake it. Soda bread is easy and very fast because you don't have to let it rise. Just mix it up and stick it in the oven for an hour.  It is absolutely delicious, and has a sweeter taste to it than French bread (for example), but it would make great sandwiches. It is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. I find it better with honey or jelly than garlic butter, but you may like it either way.  It calls for Cream of Tartar- a white powder found in the spice section in the baking aisle of the store.  This is also used when making meringues.  Just make sure you have buttermilk on hand!  Since you won't probably use the whole jug of buttermilk, just use the rest when you make pancakes :) 

My favorite pancakes  you don't have to put bananas and pecans in them, you can put in blueberries, strawberries, apples, coconut, almonds or chocolate chips.  They turn out fantastic though :)

Who doesn't love cornbread? 
Baked or fried, it is always delicious.
Well, if you don't feel like waiting for
it to get done in the oven,
or you don't want the oil from the frying-
try it in a waffle maker.  Grab a box of Jiffy cornbread mix next time you are at the store for 59 cents and bust out your Belgian (or any other) waffle maker you have and have delicious, fluffy cornbread on your plate in 2 minutes!  One box made 3 whole waffles in my waffle maker, which turns out to be 12 pieces.  I put a little sour cream on them instead of whipped cream on waffles, but honey is still always good too.  FYI- the recipe for the cornbread waffles is on the side of the Jiffy box.  These are by the biscuit mixes on the baking aisle in the store in a little blue and white box.  Enjoy!

What do you think of when someone says Fall?

Apple cider? Pumpkins? Pulling out the sweaters and hoodies?  Walking outside into the crisp air, smelling leaves burning... Whatever thoughts I have about fall all make me smile.  There is just something about it when the weather turns from hot to cool and you can curl up with a blanket and a hot drink that just is so happy.  Well, for me this is something that calls for a party.  So, in between Halloween and Thanksgiving, why not have a fall party?  This is what I did last night. This meal is quite filling, so may I suggest taking a small siesta in between courses :)  Here are the recipes that I used that all turned out delicious:

Appetizers:
-Best Spinach Dip

-Sauteed Butternut Squash
-Pigs in a blanket  (I use the little weenie sausages)
-Spinach Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette and I chopped up some green apples and mixed them in the dressing to keep them from turning brown.  I sprinkled Candied Pecan pieces on top. (Feta cheese would be good too) 

 Main Course:
  -Chili (the one that I already posted about earlier)
  -Cornbread



Dessert:

-Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle and hot apple cider
I made my own whipped cream instead of using cool whip by beating heavy whipping cream with a teaspoon vanilla and a few tablespoons sugar.  I also added some pumpkin pie spice to my pumpkin mixture and it was delicious :)
So.... Happy Fall!

Cookies- fast, different and delicious

 There are few things in the realm of food that I love more than cookies.  Whether you are 3 years old sitting in front of the oven window gazing in anticipation as M&M cookies rise before your eyes as the irresistible aroma fills the house or you are cooking 12 different kinds of cookies for Christmas, or coming in from a long day of playing in the snow to sit in front of a fireplace, you can insert cookies into any day and it just makes it a little bit better. 

Oreo Truffles are some of my favorites:
Oreo Truffles are just a few minutes away!

One thing that makes them very easy is if you can find the Baker's Chocolate bowls in the baking aisle.  It's a small bowl with a chocolate covered strawberry on the front. You can stick it in the microwave and the chocolate stays melted long enough to dip them.  You will need 2 of these bowls for 1 batch of truffles though.  They are fantastic, but really rich, so maybe make them kind of small.


Above you see another fantastic cookie that is super simple.  It is Just a regular sugar cookie cut in whatever shape you'd like, with Mascarpone cheese on top. This cheese is in a small tub probably near the nicer cheeses like feta (by the deli section) of your grocery store.  It is about the same consistency of cream cheese but without the cream cheese flavor.  Just picture milk if it was the consistency of cream cheese and that's what it tastes like.  It is a great addition to pastas and cheese sauces to make them extra creamy. But for this cookie just spread it on the cookie (once it's cooled) and top with whatever fruit you'd like.  I used peaches, raspberries and blueberries and it was great. 

Both of these are simple recipes that are just a little different and fantastic to serve at parties or wherever.  Just remember, please pick up some milk. Because what are cookies without milk?

Quinoa...what?

 Tonight I made quinoa. And no, I didn't just make that word up.  It's pronounced Keen-wah.  It is a type of grain that can be a substitute for rice, couscous or even oatmeal or pasta.  I can't tell you how much I love it!  This is from Wikipedia about it-and you can click on the link to read more about it.

Uncooked red quinoa

"Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods.^[12] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest." from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa 


 What I love about it-first of all is that it is so versatile-  it has a slightly nutty flavor (as some people call it, but doesn't feel like you're eating nuts)  and it really can be made with fruit, honey and milk for breakfast, or mix in some meat, spices and vegetables and eat it for dinner.  You can also eat it hot or cold.  And it is so good for you!  There are a few different ways it comes- either red (like the picture) or a lighter version- kind of cream colored.  I've heard that the red has more fiber though.  You can also buy it pre-soaked or not soaked.  If it's pre-soaked all you have to do is rinse it with in a fine strainer before you cook it in water or chicken (or other type) of broth for about 15 minutes.  If you buy the un-soaked kind you will need to soak it for several hours or overnight to remove the bitter outside.  (I get the faster kind :)

 So the way I fixed it tonight was absolutely delicious.  I found this recipe on Food Network that I kind of went off of.  I love pine nuts but they are pretty expensive, so I left them out today.  I also didn't have fresh parsley on hand, but I did everything else the same.  I also made chicken:

Garlic lime chicken (SO delicious)

My brother always makes this marinade and it works so well on chicken, steak, salmon... ( and probably a lot more)

Cooked red quinoa

(3 chicken breasts will easily be 5-6 servings with the quinoa)

-2 limes juiced (or lemons)
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-either a little dry basil crushed up
or 4-6 fresh basil leaves chopped finely
-5 cloves of garlic-minced
-a sprinkle of salt and pepper

Marinade chicken in this for at least 15 min.  Be sure to turn it over and rub it all around so the flavors get in it.  Then fry it in a pan til brown.  (Save the rest of the marinade in the bowl cuz you'll use it)  After you've made the quinoa and fried up the diced onions for it- take out the chicken and chop it up.  Put the browned onions and the rest of the marinade back into the frying pan so you can cook the marinade to kill all the raw chicken juice.  Once it's nice and hot (steaming but not burnt)  pour in the quinoa, a small apple (peeled and diced) and your chicken.  It is SO delicious!  And quinoa is very filling.  You won't need as much chicken per serving as you might normally eat because the quinoa has a good amount of protein.  I suggest having a salad and a vegetable like broccoli, asparagus or green beans on the side. 

Quinoa recipe from Food Network

You can find quinoa at Whole Foods, health food stores and probably some Publix stores (I haven't really checked yet.)  Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions!!

The City's Cellar

Last night my boyfriend took me to City Cellar.  It was so incredibly delicious!  I got the Crab Crusted Chilean Sea Bass with asparagus and a potato pancake.  Sadly I forgot to bring my camera, because I would have definitely taken a picture of that masterpiece of a plate.  The fish just melted in my mouth and the potato pancake was browned to perfection with a sauce that tied everything on the plate together.  I must say that entrees run between $25-$35, but if you go between 4-7pm they have 1/2 off appetizers if you sit at the bar.  It may not be somewhere that you eat at every week, but if you are looking for a nice place to sit down and have a dinner cooked to perfection-this is a place that will probably not disappoint you!

http://www.bigtimerestaurants.com/

Bushels for pennies

 Yesterday my friend Amanda took me to Don Victorio's Market-a place that another one of our friends introduced her to a few months ago.  It was fantastic!  During the months between October-April the Palm Beach Green Market is a great place to go, and this market always has one of the best stands there.  And I certainly was not disappointed when I stepped into their shop yesterday afternoon.  When I glimpsed the sign that said Limes 15 for $1 and big watermelons for $2, I knew I had come to the right place. I got so excited that I stocked up on enough fruits and vegetables for a fortnight. ok where can you get 2 tomatoes, 3 plums, 4 peaches, 6 apples, 15 limes, a grapefruit, cucumber, pineapple, watermelon, bag of spinach, green onions, ginger root and a cilantro plant for only $17.87?  It was incredible!  And they sell coffee and pastries and sandwiches as well.  They have a wide spread of good things to eat (some of them I had never even seen before) and everything seems to be very fresh.  I don't know about you, but from now on I'm going to Don Victorio's!  

Don Victorio’s Market, located at 7504 South Dixie Highway, just south of Forest Hill
you can read another person's opinion at:
http://devonshireofpalmbeach.com/blog/?p=752

How to eat good food when you're broke-Part 2

A few weeks ago Annetta, a great friend, came over to cook chili with me.  It turned out so delicious that we wrote down the recipe.  And today, I'm going to share it with you.  Chili is such a comfort food, and is great especially when it's getting cooler outside.  Of course, cornbread goes hand in hand with chili like peanut butter goes with jelly.  Below you will find one of my favorite cornbread recipes.

Chili- by Stephanie and Annetta


You will need (for 8-10 servings):

2 cans spicy chili beans (in bean section of grocery store)
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 can fire roasted garlic diced tomatoes
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 large vidalia onion (it's a sweet yellow onion)
1 package Lawry's chili seasoning (look near spices or soups)
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Dice the onions. Fry up beef in a frying pan and add in the onions before the meat is done so the onions get soft and the beef is brown.  Put all of this stuff in a crock pot or a large pot with a lid on the stove on medium-low and stir well.  After it is bubbly turn it down to low for at least 2-4 hours if you can. Something that makes chili so tasty is that it sits for several hours and all of the flavors mix together better and the beans get softer. 

Serve with grated cheddar cheese or colby jack, sour cream and tortilla chips or fritos crushed on top and cornbread.  It is so delicious and all of this chili stuff only costs about $10-$12!  Chili freezes very well, so you can either fix it if you are having people over and are on a low budget, or you can split it up into Tupperware containers and freeze it for up to a month (maybe 2).

**Cornbread-  one of the problems you sometimes come across with cornbread is that it is too dry (especially a day after you make it).  With this recipe you don't have that problem!  And may I suggest eating it with honey and applesauce- it's delicious

http://www.food.com/recipe/extra-moist-cornbread-with-sour-cream-22083

How to eat good food when you're broke

There comes a time in a lot of people's life that one hits a wall.  You say to yourself, "I have no money. That is why I have been living off of pb&j's, ramen noodles and cereal.  But I am sick of eating like this and it's not really that healthy either to eat processed foods and fast food all the time."  This certainly is a dilemma.  Anyone who goes grocery shopping know that fresh fruits, vegetables and meats are more expensive than highly processed foods.  Why is this?  Because-generally-the foods (or fake things they call food)  that are highly processed are made from the cheapest ingredients possible, and they last forever because all the best nutrients have been taken out so they don't go bad.  You ever smelled rancid peanut butter?  It smells terrible.  Its because the oils in it have gone bad.  Don't try to eat rancid things because they are carcinogens (they cause cancer).  You ever noticed how white flour lasts pretty much forever?  It is because the good oils in it have been taken out.  Your body needs these oils to make healthy cells, but the grocery stores lose money if they try selling freshly ground whole wheat flour to you because it goes rancid too fast and people won't buy something thats bad.  So, sometime in the last 200 years, someone came up with the idea to take out all of the nutrients in flour and that way it will last forever.  And money came above nutrition and health.  Sadly, this is normally the case.  But does it really have to be this way?  I'm going to share with you some options of things you can make that are not so expensive but that will get your body more nutrients than ramen and pop-tarts.  (I'm not saying these are the most healthy things in the world, but it's a good start.)


Egg McMuffins- (not from McDonalds)

You will need:
English muffins- preferably the kind with extra fiber and protein- I get the Thomas HealthFull brand
Eggs
Cheese (any kind you like other than American because it's not real cheese)
Ham (if you like-try to get the kind without Nitrates in it)
Fresh basil

Beat up an egg (or 2 if you want a big sandwich) with a little salt and pepper and a splash of milk.  Pour into a small frying pan on medium/high heat (put a little butter in the pan if it's not non-stick)  and let it sit there for a minute while the bottom cooks (don't beat it around or you'll have scrambled them. Slide a spatula under the omelet around the sides of the pan so the uncooked egg on top flows under the cooked part and keeps cooking (this way you get the cooked part fat enough to be able to flip it without it breaking.)  Once there is just a little bit of uncooked egg left on top take the spatula and stick it under the omelet and flip it over.  If it breaks it's alright because it's going on your sandwich and you'll get better every time you do it.  Immediately put the cheese on the cooked egg side.  (this side should not really be brown otherwise it gets too dry)  Toast your English muffin.  (I like a little mayo and mustard on mine but you don't have to)  Cut the egg into pieces small enough to fit on your bread and stack them on top of each other. Put on the ham and the fresh basil if you have it and enjoy!  They are delicious and keep pretty well for a day in the fridge.  

*To make an omelet- do the same as above, but don't cut it up at the end.  Decide what you want in it first- cheese, ham, onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach- these are all common things.  I prefer to sautee (fry in pan with a tiny bit of olive oil on medium heat until soft) any vegetables in the pan first and dump them out into a bowl and then make my omelet.  Then put your vegetable/meat in the middle of the omelet and fold it over the filling stuff.*

*TIP OF THE DAY*- When you are cooking-think about balance. Too much of anything isn't good, especially the unhealthy things.  Remember the food pyramid.  Do your best to add in fresh fruits and vegetables whenever you can and get low-fat proteins (fish, chicken, eggs, milk).  Don't forget about fiber too!  It helps keep your blood sugar level, keeps you fuller longer and helps you stay healthy- try to get 30grams of fiber/day. 

Whoever invented fro-yo is a genius

These pink balls are strawberry Boba balls- they explode in your mouth with deliciousness

And whoever invented the places where fro-yo comes out of the walls is an even bigger genius.  Stepping into a room with bright orange and green walls with food that comes out of the walls that you can sample to your hearts desire would make anyone as happy as a little kid hearing the ice cream truck coming down the street.  Not to mention the vast array of delicious topping that you can scoop yourself and make any type of concoction as you wish.  Am I in the chocolate mood? the fruity?  the cheesecake?  the cake batter?  the possibilities are endless.  Whether you go to Yoghut, Tutti Frutti or someplace else like this--the point is, you should go.  It will change your life. Period.  So the next time you don't know what to do, may I suggest you go get something fantastic out of the wall.

*btw-these places charge by weight, so the more you pile on, the more you pay. just so you know.  but it's worth it.*

-to read about Boba balls (they are made from tapioca) go here: http://www.lollicup.com/main.cfm?tm=boba.htm&side=products.cfm&id=boba&page=boba.cfm

Relish in the light of Paris

So... I know I've already written a little about Relish http://www.relishburger.com/  but I just had to say a few more things about it.  Now that I actually went there to get food, and not just a milkshake, I can say even more how delicious it is!  It was so funny because out of all of the choices of burgers, cheeses and relishes, I decided upon a wild boar burger with brie cheese and blackberry compote.  Upon my decision, I proceeded to the counter and asked the girl what her favorite burger was.  She said (before I even told her what I wanted) that her favorite was the exact thing that I picked!  So I got it and it was delicious.  I guess I was expecting the wild boar to taste a little more "wild" but I had never had it before, so I really didn't know what to expect.  I also ordered a side of grilled polenta and split a chocolate truffle milkshake.  It was good but my favorite so far are the salted caramel and the strawberry shortcake milkshakes. 

The morning after this, I went to Paris Cafe with a friend.  http://www.parisbakerycafe.com/  This is one of my most favorite places to go ever.  One, because they make incredible food that is always fresh and perfectly prepared.  Second, because when I sit there and enjoy my crepe I really feel like I am in Europe for an hour.  The restaurant is run by a lady from France, and just the way it is set up just feels like a little bakery cafe in the middle of some European city.  Not to mention that there is a gelato store right across the street :). 

Brunch. The best thing between Breafast and Lunch

So I love everything about Brunch.  The fact that it's later in the morning than regular breakfast means you can sleep in.  The fact that it's in between breakfast and lunch means that it can be a bigger meal, but still be breakfast foods.  And, the thing about brunch is that it is usually shared with friends.  How can you beat all of that? 

These past few weeks I have been making a whole lot of brunches it feels like, and they have been spectacular :)  There is just something awesome about having such a good and beautiful meal and not having to pay the check after it's all said and done.  All you have to do is load the dishwasher.  Here is a picture of one of my brunches with a friend on our balcony.  I almost felt like we were at some French cafe.  It was just a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs with basil and cheese, toast, strawberries, oranges and watermelon balls, and of course some whipped cream and cinnamon to adorn the coffee with utter fluffy perfection.  It completely matters how a meal is presented, because just a few extra minutes turn a (oh i just threw it on a plate and while it tastes good-it doesn't look anything special- to an amazing, beautiful meal with a friend on your balcony.) 

One of my good friends got married this last weekend, and everything about it was absolutely beautiful.  I hope they are having a wonderful time in Jamaica!  The day before the wedding I made brunch for the bride and some of her bridesmaids.  She requested something "light and easy."  Well, as some of you may be thinking.... "cereal is easy.  pop-tarts are easy."  When  you have something as special as a wedding happening, having a special meal just adds to the whole experience and memory of the weekend as being a little bit more special.  So, while this meal really didn't take more than about an hour and a half to prepare for 8 girls, it was completely worth it.  I made 3 things, and will explain each of them here.  These are 3 things you can make easily too!  And they all tasted and looked fabulous.   

Green eggs and ham- Rachael Ray (picture by Meredith Miller)

 

The first picture you see here is of "Green eggs and ham" by Rachael Ray.    You can find the recipe here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/green-eggs-and-ham-recipe/index.html 
I followed it exactly, except I added About 5-6 medium sized leaves of fresh basil (chopped finely)  and some Parmesan cheese and added them both in with the spinach mixture.  These may look difficult, but they really were very easy and SO good!  I could eat these everyday.  Really what you do is when line the muffin pan with ham slices and then fill it with a spinach/cheese/green onion mixture and crack an egg on top and bake it.  So as it bakes the ham keeps it's form and comes out as these cute little ham/egg bowls. 

Yogurt parfait  (picture by Meredith Miller)

I really wanted something light at this meal. Something refreshing. And when I think of light- I think of citrus.  Lemon, limes, oranges, they just make "refreshing" part of your day.  And did you know that the oils in citrus wake you up and help you focus?  Just one more reason to eat them in the morning.  Many of you probably like yogurt.  I love it.  I periodically add fresh berries to mine if I have them on hand, and sometimes some nuts and/or granola.  But when you layer berries and yogurt-you have yourself a parfait!  For this one, I chose Yoplait's whipped lemon yogurt (which is fluffy and fantastic) and layered it with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and sliced strawberries.  I then topped it off with whipped cream and some sliced almonds and cinnamon.  Talk about delicious. 

WHIPPED CREAM SIDE NOTE:  As you noticed I said "whipped cream," and not cool whip.  That is because 99% of the time I use real whipped cream.  Most of the time I make it myself.  How do you do this? You may ask.  Well, you go to the dairy section in the grocery store by the milk and look for a little carton that says "heavy (or light) whipping cream."  Grab that and you are good to go.  You can add in a variety of things to it, but all you have to do is pour the whipping cream in a bowl and beat it with a hand mixer until it is thick (like whipped cream).  I usually add in a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and either some powdered sugar, brown sugar, honey or stevia until it is sweet as you like it.  Just start off with a little bit and add more as you think you need it.  If you are adding whipped cream to some very sweet thing, you may not need to make it quite so sweet.  You can also add in a little bit of cinnamon, or instant coffee to make coffee whipped cream (which is out of this world).  The only thing about real whipped cream is that although it tastes 100 times better than cool whip (and is healthier), it doesn't keep as long and it doesn't hold it's shape as well.  Once you make it, I suggest using it in the next few hours and keeping it in the fridge while you wait.  Once it gets warm or sits in the fridge for a few days it starts getting soupy.  It still tastes as good but looses its fluffiness.

Mini Cinnamon rolls- picture by Meredith Miller

The last thing I made for the brunch was mini cinnamon rolls.  I saw these someplace (and I apologize to whoever created them because I don't remember where I saw them to give you credit.  But it was a great idea!)  If you have ever made cinnamon rolls from scratch (like making the dough and everything), you know that the result is well worth it, but it's not something you can do if you are in a rush.  These take about 25-30 minutes total (baking time and everything). 

You will need:
1 can of biscuit dough with 10 biscuits (makes about 50 tiny cinnamon rolls-each person will eat several)
1/2 stick of softened butter
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Cream cheese frosting

Take a can of biscuit dough and roll them out flat. Spread a thin layer of butter on the dough (but don't go to the very edge, otherwise it won't stick to itself when you roll it up), and then sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar.  Then roll them up and slice them so they look like tiny cinnamon rolls (about the size of a quarter).  Place them on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or foil so they don't stick) at 375 degrees and cook for about 10-15 min.  Until they are slightly golden on top.  Once they have cooled for a minute, take them off and pile them on a plate.  Heat up the frosting in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds until pourable.  Take a spoon and drizzle the frosting over the whole plate of them and eat them when they are still hot!

I hope you have many great brunches in the years to come, with great food and great friends to share it with!

There's something about the stars tonight

"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?"
-Psalm 8:3-4

They light the night sky. They are so far away, and to us only seem like pin pricks of light, but there is just something about them that causes me to stare in awe and wonder every night I see them. There are few things I enjoy more than being in the country or up in the mountains where I can really see the stars well. I will never get tired of looking at their beauty for as long as I live.

I painted this about 3 years ago, but every time I see it, I am reminded of what inspired me to put it down on canvas. On the clearest of summer nights in the countryside of Virginia I walked outside and looked up at the vast array of stars God had placed in the sky-just because he could and he wanted to. The field in front of me was glowing intermittently with the thousands of tiny lighting bugs, the forest beyond that-pitch black for absence of man-made lights while the sky above was breathtaking. I stood there alone, but not. I knew God was with me and he was speaking to me about his character through his creation. He created these stars,so far away, so huge, just to proclaim his power to us. And in that moment I knew-that if God could create things like the sky and stars-things that we will never fully understand, that he could do ANYTHING in my life. I am just a small part of this world and his plan. The way I portrayed this in the painting is that God can look down on me (or anyone) and see our lives how we see them, but he can also see the rest of the world and the universe just as well as he sees our own individual lives.

A favorite:
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain." Philippians 2:14-16

Garnishes... the quick way

So... if you are fixing dinner, or any other food for that matter and think to yourself- "hmmm... this just seems to look a little plain. It's missing something but I can't think of what..." Then that is the time to go outside and look. My favorite things to garnish with are things that God created himself- flowers, herbs, fruits, etc... If there are flowers growing outside (I'm not telling you to steal your neighbors) go pick one and you just garnished your first dish! Here is a picture of some hummus we made with spices, parsley and a flower that was growing outside our house, and a cake with mini chocolate chips, fresh mint and a flower. Garnishing doesn't have to be hard, but it makes such a big difference! Just keep it simple and look for colors that go well with the food. Happy garnishing!