Time for cupcake catch up!

So these two cupcakes I made quite awhile ago. I made Lavender Cupcakes with Honey Frosting for Mother's Day (see, so long ago!) and they were quite different but good. Some people thought the lavender was overpowering. Personally I thought they were really yummy! You can easily cut down on the lavender if you want a very subtle flavor. 

Makes about 12-18 cupcakes. Click the link for the recipe. Her's came out prettier than mine!

For the end of school, I made Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes. These were so delicious! They are light and tasty and would go great with coffee or tea. It's also a pretty easy recipe!

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

For cupcakes

* 1 box of French Vanilla cake mix (I used Betty Crocker.)

* Water, vegetable oil, and eggs called for on the box

* 3 Tbsp of chai latte mix. (There are so many kinds, pick your favorite and experiment!)

For the frosting

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

* 8 oz of light cream cheese

* 4 cups powdered sugar

* 2 tsp vanilla extract

* 1 cup vanilla baking chips

* Cinnamon to be sprinkled on top

Directions:

~ Bake cupcakes according to box. 

~ Cool for 10 minutes.

~ For the frosting, in the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on low, until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

~ Melt chips and beat into frosting.

~ Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. (I swirled it into the frosting.)

Life in Livermore

Well I guess it's been about a month since we made the move from SoCal to NorCal. Livermore is as far East Bay as you can get without going over the hills and being considered part of the Central Valley. It's what I like to call, a big-little town. It's got a small town feel but it's big enough that there's a Target, Trader Joe's, and In-N-Out.

Livermore has a population of about 90,000, which I believe is about the size of Huntington. It is part of the Tri-Valley region (Dublin and Pleasanton making up the other 2 cities) and is right off the 580 freeway. Livermore prides itself on being Wine Country. There are about 60 wineries here and most are relatively cheap if you want to go wine taste. There is a small downtown area that has recently been updated with new restaurants, the Bankhead theater, a movie theater, and free parking.

Livermore often has lots of local events i.e. the rodeo, the harvest wine festival, Sunday farmer's market, etc., but there are also a lot of things to do in the surrounding areas. BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) stops in Dublin/Pleasanton and goes directly to downtown San Francisco as well as the SFO and OAK airports. It's super convenient. Besides SF being about 46 minutes away, there is plenty of state parks in the vicinity. So far we have hiked part of Lake Del Valle, which is about 9 miles south, and Brushy Peak, which is about 5 miles northeast. Plus we are now much closer to Tahoe, Yosemite, and Monterey!

So far I really like Livermore. I still don't have a job, but I'm starting to get involved with guide dogs for the blind and the golden retriever rescue up here. I'm excited to actually experience seasons even though there have been exceptionally hot days this summer and I'm sure there will be exceptionally cold days in winter.

Come visit us, we'd love to see you and show you around our new city!

P.S. I have not been baking/cooking in awhile, but now that we are settled, I will start putting up creations again.

I'm still baking! I'm just behind in posting!

Ever since I found out we were moving, this blog went on the wayside. I have still been baking, but I haven't done as much cooking. Between finding a place to live, finishing up work, and my husband being on business trips, I haven't done as much as I was doing before.

This is how far I am behind: I made these Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles for Cinco de Mayo! They were a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. Yes you read right, spicy. The little cayenne pepper offers a nice little kick at the end. They were perfect and festive for the party!

Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles


Ingredients:
* 2 1/2 cups flour
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
* 2 tsp cream of tartar
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 cup crisco
* 2 eggs
* 2 tsp vanilla
Separate bowl:
* 2 tbsp sugar
* 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
~ Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or leave ungreased.
~ In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Mix well and set aside.
~ Cream together crisco, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs.
~ Slowly stir in flour mixture and mix well.
~ In a small, shallow bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon together. Make 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place on the cookie sheet.

~ Bake 5-7 minutes or until just done. (Slightly under cooked is better than overcooked.) Let cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

SoCal to NorCal

I have lived in the same city my whole life. I love living by the beach and have always been a stone's throw away from the ocean. But that is about to change. My husband got an amazing job opportunity up in the Bay Area, and we are moving away from the only place we've ever lived. Right now I am full of mixed emotions, and until we find an area and place to live, I'm afraid my enthusiasm is not quite where it should be.

There are many things I am looking forward to, as well as many things I will miss when I'm gone. Let's start with the positives.

Things I am looking forward to:
~ Living and exploring a new area.
~ Meeting new people.
~ Drew enjoying his work.
~ Being that much closer to San Francisco, Tahoe, Yosemite, the Redwoods, wine country, etc.
~ Finding a new job in a different field.
~ Buying a home.
~ Possibly traveling to Germany for Drew's work.

Things I am going to miss:
~ Being close to family and friends.
~ My job with the school district.
~ That nice ocean breeze.
~ Being walking distance to Trader Joe's.
~ My daily run through the wetlands.
~ Volunteering with the goldens (though I'm sure I can find an equivalent up north).

Though I really will miss being so close to family on both sides, I am looking forward to this new stage of life. Soon we will drive up and hopefully find a place we would love to live. Once that happens, the reality of moving I'm sure will hit. Until then though, it all seems so surreal.

Knock-off Chipotle Vegetarian Bowl

Ever since Chipotle hit the scene, I've been a fan. Their burritos are so tasty. Since I can't be going to Chipotle all the time, I decided to make a Trader Joe version of my favorite item, the vegetarian burrito. It's super easy and you can get 3 bowls/burritos out of it. It doesn't look like much, but it sure hits the spot! You will not be disappointed by this dish.

Homemade Chipotle Vegetarian Bowl


Ingredients:
* 1 bag of Trader Joe's frozen fire-roasted peppers and onions
* 1 15 oz can black beans
* 1 bag of Trader Joe's already cooked brown rice
* 2 cubes of frozen cilantro
* Lime juice
* Garlic powder
* Olive oil
* Tortillas (if desired)

Garnish:
* Mexican lite shredded cheese blend
* Guacamole
* Corn-chili salsa
* Pico de gallo
* Your favorite Chipotle topping

Directions:
~ In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil. Add peppers and onions and saute for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
~ In one small pot, cook beans. Do not drain! Sprinkle with a generous amount of garlic powder. Slowly cook, stirring occasionally.
~ In another small pot, add cilantro cubes, rice, and a splash of lime juice. Slowly heat, stirring occasionally.
~ Once everything is done, leave out with toppings and have people add what they would like!

Note: Obviously you can easily add meat or any other toppings you would desire. Just like with Chipotle burritos, I feel like I can never finish them if I add meat. Plus Chipotle charges you $1.50 for guacamole unless you get in vegetarian. I'd rather have guacamole over meat any day! Win/win for me! Also while you are at Trader Joe's, pick up a six pack of Trader Jose Lite beer! It's only $4.49 and I think it's better than Corona!

Bloomin' Garlic Bread

Here is a new way to do garlic bread. It is delicious but be aware, you will devour the entire thing if you love bread even half as much as me. Luckily my husband was there to share in the indulgence otherwise I would have had to quadruple my workout for the week.

Bloomin' Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

* 1 small sourdough or Italian round loaf

* 1/2 stick of butter

* 2 tsp chopped garlic

* 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

* Italian spices

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Evenly cut bread vertically and horizontally to the bottom crust. Do not cut through the bottom.

~ Melt butter and then add in the garlic. Brush it down every nook and cranny and coat it well if you love butter and garlic. (And come on, who doesn't?)

~ Generously sprinkle cheese in the nooks and crannies as well and a little for the top. Also sprinkle the spices.

~ Bake for 10 minutes or until warm and bubbly. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes (if you can wait that long!).

Layers of chocolate and peanut butter. What could be better?

Though I usually make cookies, I'm trying to branch out and do other things. This was my first attempt at making cupcakes that didn't come from a box. They are Chocolate and Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes. They were very good, but very dense! I also found that the chips need to be a layer and not a topping. And somehow I ended up with way more chocolate mixture than peanut butter mixture, but I easily solved that by making chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter chips.

(Made for a delicious, be it unhealthy, breakfast!)

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes

Yields: 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups flour

* 1/3 cup baking cocoa

* 1 cup brown sugar, packed

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1/3 cup vegetable oil

* 1 cup water

* 1 tbsp white vinegar

* 2 tsp vanilla

* 1 egg

* 1 8oz package lite cream cheese, softened

* 1 cup JIF peanut butter 

* 1/3 cup sugar

* 1/3 cup powdered sugar

* 1/4 Reese's peanut butter chips

* 1/4 semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cups in each regular size muffin cups.

~ For the chocolate layer: in a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla to flour mixture, stirring just until smooth. Do not over mix.

~ For the peanut butter layer: in your electric mixer's bowl, beat egg, cream cheese, peanut butter and granulated sugar on medium until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.

~ Spoon 1 tablespoon of the chocolate batter into each cup. Evenly spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter filling on top. Repeat the chocolate layer. Sprinkle a mixture of chocolate and peanut butter chips. Finish off with a layer of peanut butter mixture.

 ~ Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and cool 10 more minutes.

 (These have the chips on top, but I had to scrape them off because they burned!)

Note: Adding the chips as a layer keeps them from burning. I don't know why the original had you sprinkle them on top. Also the peanut butter layer was very cream cheesy tasting, so I would add more peanut butter.

Satisfying Mint

I love anything mint. Andes mints are my favorite, so when I saw a bad of Andes chips on sale at Target, of course I had to buy them. Then I came across this super easy and super yummy recipe. I had already made the Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies in the same week, but I just had to make these. 

If you need to whip up cookies in a snap, these are a crowd-pleaser and will not take up a huge part of your afternoon. (You know, sometimes life outside of the kitchen gets in the way and you can't spend all afternoon in the kitchen whipping up delicious goodies.) Plus if you aren't a mint fan, you could easily use a different candy like Reese's.

Andes Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

* 1 Devil's food cake mix

* 1/2 cup oil

* 2 eggs

* 2 tsp vanilla

* Andes mints (or the chips)

Directions:

~ Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla. 

~ Scoop spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and flatten a bit. Bake 5-7 minutes. Do not over bake!

~ Remove cookies and put Andes mints on top of each cookie while hot. Once melty, take a spoon and smooth out mint like a frosting.

See? Super easy! 

Trader Joe's for the Win!

If it isn't already obvious, I love Trader Joe's. I like it for a few reasons: (1) it was my very first job in high school, (2) it's not huge so I don't feel overwhelmed like I do in the big chains, and (3) most of their food is great, and I can make cheap, easy, delicious meals. This is one of those meals. All Trader Joe ingredients and so easy! If you are running short on time, this cooks up fast and easy. I call it Italian Fried Rice!

Ingredients:

* Olive oil

* 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (get the jar!)

* 2 sausages (I like the garlic & herb or basil ones)

* 1 package of TJ's already cooked brown rice (in the frozen section)

* 1/2 - 1 cup frozen chopped spinach

* 1/2 jar of TJ's brushcetta 

* 1 tbsp capers

* A splash of dry red wine (optional)

* Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:

~ I like my sausage already grilled up, so I split the sausages in half and grill them on my George Foreman for about 10 minutes. Cut into small slices.

~ Heat olive oil and garlic in a saute pan on high for 1-2 minutes. Add sausages, spinach, and rice (straight from freezer). Once spinach and rice has been cooked, about 5 minutes. Add brushcetta, capers, and wine. Stir until warm.

~ Remove and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

My husband and I eat this as a meal. If you wanted it as a side dish, I would recommend removing the sausage and serving the rice with something else.

Sandwiches...the best food or THE best food?

Sandwiches might just be my favorite food. There are so many things you could do with sandwiches. Hot or cold, veggie or fruit filled, meat, cheese, peanut butter/jelly, the possibilities are endless! Thank God for the Earl of Sandwich and his need to eat while playing cards. You see, the Earl of Sandwich was playing a rousing game of cards when his servant brought him meat and bread on a plate. He wanted to continue playing cards so he asked his servant to put the meat in the bread so his hand would stay clean and not get meat juices all over his hands and the cards. And thus the sandwich was born, but I digress.

Since my husband was away on business, I decided to make myself a grilled vegetable panini. There is a deli I love to go to that has a grilled vegetable panini that is to die for! Since I can't be spending $9 every time, I decided it's easy enough to make it at home, so that's what I did. I just made a variation of it using what I already had in the fridge.

Grilled Vegetable Panini

Ingredients:
* 2 slices of sourdough wheat bread
* 2 pieces of marinated, roasted red pepper
* 5-6 marinated artichoke hearts
* A small handful of sundried tomatoes in oil
* 6 round zucchini slices
* Fresh basil
* Havarti cheese
* Pesto basil sauce
* Olive oil
**Note** I got all my ingredients at Trader Joe's! The peppers, artichokes, and sundried tomatoes all come in jars!

Directions:
~ (I lightly sauteed the zucchini in a little olive oil and sprinkle with TJ's Everyday Seasoning but this is optional.)  Lightly brush olive oil on the bread. Layer a fair amount of pesto, add basil and cheese. Put veggies on a small plate an zap in the microwave for 45 seconds. Pile onto the sandwich. Toast on a griddle until each side is golden. Cut in half and enjoy!

Salty Sweet Deliciousness!

I have so many cookies and cupcakes I want to make! This week I decided to make Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies and boy were they delicious! Like all the cookies I make, I must limit myself to just a couple and give the rest away. These ones were hard to give away! So gooey and chocolate-ty and salty sweet, you will definitely need a glass of milk or cup of coffee to accompany these little heavenly treats. I made it with cheap caramels, so I can only imagine how good these would be with good caramels.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies
Yields: 2 dozen

Ingredients:
* 1 1/4 cup flour
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 5 tbsp butter (I used unsalted)
* 7 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2/3 granulated sugar
* 1/3 packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup plain yogurt
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* Soft caramel rolled into little balls
* Sea salt

Directions:
~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
~ Melt butter and add to mixing bowl. Stir in cocoa powder and sugars. (Should look like coarse, dark sand.) Add yogurt and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in flour mixture slowly. Mix until moist.
~ Lightly spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray. Take dough and wrap around the balls of caramel. Ball with your hand and place on sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt. (I put the salt in my hand and individually sprinkled each one.)
~ Bake 10 minutes or until almost set. Let cool for 2-3 minutes and them remove to a wire rack.

Forget California Pizza Kitchen, This is the Stuff!

I love pizza, but then again, who doesn't love pizza? I've had BBQ chicken pizza at some restaurants, but it's never been amazing. This homemade pizza will blow you away! It's way better than anything you would buy at a restaurant. I just made it the other night, and I'm already craving it again! Try it! You will not be disappointed!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
* Trader Joe's fresh dough (white or wheat)
* Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
* Trader Joe's lite cheese blend
* 1 cup of shredded, cooked chicken
* 1/4 cup red onions, sliced
* Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
* Bacon bits
* Garlic powder
* Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning

Directions:
~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove dough from the fridge. (I take my precooked, shredded chicken and lightly saute the pieces in a little olive oil and herbed poultry seasoning. This is optional.)
~ Lightly grease pizza pan and spread dough. Spread evenly with BBQ sauce. Sprinkle sauce with the garlic powder. Add most of the cheese. Add cooked chicken evenly. Sprinkle onions, cilantro, and some bacon bits. Top with a little more cheese and lightly season with TJ's Everyday Seasoning.
~ Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese and crust is golden. Remove and let cool. Enjoy!

I need how to learn how to toss the dough. My pizzas are never circular!

For the Spicy Italian!

Whenever I decide I want to make something or plan meals for the week, I try to use things I already have. I hate throwing out food because it sat in my fridge too long. I also try to pick recipes that call for some of the same ingredients. With my leftover Alfredo sauce from the pizza and the peas and sausages I already had, this recipe seemed perfect. It was tasty and had a kick to it!

Spicy Rigatoni with Sausage

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

* Olive oil

* 1 tbsp crushed red pepper

* 1 tsp chili poder

* TJs Everyday Seasoning

* 1 tbsp chopped garlic

* 3 spicy sausages, sliced

* 3/4 cup marinara sauce

* 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce

* 2 tsp butter (optional; I opted not to add the butter)

* 1/4 cup peas

* 16 oz rigatoni pasta

Garnish:

* 1 tsp crushed red pepper

* Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

~ Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat oil and add crushed red pepper, seasoning, and garlic. Saute just long enough for garlic to caramelize. Add sausage, coating each slice in the garlic and spices.

~ Add marinara and Alfredo sauce and bring to a simmer. Add peas (and butter if desired) and mix well.

~ Add rinsed, cooked pasta and mix well coating all the noodles. Garnish with more crushed red peppers and Parmesan cheese.

Note:

If you like super spicy, add more chili powder and crushed red peppers. Mine had a kick, but it was mild.

Stuffed Bell Peppers, Southwestern Style

I'm a little behind, but made these stuffed bell peppers last week. The mixture was really good though I probably wouldn't stuff them in the peppers next time. I would cut up the peppers and mix them in with everything else and make lettuce wraps or burritos.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

* Olive oil

* 3/4 lb lean ground turkey

* 1 small onion, chopped

* 1 tbsp taco seasoning (add more if desired)

* 10 oz cooked rice

* 3-4 bell peppers, halved and seeds removed

* 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

* 1/2 cup corn

* 4 oz can green chiles

* 1 15 oz jar of your favorite salsa

Toppings:

* Shredded cheese

* Avocado slices

* Fresh cilantro

* Sour cream

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat peppers in oil and roast about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile cook turkey and saute onions.

~ Remove peppers and set aside. In a large bowl, add taco seasoning, cooked turkey, sauteed onions, beans, corn, chiles, and cooked rice. Add salsa and mix well.

~ Spoon mixture into peppers and put back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove, sprinkle cheese, and put pack in until just melted.

~ Top with your favorite topping.

Note:

~ I had way more mixture than would fit in the pepper shells. I used the extra to make burritos the next day. It was also fine by itself! Click here for the original recipe. Mine were not as pretty as the original.

Garlic Artichoke Pizza

My recipes up to this point have been from Pinterest, but this one is one that I created. It's super easy and takes a lot less time as most other recipes I have posted. But it is still just as delicious!

Ingredients:

* Trader Joe's Garlic and Herb Dough

* 2-3 artichoke hearts, quartered and leafed (You might need more or less depending on how big your pizza is and how much you like artichokes! I pile them on.)

* 4 cloves garlic

* Mozzarella cheese

* Parmesan, both grated and shredded

* 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce (again more or less, depending)

* Oregano

* Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning (If you haven't figured it out, you need to get this seasoning)

* Pinch of salt

* Olive oil

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a pizza baking pan. Work dough onto sheet. Using a fork, prick dough all over and bake 10 minutes.

~ Lightly salt leafed artichoke pieces. If using frozen artichokes, steam; once soft, pull apart and then lightly salt.

~ Remove crust; spread garlic all over. Using a brush, lightly brush the outer crust with olive oil. Cover pizza with sauce and some of the Mozzarella cheese and a little shredded Parmesan. Top with artichoke. Sprinkle with oregano and seasoning and a little more Mozzarella. Lastly sprinkle some grated Parmesan. Bake 10 more minutes.

I love this pizza! You could easily add chicken or even bacon bits if you wanted!

How did this become a food blog?

Five years ago, I was somewhere on the other side of the world engaging in adventure. Back then, I thought in five years I'd be teaching English abroad or vagabonding around Europe or volunteering with an international organization. Though I sometimes think about that life, I wouldn't change what I have now. I will always cherish my time spent circumnavigating the globe, being in a new place every week with some of the greatest friends I'll always have; it was exciting. But now I have someone who I can share my adventures and love with. I never thought I would be lucky enough to find the greatest man who is a caring and loving husband and my best friend that I can laugh and have fun with.

Anyways, together we have done a fair amount of traveling i.e. Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Hawaii, and local places, but unfortunately I wasn't blogging at those times, so now that we have jobs and bills, we still travel, but just not as often as I cook. Thus the reason this has unintentionally turned into a food blog. I found another passion besides traveling! Don't get me wrong, we will continue to travel (Panama cruise at the end of the year!), but I've got something to keep me going between adventures. I've always loved food, but I never thought I'd enjoy cooking.

With that little digression, here is Tuesday's dinner: Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake!

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

* 8 oz bow tie pasta

* 1 small onion, chopped

* Olive oil

* 2 cloves garlic

* 2 eggs

* 1 1/4 cup milk

* 1 tsp Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute

* 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

* 2 tsp crushed red pepper

* 2 cups chopped cooked chicken

* 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese

* 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained, halved and leafed

* 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess water

* 8 oz jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

* 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

* 1/2 tsp paprika

* 1 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium skillet cook onions in olive oil for 5 minutes; add garlic and cook additional minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

~ In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, seasonings, and crushed red pepper. Stir in chicken, Monterrey Jack cheese, artichoke, spinach, tomatoes, half the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion. Mix well. Transfer to a 13x9x2-inch casserole dish.

~ Cover and bake 20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine other half of Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over entire pasta. Leave uncovered and bake 10 minutes until golden.

I stuck close to the original recipe but made a few changes. This was so yummy and made wonderful leftovers!

Easy Lunch for the Week

I made a big salad for the week's lunches. Usually I do a spinach, craisin, artichoke thing, but decided to do a Southwest Chicken Chop Salad. I'm glad I mixed it up! This salad is so good and reminiscent of Corner Bakery's Santa Fe Ranch Salad, though I think this one is better (and making it yourself is way cheaper!).

Southwest Chicken Chop Salad

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Salad

* 1 1/2 cups chicken, diced (I like using Trader Joe's Just Chicken)

* 1 red pepper, diced

* 14 oz can of black beans

* 1 cup sweet yellow corn

* 2-3 roma tomatoes, diced

* 4 scallions, washed and sliced

* 2 romaine hearts, washed and chopped

* 1/2 bunch of cilantro, washed and chopped

* 2 avocados, diced

* 2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Dressing

* 1/2 cup light mayo

* 1/2 cup light sour cream

* 1 tsp ranch seasoning (add more if needed)

* 1 tsp taco seasoning (add more if needed)

* 1 tsp lime juice

* Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

~ In a large bowl, stir all salad ingredients together except the tortilla chips and avocado. In a small bowl, stir dressing ingredients until smooth. When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing and gently stir in avocado and tortilla pieces. If you're spreading it out over the week, keep salad and dressing separate and mix just before eating.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

I love anything that involves peanut butter. Last year, I had a peanut butter and jelly cupcake from my favorite bakery and have wanted another one ever since. Unfortunately it is a special flavor that is only out once a month. I have a recipe for peanut butter and jelly cupcakes, but I came across this recipe for cookies. I've made these cookies twice in the last month. They are so soft and delicious and a definite crowd pleaser. Takes you back to childhood days of pb & j's.

Yields: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups flour

* 1 tsp salt

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 cup crisco

* 1 cup JIF creamy peanut butter

* 1 cup packed brown sugar

* 1/3 cup granulated sugar

* 3 tbsp milk (I used fat free)

* 2 tsp vanilla

* 1 egg

* Your favorite jelly (I used strawberry)

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside

~ In mixing bowl, beat crisco, peanut butter, sugars, milk, and vanilla until well mixed. Beat in egg.

~ Put tablespoon size dough balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Create a small divot in each with your thumb. Use no more than a teaspoon of jelly to fill the divot.

~ Bake 5 - 7 minutes (my oven runs hot) or until the edges are just browning. Let cool 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Mexican Lasagna...or Something Like That

Found this delicious recipe on Pinterest. Actually called Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas, I found the name to be misleading as there is no enchilada sauce involved! (Though adding enchilada sauce could be a nice addition. Next time!) With that, I decided to change the name. It's more like a Mexican lasagna or casserole. In any case, this dish was absolutely fresh, delicious, and quite healthy! Just look at all the colors! A wonderful array of veggies!

I tried to stick close to the recipe for the first attempt, but I did change up some veggies. Instead of cauliflower, I opted for zucchini, and because Trader Joe's did not have poblano chiles, I went for jalapenos. This recipe can easily be customized in that you can fill it with your favorite veggies. It also is completely satisfying but not at all heavy. Just a note, if you are in a hurry, this is not be the best option for dinner, but it is definitely worth the time!

Prep time: 30 - 40 minutes

Cook time: 50 - 70 minutes

Servings: 6 -8

Ingredients:

* 1 jalapeno (or poblano chile), cut into matchsticks

* 2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks

* 2 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch wedges

* 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

* 1 medium onion, halved and slivered

* 1/2 cup corn, frozen

* 3 tbsp grapeseed oil (I eyeball it and probably use a little more)

* 2 tsp cumin

* 3 cloves garlic, minced (I use Trader Joe's garlic from the jar. So easy!)

* Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning

* Salt and Pepper (I did without the salt)

* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

* Salsa

* Trader Joe's Tomato-less Corn Chili Salsa

* Pico de Gallo

* About 6 oz fresh baby spinach

* 7-8 corn tortillas (I ended up splitting them in halves or fourths to cover my pan)

* 2 cups Trader Joe's Lite Mexican Blend Cheeses (More or less, again I eyeball it)

* Green onions, guacamole, sour cream for garnish, if desired

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

~ Place jalapeno, bell peppers, zucchini, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels into pan. Drizzle with your heat-safe oil and sprinkle cumin and minced garlic evenly over veggies. Add a generous amount of seasonings, and using your hands, mix everything together. Spread evenly across the pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until veggies are tender and begin to have brown spots. Every 10 minutes, stir the pan to make sure all veggies are evenly roasted. Remove pan and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Look how delicious these roasted veggies are!

~ Prepare a 9x13x2 inch rectangle baking pan with nonstick spray. Spread about 1/2 cup of salsa on the bottom and sprinkle with some cilantro. Add a layer of tortilla pieces that completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/2 the veggies, a handful of spinach, 1/2 the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, add the TJ tomato-less corn chili salsa, the other half of the veggies, another handful of spinach, the pico de gallo, and more cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. **The original recipe called for 3 layers and a smaller pan, but I just did not see how that would work!**

This is right before getting covered with the foil and going into the oven.

~ Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil (I sprinkled a little more cheese on at this point) and bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

~ Let sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Sprinkle with scallions. I think guacamole could be good on top. I added a little more pico de gallo. Sour cream, hot sauce, whatever you fancy!

I was so eager to try it, I forgot to take a picture until after we ate!

My notes: The next time I make this, I will be adding a 14 oz can of black beans and green chilis to the layers. I might also try adding some taco seasoning to give it a different flavor or maybe even that enchilada sauce! Honestly, the possibilities are endless! Customize it to your tastes, though I recommend first trying it as is for the most part.

HAPPY COOKING!

Golden Love

Every since I was a kid, I've always wanted a puppy. No matter how often I begged and pleaded, my parents never got a puppy. Now that I'm a married, adult woman, I can get a puppy if I want to, but wait, the apartment I live in does not allow dogs. So since I can't have one, I decided to volunteer. Though I love most all puppies, I have always had a special place in my heart for golden retrievers. With that in mind, I opted to volunteer with the Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles Rescue.

This rescue has been helping abandoned and neglected goldens in the Southern California area for many years. There are many opportunities to help out this foundation. I decided to work directly with the dogs. Since I can't foster or adapt the pups, I chose to, rather simply, just be a dog walker. When the pups are pulled from shelters or given up, they must go to one of the local pet hospitals that partner with the GRCGLAR. There they get check-ups and any surgeries they might need. Before they are adopted or fostered, I take them for walks while they are at the hospital. It's so simple, but the dogs are usually scared and don't understand why they were abandoned. I love spending time with these dogs, and I like to think they like seeing a familiar, friendly face while they are boarded at the hospital.

If anyone is looking to get a puppy/dog, look into the GRCGLAR. Don't buy a pet, adopt from this rescue or any rescue or animal shelter. Also if you're interested in volunteering, look into it. Not necessarily for this foundation, but any foundation. Give back. Even if it's something small like simply walking a dog.

White Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

For a baby shower, I decided to make these decadent sounding cookies. And they definitely live up to how good they sound! The taste tester (aka my husband) shoveled a few into his mouth after one bite. The original recipe were actually raspberry (and wouldn't those be just as wonderful!), but my local supermarket only had blueberry, and I didn't want to drive all around town, so I went with that. Note, these would be excellent with a delicious cup of tea.

Yields: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

* 2 (7 oz) boxes of Jiffy blueberry muffin mix

* 4 oz light cream cheese, room temp

* 1/2 cup crisco

* 2 tbsp butter, room temp (I used unsalted)

* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

* 2 eggs

* 1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

~ In a bowl (I always use my KitchenAid mixer), beat together cream cheese, crisco, butter, and brown sugar. Beat until mixed well. (Note there may be small chunks of cream cheese. That's fine.) Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

~ Remove bowl and add both boxes of muffin mix. Using a cooking spatula, mix well until all the dry mix is incorporated into the wet mix. Stir in chocolate chips. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets and place about a tbsp size ball of dough 2 inches apart. (I use a cookie scooper. So much easier!) Bake 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Let set 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea!

Baker's note: I tend to use more crisco than butter because I think they come out better. I also use ReddiEgg or Nulaid. I think it's way user than using actually eggs. Plus ReddiEgg is fat free and there's no chance of egg shells getting in the dough! The original called for 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips, but I used only 1 because I think white chocolate can be overwhelming.

Thanks Pinterest!

Before getting married, I never cooked. I was afraid I couldn't cook. I now love cooking/baking and always love trying knew recipes. And now that I have found Pinterest, I have more delicious recipes to try. Last night I made a spinach/artichoke bake. The original recipe sounded so delicious, but I tweaked it a bit.

Spinach/Artichoke Bake

Prep time: 35-45 minutes

Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: about 8

Ingredients:

* 14 oz Orecchiette pasta

* 1 small onion, chopped

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

*1 cup light sour cream

* 4 oz light cream cheese, room temperature

* Olive oil

* 1 cup Parmesan cheese

* 2 tsp lemon juice

* 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture

* 14 oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped

* 3 oz sun-dried tomatoes

* 2 cups Mozzarella cheese

* Grated Parmesan cheese

* Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning (or 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp pepper)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Keep 1/4 cup of the liquid before draining pasta.

3. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in pan and saute onion for 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

4. In a large bowl, mix sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese,lemon juice, onions, and garlic. Add the pasta and mix well.

5. Stir in spinach, artichoke, sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup cooking liquid, 1 cup Mozzarella, and a generous amount of TJ Everyday Seasoning.

6. Place mixture into greased 3 Qt. casserole dish. Spread evenly. Sprinkle the remainder of the Mozzarella, some grated Parmesan cheese, and a little more seasoning.

7. Place in oven and bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy with a glass of white wine!

Note: The original recipe called for regular sour cream, cream cheese, and cheese. I used all low-fat products including cheese. I also used a little more cheese. Also you could easily add chicken or even bacon bits! Yum!

The Great Urban Race

Yesterday Drew and I competed with 500 other people in the Great Urban Race in Santa Monica. It's basically a small (very small) scale version of the Amazing Race. I have always love the Amazing Race and dream of what it would be like to go on the show. But alas, like so many, my efforts of attempting to get on the show have gotten me no where. The Great Urban Race is for all of us that have that urge for adventure, puzzle-solving, and competition.

When I saw the Groupon deal for this, I knew I had to join the fun. Though the morning started off cold and drizzly, it turned into a beautiful day. We started on the Santa Monica pier and ran/walked a sizable area of Santa Monica for 3 hours. We had to find 12 locations and either solve puzzles, eat something, or do something like ride a segway. We by no means came close to winning the top prize, but we had a blast. If the Great Urban Race is in your city, I recommend competing in it!

My tips if you decide to try it:

* Take a map you can write on.

* Once you receive the clues, solve them all and map them on your map.

* Unless you want to really try and win, walk or run, don't take public transit if you can. It's a workout.

* Bring water and snacks.

* Don't stress about it, have fun!