The Box Lunch

Chili Cheesecake

2010-07-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

I really do love food. I love reading about food; shopping for food; cooking food; and in particular, eating food. And I really do love blogging about food, although you wouldn't know it based on how often I make it onto this website. Unfortunately, life often gets in the way of my true love - food. Someday, I'll be able to make a living doing what I love. In the meantime, I'll try to make it here more often.

4th of July always means BBQ, and family potlucks. As I was preparing to make the same old things this year, I found my way to the Tasty Kitchen website, run by The Pioneer Woman. This Chili Cheesecake posted by dnvrbronco appealed to me for many different reasons, this photo being one of them:

The recipe was quite easy to make, and is quite beautiful when finished.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

3 Tbls butter, melted

16 oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp cumin

1 can diced green chilies, drained (4 oz can)

1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

8 ounces shredded Mexican blend cheese

1/3 cups sour cream

TO GARNISH

1 whole tomato, chopped

1/2 bunch green onions, chopped

1 can black olives, sliced or diced (4 oz can)

Cilantro, chopped

PREPARATION

Preheat the over to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the tortilla chips and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool for a little while. (I usually place it in the fridge so the crust firms up).

Meanwhile, in a large bowl (or stand mixer) blend the cream cheese, eggs, chili powder and cumin with a mixer. Add the green chilies, jalapeno and cheese and blend. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of he pan. Let cool to room temperature, or cool in fridge overnight.

Spread the sour cream over the top and decorate with the tomatoes, green onions, black olives and cilantro. Refrigerate until serving. Remove the sides the pan and serve with tortilla chips.

I did make one "same old thing"...Devil Horns. I've posted that recipe on here before, and would have been shot if I hadn't brought them. I also made a Mexican Corn Dip, but I was underwhelmed with that recipe, so I won't bother posting it.

On a sidenote, I received this platter as a gift 9 years ago. This was the first time I have taken it out of the box. I loved this platter so much I didn't use it, afraid it might get broken. I'm learning that life is too short to not use the "good china" or wear your "good clothes". I'm sure this most beautiful dish is much happier being used, and possibly broken at some point, than spending its life hidden away in the box in my hutch.

I hope your Independence Day was wonderful!
Christine

Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche

2009-10-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

I've been reading lots of books and magazine articles lately talking about "Super Foods". As I struggle with my weight and my health, I have been trying to incorporate as many of these foods in my diet as possible.

Today, I found a way to include two super foods (spinach and wild salmon) into a single, easy dish: Quiche!

INGREDIENTS

1 frozen pie crust, baked
1 bag fresh baby spinach (Asparagus would be a great substitute)
1-2 cups smoked salmon, depending on taste
4 eggs
1 cup cream or milk
1/2 block cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt, pepper and dill to taste (fresh dill would be awesome!)

Bake your pie crust and let cool.

Saute the spinach in a tablespoon of butter or canola oil until wilted. Let drain in colander to remove liquid and cool.

Mix eggs, cream or milk, salt, pepper and dill until well combined.

Layer into pie crust:

Spinach

Smoked Salmon

Cream Cheese, broken into small pieces and scattered

Egg Mixture. Make sure to work it all the way to the bottom

Top with Cheddar Cheese

Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 25-30 minutes, until well set.

Let cool, slice and serve. A nutritional powerhouse that tastes good!

Enjoy,
Christine

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

2009-10-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a post on Joy The Baker's blog, I had to make these cookies!

Growing up, Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwiches were my favorite breakfast; or after school snack; or midnight treat। So I knew when I saw this recipe, I had to make them। And with only 6 ingredients, it's my kind of easy. They also happen to be gluten free, if that matters to you.

This recipe only makes about 15 cookies, so I doubled the recipe. We can't be running out now, can we?

1 cup peanut butter (smooth or creamy - your preference)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and diced small

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside.

In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes.

Fold in cooked bacon.

Roll into large walnut sized balls and roll in sugar.

Transfer to greased baking sheet and create a criss-cross pattern with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for five minutes.

These cookies will be very crumbly, and will not transport well. However, they shouldn't last that long.

Note to my mother: This would be a perfect treat for you to make during hunting season, when that peanut butter hater you married is out of town!

Cheers,

Christine

Tuscan Pork Roast with Orzo Pasta Salad

2009-08-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

On any given lazy Sunday, you would think I would want to cook something that took all day, and involved many steps. NOT. I wanted quick and easy today, although I do believe Sunday meals should be a little more involved then the regular weeknight fare.

I had been wanting to cook an Orzo pasta salad, and this dish is a take on that. The difference is I served it warm.

The Tuscan spice blend on the pork roast was wonderful. Sadly, the little spice store I bought this mix at has gone out of business.

Overall rating on this dinner was excellent!

PORK ROAST

1 - 3-4 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed

Seasoning of your choice

vegetable oil

Rub the spice mixture completely over the trimmed pork loin.

Get a skillet nice and hot and add a couple tablespoons of oil. Brown, quickly on all sides.

Finish in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until an internal read thermometer reads about 140 degrees. Let rest before slicing.

ORZO SALAD

This would be equally good warm or cold. Any combinations of vegetables would work too. I think this would have been lovely with zucchini in it. Alas, the green thing in my crisper I thought was a zucchini was actually a cucumber.

1/2 pound of Orzo, cooked per package instructions

Trio of bell peppers, diced small, about 1/4 of each pepper

1 tomato, diced. Halved grape tomatoes would have been great here.

1/2 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Minced garlic

Olive Oil for sauteing

Vinagrette for dressing (mine happened to be Tuscan flavor)

Feta cheese for garnish

Cook the pasta, then drain and let cool.

Saute the peppers and garlic for about 2 mintes.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.

Add the spinach and cook for another minute.

Add the cooked Orzo and toss together until all warm.

Pour in a couple of tablespoons of your favorite "Italian" salad dressing or vinagrette. While still warm, put on plate and top with feta cheese crumbles.

Enjoy!

Christine

It's Not Awful, It's Falafel!

2009-07-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

It's a taco, from Morocco!

In our quest to find new and tasty vegetarian dishes, we decided to make falafel. Summer had it last week at her Uncle's house, and really liked it.

My take? I probably won't make it again, but I would love to try it in a restaurant that specializes in Middle Eastern food. In short, it tastes like a curry hush puppy!

Falafel is traditionally made with garbanzo or fava beans. We cheated and used the boxed mix:

Add some water to the mix and let set a few minutes.

Then roll into balls and/or patties. We did both.

Make sure you have your helper for this!

Then you fry them in 1/2 inch of oil for a couple of minutes until crispy and browned.

Traditionally, these are served in a pita with Tahini sauce (a sesame "paste"), but we aren't big fans of Tahini, so we decided to mix genres and use Taziki sauce, which is a Greek sauce.

First, peel and seed a cucumber, then salt it and let it sit to pull the water out of the cucumber. In your food processor, throw in the cucumber, chopped up, some lemon juice, Greek yogurt (my new favorite ingredient), salt and pepper, and spices as desired.

Blend until well pureed.

Then, chop of some veggies of choice....

And assemble everything in a pita. We used these wraps instead. I prefer Anan bread (a pocketless pita) but those are hard to find around these parts.

Enjoy!

Christine

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

2009-07-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

I knew I wanted to make a corn salad for the 4th of July BBQ, I just didn't know which one. When I came across this recipe on Foodgawker, I knew this was the one. The combination of ingredients, along with the Honey Lime Dressing just grabbed my attention. This recipe is a keeper!

If making ahead of time, wait until just before serving to add the avocado.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:

Juice of 2 limes

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 teaspooon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salad:

2 pints grape tomatoes, cut in half

2 avocados, roughly chopped

6 ears fresh, sweet corn

4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Grill corn over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. I didn't feel like turning on the BBQ at 8:00 am, so I roasted my corn in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

Let the corn cool, then cut the corn off the cob and scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices.

Add all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk to combine. Get your helper to do this.

Add the tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn. Mix well so that everything is coated with the marinade, but be careful not the mash the avocadoes.

Refrigerate for an hour and serve.

There was another corn salad at the potluck, prepared by the host. Her husband came to me after dinner and said mine was better. But then you already knew that.

Bon Appetite!

Christine

BLT Pasta Salad

2009-07-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

NOTE: If there was any doubt, I am a moron. On the next two posts, there are no pictures of the completed salads. I had to wait until the last minute to finish them before the party, and completely forgot to take pictures. I am a work in progress!

On to the recipe!

Two of my favorite summer meals are cold salads and a BLT sandwich. So I knew when I found this recipe I had to try it. It goes together in minutes, and was a hit at our 4th of July BBQ.

INGREDIENTS

1 (7-8 oz) package of rotini pasta noodles (cooked and drained)

8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled

1 cup mayonnaise

Juice of one lemon

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons chicken flavored instant bouillon (2 cubes, crushed)

2 large or 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

4 cups lettuce, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, chicken bouillon and sugar. Mix well until smooth.

In a serving bowl, add noodles, bacon, tomato, and green onions, toss with dressing. Stir in lettuce right before serving.

This was delicious. And super fast to prepare. It's a keeper! Try it for your next potluck, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Bon Appetite!

Christine

Pasta Salad with Prosciutto, Tomatoes and Basil

2009-07-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the 4th of July, we joined some friends and family for a BBQ. Again, I was lacking inspiration for a dish to bring. So I called upon Old Faithful... Foodgawker. As usually happens when I go on Foodgawker, I ended up with about 5 different salad recipes printed. And I made 3 of them for the BBQ. Me, excessive? Never.

Worth noting...this is the first time I have ever cooked with prosciutto.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of pasta - any short pasta will do
2 pints of grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup of basil, chiffonade
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
10 slice of prosciiutto, cut into 1/2" strips
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

As pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients, which can be combined together right away. When the pasta is al denta, drain, rinse with cold water and redrain. Combine everything. Season to taste.

Final product: A pretty salad, if not terribly exciting.

Cheers,

Christine

Devil Horns

2009-07-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I mentioned that we were eating better because of the vegetarian in the house.

Scratch that.

These Devil Horns are not good for you. They have no redeeming nutritional qualities. They are loaded with fat and sugar. In fact, you should just stop reading here. Whatever you do, do NOT make these!

Still reading, huh? Okay, you were warned.

These delicious little treats were discovered at my office potluck this week. And I love them, not only because they are more addictive then crack, but because they only have 3 ingredients. Remember, I'm all about cheap and easy.

You will need a couple of bags of Bugles, some Almond Bark in Vanilla, and some sliced almonds.

Melt the almond bark in a glass bowl in the microwave. Takes a couple of minutes, stir until completely smooth.

Pour your Bugles in a bowl... I used about a bag and a half.

Add some sliced almonds. How many is really up to you. I used a 2 oz bag of almonds for a bag and a half of Bugles.

Pour the melted bark over the Bugles/Almond mixture.

Make sure you mix WELL. The Bugles should be totally covered.

Spread the mixture out on was paper to cool. Don't worry about separating completely, you want some clumps of mixture.

Let cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, and place in a serving bowl or Tupperware.

Gratuitous shot of Devil Horns in the bowl Summer painted.

These will store, covered, for about a week. Trust me, they won't last that long.

Enjoy,

Christine

Farmers Market

2009-07-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

Finally, we have a small farmers market in town. This was the second week, and I'm there by 7:00 am each Saturday. It's too dang hot to go later. It was already 90 degrees at 7:00 this morning.

I must say...we are definitely eating better now that we have a vegetarian in the house that actually eats vegetables.

I'm busy cooking today for the 4th of July BBQ tonight. Lots of recipes posted in the next few days. Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July!

Cheers,

Christine

BBQ Chicken Corn Bread Bites

2009-06-29T16:26:00.000-07:00

Potlucks at work always put me into a tail spin. Too much pressure! Everyone knows I cook, so I feel like they expect some Iron Chef type dishes. To compensate, I usually buy a bag of Wavy Lays and store bought onion dip. No, not really. But I think about it every time.

This weekend, I was terribly uninspired when I was shopping for today's potluck. Paula Deen to the rescue. I found this recipe in a cookbook of hers I picked up at the Paula Deen store in Tunica, Mississippi. What, you didn't know I went to the Paula Deen store? That's right, I was boycotting my blog at the time. Not only did I go to her store, I went to the Paula Deen Buffet. It was everything I dreamed it would be. But that's a story for another time.

Back to the recipe. I just wasn't feeling the whole cooking thing this weekend. Which is why this recipe appealed to me. Three ingredients. Three. Corn muffins, cooked chicken, and BBQ sauce.

Here we go...

Use your favorite corn bread mix - I used Marie Calendar...Jiffy would work just as well.

Bake in your mini muffin pan - should make 24.

You could also make these in regular muffins for more of an entree than an appetizer.

Let muffins cool completely, then with a small paring knife, cut out the center of muffin, leaving about 1/4" shell.

Shred or chop your cooked chicken. I used a store bought rotisserie chicken. You'll need about 2 cups, give or take.

Add to this about 1/2 cup bottled BBQ sauce. Mix well.

Now, using a small spoon, fill each muffin shell with the BBQ chicken mixture.

Imagine a picture here of all the mini muffins filled with BBQ chicken mixture. Because this was for a potluck at work, I filled the shells at work so the muffins wouldn't get soggy. And I totally spaced taking a picture of the finished product.

All in, this took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. And they were a hit at the potluck.

Until next recipe...

Christine

Remember Me?

2009-06-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Christine. I used to blog here. Then my lovely daughter borrowed my camera on a hiking trip and DROPPED it. I didn't replace it at the time, quite frankly because I was ticked off. And I felt that blogging about my cooking without posting pictures was kinda...lame.

But I wanted to list some items on EBay this weekend, and needed pictures to post. So I finally broke down and bought a new camera. But Shhhh, I didn't tell the girls about it!

So the lovely silverware is posted on EBay. And I'm back on my blog. I've missed you. Seriously, I have. So much so that you may notice a "Follow me on Twitter" link on the left sidebar of my blog. I really don't know much about Twitter, but we are using it at work, so I figured I should probably figure this stuff out. I promise not to post inane Tweets about my boring daily life. Okay, truth be told, most of my Tweets will probably be inane. It's hard to post thrilling Twitter updates when your life is inane.

To prove my last sentence, I actually looked up the definition of inane:

1. silly – irritatingly silly or time-wasting
2. insubstantial – empty, insubstantial or void

Yup, I used the word correctly.

I already have my first recipe to post...it will follow shortly. You can thank Paula Deen.

Cheers,
Christine

Potato Skins

2009-03-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

I was so good on Friday. On the way home, I stopped and got pizza for the kids. I can't eat pizza anymore...it is not lap-band friendly. So I got all the goodies to makes Chicken Caesar Salad and Chinese Chicken Salad. The Caesar salad Friday night was fabulous!

But Sunday night, having had a real "feel sorry for myself" kind of weekend, I knew a salad just wasn't gonna cut it. I needed something greasy. Something NOT good for me.

The winner: Potato Skins - TGI Fridays style.

I used Yukon Gold potatoes, because that's what I had. They worked just fine, but you can use regular russet baking potatoes if that's what you have. I cooked mine in the microwave, but you could bake them in the oven first. I'm all about quick and easy. I figured on one potato / 2 halves per person. I figured wrong. Cook more than you think you'll need. If you have left overs, you can always warm them up and throw an egg on it in the morning. Breakfast of Champions!

After the potatoes were about 90% cooked, I sliced them in half.

And scooped out about a third of the potato. See note below.

Get some vegetable oil nice in hot in your dutch oven, or use your deep fryer if you have one of those nifty gadgets.

Fry the potatoes a good 5-7 minutes. You want them to be a little brown.

While these are cooking, assembling your fillings. We are all about the cheese and bacon bits. I make my bacon bits from scratch...I refuse to use the store bought garbage.

Now, most people might include green onions...but that constitutes a vegetable, and we aren't allowed to have those in my house.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Once your potato skins are cooked, drain them.

Lay your potato skins on a cookie sheet, and fill with cheese. Use more than you think you should. The cheese should actually mound above the potato. Trust me... after it all melts down, you'll wish you had used more cheese. Add your bacon bits, and green onions if you're allowed, on top of the cheese.

Place in the oven for about 5 minutes. Just long enough to melt the cheese.

Serve with sour cream. Lot's of sour cream!

Heaven! These potato skins and a John Grisham novel are all you need to forget your woes.

Now, what to do with the potato you scooped out of the middle? Smashed potatoes! Mix the potato up with some butter, some salt and pepper, and some... are you ready? Some cream cheese! Delightful. Could be served for dinner the next night, but probably won't last that long.

Now grab a good book, and enjoy!

Cheers,

Christine

Northern Arizona University

2009-02-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

Sunday, the girls and I took a road trip to Flagstaff to check out the NAU campus.

Shelby's boyfriend went with us. His brother attends NAU, and lives in the dorms, so we were able to get a great tour of the campus. We were able to see several of the dorms, the fitness center, the dining facilities, and most of the campus.

This is Shelby, and her very tall boyfriend Josh.

Here is Stormy in one of the food courts, adjacent to the cafeteria. They have better food choices on campus than my entire town!

It's a beautiful campus...except for the SNOW!

Are those icicles? Brrrrr...

Here is where Shelby will be spending most of her time...

Here is the Skydome, where all the sporting events are held. Notice the Lumberjack.

I still can't get over the fact that they will be Lumberjacks!

All in all, it was a day well spent. We even managed to find the mall in town, which could have been the deal breaker for Stormy. Fortunately, it passed muster. The town of Flagstaff is adorable, and has everything they will need. Including a Grey Hound bus station.

Cheers,

Christine

Lumberjacks?

2009-02-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

Guess what came in the mail yesterday!

Can you guess?

Shelby's acceptance letter to NAU!

She is going to be a Lumberjack!

Lumberjack? That's the best they could do? At least I'm a grizzly. Does this mean I have to buy her flannel shirts? Good Lord I hope not. Shelby doesn't look good in plaid.

One down, one to go!

Cheers,
Christine

Meet Frank!

2009-02-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

This is Frank.

Frank is a new (hopefully temporary) addition to our household.

Because of his squished up little face, he snorts when you pet him. I already like him!

Frank is a Himalayan Persian. Frank is a rescue...he was being seriously neglected in his previous home. I received a pitiful cry for help from his previous, previous (10 year old) owner to "Please Save Frank". How do you say no to that?

Smokey says it should have been real easy to say no. He's giving me the cold shoulder now.

Remember "Wild Kingdom"? I have decided that Summer is Marlon Perkins, and I am Jim. She gets to do all the cool narrative, and I end up wrestling the alligator. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Cheers,

Christine

Quick, Somebody Google Carnitas!

2009-02-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight, dinner was Carnitas Tacos with Saffron Rice and corn on the cob with Chili Lime Butter. None of that was what I had planned for the pork loin I got out of the fridge at noon, it just sort of happened. I love surprises like that.

I had originally planned to roast the pork loin, either in the oven or our handy dandy garage sale rotisserie. But as I was trimming the roast, I realized I was in the mood for Mexican. So I cut the meat into large chunks, seasoned with garlic and chili powder, and browned the meat in the dutch oven in some vegetable oil.

Then I through the dutch oven into the oven to finish cooking, while I debated what to do with it. Chili Verde? Chili Colorado? Ahhh, how about Carnitas? So I through in more garlic, some onions, cumin, and chili powder, and let it cook about 3 hours at 350 degrees.

Once the meat is nice and browned, bring back up to the stove top on low heat...

Mix in all those drippings...that's what makes this so good!

And shred the meat. We did this with a potato masher, but spoons and/or forks would have worked just fine.

Meanwhile, I ran to the store, so that we would have some tasty toppings.

Cilantro, diced onion, avocado, salsa Verde, and fresh lime juice.

Then decided that some chili lime butter would be a great topping to some corn on the cob. Just mix soft butter with chili powder to taste and fresh lime juice.

Don't be shy with the chili power. It really makes the corn "pop"!

Then shape into a log with some plastic wrap and put in the fridge. It will re-harden pretty quickly.

Now, just put your taco together anyway you like. I like everything on mine.

The chili lime butter was excellent on the corn.

Not too bad for a last minute dinner!

Cheers,

Christine

Cats, Caverns and Cars

2009-02-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

So, what do you do on a cold, rainy Sunday in Arizona?

Well, if you're us, you head out on old Route 66 and see what turns up!

Our first stop was Keepers of the Wild in Valentine. A "rescue" wild animal park.

Keepers got it's start by rescuing large cats that had been in Las Vegas shows, but their owners no longer had any use for them.

Despite the look of the fences, these animals actually have very large enclosures of natural landscape to roam in.

Summer loved these big cats.

This big cat did NOT love Summer!

I'm a sucker for the wolves.

There were many other types of animals, but we didn't get to see them all...

Because of the snow! Yes, we got snowed on...in Arizona!

So, we headed back out on ol' Route 66 and ended up in Peach Springs.

Home of the Grand Canyon Caverns.

Fun Fact: Peach Springs was the inspiration for Radiator Springs in the Disney/Pixar movie Cars.

So, we jumped on the elevator and descended 220 feet below the surface for a 3/4 mile tour of the worlds largest "dry cavern".

Fun Fact: These caverns were a planned fall out shelter for the Cuban Missile Crisis. There are still supplies down there from that time.

Gotta come here in the Summer when it's 115 degrees at home.

This, of course, was the highlight of the tour for Summer. Ewwww!

Once we had enough subterranean fun, back on the highway we headed.

We ended up in Seligman, another quaint Route 66 town.

Did you know this is an Edsel? Me neither. But the hubby did.

This one too. I guess that's cool if you're a car guy.

I really wanted to eat here, but there were closed. Ran out of roadkill apparently.

This made me very thirsty!

Yes, that says 1,280,000 shots of Moonshine

Well, that was enough tourist fun for us. Only took us 5 years here to get out and explore our own backyard. Maybe next time, we'll head for the Grand Canyon. I've heard there is some cool stuff there too!

Christine

New Years Resolutions

2009-01-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

All told, I'm not a big fan of New Years Resolutions. Oh sure, I've made my share of them in the past. All the standard ones: lose weight, save money, volunteer more, etc. Most of those failed early on in the year. A few years ago, I decided to make a resolution that would be easier to keep. I resolved to accessorize more. And I did pretty good on that one...wore earrings almost every day. But alas, that one eventually fell by the wayside as well.

This year, while there are plenty of lifestyle changes I would like to make, I had no intention of making a New Years Resolution. I had plenty of things I wanted to change without the added pressure of failing. Considering Stormy's new vow to be a vegetarian, I wanted to focus our meals, and my cooking style, on a more healthful, and more vegetarian way of thinking. And I'm making good progress with that. Yesterdays culinary contributions included a vegan black bean soup, vegan white bean dip, whole wheat pita chips, and a plethora of fresh vegetables and "soy" products from the grocery store. Of course, there is a vast difference between me preparing vegetarian meals and my children eating them!

Another change I wanted to make was to actually use the complete gym that fills my garage. Oh, it's a beautiful gym too! Any and all equipment you could want for a complete work out experience. Treadmill, weight machines, free weights, exercise balls, even a carpeted floor. We've had it two years. Until 3 days ago, I had never used it. Ever.

Saturday, I decided it was time. And this is what led to me making a damn New Years Resolution. But I understand the limits, not only of my body, but the limits to my available time. And most importantly, I understand the limits of my commitment level. It borders on non-existent.

So I realize that I'll never have 6-pack abs. Who needs 'em? I know, without a doubt, that jiggle proof thighs are not in my future...and I'm okay with that.

But there is one thing I desperately want, and I honestly believe could be in my future. And based on an article posted on the doors of the women's restrooms here at work, people who share their resolutions are 12% more likely to succeed...So, here is my New Years Resolution.

I want Rock Star Arms. You know the ones. When you watch the actresses at the award shows walk down the aisle in a strapless gown, they have beautiful arms. Not bulky, but still muscular. And they don't have that "back fat" that lumps up over their bra straps in the back. When they wave to the crowd, their arms don't keep waving long after they are done. That's what I want!

Which is exactly why I have spent the last 3 days, including 5:15 am this morning, in my gym. Which is exactly why I spent hours at the computer burning CD's of music that I hoped would keep me motivated in the gym. Which is exactly why I cannot even pick up a pencil today.

So I have shared my resolution. Based on the earlier mentioned article, I now have a 12% chance of meeting my goals!

I hope none of you were silly enough to make a New Years Resolution. But if you did, feel free to share it with me, and up your odds of success!

Happy New Year!
Christine

Geography Lessons

2009-01-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Arizona State public schools rank 50th out of 50? It's true! Let me give you just a little taste of our education system hard at work.

Below is an actual conversation I had with Stormy last night. I did NOT take creative license...this is exactly how the conversation went. She was reading a book, and I wasn't doing much of anything.

Storm: "Is Florence in Italy?"

Me: "Uh huh"

Storm: "Is Italy in France?"

Me: "Huh? No!"

Storm: "Is France in Italy?"

Me: "No Baby. They are two separate countries. Like Canada and the US."

Storm: "I didn't know France was a country!"

I swear to God, that is verbatim what she said. And these girls are going away to top rated Universities in the fall? You know what this means don't you? It means they are going to flunk out first semester and have to COME HOME!

Quick! Does anybody out there have some good homeschooling books? What are the chances I can catch them up in the next 6 months?

Help me!
Christine

You're Killing Me Smalls!

2008-12-28T09:36:00.001-08:00

For those of you that haven't seen "The Sandlot", the title of this post means nothing to you. If you're a fan of the movie, I'd be willing to bet that those words have passed through your lips at least once.

Now, the name Smalls has a new meaning in our house.

Meet Summer's Christmas presents:

Otherwise known as cat toys for Smoky and Spooky.

This is Smalls.

This is her buddy, Squints. Yep, named from the movie as well.

They are very sweet. Although they do cause more than one friend or family member to shudder with disgust.

It's beginning to look like Noah's Ark around here. Two cats. Two Turtles. Two Rats. Of course, it would have to be a GAY Noah's Ark, since they're all the same sex. But Hey...it's the 21st century!

Cheers!

Christine

Lettuce Wraps

2008-12-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have ordered lettuce wraps in restaurants before, but for some reason I had never made them at home. They have now been put on the "favorite" list and some version will be made often.

I happened to have several chicken breasts that had been grilled on the Foreman, just hanging out in the refrigerator looking for something to do.

So I sliced the chicken very thin...

Julienned some red bell peppers...

Added some sliced garlic. Minced garlic is for...lightweights!

Seasoned with some Hoisin Sauce and some Newmans Sesame Ginger Dressing

(which is fabulous on a Chinese Chicken Salad!)

Sauteed it all up together...just long enough to warm the chicken.

The peppers should al dente, not mushy.

Pulled some nice "cup" shaped leaves off the lettuce. I used butter lettuce, but iceberg or green leaf would work just as well.

Just place the cooked mixture in your lettuce leaf,and eat like a taco. Delish!

Now, cooking for my family has never been an easy chore. The children are picky...I mean PICKY! But now, Stormy has decided she is a vegetarian. So Storm wouldn't eat the lettuce wraps because they had meat in them; and Shelby wouldn't eat them because they had vegetables in them.

How much longer until they go away to college and have to feed themselves?

TGFTR

"Thank God For Top Ramen"

Cheers,
Christine

Holiday Traditions

2008-12-17T16:51:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a family steeped in tradition. And I loved it. I have so many wonderful memories, especially of holidays.

There was always the first Strawberry Shortcake of the year on April 13th...my grandfathers birthday. We still have Strawberry Shortcake on April 13th...for Shelby's birthday. Although Shelby won't eat it, because strawberries are fruit, and fruit might be good for you. But the rest of us eat enough for her.

I remember many, many games of "Clue" after holiday dinners. My mom always got to be Miss Scarlet. I wanted to be Miss Scarlett so bad. My Grandmother was Mrs. White, and Grandpa was always Colonel Mustard. It was tradition!

Professor Peacock, in the Library, with the candlestick. Oh how I loved that game.

And at Christmas time, my grandparents always had two bowls on the table. One full of ribbon candy, and one full of nuts.

This is on my counter this holiday season. Thanks for the cool basket Mom!

Another long standing tradition, for many families including mine, is the baking of holiday treats to give to family and friends. While I participate in this annual tradition, I'd like to know who started this sadistic trend. Why on earth do we spend hours upon hours baking cookies to then package up and give away, only to receive a different assortment from others with the same goal? Rather then spend precious holiday time baking hundreds of cookies to give away, then receive hundreds back, why not just bake cookies for your own family?

These are the thoughts that keep me awake at night, tossing and turning with thoughts of sugar, flour and butter. What if I forget to give cookies to someone, then receive them from that person and feel guilty that I missed them? Ahhhh, the joy of the holidays.

Regardless, I continue with the frenzy of holiday baking and delivering pretty wrapped boxes of treats.

Here is part of this years donations:

I at least hope my treats are well received. And we definitely partake of all the goodies bestowed upon us.

Happy Holidays!

Christine

Santa Must Be Coming!

2008-12-17T09:04:00.001-08:00

Monday we went Christmas shopping in Las Vegas.

And what to our wondering eyes should appear?

SNOW!

Snow in Vegas!

This must mean it's Christmas time!

And Santa will soon be here!

This morning, it was raining at home. Cold and raining. Shelby says "I hate the rain." I mentioned to Shel that it rains here an average of 3 days a year. I also wondered out loud how she was going to survive college in Flagstaff, where they actually get weather. I guess I'll be buying her a parka for graduation!

Cheers,

Christine

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

I am not a fan of Thanksgiving, as my friends and family all know. But I do love the "day" because it means the official start of the Christmas season.

I love everything about the next month!

The decorating, the cooking, the giving spirit of people, the shopping, driving around looking at Christmas lights, the shopping, the Christmas music, the eating, the shopping.

The shopping starts tonight at Midnight. Our mall here opens at Midnight for shopping! I'm so excited! I don't even need anything from the mall, but just the idea that I can take my girls to the mall for Christmas shopping at Midnight makes me giddy. Plus...they have free hot chocolate. I don't even like hot chocolate, but they are serving it at Midnight in a MALL. It will be the best damn hot chocolate I have ever had in my life.

I'm SO excited!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Cheers,
Christine

Pull Apart Monkey Bread

2008-11-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why it's called Monkey Bread. I've never made it before. This is my husbands recipe. I was making another dish with frozen bread dough today, and figured I might as well thaw two loaves.

I will DEFINITELY make this bread again. It is wonderful...and super easy. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures until I had already started!

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf frozen bread dough

1 cube butter, melted

3/4 cup cinnamon sugar mix

Follow the directions on the dough and let it rise. Punch it down and roll it flat. Using a round bisquit cutter, cut out dough circles.

Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar.

Put a bread loaf pan on its end and stack the dough circles until all gone.

It should fill the loaf pan.

Let rise again, to the top of the loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Be amazed at the power of yeast!

Let cool a few minutes, then turn the loaf pan upside down onto a plate.

The melted butter/cinnamon sugar glaze will cover the bread, and make it irrestible!

I have seen recipes that this can also me made with canned bisquits, like Grands. That might be alright, but I really like the flavor of the yeast bread.

I think I had too many pieces...I'm heading into a sugar coma as I type.

Zzzzzzzzzz,

Christine

Garage Sale Finds...and Dinner

2008-11-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

I love garage sales.

Really love them. Summer and I get up early on Saturdays and drive around neighborhoods looking for signs.

You never know what treasures you might find. This week, it was a slew of infomercial goodies.

First is the Smart Stitch. New in the box. $19.99 at Walmart. Got it for 2 bucks! Summer's already sewing together everything in the house.

Next is the Zone Pilates. Never been used. $45 on TV. I paid $15.

It will probably still be new in the box this time next year!

But here is my most exciting find. The Ron Popiel Rotisserie Oven. Saw it in the kitchen store in the mall today for $194. I stole it for $10. Brand new!

Cooked dinner in it tonight. Pork roast. Threw a rub together and stuck that baby on the spit!

Let it turn slowly and get golden brown for a couple of hours....

VOILA!

At least I know this garage sale find/informercial casualty will get used!

Cheers,

Christine

Nor Cal Visit

2008-11-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

I know, I know!

Waaaayyyy too long between posts. But let me explain. I took 4 days off work to go to Northern California for a visit with the Pops and the Uncles...and it took me two weeks to catch up at work. Seriously!

But I did want to share a few pictures and stories from my trip...

First day, my Dad and Candy took me to Apple Hill.

Home of Apple Farms

And Pony Rides

And Fishing Ponds

And Petty Zoos

But best of all...

Home of HUGE Apple Fritters

And Apple Turnovers!

Next day, I headed up to Grizzly Flats...

To see my Uncle Steve and Aunt Evelyn

I had a great visit, and a wonderful lunch. Still trying to get the chocolate torte recipe from my uncle.

Last day, I visited my Uncle Larry at his museum. I got a backstage tour.

My Uncle Larry made a great dinner for me and my Aunt Lola that night. Hey Lar - where did you get those tamales? I can't find them here!

There was one moment during the trip that just tickled me, so I have to share it with you. My last night at Dad's, we all jumped in the car to go to dinner. As he turned the key (on his new car) the stereo was blasting Cher. Rather than turn the volume down, he turned it up, and yelled over the music to me in the back seat "Can you believe this sound system? It's got 8 speakers!" Turns the volume up again "Listen to that bass!"

I think it is absolutely fricken fabulous that my 68 year old dad still rocks out! Right on Dad! Keep it up....it's what keeps you young.

Cheers,

Christine

Mustard Chicken

2008-11-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Everybody has that one “Go To” dish. The one that goes together quickly for a week night dinner. The one that the children will actually eat. The one that you hope and pray leaves leftovers for lunch the next day.

At our house, that one dish is Mustard Chicken.

4 ingredients! Love that. Love the fact that it goes together in minutes. Love even more the fact that the children request it. Make extra...it's just as good the next day.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

Yellow mustard

Bread crumbs or Panko

Vegetable Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

Coat the chicken breasts with mustard. It doesn't have to be perfect, but don't be shy with the mustard. Trust me...it will make the chicken very moist, and the flavor doesn't overpower.

Cover the mustard coated chicken breasts with bread crumbs or Panko. I prefer Panko. Feel free to season the coating...I usually use Italian Season, Salt and Granulated Garlic.

Make sure you have a willing helper!

Put a decent amount of oil in a skillet, and put your chicken in nice hot oil. You want these babies to get nice and golden brown.

If you have big, fat chicken breasts, it's best to finish them in the oven. The breading tends to get too dark on the stove if the chicken is thick. Make sure you use the grungiest, most stained cookie sheet you own for this step!

We usually serve with rice pilaf, but goes just as well with potatoes or pasta.

ENJOY!

Cheers,

Christine

Busy, busy!

2008-11-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

So this week was Spirit Week at Summer's School. A fun filled week leading up to Halloween. Which, if you don't know us, is considered a Very Important Holiday. Here was my week...

Crazy Hair Day....

Brownie Graveyard...it's a tradition!

Partly Cloudy With A Chance Of Rain...

Won "Coolest" AND "Best" Costume at Boys and Girls Club!

We toned down our yard this year....

It's pretty tame for us....

Maybe next year we'll put some effort into it!

Heading to Northern California to visit with the family in a few days. I'm sure I'll have fun stories to share with you!

Cheers,

Christine

Food Fest!

2008-10-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

There is an annual event in my small resort town that I try to never miss. It is the Chef’s Food Fest. It is a fundraiser for United Way, and this was its 21st year. I was too busy eating to take pictures, but I wanted to list for you all of the dishes Jimmy and I tried. It’s a long list!

Crawfish Ettouffe
Lobster Tamale
Sicilian Taquitos
Rio De Janeiro Rice Ball
Mardi Gras Chicken Jambalaya
Black & Blue Burger (Filet Mignon Topped with Maytag Blue Cheese and Wrapped in Pancetta - My favorite!)
Breaded Lobster Cake on a Sun Dried Tomato Foccacia Bun
Black Truffle Mac & Cheese
Banana Split Cheesecake
Tiramisu
Exotic Truffle Plate (Chipotle Chocolate Truffles – Spicy and good!)

I’m sure there are items that I am missing…mostly desserts. I filled up two plates and tasted it all. There were also many different types of alcoholic drinks to try, including one called a Bit O’Honey that intrigued me, but since I had to choose between food and drink…Well, you know me well enough to know which direction I chose.

Cheers,
Christine

Life Lessions...

2008-10-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend was homecoming for the twins. Their last homecoming. And it made me an emotional, weepy mess.

Stormy

Shelby
Stormy made top 5 for senior court. At the homecoming game Friday night, they announced the Homecoming King and Queen. It should have been Storm (that’s another story). But she didn’t win. When she came to see me in the stands after the parade, she was in tears. And I learned a long-time coming lesson. For the first time in any of my children’s lives, this was something I couldn’t fix. WOW, that hit me hard. I have always been able to make things right for my kids, but I couldn’t make this right for her. I seriously considered (for a moment) running over the winner in the parking lot.

Saturday was Homecoming. All of their friends met at our house before dinner. As the hoard of teenagers left for their evening, my house was too quiet. And I had another life-changing realization. They would be leaving for college soon. And my house would always be this quiet. It was at that moment, that I decided I didn’t want them to grow up and move away. I want them to stay with me. Forever.

The whole gang at our house before the dance

Josh and Shelby

Stormy, Anthony, Kayla, Joey, Josh and Shelby
If I’m this much of a wreck now, how will I ever get through graduation? And driving them to colleges hours away and LEAVING THEM THERE! How do parents survive this?

Christine

More Cookies!

2008-10-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here are the other cookie recipes I promised you…

Lime Meltaways

12 TBLS unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 limes, grated zest of
2 TBLS lime juice, freshly squeezed (I like to use 3)
1 TBLS vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups + 2 TBLS all-purpose flour
2 TBLS cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

With balloon whisk of a stand mixer, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla; whip until fluffy. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined. Roll the dough into two 1 1/4-inch-diameter logs. I used a sheet of parchment on opposite ends, cradling the dough in the middle and rolled it. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Remove dough from refrigerator and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, just three or four minutes. While still warm, place cookies in the sugar-filled bag; toss to coat. Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Frozen dough can keep up to 2 months. Makes 4 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Blondies

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups AP flour
½ teaspoon baking power
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl (I use my stand mixer for everything) combine the brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla just until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to brown sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Shortbread

1 pound butter, at room temp
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour

Combine butter and sugar and mix until fluffy and light in color. Add in the flour one cup at a time. When all the flour is mixed in, shape dough into a ball and place on a large cookie sheet. Spread the dough from corner to corner, until even. With a sharp knife, place a few slits in the dough to keep it from overflowing when baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning the pan around half way through. The cookies should be just starting to brown on the edges when done. Let cool slightly. Trim the edges off the cookies. (We call these the scraps…they are our favorite part!). Cut the cookies into one inch squares. Will last 1-2 weeks in a sealed container, and these freeze beautifully. But they won’t last that long!

Cheers,
Christine

Cookies!

2008-10-15T09:45:00.001-07:00

I apologize that I haven’t been around for a few days. I can’t seem to get the internet working on my computer, and the option of using the twins computer in their room is just too, too scary. Not only would I have to brave the piles of dirty laundry, the loud music I just can’t relate to, and the incessant chatter of two 17 year olds. I’d actually be forced to work on a 4 year old computer that is just MUCH too slow for this impatient Gemini.

So, I have no pictures for you today. Partly, because I don’t like to upload my cooking photos at work. But mostly because the twins took the camera to school today to take pictures of themselves and classmates during Spirit week. I may get around to uploading the photos later, but you probably shouldn’t count on it.

Sunday was another jam packed baking day for me. Four different types of cookies. Not sure why I do that, as we obviously can’t eat all those cookies. But Jimmy’s and my co-workers definitely enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I made:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Very good, not very sweet, easy to make, and taste just like fall.

Lime Meltaways. My last bash for Summer. I’ve been wanting to make these and just hadn’t made the time. They are a perfect Summertime cookie…the fresh lime zest and juice really makes these a warm weather treat.

Chocolate Chip Blondies. Basically, a chocolate chip cookie in a bar form. Super easy if you need a sweet treat quickly.

Shortbread. My go to cookie. I have never, ever met a person that didn’t like this cookie. And with only 3 ingredients, it goes together fast. Perfect for Christmas baking, as it makes a lot of cookies, and holds up well to shipping.

I’ll start with the pumpkin cookies, and upload the other recipes this week. I promise!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup pumpkin puree
¾ cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Dissolve baking soda in milk and set aside. In large bowl whisk together pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and egg.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and then stir in the baking powder mixture and the chocolate chips. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until done.

These cookies will have a cake like texture. Because they aren’t too sweet, these would be perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee.

Cheers,
Christine

Longing For Fall

2008-10-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

We don't get Fall here in the desert.

It's October already. There should be leaves changing color. I should need to put on a sweater to go outside. There should be bushels of apples for sale at the farmers market.

We get none of these things here. There aren't any trees, and the cactus don't change color. Today, the chilly low was 73 degrees, with a nippy high of 95. Brrrrrrr. And if we did have a farmers market (we don't, sadly) there sure as heck wouldn't be any apples there.

But I am ready for Fall! I must have printed 20 pumpkin recipes in the last week. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pancakes. I'm hoping to make at least one of these this weekend.

God forbid, I've even started to plan my Christmas baking! At least it gets down into the sixties here at Christmastime, so the baking doesn't heat up the house so much!

I never thought I'd say I miss Montana in the wintertime, but I do. I miss a crackling fire in the wood stove. The smell of good things in the oven. Having to shake the snow off your shoes before you come in the house. Okay, I really don't miss the snow. But I do miss the seasons. We have two seasons here in the desert...hot and windy, and lukewarm and windy. Hardly the kind of weather that encourages the baking of pumpkin bread.

But I'm gonna bake it anyway. To heck with the desert...bring on the holidays!

Cheers,
Christine

A New Way To Cook Pork Roast

2008-10-05T17:24:00.001-07:00

I'd be hearing about a different way to cook pork roast for quite some time, but never took the time to try it. I'll never cook one another way again.

What's the trick? Searing the roast before you bake it. I'm telling ya...it makes for the moistest, juiciest pork roast I've ever had.

And it's so easy. Here are the steps:

Make a mix of the spices you want to crust the roast in. I used granulated garlic, fresh cracked pepper, hot salt, and Cajun seasoning. But any concoctions you can come up with would be just as good. Mix the spices together on a plate, and roll your roast in the spices until completely coated.

Get a pan nice and hot! I used my grandmothers cast iron skillet. Add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil. Don't use olive oil, it smokes at too low a temperature. Give the oil a minute to get very hot.
Now sear your roast on all sides. Don't forget about the ends! It only takes about 1-2 minutes on each side.
Then just bake as you would normally. I had two roasts that were about 1-1/2 pounds each. I cooked them at 375 for an hour.

You could cut these babies with a fork!
I'm sure this would work with a beef roast just as well. I'll be trying that soon.

Cheers,
Christine

White Trash Wonderland

2008-10-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

For the most part, I like to cook things that are good, healthy food, and also interesting to cook. But sometimes, ya just need to get dinner on the table.

Today, I was feeling uninspired. So I texted my family to see what they were in the mood to eat for dinner. The responses I got:

Mr. Indecisive: "I don't know. What sounds good to you?"

Brat #1: "Something with gravy."

Brat #2: "Pizza."

They are so helpful. So I decided to try a Pizza Casserole. Never having made one before, I decided to wing it, and stopped by the store for a few ingredients. I bought more than I bargained for though. In addition to the cheese, sauce and pepperoni I needed for the casserole, I got:

$0.99 garlic bread. Yes, I was too lazy to even make my own garlic bread!

Jello Instant Cheesecake. Yes, it's trashy. But it's still my favorite!

Here are the ingredients for the casserole:

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Pasta (I used egg noodles)
2 jars Pizza sauce (I used half pizza sauce and half spaghetti sauce)
2 poundsMozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces Pepperoni
1 pound Ground Italian pork sausage

DIRECTIONS:

Boil the pasta.

Brown the ground pork.

Cover the bottom of a 9"x13" casserole dish with pizza sauce.

Layer half of the pasta. Then half the sausage.
A little more pizza sauce.

Half the Mozzarella.

Then the rest of the pasta, sausage and pizza sauce.

The rest of the cheese,

And top with the pepperoni.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Tastes just like pizza!

Serve up with some white trash garlic bread, and you have instant dinner!

As for dessert...

Bet you didn't know Jello instant cheesecake was so labor intensive!

Gotta get the sugar just right in the graham cracker crumbs...

And make sure you pool the melted butter just right!
Make sure the graham cracker crust is even all the way around.

It's gotta be just perfect...

So we can dig in a hour later when it sets up. That is the longest hour of the day!

Hope you've enjoyed our Total White Trash Meal. There are plenty of leftovers (except for the cheesecake) if you want to stop by with some Old Milwaulkee Beer.

Cheers,
Christine

Cheese Muffins

2008-09-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

Had some family in town this weekend. I didn't want to spend all my time in the kitchen, I wanted to spend time visiting with my family.

Uncle Larry and Aunt Lola

So for dinner, I wanted E.A.S.Y. And that spells crock-pot. Sounds like pinto beans with bacon to me. Doesn't get any easier than that.

I made cornbread to serve the beans on, but I've been wanting to try these cheese muffins I found on The Pioneer Woman blog. They are a keeper. And also very easy. I was busy visiting with family, so not too many pictures.

Fig’s Cheese Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese (I used cheddar)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter (I used salted)

Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir in cheese.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and butter together. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.

Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

I filled 3/4 full

Makes 12 tasty muffins

Best if eaten warm.

Cheers,

Christine

Food Memories

2008-09-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

Many of my favorite memories involve food. And I'm not talking about Thanksgiving with the family. I'm talking about non-food centric activities, where my strongest memory is of the food.

One of my favorite stories to share is of my paternal grandmother. I must have been about 8 years old. Granny was a Southern cook, to be sure. One morning while visiting her, she made breakfast. I remember thinking that Granny's scrambled eggs weren't very good...they were kind of grey. But I knew better to say anything (my parents taught me manners!) and ate as much as I could. When I was done, Granny asked me how I liked the eggs. I, of course, told her they were good. It was it that point she rocked my world. "There were calf brains scrambled with those eggs". I remember the smiles on the faces of the family around the table as my head was spinning. Ha ha, very funny Granny. I haven't eaten calf brains since. Never will. Too traumatic a memory. What a horrible thing to do to a little girl!

One of my other favorite memories is around the same age. My dad used to burn piles of leaves on our property every fall. And every fall, one of those burn piles got out of control and the fire department had to come. We lived in a small, rural area, and the fire department was all volunteer. To pay them back for saving our ranch from burning to the ground, my Dad had a big barbecue for the neighbors and firefighters. It was a feast, with beef and pork we raised ourselves, as well as whatever animal Dad could shoot from the attic window. I even remember the frog legs jumping on the grill - Dad and friends had gone gigging for frogs the night before.

We didn't eat out much when I was a kid. But I remember the trips to town with my maternal grandparents. We always got to go to lunch. And it was always a treat! Chucks for Chinese food. The Blue Bell Cafe on Fridays for clam chowder. And occasionally, if I was very good, they would take me to Jimboy's Tacos for the best, greasy, cheesy tacos on the planet.

The other food memory I have of my grandmother is that she always made soup and sandwich for lunch. And her sandwiches weren't like the PB&J my mom made. Grandma's sandwiches has different stuff on them. First off, they were on whole grain bread. Mmmmm, chewy. She used Saffola mayonnaise, turkey, Swiss cheese, and sprouts. Oh, how I loved those sandwiches. Usually served up with a bowl of minestrone or bean with bacon soup. I miss lunch at Grandma's house!

I used to love going to my Dad's for the weekend. There were fast food choices galore in the big city that we didn't have in our small town. Kentucky Fried Chicken for Friday night dinner. Long John Silver's (still my favorite!) for lunch on Saturday. And Winchell's donuts for breakfast on Sunday. It was all about the apple fritters and the lemon filled.

Speaking of donuts...my mom used to make homemade donuts on the weekends for a treat. I've been dying to recreate those donuts for my kids...Mom - still got the recipe?

As good as the donuts were, they weren't my favorite breakfast my mom made. We lived in apple country, and in the fall when the apples were harvested, my mother made apple pancakes with apple syrup. To this day, one of my top 3 favorite foods. Hey Mom, send that recipe too, okay?

I hope my jaunt down memory lane has stirred up your own favorite food memories. There are worse things to daydream about!

Cheers,

Christine

Wonton Pepper Cheese Appetizers

2008-09-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Way, way back, when I was in school, we made these appetizers. I haven't made them since, but I have never forgotten how much I like them.

4 ingredients, that's all they took.

Wonton wrappers

Pepper jack cheese

Cream Cheese

Canned Diced Green Chilies

I didn't have any Pepper jack cheese, so I tried them without. And they were still damn tasty. Serve at your next party with pepper jelly for dipping, and you will have friends for life.

Ingredients

Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature. Mix in shredded pepper jack cheese, and drained diced green chilies.

Mix it all together. It should be very soft.

Place about a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Seal the edges with eggwash. Put in refrigerator for an hour or of so before frying, so the cheese has a chance to get firm. Otherwise, the cheese will melt out the sides of the wrappers when frying.

Carefully drop in the deep fryer. These will cook FAST, so don't walk away.

TASTY. Serve with jalapeno pepper jelly or sweet and sour sauce

Cheers,

Christine

I have food issues...

2008-09-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

Question Of The Day:

What moron drives 4 hours round trip through this:

Just to go here...

And here...
Hello. My name is Christine, and I'm a food addict.

So now you know what I do on a Sunday when I'm bored. I told you I lived in the middle of nowhere, and there isn't a dang thing to do in this town.

So periodically I take a little field trip to the big city. But unlike most of my friends, I don't go to the mall. I go the the food markets.

But just look at this selection...

And the produce...

OH, how I love the produce!

Bulk foods galore!

Would you look at this selection of cheese! This is only about 1/4 of what they had.

Gourmet meats! Beats the bologna in my hometown market!
There were going to be many more pictures for you, but the "Whole Foods Police" told us to stop taking pictures. Why do you think they don't want pictures taken in their store?

Now, can you blame me for my little road trip? Beats the hell out of doing laundry

Cheers,

Christine

For The Love Of Food

2008-09-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

It's not a surprise to anyone around me that I love food.

I love to make it. I love to read about it. I love to smell it. I love to talk about it. I love to share it. I love to buy it. I love to give it. And I especially love to eat it.

I believe it's genetic. Almost all members of my family, on both sides, have a deep connection with food. Everyone in my bloodline can cook, and HOW!

My Uncle's plum pudding at Christmas is to die for!

My Dad makes the undisputed worlds best biscuits and gravy.

My mother can feed an army a vast array of comfort foods on 20 minutes notice, without a trip to the market.

Even the non-cooks in my family contribute...my Step-Dad's homemade ice cream is the highlight of summer get togethers.

So how is it that 2/3 of my brood have ZERO interest in food. They don't want to make it. They don't want to talk about it. They only eat it because it keeps them from passing out. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

Thank goodness for my youngest. You've seen her here in my posts before. She's a little me when it comes to food. This morning, as she was eating leftover chicken alfredo on penne for breakfast, she broke out the block of Romano cheese and grated it fresh over her pasta, because it tastes better than that stuff in the green can. What 10 year old does that, seriously?

She eats sushi. She's tried the soft shell crabs at the Chinese buffet. She loves calamari. In fact, I can't think of anything the child doesn't like. Except she's not a big chocolate fan. SIGH, I guess nobody is perfect.

Cheers,
Christine

Hoisin Chicken Eggrolls

2008-09-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

There is no good Chinese food in this lousy little town in the middle of nowhere. Not that I claim to make good Chinese food. That's always been one of the cuisines that I wanted to learn to cook, but never have.

But not being good at something has seldom kept me from doing it. And I've been craving eggrolls. They are also pretty fun to make.

This recipe is just a rough guideline. You can put whatever flavors you like. I love Hoisin, and happened to have ground chicken around. This works just as well with leftover shredded pork roast. These also lend themselves to vegetarian quite well also. Play with the recipe, have some fun!

HOISIN CHICKEN EGGROLLS

Ingredients

Egg Roll Wrappers

1 head Napa cabbage julienned
1 container bean sprouts
2 carrots (shredded)
1 pound ground chicken
3-5 heads garlic chopped
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce (find in the Asian section of your market)
Soy Sauce
1 egg, beaten

Directions

Brown the ground chicken. As it's cooking add hoisin sauce, and soy sauce to taste.

Break into small pieces as it's cooking. Set aside when done.

In a bowl, combine:

Bean sprouts

Shredded carrot

Chopped garlic

Julienned Napa cabbage

Mix well
To a very large skillet, add a couple tablespoons of oil. I used canola, but if like the flavor of sesame oil, it would be nice here too. To the hot oil, add your veggies. You are not really looking to cook the veggies so much here as to reduce them. You will end up with about half the volume once they are cooked. I added hoisin sauce to the cooking veggies, but it's not necessary.

After the veggies have reduced, about 3 minutes, add the cooked chicken to the pan and mix everything together.

The mixture is going to create a lot of liquid, and you don't want soggy eggrolls, so it's a good idea to drain them before you are ready to start rolling

On a clean, dry surface, begin assembling the eggrolls. This is what I have Summer for!Seal the edges with a little eggwash

Lay out on parchment paper. It's okay if the wrappers get a little dry as you are working. They hold together better when fried.

Now if you are one of those fancy smancy people with a deep fryer, this would be the time to dig it out of the cupboard. For the rest of us. a pot filled with vegetable oil works just fine.These cook FAST. Don't walk away while they are cooking or you will burn them.

Serve up with some more hoisin sauce for dipping, or go traditional with some sweet and sour sauce.

Warning! These are like molten hot lava when they come out of the oil. Let cool a few minutes before eating. Except I never do that. And then I never taste anything for 2 days. But you all are smarter than me!

Cheers,

Christine

Learnings From Food Blogs

2008-09-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that until July of this year, I had never been on a food blog. I had never been on any blog. Then my mother got me started on The Pioneer Woman, and now I'm completely obsessed.

But my hours of surfing food blogs has not only provided me with a distraction from the real world. They have provided me with a lot of knowledge. Let me share with you some of the cool things I have learned from food blogs.

I've learned that EBAY sells food. Yup, its true. And CHEAP! I just ordered 1/4 pound of Tahitian vanilla beans, delivered for under $8. I got 1/2 ounce of organic basil, grown 60 miles from here, picked this month and hand dried, delivered for under $4. So I'm sure you can guess what my next obsession will be!

I've learned that http://www.foodgawker.com/ is like heroine. Impossible to kick. It collects all the best food blogs into one location. Thru it I have found some great blogs. Half of the things I've cooked in the last month have originated on foodgawker.com. I log on at least half a dozen times a day to scroll through all the updates.

I've learned that just because a recipe made it to someone's food blog, doesn't mean it's good. Take Hungry Girls 2 ingredient recipes. I was so excited about her chocolate muffins: a devils food cake mix and a can of pumpkin. Sounds good, right? The muffins looked like dirt clods, and tasted about the same. I was so dissapointed. Even cream cheese frosting couldn't help these poor things.

Simple and easy, right? (Hi Shelby!)

Dirt clod muffins. Mmmmmm!

Figs. Anyone that visits food blogs has to have noticed that figs are all the rage this year. There are several recipes every day featuring figs. I have to try them. Except, that I can't find figs here in the middle of the Mohave Desert. Maybe EBAY has them?

I've learned that all my children read my blog. My older ones think it's funny I talk about them. My youngest wants her own blog. Here is her contribution...Jiffy Blueberry muffins:

She set this picture up herself!
I've learned that there are types of food out there I've never heard of, never imagined, never, ever want to cook with! I'm all for experimentation, but there are just some things that really don't need to be tried. Ever.

What have you learned from food blogs?

Cheers,

Christine

Square Peg in a Round Hole

2008-09-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

We recently got a doggy door for the sliding glass door in our bedroom. That way Biscuit can come and go as she pleases, and there is no more wet nose in your *(&^% in the middle of the night when she wants to go out.

Yesterday, I walked into my room and saw this.

Poor biscuit, outside in the heat, and Spooky the killer cat guarding the doggy door. They sat like this for some time. Biscuit, staring through the door with forlorn eyes. Spooky not budging, just daring Biscuit to stick her nose through that door.

We are a family of "cat" people. And even though we have had Biscuit 9 years, she has never really fit in. The cats are so independent, that we sometimes get frustrated with how high maintenance a dog can be. Biscuit wants attention all the time. The cats don't want you to even look their direction, let along SPEAK to them.

Biscuit is a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

I sometimes know how she feels.

Here are pictures from my Corporate America job.

Here's my office. Yes, it's pink. No, I didn't pick the color.

Here are some of my employees (who are fabulous!)

Here is more of my cube farm

Here's where that whole square peg thing fits in. I'm not an office kind of girl. I need to be where there is some action. The dining room or kitchen of a busy restaurant. The gaming floor of a busy casino. The lobby of a busy hotel. You get the point. People. Busy. Not a cube farm.

My gut told me when I took this job I wasn't going to like it. But instead of listening to my little voice, I allowed external forces to influence me. Don't ever do that. I loved my last job. I hate my new job. It isn't a good time in the economy to be looking for another job either, so here I sit. Complaining to you all. And writing a blog that brings me a lot of joy. So tell your friends to read this blog. It's my little bit of sunshine in an otherwise "pink" day.

Cheers,

Christine

Mustard Creole Pork Roast

2008-09-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

I bought this huge pork roast before the hubby had his surgery. It was on sale, and a great deal. Now, looking at this monster, I realize that I can't buy big things anymore. We are gonna be eating this pork roast for a week!

I wanted something simple and easy, so I combined olive oil, yellow mustard, spicy brown mustard and creole seasoning.

Simple and easy ingredients...

Smeared it all over the pork roast...

Baked it at 325 degrees for 2 hours.
Then I decided I wanted to throw some potatoes in with it. So I took some red potatoes and cut them into wedges.

Put them in a zipock back and tossed them with some olive oil, minced garlic, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
Dumped them in with the roast, and set the timer for another 60 minutes.
Family said it was the moistest, best tasting pork roast ever.

I love when an experiment works!

Cheers,

Christine

It's Finally Happened...

2008-09-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

I knew it was coming. I knew it was unavoidable. Today, reality hit me smack upside the head.

I've turned into my mother.

I know, I know. I should have seen it coming. And the signs were there. Every once in a while, I'd hear a phrase pass through my lips that was my mother's phrase. I'd gasp and cover my mouth in horror.

But today, it was much more than a random phrase that had been burned into my subconscious. Today it was everything. Let me give you some examples:

When the grocery clerk commented on baking items in my cart (pumpkin puree, chocolate chips, nuts, etc) I said "It's so much better if it's homemade"

I have a jar of sun tea brewing on my front porch

There is a batch of beans and ham in my crock pot

When I put away my canned goods from the store today, I had to triple stack some because the pantry is so full

When I saw vine-ripe tomatoes in the grocery ad this morning, I told my hubby "I should buy a bunch of those and can them"

I have a cheese drawer, that is so full of different types of cheese that it barely closes

There are many more examples, but you get the idea.

Now don't get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my mother. It's just that her way of life and mine...Well, lets just say I never thought there would be any similarities. Next thing you know, I'll be planting a freaken garden and looking up zucchini recipes on the Internet.

Someone please slap me. Remind me that I don't do homemade. I don't bake from scratch. I buy my damn ice tea at a drive-thru window. And I most certainly don't CAN!

Cheers,

Christine

City Life

2008-09-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

For the most part, I consider myself a small town girl. I have lived in a couple of big cities, but they never felt like home. I much prefer when the grocery checker knows your name, the bank teller's kids go to school with your kids, and everyone in town knows your business. In fact, today my grocery checker commented on how relaxed I looked, and said it must be my day off. Does that mean I normally look like a big stress ball? Or just that I spend WAY to much time at the grocery store? Probably a little bit of both.

Back to big cities... There are a couple of things I truly miss about living in the city. Mostly, that would be shopping. And I'm not talking about clothes, or shoes. I'm talking about foodie stuff.

Trader Joe's is heaven to me. I could easily put a cot in Whole Foods and live there. And a good farmers market? Fuggetaboutit!

The designer pasta. The selection of cheeses. The heirloom tomatoes. It makes me weak in the knees.

A food utensil I've never seen before? Gotta have it.

A Kitchen Aid mixer in the color orange? I lust for it. No matter that I have one in white. I want the orange one. No, I NEED the orange mixer. How can I possible use a white mixer? It doesn't match my Mario Batali dutch oven. We just can't have that!

What's that? A Williams Sonoma store? I feel faint.

Do any of you feel the same way? Do you enjoy checking out new grocery stores? Do you desire every new kitchen gadget you see? Do you have drawers and cupboards of kitchen equipment that never, or rarely gets used?

Or is it just me?

Cheers,
Christine

Weekend Mornings

2008-09-06T07:57:00.001-07:00

I love Sunday mornings. It's the only day we are all home, with nowhere in particular to rush off too. We eat a leisurely breakfast together, while we decide on our plans for the day.

Sometimes there aren't any plans. Sometimes there is a stack of movies from Netflix on the counter and our only responsibility that day is to wade through the movies.

Sometimes we are heading our own directions. I'll be cheffing soon on Sundays. The hubby is helping a friend open a business in Lake Havasu. The girls always have somewhere they'd rather be than with the parents.

But at least for those few moments, after the smell of cooking bacon has woken everyone up, but before the pancakes are done, we share some time together as a family.

Even the cats are lazier on Sundays...

If that is even possible

We are headed out today to attempt to find some baking supplies...in this small town that is tough. Heading to Vegas tomorrow, maybe a visit to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. I'll take my camera!

Enjoy your lazy Sunday!

Cheers,

Christine

P.S. What do you think of my new layout. I'm learning new tricks for this blog everyday. Thank God for computer savvy teen-agers.

Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

2008-09-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

There was no one to cook dinner for tonight, the kids were all gone, and the hubby is still on liquids. So I decided to treat myself to an ultimate fast food dinner - Long John Silvers' fish and chips. I was even going to get some extra crispies...those little bits of batter that fall off the fish during the deep frying. Crispies are very likely my most favorite item on the menu. Oh, my mouth was almost watering on the drive home, imagining the greasy, salty, deep fried goodness.

Then I saw the ginormous line at the drive-thru, and drove straight on by. I'm not a patient person, as those around me will tell anyone who will listen. And even the crispies were not worth waiting in the drive-thru line for 20 minutes. What? Go inside you say? Gasp! What's the point of a drive-thru if I have to park my car and go inside. NO I say! You will not get my business tonight Long John Silvers!

Because I was starving, and because I hate to cook for one, I had one of those "what can I get in my mouth in the next 4 seconds" moments. The winner? Cream cheese on (homemade) pita chips. Fabulous for curing hunger, not so fabulous to photo and blog about. So then I felt guilty about not having posted much this week, and I went against my "no more baking" statement and made more damn cookies.

I am posting the recipe as written, but I took many liberties with it. Necessity is the mother of invention, correct? My baking cupboard was looking a little bare. So instead of chocolate chunks, I used chocolate and white chocolate swirled chips; macadamia nuts instead of hazelnuts. Still turned out pretty darned good.

One more quick rant before the recipe...Did you know that white chocolate is not actually chocolate? It's considered a confection. I consider it an abomination...a crime against chocolate. Unholy even! So I'm not sure how the swirled chips ended up in my house, but they won't be allowed back.

On too the cookies!

CHOCOLATE CHUNK OATMEAL COOKIES

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (uncooked)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temp
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1 tbls vanilla extract
14 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts

Directions

Process oatmeal for 60 seconds in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Process until blended

Oats before:

Oats after:

Beat butter with both sugars until the mixture is light in texture and color, on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

At low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions.

Stir in chocolate, coconut and nuts.

Fill an ice-cream scoop with the dough and drop onto greased cookie sheets, leaving 3" between cookies. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.

Baked chilled cookies in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until edges are set and centers are still soft.

Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies are being taken to work on Saturday, as a peace offering for showing up on a day that is supposed to be Boss free. Think the bribe will work?

Cheers,

Christine

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2008-09-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, no pics for this dish. It was for a potluck at work, so I assembled it there. I don't usually subject my co-workers to dishes I haven't sampled, but this one sounded so good I had to try it. My gut was correct...this dip is delish!

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, shredded
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
16 oz bottle Blue Cheese dressing (can substitute Ranch)
1/2 to 1 bottle pepper sauce, such as Franks Red Hot, depending on how hot you like it
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces
1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers ( like Chicken In A Biscuit)

Directions

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

NOTE: We love blue cheese, so when I added the cheddar, I also added Blue Cheese crumbles. Only do this if the crowd you are serving to LOVES Blue Cheese, because it was a strong flavor. I loved it!

Cheers,

Christine

Finally!

2008-09-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

On a hunch, I stopped and got a newspaper on my way to work this morning! Voila, there was my article. Half page, full color on the back page of the business section. Wow!

I had 3 phone calls today, and already dropped off 2 information packets. I think both of those customers will be one-timers. I'm dropping off another packet on Friday. And all these calls were before noon. Hopefully people will hold on to the article, and call me when they are ready.

Everyone at Corporate America that read the article today wanted to know when I was going to have time for this. Hmmmm, good question. Well, between the full-time job, the house and family, and this blog, I think I have the 2nd Monday of every other month available for a cook date. Any of you need a part time job personal cheffing? :)

Here is the article:

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2008

HEALTHY CHOICES: Christine Box cooks up a tasty dinner for her family just as she could for you. Box runs The Box Lunch Personal Chef Service, customizing menu plans and catering to all dietary needs JEFF MANGUM/The Daily News

Chef boxes box lunches for dinner

By HEATHER SMATHERS/The Daily News

BULLHEAD CITY -- For those who want healthy, homecooked meals but just don't have the time to cook themselves, a new personal chef service is available in the Tri-state area.The Box Lunch Personal Chef Service offers clients flexible menu choices while affording them flexibility with their schedules, said owner Christine Box.

Box, who has been in the personal chef business since 1999, customizes menu plans for clients and caters to all dietary needs. Upon meeting with clients, Box creates a menu plan based on the needs and desires of her clients.“It's total customization. I have worked with diabetics, people on the Atkins diet, families with young children,” Box said.

Her service is a healthier alternative to dining out, Box said. Knowing what types of foods people can eat helps Box further customize meals, as it eliminates allergy risks associated with dining in restaurants.After determining what types of meals will be made, Box does all the shopping then prepares the meals in the client's home. She packages the meals and puts them in the refrigerator or freezer, complete with heating instructions.

Box holds a culinary degree from the University of Montana. But unlike many chefs Box does not specialize in one type of cooking. Rather, she said it is her flexibility that makes her business so successful.“I can cook anything a client asks for,” Box said.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Box at:

Thanks for reading!
Cheers,

Christine

Newspaper Article - Update

2008-08-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Ran to the market this morning to get the paper...AND - no article! :(
Maybe there wasn't enough time or room to get it in. I'll keep checking every day, and keep you posted.

About 10 days ago, I sent out some press releases about my Personal Chef business. I had done that previously in California and gotten a feature in Inland Empire Magazine out of it. So I figured I'd give it a shot here. 3 days ago, I got a call from the local daily newspaper, who wanted to do an article on my business. 2 days ago we did the interview over the phone. Today the newspaper photographer came and and took pictures of me cooking. Tomorrow the article will be in the paper.

Dang, that was fast. I'll let you know tomorrow how the article and photos turn out. Wish me luck for lots of customers to call!

I was nervous about the photo shoot, so on the advise of my mother (who seems to be all knowing) I cooked an old standby: Roasted Sticky Chicken. I also cooked baby red potatoes and broccoli, so I'm not sure which picture will end up in the paper.

I want to share the Sticky Chicken recipe with you. It is, bar none, the best roast chicken you will ever have. They freeze great, and I recommend you make several of them at one time since your oven is on for so long.

To Die For!

ROASTED STICKY CHICKEN

Ingredients

3 lb whole chicken
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large onion - quartered

Combine all spices together in a small bowl. Rub mixture into chicken WELL, inside and out, patting into the skin and try to make it evenly distributed. Stuff the cavity with onion.

Roast uncovered @ 250 degrees (yes that's 250) for 5 hours (yes that's 5 hours). Baste occasionally with pan juices until they caramelize in the pan. Chicken will turn golden brown.

The pan drippings from this chicken make a great, slightly spicy pan gravy. Be forewarned, because of the spices, the gravy will be a little "orange". But served over mashed potatoes with the chicken....you will have fans for life.

Keep you fingers crossed that my article (and photo) is flattering. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Cheers,
Christine

Liquid Diet

2008-08-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

So, The Husband is on a liquid diet for 3 weeks following his surgery. You would think that would be easy, but not so much. Liquid, high in protein, high in fiber, low in sugar, and not monotonous. Wow, this is going to stretch my creative genius.

Yogurt. Yogurt Smoothies. Chicken Broth. Tomato Soup. More Chicken Broth. More Tomato Soup. Jello!

So, last night, feeling sorry for the guy, I actually made soup for dinner for the family, so he could eat the same meal as us. Except for the fact that his got pureed in the blender. Regardless, this soup was Wonderful! It went together very fast, and I had all the ingredients on hand. Of course, the ingredients were cheese, bacon, potatoes, sour cream and milk. The oldest brat even commented that we've been eating a lot of bacon lately. Hmmmm, bacon smoothies anyone?

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Ingredients

12 slices bacon

2/3 cup margarine (I used 1 stick margarine and the rest bacon fat) :)

2/3 cup AP flour

7 cups milk

4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 green onions, chopped

1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble and set aside.

In a stock pot or Dutch oven (thanks Mom!), melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

If not on a liquid diet, serve with crusty bread!

Please, feel free to share your favorite liquid recipes. And no, margaritas don't count!

Cheers,

Christine

Required Reading

2008-08-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Two books have been sitting on my nightstand for the last week. I consider both to be "required" reading.

The THREE SIGNS of a Miserable Job, by Patrick Lencioni

and

The BOOK of STILLMEADOW, by Gladys Taber

I consider these books required reading because:

Three Signs was given to the entire Senior Team at my corporate America job, and we were told there would be a quiz.

Stillmeadow was given to me by my mother 16 years ago. It's one of her favorite books. I found it when we moved last month, and figured I had put it off long enough.

First...

Since there was going to be a test, I read Three Signs first. The HR Director that gave us this book to read must know how much I love irony. We were supposed to read this book, I am sure, to make sure as Managers our employees were happy. What I discovered was...... I have a miserable job. The three signs are: Anonymity, Irrelevance, and Immeasurement. Check, check, and check. Yup, I got 'em all. Fabulous.

Truth be told, I really enjoyed this book. It reads quick and easy (like me!), and actually did have a message that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. It's written as a fable, and I love the fact that the main character runs a small, run down Italian restaurant in Lake Tahoe. For any of you that have a staff over 5, I highly recommend this book. I'll be reading Lencioni's other book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, shortly. I've been given insider information that Five Dysfunctions is actually written about the senior team at my work.

I have just started Stillmeadow.

Work in progress...

I can see why my mother loves this book. It feels very English to me, and my entire maternal side of the family are anglophiles. It was published in the 1930's, and it's about a family that buys a 17th century farmhouse in Connecticut to restore as a weekend home.

Here's a passage:

"Autumn has varied gifts here in the Pomperaug Valley. Outdoor pleasures are still with us; picnics on a warm gray ledge with the good smell of broiling pork chops; walks along the country roads with the racing cockers; digging in the yet amiable earth to put in the last bulbs. We can work outdoors and not be muffled to the nose in woolens. But the lazy feeling of hot summer is gone, and we really feel like cleaning the garage, scrubbing the kennels, doing over that old maple chair."

That is beautifully written. I'm just having a hard time getting to that place. I can't quite relate. But I'm working on it Mom. I read a little every night, and hope it takes me away from this crazy, hectic place to a quieter, simpler place and time.

Cheers,

Christine

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

2008-08-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

Talk about the ultimate comfort food. Pasta, eggs, bacon and cheese. I could happily live on a combination of those 4 ingredients for the rest of my life. Except for that whole scurvy thing. What if I ate those 4 ingredients and had a glass of OJ every once in a while? Yeah, I think that will work. I've never actually met anyone with scurvy before. I'm not sure if it even still exists. I do know that if it did still exist, Shelby would have it. If it's not beige, she won't eat it. And bananas, while sort of beige, still have too much color for Shelby to ingest it. The only colorful thing she eats is the Red Dye #5 that colors Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

Sorry, got off track there for a minute. That happens when you have children. Or husbands. Or ADHD.

Seriously, if you have never made this very traditional and unbelievably easy dish, try it tonight. You know you have the ingredients on hand!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Ingredients

1 pound dry spaghetti
2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished. It is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (al dente). Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Meanwhile, while the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta/bacon and saute for about 3-5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for a minute to soften.

Slice the bacon...

Mince the garlic...

And cook 'em up!

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps.

Parmesan and cheese mixture...

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency.

I use tongs, because I always make too much to "toss"

Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.

It's beige, so Shelby will eat it!

Cheers,

Christine

Baking, Baking, Baking!

2008-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well, it's happened. I'm officially tired of baking. After a marathon session of blondies, muffins and cookies, I'm over it. So I'll share some pictures, and a recipe (from my Grandmother), and the only recipes I'll be sharing anytime soon will be savory. I'm thinking Spaghetti alla Carbonara tonight!

So the first goodie Summer and I made was a Peanut Butter Butterscotch Blondie. I'd never made Blondies before, and thought it would be fun. I think they're overrated. Probably won't be making them again anytime soon.

The ingredients...

The finished product...

Next we made Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Tried a different recipe, and they weren't quite as good as the last one I posted. Although it made a TON of cookies, so I will probably make them again around Christmas time.

The ingredients....

It's called Multitasking!

Lastly, as I was digging through my recipe file, I found my Mother's handwritten recipe of my Grandmothers' Cinnamon Muffins. I remember her making these when I was a child for breakfast, and wanted to share these with my kids. They tasted just like I remember...not too sweet, and just enough cinnamon sugar goodness to get you through a cold winter morning. Too bad we don't have cold winter mornings here. And it's supposed to be 108 degrees today. Again. But the muffins were perfection. I suggest you try them some morning when its not 108 degrees.

Gladys Faye's Cinnamon Muffins

1 1/1 cups sifted flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and nutmeg. Combine well beaten egg, milk and melted butter; add to sifted ingredients and blend lightly (about 25 strokes). Half fill greased muffin pans with batter. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven about 12-14 minutes. Remove muffins from pans and immediately roll them in 1/3 cup melted mutter; then in a mixture of 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Best served warm.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'.....

Keep those muffins rollin'

Move 'em on, head 'em up

Sorry, had a Rawhide moment there. Won't happen again. I hope.

Cheers,

Christine

Butterscotch Cookies

2008-08-23T10:51:00.001-07:00

I've been on chocolate overload lately. And except for Shelby, their aren't any other chocoholics in this house. So I decided to make some cookies that didn't contain any form of the cocoa bean (GASP!). These butterscotch cookies are light and crispy, and oddly enough remind me of my mother's White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.

The unusual ingredient in these cookies is Rice Krispies, which I actually had on hand because my youngest made Rice Krispy Treats last weekend. Interestingly enough, my husband had NEVER had homemade Rice Krispy Treats...only the store bought kind. How is that even possible? His mother ran a day care for Pete's sake!

BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups AP flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups crisp rice cereal

1 cup butterscotch chips

Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Add in vanilla and egg and mix well. Add salt, flour, and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in the crisp rice cereal and butterscotch chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

On a side note...for the hummus haters out there (Mom!), tell me what you'd like to see me cook and I'll see what I can do.

Cheers,

Christine

Chipotle Hummus

2008-08-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ready for your food history lesson of the day?

Many cuisine-related sources describe hummus as one of the oldest known prepared foods, with a long history in the Middle East which stretches back to antiquity, but its historical origins are unknown. The main ingredients of hummus were known in the ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern worlds, however it is unknown whether hummus with tahini or any similar dish was made.

While the antiquity of hummus is not well documented, the history of its principal ingredient is more widely understood. Chickpeas are hummus' main ingredient and have been a human food item for over 10,000 years. The chickpea was used as a food item in Palestine before 4000 BC, was a common street dish in ancient Rome and was one of the earliest crops cultivated in Mesopotamia. Archaeological evidence identifies chickpeas in the Sumerian diet before 2500 BC. They are noted in a 13th century work by Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Karim al Katab al Baghdadi of Persia for a "simple dish" of meat, pulses and spices.

Now don't you feel smarter!

I had so much fun with the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus the other day, I wanted to do it again. As I was perusing the contents of my pantry, what should catch my eye but the chipotle in adobo sauce that has been moved to at least two new houses. Perfect!

Warning, this is not for the faint at heart. I burned my face off with my first try. Had to add another can of garbanzo beans to tame it down. I won't taste anything for a week now. But boy are my sinuses clear!

Ingredients

2 cans garbanzo beans

1 can chipotle in adobo sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup tahini

juice from 1 lemon

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp cumin

salt to taste

Drain the garbanzo beans, reserve the liquid from 1 can. Take 4 chilies from the can and rough chop.

To your food processor, add the garbanzo beans, 4 chilies, 2 tsp adobo sauce, the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. As the hummus is mixing, slowly add in half of the juice from the beans, adding more if the texture is too thick. Add salt to your personal taste. I prefer sea salt.

Isn't it a pretty color. Don't be deceived! It's spiciness will sneak up on you and bite you on the A**.

But served in a pretty bowl (all mine were full or dirty, so no pictures for you!) with some homemade pita chips, and you will be a fan. Trust me...make yourself some hummus today. But if you aren't a fan of the heat, stick with my roasted red pepper hummus. Cause this one is H.O.T.!

For those of you ready to try hummus, but not wanting to make your own, most of the store bought stuff is pretty good. Price Club and Sam's Club have particularly tasty versions. Store bought pita chips aren't bad, and hummus is good as a veggie dip too. Let me know how you like it!

Cheers,

Christine

Ahhhhh, Vegas

2008-08-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Vegas Tuesday night around 8:00 pm. Checked into the room, and my oh my we were upgraded to a suite. It was lovely.

Since the room came with two free buffets, and Jimmy couldn't eat anything after 6:00 pm, Summer and I took advantage, full advantage, of the free buffets. I wasn't too hungry, so I had very little dinner so as to save room for dessert. Raspberry cheesecake. Chocolate cups filled with chocolate mousse and Oreo cookies! Individual lemon tarts. And Summer got a freshly made cotton candy to go. It was heavenly. It was almost as much fun as watching Summer eat the crawfish!

Me: "Have you had those before?"

Summer: "Yeah, at Haley's BBQ."

Me: "Do you know how to eat them?"

Summer: "Yep, you rip off the heads, suck out the juice and eat the meat."

That's my girl! Gotta love a 10 year old that's not afraid to try things. She loves food as much as I do, which is going to be her downfall.

This picture is for Karri. It's from Margaritaville. What a fun store!

This is the view from our room on the 31st floor.

Jimmy is doing well after his surgery. He's going to drive today, and walk around a store or two for some exercise. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,

Christine

Southwestern Peppered Cream Chicken

2008-08-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

So, I made this last night, and the family loved it. I would call it comfort food. I think this came from the PW dairy recipe contest, but I have so many recipes I can't be sure. I love anything smothered in sauce or gravy. Probably explains the lifelong battle with my weight.

Just wanted to let you know I'll be off line for a couple of days. The hubby is having surgery, so I'll be enjoying Las Vegas (for about 17 hours). I'm thinkin' you probably don't want me to post pics of the surgery...but maybe I'll have some good Vegas pictures for ya.

Cheers,

Christine

Southwestern Peppered Cream Chicken

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp pepper

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tsp cooking oil

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 TBS snipped fresh cilantro

1 4 oz can diced green chiles, drained

4 slices Monteray jack cheese

Hot cooked rice

In a small bowl, combine flour, garlic salt, oregano, and pepper. Place two TBS of the flour mixture in a small dish and set aside for future use.

Rinse chicken. Pat dry. Coat chicken with flour mixture. In large skillet brown chicken on both sides in hot oil. Remove from skillet.

Carefully add broth to skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits. In a small bowl whisk milk into remaining flour mixture. Add to broth along with cilantro. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat.

Return chicken to skillet; stir in chillies. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes more until chicken is no longer pink. Place cheese slices on chicken pieces, cover and cook until cheese melts. Serve with rice.

Cooking Day

2008-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sundays. Seems like that would be a great day to get in some cooking, doesn't it. Hmmph. You haven't met my family. Let me introduce you...

This is my youngest, Summer. She's very high maintenance. She thinks it's a good idea if we dress like twins. I think she's wrong.

This is my oldest, Shelby. She's in charge of the dishes. I can't cook until she gets the dirty ones out of the sink. It's gonna be a while.

This is Smokey. He ignores me...until it's time for me to cook. Then he won't leave me alone.

This is Jimmy. He steals cookies when he thinks I'm not looking. I'm always looking.

These are Peanut Butter Cookies made from a recipe I found on http://www.smittenkitchen.com/. They are heavenly. I made them to take to work tomorrow. They aren't gonna last that long.

You're probably wondering where the picture is of my 3rd brat, Stormy. She's 17, and drives. So I don't see her much. One day, I'll catch her on film and then you will know she's not a figment of my imagination.

I'm off to make Southwestern Peppered Cream Chicken. New recipe. If it doesn't suck, I'll share it with you tomorrow.

Cheers,

Christine

Peanut Butter Cookies

The brilliance of these cookies is that they include two different formats for peanuts–three if you use chunky peanut butter. They’re crisp on the outside, and almost cakey on the inside. Bake a batch and then hide the results in the furthest and most forgettable reaches of your kitchen. You’ll thank me later.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (smooth is what we used, but I am pretty sure they use chunky at the bakery)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Personal Chef

2008-08-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

When I tell people that I'm starting my own Personal Chef business, they never know what I'm talking about. 100,000 PC's in this country, and nobody has ever heard of it. I think that's odd. I'm making it my personal mission to introduce Personal Cheffing to the world. Okay, maybe not the world. How about the people in my pathetic little circle?

A Personal Chef is someone who comes into the customers home and cooks several days worth of meals for them. Packages the meals, labels them, and leaves them in the fridge and the freezer. Pretty cool, huh. I've always wanted to hire one, but I've always been the only PC in my area. And I can't afford me.

I did PC'ing several years ago in Southern California, and thoroughly enjoyed it. But finally had to rejoin corporate America for the pay and the benefits. I've decided to start the business up again because I miss cooking. REALLY miss it. And the brats preferred diet of beige foods does NOT fulfill my culinary need.

So I have dug out all my old PC stuff and I think I'm about ready. Here is my issue...I have over 1000 recipes in my PC binder. I also have about 100 cookbooks. But those are never the recipes I want for my menu. I strive to have about 100 choices on my menu for my clients. I have my tried and true, go to favorites on there. I have items I've loved from other cooks, like Paula or Rachael or PW. But I have one issue...I'll find the title of a dish that sounds wonderful, and put it on my menu. Then I have to find or create the recipe for it. Example: I heard of a dish from Canadian Living called Calypso Burritos. It was referenced in a story on theme parties. I searched the internet high and low, and cannot find that recipe. But I WANT it. So now, I get to spend time creating a dish that fits the title Calypso Burrito. I think I'm doing things backwards. That's not unusual. Being the impatient only child that I am, I always start and the end and work my way back. Not sure yet how that's workin for me. I'll let you know.

Cheers,
Christine

2008-08-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a little slow to get into this daily blogging thing. Pioneer Woman I'm not. In my defense, I recently moved into a new house, and have been trying to get it unpacked and organized.

This is the before of my new dining room...

And this is the after.....

See that centerpiece on the table....

It's kitchy, totally 70's, and one of my favorite things. It was my grandmothers, and sat on HER dining room table as long as I can remember. My children think it's SOOOO not cool, but I wouldn't trade it for a thing.

This hutch was my grandmother's too, and she gave me all that fiesta ware (that I love but won't actually let anyone eat off of). All that tequila on the top...that's one of my favorite things too.

Speaking of favorite things:

Considering I think of myself as young at heart, and hip, I sure seem to surround myself from things that remind me of 50-100 years ago. I must be an old soul.

Thanks for reading. I promise I'll be back tomorrow, and we'll chat about Personal Cheffing.

Cheers,

Christine

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2008-08-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hummus. Hmmmmm. Not really anything I've ever wanted to try. But it seems, lately, that every month one of my magazines is featuring hummus. I read cooking magazines (Rachael Ray, Bon Appetit), fashion magazines (Glamour, Cosmo) and health magazines (Oxygen, Self), and they've all had a hummus recipe in the last couple of months.

So last weekend I was in Vegas for a wedding. I drove 4 hours round trip for a 5 minute wedding. So I decided to treat myself to a trip to Whole Foods for a snack for the trip home. Can I tell you how much I love Whole Foods. If you've never been, I can only describe it as Disneyland for foodies. Good lord it's expensive, but it is fun, fun, fun!

So I'm wandering around the store, lusting the 120 types of cheese, the 30 kinds of olives, the organic produce, when I happen upon the hummus section. I thought how bad can it be, and bought 3 kinds of hummus: roasted red pepper, artichoke and olive, and garlic. Got me some toasted pita chips and a peach lemonade, and after $22 at the register, hit the road.

Oh My God, I was in love. No wonder they've been featuring this stuff in the magazines. Tasty and healthy! I didn't know that was possible. Brought home what little was left and shared with the hubby. Even he liked it!

So, today, after a town wide search for the ingredients (Note to Self: Tahini is NOT available at WalMart). I made Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Baked Pita Chips. Don't listen the the naysayers who don't like hummus....you will be hooked if you try it.

For the baked pita chips, I cut the pita's into 8th, separated them, placed them on a baking sheet and sprayed them with olive oil spray, then seasoned with whatever I had on hand. Sea Salt and Parmesan. Spicy Seasoning Salt. Garlic. Baked 12-13 minutes at 350. YUMMY!

For the hummus, I dumped the following in the food processor:
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
3 whole cloves garlic
2 heaping tablespoons Tahini (try the health food store!)
1/4 cup olive oil
S&P

Blend until smooth. Chill and serve with the pita chips. You can thank me later.