LISTEN BUBB!

Cheese and Chile Pie

2014-12-27T10:44:00.001-08:00

This Pie is fantastic. It's not my recipe, but you can vary it to make different versions. See my comments at the end.

California Green Chile & Cheese Pie

Sunset Magazine-Best of Sunset 1987

Preparation Time: About 15 minutes

Baking time: About 1 hour

Per Serving: 488 calories, 20 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, 35 grams total fat, 273 milligrams cholesterol, 565 milligrams sodium

Our Spanish-Mexican heritage shows up in architecture, place names, and regional recipes of the West. One of our favorite ingredient combinations-mild green chiles cooled by creamy jack cheese-appears in a pie with the spirit of chiles rellenos.

Makes 6 servings

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into chunks

4 large eggs

1 1/2c.(6 oz) shredded jack cheese

1c.(4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1can (4oz) California green chilies, drained

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

In a food processor or bowl, combine flour and butter. Whirl (or rub with your finger) until fine crumbs form. Ad 1 egg to flour mixture and whirl (or mix with a fork) until dough holds together. Shape into a smooth ball.

On a lightly floured board, roll out dough and fit into a 9-or 10 inch pie pan: pinch any tears together to rejoin. Flute edges: lightly prick bottom and sides of pastry shell all over with a fork. Bake in a 400 degree oven just until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.*

*OR Just use pre-made pie crusts. The Marie Callender crusts are good quality.

Sprinkle jack cheese and ½ cup of the Cheddar cheese over the bottom of partially baked crust. Evenly distribute chiles over cheese.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat half-and-half, remaining 3 eggs, and cumin (if used) until blended: pour over chiles. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ cup Cheddar cheese. Bake in a 325 degree oven until center of pie appears set when pan is gently shaken, about 40 minutes. Let stand for about 15 minutes before cutting: serve warm or at room temperature.

Ideas to vary the pie:

Use dry mozzarella cheese for lower calorie
Use milk instead of cream and then add one more egg
Layer bottom of pie using cooked Quinoa, which means less of other ingredients. Just try to balance out things out, remembering you need to keep things bound together. Be careful to ensure the quinoa is cooled before adding the egg mixture though.

Use a sharper cheese like blue, or feta in your combination of cheeses. A little goes a long way flavor wise. I would throw in a few tablespoons of blue cheese on top of the pie at the end of assembly before baking, for example. You could also try some ricotta or cottage cheese in place of some of the jack/cheddar. Even cream cheese could be blended in somehow.
Add bacon bits. I use just a small amount. Like 1 or 2 slices per pie.
Try different cuisine themes, like Thai, Japanese or Italian. Make up your own thing, garlic, jalapeno, green onion, lime juice/zest, coconut milk-you get the idea.
Try different herbs, spices. Cumin used in the above recipe can be doubled and throw in some cayenne to boost it up a little.

Have fun with it. I usually double the recipe and make 2 pies at a time and freeze one of them. They freeze very well! Once the pie is cooled, you can also freeze individually cut pieces and toss them in your lunch bag. They will act an ice cube and keep your other items cool until lunch time. You can eat this pie cold or warm it up in a microwave. I like it both ways. It’s easy to eat as a finger food, as it holds together well. Is great for potlucks, as it holds up well when left out of fridge. Have fun with it!

ROMAN CHAIR

2013-05-17T17:55:00.001-07:00

I bought this roman chair from Amazon.com. It's a Powerline, by bodysolid. I decided to get it so that I could do some strength training, at home, in addition to aerobic workouts. I'd used one in college, and remembered how "easy" it was to use. Ha Ha! That was almost 30 years ago! This is really great for some core training, and is surprisingly good for working the glutes and hamstrings. I'm telling you, I never knew I had these muscles! Or at the least, I'd forgotten them! I paid less that $150, but had to put it together. Now that was a workout. Mostly, I use this for crunches and back hyperextension exercises, but I discovered I can use it for upper arm strength training as well. I would definitely recommend it if you want to add an inexpensive piece of equipment to your home.

WHEY PROTEIN AFTER YOUR WORKOUT

2013-01-22T19:30:00.003-08:00

Biochem Whey Protein
I love this after a workout, especially if you are running out the door to get to work. I prefer the vanilla, but the plain version is good with a little stevia. This brand works well for me. I've tried others, but I didn't seem satisfied with them. I try to eat a banana and some almonds after this-keeps me satisfied until lunch, and keeps away the dreaded brain fog!

JUST KIDS

2012-09-19T21:40:00.001-07:00

Currently reading this.
Beautifully written. You'll enjoy it.
Just Kids

QUINOA BURGER

2012-09-16T19:16:00.004-07:00

I made a version of this without eggs or yellow cheese and added some other stuff to glue it together.
It was fabulous. Mine was an Asian version with Ginger, onion, lime,cilantro. Very tasty!

http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/love-my-quinoa-burger/

QUINOA WITH STUFF ON IT

2012-09-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered Quinoa. It is super simple to make and is very healthy for you. It is one of the few foods to have a complete protein. That is, it has the optimal profile of the essential amino acids, which comprises a complete protein (Thanks Wiki)

I cook mine the same way I do rice. It works for me. I prefer water over broth, that way, I can flavor it later to whatever I feel like.

Basic Quinoa

1 cup Quinoa2 cups water or broth.

I DO NOT RINSE MY QUINOA AND IT IS NEVER BITTER. BESIDES, WHAT ARE YOU REMOVING HEALTH-WISE WHEN YOU DO THIS? SKIP IT.

Boil water and add the Quinoa. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook covered for 20 mins.Do Not Peek or remove the lid! This is the #1 mistake people make when cooking rice, so don't do this when cooking Quinoa. If you like, buy a glass lid and watch it this way. Stirring ruins the whole process, so don't do that either. I have heard cooking in a rice cooker works, but why add another appliance to your kitchen? Hmm...if the rice cooker can be used as a steamer for other foods, it may actually use less electricity as a conventional stove top and so I'm thinking it might be a good thing? Well, that's for another post. Anyway...

Topping for Quinoa

While the Quinoa is cooking I saute on high, then med heat:1 med chopped onion,2-3 cloves crushed garlic1 tablespoon fresh ginger

Let the mix brown and caramelize. Maybe 5-7 mins. Depends on your stove.Then simply spoon it over the Quinoa and eat! If you want it to look a little more colorful, you can add some fresh cilantro or green onion tops to it. I sometimes drizzle some fresh peanut sauce to this. Soooooo good.Here's my latest recipe for that:

Thai Peanut Sauce
1/3 cup hot water
2/3 cup peanut butter-all natural please. No Jiffy or Skippy for this girl.
1/3 cup + 1tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 cup + 1tbsp dry sherry (you can dilute this with some water if you want-but not too much)
1 tsp dark sesame oil

Put ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This is fairly spicy, so if you are a wiener, cut the cayenne in half or eliminate.
You can make this with fresh peppers and ginger,which is what I do if I know I'm going to use it right away and not leave it out of the refrigerator too long. But I wanted to make a recipe that would last longer, so I tailored mine using dried/powdered ingredients. It's good, but is high in sodium, so pay attention to how much you use.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN, BUY THIS, IT'S AWESOME:)

So good, you'll want to drink it!

http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/love-my-quinoa-burger/

Shower Breeze

2012-09-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the Dentist and he recommended I get a night guard and a water pik for some of my issues. I purchased this Shower Breeze, by Oral Breeze, from Amazon and like it so far. It works well for my teeth and it doubles as a grout cleaner! I got the 6ft version.

Google Nexus 7

2012-09-13T19:58:00.001-07:00

I purchased the Google Nexus 7 tablet by Asus and love it! I've never used the android platform before, but it feels easy to learn, and runs super fast with my Clear Wireless 4G. I had considered the Kindle Fire HD, Nook, and Samsung, but went with the Nexus because of everything Google has to offer-both free and from their store. Today is the first day of playing with, so I have a ways to go to get it set up the way I want it.

My primary reason for buying? I plan to use it for reading books and magazines. (The color screen is gorgeous! Especially with magazines.) It's also going to be my new day planner. The free calendar app is okay-but I am use to outlook, and it has some scheduling pieces that are not on this app. I put the Kindle app on it, but it does not function as nicely as the PC version. It will do for now.

Dudes! You can totally search by voice and handwriting on this thing! LOVE:) With the free $25 they give you at the Google store, I downloaded a $3 app that rotates the screen between portrait and landscape-worth it!

Now-to figure out how to get my music collection on there.

Anyway, read the reviews out there-most are positive-except for a few from the hard core geeks. They always want everything for nothing.

Eye Make-Up Remover

2012-06-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

"Natural Eye Make-up Remover" brought me to this site. It sounds like it's going to be a great alternative to the more expensive removers on the market. I use water proof mascara and It is so hard to completely remove. I'll let you know what I think.

http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/10/simple-homemade-eye-makeup-remover/

Super Washing Soda

2012-06-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered Super Washing Soda as an ingredient for making your own laundry soap. And, you know what? It's awesome just by itself! Just mixed with a little warm water, it's a really cheap and great cleaner. I was most impressed by how clean it made my stainless steel tea kettle! OMG I can see myself in it. You have to have this in your kitchen. It's also great for cleaning the patio furniture after the rainy season-bye bye grime and algae!

I have recently begun to make my own disinfectants and cleaners using more "Natural" ingredients. the diy Natural Household Cleaners book above is a great resource for ideas. I use spray bottles for the different cleaners-love them. You can get the book on Amazon, or just Google for free ideas.

Happy cleaning!

Room Challenge

2012-06-26T17:26:00.002-07:00

I have been struggling to make this corner be what I want it to be! It is a place for my TV, PC, Blu-ray and other computer/tech stuff. Basically, I want to be able to conceal everything when not in use, but still have good access when I need to use it. You can't see the PC, modem, and Blu-ray, as they are behind the TV. And the base of this old Lane cabinet is not accessible from the back. Basically everything is behind the TV, but is not friendly to use. And Yes, that is a TV antenna-I don't support the cable company! And the covered speaker is the only location for the rabbit ears, where I get reception. Does anyone have any ideas? I am thinking Small armoire type of unit. I've changed this corner out at least 3-4 different ways with different furniture, but don't like any of them. And then there is the wall art situation...

Boxed Salads

2012-06-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is my alternative to the mason jar salad idea. It takes a little longer to prepare, but it is much easier to take to work and you can actually eat out of the container. I just put different ingredients in the small containers and push them down onto the lettuce. Once at work, simply pour out the ingredients onto the lettuce and you are ready to eat. Afterwards, I rinse them all out and put them back into the main container.

Keeping the toppings separate makes for a fresher tasting salad. I make them a day or 2 ahead of time so they are ready to go. There are tons of toppings to use-just be creative. Some of my faves are: Black beans, blue cheese, fresh pears/apples, dried fruit, nuts, tomato, avocado, ginger-you get the picture. I use the Lock-n-lock plastic containers. I know...plastic...but they are great for fresh veggie and fruit storage in the refer. And if you are a nut about them retaining odors, just use a little bleach when cleaning. Or a home-made natural disinfectant using essential oils. I've been using the Lock-n-lock for 6 years now, and they are still good as new. The small containers come from the cheese plate I sometimes get at Starbucks.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE

2010-07-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while.

I know you'll really enjoy it.

Making grilled pineapple is not tough,

but takes a little time and TLC.

You have to "tend" to it, or it will burn up!

BROWN SUGAR, CAYENNE, TAMARI, SESAME OIL

Blend brown sugar(1/2 c) and cayenne pepper(1 tsp) first. Then whisk in the Tamari Sauce (guess) and Sesame Oil(2 tbsp?) to make a sauce. Using regular soy sauce is okay, but it doesn't have the depth of taste that Tamari provides. You want the consistency you see above-so that it coats the side of the bowl a little. whip it good Devo!

PINEAPPLE

Fresh whole pineapple only!

Slice it in 1-1 1/2" rings with the skin on.

Next, remove the skins on the sides of each ring.

DO NOT cut a hole in the middle!

Pour some regular soy sauce over them (Optional)

Now you are ready to grill!

I start my gas grill on high. Put the slices on the grill and wait a while, maybe 5 mins? They take a while at first, because there is lot of juice in the fruit. Your goal is to get some good grill marks on the first side before turning them over for the first time. They may stick a little to the grill if the fruit is really sweet-just pry them loose. A little scorching actually tastes good and is part of the "taste" of these golden gems!

After the first turn, put enough sauce to just barely coat the top of the pineapple. Turn over in another 4-5 mins, and then coat the top of the newly seared side. Turn down the heat. Now you have to REALLY WATCH THEM! Turn them over more frequently and coat with sauce at each turn. Be careful of hot spots on your grill! I have to move things on my grill or else they get burned.

Put them in a container and pour any remaining sauce over them. store in the refrigerator until cold, or the next day. These really are better the next day! Really!

Stick a fork in these babies and eat around the core! They are messy and create a need for dental floss, but ooh so good. If you are Miss Manners, then slice up around the core, into chunks and enjoy.

In the picture below, I added chopped cilantro and a chopped Jalapeno to the pineapple to make a "Salsa", only I eat it like fruit salad! You could add some additional fresh chunk pineapple to make it a little lighter tasting. But I guarantee you, you will love the sloppy juicy taste of the BBQ pineapple marinade elixir!

ENJOY!

FRIED CHEESE

2010-06-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

Fried Cheese!

Just put a slice in a hot pan,
melt it, swirl it,
pour out the oil,
and gently coax it,
out of the pan.
Let it cool,
on your board,
and roll it by hand.
Tastes like the
little fried pieces
you love to eat,
that ooz from your
grilled cheese sand!

PIMPED UP PEANUT BUTTER

2010-05-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

A few posts ago, I made some almond butter and posted it on the blog. Since then I've been working on a peanut sauce, but came up with this instead. It's basically just natural peanut butter (no Jiff or Skippy PLEASE!!!!!) diluted with spices added.

You don't need a blender or any electrical gadget to make it. Just good old fashioned elbow grease and a few ingredients.

PEANUT BUTTER

I start with a small jar of Adams unsalted Peanut Butter. Make sure it is room temperature and that the oil is sitting on top undiluted. Pour out the oil. Then dump the entire jar into a large mixing bowl.

WATER

Fill up the empty Peanut Butter jar about 2/3 of the way to the top, with WARM water. Mix into the Peanut Butter. This takes a while to get it thouroughly blended. For me, this makes the Peanut Butter just the right "dipping" concistency.

GINGER ROOT

Don't be afraid of the root! I always keep a large piece in my freezer and simply grate it using the microplane grater shown in the 3RD picture. If you are going to use fresh root, then you'll need to use the grater in the LAST picture (Bigger holes). When it's fresh, it is more difficult to grate because of the fibrousness (is that a word?) of the root. I like using it frozen, it makes a beautiful ginger snow and is just easier all the way around!

I use a med sized knob of Ginger-about 1/2 the size of your thumb. Or maybe a little more...Remember, Ginger IS hot, so be careful. Oh but I love that flavor!

CAYANNE PEPPER

Mix in 1 teaspoon of Cayanne Pepper Powder.

Mix everything together. Put it back into the jar and rest in another container. Chill this for a few hours to meld the flavors.

Serve with Apples or whatever you like:)

BBQ BACON WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

2010-04-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

This is really easy, and really good!

I make sure that the bacon is really cold and that the thick aparagus ends are broken off before wrapping. Wrap them up and then place them in the refer so that the bacon gets cold again. This is really important, as it will unwrap while cooking if you don't do this!

The BBQ has to be on high in order for these to be cooked right.

Plan you placement well on the grill, because once you put them on, you don't want to mess with them. Cook until one side gets brown and crispy. Then turn them over. These things will smoke like hell, but that doesn't mean they are burning! It's just all that lovely bacon fat hitting the coals!

Broccoli

2010-03-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

I had some broccoli in the fridge for a little too long and decided that I was going to steam it and make a little cheese sauce to go over it. But somehow, I found myself blending it and making a simple soup out of it.
It was a little too "healthy tasting" for my liking! But I ate it never the less. I put a little ginger and cayanne in the soup and garnished with a little red bell pepper and butter.

Mixpod.com

2010-03-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to put some music on this blog, as I enjoy it as much as I do food! But I'm not completely satisfied with this service. I do enjoy the video factor, but the quality of some songs is very poor. In addition, there is not much of a selection. I really want to put my own library music on here, but I don't understand HOW to do it! I get the idea, but, alas, I don't have the patience to follow all the directions. Some seem to leave out steps or don't provide an explaination that I can follow. So, for know, this will have to do. Check out the Chet Atkins! (Click on the arrow to the right) I have one of his songs with Mark Knophler on my ipod, which I love (Sweet Dreams). I never realized how talented he was.

June 20, 1924 - June 30, 2001

"Years from now, after I'm gone, someone will listen to what I've done and know I was here. They may not know or care who I was, but they'll hear my guitars speaking for me. "

- Chet Atkins -

Tuna Compaison

2010-03-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

I normally buy tuna in the can, but sometimes in the pouches, and have always wondered which is the better buy. Since the price is broken down in terms of ounces, I've always wondered which is cheaper? Is the water included in the ounces? The can has more water than the pouches do, so what am I paying for? So I decided to do an unofficial side by side comparison, and here is my conclusion:

The can (5oz) of white albcore is $1.69
The pouch (2.6oz) of albacor is $2.29

The can drained of water yields more tuna than the pouch hands down. In addition, this particular pouch of albacore is like mush. The canned albacore has more large chuncks and is drier than the pouch, making it more versitile in my mind.
I was figuring the pouch meat was going to be better quality and yield more tuna than the can after the water was drained. It did not. So, the canned wins!

Grandpa Cally

2010-03-06T01:07:00.000-08:00

Grandpa enjoyed the pipe and boxing our ears!

Rice Bran Oil Redux

2010-02-26T21:06:00.000-08:00

So, I went to buy some rice bran oil and couldn't find any! Turns out that neither of the two Asian markets I went to sell it now! So dissappointing. But, apparently, New Seasons Markets does. So, tomorrow, I am going to go down there to get some. Thank you California Rice Oil Company!

Rice Bran Oil

2010-02-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a little about cooking oils, specifically the benefits of rice bran oil over others. From what I've been reading, Rice Bran oil seems like a good choice to use for frying and even when making salad dressings and marinades. I'm very sceptical about Canola Oil. Did you know that it comes from genetically modified seeds? I don't like that idea. There is a lot of discussion on the internet about its origins and health/unhealth contributions. Canola is a "big business" thing and has a history/reputation much like soy. In addition, I think it tastes funny-not "good funny."
I've been using rice bran oil for a couple of years. I do have to buy it in Asian grocery stores since it is not available in traditional American stores. It is fairly inexpensive in the Asian stores. I'm sure once the mainstream gets ahold of it, some American producer will drive up the price and make it the next "New Olive Oil."

Pros

Rich in vitamin E and many antioxidants.
Perfect ratio of "good" fat to "bad" fat and filled with healthy fatty acids.
Has been shown to improve cardiovascular health and lower cholesterol.
It has been suggested that rice bran oil may have anti-cancer and anti-infection properties.
Hypoallergenic; people who have allergic reactions to oil will may not experience adverse effects from rice bran oil.

Cons

There are not many negatives associated with rice bran oil. To date, it has shown a variety of health benefits and is looked upon as one of the world's healthiest and most versatile oils. However, like all oils or oil substitutes, it is fattening and relatively high in calories, so use it in moderation.

One thing I love about Rice Bran oil is that it is tasteless, so that when I use it in recipes, it doesn't alter the taste. I love olive oil, but sometimes I don't need the olive taste.
While it may not be the lowest in saturated fats, it seems to be balanced in other characteristics. See the chart in the link. California Rice Oil Co.
The link attached to my article IS from a business, so it may be somewhat biased, but I've read about Rice Bran Oil from other sources too. I've recently heard that "they" are now questioning the whole saturated fat issue as being "over emphasised" where heart health is concerned. There is a lot of talk about coconut oil bennefits also. Coconut is high in saturated fat, but people like Dr. Mercola seem to feel that the saturated fat issue is not entirely a problem. Go to Dr. Mercola's website. Love Mercola's site-hate the product advertising!
That's it for now! I'm off to the Asian grocer for some Rice Bran Oil!

Almond Butter

2010-02-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

I made the decision to try to get back to more healthy Living/eating, so I have done a few things to get there. First, I have simply removed some things from my house-Butter, bread, potatoes, store bought sauces just to name a few. Since I can't control my eating (LOL), this is the only way I can resist the temptation! I do have these things occasionally, but try not to have on a regular basis.
Sugar-What a terrible thing it is! I bake occasionally, so I still have it for that, but I use only organic raw brown sugar for things like oatmeal. I'm trying the new Steevia product that is mixed with sugar-only five calories in a packet. I use that in smoothies.
I try to exercise for 30 minutes everyday, but only manage about 4 days in the week. That's okay with me. I've already lost 4 pounds:) Mainly, I just want to feel better. Get more energy, improve my memory, and reduce depression.

Today I made my first attempt to make almond butter. I've been eating a lot of peanut butter with apples lately and decided that I needed a more healthy option. And as my friend Jessie put it-I try to know exactly what is in my food, so I'm making my own. I don't have a blender or food processor, but I do have a magic bullet. Don't laugh too hard, I've had this thing for years, and it is the most used appliance in my kitchen-except for my coffee maker! It has a large carafe for blending and juicing, so even though it's not a "real blender" it acts like one! (Kind of...can't leave it on for more than 30 seconds at a time or it will burn out the motor. It's great for short blends and pulsing) And it doesn't take up a lot of space!
Here's the link if you need one. http://www.buythebullet.com/
Anyway...the almond butter. I put about a 1/2 cup of nuts in the MB and it turned them into dust! Ha! I had to add veggie oil to the dust to make a paste. It was pretty gritty and dry, and lacking in flavor. So I added more oil and blended it by hand. I added some fresh ginger and cayanne pepper to enhance the taste. It looks more like an almond ball than a butter, but it tastes pretty good. I am going to try it again with rice bran oil (very healthy-after olive oil), a little salt and more blending.

Long Time No Time

2009-11-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can see, I don't blog much anymore. Too much facebook farmtown farmville cafe world etc!

J.J. Cale and Levon Helm

2009-07-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

I love the new J.J. Cale Album! If you like it as I do, then you should check out the new Levon Helm album. He's an old man too, and used to play with Dylan and The Band, back in the day. It's a little more folksie than J.J.but it has that southern feel, and I can hear The Band in his stuff!