Vélez Delights

Cheese & Pear Toasted Bites

2020-07-05T18:46:00.000-04:00

"Courage is knowing what not to fear." - Plato

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend!

And yes, I know... it's been quite some time since I was last on here.

I decided to take some time off from blogging to heal, or at least start the healing process, and it honestly has helped. Not the not blogging part, but letting time pass and trying to heal. I've been reading a lot, spending time with family, watching TV and movies, doing things that are "me."

Well, as much as possible, since honestly, life isn't normal at the moment with Covid-19 and all. Am I right? Talk about living through a global pandemic?!

It's crazy to think that over the past 4 months every country on the planet has all been affected by this new sickness. It's caused hard times on a global level, but I feel like when looking at the situation glass half full, it has forced many to reevaluate their lives and make change for the better. I, for one, have loved spending more time with my family. I realized that I was too focused on myself for quite some time, which led to me shutting them out to an extent. I was all about my job, and even self-pity, and I shut out so many people and chances that would have led to more positive moments and happiness. But, that's changed. I'm all about trying to make the best of what's been dealt, embracing family time, friends time, and even "me" time with my pets.

Part of "me" time was realizing I have tons of old recipes dating back to 2014 that I never published! The pictures aren't the best, but, why not still publish? I took my time cooking all of them and documenting for a reason. I may be about 6 years too late, but what the hell? Food is food! It's still yummy, and shareable, right? So let's kick things off with this recipe for a quick snack/lunch. It's healthy and very quick to make, which is a good thing, because in this Summer heat, who wants to be spending a long time in the kitchen!

Cheese & Pear Toasted Bites
adapted from: Bocadillos calientes de queso y pera by Kraft

*makes: 4 servings*

"Kids love the sweetness that the pears give this classic cheese sandwich."

Ingredients:
4 slices 100% whole wheat whole grain bread
4 slices 2% milk American cheese
1 D'Anjou pear, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp real mayonnaise

Directions:
1) Arrange the cheese and the pear on 2 slices of bread; cover them with the remaining slices of bread.
2) Spread the mayonnaise on the outside of the sandwiches.
3) Cook the sandwiches over medium heat in a skillet for 4 minutes per side or until lightly browned on both sides.

Icy Cranberry Margaritas

2019-10-27T21:37:00.000-04:00

"A promise must never be broken." - Alexander Hamilton

This Sunday was a great change of pace for me, considering all that's happening. Yes, it was just a normal Sunday at my parents' farm, but it just felt different.

I felt like I could breathe again!

I was relaxed, laughed, talked, ate great food, had awesome drinks, played with my pets...

I could tell that my parents were feeling better too. My Dad didn't seem like he was walking on eggshells around me, and my Mom was actually having a normal conversation with me, not touching on anything that's going on. We all even spoke about future travel plans, such as maybe possibly going to Alaska in the Spring!

Once I was back at my house, I didn't feel like things were crashing down on me, for a change. I still felt happy, positive even! It's already even 9:00pm here, and I'm still riding that positivity high, no joke. I'm settling down for the night, and I'm actually looking forward to this new work week. There are a lot of big things happening at work this week, and I feel ready to face whatever's thrown at me.

I'd call today a tiny victory! I know, it could be one step forward and five steps back, but, I have to recognize that I took that one step forward. Hoping there's more to come!

Icy Cranberry Margaritas
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 6 drinks*

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen cranberry raspberry juice blend concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup gold tequila
1/4 cup triple-sec liqueur
3 tbsp melon liqueur
5 cups ice cubes

Directions:
1) In a blender combine cranberry raspberry juice concentrate, tequila, triple-sec, and melon liqueur.
2) Cover and blend until combined.
3) With blender running, add ice cubes, one at a time, through opening in lid, blending until mixture becomes slushy.
4) Pour into glasses.

Hot Spiced Cider

2019-10-26T23:08:00.000-04:00

"Where is all the knowledge we lost with information?" - T.S. Eliot

As each day passes, I've come more to terms with what's happening, but, more and more questions pop into my mind each day.

Why wasn't I given a real chance? Why is it so easy for him to do this? Why isn't he showing any emotions? Does this really not hurt him? Did almost nine years mean nothing to him? What's wrong with me? Why wasn't I enough? Do I deserve this for some reason? Does true love not exist? Does romance and finding your person only exist in the movies? When am I going to feel better? When will the pain go away? When will I love myself again?

Screw it.

I'm just going to say it, although I'm sure you've been able to figure it out by now.

Divorce.

That's what I'm going through.

About one month ago now, about mid-September, A decided he wanted a divorce. Sure, things hadn't been all rainbows and butterflies for some time, but I honestly didn't think it had come to this point. I always thought that if things got bad, we would have spoken about what was happening, maybe even do a trial separation if it was needed, before ever jumping to divorce.

My parents have been married since July 1980, dated for who knows how long before that, and that's what I grew up seeing and wanting... I mean, I even married in the Church (we're Catholic), and met the Pope, who gave us his blessing...

I just can't wrap my mind around things...

Every day is a struggle, mostly because I'm just broken, and I don't feel like I'm deserving of anything or anyone. I have my parents' support, which is a big plus right now in my life, but between A getting ready to move out, and putting our home for sale, starting the whole divorce process, and just trying to remain strong on the exterior... I'm just exhausted.

I want to just, be.

Soon, I guess...

I know it's a process, and I know I'll heal over time, and come out stronger...

Rome wasn't built in a day, right??

Hot Spiced Cider
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 8 drinks*

Ingredients:
64 oz 100% apple juice
1/8 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 cup packed light brown sugar
2 3" sticks cinnamon
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp navel orange zest

Directions:
1) In a large sauce pan combine juice, brown sugars, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and the orange zest.
2) Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
3) Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
4) Serve cider in mugs (and make sure to strain it as you serve).

Greensleeves Smoothie

2019-10-18T23:52:00.000-04:00

"I can, therefore I am." - Simone Weil

To be honest with everyone, I really didn't think I would come back on here. And, it wasn't just a case of writer's block. Trust me. I have pictures and posts dating back to probably 2014 that haven't seen the light of day, and many still are even on my camera's memory card.

Let's just say, life really hasn't been easy since the last time I posted something.

I still don't think I'm 100% ready to really talk about what's been going on, but I know I have to start somewhere and reclaim my life... and heal.

Healing. It's not easy, is it?

One day you wake up, and you realize you're not "you" anymore. You lost yourself in a relationship, you lost your essence, you're a ghost of who you were at one point in your life. You can also find yourself truly lost, without friends, without anyone really that can really understand what you're going through and how you're feeling. Sure, my parents are there for me, and I appreciate everything they've been trying to do for me, but I still don't feel like I even understand what I'm feeling right now. It's like I'm on a constant emotional roller coaster, with my stomach in my throat.

I've always been so good at compartmentalizing my life and thoughts, keeping my private life and my work life separate, not letting anyone in on what might be going on outside of work, but for the past month, what's going on in my private life is just like a cloud in my mind that's even making it hard to focus at work. I have emotional outbursts, I cry, I run out to the bathroom to just be by myself... But then, there are days where I'm so in my zone at work that I kind of feel normal again, like something is going right in my life, like I'm appreciated, and then 3:30pm hits, I clock out, and it all comes crashing down, and by the time I'm back home, I just want to cuddle with my dog and cat and sit there and hope that the night passes quickly to just go back to work the next day.

Baby steps.

I know it's going to be a process... Nine years isn't something you can just wake up and move on from. It's, nine years of my 30. It was, stability, success, a sense of personal accomplishment... a home.

But, baby steps.

I know I can write things on here that may or may not be read by anyone, but it'll be a great place for me to vent about what's going on, when I'm ready to really announce what happened.

This will be my public safe space, which I know sounds like it's contradicting itself, but, I hope it still makes sense.

Good thing is, in the meantime, as I heal, and gather myself, and make myself into an improved version of myself, I have tons of recipes and pictures to share. It all kind of worked itself out, as I haven't been cooking much lately. My parents have been my personal delivery/catering service, which has really left me time to muddle through my thoughts and figure out the baby steps that I need to take.

I apologize if this post didn't make any sense, but, please know, that I will be posting more, for better or worse.

I might not have an audience, as I know blogging has become such a mainstream thing lately and there are so many other sites out there that may catch your eye more, or maybe express themselves better, or have professional-quality pictures, and have tons of "in season" posts, but all I can guarantee you is that I'm going to be real, and raw, and a person. Hell, I've never really been one to follow the trends anyway!

I hope everyone understands, and can be supportive.

Greensleeves Smoothie

adapted from: Smoothies! by Stella Murphy

*makes: 1 smoothie*

"Dark and velvety green, this will give you an instant kick."

Ingredients:

2 tsp spirulina

4 oz 100% lactose free 2% milkfat reduced fat milk

4 3/4 oz all natural nonfat Greek strained yogurt

1 banana, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp clover honey

Directions:

1) Put all of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

2) Pour into a glass and serve chilled.

Hot Chocolate Mix

2018-07-06T22:09:00.000-04:00

"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." - Otto von Bismarck

TGIF, everyone! I KNOW I'm not the only one that's happy for the weekend, am I right? Although my work week only consisted of four days, it felt like the longest work week ever. I think it has to do with the fact that things were kind of slow at work. Like, when I'm extremely busy at work, time flies by, and in the blink of an eye, the clock changes from 7:30am to 4:30pm. On the contrary, when I'm not as busy, and I'm reaching out for extra assignments and projects, time drags on and on, making a normal eight hour workday seem like a 28-hour workday. To top it off, on these super long workdays, all the forces of the universe seem to unite and make the commute home an extra long one. What usually takes about an hour can take up to two-and-a-half hours... =/

But, enough of the complaining, because right now, all I want to do is curl up on the couch with either (or both) of my pets, find something to watch on my Tivo, and drink some hot chocolate. I'm not a huge chocolate fan, but OMG, I can never turn down a cup of hot chocolate. It's one of my go-to comfort foods, with Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix being the number one brand I always keep in the house.

That was, however, until I learned how to make it on my own! I'm not sure why, but it never struck me as being an easy thing to make. But really, I confess, I had never really given it any thought. I would just mindlessly go to the grocery store, buy some Swiss Miss, get home, heat up a mug of milk, and mix in some hot chocolate mix. Thankfully, that has all changed thanks to this recipe, and now, I am always fully stocked with a canister of my homemade hot chocolate mix :) The good thing about this mix is that I'm able to drink it with either hot milk or cold milk, so I can enjoy it in all kinds of weather days! Apart from this, it's easy to mix, easy to store, sooo delicious and creamy, and probably easily adaptable to different kinds of chocolate, depending on your tastes (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate).

Hot Chocolate Mix
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 32 servings*

Ingredients:
1 25.6 oz package instant nonfat dry milk powder
1 16 oz package nondairy rich and creamy coffee creamer powder
1 8 oz package 100% cacao natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups confectioners powdered sugar
small and fluffy marshmallows

Directions:
1) In an extra-large bowl, combine dry milk powder, nondairy creamer, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 3 months.
2) For one serving, place 1/2 cup of the mix in a mug and add 1/2 cup boiling water or milk. Top with marshmallows.

Malted Hot Chocolate Mix

1 25.6 oz package instant nonfat dry milk powder
1 16 oz package nondairy rich and creamy coffee creamer powder
1 8 oz package 100% cacao natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups confectioners powdered sugar
1 13 oz package malted milk powder
small and fluffy marshmallows

Lemonade

2018-07-05T16:17:00.000-04:00

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu

Let me start with wishing everyone a Happy belated 4th of July! I hope everyone enjoyed the fireworks displays, whether live in person or on the television. We didn't do much yesterday; we made burgers for dinner, watched a few episodes of a novela on Netflix, basically chilled with our pets on the couch. It was a much needed relaxing weeknight. Although, having a day off from work in the middle of the week totally threw off the vibe of the rest of the workweek! I came back to work today thinking it was Monday... it was the most un-Thursday Thursday in a while!

Does that ever happen to you? It happens to me all the time when packing for a trip. We usually leave on Thursdays for vacations (it's kind of become tradition at this point), so I work Monday and Tuesday, take Wednesday off to pack and spend time with the fur babies, and then we leave Thursday. It makes those two workdays seem like Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday at the same time, while making these two days seem like the longest work week ever!

Ugh, speaking of vacation, I would LOVE one right about now, to escape this horrible humid Summer heat! I don't know how Summer's been wherever you are right now, but here in Miami, it has been I think one of the most humid Summers ever! It gets to a point that not even the afternoon rain helps; it kind of just gets even muggier, and all we can do is just pray for more rain to see if the wind will refresh anything around here.

One thing that helps keep us cool is staying hydrated, whether by drinking water, or making fresh juices, such as this lemonade. I know, I know, who doesn't know how to make lemonade, you might be asking? Well, you'd be surprised at how many people I know just buy store-made lemonade or the frozen lemonade mixes that you blend instead of making it! Lemonade in itself is easy to make: lemon juice, water, sugar. Little kids make it all the time and make those super cute lemonade-selling stands! As grown-ups, we can spice it up any way we want: adding mint leaves, other fruit juice, alcohol, or iced tea to make an Arnold Palmer... *hint hint*

Now that I've dropped that hint (LOL), I'm going to sip on some leftover lemonade, wind down from a long workday, and make dinner. All in a day's work, right?

Lemonade
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 4 drinks*

Ingredients:
3 cups cold water
1 cup freshly squeeze lemon juice
3/4 cup extra fine granulated sugar

Directions:
1) In a 1 1/2-quart pitcher stir together the water, lemon juice, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
2) If desired, chill in the refrigerator.
3) Serve in glasses over ice.
4) Garnish with lemon slices.

Peachy Lemonade

3 cups cold water
1 cup freshly squeeze lemon juice
3/4 cup extra fine granulated sugar
15 oz canned peach slices

Prepare as above. Place half of the peach slices, chilled and undrained, in a blender with 1 cup of the lemonade. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into a large pitcher. Repeat with remaining undrained peaches and 1 cup of the lemonade. Stir in remaining lemonade. Serve in glass over ice. If desired, garnish with peach slices.

Virgin [Bloody] Mary Smoothie

2018-06-15T20:05:00.000-04:00

"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in." - Robert Frost

Every four years, an internationally-spanning event happens, that has the power to unite the whole world for the span of an entire month... and I'm the happiest girl in the world!!! For those that don't know, the FIFA WORLD CUP officially started yesterday, with this amazing futbol (soccer) event being hosted in Russia. Basically, this is like a global Superbowl for futbol fans everywhere. Every day for the next month, millions across the globe will be glued to TV/cellphone/tablet/computer screens everywhere watching futbol matches, whether they are for the teams their rooting for or for other countries' teams. The energy everywhere is electric, and I, for one, will be glued along with everyone else! Yesterday, I made sure to watch both the opening ceremonies and the Russia vs. Saudi Arabia match from the comfort of my cellphone, while at work. Sorry, but not sorry... :)

Along with futbol matches will come many, and I mean, many, watch parties! Weekday, weekend, all types of watch parties, and parties in general, will be happening everywhere! The interesting part of this year's matches is that most of them happen in the morning or during brunch hour (if you're counting the weekend matches). And, what pairs well with brunch? Bloody Marys! I know, they usually are made with vodka, but I'm bringing you a "smoothie" alcohol-free alternative. It's quick to make, and can be jazzed up with any additional toppings you usually enjoy with a Bloody Mary. However, I'm not sure if vodka can be added... Would it react badly with the yogurt? If any of you try it, please let me know.

I'm going to go catch up on my Tivo from this week (The Bachelorette, World of Dance, MasterChef). I need to clear up some room for tomorrow's games! Good luck to whichever team you're rooting for!

Virgin [Bloody] Mary Smoothie
adapted from: Smoothies! by Stella Murphy

*makes: 1 smoothie*

"A pick-me-up or pre-lunch drink."

Ingredients:
9 3/4 oz ripe red tomatoes, quartered
4 1/2 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
dash of Tabasco pepper sauce
dash of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1) Place the tomatoes, yogurt, and sauces into the blender and blend until smooth.
2) Pour into a glass over crushed ice.

Stout Pound Cake with Roasted Pecans

2018-05-23T19:25:00.000-04:00

"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." - Pablo Picasso

Guess who's back, back again?! Steph is back, tell a friend! Yes, you heard me right, this lady right here is back and is promising to never leave again! Let me give you a brief picture-filled summary of my life so far this past year and something.

First off, A and I bought our first home!!! It's a cute townhouse, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, nice little backyard, maybe about 10 minutes away from my parents, and most importantly, it's OURS. We have been slowly doing modifications to it (such as replacing the windows and doors) and we have many future changes already planned out (painting, new kitchen counters, shiplap statement walls). Also, I have been slowly changing out the appliances; we are almost completely a KitchenAid home, except for the washer/dryer stackables which are Maytag :)

Both Nucita and Pelusa turned 4! Nucita, as usual, couldn't stop smiling, especially knowing that those toys and treats were for her. Pelusa, as usual, needed to cautiously inspect everything that was put before her. By the way, of that giant bag of toys we gave Pelusa, her favorite is one of the pink balls, and that's it.

A and I got married!!! After 7 long years, we tied the knot this past February on my parents' farm. It was a very small ceremony, of just my parents, us, a priest, and two very close family friends. We laughed, we cried, we had the BEST carrot cake of my life, and we took more pictures than I could have imagined.

At the end of March/early April, A and I went on our honeymoon to Italy: two weeks of amazing views, delicious food, great wine, dancing, conversations, unforgettable memories with our Trafalgar tour family, which all led up to us meeting THE POPE!!! I was a sobbing mess when we met him, but it will always be one of the best experiences of my life.

And now, we're back in Miami, trying to pay off all of our bills, working like crazy, trying to get back to a normal life, or as normal as anyone's life can be. As I was starting to organize our Italy pictures, I realized I had about 50+ recipes that I have never posted! I know, it sounds horrible, and I feel pretty crappy about it because I'm sure many of you would enjoy them! So, let's get right to it.

Today's recipe from the un-posted archives was my first venture into dessert baking with beer. I had made a beer bread before, maybe about 10 years ago, but had never thought of using it in a cake. Since I had absolutely no clue about beer (I'm not a beer drinker; whiskey is more my thing), when I saw that this recipe called for a dark stout, I immediately went to Google, which suggested I use Guinness. The one I got from Publix was an extra stout. When baking this cake, the Guinness meshed really well with the dark and light brown sugars and brought out the earthy tones of the roasted pecans. However, I didn't really taste the cloves in this, so if I were to make this recipe again, I would definitely up the amount of cloves.

Stout Pound Cake with Roasted Pecans
adapted from: Cake Love: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

*makes: one 12-cup Bundt cake*

"The deep, dark color and flavor of stout pairs well with the molasses-like flavor of dark brown sugar and roasted pecans. When I offered samples of this at the bakery, people dived in and gushed about the nuts. The carbonation from the stout gives it a unique spongy texture that is heavenly soft and moist. Enjoy!"

Ingredients:
14 oz unbleached all purpose flour
4 oz roasted chopped pecans
2 tsp corn starch
1 1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pure baking soda
1 cup reduced extra stout
1/4 cup ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
6 oz sweet unsalted butter
16 oz extra fine granulated sugar
1 oz dark brown sugar
1 oz light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
2) Set out the ingredients and equipment.
- Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.
- Measure the other dry ingredients, including the pecans, into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside.
- Measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.
- Measure the butter and sugars into separate bowls and set aside.
- Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside.
3) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on the lowest speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
4) With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition.
5) Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.
6) Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.
7) Prepare the pan. Spray the pan well with a nonstick spray.
8) Fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula.
9) Bake for approximately 50-55 minutes.
10) Once the top of the cake doesn't jiggle in the center and is light brown, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. The sheen on top may look liquid but this is normal and comes from the fat in the heavy cream. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.
11) Once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface. Allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before glazing.
12) Set the cake on a wire rack with wax or parchment paper underneath it to catch any dripping syrup. Combine 1/4 cup of Sugar Syrup (see below for the recipe) and 2 tablespoons of blended Scotch whisky in a small bowl. Apply the soaking syrup with a pastry brush until all of the syrup is absorbed.
13) Serve at room temperature either naked or with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.
14) Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Sugar Syrup

Ingredients:
16 oz extra fine granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups water

Directions:
1) Combine the sugar and water in a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir thoroughly.
2) Bring the mixture to a light summer over medium-high heat to dissolve the sugar.
3) Do not bring to a rolling boil.
4) Immediately remove the mixture from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
5) Label, date, and refrigerate in an airtight container.

Tuna & Cucumber Bites

2017-01-23T23:40:00.000-05:00

"The opportunity is often lost by deliberating." - Publilius Syrus

New week, new Monday, new goals for the week, new motivations, new aspirations. I'm refreshed and ready to take on this week's challenges. After last week's ups and downs at work, I learned how to manage my time and my projects a lot more and in a more efficient way. Last week, there were moments where I felt like I was drowning in my work, and all these requests and projects that were thrown at me were making me feel really overwhelmed. But, going through that made me think about it all over the weekend. I was able to breathe, mull things over, and plan on how to incorporate all of my new jobs and assignments into a cohesive hour-by-hour daytime schedule. And, it worked! Today could NOT have gone any smoother. I got to work, did all of my daily tasks, worked on some side projects, and I almost even completed one of my biggest monthly reports, right on time for tomorrow's meeting. By no means does that mean I can slack tomorrow. I have to go into work with the same focus I had today... and, I'll accomplish that by resting tonight, and... enjoying The Bachelor!

Oh c'mon, you know I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by. It's Monday! LOL Have any of you been watching it? I'm all the way to the Wisconsin group date. I really like all the events that have led to this point. The first one-one-one date was super cute; I loved how Nick showed the contestant all of his childhood haunts while sharing stories from his past. Then, when it came time to the group date, it brought flashbacks from my childhood, when we used to have cows over at the farm. I used to help my Dad feed the cows, and I sometimes would even help him milk the cows, or better yet, watch him milk the cows and run to take the milk to my Mom. It also made me think about how my Mom's go-to snack back in the day was tuna salad. She would go crazy inventing all different kinds of tuna salad, as well as chicken salad. She'd chop apple, celery, onion, anything crunchy with flavor, and mix it into the tuna. As soon as she'd see a new recipe whether in a magazine or on Food Network, she'd run to try it. So, she definitely fed my love for tuna. I guess, because of this, you can say that today's post is an ode to her. Today's tuna recipe packs a flavorful punch with ground cumin, while having a kicking bite with chopped jalapeños and cucumber. This quick tuna salad bite would be great as a snack or even as an appetizer. I definitely think my Mom would approve of this recipe!

Tuna & Cucumber Bites
adapted from: Comida y Familia Otoño 2009 by Kraft Foods

*makes: 4 servings*

"This bite has protein from the tuna and a crunchy cucumber base."

Ingredients:
1 cucumber
5 oz canned chunk white albacore in water
1 small jalapeño, without any seeds, finely chopped
1/4 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Directions:
1) Cut half the cucumber into 12 slices; set aside. Chop the remaining cucumber; mix with the remaining ingredients.
2) Put the tuna mix on the cucumber slices just before serving.

Creamy Fruit Dip

2017-01-16T23:05:00.001-05:00

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Oh how I look forward to my Guilty Pleasure Mondays, a.k.a. The Bachelor! It's funny to think that I used to hate these kinds of shows, and now, I'm hooked! Like for this season, Adrian and I both made our own teams of 3 each. Adrian's team consists of Corinne, Liz, and Vanessa. My team is made up of Danielle L., Danielle M., and Kristina. Sadly for Adrian, his team is actually down to two people after last week's episode, but my team is still going strong, and one of the ones on my team had a great starring moment during the Backstreet Boys part of tonight's episode :) :) I know, I know, no spoilers, and trust me, I'm trying super hard not to give too much away just in case some of you haven't seen tonight's episode yet. I mean, I'm still watching it as I'm writing this - speaking of, OMG, is Nick crying??!!

In preparing for tonight's episode, I decided I wanted a light dessert, something I could pair with all of the strawberries and blueberries I have in the fridge. I didn't want anything sticky or overly sweet, but I did know I wanted something fast, easy, and creamy, and something that Adrian would like as well, since this is his post-birthday week. Since he was at home today, I had him set out some cream cheese for it to get to room temperature, you know, something easy but enough for him to feel like he really took part in making this dip lol - it's one of my inside jokes with him. Once I got home, I mixed the cream cheese with the sour cream and the brown sugar in my stand mixer until everything was mixed well. I added a splash of vanilla and some milk, just enough for it to be creamy without being too liquidy, and oh my, it was delish! It reminded me of that cream cheese marshmallow fruit dip they sell at Publix, except sans the marshmallow. It was very lightly sweetened and really brought out the natural sweetness of the berries - a great way to end my Monday night. Now, let me sit back on the couch to enjoy the rest of this dip while watching the second half of The Bachelor. Good luck to all of the contestants!

Creamy Fruit Dip
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 2 cups*

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz sour cream
1/8 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
2 tbsp whole Grade A milk

Directions:
1) In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
2) Gradually add sour cream, beating until combined.
3) Add brown sugars and vanilla; beat just until combined.
4) Stir in enough milk to reach dipping consistency.
5) Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.
6) Serve with assorted fruit.

Spice Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz sour cream
1/8 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
2 tbsp whole Grade A milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Lower-Calorie Fruit Dip

8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
8 oz light sour cream
1/8 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
2 tbsp whole Grade A milk

Creamy Marshmallow Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz sour cream
7 oz marshmallow creme
1 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
2 tbsp whole Grade A milk

Blackeye Peas Salsa

2016-09-15T21:45:00.000-04:00

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." - Confucius

Oh my god, guys, it's Thursday!!! Yes, I know, I'm stating the obvious, but if you're a TV junkie like I am, you know what that means... it's time to catch up on last night's American Horror Story season premiere via On Demand!!! You can't even begin to imagine how excited I am, since apart from the show starting, this means that my entire Fall lineup is about to start as well! There's Gotham, and Modern Family, and How To Get Away With Murder, etc, etc. I'll make sure to get all into it as the days go by. So, I have theories about this year's AHS theme. After going through all of the teasers and pictures, and after reading the description that Uverse provided on the Guide, I'm thinking the theme has to do with poltergeists, or people's nightmares, or maybe some Children of the Corn vibes. Regardless, I'm prepared to be spooked and just straight up freaked out. Since I was pressed for time tonight in making dinner after the gym, and since A and I are on a health kick lately, we wanted something filling without being overbearing, and we didn't really want something that required a fork and knife. After browsing the pantry, the fridge, and the cookbooks, I came across this quick and easy blackeye peas salsa (since I chose to not leave everything in the fridge overnight). It has great nutritional value while being tasty, fresh with a spicy kick, and easy to eat: you just have to use tortilla chips to scoop it up with no need for forks and big plates! This plate can be recreated as a pre-planned snack or as a party platter when having people over, since everyone can just serve their portions with chips all from a big bowl, without any fuss. Speaking of no fuss, once I finish this post, you best believe we'll be munching on this post-workout meal while watching the season premiere of AHS. To my fellow American Horror Story fans, cheers to a great season, and please, no spoilers! :)

Blackeye Peas Salsa
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 2 cups*

Ingredients:
15 1/2 oz canned blackeye peas, rinsed and drained
2 thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp pure ground black pepper
dash salt
1 tsp minced garlic
scooped tortilla chips

Directions:
1) In a bowl combine blackeye peas, green onion, bell pepper, oil, vinegar, chile pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic.
2) Cover and chill overnight.
3) Serve with tortilla chips.

Cucumber Cooler Smoothie

2016-09-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

"In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision." - Dalai Lama

Maybe it's because the season is close to changing, or maybe it's because things just weren't that busy at work today, but holy cow, today was just one of those days that didn't want to end! I'd work and surf the web and text my friends, thinking I was occupying myself for hours, then when I'd check the clock, only two minutes had gone by. I was going through the same thing while being on the treaddesk at work (it's like a treadmill and a desk built into one). I would work and walk while trying not to look at the timer, hoping that time would fly by quickly, when in reality what felt like 30 minutes was only five. Is anyone else going through this? Today kind of felt like the day before a giant vacation, where your mind is racing a million miles a minute and you just get anxiously tired... but without the vacation tomorrow part. All I kept thinking about was upcoming plans and trips, and wedding plans, and pictures, and clothes, and fitness, and what I can pin (since I'm just now getting super into Pinterest), and American Horror Story, and yet time was going by so slow; it just wasn't funny. Luckily, my Dad, who recently started a smoothie and juices obsession/diet, texted me and asked me to find a fresh-tasting and natural juice that he could make as a snack without too many extras or sweeteners. I rushed home after work and tried this fresh-sounding recipe. Turns out - it was a hit with my Dad! He liked how light and refreshing it was which is perfect for him since he works in the sun a good portion of the day. It was beyond quick to make in my Nutribullet, but I bet it's even easier to make in a juicer. The fennel blends really well with the cucumber, while the asparagus rounds out all the flavors instead of letting the juice get a little too naturally sweet. It's a good choice for these last days of summer!

Cucumber Cooler Smoothie
adapted from: Smoothies! by Stella Murphy

*makes: 1 smoothie*

"Cooling, with a hint of aniseed."

Ingredients:
7 oz cucumber, chopped
4 oz fennel, outer part removed, cut into chunks
2 1/2 oz asparagus, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup water

Directions:
1) Juice the cucumber, fennel, and asparagus together.
2) Add the water - if necessary (I had to add it while my Dad didn't).
3) Pour into a glass over ice.

Rum Runner Pound Cake

2016-09-12T23:07:00.000-04:00

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Mondays, Mondays, oh glorious Mondays! Some people start the week with a case of the Monday blues, and sometimes I'm one of those, but not today. Why? Well, I'm still on a post-engagement high! That's right; this girl right here is engaged to A after over five years of dating :) It's actually been just about a month of being an engaged couple, and the lovebird phase is in full effect. We've even been hanging out more frequently with my folks over at the ranch! Like, yesterday, since A had been hankering for goat, my Dad managed to get some goat meat just so A can cook it - and cook it he did. A ended up making Curried Goat with Coconut Rice and fried plantains all by himself, which is a huge achievement for him since he's recently started learning how to cook things other than survival food lol. Now here's the cherry on top: to accompany the meal, A pre-planned and made this rum-packed cake that's fit to be enjoyed in this brutal summer weather (even though I'm definitely craving sweater weather to go with the pumpkin-everything that's in stores right now). It's very flavorful and moist although the kind-of cracked edges don't go with the description. The two kinds of vanilla and the molasses really bring out the rum flavor without making it seem like you're just eating alcohol, and I bet it can be revamped a bit for the holidays by adding nutmeg or even eggnog with cinnamon, oh or maybe even using a spiced rum in the Fall. Oh, the possibilities! For now though, it seems like it's time to snack on a leftover slice (or two) of this cake while watching tonight's new episode of Tres Veces Ana and enjoying these last few days of Summer. By the way, are any of my Spanish-speaking followers watching it along with me?

Rum Runner Pound Cake
adapted from: CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

*makes: one 12-cup Bundt cake*

"This pound cake is suitable anytime of year, but under the hood of this Bundt is enough rum to keep anyone feeling warm when it's cold outside."

Ingredients:
14 oz unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp all natural unmodified potato starch
1 tsp Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
8 oz sour cream
3/4 cup ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup añejo rum
1 tsp molasses
1 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
8 oz sweet unsalted butter
20 oz extra fine granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp pure vanilla bean paste
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
2) Set out the ingredients and equipment.
- Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.
- Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, break up the dark brown sugar, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside.
- Measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.
- Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside.
- Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside.
3) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
4) Add the vanilla bean paste to the creaming butter and sugar.
5) With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
6) Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.
7) Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.
8) Prepare the pan. Spray the pan well with a nonstick spray.
9) Fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula.
10) Bake for approximately 50 minutes.
11) Once the top of the cake doesn't jiggle in the center, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. The sheen on top may look liquid but this is normal and comes from the fat in the heavy cream. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.
12) Once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface. Allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before glazing.
13) Set the cake on a wire rack with wax or parchment paper underneath it to catch any dripping syrup. Combine 1/4 cup of Sugar Syrup (see below for the recipe) and 1/4 cup añejo rum in a small bowl. Apply the soaking syrup with a pastry brush until all of the syrup is absorbed.
14) Serve at room temperature either naked or with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.
15) Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Sugar Syrup

Ingredients:
16 oz extra fine granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups water

Directions:
1) Combine the sugar and water in a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir thoroughly.
2) Bring the mixture to a light summer over medium-high heat to dissolve the sugar.
3) Do not bring to a rolling boil.
4) Immediately remove the mixture from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
5) Label, date, and refrigerate in an airtight container.

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

2016-05-03T23:34:00.000-04:00

"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite." - William Blake

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back, even though I know I've said this a million and one times since I started this blog. I was having a major case of writer's block, and on top of that, trying to have a healthier lifestyle was kicking my butt! Working out is hard, people! It was leaving me beyond exhausted without energy to even check my email. But now, I decided to learn how to manage my time a lot better. Between 8:00am to 5:00pm, I'll be working. Then, after commuting back home, I'd be at my neighborhood gym by 6:30pm to 7:00pm, which would be followed by making dinner, studying, and... blogging! I'll be posting Tuesdays, Thursdays, and most Saturdays, starting with today. So folks, grab your forks, spoons, and knives, and prepare to (hopefully) be inspired. Let me begin by introducing today's fine specimen: a tres leches cake, but not your ordinary tres leches... Its main star is CHOCOLATE! This cake is a kind of like a hybrid of a T.L. cake with a poke cake. Depending on your finesse, or maybe just your technique, you'd end up with an all-over chocolatey cake, or a pseudo-marbled cake of sorts mixed with moist chocolate yummy-ness. You can start with a boxed cake mix, like how I started (not my usual pick) or you could probably start with a basic white cake recipe. However you decide to go about it, the chocolate flavor will definitely be in the spotlight, and the whipped topping rounds out all the flavors by mellowing yet uniting the sweetness. The one downside about the recipe was having to wait for the cake to absorb all the chocolate! :) Seeing as how Mother's Day is right around the corner, why not give this bad boy a shot and let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear your feedback, both about this recipe, or my site in general. I'm open to opinions and suggestions.

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
adapted from: Comida y Familia Otoño 2009 by Kraft Foods

*makes: one 13x9" cake*

"Put smiles on your loved ones' faces with a classic Tres Leches cake. But don't buy it in the bakery - make this chocolate version yourself by following these easy instructions."

Ingredients:
1 package/box Classic White cake mix
3 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
12 oz evaporated milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup whipped topping, thawed
cocoa nibs

Directions:
1) Prepare the cake batter and bake in a 13x9-inch pan as instructed on the box. Cool it in the pan for 10 minutes. Pierce the cake with a large fork at 1/2 inch intervals.
2) Melt the chocolate. Blend the milks and sour cream until they are creamy. Add the melted chocolate and blend well. Pour over the cake, piercing when necessary in order for the cake to absorb the entire mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3) Frost the cake with the whipped topping; decorate with the cocoa nibs. Store it in the fridge.

Supreme Pizza Spaghetti Sauce

2014-04-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love." - Ernest Hemingway

After a long and hot Miami day, it's now humid and cloudy outside, which makes my brain scream for comfort food! Instantly, I started to crave mac 'n' cheese, and pizza, and pepperoni, and intense flavors, but alas, I don't exactly have everything to make any of those completely. So, why not blend them into a recipe that I can still have veggies in without feeling too guilty? I mean, c'mon, it's the weekend. I need to have a little diet leeway on the weekends, but I don't necessarily want to completely cave by eating McDonald's or Pizza Hut. Oh, and, I need to keep A's food ways in mind, which sometimes is like dealing with a picky hungry teenager! So, why not blend pasta and pizza together with this featured spaghetti sauce? Well, that's exactly what I did, and let me tell you... My cravings were definitely satisfied. It's quick to make, and you could cook the pasta (I used pre-cooked tortellini) at the same time, so in under 15 minutes, you have a great and delicious dinner, good for anyone from kids to the older crowd. I bet you could also use this as a dip, because I definitely wanted to dip some bread in the leftover sauce on my plate (but shhh, hope you keep my secret craving!). Even though I made this recipe on the stovetop, this recipe can be adapted to the slow cooker; I bet cooking it in the slow cooker would bring out a whole new depth of flavor to this recipe that would blow anyone's mind away! Maybe this sauce might end up on an actual pizza one night... I'd just have to buy some pizza dough and try it out. I'd love to find out how you use this sauce, so feel free to share.

Supreme Pizza Spaghetti Sauce
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 5 1/2 cups*

"Use a meatless spaghetti sauce, such as marinara, in this recipe."

Ingredients:
4 1/4 oz Italian Style Herb pork sausage, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
24 oz jarred chunky Italian Garden pasta sauce
1 green sweet pepper, finely chopped
2/3 cup mini pepperoni
1 tsp dried basil

Directions:
1) In a large skillet cook sausage, onion, and garlic until meat is brown. Drain off fat.
2) Add pasta sauce, pepper, pepperoni, and basil. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the pepper is tender.

Slow Cooker directions:
Prepare as above through Step 1. In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker combine pasta sauce, pepper, pepperoni, and basil. Stir in the sausage mixture. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Mussels with Creole Sauce

2014-04-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

"In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." - Desiderius Erasmus

Let me make a quick announcement: I lost 2 pounds! It may not seem like much to you, or much to me when I think of the -45 pound goal I have for myself, but baby steps count, specially if you've been having weight-loss battles your entire life. I've been watching what I eat, working out for at least 30 minutes a day, and drinking almost half my weight in water, and I feel better and healthier. Now that the weekend's coming up, it's going to be a little hard to keep the goal in mind, but this is where I can start to experiment with healthier foods or tastier alternatives to junk food. Such as this recipe, for example. I've always associated eating mussels as part of paella, but I've never thought of making them separately as the star of the show. In comes this recipe from my Better Homes & Gardens book. It seemed like a great recipe to try, with lots of seasonings and flavor, and hey, how unhealthy can it really be? The heartiness of this recipe makes this a great dish to either serve as an appetizer or as a main dish. It's also really easy to make, so it can serve as a good date-night recipe to either cook with your partner or cook for your partner. When making, it's your choice whether you'd like to use fresh mussels, or frozen, but I used frozen. I bet all the herbs and ingredients in the Creole Sauce can be used to even adapt this recipe to fish, or chicken. Hmmm... makes me wonder. For any of you who know more about Creole cooking, does this recipe or do the ingredients match up to an authentic Creole flavor profile? I'd love to hear feedback, since I've never dabbled in it before! Also, I'll make sure to keep you updated on my progress even though I'll still be diversifying my posts between healthy and not-so-healthy; I hope to have your full support! Only positive vibes allowed :)

Mussels with Creole Sauce
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 4 servings*

"If you buy live mussels, place them in an open container, cover them with a moist cloth, and chill them for up to five days. Remove the beards just before cooking. Once debearded, the mussels will die."

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs frozen mussels in shells
1 cup salt
1 small green sweet pepper, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sweet unsalted butter
1 tsp Louisiana Cajun seasoning
1 cup white cooking wine
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tsp snipped fresh oregano
2 tsp snipped fresh thyme
8 French dinner rolls
lemon wedges

Directions:
1) Scrub frozen mussels under cold running water. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, combine 4 quarts cold water and 1/3 cup of the salt. Add the mussels; soak for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse, discarding water. Repeat twice with the remaining salt and additional water.
2) In a large Dutch oven, cook and stir sweet pepper, onion, and garlic in hot butter over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add Cajun seasoning; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
3) Carefully add wine; bring to boiling. Add mussels. Cook, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes or until shells open and mussels are cooked through. Discard any that do not open.
4) Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to a large shallow serving bowl; set aside. Stir tomato, oregano, and thyme into cooking liquid in Dutch oven; heat through. Pour tomato mixture over mussels. Serve with bread and lemon wedges.

Flamenco Fool Smoothie

2014-04-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

"You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." - C.S. Lewis

Have you ever heard the saying that "al que anda entre la miel, algo se le pega"? Well, I hate to say this, but it's starting to apply to one of my co-workers, and big time. For the longest time, she'd gripe and complain about others being lazy, and not doing anything, and texting too much, and having an air of entitlement about them. Hate to break it to you sister, but, you've joined that group even though you might be completely unaware of it. It could all be due to how, in my opinion, laziness is contagious. Once someone sees someone being lazy and getting away with it, something gets triggered in other people's minds that if they're lazy, they can get away with it too. Hence, the honey sticking to you analogy at the beginning. It kind of goes hand-in-hand with letting other people's lifestyles affect you outside of work as well. If a co-worker is a massive spendthrift, has a ton of accounts in Collections, constantly overdrafts their bank account, and is only willing to hang out with you while drunk, eventually, some of those person's traits will stick to you, as it's also happening to my co-worker. Why don't we subconsciously pick up people's good traits, such as eating healthy, or money management, or being charitable? Imagine where people eating junk food wouldn't make people crave junk food, or where people going out for drinks doesn't make other people want to go get hammered as well. Imagine caving a little bit more into trying out the whole veggie smoothie movement, and making natural V8 smoothies or quick liquid salads? Well, I caved, and even though I'm not a huge fan of veggie smoothies, this one wasn't that bad and it was pretty filling. Next time I make it though, I'll definitely use a vanilla yogurt instead of just a plain yogurt. A touch of something sweet would make this smoothie go above and beyond.

Flamenco Fool Smoothie
adapted from: Smoothies! by Stella Murphy

*makes: 1 smoothie*

"A perfect mid-morning snack."

Ingredients:
8 oz sparkling natural mineral water
1 red bell pepper, quartered, deseeded, and skinned
4 1/2 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
3 oz julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes

Directions:
1) Place the water in the blender first, then add the pepper, yogurt, and sun-dried tomatoes.
2) Blend.
3) Pour into a glass over ice.

Pumpkin-Clove Pound Cake

2014-03-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." - Albert Schweitzer

What a day! I had about a 10 hour work day, then came home to keep on with furnishing and decorating. My parents came over and helped us install a curtain rod in the bedroom, a giant shower caddy, and also helped decorate the apartment. There are now little arrangements on the staircase bookshelves, table centerpieces for the dining table and the coffee table, accents on the living room bookshelf, and extra cute decorations here and there throughout the new place. It's really coming along and starting to feel like home, and not just a house. The cat and the dog are also loving the apartment. They're claiming their designated napping spots, and the living room is strewn with all of their toys. My place is feeling more and more home-y everyday, and I wouldn't have it any other way! To celebrate my moving in and my parents coming over, I decided to make this absolutely delicious pound cake. It has a nice pumpkin taste without it being overpowering, and let me tell you: the entire apartment smelled like Fall and spices while the cake was baking. It smelled like Autumn is supposed to smell, with cloves and allspice wafting through the air vents, and hints of pumpkin (reminiscent of pumpkin pie) peeking through. This cake has just enough pumpkin in it that allows this cake to be a star year-round, with or without decorating. A was pleased, and my parents were also extremely satisfied by this cake. It'll impress everyone, so I'll definitely be making this cake again very soon, for my friends and co-workers next time around. You can count on it!

Pumpkin-Clove Pound Cake
adapted from: CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

*makes: one 12-cup Bundt cake*

"I originally baked this cake for my friend Chris who wanted something for Thanksgiving. We went to law school together and both had a blast in the law-school follies, where we mocked our law-student lifestyles - it wasn't all studying, but there sure was a lot of it. He inspired me by taking a sabbatical from practicing law to develop his passion for theater and acting. He's the first person I knew who proved that leaving the law was possible.

The one thing I wanted out of a pumpkin cake was to avoid the oily mess that is so common with pumpkin breads and muffins. Using butter instead of oil and cutting back on the liquid ingredients to accommodate the heavy, super-moist canned pumpkin did the trick. Still, this is a very wet, heavy batter so aerating the cake well during creaming is extremely important. This recipe also produces a lot of batter so you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl more frequently than in other recipes to be sure the batter is well mixed. The testing skewer will remain very wet up to the moment the cake is ready to be removed from the oven, so watch it carefully.

This cake is not only a seasonal favorite at CakeLove, but also one of the most popular year-round."

Ingredients:
14 oz unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
15 oz 100% pure canned pumpkin
5 tbsp ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp spiced rum
1 tbsp clover honey
1 tbsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
6 oz sweet unsalted butter
21 oz extra fine granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
2) Set out the ingredients and equipment.
- Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.
- Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside.
- Measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.
- Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside.
- Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside.
3) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 3 minutes.
4) With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
5) Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.
6) Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.
7) Prepare the pan. Spray the pan well with a nonstick spray.
8) Fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula.
9) Bake for approximately 40-55 minutes.
10) Once the top of the cake doesn't jiggle in the center and the color is an even, deep orange, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.
11) Once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface.
12) Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Roasted Vegetable Ranch Salad

2014-03-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou

With one crazy hectic week ending, and a brand new week beginning, I'm now finally catching my breath and preparing for the awaiting week. Between moving, and buying furniture, and cleaning, and decorating, and assimilating the pets to their new environment, my weekend has not been a walk in the park. And now, I have to do laundry, figure out what I'm going to wear to work tomorrow, walk the dog, feed her and the cat, and prep my lunchbox for tomorrow. I'm tired, with my feet hurting a bit, as well as my back, and all I can think of is what would be easy to whip up and eat within the next 30 minutes that doesn't require a lot of work?! Well, why not an easy salad? The featured salad today has a bit of everything that satisfies me and I hope will satisfy you: cheese, potatoes, and Ranch sauce. The only part that makes this salad go from a 2 minute setup to a 30 minute setup is the fact that you have to roast the potatoes and carrots for just about 25 minutes. Once it's all mixed together, the heartiness of the salad will fill you up without any unwanted fatty calories. I think it would even go well mixed with a few toasted nuts to give the salad a little more dimension or flavor depth. Or, maybe another cheese could be added instead of the Parmesan. Feel free to have fun with it. Now, let me just excuse myself for a bit while I munch on my salad and watch a bit of TV!

Roasted Vegetable Ranch Salad
adapted from: Comida y Familia Otoño 2009 by Kraft Foods

*makes: 4 servings*

"The season's fruits and vegetables are now at their prime. Add freshness to your table with this salad."

Ingredients:
1 lb red potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
2 carrots, sliced into 1/4" pieces
8 oz diced red onion
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 oz chopped hearts of romaine (lettuce)
1/3 cup original Ranch dressing
2 tbsp fancy shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 425F.
2) Toss the vegetables with the oil in a 15x10x1" pan.
3) Bake the vegetables 25 minutes or until tender but crisp, stirring after 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
4) Mix the lettuce with the dressing; add the vegetables. Serve onto 4 plates. Top each serving with the cheese.

Pears & Mixed Greens Salad

2014-03-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul." - Saint Augustine

How often do you think favoritism occurs in the workplace? And, as a follow-up question, if you were to notice it, would you speak up? We recently had a harassment training at work which also touched upon favoritism. Those two topics are seriously no joke, and if you or anyone you know is a victim of either of those two mentioned above, please don't be shy or scared to speak up about it. It'll be challenging, and hard to do, but it's more than necessary to have those problems squashed in the workplace, no matter what kind of workplace you're in. Unfortunately, I've seen both favoritism and harassment happen before, and I've seen many people stay quiet, and then eventually quit due to how unhappy they were. I bet you many companies have lost many great employees because of this problem, both when people speak up and when they don't. I know this post can seem preachy, but by no means am I trying to do this. I just want to raise awareness of this issue, mostly because of how personal of a topic it is to me and some people in my inner circle. Don't let anyone bully you in the workplace. If you're uncomfortable with anything, go to your supervisor, go to your HR department, and brings those issues to light! Don't let any kind of blatant preference or wrongdoing happen which can make your job seem like a burden. Don't let anything ruin your job or career. If you're happy doing what you do, stick up for that happiness. You never know; maybe there are others in the workplace that are feeling the same way or going through your same plight that are too scared to speak up for themselves and need some encouragement. Take a breath, sip some wine, maybe eat some of this posted yummy salad, and think about what your next step should be, and don't be scared. You'll make it through this, trust me. Conquer your fear and you'll feel like a weight is lifted off your shoulders; it felt like that for me.

Pears & Mixed Greens Salad
adapted from: Comida y Familia Otoño 2009 by Kraft Foods

*makes: 8 servings*

"The season's fruits and vegetables are now at their prime. Add freshness to your table with this salad."

Ingredients:
1/3 cup pecan halves
1/2 tsp cinnamon sugar
5 oz organic Italian blend greens
1 large D'anjou pear, thinly sliced
1/2 cup 2% milk finely shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup lite Zesty Italian dressing

Directions:
1) Combine the pecans and cinnamon sugar in a microwave-safe dish sprayed with cooking spray; spread them evenly in the bottom of the dish. Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until toasted, stirring every 30 seconds.
2) Mix the greens with the pear, cheese and cranberries in a large bowl.
3) Add the pecans and dressing; mix lightly. Serve immediately.

Lemon-Ginger-Marinated Shrimp

2014-03-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist." - Indira Gandhi

Work took a very weird turn the other day. Management switched a few positions around at work, which made an ex-acquaintance of mine my supervisor. I mentioned a few sentences ago that this was weird, and it really is, well, it feels weird. I don't want to air out any dirty laundry on this site (who knows if there are prying eyes *enter eyes emoji*), but I guess sometimes you have to roll with the punches and let bygones be bygones, to a certain degree. I'm a firm believer in learning from mistakes. I'm also a firm believer in the whole "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" concept and this new work situation definitely fits into both of those. I feel like this new circumstance will challenge me to really separate my personal feelings and be courteous and professional. Some kind of personal growth will definitely happen over the next few months; I just know it! As a fellow co-worker of mine says, I'm going to have to kill them with kindness and not let my emotions get the best of me. Oscar-winning performances will definitely be happening, and I'll become the poster child for team camaraderie, all the while baking and cooking, and being me. Be prepared for rants and venting sessions, but I won't forget to include great recipes along the path of self-improvement, such as this seafood appetizer recipe. It can be great for parties, since these shrimp should be put in a bowl or cups for people to serve themselves as they go. The lemon, garlic, and ginger all combine to give the shrimp a fresh taste with a nice zing, which also makes this recipe a good starter into your world of cold appetizers (which used to be too gross for me to even consider eating). This plate is also low fat, so you don't have to worry about watching your figure if you eat too many of these! You can thank me later.

Lemon-Ginger-Marinated Shrimp
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 10 servings*

"To make the cucumber ribbons for a garnish - used in the Orange-Mint variation - use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice a cucumber lengthwise."

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs fully cooked salad-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
zest of 1 lemon
1/8 cup reconstituted lemon juice
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tbsp clover honey
3/4 tsp organic minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika

Directions:
1) In a large kettle bring 2 1/2 quarts water and 1/2 tsp salt to boiling. Add shrimp. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque, stirring occasionally. Drain shrimp. Rinse under cold running water; drain again and set aside in a deep bowl.
2) For marinade, in a screw-top jar combine oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, tomato paste, honey, garlic, ginger, salt, and paprika. Cover and shake well. Pour marinade over shrimp. Cover and chill overnight, occasionally stirring the shrimp to distribute marinade.
3) To serve, drain marinade and discard. Select a serving platter that has 1/2-inch sides because shrimp will water out slightly. Carefully invert shrimp onto platter.

Orange-Mint-Marinated Shrimp

1 1/2 lbs fully cooked salad-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
zest of 1 orange
1/8 cup orange juice
1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tbsp clover honey
3/4 tsp organic minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp snipped fresh mint

Prepare as above in Steps 1-3. If desired, arrange cucumber ribbons and fresh mint sprigs on top of shrimp and garnish with orange wedges.

Crab Dip

2014-03-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

"No man is a failure who is enjoying life." - William Feather

So... My Dad's 60th birthday is coming up and it's a huge deal! Since I go see my parents every two weeks, meal planning for his birthday dinner is an even bigger deal than when I was younger. I have the pressure of cooking for them since I don't see them that often as well as the pressure of celebrating his big 6-0. When it comes to the main meal, he's relatively easy to please since he loves meat, so I'll probably end up cooking a beef platter accompanied by a salad or some kind of rice or pasta dish. Now, when it comes to appetizers, he can be a real hit-or-miss kind of man. He can love something just as much as he can hate something, and when I mention trying out something new, you can be sure to see a raised eyebrow on his face. He can be pretty finicky when it comes to seafood so that's why I decided to tackle the challenge of finding a great, light, and easy-to-make seafood appetizer that I know my Dad would approve of. This recipe ended up being just that! The flavor of the crab meat was brought out by the onion, lemon, and dill which ended up making it taste fresh and crisp. It also was a great way to make something with crab since we don't usually eat it often. I went with pairing the dip with crackers since my Dad likes getting his fingers dirty sometimes like a 5 year old, but if you want to class up this recipe, you can try using the dip to make Crab Tartlets (the variation recipe is going to be all the way at the bottom of this post).

Crab Dip
adapted from: New Cook Book 14th Edition by Better Homes and Gardens

*makes: 10 servings*

"Serve this flavorful dip with crackers or spoon it into purchased phyllo shells."

Ingredients:
6 oz canned fancy white crabmeat, drained and flaked
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cup all natural sour cream
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 tsp dried dillweed
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon juice
several dashes bottled hot sauce
salt
pure ground black pepper
unsalted tops premium saltine crackers

Directions:
1) In a medium bowl stir together crabmeat, mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, dillweed, lemon zest, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Season dip to taste with salt and black pepper.
2) Transfer dip to a serving bowl. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Serve with crackers.

Crab Tartlets

[same ingredients as above]
30 miniature phyllo dough shells

Prepare as above in Step 1. Place the phyllo dough shells on a large baking sheet. Spoon dip into shells. Bake in a 350F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through.

Berry Bonanza Smoothie

2014-03-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

"My life is my message." - Mahatma Gandhi

Oh Netflix, you've become a great ally in combating boredom and insomnia, sometimes both at the same time. I'm sure all of you have gotten to the same point that I'm at right now which involves binge-watching a show then feeling empty once that show ends, which leads to binge-watching another show. I've watched Dawson's Creek, Charmed, and Greek, all the while watching my daily shows on ABC and Fox. Yes, I admit it, I'm a TV junkie. No shame here! I especially love watching my shows while baking or cooking, even though it consists more of listening to them instead of watching. I angle the TV in a way in which I can directly look at it from the counter as I'm figuring out what recipe to try out next. I can't even begin to tell you how many episodes I can knock out in a day by doing this. It may not be too healthy, but hey, some people listen to music while cooking, some listen to audio books, so I prefer to listen to TV shows. It ironically helps me concentrate on what I'm doing in the kitchen. Actually, come to think of it, having the TV on in the background helps me concentrate on everything from reading, to doing homework, to balancing the checkbook, to planning my meals for the week. Speaking of meal planning, I've made sure to include this smoothie as part my breakfast every day since I first made it. It's fruity, creamy, satisfying, and easy to change up by adding bananas or any kind of berry you'd like. It can also be the main part of a meal or can be had as a snack. Have fun making different kinds of bonanzas, maybe even while watching a great TV show!

Berry Bonanza Smoothie
adapted from: Smoothies! by Stella Murphy

*makes: 1 smoothie*

"Deep lilac and pleasantly smooth."

Ingredients:
4 oz no sugar added 100% juice apple juice
4 1/2 oz all natural nonfat Greek strained yogurt
2 oz blackberries
2 oz blueberries

Directions:
1) Place the apple juice and yogurt into the blender then add the berries and blend until smooth.
2) Pour into a glass over ice.

Almond-Raisin Pound Cake

2014-03-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Calmness is the cradle of power." - Josiah Gilbert Holland

Have you been bitten by the travel bug yet? Maybe it's a mid-20s thing, but most of my friends are just now discovering the world and how awesome traveling can be. Actually, let me rephrase that. Most of my friends that have outgrown the crazy "I just want to party" phase are now traveling the globe and adding the phrase "wanderlust" to their Instagram bios. Some of them are road tripping throughout the USA, others are cruising around the Caribbean, some are hiking through South America, and others are hitting the main European cities in full splendor. I love seeing everyone's pictures, so I'm living vicariously through their Swarm check-ins and their Instagram posts. Like, I follow a girl I met a few years ago during Winter Music Conference. She's a nurse from Canada, but travels the whole world and has the best adventures. She's gone to every Asian country, bunked with Tibetan monks, had a safari in Africa, rode camels past the Great Pyramids, met with Indian shamans in South America, and even went to Burning Man recently. It's like her posts could easily be pictures seen throughout National Geographic magazines. I have another friend who a few months ago traveled through the whole of France and Belgium with her boyfriend for a month and everything she'd post looked as if they were a part of a Travel Channel special. Seeing all those pictures has given A and me serious travel-envy, to a point that we've decided that one of our goals for 2015 is to travel, whether it's to Washington DC or to Australia, some kind of traveling is going to happen next year, mark my words. We've already started looking into traveling websites and travel agencies. All we need to do is set a budget and set a travel destination. Any recommendations would be much appreciated! In the meantime, baking and cooking will tide me over until then. This post's featured cake is pretty good when accompanied with coffee or hot chocolate. The texture is a bit crumbly but still tasty. If I were to remake this, I'd add some amaretto into it or almond extract in order for it to pair well with the almonds that are in the batter.

Almond-Raisin Pound Cake
adapted from: CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

*makes: one 12-cup Bundt cake*

Ingredients:
13 oz unbleached all purpose flour
4 oz almond slices
3 1/2 oz California raisins
1 tbsp all natural unmodified potato starch
1/4 tsp pure baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp turbinado sugar
1/2 cup ultra-pasteurized half & half
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream
2 tsp "Crush" pure vanilla bean extract
5 oz unsalted butter
12 oz extra fine granulated sugar
2 tbsp turbinado sugar
4 large eggs

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
2) Set out the ingredients and equipment.
- Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.
- Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside.
- Measure the liquid ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Measure the butter and sugars into separate bowls and set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and set aside.
3) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on the lowest speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
4) With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
5) Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.
6) Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.
7) Prepare the pan. Spray the pan well with a nonstick spray.
8) Fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula.
9) Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
10) Once the top of the cake doesn't jiggle in the center, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.
11) Once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface.
12) Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Salsa Chicken with Brown Rice

2014-03-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Confucius

The other day at work, I realized how quickly the co-workers in your department can practically become as close to you as your friends and family are. Everyday you get to work, and if you have open and friendly co-workers, you get asked about your weekend or the previous night, how everything went, if anything cool happened. As time passes, you share your contact info with them, and your co-workers cross over the line into being your friends. Going to work turns into something fun where you can be with your new friends, and joke around, all while working and doing something you (hopefully) love. Having friends in your workplace can be relaxing and can make working an 8 hour shift seem like nothing. What's great about it too is how their habits tend to rub off on you, such as eating healthy. Most people at my job are extremely healthy. Seaweed chips are almost a daily snacking staple throughout my department. At lunch, you'll see everything being served from kale salads, to kale chips, to quinoa, to people strictly abiding to a paleo lifestyle. Heck, there are even a few Herbalife followers at the workplace. Since they know I love to bake and cook, they come up to me to talk about new healthy recipes that they've found, and they ask me if I know any that are great-tasting and easy to make. I've even had to branch out and suggest some gluten-free or even flourless dessert recipes. So, every time I try something healthy out, such as the recipe in tonight's post, I make sure to make extras and take some to the office, which is a lead-in into getting to gush about how great it was. This recipe was a big hit at the office. The combination of the brown rice with the carrots and the cream cheese-based sauce made this a definite go-to recipe for dinnertime. I've heard of several people even changing it up to make it even healthier (and at times unhealthier, but shhh that's just our secret). Since cooking with carrots was a first for me, I wasn't able to get the carrots to a perfectly tender texture, so I suggest really cooking your carrots well in order for them to absorb all the flavors and not end up as a potentially crunchy mess. I'm pretty sure this recipe can be adapted to fit healthier lifestyles and dietary restrictions, so feel free to play around with it.

Salsa Chicken with Brown Rice
adapted from: Comida y Familia Otoño 2009 by Kraft Foods

*makes: 6 servings*

"Enjoy this with a glass of iced tea, the perfect complement to this delicious dish."

Ingredients:
6 slices original center cut bacon, chopped
6 small boneless & skinless chicken breast halves
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb baby-cut carrots, thinly sliced
14 oz fat free & lower sodium chicken broth, divided
4 oz 1/3 less fat Neufchatel cheese, diced
3 cups natural whole grain instant brown rice, cooked & hot

Directions:
1) Stirring, cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove from skillet; drain on paper towels. Discard the fat from the pan. Add the chicken then cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden. Cover the pan and cook for 8 minutes or until it is cooked. Transfer to a plate; cover it.
2) Saute the onion in the pan for 5 minutes or until it is tender. Stir in the carrots and 3/4 cup of the broth. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Separate 1/3 cup of the vegetables.
3) Blend remaining broth, the 1/3 cup of vegetables, and cheese until smooth. Add the sauce along with the chicken into the pan with the original vegetable mix. Cover with lid and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Put the rice in a bowl; crown with the chicken mixture, sauce, and bacon.