Cookaholic Wife

Chocolate Tacos

2013-05-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Would you believe that I'd never had a Choco Taco until last summer? I'd heard of them before, but just never thought to purchase one. I don't even know how it came up in conversation, but I told Tom I'd never had one and he was completely shocked and said we must remedy that ASAP.

A few days later, he presented me with one. I was...not all that impressed? You know that taste that ice cream cones get when frozen? Not exactly freezer-burn but something similar to that? It tasted exactly like that and they had majorly skimped on my ice cream.

When I saw this recipe in Cooking Light I thought it would be fun to try and create my own chocolate taco. I didn't, however, realize that the recipe for making the taco was very, very similar to how you make a fortune cookie and if you know anything about by 28 Before 28 List, you'll know that fortune cookies were something I could just not master.

Chocolate Tacos
Source: Cooking Light, May 2013
Servings: 8
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. egg whites
1 tsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup peanuts, finely chopped
vanilla ice cream

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400. Use a bowl approximately 5" in diameter and trace 4 circles onto parchment paper.
2. Combine the powdered sugar, flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Then add the egg whites, milk and vanilla.
3. Spoon the mixture into one of the circles on the parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon or your fingers to spread evenly, covering the circle. Repeat with remaining circles.
4. Bake for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, suspend 4 wooden spoons.
5. Remove from the oven, and gently loosen the edges using a flat spatula. Work quickly to fold the taco over each suspended spoon. Repeat steps 3-5 until you have 8 taco shells.
6. Combine the chocolate chips and canola oil together in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and then microwave another 30 seconds or until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
7. Gently spread the melted chocolate on both out sides of the taco shell and sprinkle with peanuts. Scoop vanilla ice cream into the shell, drizzle with any remaining chocolate and sprinkle with more peanuts. Repeat for all shells.
8. Freeze for 30 minutes before serving.

I had equally as much trouble making these as I did the fortune cookies, however I do think they turned out much better. And they were tastier than the store-bought version.

Weekly Menu 5/19 - 5/23

2013-05-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

So, I have a bit of a confession to make. I'm almost out of recipes.

See, I usually have at least five days of scheduled recipes all lined up and ready to be shared with you. Sometimes its even 10 recipes. Except, I didn't bother to make a bunch of food in the weeks leading up to my Florida trip and then I only cooked once while we were there, which resulted in two recipes.

So what does that mean? Just that if/until I create a back log of recipes again, I won't be posting every day. Which isn't all that unusual. Not a lot of bloggers have a recipe to share every single day. Plus, isn't it more about quality than quantity?

I still have an absolute ton of recipes that I want to make, but there is also the small issue of June 1, 2013. See, that marks 10 years since I graduated high school. And there is a reunion. Nothing fancy, we're all just meeting up at a bar, however, when you haven't seen people in a long time, you wish to look your best right? And what does that mean? That I'm going to be eating pretty healthy foods from how until June 1st to see if any of this extra weight falls off by then.

This week starts my super healthy eating adventure. If you've checked out Eating Well's website, you may have found that they offer different diets by number of days and by calories to consume. All but one of my recipes is coming from there. Ironically, two are recipes I've previously made. At least for one of them, it gives me the chance to possibly take a better picture.

Since Tom isn't about to embark on this healthy food adventure with me, the changes to the meals he will eat are listed in italics.

Sunday - BBQ pulled chicken (on a bun), brown rice, steamed green beans (with a sauce)

Monday - Veggie burgers (cheeseburger), grilled zucchini fries (chips), salad

Tuesday - Green Eggs and Ham Frittata, salad

Wednesday - Grilled Steak with Baby Bell Peppers, brown rice

Thursday - Spicy Soy Pork, brown rice, steamed green beans

I'm not sure I can even get Tom to consume that much brown rice so I may need to come up with another place for his steak and pork. Possibly a bag of fries or maybe a baked potato.

For breakfast, I'm having whole wheat waffles with fruit and lunch will be plain tuna on whole wheat toast with a salad. Fun huh?

Although I am making my recipe swap recipe which is a dessert. I am sure I will more than enjoy this.

Strawberry Granola Parfait

2013-05-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am probably the only person in the world who absolutely loved McDonald's Fruit and Yogurt Parfait. The full sized parfait was the perfect amount for me to eat and be full until the next meal. Unfortunately, since I really probably was the only person who enjoyed it, they stopped making the full sized ones and reverted to the snack size. And sometimes, I can't even find a McDonald's that still serves even the snack size!

One of the greatest things about a parfait is it can be as simple or as complex as you want. You can use homemade or store bough granola with a wide array of ingredients. You can even use cereal, although I would suggest a heartier one like Kashi, that can hold up to the yogurt. Speaking of yogurt, you can go regular or Greek. Flavored or plain. Full fat or fat free. Fresh fruit is optional, as is your fruit selection.

A few years ago, I needed something quick to take for breakfast that I was going to eat at work. We didn't have any milk, so I substituted some yogurt and put it in a small plastic container. I dumped some Kashi cereal on top and a handful of fresh strawberries and ran out the door. I didn't even think that I was eating parfait, albeit a poorly prepared one that was not visually interesting in the least.

A few weeks ago, when trying to figure out what to have for breakfast, I scribbled down yogurt and granola and then it dawned on me that I was eating a parfait. I really don't know what caused that realization, but it was pretty and something I could blog. Win!

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait
Source: A Cookaholic Wife Creation
Servings: 1
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup strawberry yogurt (I use Dannon Light & Fit)
1/2 cup granola
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
mint leaf, for garnish

Directions:
1. Spoon half of the yogurt into a glass. Top with the granola and then the remaining yogurt (or make layers). Add the fresh strawberries and mint on top.

The directions for this are kind of lame. I mean, you just layer stuff. I think you can figure that out on your own, but it doesn't seem right to make a recipe that doesn't involve some sort of directions.

Fun Fact: I totally intended to make this with vanilla yogurt, however it was right next to the strawberry yogurt and I picked up the wrong one.

Improv Challenge: Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2013-05-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

I am quite embarrassed to admit that I only heard of sopapilla a few years ago. This is particularly embarrassing because it is commonly made here into a cheesecake bar form. Cheesecake made with cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract. As in, like my favorite combination ever. How I managed to let a dessert made with my favorite ingredients slip past me for so long is just blasphemy, but at long last, I can now say that I have partook in the wonderful delciciousness of sopapilla.

Which leaves you asking one of two questions. 1 - What does that have to do with the Improv Challenge or 2 - What is an Improv Challenge?

We'll start with question 2. The Improv Challenge is a delicious idea thought up by Kristen of Frugal Antics. She provides us participants with two ingredients each month and we can make absolutely anything we like, given those ingredients are included. There are no requirements to participate, if you find the ingredients pleasing go for it. If not, sit out that month. And now as to what that has to do with the challenge, well the ingredients for this month were cinnamon and sugar.

I realize these aren't the star ingredients in the sopapilla cheesecake bars, however, they do provide the topping and since I had planned to make the sopapilla regardless, it only made sense to use it for my challenge recipe.

Now, if you are one of those people really concerned about how you are going to look in a bathing suit in a few months, I sadly must say, this is not the recipe for you. It is one of those recipes that would make Paula Deen proud considering it involves "A stick of butter, y'all!" So uh, just keep that in mind.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Source: Pillsbury
Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

2 packages crescent rolls
2 bricks of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Meanwhile, press one can of the crescent dough into the prepared baking dish, making sure to pinch together all of the triangles to form a smooth sheet.
4. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent dough and then top with the remaining can of crescent dough, also pinching the seams together to form a smooth sheet.
5. Pour the melted butter over the crescent roll.
6. Stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the melted butter.
7. Bake for 30 minutes then let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and cut into 12 bars. Serve cold or warmed in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

Would you believe me if I told you that I think this is the most incredible dessert ever and it may just become your new favorite? You should, because I am pretty sure that it is mine. Which means that I like it more than creme brulee...yeah, I can confidently say that.

Apologies to my other Improv Challengers, I had some technical difficulties today and I am SUPER late to add this to the inlinks.

Taco Calzones

2013-05-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Tacos + calzones. Two foods you typically wouldn't see together. To be honest, its the combination of foods from different cultures that are my favorite ones. Like the kung pao chicken tacos. Two other foods that typically wouldn't be combined. I love being able to take common dishes from different cultures and combining them into one.

While this greatly pleased me on a combination of cultures level, it greatly pleased Tom as tacos and calzones are two of his favorite foods so combining them together could only produce something wonderful.

Taco Calzones

Source: Coffee and Cannolis

Servings: 4

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Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pizza dough, divided into 4
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 tbsp. taco seasoning
1 cup shredded taco cheese
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream and salsa, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

2. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning to coat and drain any fat.

3. Place each piece of pizza dough on the baking sheet. Divide the ground beef among each, placing on one side of the dough. Top with cheese and cilantro, then fold over the other half of the dough to create a pocket. Pinch the seams closed with your fingers or a fork.

4. Using the tip of a sharp knife, create three slits in the top of the dough to allow the steam to escape. Spray the tops with each non-stick spray.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

These are tasty! Tom doesn't like salsa and opted to dip his directly into taco sauce. Once I pulled these out of the oven I realized that we didn't have any sour cream left, so I just had mine with salsa. I will definitely be making these again!

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

2013-05-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

My internet friends had been talking about making these spinach lasagna roll ups for quite some time now instead of making regular lasagna. After hearing about how good they were so many times, I decided to try out the recipe myself and make these up the weekend before we left for Florida.

I didn't even think to look for a recipe, I just went with the typical ingredients that would go in a lasagna, added spinach and just rolled up the lasagna noodles with the ingredients inside, instead of layering them together.

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
Source: A Cookaholic Wife Creation
Servings: 3-4
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Ingredients:

12 lasagna noodles
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flaked
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
28 oz. jar marinara sauce
extra mozzarella for topping

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente. They need to be soft enough that you can roll them up, but not fully cooked because they'll fall apart.
2. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Stir well until combined, then fold in the spinach.
3. Place cooked lasagna noodles flat on a baking sheet. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture down the center of each noodle then drizzle with 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of the marinara sauce.
4. To freeze, pour 1/4 cup of marinara sauce into a freezeable dish. I used the small foil loaf pans. Roll up each lasagna noodle and place tightly next to each other in the dish. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of sauce to just cover them. Add a pinch of mozzarella cheese, cover with foil (or a lid) and freeze.
5. To bake, pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into a baking dish (just enough to coat the bottom) and place lasagna rolls on top. Drizzle with additional marinara sauce to cover and top each lasagna roll with a pinch of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

To bake from frozen, let thaw completely in the refrigerator (at least 12 hours) and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

I went light on the marinara sauce on these which made them a little bit dryer than I preferred, however, for a relatively quick meal and something that can easily be frozen and pulled out the freezer in the morning for dinner that evening, these are pretty good! I'd like to experiment with the recipe some more, adding different ingredients into the lasagna.

Fat Bread

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

After my aunt, cousin and I agreed that the jambalaya recipe absolutely needed to be made, I noticed that fat bread was served along with the jambalaya.

I can't say I'd ever heard of fat bread before, but I was instantly sold when I saw that it included Salad Supreme. Many, many moons ago when I was just a kid, I remember being at the grocery store with my father and picking up a jar of this seasoning. I think my father was trying to eat healthier and thought adding flavor to a salad with something like this might really help him out.

It didn't take long until I was shaking the Salad Supreme over more than just a salad.While its definitely good over a salad, my favorite way to enjoy this seasoning is on top of a baked potato. I also don't feel complete dipping baby carrots into Ranch dressing as a snack unless there is some Salad Supreme mixed into the Ranch.

Anyway, I wouldn't have thought to add Salad Supreme to bread, but I was more than ready to try it out.

Fat Bread
Source: So Tasty, So Yummy
Servings: 20ish slices
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Ingredients:

1 loaf French bread
1/2 stick softened butter
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp. Salad Supreme

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Slice the bread lengthwise and then into 1-2" pieces. Spread the butter over the pieces, then sprinkle with the garlic powder and onions, Top each piece of bread with a pinch of both cheeses.
3. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the Salad Supreme over the bread and serve.

This has got to be one of the easiest side dishes ever but it is JUST. SO. GOOD! I could not control my hand from continually reaching to the plate of bread. I'm guessing its called fat bread because you want to eat so much of it that you'll get fat.

Weekly Menu 5/12 - 5/16

2013-05-12T12:51:00.002-04:00

This is going to be a very short post as my allergies are making me threaten to chop off my nose and I have absolutely no interest in sitting at a computer with tissues stuffed in my nostrils. You're welcome for that visual.

First, Happy Mother's Day to all of the mom's out there! I hope you're having a wonderful day!

Sunday - Beef Wellington, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Corn

Monday - Ricotta Gnocchi with Herbed Butter and Bacon

Tuesday - Southwest Egg Rolls with Southwestern Chicken Skewers

Wednesday - Bacon Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese, Fries, Salad

Thursday - Herb Parmesan Chicken Tenders, Stuffing, Green Beans

The Beef Wellington was Tom's choice for his birthday dinner and I am hoping to get a much better picture so I can update it on here. Also, he invited his brother and wife to dinner so I'm cooking for a crowd! I'm still going to keep the wellingtons individual as I feel like you can better gauge the cooking times.

I'm off to pop a Zytrec and lay in bed.

Recipe Swap: Jambalaya

2013-05-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

On Friday April 26th, I was sitting on the Sanibel Island beach with Tom, my aunt and my cousin. We were discussing what to do for dinner for the remaining days we would be in Florida. I said that I could cook one night and my aunt said that'd be great. So we started discussing what I could possibly make.

My cousin said something with chicken would be good. My aunt said she wouldn't mind some shrimp. And then the ding of an email notification on my phone went off. It was my email from Sarah providing me with my assigned blog for our next recipe swap. The category: seafood. The recipe: jambalaya...made with chicken and shrimp.

I would call that divine intervention of the food variety. I mean really, how perfect of timing and ingredients was that? We decided I would make the jambalaya the next evening.

Jambalaya
Source: So Tasty, So Yummy
Servings: 8-10
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Ingredients:
Chicken Marinade:

1 lb. chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup olive oil

Jambalaya:

1/2 lb. Italian sausage
3 celery stalks, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp. cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined
parsley, for garnish
Old Bay, for extra seasoning
2 cups white rice, cooked

Directions:
1. Place the chicken and marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. Toss well to coat, then place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
3. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up into small pieces as the sausage browns.
5. Add the celery, green pepper, onion, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, thyme and cayenne pepper to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock and wine to the skillet. Bring to a rolling boil, cover and let boil for 8-10 minutes or until all vegetables are soft and the liquid has mostly reduced.
7. Transfer the cooked chicken and the shrimp to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until shrimp are pink and chicken is heated through.
8. Serve jambalaya over white rice and garnish with chopped parsley. Season with Old Bay if desired.

I made jambalaya not that long ago and I wasn't all that impressed with the flavors. I could not believe how delicious this recipe was. The flavors melded together so much better than the previous recipe I tried. Everyone stuffed themselves with at least 2 servings and then just longingly looked between the bowl of jambalaya and down at their stomachs, apparently hoping to find some more room in there.

Just further proof that Marylanders make good food. :)

Aside from the seasoning amounts, I followed the recipe almost exactly and I couldn't pass up serving this with fat bread like she did as well. Check back Monday to see that recipe.

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

2013-05-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

Lately I've found myself looking for weeknight recipes that don't take up a ton of time or use a lot of ingredients. I think I'm getting old because I just no longer have any interest in spending 30+ minutes chopping and prepping foods for a weeknight meal. I'm blaming it on getting old because I used to get home at the same time I do now a few years ago and had no problems with it then.

Either way, when I saw Joelen share these pepperoni pizza sliders I knew I needed to make them right away. It was the week we were leaving for Florida and I was trying to empty the fridge out as much as possible. I had a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese and a package of pepperonis in the fridge. Also not wanting to spend a bunch of money at the grocery store before we left, this worked out perfectly as all I needed to buy were the slider rolls (I always have pizza sauce in the pantry).

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
Source: What's Cookin', Chicago?
Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

3 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
12 Hawaiian sweet rolls
3/4 cup pizza sauce
24-36 beef or turkey pepperonis
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine the butter, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Slice each Hawaiian roll in half and spread pizza sauce on both sides. Place 2-3 pepperonis on top of the pizza sauce and then add a large pinch of the shredded mozzarella.
4. Top one half of the roll with the other to form and sandwich and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sandwiches, placing them right next to each other, making 3 rows of 4.
5. Brush the melted butter mixture on top of the sandwiches and let sit for 10 minutes.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the tops of the rolls are lightly toasted. Serve immediately.

Delicious! If you hadn't figured it out, these sandwiches are the close relatives of the ham and cheese sliders that are immediately gobbled up at parties. With very similar ingredients, you could easily whip up a batch of each for your next party to add a little variety or provide an alternate choice for those not a fan of ham.

Vacation Recap and Happy Birthday

2013-05-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

The title of this post is kind of backward but it just sounded better to me to say "Vacation Recap and Happy Birthday" instead of "Happy Birthday and Vacation Recap" I guess it doesn't really matter though does it?

Anyway, the happy birthday is to my lovely husband Tom who is now finally the same age as me. See, I'm 28 days older than him which he likes to remind me on quite the regular basis. So I suck it up for those 28 long days until finally we are the same age again.

I wish I had more to say about his birthday, but he's a very low-key kind of guy. We're having yellow cake with chocolate frosting tonight and seeing Iron Man 3 over the weekend.

As for the vacation recap, I'd think it's about time, right? So, lets start at the beginning. Tuesday: Our flight left for Fort Myers at 8:20 AM which requires getting to the airport around 6 AM. This included my first experience with long term parking and bus drivers who don't care that you are literally standing right behind them as they pull to the stop and then just drive off. Assholes. Luckily there is a bus every 10 minutes. The flight to Florida was pretty uneventful. We did forget to check in until late Monday, which is a huge no-no if you're flying Southwest and would actually like to sit with your traveling companions. We were all close together though.

We arrived in the lovely state of Florida to some slight confusion. While I have nothing against the elderly, it was quite shocking to exit the plane and find ourselves in a sea of them. We were, no lie, the only people under the age of 75 until we reached the baggage claim area, which was also uneventful. As was picking up the rental car (Toyota Corolla). My aunt only lives 10 minutes from the airport, so also, nothing exciting there.

I'm pretty sure we were just generally lazy the first day that we arrived. We went to dinner at Doc Ford's Beach House, which was recommended by some of my internet peoples (yes I call them that. No, I do not have a cult.) The shrimp and grits was absolutely incredible. Like clean your plate and debate on licking it type of incredible. As we were waking up before the sun the next day, we retired early.

Wednesday: Somewhere in the 4 am hour, we awoke and got ready for our 3+ hour journey to Universal Studios. I think we maybe should have checked the settings on the GPS since we took an incredibly rural route. As in, stopping for farm equipment. And school buses on a major highway. However, it did provide me with this accidental picture, which is quite pretty.

Finally, we arrived at Universal Studios were I (smartly) made the decision to pay an extra $5 for preferred parking. We were much closer to those moving walkway things that get you to the park that if we had not paid for it. If you know anything about me, you'll know that first up was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The first ride that we got on was the 3-D Roller Coaster through the castle because there was already a 30 minute wait. Most of this time was spent walking through the castle and seeing the talking pictures and even getting some information from Harry, Ron and Hermione.

You can hardly see it, but the pic above has "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" carved into the two columns before you enter the castle. The roller coaster was by far the best thing we did that day. It is not a ride for kids at all and is actually kind of scary. There are dementors, spiders and dragons. But it's just incredible. Like squeal out loud incredible. I could easily have just rode it over and over again so I could remember every second of it, but there were other things to do.

Like drink butterbeer. Butterbeer is incredible. My friend Kayleigh told me that she expected a full and immediate report with pictures as soon as I had tried it. Butterbeer comes in two varieties, a soda like version and a slushee version. The only way I can describe these cups of incredible would be to say its the most delicious cream soda you've ever had topped with a faintly butterscotch flavored whipped cream.

After drinking our butterbeer, we got on Flight of the Hippogriff which is just one of the other roller coasters there. It was a lot of fun, but didn't come with any good opportunities for pictures unfortunately.

Either did the Dragon's Challenge which was the biggest roller coast in the WWOHP section. I still don't know how some people ended up on the other colored dragon, but I will tell you standing in line for this roller coaster is more than worth the time. Its longer than most and just well, incredible. I realize I'm going to use that word a lot in these posts. However, be warned that you will stumble around like a drunk person after getting off this ride. You're pretty dizzy and disoriented in an awesome type of way.

After the rides in WWOHP were complete, we purchased wands (Hermione for me, Dumbledore for Tom) and then went into Zonko's and Honeydukes. I purchased the every flavor jelly beans from Honeydukes.

Finally we decided to head on over to the other attractions at the Islands of Adventure. Next stop was...

Which was definitely my second favorite section of the park, even if it was geared toward children. We still got on almost all of the rides in that section and stopped in this store...

Where I may have squealed multiple times and wanted to purchase everything in the store. Instead, Tom and I settled for each purchasing a Grinch shirt, a picture frame and a magnet. It was around 12:30 so we decided to head on over to the Meet the Characters Show in hopes that all of the people with small children who would usually see it, were eating lunch.

Which is exactly what happened. We watched the show with all of the characters and then came the most amazing time of ALL...where you get to meet the characters!

At first the Grinch didn't want to take a picture with me. Please note my incredulous face. However, he decided to suck it up when Tom came over.

I won't lie. This combined with WWOHP totally made my day. For good measure, we took a picture with The Lorax as well.

And finally, it was time to find something to eat. We chose burgers and fries from a Captain America cafe. Tom and my cousin Rishelle got on the Hulk roller coaster. I didn't want to chance it after eating. Then we headed over to the other portion of the park, the original Universal Studios.

There we got on the Despicable Me 3-D Ride which was really, really cool. We followed that up with the Shrek 3D, the Disaster ride, the Twister Ride and finally the Men in Black ride where I was quite proud of my 54,000 score on alien killing. Of course Tom got something like 160,000. Whatever.

And we ended off our day at Universal by stopping by to visit Spongebob.

I highly do NOT recommend trying to see both parks in one day. It is just completely exhausting. I'm pretty sure we walked over 5 miles in 85+ degree heat. Not pleasant. Not one bit.

I also purchased an It's So Fluffy! t-shirt from Despicable Me since it reminds us of the Itty cat.

Dinner was had with my internet friends and to be completely honest, I feel like a complete asshole. I was so exhausted by that point, I hardly even remember meeting anyone and then I bailed immediately after we got the check since Tom was also past exhaustion.

Thank God we made the decision to get a hotel right near the park. I have no idea how we could have even possibly drove the 3 hours back to my aunts house that night.

Thursday: we pretty much did nothing but drive back to my aunts. I think we may have hung out at the pool after that. It was just an exhausting day.

Friday: we returned the rental car and then went to Sanibel Island to hang out at the beach and get some seashells since that's what the area is known for. I found some really pretty ones, I just need to figure out what to do with them.

Saturday and Sunday: we hung out by the pool, I made dinner one night, we had steamed crabs another night. I got a bit of sunburn.

Monday: our last day was kind of bittersweet. I wanted to come home and see the kitties and get away from the humidity, but I also had no interest in returning to temperatures in the 50's. We did some shopping at the strip mall while my aunt and uncle ran some errands. This resulted in me purchasing 3 pairs of capri's. Which isn't a bad thing, I don't have any currently. We went to Doc's Beach House for dinner but needed to stop along the way to get a picture of this sign.

Not sure what they were thinking when they named the store, but we all amused our facebook friends by sharing the picture on there. Dinner was pretty tasty and we headed back to the house for an early evening since our flight the next morning was at 6 am.

Tuesday: So, the Fort Myers airport doesn't even open until 4 AM. We got there a little before that. Then we found that security doesn't open until 4:30 AM and not even all of the stores in the concourse are open that early. However, we made it through all of that (sans air conditioning because maybe they don't turn that on in the morning either?) and got onto our 6 AM flight, where approximately 40 minutes later we hit the worst turbulence I've ever experienced.

Many, many moons ago when I was a kid, my father and I went to visit his brother in Georgia and I was told (later on) we experienced some pretty severe turbulence on the way home. Not wanting to scare me, my dad told me it was normal. Which I think came in handy.

I'm not scared to fly to begin with, but I can see how turbulence like this will turn people off of it. Personally, I prefer a few bumps every now and then just to break up the monotony of not feeling like you're even moving. It just makes it easier for me to picture that I'm on a bus and not in a plane in the sky. Anyway, the pilot came on and said "We're about to go through an unpleasant bit of weather here and it could be bumpy. Please ensure your seatbelt is secured and your chair is in the upright position."

Then we bumped around for a bit and hit a patch where I was actually lifted from my seat and got that weightless feeling in my stomach that you do on a roller coaster. Surprisingly, no one panicked. It was all over in about a minute or two and the pilot came back on and said "so folks, this is why we tell you to wear your seatbelts."

It woke Tom up and severely freaked out my cousin, but to be honest, I thought it was kind of fun. Not for a second did I think anything serious would happen to us. The rest of the flight was uneventful and we arrived in chilly, rainy Baltimore at 8:30 AM.

And that dear friends, was a recap of my vacation. When we got home the kitties were more than happy to see us again and while Tom napped I washed clothes and ran to pick up the essentials at the grocery store.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

2013-05-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I get one of those really smart ideas in my head. Before leaving for Florida, I mentioned on a message board that I wish I would have planned more in advance for meals I could freeze and eat when we got back from vacation.

Nothing is worse than coming home from vacation knowing that your fridge, freezer and pantry are empty because then you need to first figure out what in the world you are going to make. Which requires more effort than most people possess when all they can think about is showering in their own shower and sleeping in their own bed. But it gets harder! You still need to go to the store for said ingredients. And if you are anything like me, you will have tossed all your clothes immediately into the washer and put on pajamas the second you walked in the door. So now you gotta get dressed too!

Anyway, the more I thought about this, the more I realized it shouldn't be all that difficult to find three quick meals that I could prepare on the weekend before going away and that I could just pull out of the freezer and eat with minimal prep work.

The first meal that came to mind was enchiladas because I had previously frozen them before. However, the recipe I had called for a little more work than I was willing to exert on a Saturday when I had 2 other meals to make. So I decided to just wing it and see what happened.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
Source: A Cookaholic Wife Creation
Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

12 flour tortillas
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. diced green chiles
1/2 cup salsa
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Combine the chicken, black beans, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, green chiles, salsa and taco seasoning together in a large bowl.
2. Divide the mixture between the 12 tortillas and roll up each tortilla, tucking in the ends to secure.
3. To freeze, place tortillas in a ziplock bag. (To cook from frozen, thaw completely in fridge first)
4. To bake, preheat the oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread half of the enchiladas sauce into the prepared baking dish.
5. Place the tortillas on top of the enchilada sauce and drizzle the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the enchiladas.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Filling and tasty! It was great to come home from Florida and know that I only had to put minimal effort into cooking each night. The only downside to this recipe is that I learned red enchiladas sauce gives me heart burn.

SRC: Pomegranate Sorbet

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Much like the last recipe swap I participated in, I wasn't thinking about the time line when I signed up for May's Secret Recipe Club. We usually get about three weeks to choose and prepare a meal from our assigned blog. We had a little less than that this time, plus I was spending 7 of the available 17 days in Florida. Eeek!

10 days does not give you a lot of time to choose and make a recipe. I like to give myself extra time in case my first choice doesn't work out, then I'm not scrambling at the last minute to find/make something else from my assigned blog.

I got really lucky this month though. I was assigned to Sweet As Sugar Cookies (cute name, right) who had a ton of recipes I could easily choose from. Lisa is Asian which means I would usually ignore the title of her blog completely and beeline it to the savory dishes since I have a bit of an obsession with Asian food. Especially authentic Asian food.

However, as I was scrolling in that direction the words "Pomegranate Sorbet" stopped me in my tracks. It was currently 84 degrees in my 3rd floor apartment with a piddly wind blowing through. Nothing sounded more amazing at that exact moment that something cold and delicious like a pomegranate sorbet.

Of course, my ice cream maker requires 15 hours in the freezer beforehand...so I did what any normal person does: hopped up from my chair so fast it almost fell over and ran to the kitchen to put the ice cream maker in the freezer. I only startled both cats and got a strange look from the husband. Whatever.

Pomegranate Sorbet
Source: Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Servings: 2 cups
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups pomegranate juice

Directions:
1. Combine water and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Pour into a larger container and add the pomegranate juice. Refrigerate until chilled.
3. Transfer to the bowl of your ice cream maker and process according to manufacture directions.
4. Freeze until chilled.

Of course, in the 24+ hours it took me to make this, the weather changed drastically and its now a windy 64 degrees outside. Gotta love Maryland weather! This is tart, but absolutely delicious. I had a very hard time not eating a ton of it in one sitting.

Weekly Menu 5/5 - 5/9

2013-05-05T12:06:00.004-04:00

I highly advise taking a middle of the week to middle of the week vacation. It makes easing back into home life and work about 100 times easier than coming back and knowing you have a full 5 day week ahead of you.

I planned out what we would have for dinners this week before realizing that I could have made something fun for Cinco de Mayo. Oops. Once again, I tend to forget about the smaller holidays.

Sunday - Orange-Cranberry Pork over Rice with Green Beans

Monday - Italian Chicken over Grilled Vegetable Orzo

Tuesday - Shrimp Scampi

Wednesday - cake

Thursday - pizza

Yes, I really did say that cake is for dinner on Wednesday. Tom's birthday is Wednesday and I asked him what he wanted me to make. He decided on Beef Wellington and I explained that really isn't a weeknight meal, so he asked for me to make it the following weekend and said that he wanted cake for his birthday. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting. From a box/jar preferably. I blinked at him a few times, waiting for him to say he was joking but he didn't, and I figured what the hell. People eat cake for breakfast, why not eat it for dinner?

For breakfast this week I'm having yogurt parfaits and lunch will be chicken tacos.

Sourdough Bread

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Finally! Right? I know, I know, had I not been a procrastinator I could have easily made this bread before my 28th birthday, almost a month ago. I could give you good excuses, like I was busy at least one day out of every weekend since like February, but I doubt you'd believe me. (It really is true.) Or I could tell you that I tried to make this a few times but the starter and I didn't get along. (That isn't true).

So, fine, let's just chalk it up to me being a huge procrastinator. But look, I'm sharing the bread with you now, so that's gotta count for something right?

Sourdough Bread
Source: Annie's Eats
Servings: 2 loaves
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Ingredients:
Sponge:

1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3 cups all-purpose flour

Dough:

1 tbsp. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups bread flour
1 tbsp. water

Finishing Touches:

1 egg white lightly beaten with 1 tbsp. water
water in a spray bottle

Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the ingredients for the sponge. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 4 hours.
2. Once set for 4 hours, transfer to the refrigerator and refrigerate for 12 hours.
3. Return the bowl of your stand mixer to the base and attach the dough hook. Add all of the ingredients for the dough and mix on low speed until a ball forms. Knead until dough is elastic, 5-6 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in volume, 3-4 hours.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently deflate the dough and divide into two equal sized portions. Form into a torpedo shape about 6x8 inches long. Place on the prepared baking sheet with repeat with the remaining ball of dough.
7. Loosely cover the dough with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest for 2-3 hours.
8. Place a pizza stone (or two, depending on the size of the stone) in your oven and preheat to 425.
9. Lightly slash each loaf three times diagonally. Brush over the dough with the egg wash and spray with water.
10. Place the dough on the preheated pizza stones and bake for 14-16 minutes. Rotate the pizza pans and bake for another 14-16 minutes or until the bread is lightly golden.
11. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

I confess, Tom actually finished off this bread for me. He mastered his grandmother's elusive Easter Bread so I feel completely comfortable leaving him in the kitchen with rising dough. He completed steps 8-11 for me while I was out with my friends at a wine tasting. We got back here and there was delicious bread to nom on. I'll take it!

Crock Pot Pork and Green Chile Stew

2013-05-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

The week before we went on vacation I purposely planned for easy meals that would hopefully include leftovers so I wouldn't need to do a lot of cooking as soon as we got back. The easiest dinners are those made in the crock pot and I had most of these ingredients just hanging around.

Crock Pot Pork and Green Chile StewSource: Skinny Taste
Servings: 6
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Ingredients:

2 lb. pork shoulder, trimmed of fat
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 medium onion, diced
8 oz. canned green chiles
2 tbsp. jalapeno, diced
10 oz. Rotel
1/2 cup low-sodium fat free chicken broth
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1. Cut the pork shoulder into 2" pieces.
2. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the pork. Add the pork pieces to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer the pork to the crock pot.
4. Add the onion through garlic powder to the crock pot and stir to combine.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours.
6. Shred the pork with two forks. Serve on top of the rice, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Tom asked why we were eating a stew like meal on one of the hottest days of the year, but other than that, there were no complaints about this dish. It had a really nice amount of flavor and a decent amount of heat to it. And it made leftovers! Win!

Orange Marmalade Muffins

2013-05-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

In Eat More of What You Love Marlene calls these Any Day Sunshine Muffins. I don't feel like that is detailed enough of a name. You can substitute the orange marmalade for any other flavor, but since I went traditionally and followed her directions, I thought I should honor the orange marmalade and include it in the name of the muffin.

Plus it makes it easier to search for, right? Who remembers "any day sunshine muffins" easier than they remember "orange marmalade muffins"?

Orange Marmalade Muffins
Source: Eat More of What You Love, p. 58
Servings: 12 muffins
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Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
3/4 cup low-sugar orange marmalade
1/2 cup low fat milk
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. orange zest
Topping: 12 tsp. low-sugar orange marmalade

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda together in a large bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, then whisk in the marmalade, milk, butter and orange zest.
4. Using a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Do not over mix.
5. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 of the way full.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Serve with 1 tsp. orange marmalade on top.

These muffins are better eaten the same day they are made. When I make muffins for breakfast, I make them on Sunday and hope they last until the end of the week. By Wednesday, I was needing to microwave the muffins, but even then, they were still pretty dry and not very fresh tasting.

Chicken Parmesan

2013-04-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks were you start to wonder if you should just put the pizza delivery guy on speed dial? I was definitely having one of those weeks.

I forgot to pull out the chicken for dinner so I switched the meals around and figured I'd have it another night. Then one of the main ingredients for the chicken dish went bad. Then I realized I didn't have the ingredients for another dish. I was this.close from just picking up the phone and asking the nice pizza place across the street to save me from this kitchen nightmare when Tom said "why don't you just make chicken parmesan?"

Because uh, I've never made chicken parmesan? I dunno. I've mentioned a hundred or so times on here that I have issues with breaded foods because they typically always end up soggy. I couldn't imagine that chicken parmesan would be any different. However, I was hungry so I forged on.

Chicken Parmesan
Source: All Recipes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 bread crumbs
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3 tbsp. canola oil
4 slices mozzarella cheese
15 oz. jar pasta sauce
2 cups cooked spaghetti

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
2. Add canola oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
3. Crack the eggs in a shallow dish and whisk together.
4. In another shallow dish, combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs.
5. Dip the chicken into the egg wash and then into the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
6. When the oil is hot, place the chicken into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden.
7. Transfer the chicken to the wire rack and continue cooking in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
8. Pour the pasta sauce into the prepared baking dish. Place the chicken on top and put a slice of cheese on top of each chicken breast. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
9. Serve chicken breast and pasta sauce over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.

I'll be honest. This wasn't horrible, but it probably isn't something that I'll make again. Even after finishing the chicken in the oven to ensure that it is crispy, baking it in the sauce does absolutely nothing to help with the sogginess. Plus I have a weird issue where I don't like chicken and red sauce together.

Overnight Oven-Baked French Toast

2013-04-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm much more of a breakfast for dinner type of person than I am a breakfast for breakfast type of person. I think this is because up until I was 16 or so, the thought of eating food before 9 am was just not possible. Even the smell of breakfast made me nauseous. I could maybe handle a few crackers first thing in the morning, but absolutely nothing like french toast.

So every once in a while when I actually have a breakfast craving, I make it for dinner. Who has time in the mornings for something more than a muffin or some instant oatmeal? And if you do, I'm jealous.

Overnight Oven-Baked French Toast

Source: Eat What You Love, p. 116

Servings: 10

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Ingredients:

1 cup egg substitute
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
2/3 cup Splenda
1 tsp. vanilla
6-8 2" thick slices bread, plain or cinnamon raisin
butter, powdered sugar, syrup

Directions:

1. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, eggs, milk, Splenda, and vanilla. Soak the bread into the mixture and then place in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining mixture over the bread in the dish.

3. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 350.

5. Bake the french toast for 45-50 minutes or until lightly golden.

6. Serve with butter, powdered sugar and/or syrup.

To be honest, this really wasn't my thing. I thought I would like baked french toast better, but it wasn't anything fabulous. Tom loved it however, so I'm sure I'll make it again.

Oh, on top is 10 oz. of frozen raspberries left to thaw until room temperature and then mashed with 2 tbsp. Splenda.

Blogger's Choice: Orange Creamsicle Martini

2013-04-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

I signed up for this blogger's choice recipe swap before really realizing when the submission date was. If you didn't notice from my two previous posts this week, I am vacationing it up in sunny Florida this week.

Once I realized the date I figured I would just pick something easy to make since I would only be cooking 2 days this week. Well, that's not true. I will probably cook at my aunt's house, but who knows when or what I'd be making.

I didn't mean to choose such an easy recipe, like a drink, but I just happened to have all of these ingredients hanging out in the fridge asking to be used before I went away. I'm pretty sure that was a sign.

Orange Creamsicle Martini
Source: The Redhead Baker, slightly adapted from Snappy Gourmet
Servings: 2 martinis
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Ingredients:

3/4 cup no-pulp orange juice
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup whipped cream flavored vodka
whipped cream, for garnish
orange slice, for garnish

Directions:
1. Place 6 ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
2. Combine the orange juice, half and half and flavored vodka, pour over the ice.
3. Shake, shake, shake. Shake for 30 seconds.
4. Strain into a martini glass.
5. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and an orange slice. Sip and enjoy.

I'm sorry, I couldn't pass up the shaking in the directions there. It was just too easy. So while I did have all of the ingredients necessary to make this, guess what I didn't have? Yep, a martini glass. See, I'm not really a martini drinker so when my mom offered up some storage space in her garage, the martini glasses were the first in the boxes to head on over. Which resulted in me running out to the dollar store and purchasing a single martini glass. Hey, whatever works, right?

I'm not a big martini girl, but these are DAMN TASTY! And with the whipped cream vodka, you almost can't tell that you're drinking something alcoholic. Until, you know, you stand up. So fair warning!

Delicious Chicken Sandwich

2013-04-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

One night I was supposed to make a chicken dish that included sun-dried tomatoes. I previously had tried sun-dried tomatoes and was just not a fan. Which doesn't make sense, because I like tomatoes in all forms. But, this evening, I opened the jar, took a whiff and just couldn't do it. So, what was I going to make?

I stared into the fridge for a while, then into the pantry waiting for the perfect dish to pop out at me. Nothing happened. But a jar of roasted red peppers caught my eye and I decided to just wing it.

Delicious Chicken Sandwich
Source: A Cookaholic Wife Creation
Servings: 4
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Ingredients:

4 chicken cutlets
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. garlic powder
8 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup lettuce leaves
4 sub rolls

Directions:
1. Preheat a skillet or grill plate to hot. Also preheat the oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Season the chicken with the Italian seasoning.
3. Place the chicken in the skillet or on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the chicken has cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and garlic powder until combined. Spread the mayonnaise mixture on both sides of each sub roll.
5. Once chicken is cooked through, slice into strips. Place the chicken on the sub roll, top with the roasted red peppers and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sub rolls are lightly toasted. Add lettuce and serve.

Obviously, based off the name you'd assume these turned out pretty well. I really like my version and I doctored it up a bit for Tom, leaving off the lettuce and wrapping his chicken slices with the last couple of pieces of lunchmeat ham we had in the fridge. But back to the name, I had no idea what to call it, so I described it to my internet friends who said "Delicious Chicken Sandwich"...sometimes the obvious is just for the best.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

2013-04-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today is the day where magical things happen. And no, not because of the Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes I posted, although they are quite magical in their own rights.

Today, Tom, my cousin and I are going to...

...

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER! Finally, after years and years of reading and rereading the books, followed by watching the movies and impatiently informing Tom that we MUST go to WWOHP, the day is FINALLY HERE! I will take ridiculous amounts of pictures, go in every Harry Potter related store and through all of the attractions and drink tons of butterbeer.

However, we're not just going to see WWOHP. We have the pass that allows you to go between both parks at Universal Studios. Do you know what this means!? It means I can also see THE GRINCH. THE GRINCH!!!! Where I completely believe I will jump up and down like a child yelling "The Grinch. The Grinch! Look, it's really The Grinch" and beg him for an autograph. And if that isn't a mature enough event for you, I make absolutely no guarantees that I will make it through the Despicable Me section without yelling "IT'S SO FLUFFY!"

I fully intend to be a child today. But I do understand that there are adults out there who have to work today and would like to find something to eat tonight. Don't worry, I got you covered there. These Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes have been sneaking around through the blog-o'sphere mainly through recipe swaps. After taking a bite, I had to do my part and share these with you.

I believe I have only said this once on my blog before, but I need you to run (do not walk) to your nearest grocery store and pick up these ingredients. Your taste buds and your stomach (and anyone you cook for) will thank you.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Source: Taste of Home Cooking, adapted from Rachael Ray
Servings: 4
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Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tbsp. steak sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
salt and pepper
4 rolls, burger or sub
cheese sauce, sliced provolone or Cheez Whiz
Optional Toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup Provolone, shredded

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened and browned.
2. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently until browned. Drain the fat, the return pan to the heat.
3. Add the steak sauce, beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring a boil and cook for about 2 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the cheese sauce (if using) by melting the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Then whisk in the milk, bring to a bubble and let thicken, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.
5. Toast the burger or sub rolls.
6. Prepare the sandwich by placing a large scoop of the meat mixture on the bun, topping with cheese (sauce/slice/Whiz) and then other optional toppings.

I went super cheesy with this one and decided to make half of the cheese sauce recipe and mix it into the meat mixture after it had finished cooking. It made these very messy but 100% worth it. There are foods that I eat as leftovers because they are there and I feel bad wasting food. Then there are foods that I want to eat as leftovers. These fall into the want category.

Triple Lemon Blueberry Muffins

2013-04-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Guess where I am? If you are reading this between 6-8 am EST, I am waiting to board a plane. Reading between 8:20 and 11 am EST - I am on a plane. After 11 am EST - I'M IN FLORIDA! Sweet, sweet vacation has finally arrived.

But don't worry, I went on a massive cooking spree recently to make sure that I'd have enough recipes to keep you occupied while I was gone. See how thoughtful I am?

I didn't intend for all of the recipes I've been posting lately to be from the same source, but it just worked out that way. Like most people (I think) I tend to go a bit overboard when I find a new recipe source. As I flipped through the cookbook, I had a serious case of MAKE ALL OF THE THINGS! And then I was slowly able to narrow it down and actually make some recipes.

You know how I feel about muffins. I am ALWAYS on the look out for a different muffin recipe. And one that called for lemon yogurt, lemon zest and lemon extract? I was all over that. In my head lemons = spring and I would do anything to keep this season around. Including believing that cooking/baking with lemons will do it.

Don't you judge me. You have your own weird traits, thank you very much. :-p

Triple Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Source: Eat More of What You Love, p. 55
Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

6 oz. light lemon yogurt
1/2 cup fat-free milk
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Splenda
2 tbsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup blueberries

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper or foil liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, milk, butter, egg, zest, and extracts. Stir until combined.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, Splenda, sugar, baking powder and baking soda together.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
5. Divide the batter among the muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 of the way full.
6. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Would you believe I still wouldn't have minded more lemon flavor with these? I think adding in the juice of the zested lemon would have been a nice touch. Most of these had a very nice muffin height to them which makes me incredibly happy. I don't know why I'm amused by tall muffins, okay?

Don't they just scream SPRING? Yeah, I thought so.

Outside-In Southwest Turkey Cheddar Burger

2013-04-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

I love southwest flavors. I could easily eat foods that fall under that category all day. I saw this burger and immediately wanted to try it. Since trying out a few different recipes last year, I almost prefer to use ground turkey instead of ground beef in a burger. ::gasp:: Yes, I actually said that. I'm sure it would make my doctor happy to hear though.

However, I live with a true carnivore who doesn't think a burger should be called a burger unless there is red meat between the patties. So don't worry, we will never become a fully turkey-burger only household.

Outside-In Southwest Turkey Cheddar Burgers

Source: Eat More of What You Love, p. 137

Servings: 4

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Ingredients:

4 oz. can diced green chiles, divided
1/2 cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. ground turkey
3 tbsp. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. onion, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 whole wheat burger buns
4 large lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
sliced avocado or guacamole, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill to high.

2. Measure 1/4 cup of the green chiles and place in a bowl with the cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.

3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining chiles, ground turkey, bread crumbs, onion, cumin, garlic powder and pepper. Form into 4 large patties, then divide each patty in half and flatten.

4. Place a large spoonful of the chile/cheese mixture in the center of the patty. Top with the other patty and press to seal the edges well. Repeat with remaining patties, then place all patties on a plate and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

5. Grill the burgers for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Toast the burger buns.

6. Assemble the burger by placing the lettuce and tomato on the bottom bun, followed by the burger. Top with avocado slices or spread guacamole on the top bun.

These were some damn tasty burgers! I really enjoyed them even though, as usual, my cheese escaped through the sides of the burger. I need to figure out a better way to do this. Then again, I'm not the one on clean up duty so I guess it doesn't really matter. ;-)

Weekly Menu 4/21

2013-04-21T17:04:00.003-04:00

This post is kind of a pathetic excuse of a menu since we are only here for two nights before Florida, but I figured I'd share with you anyhow.

While I am super excited about going on vacation, given the current events of the last week, it almost feels slightly wrong. What is it about the 5 or so days following April 15th that leads people to do stupid things? Columbine, the Oklahoma City bombing, Virginia Tech shooting, etc. all happened with that week on different years. Unfortunately, this year was no different. It started with setting off two bombs at the Boston marathon on Monday which killed 3 people and injured close to 200. After their pictures were released Thursday evening, they continued their terror spree in Boston, killing a MIT police officer, car jacking someone, and essentially shutting down the city for hours. Late Friday evening, it was finally over. One bomber was dead, the other was caught.

In general, I try not to watch the news on a daily basis because I find it too depressing. I barely keep up with current events just by clicking on the articles from the news websites that interest me. But I'll be honest, the majority of my knowledge about what goes on in the outside world is from the message boards where I talk to a group of ladies daily. They were the first to inform me of each event that happened in the past week.

This a lighthearted cooking blog and I intend to keep it that way, but I just need to get a few things out there.

1. If the events of the past week have made you lose your faith in humanity or even question it, please go visit my friend Steph's blog, Life According to Steph, and check out her postscript on this post. She worded it 100 times better than I ever could have.

2. Amid all of the craziness, this was tweeted and it made me laugh.

3. It is 100% not necessary to ever post, retweet or share graphic images. I need these people to think for a minute about how they would feel having a picture of their loved ones with limbs missing blasted all over social media. Have a little class, people.

4. Right.this.minute reporting is ridiculous. I understand we live in times where we expect information and knowledge right away, but the ridiculous amount of false reporting that went on this week made me give a big ole side eye to the media. It's much more professional to say "We don't know" or "We don't have a verified source" instead of just word-vomiting nonsense.

5. A million thanks to the average citizens, police officers, first responders, SWAT teams and all of the other agencies in Boston who did everything in their power to keep the residents safe. I can only hope that if a situation like this ever happens in my city, we are half as brave as you.

To return this to a lighthearted note,

this is what I plan on doing in Florida. Especially at Universal, where I will make this face pretty much throughout all of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Then I'll probably make it again if I get to see The Grinch in the Dr. Seuss area. Oh, and then I'll probably make the face again and yell 'IT'S SO FLUFFY!' when we visit the Despicable Me area. It's going to be an interesting vacation. Which I'm sure I'll recap on here.

And if all you came here for was to find out what I'm eating this week, here it finally is:

Sunday - Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

and

Monday - Taco Calzones

We are leaving for the airport before the sun comes up Tuesday morning and will return the following week. I have some posts scheduled, so don't worry, I'm not leaving you recipe-less for an entire week. :)