Hi everyone, happy Friday!

Gosh, another week, and month, down the hatch. Can you believe it’s already February? Spring is right around the corner! We got a wonderful preview, with temps in the 50′s and 60′s this week, although it sounds like we might be in for snowmageddon later this weekend. Blerg.

In other news, KCCI went well this morning, I think! We made snacks for the Super Bowl including Slimmed Down Buffalo Chicken Dip, and S’mores on a Stick. ‘Cause nothing says game day like chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers, don’t ‘ya know.

Here’s the video, in case you’re curious!

In other news, I thought I’d wrap up Super Bowl Recipes Week with a few more dishes to make your spread the absolute ultimate. Whether you’re heading to a party, or hanging out at home, I hope you have a great time filled with good eats. And, holla if you can’t wait for that David Beckham commerical!

Enjoy!

Poppable Appetizers

Buffalo Chicken Poppers with Avocado Bleu Cheese Dip

Baked Parmesan Garlic Fries

Kale Chips

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Pickle Bites

Spinach & Sausage Pinwheels

Drool-Worthy Dips

Buffalo Chicken Dip 1

Guacamole

Restaurant Style Salsa

Salscamole

Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Taco Dip

Filling Mains

Baked Ribs

BBQ Pulled Pork

Cheese Stuffed Meatball Sliders

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Maid Rites

Sweet & Spicy Chili

Turkey Maid Rites

White Chili

Sweet Victories

Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Mini Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

The Ultimate Cookie

After chewing Mini Corn Dog Muffins, chowing Mini Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies, and chomping Buffalo Chicken Poppers on Super Bowl Sunday, you might feel as though you can’t take another bite.

Been there, done that.

But trust me, take the 3rd quarter to dig deep and somehow, someway, find an empty pocket in your tummy to fill with one of the most ridiculously delicious bites to ever pass your lips, before the sun sets on yet another Super Bowl.

Caprese Skewers

With Balsamic Drizzle – muwahaHAHA!

Mini mozzarella cheese balls skewered with tender basil leaves and juicy tomatoes, drizzled with tangy-sweet balsamic reduction will knock. Your. Socks. Off.

Each layered is loaded with bold-yet-fresh flavors that combine in a bite that is nearly indescribable. It is SO good!

Bonus: it only takes 10 minutes or so to make a whole mess of ‘em! Start by laying out a plate to hold the Caprese Skewers, tooth picks to do the skewerin’, and the ingredients.

That’d be grape or cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and fresh mini mozzarella balls. You can find mini mozza balls in most grocery stores these days. If not, just cut a regular-sized ball of fresh mozz into bite-sized pieces.

Assembly is as easy as 1…2…3!

Whee!

While you’re assembling the skewers, pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and let it simmer for 10 minutes, or until it’s the consistency of thin maple syrup. When it’s cool and thickened slightly, drizzle and drip the sweet syrup on top. Mercy. Me.

Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle

Print this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

cherry or grape tomatoes

mini mozzarella cheese balls (could use regular sized ball, and cut into bite-sized pieces)

fresh basil leaves, cut in half if large

salt & pepper

toothpicks

Directions:

1. Bring balsamic vinegar up to a boil in a saucepan, then lower heat to medium and simmer until it’s the consistency of very thin maple syrup, about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool.

2. Cut tomatoes in half. Thread a mini mozzarella cheese ball, basil leaf (fold in half if large) and a tomato half onto a tooth pick. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then drizzle cooled balsamic reduction on top.

Let’s see… Mini? Check. Fresh? Yup. Flavorful? Uh-huh. Perfect in every single way? You bet!

Actually, hand dipping the bite-sized skewers in the leftover balsamic reduction so they were covered from top-to-tomato in the sweet stuff was absolute perfection. Make a TON of these because they won’t last long!

In other news, I’ll be sharing a couple more game-day recipes tomorrow morning around 6:40am on KCCI News Channel 8. Wish me luck – there’s melted chocolate involved. Ahhh!!

See ya’!

We make quite the tragic team.

Ben literally dives in like he’s scarfing the last wing from the last chicken on earth. That is to say, buffalo sauce usually ends up on his forehead, earlobes and everywhere in between by the time he’s finished.

Me? I’m too prissy to eat buffalo wings the way buffalo wings were intended for fear of looking like, well, Ben, when I’m done, so I cut the meat off the bones with a knife and fork. I just…no, there’s no excuse. 

See? Quite the pair.

No matter how we go about eating them, the flavor of buffalo wings is something we both adore. And while we rarely indulge because they’re fried chicken wings tossed in (basically) butter, buffalo wings are the ultimate game watching grub, and no Super Bowl spread would be complete with out ‘em.

So for the third day of Super Bowl Recipes Week, I ditched the bones and butter, and packed all the intense, mouthwatering flavors of buffalo chicken wings into baked Buffalo Chicken Poppers!

Buttery crescent rolls surround a ranch-flavored cream cheese and spicy buffalo chicken filling forming a tiny, 2-bite delight. Whee!

Start the poppers by getting the fillings ready. First things first is the cream cheese center. What would a popper be without a cream cheese center, I ask you?

Combine softened cream cheese with powdered ranch dip mix. You can use any kind of cream cheese – whipped, reduced fat, regular – I just wouldn’t advise fat-free as it tastes like plastic, and Buffalo Chicken Plastic Poppers just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Next prepare the buffalo chicken. Chop one chicken breast into small pieces, season it with more ranch dip seasoning, then cook it in a hot pan with non-stick spray. Toss with a few Tablespoons buffalo wing sauce, and let the chicken cool.

BTW, I like Frank’s Buffalo Wing sauce the best. It’s just spicy enough, with that awesome, unmistakable buffalo flavahhh.

Finally, turn your attention to the crescent rolls, which will envelope the popper fillings in flaky goodness. You’ll want a package of 8.

Lay the rolls out on a flat surface, then cut each triangle in half, so you have 16 triangles total. (Picture below shows half the package.)

Lightly flatten each triangle so you have a little more surface area to work with, and spoon 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center.

Add a spoonful of buffalo chicken on top.

Finally, bring all three sides of the triangle up to the top, and pinch the side seams together. It’s fine if a little buffalo sauce leaks out.

Finish the remaining poppers, and bake on a parchment paper or non-stick sprayed baking sheet according to package directions.

Try not to dive into these babies the second you pull them out of the oven. The smell of browning crescent rolls and bubbling buffalo sauce is intoxicating!

Serve the poppers with a cool and creamy twist on the standard ranch or bleu cheese dressing that usually accompanies buffalo wings, Avocado Bleu Cheese Dip. Simply mash one avocado until smooth, then stir in bleu cheese dressing. Easy, and ultra-refreshing.

Buffalo Chicken Poppers with Avocado Bleu Cheese Dip

Print this recipe!

Makes 16 poppers

Ingredients:

4oz cream cheese, softened (can use regular, whipped, 1/3 less fat, etc.)

3 teaspoons ranch dip mix, divided

1 large chicken breast, cut into small pieces

3-4 Tablespoons buffalo wing sauce

1, 8-count tube reduced fat crescent rolls

Avocado Bleu Cheese Dip

1 avocado

1/3 cup bleu cheese dressing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll package directions. Mix together cream cheese and 2 teaspoons ranch dip mix in a small bowl. Season chicken with remaining teaspoon ranch dip mix, and cook in a non-stick sprayed skillet. Toss with buffalo wing sauce, and set aside to cool.

2. Lay crescent rolls out flat, and cut each triangle in half with a pizza cutter. Gently flatten each triangle, and place 1 teaspoon cream cheese mix in the center. Top with a spoonful of chicken. Bring all three sides of the crescent roll triangle to the top, then pinch all three seams to seal. Place on a baking sheet, and bake according to crescent roll package directions.

3. While the poppers are baking, mash avocado until smooth. Stir in bleu cheese dressing, and serve with poppers.

Ughhhh, these were so much better than eating buffalo wings – not to mention, 1000% times easier!

The tangy-hot buffalo sauce and savory ranch cream cheese are incredible inside the flaky crescent rolls, and the avocado bleu cheese dip is the icing on top.

Serve the poppers fresh out of the oven, or at room temperature. I actually thought they were better cooled down a bit.

It is Sunday yet?!

Now, lest you think all we’re going to do on Sunday is sit around eating corn dogs, cookie stuffed cookies, and cream cheese filled crescent rolls, I have an incredibly easy, light and HEALTHY option for your Super Bowl spread comin’ up tomorrow.

Have a great night, everyone!

Perhaps an Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie will do?!

A MINI Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie, even?? Gahhh I just love miniature things!

Outrageous stuffed cookies are all the rage on the interwebs right now (which I totally get – Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies had me at hello,) but since it’s the Super Bowl and you’ll probably be snacking on a variety of goodies, I thought I’d “lighten” things up a bit by using a mini Oreo to stuff between layers of chocolate chip cookie dough instead of a regular sized one. They’re perfect for nibbling between field goals!

As if it couldn’t get any better, this recipe has TWO ingredients: Pre-made cookie dough and blurry Mini Oreos. How’s that for easy?

You could totally use your own chocolate chip cookie dough, but if you’re making three or four dishes on Super Bowl Sunday like I am, you’ll want all the help you can get in the kitchen. Grab a package of cookie dough that makes 24 cookies, and start by breaking off one of the squares, then dividing it in half.

Flatten each half, then place a mini oreo on top of one half, and cover with the other. If you’re using homemade cookie dough, you’ll want about 1 teaspoon for each half (2 teaspoons total.)

Seal up the edges, and bake according to package directions.

Are you ready for this?

Mini Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Print this recipe!

Makes 24 stuffed cookies

Ingredients:

1 package 24 count pre-made cookie dough

24 mini oreos

Directions:

Preheat oven according to cookie dough package directions. Break off dough for one cookie, split in half, and flatten each half. Place a mini oreo on top of one half and cover with the other, sealing the edges. Continue with the rest of the package, then bake according to cookie dough package directions.

The irresistible aroma of these buttery, double chocolate cookies filled the entire house as they baked, and nearly sent me into a tizzy. They are craaazy good, and you only need to pop one, or two to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Plus, since they’re just stuffed with oreos, you don’t need to worry about any gooey or liquidy centers oozing out if you don’t seal them tight enough.

Mini Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies for MVP!

Stay tuned tomorrow for a dish you can assemble and bake during halftime – whee!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that the Super Bowl is this weekend.

Although a couple of days ago I did make the mistake of asking Ben what day of the week it was being played on. I regretted the question before I even finished asking it.

Smacks forehead. Twice. D’OH! Super Bowl Sunday most likely happens on a – wait for it – SUNDAY.

Hearty, one-sided chuckles ensued. Anyways.

Always up for a good theme week, I thought I’d share a few nibbles and bites over the next couple of days that are not only great for the big game this weekend, but would also be a hit at any party or get-together during the year. Even if you don’t enjoy football, a good appetizer recipe is always good to have in your back pocket, no?

I’m kicking things off (pun intended) with a sweet & savory bite that’s sure to score big points (…) with any crowd – Mini Corn Dog Muffins!

I am smashing my one corn dog a year rule to smithereens for these babies!!!

These poppable, sweet and crispy cornbread bites with salty, all-beef hot dogs taste exactly like a state fair corn dog in a teeny-tiny package!

Start the Mini Corn Dog Muffins by making the cornbread batter. Whisk together melted butter and sugar, then incorporate a couple eggs.

Next, pour in the secret ingredient that makes this cornbread ultra moist and yummy – buttermilk.

After the wet ingredients are combined, stir together the dry ingredients, including cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. Then, whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two batches, whisking well between each batch.

Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray, and spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter into each mini cup.

Next, cut up the hot dog centers. I used 100% beef Hebrew National Hot Dogs. You could totally use turkey dogs, if that’s your preference!

Hebrew National’s are longer, thinner hot dogs, so I cut each one into 6 pieces. You’ll want each piece to be about 1″ long.

Finally, place a hot dog piece into the center of each muffin tin.

And bake.

These piping hot, sweet and savory mini corn dog muffins are the perfect game-day food!

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Print this recipe!

Makes 48 mini muffins

Corn bread recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter (or 1/4 cup butter + 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

8-10 all-beef hot dogs, cut into 1″ bites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Add eggs and whisk to incorporate. Add buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.

2. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt, and stir to combine. Whisk into wet ingredients in two batches.

3. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray, and spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.

4. Bake for 8-12 minutes (oven temperatures vary), or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, and re-heat for 20-30 seconds before serving.

A schmear of cold ketchup really sends the corn dog flavor over the top. I can’t get over how insane these are!

I literally had to pry Ben’s fingers from the mini muffin tin. Once he popped, he could not stop.

These are amazing served straight out of the oven, but can be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator, and microwaved for 30 seconds or so when it’s kickoff time. They taste just as good reheated. Not that I nuked five today and would know or anything.

’til tomorrow!

~~~~~

“I watch the Superbowl for the _____”

a. Football

b. Commercials

c. Food

d. What’s the Super Bowl?

I spent the past couple of days getting re-acquainted with chocolate (uggghhhh yes…) shopping with my Mom, hanging out with Ben, and loving down a new Sephora find – Urban Decay De-Slick in a Tube.

This stuff ROCKS!

Previously I had been using Laura Mercier’s Shine Control Powder to mattify my oily-yet-sensitive skin. It worked fine, but I found myself having to reapply during the day. I tried the de-slick in a tube this weekend, and have had zero shine throughout the day – AND no dryness from the product either. It’s love!

Just thought I’d share.

In other news, this afternoon I planted myself in the kitchen to work on a few yummy freelance projects, whisking, pouring, and baking to the reggae tunes of Bob Marley on Pandora.

I couldn’t resist, as Ben and I finally booked our Spring Break trip yesterday. This April we’re heading straight to the sun, sand, and surf of Negril, Jamaica mon!

Ben and I haven’t been on a tropical, sand in our toes-type trip since our honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas in 2008.

We always like to go somewhere for our anniversary, and decided to take it totally easy for our fourth one (!) this year. The thought of kicking-back to eat, drink and be merry in the Caribbean sounded absolutely irresistible to both of us. I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Beach-body preparations begin immediately, starting with…pizza for dinner?

Despite it’s appearance, this isn’t pizza-pizza, rather, it’s low-carb Cauliflower Crust Pizza!

I’ve been seeing some buzz about cauliflower crust pizza – pizza that uses grated cauliflower instead of flour in the crust – for several months, and finally had the motivation to give it a try for dinner tonight.

The recipe starts with the crust. Instead of yeast, flour and the like, combine grated and steamed cauliflower with egg, seasonings, and mozzarella cheese instead.

Shape the mixture into a 1/2″ thick circle on a non-stick sprayed pizza pan.

Then bake the crust until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Now, the only way I could convince Ben to try this was to make it BBQ Chicken Pizza, his fave, so I topped the crust with BBQ sauce,

chopped –> seasoned –> sauteed chicken,

and 2% sharp shredded cheddar cheese.

Broil the pizza until the cheese is melted and the toppings are warmed through.

Finally, the moment of truth. How would it taste? What would the texture be like? Could a grated cauliflower crust pizza really replace standard pizza in my life?!

Well…

It was…different! The crust was a little moist, but still stood up to being held like a normal slice of ‘za. It was actually kind of wild.

The taste was excellent though, and if you are looking for a low-carb alternative to regular pizza crust, and/or have to get in a bikini in a couple months, then you will love this. Click here for the full recipe!

In other news – I’m off to oogle the dresses on the red carpet at the SAG Awards, then it’s off to bed. Hoping to squeeze in an early workout tomorrow morning.

Have a wonderful night!

~~~~~

What’s your favorite, must-have beauty item?

Where’s the last place you went to on vacation?

Are you a fan of “fake-out” recipes?

Wow, I kind of thought today would never come. Maybe it was the fact that week 2 of Sugar-Free Jebruary was a complete and total bee-yotch, that made me feel as though the days were crawling by at a snail’s pace.

While clementines and popcorn easily squashed any sugary cravings during the first week, it seemed nothing could quench my desire for chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate this week.

I AM SO READY FOR A FULL SIZE REESE’S EGG IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY.

Ahem! Excuse me! I don’t know what came over me. At any rate, while I wait for tomorrow to come, please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond, in this week’s Friday Favorites!

Favorite cookies: NYTimes Chocolate Chip Cookies. These chocolate chip cookies are my #1 favorite cookie OF. ALL. TIME. The longer the dough sits in the fridge before baking, the better the cookies get. Bleeeeeerg.

Favorite kitchen tip. Place condiments that won’t fit in the refrigerator door on lazy susans. This would be so helpful to corral all the jam, pickles and butter roaming wild on my shelves.

Favorite outfit. HEART this combo! I’m so into flowy blouses these days.

Favorite soup: Caramelized Balsamic Red Onion Soup with Cheese Topped Croutons. French Onion Soup on ‘roids!

Favorite truth. Ummm, yeah. Like, every Saturday and Sunday…

Favorite seasonal treat: Hot Cocoa Cookies. Now that we’ve finally got some snow on the ground, these hot cocoa-inspired sweet treats sound sooo yummy.

Favorite geek need: Cable Clips. This sounds ridiculous, but nothing annoys me more than when I unplug a cord from my laptop and it falls off the table and onto the floor. Just one of those things!

Favorite place: Alesund, Norway. Perfectly picturesque!

Favorite look: Floral Dress from Express. Perfect for a warm weather Spring Break vacation?!

Favorite easy treat: Cheesecake Crackers. Stir softened cream cheese with fruity jam, and spread on graham crackers. The longer you let it sit, the more the cracker will soften, mimicking real cheesecake.

Favorite DIY: Chevron Prints. I’ve been loving chevron lately, and think these would be a great accent for the guest bedroom.

Favorite funny. Pretty much what I want to do to every printer I’ve ever met.

Favorite idea. Make a heart cake for Valentine’s Day with 1 circle cake cut in half, and a regular square cake. Genius!

Favorite wow: Thorn Crown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. You have to checkout these pictures. What an amazing place!

Favorite hell yes: Peanut Butter Cereal Treats. Use Peanut Butter Captain Crunch instead of Rice Krispie treats – awwwww yeah.

Favorite kitchen. This is PERFECT to go inside my dream home, as the only room I didn’t really like in that house was the kitchen.

Favorite find: Essie “Meet Me at Sunset”. I bought this at Target last weekend and adore the shade. Bright, bright orange!

Favorite escape: Cafe Escapes Chai Latte. I cannot express to you how insanely delicious, sweet and spicy these babies are. I am OBSESSED! PS Get 15% off your GreenMountainCoffee.com order, plus free shipping, until February 29th with code AM0016-3592 at checkout.

Favorite picture: 6-Layer Rich Chocolate Malted & Toasted-Marshmallow Cake. Per-fec-tion!

Favorite pooch. CAN I HAVE HIM?!

View past Friday Favorites >

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

The boy and the girl were dating, but lived in separate apartments. The girl liked to have the boy over for dinner as often as she could because she liked the boy a lot, but also because she knew what the boy would eat every night if left to his own devices.

See, while the girl liked to cook meals chock full of fresh veggies and lean protein (for the most part,) the boy had a weakness for boxed dinners that called for a pound of “hamburger” to “help” them along.

The meals were quick, cheap, and painless to prepare, but loaded with salt and weird ingredients.

“Disodium guanylate?” The girl once asked the boy, after looking at the ingredient list.

“I think that just means ‘extra delicious’.” The boy replied.

The boy and the girl ended up getting married and moving back to Iowa a few years later, and while they’ve been eating well ever since, he occasionally likes to think of the boxed dinners from his bachelor days and drool a little.

More in love with the boy than ever, the girl offered to whip up a homemade version of his favorite “flavor”, Cheeseburger Macaroni.

And the boy freaking LOVED IT. And guess what? The girl did too!

Ok. The jig is up. The boy is Ben, and the girl is me. IGE. The rest of the story is true, however, including the part where Ben inhaled his bowl of Cheeseburger Macaroni. I literally gave him a bowl, went to snap a few pictures, and it was gone by the time I got back. Thanks for waiting. I kid!

The beauty of this meal is that it is inexpensive – I had all the ingredients on hand except for the hamburger to “help” bring the meal together – it’s made in one pot, so clean up is basically nil, and it’s ready in 20 minutes. 20 minutes!

Start by browning, and draining, one pound of ground beef. I used ultra-lean 96/4 ground beef.

Next, sprinkle in a rainbow of yummy seasonings and thickeners, including paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cornstarch.

Pour in water, skim milk,

and any short pasta. I wanted to use elbow macaroni, but only had mini penne on hand. Still worked fine!

Stir everything together, pop a lid on top, and simmer the mixture until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.

Finally, stir in a wee bit of sharp cheddar cheese, and it’s done!

Ultra cozy, ultra easy, and, most importantly, disodium guanylate free!

Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni

Print this recipe!

Serves 5

From Food.com

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef (I used 96/4)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup hot water

2 cups skim milk

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet or pot. Drain and return to pan.

2. Add in cornstarch, seasonings, hot water, skim milk and pasta. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, place a lid on top, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente, stirring a couple of times.

3. Turn off the heat and stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

This meal is the ultimate in comfort food, shockingly easy to prepare, and so dang good. SO good!

“The boy” also had a fondness for scooping up his boxed dinners with tortilla chips (I know) so “the girl” went ahead and made a healthy alternative for those, too. Kale Chips!

Kale Chips blow. My. Mind. How a soft, leafy vegetable goes from, well, soft and leafy, to audibly crispy and crunchy in 15 minutes in a hot oven, never ceases to amaze me.

Start with fresh kale. You can buy kale in bunches in the produce department, then strip the leaves from the tough stem and chop them up, or buy a bag of pre-cut and washed kale, like I found in my local grocery store.

I literally squealed aloud in delight when I found this!!

Place the kale in a ziplock bag, season it with extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, then shake the heck out of it.

See?

Spread the kale out on a non-stick sprayed, foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the leaves are dry and crisp.

You’ll be able to pick some off the baking sheet and tell if they’re done.

Sprinkle with a little salt when they’re still hot out of the oven, the be prepared to get your giggle on, because you will not believe how crispy, and potato-chip like these babies are!

Ok. Ben said they tasted like “burnt leaves”, but I LOVE them. Loved this whole dish!

In other news, the boy and the girl are going to go settle in for a night of good television together. Last week they laughed like crazy at the first funny episode of The Office of the whole entire season. They’re hoping for a repeat performance tonight!

Peace!

Well, wonder no more. I’m going to show you how to to pry the snappy seeds bursting with sweet juice out of a pomegranate with minimal muss and fuss. You’ll be done in 10 minutes or less!

How to Eat a Pomegranate

Print this tutorial!

Like I mentioned, you’re not really eating a pomegranate, rather, you’re eating the pomegranate’s seeds, which are called arils. The arils are what hold the antioxidant-rich, sweet/tart pomegranate juice, and are great for topping salads, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, or popping ‘em plain and pretending they’re healthy Nerds.

PS did anyone see Kim Kardashian housing Nerds on the last episode of Kim & Kourtney Take New York? Ben and I laughed for days.

Anyways…

Step 1: Pick a pomegranate

Look for a pomegranate that’s large, bright red, and smooth-skinned (the pomegranate in the picture below was a bit more weathered than I typically pick out). It should be heavy for it’s size, plump and not withered whatsoever.

Step 2: Cut the pomegranate in half

Place a very sharp knife to the right or left of the knob on top, and slice straight down. I usually cut the pomegranate on a plastic cutting board, as the pomegranate juice could stain a wooden board.

Step 3: Cut each half in half again

At this point you should have 4 quarters of the pomegranate.

Step 4: Invert one quarter of the pomegranate over a bowl in the kitchen sink, and pop the seeds out with your fingers

I try and get the majority of the seeds out with the peel inverted and facing me (so the seeds are face down in the bowl,) then flip the peel over to get the remainder out. Make sure you are doing this over the sink because pomegranate juice will be squirting out a bit, and it’s easier to contain and clean the juice out of the sink.

Continue with the remaining three pomegranate quarters.

Step 5: Fill the bowl of pomegranate seeds with cold water

You’ll want about 3-4 inches of water above the seeds.

Step 6: Remove any loose peel from the seeds

Give the pomegranate seeds a little swirl with your fingers to let any loose peel float to the top. The seeds will sink to the bottom, allowing you to easily clean the peel out.

Step 7: Drain the seeds and return them to the bowl

Refill the bowl with cold water one more time, clean out any remaining peel, and drain again.

That’s it!

Each pomegranate yields between 3/4 cup and 1 1/2 cups (6-12oz) of pomegranate seeds. Store the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, though I doubt they’ll last that long.

Still not convinced? Consider this:

Trader Joe’s sells 6oz packages of fresh pomegranate seeds for $4. They also sell whole pomegranates for $2. If you de-seed the pomegranate yourself you’re getting double the seeds, for half the price!

Now go forth, and eat pomegranates ’til you can eat pomegranates no more! (Which will likely never happen.)

Print this tutorial!

~~~~~

What’s your favorite way to enjoy pomegranate seeds or juice?

Tonight after workin’ it in the gym, then pushing myself through 12 minutes of torture the Day 1 Week 2 BodyRock.tv workout, I assembled what might be the most colorful dish that’s ever graced my kitchen table.

A Triple Orange & Avocado Salad!

This weekend I found myself with three (three!) types of oranges, and planned this dinner with some other fixins’ tout de suite.

The different oranges turned out to be all different colors, which made this salad as colorful as it was delicious. A feast for the eyes and the soul.

I started the salad by cutting off the peels of the different kinds of oranges, then cutting just the segments out.

First up were blood oranges. All my life I’ve wanted to try a blood orange, and what do I see when I walk into Target on Saturday? An entire case of ‘em. I couldn’t believe my eyes!

These ruby-red beauties look nothing like their navel counterparts, but taste the exact same. It’s so wild.

A navel orange and Cara Cara orange joined the citrus lineup next. I’d never had a Cara Cara orange, but I found big bags of them on sale at Trader Joe’s on Sunday (I ran a lot of errands this weekend…) and decided, what the heck. I’m so glad I did because their pretty pink color is absolutely adorable, plus they’re sweeter than regular navel oranges which you know I love.

On top of the salad were buttery avocado slices, and a generous sprinkle of hot pink pomegranate seeds. Tomorrow I’ll show you how to easily get them out of the pomegranate.

Studding the salad were sauteed jumbo shrimp, added for staying power.

All I did was saute fresh shrimp in a hot skillet in non-stick spray for 3-4 minutes a side, until they were curled and pink.

This Weber Seafood Seasoning I used was awesome with all the sweet flavors in the salad.

Finally, I drizzled on a homemade Lemon Poppyseed Vinaigrette and called it a day!

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Print this recipe!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon poppyseeds

1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia

salt & pepper

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a jar and shake until combined.

This is feel good great food, people!