delicious breakfast

Recently, I tried my most favorite breakfast on an English muffin instead of toast and I loved it.  Use Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Sesame Butter, any kind of nut butter you like.  Throw some bananas on top and drizzle some honey and it is amazing for breakfast.  

Seriously give it a go !! 

Enjoy !!! 

mexican stirfry

Mexican stir fry is something that happens when you don't know what to make and you have lots of vegetables left, a lot of salsa, beans, some hot peppers, and hot sauce.  It may sound weird or like it's too much food, but in a pinch this can really work.  

Basically, take whatever frozen/fresh vegetables you have that are commonly used in tacos, burritos, or fajitas and add some beans, salsa, hot sauce, and whatever other spices you think may work.  

Then add in some cooked steak, chicken, or leave it vegetarian.  I think I used some leftover steak from the night before.  

Keep adding the freshness.  Throw in some fresh tomatoes for good measure. 

Top it with some rice and top with avocado, red onion, salsa, sour cream and you have yourself one hell of a meal. 

Enjoy !!! 

Gluten Free Rhode Island Polenta

I grew up in Rhode Island.  Some call it Lil Rhody or the best place on earth and some just call it home.  As I get older and older Rhode Island is home and it probably always will be.  Unless, my husband and I magically decide to move to Europe.  In your 20s you move from place to place while you are trying to get your bearings it is hard to hold to something that is "home."  For me Rhode Island has always been that and I think it will be always continue to be that until my husband and I really settle down and have children.  But for now it's the closest thing I have to true roots and it will probably stay like that. 


I don't ever remember eating or even hearing about Polenta when I was a kid growing up in Rhode Island.  But apparently it is a common dish in Rhode Island.  Most recently, my mom got this cookbook and I knew I had to take a look inside.  I came across this recipe for polenta and it sounded amazing ! 

First, start by chopping up a whole bin of baby portabella mushrooms.  

Then, slice up one onion and begin to saute them in a frypan.  Add in 1 large 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes.  Toss in 3-4 tablespoons of minced garlic.  Add a dash of red wine.  Then add in 4 chicken sausage to simmer inside the wonderful tomato sauce you have just created.  If you taste it and find the sauce to be too acidic add in 2 finely grated carrots.  Even if you don't find that it is add em' in anyways.  The more vegetables you can add into your daily diet the better I say !!

Polenta is extremely easy to make ---


This is the basic recipe I use 9 times out of 10 unless I find something else that looks great.


1 cup of polenta (corn grits) - I always find that the best polenta is made from thicker corn grits.
3 cups of water, veggie stock, or chicken stock
2 tbs of butter
a pinch of salt
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese


Heat the water up in a saucepan.  Then when it comes to a rolling boil whisk quickly in the corn grits until they start to firm up and you have polenta.  Then stir in the rest of the ingredients.


For gluten-free folks polenta can be a nice alternative to pasta as you see below.  It's an Italian dream dinner for gluten-free individuals.


Top it with your sauce and serve it with 1-2 chicken sausages.

Enjoy !!! 



rhubard upside down cake

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie.  I found it in my archives from the end of summer.  I feel awful that I didn't get it on the blog back that.  I guess it doesn't make much sense to even post it now, but I don't care.  I love rhubarb.  Even though the only thing people are thinking about is pumpkins, acorn squash, and Halloween candy I figured why not. 

 

I even made this back in July, when my husband and I were still in Maine.  There two things I adore about Maine in the summer.  I lied I love everything about summer in Maine.  I do however love how plentiful rhubarb and fiddleheads are in the late summer months.  Not to mention strawberries, blueberries, lobster, and so much more.  Rhubarb is so plentiful in Maine in the late summer months you can sometimes find it for 15 cents a pound or even free from a co-worker like I did. 

Start by slicing up about 2 pounds of rhubarb. Place in a separate bowl and set aside.

Then in a small saucepan heat up the rhubarb slightly with 1/4 cup of sugar so the sweetness of the rhubarb is enhanced. 

Then place the rhubarb in the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish. 

Then cream together 1 1/2 sticks of room temperature butter with 1 3/4 cups of sugar.

It will end up looking like what you see below.  Then add 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, a little salt, 1/2 tsp of orange zest, 1 tablespoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoons of orange juice, 2 large eggs, and 1 cup of fat-free sour cream.  Mix that all together with a hand blender.

Then pour your cake batter all over the top of the rhubarb. Bake the cake in an oven as fast as you can at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Then allow it to cool.  If you are unsure of how done it is be sure to test it with a cake tester or a toothpick will work just fine.

Flip it over on top a serving dish and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.  This is very much a summer desert, but try something different.  Make it in the middle of winter and see what people think !!!

Enjoy !!!

smores brownies

Adapted from: The Food Network

Who doesn't love smores?  When I was 12 I probably could have had 3 of them in one sitting, but now I can barely get through 1.  All the while, they are still an amazing combination.  I find myself liking more adult combinations of the flavors now than the smores themselves.  One of those combinations are dark chocolate smores brownies.  They are richer than the typical smore for sure, but totally worth it.  These are definitely one of things to make for a party or for work so you are not stuck with a pan of brownies of this caliber at home.  Not like they wouldn't be eaten, but they are far to rich and unhealthy for a even a family of four to enjoy.  I guess you could freeze them and forget about them that way you don't eat them all, but who the hell can do that?

Start with making the brownie batter

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

(Melt the butter and dark chocolate in the microwave together)

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Mix the wet ingredients together.
Then mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Then combine the ingredients.  Be sure to stir it vigorously to incorporate all the ingredients properly.

The recipe came with a serious graham cracker crust with more butter and salt.  I thought to cut down on the extra fat slightly I would just crush up graham crackers in the bottom.  I will tell you what it didn't really matter.  Once they cooked up they got nice and soft and tasted pretty similar to a graham cracker crust. 

Then you pour the brownie batter on top.  Then stack a bunch of marshmallows on top.  These are going to get all golden brown and toasted like they would in really smores through the baking process.

 

Place the pan in an oven at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes.  The best way to test if they are done is with a toothpick.  If it comes out clean you are good to go !!!

Keep in mind, these do turn into a sticky mess.  It is so worth it for the 10 minutes you feel like you are sitting around a campfire and 13 again.

Enjoy !!!

salad with dinner every night

My husband and I have an expensive but healthful habit.  We have salad every night with dinner.  It ends up making us eat less than we use to.  Plus, it adds a ton of fiber and vegetables that we may not have had with our dinner.  

I make it ahead of time.  Place a dry paper towel in the bowl to soak up any extra moisture and help the salad last longer.   

Then I flip it over so that all the extra moisture can really get out of the salad and it is ready for us to enjoy every night with dinner.  Excuse the extra supply of shipyard pumpkinhead from Maine that we have stocked away for winter. 

We have been doing this for a good 3 years.  I know that it has definitely helped us have a higher fiber diet without really trying.  Check it out we can have this all year long, every season, and every night of the week.  

Like I said it is an amazing habit to have, but it is certainly an expensive habit.  

Enjoy !!! 

squash fries

Sure tater tots, crinkle fries, and curly fries are amazing and quick.  Sure they can be pulled from the freezer and baked up quickly in the oven.  I pose this question to you.  Why not butternut squash fries?  They are delicious.  They can be baked like you would bake sweet potatoes and that's the best part.  

These take a little longer to make, but they are full of flavor and wonderfully healthy.  All you have to do is peel the squash with a vegetable peeler.  

Then cut it in half, take out the seeds, and begin to cut out fry-like shapes.  

Then take a baking sheet and add a sheet of foil.  Then spray pam all over the squash fries.  Make sure they are completely coated.  Place them in the oven at 450 for about 20 minutes until they get crispy all over. 

Then enjoy the goodness !!!! 

Enjoy !!!

baked squash

I love taking advantage of squash and different kinds of eggplants in late summer early fall.  They are so plentiful now that you cant go wrong.  My absolute favorite way to cook them is in my cast iron skillet in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degree.  They roast up so nicely and get toasty brown all over.  

Chop them up any way you like then add a little olive oil salt and pepper and you will love it.