The Sweet Details

Road Trip: Day 13-The Oregon Coast

2012-02-24T08:00:00.001-06:00

We didn't get a lot of photos while we drove along the coast of Oregon (because a lot of it was done while dark) but wow, it was pretty. Here are a few photos I took and a couple stops we took as we went from Oregon to Washington.

(I wish I could remember the name of this little area because it was so pretty. We ran out of gas so I pulled off the highway and ended up here. It was such a beautiful lake and quiet little cottage/resort town. I would go there for sure to "get away")

Here are a few videos to give you a better idea of the Oregon coast and to really make you want to go!

Baking Goal: Cookie Dough Truffles

2012-02-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

Oh my gosh I'm in cookie dough heaven! This looks like the best of both worlds: my love for cookie dough, but still being classy!

Check out the recipe at Cupcakes with Sprinkles

Baking My Way: Basic Refrigerator Cookies

2012-02-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Not my favorite of this challenge but they would make a good base recipe for adding any sort of goodies you want.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt until well combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts.

Divide dough into 3 equal parts; shape each into roll 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 425°F. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

Make your own-do-ahead dough. Cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. When you want, slice and bake the frozen dough as directed in the recipe.

Chicken Curry

2012-02-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Source

I wanted to try a different recipe for chicken curry and I came across this one. Don't get overwhelmed with how many ingredients there are, it really adds to the floavor and I think you'll really love this one. Beware though, it's really spicy!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Saute onion until lightly browned.

Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt.

Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper.

Simmer 5 more minutes.

Note: I put mine in a slow cooker with raw chicken drum sticks (after mixing it all together) and cooked it in there for 5 hours. It gets spicier the longer you cook it so keep that in mind. In the end I had to add a lot of plain yogurt to tame it down.

Baking My Way: Jan Hagel Bars

2012-02-20T08:00:00.002-06:00

This is the second bar I made for the anniversary celebration. It's dutch so I thought that was fitting seeing as a lot of the family is dutch. This bar is a nice change from all the American recipes in this book and you can tell it's European and I love that. It's soft and I love the sugar and nuts on top; for some reason it makes me feel like a kid.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg, separated
2 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 15x10x1-inch baking pan. In large bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, margarine, almond extract and egg yolk; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and cinnamon; mix well. Press evenly in greased pan.
In small bowl, beat water and egg white until frothy; brush over dough. Sprinkle evenly with almonds and 1/4 cup sugar.
Bake at 350°F. for 17 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately cut into 3x1-inch bars. Cool completely in pan.

Savory Sunday is over at Green Girly

2012-02-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hey all!

I'm hosting Savory Sunday over at Green Girly this week! Come on over, link up, and become a follower there! You'll love it, I promise :)

My Next Birthday Cake

2012-02-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

I know my birthday is far away but I'm already dreaming about my next birthday cake :)

Guest Writer: Teresa with Caramelitas

2012-02-17T08:00:00.001-06:00

I grew up on a grain and cattle farm in southern Manitoba. I currently does communications for a not-for-profit agriculture association in Winnipeg. In my spare time I enjoys whipping up my favourite recipes in the kitchen. My blogs about farm, food, family and other fun stuff is Rural Router Ramblings.

What is your name? Teresa Falk

Where do you live? Winnipeg, Manitoba

What's your favourite recipe? Cowboy Cookies (see the recipe on my blog)

What's your favourite kitchen tool? Cookie dropper

What are some words to live by? “There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.”

Today I'm sharing a sinfully delicious recipe called Caramelitas. The combination of chocolate and caramel is oh-so-good! Make sure you have a mug of coffee or tall glass of milk to go with this. Enjoy!

Caramelitas
Melt together in the microwave or on the stove:
46 caramels
6 tbsps cream or milk

Combine: 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/4 tsp. salt, 3/4 tsp. baking soda, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup melted butter

Press about half of the oatmeal mixture in a 9 by 13 pan and bake 7 minutes at 350 F.

Oatmeal mixture pressed into the pan.

Remove from oven and pour on caramel mixture.

Sprinkle on: 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup nuts

Throw on some chocolate chips. Now some nuts.

Sprinkle on remaining crumbs. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350 F.

More crumbs.

Ooey gooey good Caramelitas

Want to be a guest writer?? Here's how!

Baking My Way: Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

2012-02-16T08:00:00.003-06:00

These cookies would be great with frosting! They're a little dull and dry as they are. I think I would make them again if I could frost them but I was just following what the recipe said. Next time icing it up! (They are a good alternative to white flour sugar cookies!)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add milk, lemon peel, vanilla and egg; blend well. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.

Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Health Tip of the Week: Omega Oils, How to Get What You Need

2012-02-16T08:00:00.002-06:00

Omega-3 fatty acids are not one single nutrient, but a collection of several, including eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Both are found in greatest abundance in coldwater fish -- and that, say experts, is one reason so many of us are deficient.

Over the past several years, the FDA and other groups have issued warnings about mercury and other harmful chemicals found in fish. This has led many people to stop eating fish.

Even if you obey the FDA warnings in the strictest sense, the latest advisory says that up to 12 ounces of a variety of fish each week is safe for everyone.

According to the American Heart Association, those looking to protect their hearts should eat a variety of types of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) at least twice a week. Those with heart disease should get 1 gram of omega-3s (containing both EPA and DHA) per day, preferably from fatty fish.

But even if you don't like fish (or choose not to eat it), you can still get what you need from dietary sources such as flaxseed.

“It's safe to say this (flaxseed) is the most potent plant source of omega-3," says Magee, author of The Flax Cookbook. While flaxseed contains no EPA or DHA, Magee says, it's a rich source of another omega-3 known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which the body can use to make EPA and DHA.

Other sources of omega-3s include broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, and walnuts.

About an ounce -- or one handful -- of walnuts has about 2.5 grams of omega-3s which is equal to about 3.5 ounces of salmon.Factors found in olive oil can also help boost the good cholesterol, which can also help your heart.

Restaurant Review: Burrito Del Rio

2012-02-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

When I heard about this place I was excited that there was another Mexican restaurant in town (I can only think of 4 that we have; this doesn’t include fast-food places, they’re not real).

I went there on a sunny summer afternoon. We ordered our food, got it, and went outside on the patio and enjoyed. I had (can you guess?) a burrito. It was big and filling and I ended up taking a lot of it home. I thought it was over priced, but the fact that I had left over made it more ok. And something else that I really liked is they had a lot of different drinks (sodas, and beers) that you usually can’t find up here. They too were over priced but it was nice for a treat to get something that I remember so well (from when I used to live there).

I still think it’s a bit of a glorified fast-food place, but a little healthier.

On a scale of 1-10 (1- Horrible, it should be closed down!! 10- Amazing, would go back again and again!) I give it “7- Pretty good, but I likely wouldn’t go back”

I have a google ad!!

2012-02-14T09:02:00.000-06:00

That's me, at the bottom! It's a local ad so if you're not in Winnipeg or Manitoba it won't come up for you but I thought I'd let you all know because I'm super excited!!

I spent an hour and half on the phone with google which was like pulling teeth but now I'm sort of feeling like it was worth it!!

Check out my wedding planning site: www.mydayeventplanning.com

Guest Writer: Snickerdoodles: A Part of Every New England Childhood

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Growing up in a small fishing village in Maine, meant growing up with four distinct seasons, pristine air, and the sort easy friendliness that comes with knowing that your nearest neighbor may be the only person who can find you in a snowstorm, so you better be nice to them. There were also certain
rituals that were carried in my household and that were truly unique to a New England upbringing. One such ritual was the batch of Snickerdoodles my mother made the day before the start of each school year throughout my elementary school years. I have lived all over the world since leaving Maine in my teens, and there are few things more fun than bringing a batch of Snickerdoodles to a party in Argentina or Korea, and having another foreigner exclaim, “Hey! You made Snickerdoodles! I LOVE these! Are you from New England?” It has happened at least once in every country, and it has led me to believe that this recipe, for whatever reason, is synonymous with a childhood spent in the northeast United States for many people.

Snickerdoodles are rather ridiculously easy to prepare, and though I always attempt to adhere to the recipe that was in the big dog-eared “Better Homes and Gardens” cookbook my mother kept next to the spice jars, I have had to deviate from the recipe on occasion, simply out of necessity. Somehow these cookies are fabulous no matter how experimental I had to get. Make them, relax
on the sofa, and then munch away on a little bit of New England.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup of butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
3 tbl. sugar
1 tbl. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a small bowl mix 3 tbl. of sugar and 1 tbl. of cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

4. Add vanilla, milk, and eggs and beat well.

5. Add baking soda, cream of tartar, and flour until the dough is well mixed.

6. Make balls with the dough, approximately one inch (2.54 cm) big.

7. Roll the balls in the sugar/cinnamon mixture you set aside earlier.

8. Put cookies on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Flatten the balls a little with your hand before putting the sheet in the oven.

9. Back for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown, with slightly darker edges.

After cooling, they will be a little crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. This recipe will make approximately 66 cookies, but that depends largely on the amount of dough you use for each ball. Enjoy!

Baking My Way: Peanut & Candy Jumbles

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not really too sure I have to say too much about these cookies, I mean look at the picture, doesn't it just make you drool? I don't love chunks of peanuts in cookies but they were still great cookies.

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter- softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup salted peanuts
3/4 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces

- Heat oven to 375 degrees.

- In large bowl, combine brown sugar, margarine and peanut butter. Beat
until light and fluffy.

- Add vanilla and egg. Blend well.

- Add flour, whole wheat flour and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in
peanuts and candy.

- Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

- Bake for 6-10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove
from cookie sheets.

Savory Sunday- Calling all V-day Recipes!

2012-02-12T08:00:00.004-06:00

If you weren't already in the mood or spirit of love and Valentine's Day you better be now! I just wanted to temp you with a couple of photos I found on the web. I'd love for you to post your sweet and savory v-day favs, and of course any recipe you want but I'd love some more love over here!!

Now to the tastes of this week!

An Amazing Stir Fry Sauce from Little Mommy, Big Appetite

Double Chocolate Meyer Lemon Mousse Cake from Cook Lisa Cook

Sloppy Joes from Like Mother, Like Daughter

from Happily Home After

Green Rice from Galley Kitchen

Here's how it will work:

1) Link up to the link below (link as many as you want but try to link something savory if you can)
2) Grab the Savory Sunday button and put it in the post you are sharing
3) Leave a comment after you post
4) I'd love for you to become a follower if you're not but it's not a requirement :)

Road Trip: Day 12, Part 2- The Drive-through Tree & The Animals

2012-02-10T08:00:00.001-06:00

We drove along the coast some more after our hike, took a little stop to take these photos and stretch and kept going.

We saw signs for the "tree so big you can drive-through it" so we decided we would give it a look. Who knows when you'll be down here again right?

(That was me in there, trying not to get super muddy)

I was taking a nap in the back seat and woke up to an empty car and when I looked out the window I was surrounded by animals. It was a very nice thing to wake up to!

If you want to beef up on your knowledge of Redwoods and The Redwood Forest I found some really great videos. They won't let you embed them but here's a link to get you started!

Health Tip: The Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

I am really low in iron. Not sure what's wrong with my body (I could try to explain the process of how I got low in iron but it's complicated and long!) but I know what I can do to start making positive changes! My holistic doctor told me to start taking blackstrap molasses, 2 tablespoons a day. I did, and wow, what a difference! More energy, and just all around more alert which I was so lacking! I'm not the best at explaining certain health tips so I thought I would being you part of an article from Zen to Fitness! If you're not convinced after this well, you've got a problem!

Blackstrap Molasses is a syrupy sweetener that can be bought pretty cheaply these days. Thankfully it is very different to other sweeteners which are highly refined, processed and stripped of all their nutrients (Glucose Syrup, White Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup etc….). I am a big believer in getting our vitamins and minerals from real food – For me a small amount of real food nutrients are far better utilised by the body than any synthetic vitamin could ever be.
Now I know a lot of people will think this post is basically touting sugar, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As blackstrap molasses is totally different from other types of sweet foods or sugars and works as a very healthy sweetener for tea, coffee, oatmeal and many other dishes.

Our society is so chemical laden that we are leeching the minerals that we need from our systems. Blackstrap puts back some of those minerals naturally.

This is because Blackstrap Molasses is one of the most nutrient dense foods around – full of vitamins and minerals containing the following:

- Iron
- Calcium (more calcium than dairy)
- Magnesium
- Mangenese, Chromium, Molybdenum, and many other trace minerals.
- B Vitamins
- Vitamin E

The high and bio-available source of Iron makes it a great addition to females diets as well as growing children – To put it in perspective Molasses has more iron than red meat. It is also rich in calcium which makes people think of dairy or green vegetables as the only source. We forget how important calcium is for metabolism, muscle contractions and correct cell function. 2 TSP’s of blackstrap molasses will provide you with a large proportion of your daily needs of many of these vitamins and minerals, most importantly though they come in a form that our bodies are familiar with and can make use of.

Baking My Way: Crisp & Chewy Molasses Cookies

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

These cookies are a lot like ginger snaps. I love ginger snaps but if I wanted to make them I would just make them, I don't think I would make these. I find it silly they don't just call them ginger snaps, but I guess there are a few different ingredients. I just don't get why someone would create a recipe so similar. Well another recipe tried, moving on to more in the book!

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, combine sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; blend well. Add all remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.

On waxed paper, shape dough into roll 9 inches long. Wrap roll in waxed paper or plastic wrap; refrigerate 6 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 375°F. Cut dough into 1/2-inch slices; cut each slice into quarters. Place slices 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375°F. for 6 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns

2012-02-06T08:00:00.002-06:00

Remember I posted this recipe a while ago? Well I thought I would post about the Cinnamon Buns I made with it!

Dough:
1 3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour (reg flour)
2 tsp bread machine yeast (found next to the regular yeasts)

Add ingredients in the order they are listed. Turn on machine for dough cycle or use a mixer with dough mixers. Put aside to rise for 30-50 minutes (if you didn't use a dough machine)

Preheat oven to 375.

Filling:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
2-3 tsp cinnamon

Optional:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins

Mix filling ingredients. Spread over rolled out dough. Optional: Sprinkle raisins and pecans over dough. Roll up and cut in 3/4'' slices. Place in baking dish (2- 9x13 is what I used). Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Baking My Way: So-Easy Sugar Cookie Bar

2012-02-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

I think this recipe has become one of my go to recipe. It's so easy and so tasty, and you don't have to spend all that time rolling out and cutting shapes to get that great sugar cookie taste. And it's almost a guarantee they'll be soft because it's in a bar, almost like a blonde brownie. If you love sugar cookies you will love this recipe!

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup oil
1 Tablespoon milk
1 to 2 teaspoons almond extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon colored sugar crystals

Heat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, beat 3/4 cup sugar, butter, oil, milk, almond extract, and egg until light and fluffy.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt; blend well.

Spread evenly in an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan; sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar crystals.

Bake at 375 F for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Watch carefully -- they burn quickly. Cool 5 minutes; cut into bars.

Savory Sunday

2012-02-05T10:46:00.001-06:00

Hi Lovlies!

Not sure if you saw this yet or not but I just wanted to let you know that I started a new blog! I'd love to have you come over and support me over there!

Here's what it's about:

Here at Green Girly I'm going to share with you everything I find in my journey to become a better planet keeper, person, lover, friend, sister, wife, daughter, and all around lover of the earth.

Please come on over and show your love!

Now to Savory Sundays and all the yummy food!

Mashed Potato Pie from Making Memories with your Kids

Mexican Guacamole from Gluten Free A-Z

Slow Cooker Kielbasa with Greens from Let's Talk Dollars & Cents

Chocolate Eclair Cake from Let's Talk Dollars & Cents

Pink Chocolate-filled Kisses from Simply Sweet n' Savory

Here's how it will work:

I started another blog!!

2012-02-03T09:44:00.001-06:00

Hi Lovlies!

I just wanted to let you know that I started a new blog! I'd love to have you come over and support me over there!

Here's what it's about:

Here at Green Girly I'm going to share with you everything I find in my journey to become a better planet keeper, person, lover, friend, sister, wife, daughter, and all around lover of the earth.

Please come on over and show your love!

Lemon Sherbet

2012-02-03T09:17:00.000-06:00

The best recipe I found for this had no sugar in it and I just thought that would be so lemon intense so I made a few changes. I think the next time I make this I'm going to add even more sugar and maybe a little vanilla too because this recipe so seriously lemonlisious! If you love lemons you are going to love this recipe! It pairs really well with the strawberry sherbet I made (I'll be posting that one soon!)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups water
The zest of a half a lemon
The juice of three lemons (around 1 cup)
An ice cream machine

Preparation:
Bring the sugar, water and lemon zest to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Let the mixture cool, stir in the lemon juice, and make the sherbet, following the instructions given by the manufacturer of your ice cream machine.

Health Tip of the Week: What you Need to Know about Omega Oils

2012-02-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

If you ask folks what food group they should avoid, most will probably answer "fats." While it's true that, in large amounts, some types of fat are bad for your health (not to mention your waistline), there are some we simply can't live without.

Among them are the omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods including walnuts, some fruits and vegetables, and coldwater fish such as herring, mackerel, sturgeon, and anchovies.

The benefits of omega-3s include reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Some research has even shown that omega-3s can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer's disease.

Just how do omega-3s perform so many health "miracles" in people? One way, experts say, is by encouraging the production of body chemicals that help control inflammation -- in the joints, the bloodstream, and the tissues.

But even as important is their ability to reduce the negative impact of yet another essential type of fatty acid known as omega-6s. Found in foods such as eggs, poultry, cereals, vegetable oils, baked goods, and margarine, omega-6s are also considered essential. They support skin health, lower cholesterol, and help make our blood "sticky" so it is able to clot. But when omega-6s aren't balanced with sufficient amounts of omega-3s, problems can ensue.

"When blood is too 'sticky,' it promotes clot formation, and this can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke," says nutritionist Lona Sandon, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. But once you add omega-3s to the mix, the risk of heart problems goes down, she tells WebMD.

The latest research shows that the most promising health effects of essential fatty acids are achieved through a proper balance between omega-3s and omega-6s. The ratio to shoot for, experts say, is roughly 4 parts omega-3s to 1 part omega-6s.

Most of us, they say, come up dangerously short.

"The typical American diet has a ratio of around 20 to 1 -- 20 omega-6's to 1 omega-3 -- and that spells trouble," says Sandon, an assistant professor of nutrition at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. While reducing your intake of omega-6s can help, getting more omega-3s from food is an even better way to go.

Baking My Way: Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread

2012-02-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

This shortbread is tasty. Nice and crisp, and perfect for dipping in tea!

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon lemon peel
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar

Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Stir in poppy seeds and lemon peel. Gradually add flour; mix well. Divide dough into four portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 4-in. circle. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Cut each circle into six wedges. Prick dough with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Cool for 4 minutes before removing to wire racks. Break into wedges when cool.

Restaurant Review: Taste of Laos

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I went here with my girl friend Katie. The place was empty (it was only 4:30pm) but both the server and the cook (or at least she looked like the cook with her apron and cap) greeted me and told me pick a table. I got water and menus right away and quickly started looking at all the options and pictures (I love it when menus have pictures!).

Katie was running late and told me to order for us so I picked the ginger beef (which didn’t just have the favor of ginger but a whole lot of pieces too!) and a deluxe stir-fry.

Katie came and almost perfectly a couple minutes later our food came.

I found the ginger a little over powering but the beef in that dish was amazing and the stir-fry was perfect with the thin noodles and rice on the side.

It’s a small sort of hold in the wall type place with out of date décor but the food was great, and definitely worth a try.

On a scale of 1-10 (1- Horrible, it should be closed down!! 10- Amazing, would go back again and again!) I give it “8- Good Service, good food, good pricing, I’d go back if someone really wanted to.”

Baking Goal: Lemon Ice Box Pie

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-06:00

Doesn't this look wonderful? I love lemon cream pies and I love those vanilla cookies on top so I know that I am going to love making this!

Check out the recipe at Cooking With K

Baking My Way: Fudgy Brownie

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

I needed to bake two bars for Marshall's grandparent's 60th anniversary celebration and this was one of the ones I picked. I was more then happy to bake something because I still have so many recipes to try in my book.

I've made a lot of brownies and just looking at this recipe I wasn't too sure that it would be the type that I like (soft, chewy and very chocolatey!) but I was wrong, they are so tasty! And yes, SOO fudgy! I think the key is to not over bake, if you do that well there goes the fudgy part! I added some icing sugar to the top to add a little more excitement.

Brownie:
4 oz. chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter

Brownie:
Heat oven to 350.

Grease 13x9'' pan.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring contently until smooth. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, vanilla and eggs; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, salt and chocolate mixture; blend well.

Spread in greased pan.

Bake for 30-38 minutes. DO NOT OVER-BAKE!

Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.

Glaze:
In a small saucepan, melt glaze ingredients over low heat, stir contently until smooth.

Drizzle over cooled brownie.

Let set, cut into bars.

Savory Sunday

2012-01-29T10:26:00.001-06:00

Hi Ladies!

Wow, you really brought your A game last week! I wanted to pick everything, so tasty!!! Here's a little sneak peak of some yummy cupcakes I'll be posting about soon, but now on to the pick of the week!

Maple Bacon Biscuits from Dixie Chick Cooks

BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup from Homegrown Beans

Samoa Cookie Caramel Brownie from Making Memories with Your Kids

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe from Heidi's Recipes

Crispy Shrimp Tacos & Beans from Mostly Food & Crafts

Kielbasa, Kale and Cannelini Pasta from Mostly Food & Crafts

Here's how it will work:

Road Trip: Day 12- Redwood Forest- Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

We stayed the night just outside of San Francisco.

I know, this shot is super bad, but I sort of like it. I was driving and Marshall was just in ow of the hillside and all the vineyards we were seeing. He was trying to take pictures as well as he could but we got a new DSLR literally hours before we went on the road so we really didn't have a lot of time to learn how to use it.

Some friends of ours when they heard we were taking a road trip to California told us we had to go not only to the Redwood Forest but to Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve. Our friends uncle lives down there and took them there when they took a similar trip to ours and they were just blown away.

I've heard that it's a lot more amazing then the touristy more traveled to parks because it's in a valley and it used to be a lake so all that sediment really made the soil rich there and the trees have been left alone to just grow and grow.

Marshall and I spent two hours walking and hiking around in this reserve. We didn't talk too much we were just too in ow and speechless; you just don't see stuff like this every day (well I don't at least) and it's just amazing what God had made and what can happen and how things can grow if we just leave it all alone.

The way to get here is a little confusing and out of the way (there are no signs) if you've never been here before and we actually drove right past all the turn offs and into the next nearest town (19 miles ahead). He stopped to get gas and the man in front of me saw my plates and started asking me about Manitoba. He was the hippy type and I loved it. I love it when people just talk to you out of the blue like that and just to talk, and be friendly, not to get anything out of it.

So we were talking and I was telling him about why we were down there and what we were all doing. He said we had to go to Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve (not in the so many words but he explained it to a tee and I knew we were talking about the same place) and that it was just "SOO epic!". I got him to explain it to me again and we got our directions all sorted. As we were just finishing up and getting ready to get back on the road he asked "Do you guys smoke the herbal because I would be more then happy to give you some for your trip". I've never down drugs before, not even weed, so that sort of stuff usually catches me off guard but I just felt this total hospitality from this guy, like he would have given me the shirt off his back if I asked for it. I said no thank you but I really enjoyed meeting him. There's a lot of very nice people in that area!

If you are wanting to head this way here's the great instructions that we got:

If you are traveling up Highway 1 along the coast, you will need to turn inland on Comptche Ukiah Road and travel East about 30 miles to Montgomery Woods.

If you are headed north on Highway 101, you will exit in Ukiah and take Orrs Spring Road West for 13 miles to the park.

If you are traveling north from San Francisco, I recommend you take Highway 101 to Ukiah and then use Orrs Spring/Comptche Road to get to the coast. That road will deposit them on the coast just south of the beautiful town of Mendocino.

(We went with the last option and it worked out really well. We took the road all the way from the town to the forest reserve and then to the coast. It was a lot of slow winding driving so be ready for that but believe me it's so worth it!)

Baking My Way: Low-Fat Molasses Cookies

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

These cookies are sort of like a ginger snap but much fluffier and a bit healthier. They'd be great for a camping or hiking snack!

Ingredients
5 oz. (3/4 cup) pitted prunes
1/3 cup hot water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar

Directions
In blender or food processor bowl with metal blade, combine prunes and hot water. Cover; process 2 to 3 minutes or until pureed. In large bowl, combine prune mixture, 1 cup sugar, molasses and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F. for 8 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Living room Redo

2012-01-23T11:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure I ever showed you guys this! We've made some more changes since this but isn't it great what a couple small changes can make? Change the walls, new blinds and wow!

Savory Sunday

2012-01-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Not sure if you've seen this video yet, if you have, watch it again, if you haven't I think you'll love it. I love animals and this just makes me love them more!!

Happy Sunday everyone! Here's my yummy picks for this week!

Maple Muffins from Let's Talk Dollars and Cents

Corn Tortillas from (Don't Be) Too Timid and Squeamish

Basil Pesto from Mrs. No-No Knows

Chicken & Whole Grain Salad from Poppi Linn

Cajun Sweet Potato Fries from LouLou Sucre

Here's how it will work:

Shortbread Coconut Brownie

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

So I made some chocolate pixies and I found the dough just so hard to work with, and I had been baking for hours so I just gave up and put the rest of the dough in the fridge. I was planning to come back to it and finish making the cookies but then I started complaining to Marshall that I was so not interested in doing that. He said "Make a cake out of it". I, being the baker, quickly told him "I can't just do that, the recipes are totally different!" but then I thought about it some more and realized he was sort of right (don't worry, I told him he was right too, he liked that). I decided that because the chocolate pixie recipe just stuck to the pan I would have to put some sort of layer under it. What better then shortbread right? And I thought it was a little boring just like that so I thought why not some coconut? I just made a German Chocolate Brownie so I took and altered that recipe, put it all together, crossed my fingers, and got the best dessert I have made in a while! This bar is so tasty, you'll love it! It's not too sweet but sweet where it counts. I know it's not super original but I'm super proud of myself.

Shortbread Layer
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 cup diced mixed candies fruit
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I prefer slivered almonds)

Heat oven to 350F

Combine sugar, butter and beat until it's light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and egg; beat well.

Add flour; mix well.

Brownie Layer

1/8 cup margarine or butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1 cups sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

In large saucepan, melt margarine and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and eggs; mix well. Set aside.

Coconut Topping
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup coconut
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
butter?

Mix all of the ingredients together, set aside.

Baking & Layering Instructions
Spread shortbread dough in 9x9'' pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Pull out of the oven. Spread brownie layer over shortbread and put back in the over for 10-12 minutes.

Pull brownie out of the over, turn the oven on broil. Spread the coconut mixture evenly over the brownie. Put back into the oven, 4'' from the broiler, for 1 minute. Don't leave it in longer, you will burn it!

Let cool for 1 hour, then cut into pieces. Enjoy!

Health Tip Of The Week: Orthotics

2012-01-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

Custom Foot Orthotics help in providing relief for painful foot problems or an injury, especially for those who must walk, or stand excessively on the job or in everyday activities.

The mechanical properties of the Custom Foot Orthotic help to maintain the normal positioning of the bones in the foot, the joints in the ankle and knees leading up to the hips and lower back. The muscles and ligaments holding these bones in their intended anatomical positions are prevented from over stretching and becoming lax over time.

With enough functional correction from a Custom Foot Orthotic, the foot structure can be aligned to give more propulsion, making walking, running and even cycling more efficient biomechanically.

Along with aligning the foot structure, the Custom Foot Orthotic reduces muscular fatigue and helps to promote more efficient muscle performance thus enhancing performance during the gait cycle.

Below is an example of a foot without the corrective support of an orthotic and then another example of the same foot with a Custom Made Foot Orthotic from POL correcting and supporting the foot. Notice the difference a well made Custom Foot Orthotic makes!

Restaurant Review: Pekina

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

It’s not very healthy most of the time, but sometimes there is nothing better than a good order of Chinese take-out.

Out of a lot of places I have been for takeout only this is one of the cleaner places, they’re boxes are good and aren’t all messy by the time you get them home, and the portions are big.

The pricing is a little higher than most takeout places (it is on Corydon after all) but the portions are well worth it.

On a scale of 1-10 (1- Horrible, it should be closed down!! 10- Amazing, would go back again and again!) I give it “8- Good Service, good food, good pricing, I’d go back if someone really wanted to.”

Baking Goal: Mango Cream Cake

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Mango! I love mango! I think it's from all my travels and being in places where they naturally grow and getting that right from the tree fruit.

Check out the great recipe at Don't Disturb This Groove

Baking My Way: Coconut Macadamia Jumbos

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001-06:00

These were a serious hit in my house. I think I only got one cookie. We had some people over and they were gone within minutes!

Ingredients
1 C Brown sugar firmly packed
3/4 C Sugar
1 C Margarine/butter
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
3 C Flour 1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 C Coconut (I like moa so I put in 1/2 C moa)
1 C Macadamia nuts (I like moa so put 1/2 C moa)

Cooking Instructions
Heat oven to 350. Combine brown sugar, sugar, and margarine. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs. Blend well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Stir in coconut and macadamia nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto un-greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Bacon Broccoli Coleslaw Salad

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

I had this at someone's house and thought it was a wonderful idea! I mean how much do I like coleslaw? Not much at all, but with bacon? Oh you bet I ate that! I couldn't find a recipe that was similar so I made one.

Salad:
1 bag of broccoli coleslaw mix
1/4-1/2 cup cooked chopped up bacon
Dressing (below)

Dressing:

1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let sit in the fridge for an hour to enhance the flavor.

Savory Sunday

2012-01-15T08:00:00.003-06:00

Hi Ladies,
Here are some pictures of my trip! And of course all the yummy food!

Does this make you want to go to Roatan? It better! It was a lot of fun!!

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Potatoes from Flour & Friends

Pasta with Creamy Cajun Sauce from Flour & Friends

Snickerdoodle Cake from Picture Perfect Cooking

Olive & Spinach Stuffed Chicken from Like Mother, Like Daughter Food

Peanut Butter Fudgy Muffins from Let's Talk Dollars and Cents

Monkey Bread on Steroids from Let's Talk Dollars & Cents

Here's how it will work:

Road Trip: Day 11, Part 4- Hike by the Ocean

2012-01-13T08:00:00.002-06:00

We soon realized that getting to San Fransisco before dark, or really before 10pm wasn't going to happen so we decided to take our time even more then we already had and take a hike down to the ocean. We picked a beautiful spot and it was such a great break from driving. The only thing that would have made it better would have been having our dog there with us and letting him enjoy all the open space.

Baking My Way: Cherry Chocolate Biscotti

2012-01-12T09:31:00.000-06:00

For my first go at biscotti I think I did pretty good! I sent some out to my sister for Christmas and she loved it so I consider that a job well done! I didn't do the chocolate drizzle and I wish I did. I think it really would have put it over the top for me. I mean really, there's nothing like more chocolate right?

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
3 tablespoons chocolate chips -- melted
3 tablespoons white vanilla chips -- melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

In large bowl, combine sugar and butter. Beat until well blended. Add almond extract and eggs. Blend well. Add flour and baking powder. Mix well. Stir in cherries and chocolate chips.

Shape dough into two 10" rolls. Place rolls 5" apart on greased cookie sheet; flatten each to 3" width.

Bake 20-25 min. or until set and light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; place on wire racks. Cool 10 minutes.

With serrated knife, cut rolls diagonally into 1/2" slices. Arrange slices, cut sides down, on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown. Turn cookies over. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until browned and crisp. Remove from cookie sheets; cool 15 min. or until completely cooled.

Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate and vanilla chips.

Store in tightly covered container.

25 ways to wear a Scarf

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Savory Sunday

2012-01-09T09:41:00.001-06:00

Hi Ladies,
Here's Savory Sunday! I was pretty busy over the weekend. We went to masquerade party, lots of fun and a little road trip out of town so the weekend full! (I'll post a picture of Marshall and I together, you should see his mask, amazing!)

If you haven't linked up to my Calling All Salads link party please do! I love everything I'm seeing so far but of course the more the better!

Easy Dinner Roast from June Cleaver Nirvana

Tuna Casserole from Katie Kate's Kitchen

Classic Mac & Cheese from Flour & Friends

Eggnog Creme Brulee from The Alchemist

Crispy Potato Roast from The Kitchen Cookie

Here's how it will work:

Baking My Way: Granola Apple Cookies

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

(As you can see I didn't put the glaze on. I tried the cookies when they were done and I thought they were sweet enough without it so I thought I'd just leave them)

These cookies are seriously tasty! I wasn't too sure what I would think of apples in cookies but wow, are they good!! I would highly recommend these cookies and I think they would be great for a picnic or a camping trip!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped apples
1 cup granola

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine brown sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, lemon peel and egg; blend well. Add all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in apples and granola. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 375°F. for 9 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine glaze ingredients, adding enough lemon juice for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Recipe Source

Savory Sunday...on Monday

2012-01-08T16:13:00.000-06:00

Hi Ladies!!

I'll be back tomorrow with Savory "Sunday" but in the mean time please post a salad (or 5!) to my "Calling All Salads" post!

Have a great Sunday!!

Calling all salads!

2012-01-05T09:39:00.000-06:00

I'm looking to expand my veggie intact and I love salads but just sort of get stuck with the same thing over and over again.

So what better way to find more options then to get heaps form you!

Add as many as you like, and keep adding, I'll have this open for along time.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Health Tip of the Week: Work Place Ergonomics

2012-01-05T08:00:00.002-06:00

I've been having a lot of trouble lately with my back or arms hurting. On the weekends it’s not so bad because I’m not at work doing all those repetitive things you do in the office.

I was wondering what I could do, or more over what I am doing wrong in how I sit, type, turn, etc.

Here are some really great pictures that pretty much explain it all on good work place Ergonimics. My Chiropractor suggested a couple of great websites that have all sorts of information to help you straighten up and be better to your body.

“Chiropractors are well trained to help you enhance your health and wellness by taking preventive measures to avoid injuries and by providing nutritional and lifestyle counselling and prescribing therapeutic exercises. Click on the links below for Back Facts tip sheets”:

· Air Travel
· Backpacks
· Gardening
· Golf
· Hand Bags
· High Heels
· Posture
· Preventing Falls
· Running Shoes
· Shoveling
· Sleeping Well
· Strains and Sprains
· Tension Headaches
· Work Place Ergonomics

Restaurant Review: La Scala

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

We had our work Christmas party there 2 years ago, so I can’t only speak from that experience and not a sit down and dine experience.

I don’t have much to say about this place other then don’t go there for an event. The drinks were watered done, and although the appetizers they had were good there wasn’t a lot of variety and they didn’t bring us enough even though they knew how many people we were having at the party.

On a scale of 1-10 (1- Horrible, it should be closed down!! 10- Amazing, would go back again and again!) I give it “3- Poor, I wouldn’t go back.”

Baking Goal: Cocoa Brownie with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Doesn't this just look wonderful? I can't wait to make it and I'm sure my husband will be super happy when I do (he is in love with peanut butter)

Check out the recipe at Not Without Salt

Baking My Way: Maple Date Cookies

2012-01-02T08:00:00.003-06:00

This was a cookie that I wasn't too sure I was going to like but I was going to a BBQ so I thought it would be a good fit. But you know what, wow, this is a good cookie and I think you could have even added some bacon! They are really tasty and not too datish like a date square (note: I put less dates then the recipes ask for). I think this cookie has made it to my "will bake again" list.

Ingredients
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
In large bowl, beat brown sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, maple extract and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in dates and walnuts. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F. for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Easy Potato Salad

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

I thought with all the BBQs we have it was about time I learned how to make a potato salad. You know me, I like it if it's easy to do and this recipe is a great example of that! Cheap, easy, and a hit with all my friends! (I haven't tried it on the family yet!)

3/4 cup Mayo

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1/2-1 tsp. salt (taste it, add if you think you need more)

1/8 tsp. pepper

5 cups chopped cooked potatoes

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles

Mix the first 5 ingredants, then add the rest, let refrigerate a few hours before serving.

I told you it was easy!

Savory Sunday

2012-01-01T12:04:00.001-06:00

Hi Ladies!
What a week! We got back from our trip and got right to Christmas. I have so much to share with you, lots of photos and fun, but for now here's just a couple.

Now to the food!!

From Bacon Time

Beef Appetizer from June Cleaver Nirvana

Beef for Breakfast from June Cleaver Nirvana

Gingerbread Muffins from Let's Talk Dollars and Cents

Haystack Cookies from Let's Talk Dollars and Cents

from Crystal & Co.

Here's how it will work:

Road Trip: Day 11, Part 3- Seals & Squirrels

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

After Hearst Castle we drove a little more, with full intentions to get to San Francisco for the evening. Then we saw signs to see seals and all this happened....

If you're pretty new to following me you don't likely know just how much I love animals. Any chance I pay with them, feed them and take pictures of them. I love animals and I love nature, so when I saw these squirrels and how close they were getting to people I decided I would give feeding them a try. Just like the pigeons in Saint Mark's Square they were totally into the idea and played along to get there food. This was the highlight of my day!

The one that's climbing off my leg tried to eat my ring! Ha ha it was a strange feeling having a little mouth take a bite out of metal around your finger. Thankfully he did no damage. They have funny cute little lips too, who would have known?

They sort of blend in but the seals are in there! Just being all fat in the sun!

Back on the road and starting to get more into the Redwood forest!!

It started to get dark as we were driving but we went through all this beautiful treed area and I just had to show you some how what you would see along the highway so I found a video! It doesn't do it justice but it's just so pretty trying to take this and times it by 10 and you'll get a feel for how pretty it is.

Baking My Way: Chocolate Pixies

2011-12-26T08:00:00.004-06:00

This was my first time making chocolate pixies and I was really excited about it but I can safely say I didn't enjoy it at all. I don't know if it was this recipe or what it could be (because I made two batching and both were like this) but they were hard to work with (the dough was sticky and thin) and they either undercooked or overcooked, making them way to crunchy for my liking. I ended up getting pretty frustrated and didn't finish with the dough I had made (which brought me to making a whole new recipe to use it up, but I'll tell you about that later).

So needless to say, I wouldn't really recommend this one, but I gave it a go, and that brings me that much closer to finish cooking through this book!

Ingredients
1/4 cup margarine or butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
2 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions
In large saucepan, melt margarine and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Add flour, sugar, walnuts, baking powder, salt and eggs; mix well. Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour for easier handling.

Heat oven to 300°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; if necessary, flour hands before rolling into balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar, coating heavily. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 300°F. for 13 to 18 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

Baking My Way: Lemon Kiss Cookies

2011-12-26T08:00:00.003-06:00

Lemons were on sale when I went grocery shopping last so I got one and found all of the recipes in my cook book that had lemon in them and baked them all. I figured why not, I already have to chop all that lemon peel, why not get it all done at once?

These cookies turned out great and are super decadent. They are almost list having a chocolate from a fancy box. I would recomment these for a tea date or a girls night! You know us, we're all about the chocolate!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon lemon extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped almonds
60 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
3 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions

In large bowl, beat butter, 3/4 cup sugar and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Add flour and almonds; beat at low speed until well blended. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour for easier handling.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Shape scant tablespoons dough around each kiss, covering completely. Roll in hands to form ball. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes until set and bottom edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove to rack and cool completely. Sprinkle cookies with confectioners' sugar.
In small pan, melt chocolate squares and stir in oil until smooth. Drizzle over each cookie.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 121 | Total Fat: 7.9g | Cholesterol: 14mg

Health Tip Of The Week: The Benefits of Protein

2011-12-26T08:00:00.002-06:00

As another step to figuring out my constant headaches I was told to eat more protein (after having some tests done saying I was low). I was complaining also with not remember things and low energy at certain times in the day. After a week of protein smoothies I was amazing at how much better I was feeling and how much more energy I had!

So here’s a post all about protein and what it can do for you and why we really need it!

Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a "macronutrient," meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. Vitamins and minerals, which are needed in only small quantities, are called "micronutrients." But unlike fat and carbohydrates, the body does not store protein, and therefore has no reservoir to draw on when it needs a new supply.

So you may assume the solution is to eat protein all day long. Not so fast, say nutritionists.
The truth is, we need less total protein that you might think. But we could all benefit from getting more protein from better food sources.

How Much Protein Is Enough?

Extra protein doesn't give you extra strength. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

· Teenage boys and active men can get all the protein they need from three daily servings for a total of seven ounces.
· For children age 2 to 6, most women, and some older people, the government recommends two daily servings for a total of five ounces.
· For older children, teen girls, active women, and most men, the guidelines give the nod to two daily servings for a total of six ounces.

Choose Your Proteins Wisely

The type of protein you eat may play a role in successful weight loss and in your overall health.
Consumption of large quantities of processed meats such as hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats, have been linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colorectal cancer. You'll have a harder time maintaining weight loss if you eat these proteins often, and you may be damaging your body.

Nutrition experts recommend getting dietary proteins from the following sources:

· Fish: Fish offers heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and, in general, less fat than meat.

· Poultry: You can eliminate most of the saturated fat by removing the skin.
· Beans: Beans contain more protein than any other vegetable protein. Plus, they're loaded with fiber that helps you feel full for hours.
· Nuts: One ounce of almonds gives you 6 grams of protein, nearly as much protein as one ounce of broiled ribeye steak.(they are also a great source of healthy fats)
· Whole grains: A slice of whole wheat bread gives you 3 grams of protein, plus valuable fiber.

Information by By Neil Osterweil WebMD.com Feature

Savory Sunday

2011-12-26T00:57:00.001-06:00

Hi Guys!

Sorry again this week for the delay. Not only do I have the excuse that it's Christmas day and I should be spending time with my family (instead of blogging!) but I was traveling all day coming home from our wonderful week in Roatan. Here's a little picture to tease you a little. I'll be posting more soon!

Now on to the food!

Two Squash Delight from My Sweet and Savory

Easy Buttery Kahlua Fudge from Permanent Posies

Slow Cooker Beef Tips from Hello from the Kings

Hawaiian Chicken over Rice from Like Mother, Like Daughter

Tuna Pot Pie from Talking Dollars and Cents

Slow Cooker Maple Ham from Picture Perfect Cooking

Here's how it will work:

Fun Christmas Baking Ideas

2011-12-25T14:20:00.002-06:00

Christmas Tree Cupcakes

(using upside down ice cream cone)

Christmas Reindeer Mini Donuts

Snowmen Donuts

Melting Snowman Cookies

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

Santa Claus Crackers

Candy Cane Punch

White Chocolate Christmas Pretzels

Strawberry Christmas Tree Brownie Bites

Santa Hat Party Mix

Powdered Donut Snowman Treats

Cookie Cutter Fudge

Root "Deer"

North Pole Cupcakes

Reindeer Cupcakes

Candy Cane Blossoms

Cookie Dough Gift

Reindeer Noses

Colorful Swirl Cookies

Holiday Pretzel Treats

(Source)

Restaurant Review: In Fernos Bistro

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

I’ve gone to In Fernos I think at least 4 times. Once with my husband (then boyfriend), another time on a triple date, then another on a double date, then again last week for the Dine About Winnipeg with my mom and Marshall for her for Valentine’s Day.

Each time I went there I had a good experience and enjoyed what I ordered. They have a very unique menu and I love that every time I go it seems to be different but I can still always find something I know I’ll like.

It’s more expensive, so I wouldn’t go there often, but it’s one of those places that you can trust the quality and you know each time you go back it will be just as good as the last time, which I can’t say about a lot of places.

Baking Goal: BUY Brownies

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Don't these look great? I honestly don't know what the BYU stands for but these brownies with the mint layer sound great! This brownie from Making Memories was done as an Easter treat but I think you could change the colors just a little and do it as anything you want!

Check out the recipe over at Making Memories

Baking My Way: Fudgy Butterscotch Bar

2011-12-19T08:18:00.001-06:00

I took this to a family gathering and it was a hit. It makes a large amount so I'm glad it was a hit because I didn't want this ultra sweet dessert sitting around at my house. I think if I made this dessert again I would reduce the sugar because it was killer sweet. It's a great dessert, but I think you need to either want a sugar rush or each it in small doses! It's very similar to the butterscotch bar you'll find in Starbucks or Second Cup (and so many other coffee shops; it's sort of a coffee shop staple!).

Ingredients:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons margarine
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup margarine or 1 cup butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch salt

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
2 Grease pan.
3 In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips with the 2 tablespoons of margarine and condensed milk.
4 Stir constantly and set aside when mixture is well blended and looks smooth.
5 In another saucepan, melt 1 cup of margarine over low heat.
6 Remove from heat and add brown sugar and eggs.
7 Blend well.
8 Add the rest of the ingredients (flour, coconut, vanilla, salt, etc) and mix well.
9 Spread half of this batter into the pan then layer the chocolate mixture by tablespoonfuls over the batter.
10 Now spread the remaining batter over this chocolate layer.
11 With the tip of a knife, swirl slightly to create a marble appearance.
12 Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until slight golden brown and center comes out clean when a toothpick is inserted.
13 Cool for at least 45 minutes.
14 Cut into bars.

Recipe Source

BTL Dip

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

This dip is seriously good and so addicting! A girl friend of mine made it and I sat there while we played games and I'm sure I ate most of it throughout the night.

1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Mayo
2 tablespoons Chives
3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Tomato - diced
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and service with crackers (that's how we prefer it!)

Savory Sunday

2011-12-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Hey all!!

As we speak I'm sitting in the sun soaking up the last day here in Roatan! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season!!

Red Velvet Pound Cake from LouLou Sucre

Taco Soup from Like Mother, Like Daughter

Green Bean Casserole form Like Mother, Like Daughter

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Orange Marmalade Sauce from Like Mother, Like Daughter

Here's how it will work:

Road Trip: Day 11- Part 2, Hearst Castle

2011-12-16T08:00:00.001-06:00

Some friends of ours told us that we had to stop here, it was a must see. It is pretty breath taking but if you've been to Europe this is like that but scaled down (most of the art and ceilings were brought over from Spain or are replicas). It is still very pretty and if you have the time (4 hours, if you didn't time your arrival to the time of a tour, 2-3 if you did) I would suggest stopping here.

Puppy Chow

2011-12-14T09:44:00.000-06:00

I love this stuff!! I have never made it myself, but thanks to my friends on facebook I now have the recipe! I’m going to make it just as soon as we eat down our huge stock of Christmas baking from trying all the recipes from the other posts I did.

1 box Crispix cereal
1 package Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Butter
1 cup Peanut Butter
Icing Sugar

Mix chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter. Add crispix. Put mixture into a bag with icing sugar. Shake until the Crispix is well coated.

Melt peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips together. When smooth mix in Crispix. Put in a paper bag with icing sugar and shake well until pieces are coated.

Enjoy!

Have any good ideas, suggestions or experiences? Share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Savory Sunday

2011-12-12T11:03:00.001-06:00

Hi Ladies!
Another crazy week, sorry about that!! Let's just get right to it shall we?

Broccoli-Cheese Rice Casserole from Cooking with K

Cabbage Roll Soup from Carolynn's Recipe Box

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Pie from Cooking with K

Lemon Cheesecake from The Kitchen Cookie

Candy Cane Cheesecake from A Single Mother's Journey

Here's how it will work:

Baking My Way: Lemon Tea Cookies

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

Yield: 3 dozen

Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon icing sugar

Filling

2/3 cup icing sugar
3 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Prep Time: 1 1/4 hr
Total Time: 3 hrs

In large bowl, Beat butter, 1/3 C powdered sugar, and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Stir in flour until dough forms.

Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes

Heat oven to 350°F Shape dough into 1" balls.

Place balls 2" apart. Press thumb into center of each ball to make indentation.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove to cooling racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In 1 qt saucepan, heat all filling ingredients over low heat about 25 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened.

Cool about 15 minutes.

Fill each thumbprint with rounded 1/4 tsp filling. Sprinkle 1 T powdered sugar over cookies.

Don't they look great? These cookies made it to Marshall's all time favorite's list so that's saying something!

Recipe Source

Making Vanilla

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

So for Christmas my mom got me this make your own vanilla jar. It came with the vanilla stocks and the cut jar and it's super simple.

All you need to do is cut the beans length wise and add vodka. You have to seal it and let it sit for 4-6 months and then you have vanilla! I thought that was a seriously cool idea!
A little expensive to start it out (I think she paid $5 for the jar) especially considering I made the mistake of using Marshall's Gray Goose instead of getting something cheaper (I only had a little bit of Smirnoff so I used that first) but you can just keep refilling the vodka as it runs out so I thought this was great! I'll write again and post a picture in 6 months when I know how well it works and how good it taste. I'm curious if it's going to turn dark like normal vanilla extract.

Cooking Goal: Cheesy Garlic-Herb Bread

2011-12-08T09:06:00.002-06:00

Oh yum! This would be a great party snack!! Or something a little different for a wine & cheese

Check out the recipe at Our Best Bites

Health Tip of the Week: The Good & Evil of Coffee

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

My husband recently decided (after watching Dr. Oz) that he was going to cut back on the coffee. He said he was going to cut down to one cup a day (I later learned that he had been at 3-4 a day). I was really proud of him, and I really appreciated it because I don’t really like the smell (and the breath!) and I could tell it was affecting him.

With him cutting back I decided to see how bad drinking that much coffee really is and here is what I found.

Though not 100% harmful, coffee is not entirely innocent either...

Health Risks:
- In men with Hypertension there is a significant rise in blood pressure after just two or three cups of coffee.
- As a stimulant coffee can be addictive and could cause jitters and anxiety when consumed in large amounts
- Coffee can also stain teeth, giving daily users a yellowed smile.
- Men who drink five or more cups of coffee a day may have cardiac trouble.
- Coffee drinking leads to Pancreatic Cancer.
- Researchers suggest that caffeine may delay conception, increase the risk of miscarriage and slow fetal growth.
- Many specialists suggest that pregnant women should eliminate caffeine altogether. Caffeine has the negative effect on calcium metabolism. Women who consume more caffeine lose more calcium through their urine and have less dense bones and may lead to Osteoporosis. In postmenopausal women, it leads to increased risk of hip fractures.
- Those who drink more than three cups of coffee (or other beverages equivalent to that quantity of caffeine) have disturbed sleep. The effect of bad sleep during the night may lead to all kinds of diseases.
- When a person drinks a coffee or tea on empty stomach, the caffeine present in such a drink is absorbed in different forums and circulated all over the body causing symptoms of Hyper acidity, which may lead to indigestion, giddiness, burning sensations etc.
Coffee Consumption Facts:

- One cup of coffee is equal to two cups of tea. (i.e. caffeine available in one cup of coffee is equivalent to the caffeine available in two cups of tea.)
- Caffeine consumed from three cups of coffee still has stimulating effects up to eight hours later. Research subjects who say that they can drink coffee before going to bed and still sleep well, actually don't sleep as well as they think, when there are tested in the lab.
- We don't actually get the energy and stimulation from coffee, but we get a feeling of stimulation and the energy in question is obtained from our own body. In effect it is only a mental satisfaction.
- Generally coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages (e.g. soft drinks) keep a person awake for a long time. So a lot of athletes and distance runners take it to help with their speed and energy levels.
- Caffeine can (at times) be used to eliminate headaches and as a laxative.
I’ve never been a coffee drinker, and never intend to start so I have to admit I have a bias. But love it or hate it we can’t ignore what it does to our health.

Restaurant Review: Half Moon

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ice cream, burgers, poutine, oh its heaven! Although a bit of a drive (out in Lock Port) it’s a nice scenic drive on a summer or fall afternoon.

It’s like a 50s dinner, and I think it truly is because it’s been around for a long time!

I have nothing but good things to say about Half Moon, and I think I speak for a lot of people because it’s always full and busy when I’m there (but the lines seems to move pretty fast).

It’s a greasy spoon sort of place, which pricing to go along with it (it’s similar to any other place like that price wise).

If you haven’t been get some friends together and go! And then take a walk along the river or bridge afterward.

On a scale of 1-10 (1- Horrible, it should be closed down!! 10- Amazon, would go back again and again!) I give it “10- Amazing, would go back again and again”

Baking Goal: Pineapple Cream Cheese Braid

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Doesn't this look great? I don't bake a lot of things with yeast, or bread like things but I want to start and I can't wait to make this!

Check out the recipe at Flour Me With Love

Baking My Way: Bourbon Brownies

2011-12-05T08:00:00.002-06:00

Wow is this one good!!

I cut the recipe in half and use Disaronno instead of bourbon (simply because I didn't have any) and wow was it amazing! It's a serious dessert with some wonderful tastes! I will for sure be making this one again! I think it would be great for a dinner party where you want something easy to make but with a more adult flavor.

Ingredients
BROWNIES
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter
2 tablespoons water
1 (6-oz.) pkg. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3 to 4 tablespoons bourbon

FROSTING
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 oz. (1 square) semi-sweet chocolate, melted, cooled

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8 or 9-inch square pan. In medium saucepan,combine sugar, 1/3 cup margarine and water. Cook over medium heat untilmixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir inchocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add eggs; beat well. Lightly spoonflour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking powder and salt; mixwell. Stir in walnuts. Spread evenly in greased pan.

Bake at 350°F. for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centercomes out clean. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Drizzle bourbon evenly over top. Coolcompletely.

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons margarine, 1/4 teaspoon
vanilla and enough milk for desired frosting consistency; beat until smooth.
Frost cooled brownies; drizzle melted chocolate over frosting. Let stand
until set; cut into bars.

Recipe Source

Easy Key Lime Cheese Cake Ice Cream

2011-12-05T08:00:00.001-06:00

Another recipe where I couldn't find one that I liked (I.e. I didn't want to use eggs or have to buy special ingredients) so I made my own!

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime Jello powder
1/2 cup cheese cake pieces (You could also use a combination of cream cheese & sugar, making sure the sugar is devolved )