Food

Independence Day

/ jennced15 / 2 Comments

I have decided the real reason we celebrate our independence in July is because our founding fathers had foresight to know that we would love a good outdoor party with family and friends celebrating not only freedom but the wonderful summer weather. I couldn’t imagine doing anything indoors on July 4th. Really . . . when you think of July 4th do you picture reading a book in a quiet corner, baking or putting together a puzzle in a basement room? Didn’t think so—you probably imagine someone grilling, running through the sprinklers, napping on a hammock or licking an ice cream cone. Guess what; I plan on doing as much of that as I can and I think everyone else should do the same.

Here are my top 5 musts for a great Independence Day this coming Monday. What would you add to the list?

  1. Fireworks are a must. Whether you set them off yourself or you watch them on a much grander scale; you need to have fireworks. Here are some options for me this coming Monday. Fireworks over the Willamette River which can be seen at multiple places but I might try one of the bridges this year. Or I might head out to the beach to enjoy fireworks over the ocean in Lincoln City. 
  2. I can see the benefit of awesomely cold watermelon. I have been eating a ton of it lately because it is super juicy, refreshing and cold but I definitely want to make this Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake from Something Swanky. I can’t help it. I love ice cream and the best time to eat it is when it is hot outside.
  3. There are three smells during the summer that bring back all summer memories I have stored. These three smells can bring a quick smile to my face and a sigh of happiness—fresh cut grass, campfires, and food cooking on the grill. So in honor of summer smells; let’s stoke up the grill! To make sure everyone has a great recipe to try this weekend in case you want to do something different than hot dogs and hamburgers; try this one from Feasting at Home: Nicoise Salad with Grilled Fish. 
  4. Since it will most likely be hot during the day—and you can only eat so much ice cream before you really do have to account for the calories—you might have to get wet somehow. Usual remedies include sprinklers, kiddie pools, full-size pools, rivers, lakes and oceans. I am thinking something along the lines of Hagg Lake. 
  5. I like a good sweater but for the most part I don’t want to be bundled up all the time. I prefer loose-fitting cool clothes which means it needs to be warm outside so I don’t freeze. I have been spending a lot of time looking at my closet lately and realized that I have more sweaters than anything else so I think it is time that I splurged and got myself something new and exciting for the summer season. I think I would be okay with this or this . What do you think?

What I Have Been Up To

/ jennced15 / 1 Comment

Hey Everyone!

We survived the super hot weather . . . whew! it was a close one 🙂 But that did leave me with cooking without the oven this week and excited about going to the beach this weekend. So here is a recap of things I tried new this week and this weekend.

  1. Turkey Zucchini Burger with Tahini Sauce by Clean Eating Magazine. They were wonderful and refreshing. It was summer in a pita! turkeyzucchini-small-420x470-300x336
  2. Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps by Skinny Taste. Not going to lie; the house smelled wonderful as it cooked in the crock-pot all day. I did make one small change; instead of any salad dressing I just used a little bit of sour cream. It was nice not having a dressing covering up the taste of the chicken. crock-pot-buffalo-chicken-550x395
  3. Chicken Power Bowls with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans by Iowa Girl Eats. I have been making and remaking these bowls for a long time now. I just love them! chicken-power-bowls-with-crispy-baked-garbanzo-beans-iowagirleats-com-01_mini
  4. Summer Breakfast Quinoa Bowl by Skinny Taste. I actually ate mine cold and it was great. I didn’t add sugar but stuck with just the honey and fresh fruit. It is very filling and a great way to start the morning. summer-breakfast-quinoa-with-grilled-peaches-and-berries-550x809
  5. Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest 2016. I can’t wait for this weekend because this is where you will find me. I love spending time at the ocean but I also love seeing the art behind sandcastles. Look for pictures next week!

To finish this post off right; here are some pictures from my many activities over the last couple of weeks. Remember to get outside and enjoy summer!!

 

Food! Glorious Food! Part 2

/ jennced15 / 2 Comments

So what would be food without dessert? Dessert can elevate us from mere mortals into super heroes without too much effort. So below are some of the desserts that I have made recently for people who I love.

  1. In my house they are called Brownie Bombs. If you ask a kid it is because they are the bomb! If you ask an adult it is because they will completely derail your healthy living lifestyle. If you ask Food Recipe’s Book they are called Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes. 
  2. Gina at Home: Chewy Coconut Cookies. I have been looking for a great coconut cookie recipe and I have finally found it. IMG_7700
  3. Floating Kitchen: Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Whipped Cream. So this really is the bomb! 
  4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Grahams. Probably the easiest thing you will make. Take chocolate graham crackers, spread peanut butter on one side. Spoon cool whip on the other side. Press together and freeze. They are awesome!
  5. I needed something elegant and easy to make for Mother’s Day and here it is. White Lights on Wednesday: Blackberry Napoleons. IMG_7704

P.S. Here are some pictures of spring to enjoy!

Food! Glorious Food!

/ jennced15 / 7 Comments

I have decided that I have been cooking enough lately to start sharing with everyone all of the yummy things that I have been making. The funny thing is—I have been making a lot of vegetable inspired dishes for my meals but I have had numerous requests for dessert items from others. All in all I have had a little bit of something floating through my house for the last month. I have it broken down by entree’s this week and I think next week I will share some of the desserts.

Remember to get out there, try something new and eat something great!

  1. Clean Eating Magazine: Tuna Nicoise Casserole I thought this was possibly one of the best things ever and I love this different take on a traditional Nicoise salad. I made no changes to their recipe. 
  2. Clean Eating Magazine: Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps I really love lettuce wraps when done right. They are super filling but light at the same time. Translation: you won’t need to take a nap after eating them! I did make a couple of changes; the first being that I switched out the beef for turkey (I don’t eat beef) and the second, I added fresh mango slices. 
  3. Grown Up Grilled Cheese Sandwich: There really isn’t much to this sandwich. It is your basic grilled cheese but . . . I like to grill asparagus with a little salt and pepper. I then make sure I have some great crusty to bread to slice up. For the cheese, I have to use Tillamook Garlic White Cheddar (really you need to use it). IMG_7677To assemble:
    1. I spray the outside of the bread with olive oil
    2. One slice down in pan and then top with a slice of cheese
    3. Add 4-5 grilled asparagus spears then another slice of cheese
    4. Top with bread and spray with olive oil.
    5. Cook low and slow so you get a nice crust on the bread and melted cheese dripping over the asparagus.

Yeah, it is pretty much heaven.

  1. Power Breakfast: I really like to use things up in my kitchen so I am the queen of throwing things together and calling it a meal. My go to breakfast lately has been the following:
    1. Leftover quinoa from the dinner the night before
    2. Tossed with either sautéed spinach and garlic, broccoli, or asparagus and matchstick carrots
    3. Top with an over-easy egg and call it good. Really, call it good.
  2.  Basic Pizza: You know those Friday nights when really all you want for dinner is pizza but you are sick and tired of the choice and the price of eating out. Guess what?! Pizza is SUPER cheap to make and easy as well. To make my pizza I start out with my basic dough recipe (found on this site), I top it with pesto, throw vegetables on it that are in my fridge and give it a dusting of cheese. Voila! Dinner in 20 minutes and it usually only costs me about $6 not to mention I have pizza for a week to eat since there is only one of me.