Food

Eating Should be Enjoyable

/ jennced15 / 10 Comments

You know what . . . you should really enjoy what you eat. I think if we enjoyed what ate all of the time we would have a better relationship with food and by default a better understanding of food as well. I am sad to say that there has been things that I have eaten that were less than sub-par. I am slowly learning that if it isn’t enjoyable; I walk away. It saves a lot of calories to walk away from the less than stellar items. That is a bonus in my book.

But I am not actually here today to talk about your relationship with food or calorie consumption—I am here to tell you about the best things that I have eaten lately. Some I made at home and some I bought out but all of them had me savoring each bite and looking forward to the next “good” meal.

So here is your assignment for the rest of the month—Enjoy the Food You are Eating!!

  1. Chicken Pad Thai from Cooking Classy (Side Note: Tastes great even as left-overs 4-5 days later)
  2. Simple Lemony Chicken & Spring Veggie Soup from The Cozy Apron (Side Note: I added fresh asparagus as well)
  3. Homemade Hot Pockets from Happy Money Saver (Side Note: I inserted mine with pesto and fresh veggies. Nothing else and they were fantastic!) 
  4. Otis Cafe in Otis, OR: This place is VERY small and you probably will have to wait but you should and without a doubt, try their German Potatoes. HEAVENLY!!
  5. Pacific Way Cafe in Gearhart, OR: I love that this place is not in one of the main coastal tourist towns. In fact you could completely miss it but I wouldn’t recommend it. They have wonderful calm chowder (seasoned the way I like) and a WONDERFUL Dungeness crab open-faced sandwich.

Miracle Fridays

/ jennced15 / 1 Comment

I like every Friday (except maybe the ones when I am sick) but I do have some Fridays that are what I am going to start calling my miracle Fridays. Those are the ones that you never thought you would get to. The ones where it was so dark that you were only praying you were getting closer to the light of day. Then you finally break through . . . . BRILLIANT SUNSHINE!!! We have made it and it feels so wonderful!!

Happy Friday Everyone!!!!

Now on to my favorite things. I actually really like talking about my favorite things for two big reasons: 1. I love sparking people’s interest to see and do things. 2. I love reminiscing on the things that make me smile from my own life.

So in light of that and the crap-tastic week I had at the office all I could think about was food—comfort food, and for me, that comes in the form of Mexican food. I grew up in Southern California and was heavily influenced by the wonderful Mexican culture so I think every wound can be bandaged with killer tacos or chips dipped in a homemade mixture of beans and cheese. This post is just making me hungry. J

Lately I have been working long hours so I haven’t been able to make anything at home. So here are 5 of my favorite Mexican restaurants just in case you or I need a quick fix.

1.       Vida Mia Cuisine in San Antonio, TX (I literally made this a carry-on item. It was about 40 tacos—which I shared with my family and then froze the rest so we could continue to enjoy them for a couple of weeks)

2.       Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio, TX (If you don’t know what a puffy taco is—you should find out)

3.       Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant in Edmond, OK (Fresh pinto beans, homemade queso and an unlimited supply of tortillas—yes please!)

4.       Pepino’s Fresh Mexican Grill in Portland, OR (Do they have anything on their menu other than nachos? J)

5.       Red Iguana Killer Mexican Food in Salt Lake City, UT (MOLE, MOLE, MOLE—OLE!!)

Honorable Mention: Papi’s Tacos Al Carbon in Riverside, CA (I had to leave it on the list because it was a childhood favorite but I just found out that it has closed) RIP

Call Me Crazy

/ jennced15 / 3 Comments

I have been super tired lately. Tired to the point that I have had a migraine for two weeks that I know is because of lack of sleep. Thanks to Excedrin PM, I will be getting some sleep tonight.

I have had so much to do with decorating for Christmas, working longer hours at the office, travelling, and trying to get Christmas presents done early this year. Of course this would be the year that I decided to bake up a storm and send Christmas early to all of my family. Little did I know that might not be such a good idea.

In the course of baking, I realized that all of my goodies were coming out a little more cooked then I would have liked. When I got to my famous scones at 11pm at night; I realized that I was obviously more tired than I thought. My scones are always light in color with golden bottoms but . . . this particular round found themselves on the long end of a tanning bed session. While still edible; I did have family members ask why they were darker than usual (thanks for being kind). 🙂

Nevertheless, I chalked it up to experience and vowed to start cooking before the witching hour from here on out. Then I took a drive . . . by myself . . . and I had time to think. I started wondering if it was really me or was something out to ruin my holiday cheer. That is when I turned into an investigator and the first suspect on my list was my oven. I needed to make a strong case or I was going to lose so I decided to catch the oven in the act.

I purchased an oven thermometer . . . and the rest is, as they say, history. I found out that my oven cooks hotter, by about 50 degrees hotter. Good to know. Hopefully my cooking will be better in the future.

So would you like to know what I made for everyone?! Here are 5 of the items that I made. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!

  1. S’mores Rice Krispie Treats
  2. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
  3. Salted Caramel Butter Bars
  4. 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Gratitude is Contagious

/ jennced15 / 2 Comments

We made it to November . . . how–I am not exactly sure. In some ways I think this year took forever. Maybe because I had a year of struggles. In other ways I think it flew by. Probably because I was once again too busy to really live it. Either way, this year has been full of change and the kind that is painful because it forces you to grow and learn.

At this point I am sure you are thinking, “Gee Jenn, way to be depressing”.

Actually not. What I have learned the most in this entire process is what really is important to me. I have learned that people really love me and most importantly, I have learned that I am not alone in this thing we call life.

I have learned a little more every day this year what gratitude really is and why celebrating one day a year is so important. I am hoping that each of you will catch my gratitude bug and give it away as well.

So every week I will share some of the things that I am grateful for. I have a list that is much to long to write on paper and too long to share each time I pray but somehow all of it is written on my heart. It is safe there and will stay with me forever.

I hope each one of you know that you are in my heart.

  1. I am grateful for the natural beauty I am surrounded in. I have lived in many places, been to many places and seen many things but no where on this planet can I find a place that the beauty of the earth does not stir my soul in gratitude and love.
  2. I am grateful for my friends. I am talking about those friends that know when you might be close to a breakdown. The friends that know when to tease you about the guy that just walked by. The friends that would do anything in their power to save you.
  3. I am grateful for the harvest. I love this land of plenty. I experience nostalgia from the smell of cinnamon. I love the art behind a well prepared dish. I love how food brings people together because it sustains life. Food teaches us to bond at a basic human need and we all flourish from it.
  4. I am grateful for trials because they teach us to try harder. They move us forward down the paths that make us grow and change. In that change we become the people we are truly meant to be and that is a beautiful thing.
  5. I am grateful for family. I love and respect the people who have to put up with me and I hope they will always know that my life would be incomplete with any of them missing. I would gladly and readily trade every part of my existence for my family.

Since I knew this post would be full of written thoughts. I have decided to share a small slide show of recent pictures (one of these days I will  upload to Flickr). Enjoy!!

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