tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36033204244805160752024-03-18T20:51:59.170-07:00The Bean QueenJennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.comBlogger149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-45793445510668127472016-08-22T16:24:00.001-07:002016-08-22T16:24:59.267-07:00Football<br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-2222775843333619852012-02-21T08:59:00.000-07:002012-02-21T08:59:00.773-07:00Citrus Chex Mix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I made this last summer and took it with us on our California vacation. My little cousins went nuts over this and almost ruined their dinner appetites! It is such a fun, refreshing change from the chocolate peanut butter mix that is also a favorite. With spring just around the corner, I thought this was the perfect time to share since this has such bright, citrus flavors! If you can't find the dried orange peel you could probably substitute fresh peel. I have another box of Chex in my pantry just waiting for me to make a new batch!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRcF-8YCa8CltJZZphnaBVqraEGNgepwPfSMvZTD7b4aPDGHxbsJ7z01fcm0NGWLjSCCNn-3Asqo9_mAejDh18mA0YPc09UrHwVClZq0gsSEV5RjhydAtfKaPkFQ2rOHqBXDQ3qv0gAw/s1600/Food+Pictures+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRcF-8YCa8CltJZZphnaBVqraEGNgepwPfSMvZTD7b4aPDGHxbsJ7z01fcm0NGWLjSCCNn-3Asqo9_mAejDh18mA0YPc09UrHwVClZq0gsSEV5RjhydAtfKaPkFQ2rOHqBXDQ3qv0gAw/s320/Food+Pictures+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Citrus Chex Mix</div>
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adapted from <a href="http://eatathomecooks.com/2011/06/citrus-chex-buddies-or-citrus-puppy-chow-you-wont-be-able-to-stop-eating-this.html" target="_blank">Eat at Home</a></div>
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12.8 oz box Rice Chex</div>
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12 oz. bag white baking chips</div>
5 tsp. dried orange peel<br />
1 Tbsp. lime juice<br />
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. lemon juice<br />
5 Tbsp. butter<br />
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar<br />
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Pour the cereal into a very large bowl. In a separate, microwave safe bowl combine white baking chips, orange peel, lime and lemon juices and butter. Microwave uncovered for 1 minutes. Stir, then microwave for 30 seconds more. Stir until smooth and melted. Pour over the cereal and stir to coat the pieces. Add the powdered sugar and stir until each piece is coated in powdered sugar.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-58035265715245369882012-02-20T21:43:00.002-07:002012-02-20T21:43:29.718-07:00Peanut Butter Chocolate Eclair Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As a teenager, I always loved to cook and make new things for my family. One of my signature items was a Chocolate Eclair Cake. I have no idea where I got the recipe, but I made it so man times that I had the ingredients and directions memorized! I remember that in my cooking class in high school, I chose to make it for my live demonstration presentation because I was so proud that I didn't need to look at the recipe (I was just like a Food Network star!). Somehow over the years, I had sort of forgotten about this recipe, even though it is so easy, so delicious and perfect for summertime in Arizona! So when I saw this version with a peanut butter filling pop up on <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/">Plain Chicken</a>, I knew that I needed to try it immediately! Other than the twist with the peanut butter filling, the other change from my original recipe was using just a jar of chocolate frosting as the the topping. While I was impressed at how easy that made putting this together, it was just too sweet for my tastes. I think I prefer making the topping from scratch like in my original recipe using bittersweet chocolate and powdered sugar. Either way, a cool, creamy chocolate peanut butter dessert is always a win in my book!</div>
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Eclair Cake</div>
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adapted from <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/08/peanut-butter-eclair-cake.html" target="_blank">Plain Chicken</a></div>
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1 box chocolate graham crackers (there will be a few graham crackers left over)</div>
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2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding</div>
1 c. peanut butter<br />
3 1/2 c. milk<br />
1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed<br />
1 can chocolate frosting<br />
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Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk and peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.<br />
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Heat the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-26105458540539134982011-09-24T13:53:00.001-07:002011-09-24T13:54:15.504-07:00Breakfast Burrito CasseroleIt's the most wonderful time of the year!!!<br />
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You must be thinking, it's not Christmas yet?!?! Well in my world, the most wonderful time of the year begins with football season!<br />
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Oh how I love game days, whether it be attending the game, tailgating, watching at a bar or watching with friends, football just make me happy! The other day, the Cardinals game was starting at 10 am, so we decided we should make brunch and watch football, which made for an excellent Sunday!<br />
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Those of you that know me, know that I am NOT a morning person! I love, love to sleep in; so the thought of getting up early to make something before I went to my friend's house for the game was not appealing, so I decided I needed to find something that I could prepare the night before and just pop in the oven the next morning. I had quite a few recipes saved in my google reader that fit these requirements, but for one reason or another they just weren't right, then I stumbled upon this one from <a href="http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/">Lynn's Kitchen Adventures</a>, and I knew it would be the one!<br />
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It was simple, didn't involve a lot of ingredients and was Mexican themed, which is always a bonus in my world. This was really easy to put together, and you could substitute the sausage for bacon or ham, or even try it vegetarian style with black beans! I baked this up in the morning and served it with salsa and avocado slices, to our crew, and everyone raved about it! It was soooooo goood! Touchdown!!! (Sorry, couldn't resist) We ate the whole dish and I was already thinking about when I could make it again, which just might be this weekend.<br />
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Breakfast Burrito Casserole</div>
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adapted from <a href="http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/2011/03/breakfast-burrito-casserole.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LynnsKitchenAdventures+%28Lynn%27s+Kitchen+Adventures%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Lynn's Kitchen Adventures</a></div>
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1 16 oz. pkg. pork sausage, cooked (I used light)</div>
10 - 12 small tortillas (I used corn, but you can also use flour tortillas) <br />
2 c. shredded cheddar, pepper jack, or colby jack cheese, divided<br />
2 c. half and half (you can use milk, but half and half is better)<br />
6 eggs<br />
1/4 tsp. salt<br />
For serving: salsa, avocado slices, sour cream<br />
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In a large bowl combine meat and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Put about 3 tablespoons of filling in each tortilla, and fold in half (you may need to warm the tortillas in the microwave first). Place filled tortillas on their sides, overlapping slightly, into a 9×13 pan.<br />
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In a bowl combine eggs, half and half, and salt. Mix together well and pour over filled tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.<br />
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In the morning, remove them from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.<br />
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Bake covered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes more.<br />
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Serve with salsa, avocado and/or sour cream and enjoy!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-39156611844888264872011-09-22T15:45:00.000-07:002011-09-22T15:47:22.063-07:00Beaver Choice - Tempe, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I need to start this post off with a disclaimer: the owners of Beaver Choice are actually one of my clients; I leased them the space to open the restaurant, so I went into this hoping that it would be good and I wouldn't have to write a bad review, well, I am happy to report that the food here is excellent!! I really shouldn't have worried, as all of the reviews on Yelp were glowing, but you just never know! </div>
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So I know you are probably chuckling at the name, who would name a restaurant Beaver Choice? Especially if that restaurant was to be located in the same shopping center as Ted's Hot Dogs? It makes for quite a comical corner for food, but it is tasty food, so I guess it just adds to the experience. The owner of Beaver Choice, Hanna, is the nicest lady you could ever meet. She ended up in Arizona via Canada via Sweden via Poland, and there are influences of each in her food. Apparently the national animal of Canada is a beaver, so that is how the restaurant got it's name, and yes, she does know what beaver is slang for, but she thinks it is funny and gets people talking about her restaurant!</div>
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Luckily, her food is good enough to get people talking, and the name becomes just a side comment! The day we were there, they were still writing orders by hand, but were going to be getting a computer system in the next week. My only complaint about my experience was probably the wait and confusion due to the hand written orders, so now that that should be all cleared up, there is no reason to not go to Beaver Choice!</div>
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The menu is full of delicious sandwiches and pitas, as well as favorites such as QuebecPoutine (fries covered in cheese curds and gravy, a Canadian classic) and Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberry Sauce. There were so many choices it was hard to choose, but we finally were ready to order.</div>
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My sister went with the Pork Tenderloin in Gin and Cream sauce. Each entree comes with three side choices, and she went with the side salad, broccoli and the pan fried thyme potatoes. When the food was served her plate was heaping with food, making the $11.50 dish well worthy of the price. The pork medallions were perfectly cooked and tender, and delicious when dipped in the cream sauce, that had quite a bite from the gin. The salad, was a salad, but the lemon dressing was tasty. The broccoli was cooked well, but nothing special, which was not the case with the potatoes, they were phenomenal! Perfectly roasted, crispy on the outside and seasoned with thyme, they were the perfect pairing to the pork. My sister was very happy with her meal, and vowed to be more adventurous with her side choices the next time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NvImODiuTIECxO_tcQFB48IwfD9yrOYOEpMcidJmw6oInosFcgKkbpSuR1oJ7gk6eQEesVDmWtA9jn0dab6xkVnO0y6zPMmhvFBzVwr0iNXM4R-KhwhSEyLpoNP4H8y5EzE81CAKgro/s1600/2010-12-25+16-07-53_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NvImODiuTIECxO_tcQFB48IwfD9yrOYOEpMcidJmw6oInosFcgKkbpSuR1oJ7gk6eQEesVDmWtA9jn0dab6xkVnO0y6zPMmhvFBzVwr0iNXM4R-KhwhSEyLpoNP4H8y5EzE81CAKgro/s320/2010-12-25+16-07-53_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I decided to try the dish that everyone says is the best one on the menu, the Chicken Schnitzel Cordon Bleu. It is basically a chicken breast, pounded thin, then stuffed with ham and brie cheese. It is then breaded, and sauteed until crispy and served with a creamy mushroom sauce smothered over the top.....and Oh My God...it is AMAZING! I don't even like mushrooms, but the sauce is scrumptious and goes so well with the crispy chicken, salty ham and creamy cheese. I chose the creamy dill mashed potatoes as one of my sides, and they were perfect for sopping up the extra sauce. I also got the marinated green beans, which were served like a cold bean salad, and had great flavor and the tomato basil salad, which was delicious as well. Both were light and refreshing, which was the perfect compliment to the savory chicken dish. The portions here are huge, so even though the dish was $11.75, I easily got two meals out of it.<br />
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The space doesn't have many tables, and is quite minimalist when it comes to decor (all from IKEA) but it makes up for it with the amazing flavors being pumped out of their tiny kitchen. The menu is full of interesting and exotic sounding items, but also has a cheeseburger for the non-adventurous eaters in your life. I can't wait to go back, and I really hope that when I do, Hanna has made some fresh pierogi that she has as a special every now and then! </div>
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Beaver Choice</div>
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1743 E. Broadway Rd.</div>
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Tempe, AZ 85282</div>
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480-921-3137</div>
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<a href="http://www.beaverchoice.com/">www.beaverchoice.com</a></div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-7424441964295064632011-03-29T08:53:00.001-07:002011-03-29T08:53:00.712-07:00Phyllo Brie Tarts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a confession to make; sometimes (okay, more times than not) when I go to the grocery store and I see something interesting or on sale I will buy it, even if I have no idea what I am going to do with it. I try to talk myself out of it, but I just can't pass up a good deal or a new find, so into the cart it goes. These little tarts are the result of one of those purchases, and I am happy to report they were delicious! </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While cruising the aisles at Fry's one night I spotted an aisle display of these little babies.</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was surprised to see them in the middle of an aisle because normally they are kept in the frozen section, so I was intrigued, I was even more intrigued that they were on sale for just $1.00 per box! With the holiday season coming up (yes, this is another recipe I made before Thanksgiving) I figured there would be some party coming up that would require me to bring an appetizer, so I threw 2 boxes in my basket. Sure enough, just a few days later I was invited to my friend Jenny's "Modern Family Thanksgiving Dinner" so I quickly volunteered to bring an appetizer! I googled around the web a bit and I came up with the idea for these tarts...and let me just say...they have a lot going for them:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1. They are EASY!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2. They look very IMPRESSIVE!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">3. They taste DELICIOUS!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the nice things about these is you can change up the flavor of jam based on your preference or what you have on hand (blueberry for me, another one of those impulse buys!) and the second bonus is that they taste delicious hot out of the oven or at room temperature, so they are the perfect party food! Plus, who doesn't like mini sized food...it lets us eat more right?</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Phyllo Brie Tarts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">from Jenn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 pkg. Athens Mini Fillo (Phyllo) Shells</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 c. or so jam or preserves of your choice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brie cheese, rind removed, cut into 1 inch cubes (You will need as many cubes as you have shells)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pecan halves (Once again, one nut per shell)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preheat oven as directed on package of shells. Place shells on a baking sheet and spoon a teaspoon of preserves into the bottom of the shell. Top with a cube of cheese, then press a pecan halve on top.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake about 5 - 10 minutes, just until the brie has started to melt and the phyllo starts to brown. Enjoy!</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-62658056069982749382011-03-28T21:51:00.000-07:002011-03-28T21:51:24.413-07:00Italian Spinach Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like many people, I grew up eating the cold spinach dip served in a hollowed out bread bowl. I always ate it, but I never loved it. I think part of it was due to the water chestnuts...yuck...I just don't get them. I know they don't really taste like anything, but they are crunchy nuisance in my book! I also didn't particularly care for the seasoning of the dip either, it came from a vegetable dip mix made by Knorr and there was just something to it that turned me off after so many bites. When I saw this recipe and noticed the absence of the standard vegetable dip mix I knew I had to give it a try, it still had those pesky water chestnuts, but I omitted them and just added more red peppers....and it was great! It still had some tang from the Italian dressing seasoning mix, and the addition of the roasted red peppers covered nicely for those weird water chestnuts! I brought this to a party (way back in November...slacker...yes me) and everyone loved it. It paired really well with the buttery Ritz crackers, but I am sure it would be just as good in a hollowed out bread bowl. This is my new "go to" cold spinach dip...give it a try! Another bonus is with its green and red colors it is very festive for the holidays.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sorry for the delay in sharing and the crappy picture, I didn't have my camera with me so I took it with my new phone, and I just couldn't figure out how to get the picture to my e-mail....technology and I are not always on good terms :)-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZwyAV0tdjhidfHp7Kqeqc5M95wedQrNjuCML8-Sc2bzcKKKrD6HZ06bX3bluqwGVMy4EDPDL-VB9SGPriKp0ZNT68WWMsImZMS9jlXHEgmcBM5Hqe68L7V-2oBOCzK-7qQx0KBQ-nTs/s1600/Italian+Spinach+Dip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZwyAV0tdjhidfHp7Kqeqc5M95wedQrNjuCML8-Sc2bzcKKKrD6HZ06bX3bluqwGVMy4EDPDL-VB9SGPriKp0ZNT68WWMsImZMS9jlXHEgmcBM5Hqe68L7V-2oBOCzK-7qQx0KBQ-nTs/s320/Italian+Spinach+Dip.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Italian Spinach Dip</div><div align="center">adapted from <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/italian-spinach-dip-51601.aspx#">Kraft </a></div><br />
<br />
1 c. light mayo<br />
1 c. light sour cream 1 env. Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix<br />
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained<br />
1/2 c. chopped roasted red peppers (or more!)<br />
Ritz crackers or bread slices for serving<br />
<br />
Mix mayo and sour cream with the Italian dressing mix until well combined. Add spinach and red peppers and stir; chill until serving. Serve with Ritz crackers or bread.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-89672340125013023672011-03-07T19:04:00.000-07:002011-03-07T19:04:10.380-07:00Bacon Pierogi Bake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I actually have this baking in the oven right now, but the picture below is from I made it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. This is a yummy, comforting casserole that came from Cooking Light of all places! I am not sure how I missed it when I got my issue, but all of a sudden it started popping up all over the other blogs that I read, so I knew that I had to try it! When I found my copy of the magazine, I realized why I may have skipped over it, the picture just didn't look that good, I guess we really do eat with our eyes! The pictures on the other blogs were so bright and colorful, but the magazine made it look burned, boring and dry! I think the dryness is maybe what threw me when I first looked at it, so when I made it I decided to double the sauce, making it extra saucy and extra good (but definitely not extra Light, ha!). The version I posted below is the double sauce version, but you can cut it back if you must!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was really easy to throw together, and I had all the dishes done while it baked for just 20 minutes in my toaster oven. I used the mini pierogis when I made it, although the original calls for the regular size, but I think I would stick with the mini, they are more fun! This is creamy, salty, and fresh tasting all rolled into one! I think it could easily be adapted for vegetarians by omitting the bacon and just cooking the garlic in a bit of olive oil or you could cook the bacon separate and just put it on individual portions! Whatever you do, you must make this! It is starting to get warm here in AZ, but with the fresh tomatoes on top, I can still consider it a Spring dish!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnxeWe6k5hCOwmjCB8snIvqh5ShhQQgYMpN0mVt-2e_8WJaX9VBsuxEcwGUsSbvECVtTDt8B6sAI4saju54qt8hgA-cq_ci2bF2hzdASQ-zRLLNczzeY-rXdQfYpJKuDl_zTLCIn1yM0/s1600/2011-01-04+14-52-14_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnxeWe6k5hCOwmjCB8snIvqh5ShhQQgYMpN0mVt-2e_8WJaX9VBsuxEcwGUsSbvECVtTDt8B6sAI4saju54qt8hgA-cq_ci2bF2hzdASQ-zRLLNczzeY-rXdQfYpJKuDl_zTLCIn1yM0/s320/2011-01-04+14-52-14_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Bacon Piergoi Bake</div><div align="center">Adapted from Cooking Light - December 2010</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
1 (16-ounce) package frozen potato and cheese pierogies (such as Mrs. T's) - I like the mini's<br />
Cooking spray <br />
4 center-cut bacon slices, chopped </div>3 garlic cloves, minced <br />
2/3 c (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese <br />
1 c. fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth <br />
1 c (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese <br />
1/4 c thinly diagonally sliced green onions <br />
1/4 c chopped seeded plum tomato <br />
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper <br />
<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400°.<br />
<br />
Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside.<br />
<br />
Add garlic to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-83190058499579608982011-03-05T15:23:00.000-07:002011-03-05T15:23:14.246-07:00Lobster Bisque<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For as long as I can remember, my family has eaten Stouffer's lasagna for Christmas Eve dinner. My mom started doing this because she could put it in the oven before we left for church, and when we got home it was ready and we could eat right away. Well this year, after our "rogue" Thanksgiving, where we made brisket instead of turkey, we decided to shake things up at Christmas as well. My whole family loves Lobster Bisque, and when we see it on a restaurant menu, we almost always get a bowl to share. So when we were brainstorming what we wanted to make for that dinner, as soon as I suggested Lobster Bisque, the family was sold! Since the bisque is so rich, we decided to have salad and lavosh with it, and it made for a meal that felt special for the holidays!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was my first attempt to make a soup like this, and I have to say it was really quite easy. My dad helped me to grill the lobster earlier in the afternoon, then we chopped it up and let it soak in the sherry while we were at church. We also pre-diced all of the vegetables. When we got home, it only took about 20 minutes for us to have some piping hot bisque on the table....almost as easy as the frozen lasagna! This soup was really good, the whole family loved it, and it was almost even better the next day when reheated and thinned out with some milk. The only thing that we will change the next time we make it, is reducing the amount of dry sherry, the sherry was a bit strong for our tastes, so next time I would reduce it in half so it doesn't overwhelm the other flavors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This isn't an every week kind of soup, mainly because some of the ingredients can be pricey, but it is perfect for a special occasion...so give it a try!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8T6iMOP8IM67UpswQNLmf7LJASPta10mOv5qRrP_xGzm2dEhbDPjeHrpOgLo9OEoMyNrO3rnLKESALogbCMDSRlRfj1eB77ou-OR8g2IRz-8t7o2o4jvn8nDVnifgqAEfdnuJy6GnbI/s1600/2010-12-12+16-06-46_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8T6iMOP8IM67UpswQNLmf7LJASPta10mOv5qRrP_xGzm2dEhbDPjeHrpOgLo9OEoMyNrO3rnLKESALogbCMDSRlRfj1eB77ou-OR8g2IRz-8t7o2o4jvn8nDVnifgqAEfdnuJy6GnbI/s320/2010-12-12+16-06-46_0014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Lobster Bisque</div><div align="center">adapted from <a href="http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/soup-recipes/lobster-bisque-recipe/">The Reluctant Gourmet</a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">1 - 2 c. cooked lobster meat (I grilled 2 lobster tails, but Trader Joe's has frozen pre-cooked langostino lobster that would work also<br />
1/2 c. dry sherry (I would either reduce in half, or just not add all back into the soup)</div>3 Tbsp. butter<br />
3 Tbsp. flour<br />
1/2 c. onion, diced<br />
1/4 c. celery, diced<br />
1/4 c, carrot, diced<br />
Salt and white pepper, to taste<br />
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste<br />
2 Tbsp. tomato paste<br />
1 c. whole milk<br />
1 c. half and half<br />
1 c. seafood stock (This is usually in the frozen section, but you can substitute chicken stock if you can't find it)<br />
<br />
<br />
Combine the lobster meat with the sherry. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
In a hot pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once it stops sputtering, add the onion, celery, carrot, salt and pepper and Old Bay. Stir and let cook until the vegetables are translucent and are getting soft.<br />
<br />
Add the tomato paste and cook for another couple of minutes.<br />
<br />
Add the flour and cook for two to three minutes, stirring all the time.<br />
<br />
While whisking, add the cold milk, half and half and stock and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, still whisking constantly. Turn the heat down and let simmer until slightly reduced.<br />
<br />
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.<br />
<br />
Taste, and add more salt, pepper or Old Bay, if you think it needs it. Add the reserved lobster and sherry to the pot and simmer for just a couple of minutes, so the lobster is heated through.<br />
<br />
Serve with crusty bread and maybe a little sour cream on the top. If you want to be really fancy, sprinkle on a little chopped tarragon as garnish. Yummy!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-29414731601805406922011-03-05T14:40:00.001-07:002011-03-05T14:43:26.199-07:00Missing in ActionI have been missing in action from my blog and I am sorry, but I would like to explain. Did you notice at all that my last post was on December 24th? Well, on December 25th I received one of these:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/apple_ipad_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="http://cdn.venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/apple_ipad_2.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">An Apple iPad!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh how I love this thing! I can lay on the couch or in bed and browse the internet, check my facebook and play games (Angry Birds and Words with Friends are my favs). But the one downside, it isn't very good for blogging. You see, it isn't very easy to lay on the couch and write a blog post with it, and I haven't quite figured out how to load pictures on to it yet, I haven't even hooked my e-mail up to it yet...it is really just like my grown up toy....a toy that I haven't gotten tired of yet! So since I have been so wrapped up in playing with my new toy, my laptop has been very neglected, which has resulted in my blog being neglected. I have done a lot of cooking over the past couple of months, so I have plenty to share, I just haven't been able to tear myself away from the iPad, but that is changing as of now! I do love sharing my adventures, so I need to put down the iPad every now and then and fire up the laptop! I am not saying I will get to it everyday, but I am going to make a renewed effort....so thanks for hanging in there with me....and if I disappear again, send me a message and tell me to put down the iPad and get back to blogging!</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-74951900909835432852010-12-24T09:34:00.001-07:002010-12-24T09:34:00.287-07:00Chocolate Kahlua Bundt CakeMy stadium bundt cake pan had been neglected since the Superbowl last year, and since this was ASU's "bowl" game this year, I felt that it needed to make an appearance. I haven't been a huge fan of any of the past bundt cakes that I have made, they have all seemed pretty boring to me; good, but boring. So I went in search of something new to try and when I came across this cake I figured chocolate and liquor...how can it be bad? The answer is it can't! This cake was moist, full of chocolate with the subtle hints of Kahlua. We ate it with hot chocolate that also had a touch of Kahlua, another yummy winter treat! I dusted it with powdered sugar, so it makes it a bit difficult to tell in the picture, but it is indeed in the shape of a football stadium! I took the leftovers to my office and it was gone before lunch....so I would indeed call this a crowd pleaser and a bundt cake that I will likely make again! <br />
<br />
I served it on a football field platter and used goal post toothpicks that my sister gave me for a more authentic look!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5AC4SK5WRrVBJVA-v1Tx5hG034Y7Db7KyX_NlxeMi_LHkHKl825S5o03_J4lPj9W0-o-xH5p0afvJ9JtT74ccuUx77Xaq7-9k2thUp0qIP9dTe37hackwR70bHz_zyhqbYlttn2jZQno/s1600/2010-11-20+21-17-36_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5AC4SK5WRrVBJVA-v1Tx5hG034Y7Db7KyX_NlxeMi_LHkHKl825S5o03_J4lPj9W0-o-xH5p0afvJ9JtT74ccuUx77Xaq7-9k2thUp0qIP9dTe37hackwR70bHz_zyhqbYlttn2jZQno/s320/2010-11-20+21-17-36_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake</div><br />
1 (18 1/4 oz.) pkg. Devil's Food cake mix<br />
16 oz. sour cream<br />
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
4 eggs<br />
1/3 c. Kahlua<br />
1 (3 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix<br />
Powdered sugar, for garnish<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
<br />
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the powdered sugar just until mixed. Spread into a greased bundt pan. (Hint: tap the pan lightly on the counter to get out all the air bubbles and distribute the batter evenly.)<br />
<br />
Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for about 20 - 30 minutes and then carefully remove from bundt pan. Let the cake continue to cool, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-79667003018063128202010-12-23T21:31:00.000-07:002010-12-23T21:31:04.787-07:00Championship Bean Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Three things I really love:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Beans (especially refried)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Dip (especially when it includes beans)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. My crock pot</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So what happens when I can bring all three things together for a common cause....MAGIC! I love this dip, it is the ultimate dip in my world, and it is just so easy! I served this when I had friends over to watch the ASU football game, and everyone was raving about it, it really is the best bean dip ever! I found the original recipe in an old Fix It and Forget It cookbook that was my grandmas, and modified it a bit for my tastes. It is the perfect party dip because you throw it all in the crock pot and 2 hours later you have a delicious dip! Serve with tortilla chips, Fritos or corn chips and you have yourself a winner! With football Bowl Games and the Superbowl just around the corner this is just the dip to cheer on your favorite team to victory!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beans are not one of the most photogenic foods....so please no judgements on the photo!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEZ4MNl67p7kqdr6wr5e029wEw_gzTQaILMFuixtmNs8dOhuMjtRmYPE9errL9IVAqo73IQ1ZM3mLAiYLd2OxOOnFhhqIvIyBswTW8MqofHqan3rr7HUMA9z1W-XfwcJ5r7eWNdx8tnI/s1600/2010-11-23+15-49-41_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEZ4MNl67p7kqdr6wr5e029wEw_gzTQaILMFuixtmNs8dOhuMjtRmYPE9errL9IVAqo73IQ1ZM3mLAiYLd2OxOOnFhhqIvIyBswTW8MqofHqan3rr7HUMA9z1W-XfwcJ5r7eWNdx8tnI/s320/2010-11-23+15-49-41_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Championship Bean Dip</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 (15 oz. each) cans refried beans (I use Rosarita Spicy Jalapeno)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 c. picante sauce (I use Medium heat Pace)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 c. Pepper Jack cheese, shredded</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 1/2 c. sour cream</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6 oz. cream cheese, softened</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 Tbsp. chili powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp. ground cumin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Chips for serving</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Combine all the ingredients, except chips, in the crock pot; stir well to combine. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours, or until heated through, stirring once or twice during cooking. When ready to serve, turn crock pot to warm and serve with chips!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note: This makes a really, really big batch, feel free to cut all the ingredients in half, but I like to have leftovers to make burritos!</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-55578277488747804602010-12-09T21:10:00.000-07:002010-12-09T21:10:01.254-07:00Chicken Enchilada Ring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So it's been awhile I know, but the fall is always a crazy time for me and now it is the holiday season and time is just flying by! I have a backlog of things to share, so fingers crossed I will post more than once per month moving forward! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You may ask why is fall so busy? Well....one word....football! I don't play football or coach football or even have a job that has anything to do with football (although I kinda wish I did), but I watch football, and I watch it a lot! I love college football, NFL and even play in 2 Fantasy Football leagues! I wake up in the morning to my radio alarm playing sports talk radio and listen to it while I drive around all day....during the fall, football just seems to take over! I even manage to travel to a couple of away games every year to follow my beloved Arizona State Sun Devils (this year we went to the Wisconsin and Cal games). Unfortunately, both of my favorite teams, ASU and the Arizona Cardinals, are not having very good seasons this year....but I am no fair weather fan...I still have to watch and give them my support!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the NFL still has a few more weeks to go, college football is over. Well, it is not really over, but when your team doesn't go to a bowl game, it feels like it is over (although who am I kidding, I will still probably watch most of the bowl games...I am a football junkie, remember?). Going into our last game, the Sun Devils knew that even with a win they wouldn't get a bowl game, but it being our rivalry game against the University of Arizona Wildcats....it was basically going to be played like a bowl game....and it did not disappoint! After a slow start, the game got to be really close, and ASU pulled out a one point victory in double overtime by blocking an extra point (which they also did to send the game into overtime to begin with)....talk about drama! It was a crazy game, with highs and lows, and very fun to watch (being the junky that I am, I actually taped it and re watched it the next night so that I could take it all in again....do you think there are support groups for this kind of addiction?) and I was glad that I had invited some friends over to watch it because it really made it that much more fun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So here is the first of the dishes that I made, this was a real winner, and everyone really liked it. It is actually supposed to be formed into the shape of a ring, but since it was for a football party I shaped it like a football as much as I could...genius! The buttery crescent rolls were so tasty with the Mexican fillings, and everyone piled on guacamole and salsa and declared it a winner! This was a snap to throw together since I had precooked and froze the chicken a couple of weeks ago; I have one more bag of chicken in the freezer so I have a feeling this will be making a repeat appearance soon!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6biP1Jn9Uw02IceaBRONdmMa2w8a9szlpmpJ7ddhyrum_TebK-mHVqQY0TgwKtsj3PxBIVD_HOEdRdCfG3FUy6FAwkrOZUPKT2oe7aL2LwrTqTt0cWQkJ1QOK0s06j4wBUShXARg4tE/s1600/2010-11-20+19-15-42_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6biP1Jn9Uw02IceaBRONdmMa2w8a9szlpmpJ7ddhyrum_TebK-mHVqQY0TgwKtsj3PxBIVD_HOEdRdCfG3FUy6FAwkrOZUPKT2oe7aL2LwrTqTt0cWQkJ1QOK0s06j4wBUShXARg4tE/s320/2010-11-20+19-15-42_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chicken Enchilada Ring</div><div style="text-align: center;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.justapinch.com/">www.justapinch.com</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 c. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 (4 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, un drained</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 c. mayo</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 pkg. taco seasoning</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 small tomato, chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 lime</div><div style="text-align: left;">2/3 c. finely crushed tortilla chips</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 pkgs. crescent rolls</div><div style="text-align: left;">Salsa, sour cream and guacamole for garnish, if desired</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In a large bowl combine chicken, olives, cheese, chilies, mayo and taco seasoning; stir to combine. Seed and chop the tomato and add to the mixture. Juice the lime and add 2 tablespoons to the chicken mixture. Reserve 2 tablespoons of crushed chips and add remaining chips to the mixture; mix well.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange on a cooking sheet making a circle with the wide ends overlapping in the center and the points toward the outside. There should be about a 5 to 6 inch diameter opening in the center.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Spread chicken mixture evenly onto the widest end of each triangle. You can really heap the mixture on, and you may have a bit leftover.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bring points of triangles up and over filling, and tuck under the wide ends of dough at center of ring. Sprinkle with the remaining crushed chips.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the crescent rolls are golden. Let cool for a minute, then slice along the seems to make wedges. Serve with garnishes if desired.</div><div align="left" style="text-align: center;"></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-23038363352612226892010-11-02T21:31:00.000-07:002010-11-02T21:31:26.463-07:00San Francisco Treats!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My sister and I took a long weekend trip to San Francisco to visit a college friend and attend an ASU football game at Cal. We had a great time hanging out, shopping, doing some touristy stuff and eating! While we didn't have any Rice-A-Roni, the supposed San Francisco Treat, we did enjoy lots of good eating during our visit to the Bay Area! Our friend Sarah that we visited, loves to follow my blog, so everywhere we went, she would remind me to take a picture, take a picture! So here is a rundown of our San Francisco Treats!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The first night we went to my friend Sarah's In-Laws Mexican Restaurant in San Carlos. It is called La Hacienda and is celebrating their 30 year anniversary this year! I have always been so jealous that she married into a family that owned a Mexican restaurant, so I was excited to try it out, and it did not disappoint! The food was all fresh and delicious!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi8p4Y356cdwfIBtmwFjPbrdLRXMhqDzjCVJLhqRNBhewChcGFfD0pCTH5XWs3nn5WZobjUAV0QaOAqLmNSXGDqzuLsfy0h7yjsdVvNA0JEqywIWYPelH7NYiUVMbVoEY5ChoVpt91jQ/s1600/2010-10-09+18-48-22_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi8p4Y356cdwfIBtmwFjPbrdLRXMhqDzjCVJLhqRNBhewChcGFfD0pCTH5XWs3nn5WZobjUAV0QaOAqLmNSXGDqzuLsfy0h7yjsdVvNA0JEqywIWYPelH7NYiUVMbVoEY5ChoVpt91jQ/s200/2010-10-09+18-48-22_0009.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The appetizer speciality on the menu is jalapenos stuffed with chorizo and jack cheese and then deep fried! They are then drizzled with the "family secret" sauce! These were good, and this batch was pretty spicy.</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZHSv547e57gYTH56uLE1szMgNROCRBoobBbL6U1D0zgFs4RozvahrBcI621XM0nD3s7Phlz56kxwznL2CAwWPZw4I4L62dm2714DLOsILJpqMswxsTKqO-hOgj6xarYFwA1yLHi8ZNM/s1600/2010-10-09+19-07-10_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZHSv547e57gYTH56uLE1szMgNROCRBoobBbL6U1D0zgFs4RozvahrBcI621XM0nD3s7Phlz56kxwznL2CAwWPZw4I4L62dm2714DLOsILJpqMswxsTKqO-hOgj6xarYFwA1yLHi8ZNM/s200/2010-10-09+19-07-10_0010.JPG" width="200" /></a>All of the dinners are served with Albondigas Soup, which is basically a vegetable soup with little meatballs. I have seen this on many menus, but have never ordered it, so this was a great opportunity to give it a try, and yummy, it was delicious! It was very mild and the meatballs had a wonderful flavor, I will definitely have to try this at some other places now.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cukzNrXFb0j186bje7IuQSBEZ531oJaZa_tqBibO8JZmAefO4Y00BWotjW5HRBjqwfRUlqYDudlDgGkkIjCYnXsn_uyzwMsm6gFh9X4VQGBlHQrDTPbVSZ4DVmTUQa9TmbWYY82z_hw/s1600/2010-10-09+19-18-14_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cukzNrXFb0j186bje7IuQSBEZ531oJaZa_tqBibO8JZmAefO4Y00BWotjW5HRBjqwfRUlqYDudlDgGkkIjCYnXsn_uyzwMsm6gFh9X4VQGBlHQrDTPbVSZ4DVmTUQa9TmbWYY82z_hw/s200/2010-10-09+19-18-14_0011.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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My sister got the two taco dinner, with one chicken taco and one shredded beef taco, which was served with rice and beans. She loved the filling in both of the tacos, both were nicely seasoned and the meat was really tender. She also scraped her plate clean of the beans and rice, so I a guessing she liked those too ;)!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDv42PjyyaQadLRUWbkt470eVRkdtmYA_T4eBTtBW1XApTMQCwWbrr7y847o_XWsPL1kPhmidlNXrOE2exRoTTQ-UMUhTXnTyBtm8HR4URealVogsLu9079stlC-EwCSqiOI9575M9sk/s1600/2010-10-09+19-18-29_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDv42PjyyaQadLRUWbkt470eVRkdtmYA_T4eBTtBW1XApTMQCwWbrr7y847o_XWsPL1kPhmidlNXrOE2exRoTTQ-UMUhTXnTyBtm8HR4URealVogsLu9079stlC-EwCSqiOI9575M9sk/s200/2010-10-09+19-18-29_0013.JPG" width="200" /></a></div></div><br />
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I just didn't know what I wanted to order, there were so many delicious sounding choices, but I finally settled on the Flauta dinner with shredded beef. The flautas were bursting with the tasty beef and covered in sour cream and guacamole, they were delicious! The beans were good as well, and they don't use any lard in them, so getting tasty beans with no lard is a major accomplishment!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-Vm1ydKF43W9Bu-UcE-NMnPz6cqfokDa6qBUKwlfpy4NfSvcPldLNOuBb1Shx_bC5wkLngglCz4I1STVQqpcmR2r9LzBvebN-sjWqOSMeyRTGwqzn0MYAR-eyNvm86tTFWgbp6WQ3-o/s1600/2010-10-09+19-18-35_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-Vm1ydKF43W9Bu-UcE-NMnPz6cqfokDa6qBUKwlfpy4NfSvcPldLNOuBb1Shx_bC5wkLngglCz4I1STVQqpcmR2r9LzBvebN-sjWqOSMeyRTGwqzn0MYAR-eyNvm86tTFWgbp6WQ3-o/s200/2010-10-09+19-18-35_0014.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cris, whose family's restaurant it is, ordered a steak burrito, which I am not sure is really listed on the menu, but since he has an in with the owner's he can get what he wants! He dumped some really hot salsa all over the top of it and chowed down, I didn't get a chance to get a good look at the inside, but I do think that it too was bursting with beef!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIcPfLaY60uWEAFApp3OAnkjd3xHvlEEP3YF-G47EIRGzPjSgs3Nlxec0UeecdMpMJJNRgCA8Rayvm55MxYc-BF-SLd01Dk2DAZuwIaTwKavvj72uE5hK0etm4FpU92A_bV1B67Gl-qk/s1600/2010-10-09+19-18-21_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIcPfLaY60uWEAFApp3OAnkjd3xHvlEEP3YF-G47EIRGzPjSgs3Nlxec0UeecdMpMJJNRgCA8Rayvm55MxYc-BF-SLd01Dk2DAZuwIaTwKavvj72uE5hK0etm4FpU92A_bV1B67Gl-qk/s200/2010-10-09+19-18-21_0012.JPG" width="200" /></a></div></div><br />
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Sarah was having a hard time deciding what she wanted too, she said that she usually goes for the Nachos or a Chimichanga, but that night she decided to get a Chicken Tostada. It was topped with shredded lettuce, salsa and sour cream. She cleaned her plate, so I am thinking she like it too!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZHSv547e57gYTH56uLE1szMgNROCRBoobBbL6U1D0zgFs4RozvahrBcI621XM0nD3s7Phlz56kxwznL2CAwWPZw4I4L62dm2714DLOsILJpqMswxsTKqO-hOgj6xarYFwA1yLHi8ZNM/s1600/2010-10-09+19-07-10_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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So if you ever are in the San Carlos area, check out La Hacienda, it isn't big on the inside, but it is big on flavor!<br />
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La Hacienda<br />
1377 Laurel St.<br />
San Carlos, CA 94070<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next day Laura and I went into downtown San Francisco to shop while Sarah and Cris went to work. Our first stop was my favorite place on earth....Macy*s at Union Square! We were hungry when we got there so we headed down to the basement where they have a food court....but it is no ordinary food court, it has Boudin Bakery, Wolfgang Puck Express and Fresco by Rick Bayless to name a few...this was a high class food court!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCQYDPx_pUEjXwk5uR1ADB5UeBOlY41IAFX0mR1p-jMnJtdEZ97h11UgIsFNBbpr2zjO1i8T6HCUyCl-jSYExzJ20OlwOEcPFnIv4cnH1xH7LOFUjp4hNW2zfCNoBXSURkM_gcNgToUE/s1600/2010-10-10+12-43-12_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCQYDPx_pUEjXwk5uR1ADB5UeBOlY41IAFX0mR1p-jMnJtdEZ97h11UgIsFNBbpr2zjO1i8T6HCUyCl-jSYExzJ20OlwOEcPFnIv4cnH1xH7LOFUjp4hNW2zfCNoBXSURkM_gcNgToUE/s200/2010-10-10+12-43-12_0015.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Of course being in San Francisco we had to eat some sourdough bread, and there is just no better way to eat it than with some creamy clam chowder! Boudin is famous for their sourdough, and they do a great job on the chowder too, so it is the perfect way to enjoy this....especially on a cold, drizzly day like many of them are in San Francisco!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.boudinbakery.com/">http://www.boudinbakery.com/</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxehNMkHkKV6dwLWQ0TYFc-Aqvag8UPT83zpnUtjfNI4M3EPsrL2dapNgcxSLJUHiNAcXiHmQKrrSf7YF3_ITQS5Iit4G2yT_nVYqjnTLI9RAwQZk67JdVRE7d-CqDovvK85CW3OLc8k/s1600/2010-10-10+12-43-20_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxehNMkHkKV6dwLWQ0TYFc-Aqvag8UPT83zpnUtjfNI4M3EPsrL2dapNgcxSLJUHiNAcXiHmQKrrSf7YF3_ITQS5Iit4G2yT_nVYqjnTLI9RAwQZk67JdVRE7d-CqDovvK85CW3OLc8k/s200/2010-10-10+12-43-20_0016.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhZBalkaGU8abPpFmdjVaOu3Qnn9JX6ZMNkiTo_w6jaePB8cXlU1wP4uoeraCpua8WFQ6IhHxaiO9RQliNglYKSvFpnN5nnZ8F69U2ckyp4JIzpxZpLAGHArCK9EXD7sNwL5GecKIGac/s1600/2010-10-10+12-43-26_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhZBalkaGU8abPpFmdjVaOu3Qnn9JX6ZMNkiTo_w6jaePB8cXlU1wP4uoeraCpua8WFQ6IhHxaiO9RQliNglYKSvFpnN5nnZ8F69U2ckyp4JIzpxZpLAGHArCK9EXD7sNwL5GecKIGac/s200/2010-10-10+12-43-26_0017.JPG" width="200" /></a>We also decided to try something from Fresco, which is a new fast casual concept by famous Chef Rick Bayless. He is the master of Mexican cooking (but not the kind we are used to down in the Arizona desert) and has numerous restaurants in Chicago that are very pricey, so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try out his food! We got a Huarache, which is like a Mexican flatbread on a masa crust. It was topped with chicken chorizo, black beans, roasted peppers and cheese, and then topped with fresh lettuce. It was really tasty, and the crust was quite dense, so we had to eat it with a fork. We also got some chips and guacamole on the side, and it may sound weird, but these chips were amazing! They were thick, but light and crisp and salted perfectly, paired with the guacamole, they made for some excellent eating!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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After our day in the city, we met back up with Sarah and Cris and two of their friends. They took us to dinner at this little place in Pacifica called La Playa Taqueria. They have a big menu of Mexican standards, but they are also surprisingly known for their cheeseburgers...go figure? Usually, when you go to a Mexican restaurant you are supposed to avoid the Gringo menu, or you stick out like a sore thumb, but not here! The place was packed as it was a Friday night, but you order your food a counter then get a number. The only thing that I found to be a bit odd was that you couldn't order drinks at the counter too, you had to go to the bar, but at least they have a full bar!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD4iZgbptSLvNekXTRuHWA9uT5r0TGAcxES3J4sRF5aHiwU2Dw1CPo4Q6Ojmzk8xV-KBrzp934oVFbn7qRHgqwP0xTpIRHhBXmw0y0zEHzmZzSBSYmcGRMWH5k2dF-jtWy11mC93a37A/s1600/2010-10-10+20-24-33_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD4iZgbptSLvNekXTRuHWA9uT5r0TGAcxES3J4sRF5aHiwU2Dw1CPo4Q6Ojmzk8xV-KBrzp934oVFbn7qRHgqwP0xTpIRHhBXmw0y0zEHzmZzSBSYmcGRMWH5k2dF-jtWy11mC93a37A/s200/2010-10-10+20-24-33_0023.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My sister wasn't feeling anymore Mexican food for the day, so she went with the burger, and since we were with some regulars, they told her she had to order it on the sourdough instead of the bun, because they bake the bread there daily. How weird is this, a Mexican restaurant known for burgers and fresh baked sourdough??? I realized we weren't in Arizona anymore! My sister told me the burger was awesome and that the bread rivaled that from Boudin....so it must have been some good bread!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzmbISWAG7Zh5evOrTl1C83bv_XGCipXjeMAFiBvqcajQfnXZzhdTNRSrN0sij97qocqy6FbThFHLAltmeeSuSMM9nMvR1SFsOYlhYBvIshG5mLCW5tPMMLkIHtDgl49m2yhmrfGJYrQ/s1600/2010-10-10+20-22-51_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzmbISWAG7Zh5evOrTl1C83bv_XGCipXjeMAFiBvqcajQfnXZzhdTNRSrN0sij97qocqy6FbThFHLAltmeeSuSMM9nMvR1SFsOYlhYBvIshG5mLCW5tPMMLkIHtDgl49m2yhmrfGJYrQ/s200/2010-10-10+20-22-51_0021.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAgrBLaHD8rQng1ZTmoRmcMZTmfmvtS0ZmMxLwFS99f28uJvZ-MK1OGW0F8mBTm6H2p31tO2y7gw2Vxtm7wQ9AgNXoiL0t5GsunRGd_DVx_ccMwJ_5ykMO-NdnYIW0bF3tLKQ8uwcJgU/s1600/2010-10-10+20-25-28_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAgrBLaHD8rQng1ZTmoRmcMZTmfmvtS0ZmMxLwFS99f28uJvZ-MK1OGW0F8mBTm6H2p31tO2y7gw2Vxtm7wQ9AgNXoiL0t5GsunRGd_DVx_ccMwJ_5ykMO-NdnYIW0bF3tLKQ8uwcJgU/s200/2010-10-10+20-25-28_0024.JPG" width="200" /></a>Being the Arizona girl and Mexican food lover that I am, I was more than happy to eat more Mexican food! I ordered the Bean Dip and a Super Fish Taco. The bean dip was HUGE!!! I was grinning from ear to ear when they set it in front of me....mmmm beans! Even though the group that I was with are regulars, no one had ever ordered the bean dip, and after one bite, they were mad at themselves for wasting so many trips to La Playa with no bean dip! The beans were creamy, salty and had just enough cheese mixed in to really amp it up; this was some of the best bean dip I had ever had! I was happy to share with the table, and even then, our group of 6 couldn't finish it! My fish taco was also really delicious, the fish had been battered and fried, but there was something so light about it, and it retained its crispness even after being covered in guacamole, sour cream and cheese! They didn't skip on the toppings with it, and cheese is a close second to my love for beans, so I was one happy girl!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">La Playa Taqueria</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">1560 Coast Highway</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Pacifica, CA 94044</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlCvE9X7AZtk0ujhA_bigL-HdgtQmIP0rxFPSAjzhcefKD541GIZJlnoDyRBhIw3tQ7OcmEwaL0xLonC7-CVaslPGi_hg-BBOCjjT4Ws9pp9GctpO6wdtE4OmoXkc_If9p2JrZQbQ0v0/s1600/2010-10-10+16-25-15_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlCvE9X7AZtk0ujhA_bigL-HdgtQmIP0rxFPSAjzhcefKD541GIZJlnoDyRBhIw3tQ7OcmEwaL0xLonC7-CVaslPGi_hg-BBOCjjT4Ws9pp9GctpO6wdtE4OmoXkc_If9p2JrZQbQ0v0/s200/2010-10-10+16-25-15_0019.JPG" width="200" /></a>You know how when you are on vacation you eat a little bit too much??? Well, we definitely did, but at least we got in a lot of walking and burned off some calories! Our other indulgences included a bowl of Lobster Bisque that we bought after walking around Fisherman's Wharf; we were a bit disappointed with this one, it didn't have great flavor, and I don't think we got a single chunk of lobster!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHU79CVSI2YExc6Bu4aSW99XiCvb7VRB2JU0dPMO-tVPhHah5IPKQKWs-HDxahJUF4TUv1xyjnNgunG4K6sKQ8nG0v-aCYTrVNhdUVpQ7UxBd3LqeFAZw6zO_qiI1IKHBrfA_lp1LxB4A/s1600/2010-10-10+18-13-57_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHU79CVSI2YExc6Bu4aSW99XiCvb7VRB2JU0dPMO-tVPhHah5IPKQKWs-HDxahJUF4TUv1xyjnNgunG4K6sKQ8nG0v-aCYTrVNhdUVpQ7UxBd3LqeFAZw6zO_qiI1IKHBrfA_lp1LxB4A/s200/2010-10-10+18-13-57_0020.JPG" width="150" /></a>My sister always wants hot chocolate when it gets cold and rainy, but she hates the hot chocolate at Starbucks, so Sarah took us to her favorite coffee shack, Caffino! It is a little kiosk in a parking lot that you drive-up to, but Laura said the hot chocolate was excellent and my caramel latte hit the spot....so good things do come in small packages! (See how dark and dreary it was in the background? Perfect hot beverage weather!)</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH7JKm2tk-ZjKixLuBGXKH0O2xQndOSeqAF8FANwFEUmUdO1Ibf3g9OVPt9a2XT_vyokQE0kUKukDFBZ1RaCrTzV6fNT423ugO_1wAjRcnRgEHGsRR7slbAGy_g_KtCoTzOYJ7wopje4/s1600/2010-10-11+12-24-58_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH7JKm2tk-ZjKixLuBGXKH0O2xQndOSeqAF8FANwFEUmUdO1Ibf3g9OVPt9a2XT_vyokQE0kUKukDFBZ1RaCrTzV6fNT423ugO_1wAjRcnRgEHGsRR7slbAGy_g_KtCoTzOYJ7wopje4/s200/2010-10-11+12-24-58_0032.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crepes A Go Go<br />
2334 Telegraph Ave.<br />
Berkeley, CA 94704</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Before the football game up in Berkeley we needed to grab something to eat, Sarah and Cris were not really familiar with the area, so we didn't have a plan. I saw a crepe place and told them that is where I was going, Sarah joined me, but Cris and Laura opted to go to the bagel shop next door. Well, Cris and Laura were very jealous when Sarah and I came back with crepes filled with turkey, jack cheese, avocado and tomato....these were AMAZING! The crepe had a touch of crisp to it and a touch of sweet, which went really well with the savory fillings. Sarah and I were nice enough to share, and Laura and Cris were very thankful....I really need to find a place here where I can get a crepe....they are soooo gooood!</div></div><div style="border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-DH9l65mOYsv5sWDRaD14NdQfgyAuCzxVGELaJORhJuYimGdIbw9TVMBuLWcBMQ4ZuYtxGGGqsemPQMobv5kj0V3RD9vV8mPdHjedQZzuU4mGdF8pEhZiIxq_G8Dc6-bYUorj2rSx3s/s1600/2010-10-11+20-03-18_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-DH9l65mOYsv5sWDRaD14NdQfgyAuCzxVGELaJORhJuYimGdIbw9TVMBuLWcBMQ4ZuYtxGGGqsemPQMobv5kj0V3RD9vV8mPdHjedQZzuU4mGdF8pEhZiIxq_G8Dc6-bYUorj2rSx3s/s200/2010-10-11+20-03-18_0008.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Teacake Bake Shop</div>1309 Burlingame Ave.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Burlingame, CA 94010</div><a href="http://www.teacakebakeshop.com/">http://www.teacakebakeshop.com/</a><br />
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</tbody></table>After ASU's embarrassing loss, we needed something to cheer us up, and stumbled upon this new bakery that had just opened called Teacake Bake Shop in Burlingame. They had all kinds of cupcakes with fun flavors, but we were drawn to the cookies and brownie cups....and for good reason....BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE EVER!!! We all couldn't believe how delicious these were, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. We had taken them home to eat, and Cris was very tempted to go back and get another one after he finished his....yes, they were that good! The brownie cups were also decadent as well....it is good that I don't live near here....or I would be in trouble!<br />
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We ate a few other things too, but these were the highlights, but the real highlight was just spending time with friends, enjoying the scenery and getting a break from the real world. Until next time San Francisco....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PQCG7P9LQKtg8eYDSQxegYfOXM7HkiB_4u2SzNa3oozlU1Y5gyL9_XDdxujb843UQoHt-f4w3D75IQOfikW-ZcfcSluTyuodJ6iKWUTt4HL4g0qUDO4CMIBXl-EnSUeKkcSI0lIOI7M/s1600/2010-10-10+15-37-39_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PQCG7P9LQKtg8eYDSQxegYfOXM7HkiB_4u2SzNa3oozlU1Y5gyL9_XDdxujb843UQoHt-f4w3D75IQOfikW-ZcfcSluTyuodJ6iKWUTt4HL4g0qUDO4CMIBXl-EnSUeKkcSI0lIOI7M/s320/2010-10-10+15-37-39_0018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">We found these really cute lion hats, but figured we wouldn't really need them in the desert!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-3107471922805994972010-10-17T08:58:00.002-07:002010-10-17T08:58:00.778-07:00S'Mores CookiesThese cookies tasted so good....that I never got a picture of them! That's right, I made these a couple of months ago and they got eaten up before I remembered to get a picture, I debated on whether or not to post since I don't have a picture, but decided they are too good not to share, so you will have to click on this <a href="http://macaroniandcheesecake.blogspot.com/2009/07/all-american-smores-cookies.html">link </a>to the original poster's blog and then you can start drooling!<br />
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I loved the idea of these, especially how you added graham cracker crumbs into the batter, it really did take these up a notch! The next time I make them, I think I am going to leave the little piece of Hershey bar off of the top, and use jumbo marshmallows cut in half instead of a few little ones. As much as I love chocolate, the Hershey bar mad them too chocolaty since there are already chocolate chips in the batter, it somewhat overwhelmed the flavor. Also, the little marshmallows are a bit of a pain to try and put on the cookies halfway through the baking process, it would be much quicker to just plop one big one on top! But other than that these are a fun cookie to make and to eat!<br />
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<div align="center">S'Mores Cookies</div><div align="center">adapted from <a href="http://macaroniandcheesecake.blogspot.com/2009/07/all-american-smores-cookies.html">Macaroni and Cheesecake</a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">1 1/2 c. all purpose flour</div><div align="left">1 c. graham cracker crumbs</div>1 tsp. baking soda<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened<br />
3/4 c. sugar<br />
3/4 c. brown sugar<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 c. miniature chocolate chips<br />
1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows<br />
2 Hershey bars, broken into rectangles<br />
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees.<br />
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In a medium bowl combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt.<br />
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In a second larger bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. <br />
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Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows and a few pieces of Hershey bar into each cookies. <br />
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Return to the oven and bake an additional 3-4 minutes until fully cooked. Cool cookies on a wire rack.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-91097933209065235102010-10-16T20:56:00.000-07:002010-10-16T20:56:41.553-07:00Jalapeno Chicken Casserole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, looks like the cat is out of the bag, Laura (my sister) if you are reading this, please forgive me! Why am I asking for her forgiveness? I may or may not have not mentioned the word jalapeno when I invited my sister over for dinner and told her what I was making! My sister is a wimp when it comes to spicy food; for instance, she claims to LOVE buffalo wings, but then wipe all of the sauce off of each one before she eats it....so weird!!! So when she asked what I was making, I told her Mexican Chicken Casserole, she said yum, so I said see you at 6! I knew that if I mentioned the "J" word she would not even try it, so I had to be a little bit sneaky....but isn't that what big sisters are for???</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So at 6 last Sunday night, my sister and my parents arrived for dinner; we sat down and ate, and guess what? They all liked it! My sister made a little mention that a few of her bites were a little spicy, but like I said before, she is a major spice wimp. This was really good, and fresh tasting. I liked that it didn't use a canned soup as the base, which I am not against at all, but they can sometimes make dishes feel really heavy. I also really liked the addition of the spinach, it was a good way to get in some veggies, this almost tasted like a spicy spinach dip with chicken, which is definitely not a bad thing in my opinion!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My only suggestion when making this would be to use more chicken. The pound of chicken called for in the recipe seemed a little sparse to me, but do what you like! I was also thinking of maybe instead of adding more chicken, to just use a can of black beans, or even use no chicken at all and just black beans....mmm beans....well they don't call me The Bean Queen for nothing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am really sorry I didn't get a picture of the insides, but trust me, it was very pretty!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xK1G9e8LWHyrlXFa3ywL4w4oFhkSxugAgq6NqEYOjEG5Clf-0FaegBSNRhqcigzWyvpN4J1VqB7yrQNp0NTH6H-VigQmcaaHdXfOdlYNvWoLpUWWpisLf65bL3ptOL5PRNaAzfU1o64/s1600/2010-09-29+04-39-25_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xK1G9e8LWHyrlXFa3ywL4w4oFhkSxugAgq6NqEYOjEG5Clf-0FaegBSNRhqcigzWyvpN4J1VqB7yrQNp0NTH6H-VigQmcaaHdXfOdlYNvWoLpUWWpisLf65bL3ptOL5PRNaAzfU1o64/s320/2010-09-29+04-39-25_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Jalapeno Chicken Casserole</div><div align="center">adapted from <a href="http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2010/09/nellies-jalapeno-chicken/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChaosInTheKitchen+%28chaos+in+the+kitchen%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Chaos in the Kitchen</a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">2 Tbsp. butter </div><div align="left">1 onion, diced </div>3 jalapenos fresh, chopped <br />
2 cloves garlic, minced <br />
2 Tbsp. flour <br />
20 oz chicken stock <br />
salt and pepper, to taste <br />
10 oz pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained <br />
2 Tbsp. pickled jalapenos, diced <br />
2 Tbsp. jalapeno pickling liquid <br />
2 c. light sour cream <br />
4 green onions, tops only, diced <br />
2 Tbsp. lime juice, or about 1 lime <br />
1 large bag of tortilla chips <br />
1 lb chicken, cooked and chopped <br />
2-3 c. cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded <br />
fresh cilantro, chopped <br />
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Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Saute onions, jalapenos, and garlic until soft. Sprinkle flour over jalapeno mixture and cook for several minutes until golden. Add chicken stock to pan and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring often, until simmering and slightly thickened. Season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. <br />
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Meanwhile in a medium bowl, combine spinach, pickled jalapenos and liquid, sour cream, lime juice and green onions. Add chicken stock mixture to sour cream mixture and stir thoroughly until mixed. <br />
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In a 9 x 13 baking dish, layer a handful of crushed tortilla chips, chopped chicken, and half of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Add another layer of crushed tortilla chips, and the rest of the chicken and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top casserole with another layer of crushed tortilla chips and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. <br />
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Bake casserole for 30 to 40 or until hot and browned. Top with fresh pico de gallo, if desired.<br />
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I served mine with a big pot of pinto beans.....mmm mmm good!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-83644807483356970462010-09-24T22:02:00.000-07:002010-09-24T22:02:50.277-07:00House of Tricks - Tempe, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> I had been hearing great things about House of Tricks for years, but I had never made a trip there due to the price point of the menu. Fast forward to my sister's birthday and this is where she picked for dinner, which was perfect because it would be on my parent's nickel! Now, my sister's birthday was actually at the end of June, so I am about three month's late on this post, but honestly, I think I delayed posting because I wasn't really all that impressed with my experience.<br />
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The building itself is so cute, a little old house in the heart of Tempe with lots of charm. It being June, in Arizona, we had to eat inside and they didn't seem to have the best air conditioning, so I would not really recommend going during the summer months. Our waiter was really attentive and did a good job, but I think the food was over promised and under delivered.<br />
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We got the Watermelon, Tomato and Burrata (mozzarella) salad to start, it was a lovely presentation, but I didn't think it justified the $12 price tag. The burrata was delicious, but the watermelon was odd for us, plus it wasn't ripe and had no sweetness to it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOP-MAMijSOUxVV7B7-WkEe1ZGQSIDiaCnbAI4moeRA568wHh3mj_lKQ5rUX7hRfByQdsB3iX_csLPcHZPE49odwMydZ2g6-8K3z35dSTAGc4jaDNr_wk7p1LnB49WCtk_NQa9khumDM/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOP-MAMijSOUxVV7B7-WkEe1ZGQSIDiaCnbAI4moeRA568wHh3mj_lKQ5rUX7hRfByQdsB3iX_csLPcHZPE49odwMydZ2g6-8K3z35dSTAGc4jaDNr_wk7p1LnB49WCtk_NQa9khumDM/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was having a hard time deciding what sounded good to me on the menu, and ultimately chose the Roasted Chicken stuffed Ravioli in a corn sauce, and my Uncle Tony followed suit. The sauce was nice and light and the filling of the raviolis was good, but there was one major problem, the outer edges of the raviolis were so thick, they were tough! That's right, tough pasta, a major problem! Maybe it was just that night's batch, but they really needed to roll the dough much thinner. Uncle Tony and I both agreed that the dish needed the touch of an Italian grandmother!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgt8TTu0t-UzK7nx8xrUglqO8ZmwJ5gB-e5PhBVnA17evAVzJ0nh0_kv5ooblFK9TRSWRL3vyi_D2fn-KfmvFtszO3y22ZY7kfjTHDDak8EdUlQHIfJubIv6d0RJTy2e8g3bIRpCOKIFY/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgt8TTu0t-UzK7nx8xrUglqO8ZmwJ5gB-e5PhBVnA17evAVzJ0nh0_kv5ooblFK9TRSWRL3vyi_D2fn-KfmvFtszO3y22ZY7kfjTHDDak8EdUlQHIfJubIv6d0RJTy2e8g3bIRpCOKIFY/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My sister and my dad both got the Grilled Filet with a Mushroom Demi Glace, Potato Galette and Asparagus salad. Both of their steaks came cooked to order and they enjoyed the potato gratin. They both enjoyed their meal, but they did go pretty basic so there wasn't too much to comment about.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqi9Qo7eHXMlWqPPE41ydjiWcqLxiYT65BWHRWq_qqLhpoubfyeUIgaWLjyyNoQZBNPBhV97-sVoCbdtQPYDHRc_SB4Lf7knJBYobKURU4VDGygjlyNXDDGRhpLGdz2hEyQmU7Ly0tVQ/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqi9Qo7eHXMlWqPPE41ydjiWcqLxiYT65BWHRWq_qqLhpoubfyeUIgaWLjyyNoQZBNPBhV97-sVoCbdtQPYDHRc_SB4Lf7knJBYobKURU4VDGygjlyNXDDGRhpLGdz2hEyQmU7Ly0tVQ/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My mom got the Nori Wrapped Ahi Tuna Tempura, which had a beautiful presentation. It was served on a bed of brown rice with enoki mushrooms and a soy ginger vinaigrette. My mom loves seared ahi, and this was a unique take on it, by actually battering it and flash frying to give it a crunchy outside. She really liked this and said that all the flavors blended really well together. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepJwPs5W5Ha6rMYPYi5Vayqp79vdoQuPciRXI08UYtxSJcN1cYBYLxer_05cmFVv8PZqMecoA3oSkZ5coA78By5t75IZsSH58U9y8dRzbOjj0xP2RsigCNVzrCNZapbqP4yVEDG0le3c/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepJwPs5W5Ha6rMYPYi5Vayqp79vdoQuPciRXI08UYtxSJcN1cYBYLxer_05cmFVv8PZqMecoA3oSkZ5coA78By5t75IZsSH58U9y8dRzbOjj0xP2RsigCNVzrCNZapbqP4yVEDG0le3c/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Aunt Martha ordered the Shitake Mushroom Crusted Salmon that was served over a Scallion Risotto. The dish was topped with tempura style haricot verts (green beans), which really gave it that wow factor! The beans were crunchy and tender, and went well with the crust on the salmon. Martha loved this dish, but then again, if you know my Aunt Martha, she's never met a food she didn't like!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxkoRdZPa_54IoZreQzvvaaMhTZqY9EIwes-18vWtf4jTb65d2jNvKi48cmnxYIJ6Au2D9w7I88LF5y0ISa-TS4RdXpo0gHGxXD1uQ_X6fdotpc3f6KxWbofOanNO8i9zfCkmlL_6pDU/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxkoRdZPa_54IoZreQzvvaaMhTZqY9EIwes-18vWtf4jTb65d2jNvKi48cmnxYIJ6Au2D9w7I88LF5y0ISa-TS4RdXpo0gHGxXD1uQ_X6fdotpc3f6KxWbofOanNO8i9zfCkmlL_6pDU/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Since we were there to celebrate a birthday, of course we had to get dessert too! The list that the waiter rattled off had so many options that we had to get two! The first one was a chocolate peanut butter bread pudding with chocolate dipped pretzels and caramel sauce.....sounds amazing right? Well, it was actually a big let down! The bread pudding part was really mush and the flavors didn't stand out on their own....plus the pretzels were chewy...which means they were stale! This had such potential, but just didn't cut it :(<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItF-pPDMsIjPqH9_8XswLkEbWwUAlh6ojxLQmn0hFcOVtq6pk7GA-tEKbWVqaBLjNzks5pZktgPkm10Ps-YuBshPUlqzJkMkiOGDvUZavTshbIusz1n_zLbgBlSaSbnvycJjbnaEV7Bc/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItF-pPDMsIjPqH9_8XswLkEbWwUAlh6ojxLQmn0hFcOVtq6pk7GA-tEKbWVqaBLjNzks5pZktgPkm10Ps-YuBshPUlqzJkMkiOGDvUZavTshbIusz1n_zLbgBlSaSbnvycJjbnaEV7Bc/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sister's favorite dessert is Key Lime Pie, so we ordered that as well. We have had a lot of Key Lime pies in our days, but this one was probably near the bottom of the pack. It didn't have that much tartness too it, which is a key component to key lime pie. The filling was smooth and creamy, but it mostly just tasted like sugar.</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qzDP7kA7K3ytxB-i7Ycd8lmu0osXyfLwB5AVHWm9JLWXpX5E-R6Yjysnq1n6jIN3mfuT9cAnpTIJ70TTIVPmOp6D6z1aXloY-XYV-YiV4GIqTvJvH5qVcRZxAOBgjjMUzJyDULYZ_4c/s1600/Pictures+07+15+10+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qzDP7kA7K3ytxB-i7Ycd8lmu0osXyfLwB5AVHWm9JLWXpX5E-R6Yjysnq1n6jIN3mfuT9cAnpTIJ70TTIVPmOp6D6z1aXloY-XYV-YiV4GIqTvJvH5qVcRZxAOBgjjMUzJyDULYZ_4c/s320/Pictures+07+15+10+012.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We all had a nice time and my sister enjoyed her birthday meal, but I don't think I will be heading out to House of Tricks anytime soon again. I don't mind paying big price tags for a good meal, but I just wasn't impressed enough to run out and have another $25 entree. Once it cools down I may consider going for lunch on the patio with some girlfriends, but I will pass for dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">House of Tricks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">114 E. 7th Street</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tempe, AZ 85281</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.houseoftricks.com/">www.houseoftricks.com</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-23929618243548987292010-08-30T22:27:00.000-07:002010-08-30T22:27:07.401-07:00Strawberry Volcanoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The month of August has been really busy for me, between going out of town for 9 days, being swamped at work and many other things, I just haven't had a chance to sit down and post on my blog. The fall is always a really busy time of year for me as well, with football season, a couple of trips (football related of course) and all the holidays; but it is also a good opportunity to do some cooking for the aforementioned football season and holidays, so I hope to bring you all some more foodie fun soon!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These were the last item that I made for my sister's housewarming party back in July (and I still need to post about her birthday dinner in June....yikes!), and I have saved the best for last. My sister loves chocolate covered strawberries, so once I stumbled across this picture and description somewhere in my Internet travels, I knew they would be perfect for her party! They do take a bit more work than just a dipped strawberry, but they are so cute and delicious that it is worth it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRrO7pB-iItNC7OrsBs4W3eW-1qtZRZI-4TKl-6LVjwR1qk07N05fpPuJ9Lv6nM3uZjg8MT_VToJIHDujPciRrP7htCe2bhkZsUdgCC3rcfGI-KBdbeeqrdublDckSRdGHi0HCzshGQ8/s1600/DSC00622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRrO7pB-iItNC7OrsBs4W3eW-1qtZRZI-4TKl-6LVjwR1qk07N05fpPuJ9Lv6nM3uZjg8MT_VToJIHDujPciRrP7htCe2bhkZsUdgCC3rcfGI-KBdbeeqrdublDckSRdGHi0HCzshGQ8/s320/DSC00622.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center">Strawberry Volcanoes</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">1 lb. strawberries, cleaned, with tops cut off to make flat</div><div align="left">1 c. chocolate chips, melted</div><div align="left">Whipped cream, in a can or homemade</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">After slicing the tops off of the strawberries, make a cross cut across the tips of each strawberry. Drain the strawberries on paper towels. Carefully dip flat bottoms of strawberries in melted chocolate; place on wax paper and cool. Carefully pipe whipped cream into the split opening on the top of each strawberry. Chill until serving and enjoy!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-8903609099512402872010-07-31T22:31:00.000-07:002010-07-31T22:31:16.274-07:00Proscuitto, Marscapone & Fig Bruschetta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This bruschetta is so easy, it is embarrassing, but it looks so classy and people gobble it up, so it is a good recipe to have in your repertoire! My friend Heather first introduced me to this combination, and she first had it at a local wine bar called Postino here in Phoenix. The combination of the creamy cheese, salty prosciutto and the sweetness of the figs is the most awesome combination ever! It may seem weird to some, but give it a try, you will have your guests thinking you are quite the gourmet!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtx0FF4kqMPDxmWFrRQsxvP9xI30PIfuUTv20A9YZeac_wHnCCVP90qddinebAHBL-JY5icfyKGC3z1DvunpY7Whwxl0xbpgGmRDJquIkSXy3dODFi1D633k4Xv54thnnW8oTix25lyOw/s1600/DSC00620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtx0FF4kqMPDxmWFrRQsxvP9xI30PIfuUTv20A9YZeac_wHnCCVP90qddinebAHBL-JY5icfyKGC3z1DvunpY7Whwxl0xbpgGmRDJquIkSXy3dODFi1D633k4Xv54thnnW8oTix25lyOw/s320/DSC00620.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prosciutto, Marscapone & Fig Bruschetta</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">by Jenn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 French baguette, sliced on the diagonal about 3/4" thick</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 lb. Prosciutto, thinly sliced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tub Marscapone cheese (Usually found by the gourmet cheeses at the store)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dried Figs, sliced (These are on the dried fruit aisle, near the raisins)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cooking spray</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Turn oven on to broil.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Place bread slices on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or olive oil. Broil for about 3 - 4 minutes just until the tops start to brown. Remove from oven.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spread a layer of Marscapone on the toasted side, top with slices of Prosciutto and a couple of slices of figs. That is all, you are ready to go, and these hold nicely at room temperature!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy!</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-13374600400602910262010-07-28T22:06:00.000-07:002010-07-28T22:06:52.545-07:00Caprese Skewers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple of weeks ago my sister moved into a new condo that she recently purchased. She was so excited for her new place that she just had to have a housewarming party ASAP, never mind that she didn't even have bedding or things to put on the walls when she decided this. But nonetheless, she planned it for a weekend after we got back from vacation, and asked me to help out with the food. She had some very specific requests of things for me to make, but luckily they were all pretty easy to pull together. Although the whole weekend was a mad rush with us spending all day Saturday running around to different stores to finish decorating the place and then going to buy and make all the food by 4:00 pm on Sunday, but we got it done with just minutes to spare! I have to say, her place looks really good, and she was able to pull it together really quickly. It took me months to figure out my place, although I was behind to start with because all I owned was a bed, TV and a retro baby blue recliner! Oh the days of simplicity!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is a picture of the spread that we put out for the guests, and over the next couple of posts I will share with you what I made, starting with Caprese Skewers!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfIqAUIrncDfDvlwJh1xA7oxlAicsou0NcNyPR9thUWkWkiaegxIfOv_f3mkIuO5PDsUZGQ5P1d38TWRtcQamK23UXJw2zmoYzenAoXXtvZ26M20vPrkV6wQRQ7XOjZ4IL8VDNcHTdWI/s1600/DSC00616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfIqAUIrncDfDvlwJh1xA7oxlAicsou0NcNyPR9thUWkWkiaegxIfOv_f3mkIuO5PDsUZGQ5P1d38TWRtcQamK23UXJw2zmoYzenAoXXtvZ26M20vPrkV6wQRQ7XOjZ4IL8VDNcHTdWI/s320/DSC00616.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The guests loved all the food, and I just had to call my sister out when she was showing off all the food that SHE (code for me, Jenn, her sister) made! But hey, that's what sisters are for :) It is almost embarrassing to share this as a recipe, because it is really more of an idea, but it makes for such a great item to take to a party or a picnic because it can be made ahead of time and doesn't require a fork! I first made these for one of my football tailgates and everyone went wild over them, so I knew I had me a keeper!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVWTb2WIQHN5OiN9O9VAFAnEjEkOdBE1QmitIEBwMg9zReqqAU_XkJpMMFq7KG4E8pb5y4ZkqbbDJ54mCCcqDWBzW_yHzLbmY1mSDYvaIRf6FArPxLTQpkpP_TWQqlb-q9C-WMIzfG3U/s1600/DSC00617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVWTb2WIQHN5OiN9O9VAFAnEjEkOdBE1QmitIEBwMg9zReqqAU_XkJpMMFq7KG4E8pb5y4ZkqbbDJ54mCCcqDWBzW_yHzLbmY1mSDYvaIRf6FArPxLTQpkpP_TWQqlb-q9C-WMIzfG3U/s320/DSC00617.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Caprese Skewers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">by Jenn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cherry Tomatoes (I bought a box at Costco and had about half leftover)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fresh mozzarella (Once again, I bought this at Costco, it comes in a pack of 2, but I just used one log)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Prepared Pesto (I used Classico Brand, found on the pasta aisle, but use fresh or make your own!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Toothpicks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dice mozzarella into cubes, about 3/4" by 3/4". Put cheese and tomatoes in a large bowl, spoon a couple of tablespoons of pesto into the bowl; stir to combine and coat the cheese and tomatoes. Add more pesto until you get the desired amount of coating. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Skewer the tomatoes and cheese onto toothpicks. I usually do cheese, tomato, cheese; but do whatever combination you like! Put skewers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and let sit at least an hour to let the pesto marinate into the cheese. Enjoy!</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-28716166046990084122010-07-19T22:07:00.000-07:002010-07-19T22:07:27.179-07:00El Charro Cafe - Tucson, AZ<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes friends, your eyes are not deceiving you, I went to Tucson. I know that anything related to Tucson is against my religion being a Sun Devil and all, but I went to see this country lady.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDzA2QusUCytats4GSP7OA3wDn6srterf-Z4fxJu_2STELYvp_mMHdR6BmjqIHwcb0yQ8kCUvq6TgoVqwIe0nswdtQvYnRFRYZHKDLw5E_X3fc8Y-pBiGr6p_wRr6JsJfZ3VoeuV2pko/s1600/Picture+039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDzA2QusUCytats4GSP7OA3wDn6srterf-Z4fxJu_2STELYvp_mMHdR6BmjqIHwcb0yQ8kCUvq6TgoVqwIe0nswdtQvYnRFRYZHKDLw5E_X3fc8Y-pBiGr6p_wRr6JsJfZ3VoeuV2pko/s320/Picture+039.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you recognize her? It's Carrie Underwood! I have loved Carrie since her days on American Idol, and when she won and started putting out country albums, I loved her even more! The first time she came to Phoenix I had a conflict and couldn't go to the show....fast forward a year later and it is announced that she is coming back to Arizona....but this time to Tucson....yuck! But this is how much I love Carrie, I will head into enemy territory to see her! The show was awesome, and the picture above is of her in an old truck that literally was right over our heads! My sister and I had a great time, but not wanting to stay in Tucson for too long, we left and drove back to Phoenix right after the show!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">We got to Tucson about an hour and a half before the show and wanted to grab some dinner. My sister and I are both Mexican food junkies, so we decided to check out some of the local food and plugged in our request to the GPS and let it guide us. Our GPS led us to the El Charro Cafe, which was an adorable, old, little building in downtown Tucson, it didn't look scary and the parking lot was busy so we decided to give it a try!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The restaurant is comprised of a couple of little old houses and patios, very cute, but very lacking in bathrooms! Once we were seated at a table indoors, we were presented with a basket of chips and two kinds of salsas, one red and one green. The chips were on the thick side for my taste, and not warm, but they were decent. The red salsa was milder than the green one, but still had some nice kick to it. Both were tasty, but not the chunky kind of salsa that I like the most.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ok5BZN55YUwBH8WsMcVxxe3wxhSssEzQkW6uMXSuLd-hVUXTfJB8ds2E5SASQEKwWXD0FPd65NkOr-wAiKodSGv8wyBTTT89FF-4Vhekexu0MCG7wJuNpmVh5V4uJ0moMDHxda05FOg/s1600/Picture+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ok5BZN55YUwBH8WsMcVxxe3wxhSssEzQkW6uMXSuLd-hVUXTfJB8ds2E5SASQEKwWXD0FPd65NkOr-wAiKodSGv8wyBTTT89FF-4Vhekexu0MCG7wJuNpmVh5V4uJ0moMDHxda05FOg/s320/Picture+020.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sister was wanting to eat lighter that night and decided to start with the Charro Salad. The menu didn't have much of a description, but she was treated to what she called the "most amazing salad ever!" The salad was mixed greens, with chunks of mango, roasted pepitas, dried cranberries and Casero cheese in a light vinaigrette. The presentation was beautiful, and she loved the combination of flavors; just the other day she mentioned how good it was and we were there 2 months ago!</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXHaGYhNsExAmDmFFBKJnp2QAiLhiHYQOsi2uHOMhkd2XAK2SnEUDScBNwqHrzDycc_1x80qjZGS-hFmZTr9xPMkUnLtiPTx8tm4pKh7Z8xfL-rD2JH9NwWE0xXw18UIkuTTFEpLICvc/s1600/Picture+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXHaGYhNsExAmDmFFBKJnp2QAiLhiHYQOsi2uHOMhkd2XAK2SnEUDScBNwqHrzDycc_1x80qjZGS-hFmZTr9xPMkUnLtiPTx8tm4pKh7Z8xfL-rD2JH9NwWE0xXw18UIkuTTFEpLICvc/s320/Picture+024.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">In the last 6 months, my sister has become absolutely obsessed with shrimp tacos. She orders them wherever we go, and rules out places and picks places based on the availability of shrimp tacos! Well, this night she didn't get shrimp tacos, even though they had them on the menu, but she opted for Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas. The tostadas were on the appetizer menu, but the serving was 3 large tostadas, so definitely enough for a meal. The shrimp tasted so fresh with the lime, lemon and tomato marinade. The crispy shells with the cool seafood topping were the perfect dish for a hot summer night.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPp3NolRFXVdiWKCEwem9LAONOCrguGgq0QqKyTst_caNeEJiWhMUbnhvx_qu4d7iBxFjHtI7Tm4e7YOCegCSrp0hVGq-NJNFfcQlkYJ1Vki27M2XreGD7d3eanp4Vxdyyjc1_cdpEqmE/s1600/Picture+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPp3NolRFXVdiWKCEwem9LAONOCrguGgq0QqKyTst_caNeEJiWhMUbnhvx_qu4d7iBxFjHtI7Tm4e7YOCegCSrp0hVGq-NJNFfcQlkYJ1Vki27M2XreGD7d3eanp4Vxdyyjc1_cdpEqmE/s320/Picture+021.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The menu at El Charro is huge, and I had such a hard time deciding what to order! There were many items that sounded good and were so different from some of the items that are typically found on menus, but we were in a bit of a rush to go to the concert so I got an old stand-by, a Green Chile Beef Burrito Enchilada Style with a side of beans! I like to measure most Mexican restaurants by their Green Chile, so I figured I would give it a try here. The beef was nice and tender, and the green chile packed just enough heat that made it flavorful but didn't make it so it scalded my mouth. The beans, well they were just blah, boring, no flavor, not good. And look, they didn't even garnish them with any cheese!</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxfDll7-iA_jveMx_p3mSXmBB28Nut9-s-y3FODT6KV7D3HrjOfj9RRbV9Z5zC1BMKzHK65hSngvypagXok2LLRuzj8Ff2JFAL_oPtD0IKSVcmSBW0GvwDrauMQBBoeFXpVJNRNQy460/s1600/Picture+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxfDll7-iA_jveMx_p3mSXmBB28Nut9-s-y3FODT6KV7D3HrjOfj9RRbV9Z5zC1BMKzHK65hSngvypagXok2LLRuzj8Ff2JFAL_oPtD0IKSVcmSBW0GvwDrauMQBBoeFXpVJNRNQy460/s320/Picture+022.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I don't think we could have stumbled upon a better place to eat on our trip to Tucson, for the most part the food was tasty, the building was historic (built in 1922) and they got us in and out in record time, letting us get to the show, which was our real mission for the night. I wouldn't go back if I was really in the mood for some good beans, but I would return just to try out some of their other intriguing dishes.<br />
<br />
El Charro Cafe (5 Tucson locations)<br />
311 N. Court Ave.<br />
Tucson, AZ 85701<br />
<a href="http://www.elcharrocafe.com/">www.elcharrocafe.com</a>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-41062443398236475912010-07-15T21:50:00.000-07:002010-07-15T21:50:57.564-07:00Nifna's Green SalsaI actually made this about two months ago, which will probably come as no shock since I haven't been posting regularly, but it is such a nice change of pace from regular salsa that I couldn't just not post it. Apparently Nifna's is a well known Mexican restaurant in the Houston area and this dip is served to everyone with the complimentary chips. (Side note: I recently read that we are getting a Nifna's here in the Phoenix area, so I will have to check it out and compare once it opens!) I was not only intrigued by the ingredient list, but also by the preparation because the tomato component is actually cooked first. This was really good, it had a hit of heat, but the sour cream and avocado in it helped to temper the fire. Also, this made a ton! So unless you are going to a party or have a huge family, you may want to cut the recipe in half...or maybe not....cause it probably won't last long! I took this in to my office and my co-workers went wild over it! I have a pretty small office and had two requests for the recipe...which can only mean one thing...it's a keeper! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQFxqxOUaFL6mD08LI2rcRxS_-Kqv6vtY28SQB09bBS8h6f3drryLOxjWMbheGrWt5Xm81eUO2v-IkC-7p17OVhb8k2ZDJvUDP4d5qzR3NAWnlPx6ki2mWEJcwtBsa9Mna5pe-FOtCkg/s1600/Picture+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQFxqxOUaFL6mD08LI2rcRxS_-Kqv6vtY28SQB09bBS8h6f3drryLOxjWMbheGrWt5Xm81eUO2v-IkC-7p17OVhb8k2ZDJvUDP4d5qzR3NAWnlPx6ki2mWEJcwtBsa9Mna5pe-FOtCkg/s320/Picture+015.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center">Nifna's Green Salsa</div><div align="center">adapted from <a href="http://www.homewithmandy.com/2008/11/ninfas-green-salsa.html">Home with Mandy</a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
3 medium-sized green tomatoes, coarsely chopped (you can substitute yellow if you can’t find green ones, and you are not supposed to use red, but that is all I could find and it still worked!)<br />
4 tomatillos, cleaned and chopped</div><div align="left">1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped </div>3 small garlic cloves, chopped<br />
3 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced<br />
4 sprigs cilantro<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
1 c. sour cream <br />
<br />
Combine chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos and garlic in a saucepan and heat on medium high Add garlic. At this point, using a potato masher, start to smash the tomatoes to bring out the juices. Let the mixture cook, mashing more and stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from heat and let cool a bit.<br />
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Meanwhile, put avocado, cilantro and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Add cooled tomato mixture to food processor and pulse until smooth. Remove mixture to a different bowl and stir in sour cream. (I chilled mine for a bit after this because it was still warm from the tomatoes.) Dig in with some tortilla chips....mmmm!<br />
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.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-24070524152347527532010-06-14T21:32:00.000-07:002010-06-14T21:32:19.859-07:00Strawberry Shortcake Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago I hit an awesome sale on strawberries, just 99 cents for a package, so I picked them up thinking I would snack on them. Well, I am a bad girl and put them in the fridge and forgot about them, until one Sunday night when trying to figure out dinner I found them and realized that they needed to be eaten, and quick! Was I going to eat a whole container by myself that night, probably not, but I remembered seeing a recipe for these Strawberry Shortcake Cookies and figured at least they would be going towards a good cause! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a Martha Stewart recipe, and she did not disappoint! They tasted just like a strawberry shortcake minus the whipped cream, they were heavenly! I did have a bit of a problem getting the strawberries incorporated into the dough, but I think it was my fault for bringing the dough together too much before adding the strawberries, so I had to mash pieces into the balls of dough. I almost decided to throw the towel in because I didn't think they were going to turn out, but after tasting them, I would have been very mad at myself for missing out! These really are best warm out of the oven and really should be eaten within a day or two of baking, but honestly, they are so good, you'll be lucky to have any left by day two!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgM9-zRDSqF19umXSAnSCLadeFtUEwzmhA3158-wlHnFRW2CHnZckvOV0Lz25iOPX82L_mKqdDkXsnoXtJESVVMpyWWF2oAbKc1nrqKefoo8TtpP1Epj8R0wSFMewxbwa5n9hMsKdVJ0/s1600/Picture+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgM9-zRDSqF19umXSAnSCLadeFtUEwzmhA3158-wlHnFRW2CHnZckvOV0Lz25iOPX82L_mKqdDkXsnoXtJESVVMpyWWF2oAbKc1nrqKefoo8TtpP1Epj8R0wSFMewxbwa5n9hMsKdVJ0/s320/Picture+006.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Strawberry Shortcake Cookies</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">adapted from Martha Stewart</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">12 oz. strawberries, hulled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups)<br />
1-2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar</div>2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
2 tsp. baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp. kosher salt<br />
6 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces<br />
2/3 c. heavy cream<br />
coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.<br />
<br />
Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.<br />
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Whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter to the flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. You can also use your fingers. Stir in the heavy cream until the dough starts to come together, then gently fold in strawberries.<br />
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Using a 1-1/2 inch cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-46625020312204727122010-06-13T21:10:00.000-07:002010-06-13T21:10:41.407-07:00Chicken Suiza Tostadas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh my goodness, it has been way too long since I have been able to post anything food related here, but my computer is working again (for the most part) and I am ready to get back to making a more regular appearance on here!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to my camera, I actually made these back on April 12, so it seems that I am about 2 months behind in all my posting, which is a shame, because I have made some yummy stuff during that time! These <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">tostadas</span> are actually a spin on a recipe that was getting posted all over the various blogs that I read, they were intended to be eaten as a sandwich, but being such a Mexican food lover, I have a hard time putting the concept of Mexican food and sandwiches together, plus I wanted something crunchy, so thus I served it <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">tostada</span> style! But feel free to serve on a nice crusty roll if it is a sandwich that you crave!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is actually a Rachael Ray recipe, and it actually took less than 30 minutes! The basis is a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">pre</span>-cooked rotisserie chicken, so that really eliminates a lot of time, but there is some prep involved with getting all of the chicken off of the bone. (Quick Tip: It is much easier to pull the chicken off the bone and shred it while it is still warm, so if I go to the grocery store early in the day, I always <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">de</span>-bone and shred the chicken when I get home and then just refrigerate until I am ready to start cooking.) This smelled delicious while cooking, and the end result confirmed it, the chicken mixture was creamy with a touch of heat. For the shells, I just took corn tortillas and fried them in a little bit of oil until crispy, but you could always use <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">pre</span>-made shells or bake them until crispy for a lighter version.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since it was just me eating this, I was able to package up two more portions for the freezer, which will be just perfect when I need a Mexican fix after a long day at work!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvbI8Iu73Tw-3RMKa36DVF9hHxU2qFQHVhmIn9phT9NeQ1E5kPUrKyO-Tr81kD9_NxUtbXo90wo1y1FLpSs34GCSqOgNnp3i1-f7iivd09cl736bzDqRBHtsbB3V2m2nvMyzEBbi1jwY/s1600/Picture+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvbI8Iu73Tw-3RMKa36DVF9hHxU2qFQHVhmIn9phT9NeQ1E5kPUrKyO-Tr81kD9_NxUtbXo90wo1y1FLpSs34GCSqOgNnp3i1-f7iivd09cl736bzDqRBHtsbB3V2m2nvMyzEBbi1jwY/s320/Picture+003.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Chicken <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Suiza</span> <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Tostadas</span></div><div align="center">adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray - September 2009</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">1 Tbsp. olive oil </div><div align="left">1 small red onion, chopped</div>2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
Juice of 1 lime <br />
1 Tbsp. honey <br />
1 1/2 c. store-bought salsa <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">verde</span> <br />
1/2 c. sour cream <br />
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded <br />
4 <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">tostada</span> shells <br />
4 slices Monterrey jack cheese (I just used shredded)<br />
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1. Preheat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Stir in the chicken to coat. <br />
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2. Pile the chicken mixture on the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">tostada</span> shells. Top with the cheese and broil to melt. Serve with extra sour cream and salsa if desired....and of course....a side of beans!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603320424480516075.post-70192941267579323272010-05-24T11:24:00.000-07:002010-05-24T11:24:07.123-07:00Out of OrderMy laptop at home got infected with a nasty virus and decided to not work anymore. I had my IT friend come over to look at it and he informed me that it had to go home with him for an in depth analysis...which didn't sound good. So because of this, I haven't been able to post anything new lately, even though I do have some restaurants and recipes to share with you all. Well, let me take that back, I could post them, but they wouldn't have any pictures since all the pictures are on my laptop; and let's face it, a post about food with no pictures just doesn't quite cut it....and I don't want my reputation tarnished! I am hoping to get my computer back tomorrow (fingers crossed) and I am also hoping that when I get it back it is in working condition so that I can get back into posting more consistently.<br />
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So please bear with me while I deal with having no computer at home (which, by the way really sucks on the weekends....I feel so out of the loop!). I hope to be back in action soon, especially since with Memorial Day being this weekend there is sure to be food to be made!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345742691261283548noreply@blogger.com1