If you are a Chocolate Lover!

And I am actually not a huge chocolate fanatic, but I still LOVE these brownies! When it comes to brand named foods, sometimes it matter, sometimes it doesn't. In this case, it really matters! We've tried a lot of different brownie mixes (my husband doesn't have a sweet tooth, he has sweet TEETH, he could eat sweets all day long), and the Ghiradelli brand is the very best, particularly the Triple Chocolate. With a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, or mint chocolate chip if you like to be difficult like me, you have the best Sunday afternoon dessert.

What's your favorite dessert?

Chicken, with Tomatoes and Rice

I have to apologize because I found this recipe in a magazine that I can no longer find, so I'm not going to be able to give you the exact recipe, but I had to share it with you anyway because it's so good, and really easy to do without a recipe.

By making this meal, I discovered just how easy it is to turn regular rice into something so yummy. It doesn't take much either. In this recipe it called for simple additions and changes like blending herbs such as garlic, parsely, cilantro and scallions into a thin paste and adding them to your rice. Use chicken broth instead of water. Add mushrooms and slivered almonds, and don't be afraid to try different kinds of rices. I used arborio, which was so creamy and had a thicker texture. There a several different kinds to try. Cook your rice with just as much liquid as normal, for just as long as normal.

*If you are going to "wing it" with your rice, which you should, it's pretty hard to screw up, just be sure to add enough salt, otherwise it may come out tasting a little funky.

This recipe also called for the chicken to be cooked on the skillet, but I chose to coat it in basil oil (or just reg olive oil), s&p and roast it at 425 until cooked through. It comes out so tender and juicy.

The tomatoes were cherry tomatoes that I sliced in half and sauteed with garlic and fresh parsely until tomatoes are slightly softed and heated through.

Combine all three with some crusty bread makes for a very healthy and crowd pleasing meal.

If you'd rather have the real recipe rather then my artistic version of it (not that I blame you), I believe I found it in the July issue of Cooking Light. Hope you enjoy!

Pizza Party

I LOVE pizza. To demonstrate my love for pizza, I worked for a pizza company for over two years, had pizza almost everyday I worked there, and never once got sick of it! It's one of my favorites without a doubt. However, as I get older and a little more conscious of what I eat, along with calories and such, I have become much more wary of my cheesy guilty pleasure.

So, to curb the guilt, I have been working hard to make a pizza that is delicious and easy to make, without feeling like I've swallowed an entire brick of greasy cheese and meat. Here are ways I have found to do that...

1. I really like the store bought crusts, which they now have in wheat. They are fairly low in calories and a nice blank slate for whatever you want to add to your pizza.

2. Use a lot of tomato sauce, which adds TONS of flavor, with no added fat and few calories. I love my pizza sauce which is basically tomato sauce, italian seasonings, minced garlic and salt and pepper.

3. Add as many veggies as you can. My favorite pizza veggies are spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, olives, fresh tomatoes, green pepper, scallions, red and white onions and even broccoli. After all those veggies, you may not even need to add any meat!

4. If you do add meat, there are lots of "turkey substitutes" like turkey pepperoni and sausage that are really quite good.

5. Go easy on the cheese. I like to think of the cheese as a "glue" that holds it all together. Once you have just enough to do that, you're good!

6. Have fun experimenting by making less traditional pizza, like BLT style, BBQ chicken, Philly cheesesteak (had to throw that in!) etc. It's pretty tough to screw up a pizza.

6. Two words: FRESH GARLIC. Adds so much to a pizza, you'll be amazed when you try it.

My all time favorite pizza (which defies a few of my rules...oops!), is Margherita style pizza. It is basically sliced or chopped plum or roma tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, whole or chopped, mozzerella cheese and fresh garlic. No sauce on this pizza. You'll be amazed how GOOD this pizza is, and so easy to make. My kids love it as well.

So get yourself a big salad, some ice cream and a fun movie to go along with the new pizzas you're going to cook up for your family. They'll love it!

Minor Annoyance

It seems that regardless of the way I format my blogs when I write them, they are coming out as a big, solid block of words, with no spacing or separation. I apologize if it's bugging you as much as it's bugging me. Blogger seems tempermental about they way it's going to set up your blogs, so hopefully this won't be an issue for long.

Lettuce Wraps

If you ever go to Cheesecake Factory, you MUST try the lettuce wraps. They are meant to be eaten as an appetizer, but I like to enjoy them as my main course. I like them a little better than PF Changs, just because they are fresher and have much more substance. They also come with three choices of sauce, all of them AMAZING!

But, if you're not planning to go to Cheesecake Factory any time soon, here is my version of the lettuce wrap. I love them in the spring and summer, they are delicious and very healthy.

This recipe can serve 1-4 people, and they store great as leftovers

1 head butter or bib lettuce (you can use iceburg, but it's not near as flexible and velvety as bib or butter)

1-2 cups cooked chicken, either coursely chopped or sliced

1-2 cups shredded carrots

1-2 cups bean sprouts

1-2 cups shredded red cabbage

1-2 cups cooked soba, rice, or spaghetti noodles

1-2 cups salted peanuts

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, if desired

Favorite asian dipping sauce-peanut sauce is my favorite, but there are sweet chili sauces, cilantro sauces, etc that are delicious. Have fun discovering.

Take one lettuce leaf and fill with following ingredients. Either drizzle sauce on top, wrap and eat, or use sauce to dip lettuce wrap. SO GOOD!

This would be an easy and fun food to entertain with, people are always pleasantly surprised with how good they are despite their simplicity.

1-2

Asian Salad (sorry about the lack of pics)

When I was fourteen or fifteen my mom took me to The Garden, which sits on top of the Joseph Smith Memorial building in SLC. I ordered an Asian Sesame salad, which has obviously left a big enough impression to be blogging about it now. It was so good that I would just CRAVE it. Everytime I made it up there, it was the only thing I ordered. I've never been able to completely recreate it, but this is my best attempt. When making salads, try using the freshest ingredients you can, it can really determine how good your salad turns out.

(I didn't post measurements because it's a salad and I trust you can figure it out yourself)
Any salad greens
drained mandarine oranges
waterchestnuts
grilled chicken, sliced (if you're not in the mood to grill chicken, you can purchase it sliced and grilled already, it's in the lunchmeat section)
sliced almonds
cooked rice noodles (reg spaghetti, or soba noodles work too)
sliced scallions
red pepper sliced
chow mein noddles
sugar snap peas
edamame
favorite asian sesame dressing (there are a lot of good ones out there, and regular peanut sauce would work too)

Lemonberry Tarts

I went through this whole obsession with tarts a few month ago for some reason. So, I really wanted to make them at one of my parties, but to make them in the usual mini-tart pan with homeade tart dough was not going to work with my chronic laziness, so I found this shortcut instead. They didn't quite turn out as pretty as I liked, but they were delicious! If you haven't had lemon curd before, it's time you discover it!

Lemonberry Tarts

1-2 store bought pie crusts

1-2 cups lemon curd (recipe below)

1-2 cups sliced strawberries, raspberries, whatever you prefer.

Grease a mini muffin pan. Allow your pie crusts to warm to room temperature. Unroll pie crust and use either biscuit cutter, or round glass or jar to create your individual tart. Place each crust into mini muffin tin to create a cup shape. Poke holes in the bottom and side with a fork. Bake as instructed on the box.Allow the crusts to cool completely. Fill each tart with lemon curd (1-2 TBS). Top each tart with berries to cover the top (mine were only big enough to fit one sliced strawberries). Chill and devour!

(I borrowed this recipe from Joy of Baking)

Lemon Curd Recipe:
3 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. After squeezing, strain the juice to remove any pulp. Zest is the yellow, sweet-flavored outer rind of the lemon. A zester or fine grater can be used to remove the rind. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Little Helpers

I love finding unique spices, oils, marinades etc. when I can. Just a flavored oil can completely change the taste and style of an everyday meal. I have used the basil oil to roast chicken, coat pasta and dip bread. I also love the spices for meats, breads, veggies and stirfrys.

These types of things can also be made with little effort with some of the things you have in your cupboards already. You can flavor your oil by adding a few cloves of fresh garlic and some sprigs of rosemary to your oil. Or just blend oil and fresh basil. You can create your own spice blends just by experimenting a little bit, and there are loads of recipes out there for sauces, marinades and dry rubs you can make yourself. It's always more rewarding and fun when you can create something successful and call it your own!

Club Pasta

I've already posted this recipe on my regular blog, but I had to post it on this one because I LOVE this dish. I made it one night while just trying to clean out my cupboards. Since then I have made it several times, the family loves it. The measurements are estimates, I pretty much throw in what I have, so be sure to make it according to your own taste. Enjoy!

Club Pasta

1-2 cups of favorite small pasta (bowties are my fave, but macaroni, penne, rigatoni, small or med shells also good)

8-10 medium tomatoes seeded and dices (use vine ripened if you can)

2 garlic cloves

1-2 cup diced cooked chicken or turkey

1/2-1 cups bacon bits (I really like the FRESH store bought bacon bits, but stay away from the dehydrated salad toppings)

1/2-1 cups shredded mozzerella or provolone cheese

1/4-1/2 cups parm cheese

1-2 TBS fresh parsley if available,

garlic salt and black pepper to taste (I put garlic salt in just about everything!)

Prepare pasta according to directions. In 1-2 TB olive oil saute tomatoes, and garlic for 1-2 minutes, until both are soft. Add chicken, bacon bits pasta and cheeses. Season with pepper and garlic salt to taste. Add parsley right before serving. Enjoy!