They took it away...

Can you believe that they would do this to our precious chocolate. i couldn't believe it. now everytime i go to buy chocolate i am going to check. because i am a chocolatier. i love it, but i didn't notice, or did i just not pay attention. goes back to learning how to love your food. but, that's another blog...

chicken alcatta

so i made this up yesterday it's between chicken alfredo and chicken picatta. both very delicious, i may say, super easy and delicious.

chicken, grilled or baked or boiled. ( i boiled 5 skinless boinless chicken breasts, because i was in a hurry, also added salt and pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, to the water. doesn't matter though)

garlic
shallots
veggie broth or chicken broth
capers
mushrooms
artichokes
parsley
alfredo sauce
cream of mushroom
water
salt and pepper
noddles

cook the chicken, add it to a dutch oven or what you have sautee with olive oil and shallots, sweat the shallots, add the mushroonms, when they are done add the garlic. cook these until the oil is gone, then deglaze the pan with broth or even wine, preferrably white. or water works too
when that has cooked down to 1/3 of what you have, then add the cream of mushroom soup, alfredo sauce, salt, lots of pepper, capers artichokes, parsley, basil if you life. i use fresh herbs, much better.when the noodles are done add then into the saucce, add about a cup of the starchy noodle water. stir together, eat and enjoy with bread or salad!

Bizarre foods

I have been randomly catching this show lately on the travel channel, that i have become very intrigued yet horrified by. I don't even really know when its usually on but they seem to have reruns on late at night when i am up. Its "bizarre foods with andrew zimmerman". I don't know if any of you have seen it before, but its pretty cool. The guy just travels around to different countries, and even just different areas of the U.S. and seeks out whatever weird random food they have thats sort of culturally specific. its interesting to see something that is a delicacy somewhere that i wouldn't even poke with a stick. I cringe a lot while watching it, because this dude will eat pretty much anything. So yeah, this is not a recipe, i was just curious if anyone has ever caught this show, and to say that you should if you can.

a salad from my backyard!

we have a garden that brian does an excellent job maintaining. :-) i take care of the flowers around here.
Anyway he made a fabulous salad that came almost entirely from our garden.

lettuce
green onion
cucumber
avacado- we got it from the neighbors tree
baby bela mushrooms
Ramono Ceasar Dressing- from trader joes
grated parmesean cheese- from trader joes

slice it, dice it, mix it all up...and then enjoy the super healthy flavor explosion. sorry i'm not super specific with directions. i am not the cook in the household and i'm pretty sure you all can figure out the amounts that will work for you.

bean salad

I came up with this salad, be cause costco ran out of the one i like, and i always have the ingredients handy!

1 can kidney beans
1 can of green beans
1 can of garbanzo beans
( rinse all of these under cool water and strain)
1/2 sliced red onion
dressing:
olive oil
red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar is another great option.
crumbled feta cheese
chopped olives, green or black, or any fancy olive. your choice!

erins' potato salad

this is my take on a healthier and yummier version of potato salad. if you are partial to what you grew up on, do not try this. but, it's really delicious and a change of pace, and boy will you fool the peeps.

potatoes of any kind, diced and boiled just to partially done, i believe we all know how to do this.

chopped black olives
parsley
celery
capers
sweet pickles
dill pickles
red onion
( chop all these ingredients, use the amount and you believe would be sufficient to your potatoes)

dressing:
non fat-plain yougurt( greek style) if you want it creamier, put into a fien sive or a flout sack towel, strain over a bowl. after a couple of hours, squeeze out any remaining water.
sweet pickle juice, honey, or sweet rice wine vinegar, you can use all or just one, depending on the taste you like. or if needed a sugar substitue as splenda, or plain sugar. experiment
digon mustard
salt and pepper
lemon zest
lemon juice
this recipe is great on a really warm evening with your favorite bbq item. enjoy!

c-c salad

i am adding this recipe for those who have recently gotten your tahini paste, something else to use it in, other than hummus. i haven't tried this recipe yet. so if you do let me know. i am researching some vegetarian options for my life. so i got this recipe from a veggie cook book from my dad.

1/2 cup currants
1-2 tsp. tahini paste
2 tsps. honey or brown rice syrup( sweetner)
1 tsp. lemon juice
dash of cinnamon
2 c. finely grated carrots
1/2 c. water

soak currants in a 1/2 c.boiling water for and hour or up to overnite. strain, these and reserve the currant water. you will end up with between 2 tblsp. to 1/4. you don't really have to do this other than to rehydrate the dried currants, if that is what you use. and to make them sweeter. the reserved water is used to sweeten the dish, but you can increase the sweeter and just add plain 1/2 c. water to dressing. to accomodate.
use the currant water or plain water, tahini, honey lemon juice, and cinnamon together in either a blender or food processor, until smooth and creamy.
put the carrots and currants together in a bowl, mix in dressing. top with sunflower seeds.