All I did was mix a few tablespoons of olive oil into some balsamic vinegar along with a squeeze of lemon with lemon zest (salt & pepper). I had also added avocados and it was to die for!
As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. ~Buddy Hackett
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Leftover Salmon
All I did was mix a few tablespoons of olive oil into some balsamic vinegar along with a squeeze of lemon with lemon zest (salt & pepper). I had also added avocados and it was to die for!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
Omgosh, I can't believe it's Monday already. Last week's meals went as planned. I made Liz's Lemon Garlic Chicken and we LOVED it. The chicken was so tender and flavorful. So here is the menu this week. Monday-Thursday is dinner for 1. We moved to WA thinking no more road trips, but the hubby is out again. :( Oh well, thank goodness for cable! lolFor more recipes and meal ideas visit our host, Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.
Monday
Mediterranean Fish
Veggies
Tuesday
Beef goulash
Wednesday
Leftover beef goulash
Thursday
Pinto beans over cornbread
Friday
Basil chicken with tomato-alfredo sauce *
Saturday
Cashew chicken
Sunday
Ceviche
*Basil Chicken with tomato-alfredo sauce
Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cups alfredo (I like to use the sundried tomato alfredo)
1 pt grape tomatoes
fresh basil
Directions:
Sprinkle drumsticks with pepper
Add nonstick spray to pan. Cook chicken until brown on all sides.
Stir in alfredo sauce and 3/4 of tomatoes.
Reduce heat to Med low, cover & simmer 20 minutes until chicken is cooked.
Cut basil into strips and add to skillet with remaining tomatoes.
Serve with rice or noodles.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
100th Post - Easter Dinner
Cornish hens:
Pat dry and sprinkle with salt & pepper
Mix together 1 can orange juice concentrate (defrosted), 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil
Brush mixture liberally on cornish hens
Bake 15 minutes at 450 then 30 minutes at 350 (uncovered)
Enjoy!
Crockpot Angel Chicken
Crockpot Angel Chicken
1/2 cup butter
1 pkg dry italian salad dressing mix
1 can golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup white wine (cooking wine or regular drinking wine)
4oz. onion & chive cream cheese
pkg angel hair pasta (cook according to box directions)
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Menu Plan Monday

I am back in the game baybay!! lol This will be our first full week in Bellingham. It is a culture shock for us. I hate to say so far the people don't seem to be very nice (I guess I'm used to the Southern hospitality). BUT the scenery is absolutely beautiful. We are surrounded by mountains. I will post pics later this week. Coming from an 1800 sq ft house to an 1000 sq ft apartment with a large dog is difficult for us, but we'll adapt. At least we are finally in the same country. ;) Anyway, we went to the grocery store and found that in the frozen food section they have row after row of seafood that you can scoop yourself and buy in a bag. It's awesome! We both love seafood and there is plenty of it here! So here is our first Menu Plan Monday in Washington. :)
Monday
Crockpot Angel Chicken
Tuesday
Pan Seared Salmon w/bacon
Baby potatoes
Roman lettuce salad
Wednesday
Homemade Cheeseburgers
Salad
Thursday
Lemon Garlic Chicken
White rice
Broccoli
Friday
Leftovers
Saturday
Cream Cheese Chicken
Sunday
Roasted Chicken
veggies
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Mexican Soup
4 chicken breasts, shredded
Good olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Avocados- optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste.
Oh so good Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Monday, February 18, 2008
An Award- For Lil' Ole me???

Cynthia at http://www.thematzats.blogspot.com/) and my Friend Liz at http://mommychef.blogspot.com/ have both given me an award for Excellence. Thank you so much ladies! Much love ;)
Here are a few blogs that I love to read and Im sure you will too!
Ashley- http://princessx3.blogspot.com
Miss Lionheart http://tootsie.wordpress.com
http://sprinklesandtwinkles.blogspot.com/
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
I didn't have time to cook dinner at all last week. Our dinners consisted of cereal and tv dinners. We put our house on the market and in 4 days got a contract. yay! We are so happy to have that weight lifted off of our shoulders. So now the next step.... packing everything and our road trip to Washington. :) For more recipe ideas, please visit our hostess Laura at http://www.orgjunkie.com/.
Monday
Round Steak Sauerbraten
Wild rice
Salad
Tuesday
French Country Chicken
Green beans with shallots
Wednesday
Spaghetti
Thursday
Oven baked chimichangas
Friday
Out with friends
Saturday
C.O.R.N. (clean out fridge night)
I saw this saying on another site and thought it was cute
Sunday
Hawaiian Pork Roast
Roasted potatoes
Mixed veggies
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Chicken Mug Pies
1 tube jumbo bake-off butter biscuits
Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast pieces, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 ribs celery and greens from the heart, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded potatoes, ready to cook hash browns
1 pint half-and-half or cream
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, a healthy grating
1 cup frozen green peas
Preheat oven according to package directions and arrange biscuits on cookie sheet. In a medium pot over medium to medium high heat, cook chicken in butter 2 minutes then add veggies and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more, add flour cook another minute. Add potatoes, then whisk in half-and-half or cream and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil by raising heat, then turn heat back to simmer and cook soup another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add peas. Stir in to warm them through a minute.
Serve mugs of soup with biscuits on top to cap the mug: chicken mug pies!
Orzo Stuffed Peppers
2 zucchini, grated
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
6 sweet bell peppers (red or yellow)
Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and break apart using a pair of kitchen shears or your finger tips. Add the zucchini, mint, cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 4 minutes. The orzo should be only partially cooked. Use a fine mesh sieve to transfer the orzo to the large bowl with the other vegetables. Stir the orzo into the vegetable mix to combine. Transfer the warm chicken broth to a 3-quart baking dish.
Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all ribs and seeds. Cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up.
Place the peppers in the baking dish with the warm chicken broth. Spoon the orzo mixture into the peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top of each pepper with cheese and continue baking until the cheese is golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully transfer the orzo stuffed pepper to a serving plate.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Menu Plan Monday

Orzo Stuffed Peppers
Dinner at my Grandmothers :)
Chicken Mug Pies
Friday
Leftovers
Saturday
Sunday
Bean & Cheese Tostadas
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Baked Potato Soup
1 pkg. bacon
1 c celery, chopped
1/2 c. green onions, thinly sliced
1 can 14 oz. chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c. sour cream
2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Monday, January 21, 2008
Menu Plan Monday

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
So here is our meal plan for this week. It's simple since we'll be so busy. Gotta pack and get ready to head back to the States! :)
Monday
Chicken with garlic sauce
Mixed veggies
Salad
Tuesday
Taco night
Wednesday
Peanut Chicken Stir Fry
Thursday
Mini Cheesy Meatloaves
Friday
Leftovers (date night)
Saturday
Hamburgers with chips (fries)
Sunday
Sunday roast
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Pasta with Spinach, Bacon and Mushrooms
Ingredients
1/2 box of penne pasta
6 slices bacon or turkey bacon
2 T garlic butter, divided
1/2 yellow onion diced (I omitted this and used onion powder)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pkg button mushrooms, sliced
garlic salt to taste
1 bag of baby spinach
1 T flour
1 c half and half (*Sub double cream)
*1 c chicken broth
1/2 c fresh grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook penne pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a big skillet, cook the bacon. (If you’re using real bacon, you’ll need to drain most of the extra grease off.)
Set the cooked bacon aside on a plate and crumble once cool.
In the leftover fat and 1 T of the garlic butter, sauté the garlic and onion over medium-low until very well browned, 20-30 mins (Since I didnt add onions I only cooked the garlic in the butter for about 5 minutes)Add mushrooms, season with garlic salt, (onion powder) and cook until reduced, 10 or so minutes. Add the spinach and cook over medium for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix together the pasta, bacon and the sautéed vegetables in a large serving bowl.
In the still hot pan, melt the remaining T of garlic butter. Add flour and make a paste.
Add a couple of ounces of half and half, chicken broth and stir well until no lumps remain.
Slowly add the rest of the half and half, stirring constantly.
Once smooth, boil 30 to 60 seconds until just slightly thickened, still stirring constantly.
Add the parmesan to the sauce and stir just until melted.
Pour sauce over pasta, bacon and veggie combo, and mix well.
Serve with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Lemon Chicken
Cooking spray (*Sub about 2 tablespoons olive oil)
Preparation
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 324(8% from fat); FAT 2.8g (sat 1g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 35g; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 120mg; SODIUM 773mg; FIBER 8.3g; IRON 3.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.7g
Monday, January 7, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
Happy Monday! I'm only posting the menu until Friday. We are going to Paris this weekend for a short trip. :) Now that we are leaving in April, we have to squeeze all of the trips we wanted to take in before we go back. For more more recipe ideas please visit our host, Laura, at http://www.orgjunkie.com/.Spinach, bacon & parmesan pasta
Sunday, January 6, 2008
My First Tag
OCTOBER:Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.
Rules:
1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth (see below).
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!
THE MONTHLY FLAVORS, WHICH ARE YOU?
JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.
FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.
MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.
APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.
MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.
JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.
JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.
AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.
SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.
OCTOBER:Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.
NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.
DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.
I tag:
Mommy Chef
Ashley
Dont Call Me Mummy
Sprinkles and Twinkles
Friday, January 4, 2008
Shrimp with Angel Hair
One of my creations (like hubs likes to call, experiments for the guinea). Anyway, this was easy and very tasteful. Hope you likey!
Ingredients:
Angel hair pasta
1-2 bags of raw jumbo prawns
5 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
butter
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Directions:
Cook pasta as directed (as if you didn't already know)
In large saucepan melt about 2 tablespoons of butter, add garlic and cook for around 2 minutes
Salt & Pepper the shrimp and add to the saucepan. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. (I have this jar of pepper mixed with red pepper and its awesome!)
Cook the shrimp until they are all pink and remove from pan
In the same saucepan add 1/2 cup of wine, 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and another 2 tablespoons of butter, bring to a boil. Add the shrimp back to the pan and cook for an additional few minutes. Drain the pasta then add the shrimp with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley if you wish. Enjoy!