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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Ant Picnic Food Toppers

These ants go marching one by one – straight into your heart! I usually lose my appetite when I see an ant crawling on food at a picnic, but these oversized handmade ants don’t bug me one bit.

They are perfect décor, cupcake or food toppers, or buddies to bring to your next picnic or outdoor party. Mine are going to a cookout on our back porch to celebrate the last day of school. They love watermelon, Bundt cake, and sticky popsicles! Be sure to make a Mama and some baby ants…also known as inf-ANTS!

• Regular and mini craft foam eggs • 1 ½” and 1” Styrofoam balls • Apple Barrel Black Acrylic Paint • Folk Art Glitterific Acrylic Paint in black opal • Sponge brush (x2) • 2 Toothpicks (per large ant)f • Tacky glue • Scissors • 24 GA (.51mm) Black vinyl coated bead wire

Step 1 Paint two eggs (per ant) using a sponge brush in black acrylic paint. Allow to dry.

Step 2 Use another sponge brush to paint the black eggs in black opal Glitterific paint, and allow to dry.

Step 3 Stick a toothpick through the middle of the wide end of the regular eggs to attach them together. Attach the mini eggs using tacky glue.

Step 4 Cut off about ¼ of a toothpick, and insert half of the longer portion into your 1 ½” Styrofoam ball. Use the other half of the toothpick to attach the ball to the egg “body”. Attach at one end, and slightly above the eggs, so it is not aligned perfectly with the body. Basically, make it look like a head! Use tacky glue to attach the 1” Styrofoam ball to the mini egg body.

Step 5 For the large ant, cut six 3 ¼ inch and two 1 ½ inch strips of wire. For the mini ant, cut six 1 ½ inch and two 1 inch strips of wire. Bend the 6 longer pieces in the middle at right angles. Insert them into the sides of the ant body, evenly spaced apart to look like legs. You may want to add a little glue to the tips before inserting the ends, to help them stay in place.

Step 6 Insert the 2 shorter pieces of wire into the top of the head to look like antennae.

Your ants are ready for their big debut at the picnic! Happy crafting!

Source: https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/ant-picnic-food-toppers/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Peanut Butter Blondies with Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Blondies are a peanut butter lovers dream. Add peanut butter to a traditional blondie and then top them off with peanut butter cups!

I am definitely a blondie fan, truth be told, I would take a blondie over a brownie every time. How about you?

What is the difference between a blondie and a brownie?

You probably already know what a brownie is, a dense, chocolately, cake like bar cookie. A blondie is pretty much a brownie without the chocolate. Traditionally, blondies are made with butterscotch chips and brown sugar and I have a delicious butterscotch blondie recipe here.

Today’s version of a blondie is a little different than the traditional blondie because instead of butterscotch, it is full of peanut butter goodness. I love the traditional blondie but after tweeking it to create this peanut version I think I may like these better!

How to Make Peanut Butter Blondies

Mix your wet ingredients together first. Beat your butter, peanut butter and sugar together until they are nice and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Mix all your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add into wet ingredients. The trick is to not over beat your peanut butter blondies. Combining the dry ingredients together first helps prevent overmixing. Mix just until combined.

Add the mixture to a 9 x 13 prepared pan. Be sure the pan is greased or lined with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper because then I can lift the blondies out of the pan to slice them.

Evenly place your peanut butter cups on the batter and press into the batter. I used 28 of the miniature peanut butter cups, placing them in a row of 4 x 7. Be sure and cut into 28 bars so that way you get a peanut butter cup in every square of peanut butter blondies!

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Don’t over bake. I like my blondies a little chewy. Cool to room temperature and then drizzle with melted chocolate and peanut butter. I melt both in the microwave but you can also do so in a double broiler.

Allow the chocolate and peanut butter to set up before cutting into bars. Cut into 28 bars so that you end up with a peanut butter cup in each bar. You don’t want anyone to fell cheated!

Your peanut butter lovers are going to be in heaven and there is definitely enough chocolate in these to make your chocolate lovers happy too. I shared them with my neighbor because I knew I would eat way too many! This is the text I received, “Oh my, those peanut butter bars are amazingly sinful!” Guess she liked them!

Some of my other favorite bar cookies:

Peanut Butter Blondies Recipe

Peanut Butter Blondies

Peanut Butter Blondies are a peanut butter lovers dream. Add peanut butter to a traditional blondie and then top them off with peanut butter cups!

Course: Bar Cookies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: peanut butter blondies

Servings: 28 servings

Calories: 220 kcal

Author: Leigh Anne

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter softened

1/2 cup peanut butter creamy

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

28 mini peanut butter cups unwrapped

1/2 cup chocolate chips melted

1/3 cup peanut butter melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat until light and fluffy.

Add in eggs and vanilla, stir until combined.

In another bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Place batter into prepared pan.

Press Reese's peanut butter cups into batter. Place in a 4 x 7 row. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool and then drizzle with melted chocolate and peanut butter. Allow to set up before cutting.

Nutrition Facts

Peanut Butter Blondies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 220 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 12g 18%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Cholesterol 25mg 8%

Sodium 198mg 8%

Potassium 94mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 25g 8%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 17g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 3.6%

Calcium 2%

Iron 4.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Hi – I’m Leigh Anne! Food, family and friends are three of my favorite things. I love sharing easy, delicious recipes and entertaining ideas that everyone will love. When she started her blog, Your Homebased Mom, over 9 years ago she had no idea that it would one day house over 2,400 recipes and ideas! .

Other posts you might like:

Source: https://snack-girl.com/snack/how-to-cook-tilapia-from-frozen/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Equipment & Gear: GastroMax Slotted Turner (Spatula)

These days when I reach for a spatula to turn food in a pan, I've been finding myself grabbing the GastroMax Slotted Turner more often than not. Tina bought this spatula for me after months (or maybe years) of listening to me complain about our various spatulas. After buying the GastroMax Turner, my complaining has stopped. My previous go to spatula was the Matfer Bourgeat Exoglass Pelton Spatula (what a mouthful!) which I still find to be very useful. The Matfer spatula has a very thin edge that curves up to the main thickness of the spatula (like a fillet edge instead of a chamfer edge) and is a little flexible/bendy which allows it to curve under delicate items like fish fillets. There is almost no angle between the blade of the spatula and the handle which is my chief complaint. Technically, the front 1.5 inches of the blade are angled at 10°, but the rest of the blade is completely in line with the handle. Because there isn't really an angle, scooping under something delicate is harder and potentially limited by the angle with which the sides of the pan allow. Sure, since the spatula is a little flexible, I can press down with some force to cause it to bend a bit more, but when working with delicate food (and over a flame) applying unnecessary force to cause a utensil to flex seems like more of a design flaw than anything else. Also, because of the angle which I have to slide the spatula under the ingredient, sometimes I can't get more than an inch and a half of the ingredient onto the front of the spatula (due to that small 10° angle that starts at that point in the blade) and when I attempt to turn it, the food will slide off either by itself or because the spatula flexs a little. Don't get me wrong, the Matfer spatulas are great (I still use them to flip pancakes and turn delicate fish filets - mine are bright blue), but I like the GastroMax Slotted Turner quite a bit more. Tina and I also use our Matfer spatulas for rapidly transfering food from a pan or sheet pan because it is wider than the GastroMax. The GastroMax Slotted Turner is a bit more rigid than my Matfer spatulas which comes in handy when picking up more weighty ingredients. Since it is rigid, there isn't the flex and bounce that can cause the food to fall or slide off. Perhaps most important is the fact that there is an offset and 27° angle between the blade and the handle which allows me to come in at an extremely shallow (or even flat) angle and slide nicely under the food. The entire blade slides nicely under the food since the blade itself is almost completely flat. The edge of the spatula is very thin (1/32-in) and chamfered (a straight slope from the edge to the thickness of the blade of the spatula [1/16-in]). The slope is also at an extremely shallow angle (less than 5°) and seems to accidentally catch on food less than my other spatulas (often I can get a spatula under some food because the edge is so thin, but where the spatula thickens it will catch on the food and either tear it or make it difficult to get the rest onto the spatula - with the GastroMax this problem doesn't seem to exist). The turner is also heat resistant up to 500°F (260°C). The only real drawback for the GastroMax is that the turner is relatively narrow at 2-1/8 inches at its widest. With a 5-1/2 inch blade, the spatula is long enough for most applications, but wide floppy things (like large or normal sized pancakes) will probably need something a little wider.?> The GastroMax Slotted Turner is available in white, black, and grey. For those few of you who are curious, Tina bought me a grey one. ?> Source: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/346/GastroMax-Slotted-Turner-Spatula

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Butter Brickle Cake

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Butter Brickle Cake has all the flavor of the much missed Butter Brickle Cake mix that Betty Crocker used to make. It is loaded with butterscotch and toffee flavors!

Betty Crocker’s Butter Brickle Cake mix hasn’t been available since the 90s, but if you are one of the many people who miss it, this cake is the real deal. It’s an easy recipes that is made from a doctored box of yellow cake mix. The cake batter has both butterscotch pudding mix and toffee bits added in for maximum flavor.

The cake is finished with a whipped cream frosting covered with tons and tons of toffee bits. The buttery, sweet flavor is irresistible and the toffee bits add a fantastic crunch.

Since a box of cake mix is used, the cake batter can easily be prepared in under 10 minutes. It’s divided into 2 9-inch pans and baked for about 30 minutes.

Be sure to use a box of Instant Pudding Mix, NOT the kind that needs to be cooked.

Be sure to let the cake layers cool completely before frosting.

Because of the frosting, this cake needs to be refrigerated. Cakes with whipped cream frosting are not great for serving in the heat. If you plan on bringing it to a cookout or potluck, be sure it can be kept in the air conditioning.

Your whipping cream will thicken more readily for the frosting if the bowl and the beaters are chilled before using them.

More Easy Cake Recipes:

Butter Brickle Cake has all the flavor of the much missed Butter Brickle Cake mix that Betty Crocker used to make. It is loaded with butterscotch and toffee flavors!

1 box super moist Yellow Cake mix I use Betty Crocker

1 small box butterscotch instant pudding mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 large eggs

2 (8-ounce) bags toffee bits, divided

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 2 9-inch cake pans with baking spray. (or you can butter and flour them.)

With an electric mixer, beat cake mix, pudding mix, water, melted butter, and eggs on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase to medium speed for 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup toffee bits and flour. Add to batter and stir to combine.

Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans and then remove from pans and place on a cooling rack.

Beat whipping cream and brown sugar until thick and spreadable.

Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread a little less than a cup of whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of toffee bits.

Place second cake layer on top. Cover top and sides with remaining whipped cream.

Press remaining toffee bits onto sides of cake and sprinkle a few on top.

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Source: https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/butter-brickle-cake/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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matcha monstera pie

I've never had much of a green thumb. I've been a successful plant parent a grand total of two times in my life: the first was when I was 24 and kept a random bamboo plant in the corner of my kitchen far away from natural light, occasionally watering the poor thing when I remembered to (so, maybe like, once a month?). For some reason, it thrived — I gave it to my friend when I moved away to Denver, where she promptly killed it by overwatering it. C'est la vie.

The second time was three years ago, also the second time I lived in San Francisco. Erlend's mom gifted me a potted orchid right before I left for Europe for two weeks. It promptly shed its flowers, but I kept watering its dead-looking bulb under Erlend's long-distance guidance. Nothing happened for a full freaking year; despite my constant watering, it looked as dead as it ever was... right until the week I moved to New York, of course. Literally days before my big move, the moldy looking bulb burst into life, sprouting thirty or so beautiful orchids all at once. I gave it to that same friend I gave my bamboo plant to; she promptly killed it. Again.

These days, my plant parenting duties are limited. After years of struggling to take care of and killing the trendy plant du jour (let's see... my plant casualties include a window garden box full of herbs, many small succulents, a fiddle leaf fig, an airplant or two, a potted string of pearls, cacti of different varieties, and probably more I'm forgetting), I've given up officially. My interaction with plants is now limited to the following: occasionally stopping on my bike rides across town to take photos of pretty flowering trees; purchasing overpriced blooms at New Seasons and the Portland Farmers Market for use on cakes; and using cookie cutters to recreate my favorite flowers and leaves on pies.

Monstera leaves are the hip plant du jour and I see them everywhere in trendy hotel lobbies, restaurants, and of course, Instagram. So when I saw these monstera cookie cutters on Amazon, I knew I had to have them. I initially thought about making a matcha sugar cookie situation with the cutters, but being summer and all, thought that pie was probably more relevant and seasonal.

The problem with making dyed pie dough (either with a vibrant green powder like matcha, or with other vegetables like beets or freeze-dried fruit with blueberries) is that once cooked, the color tends to get usurped by the Maillard reaction and any coloring fades away to the generic golden yellow of pies. I tried to combat this in many ways (by sprinkling the top of the pie with matcha and/or dyed green sugar and finding that the matcha burned to an unattractive brown and that the sugar wasn't strong enough to fight the pie's golden color), none of which worked. I also thought that cooking the pie filling before baking would reduce the pie's overall bake time, allowing me to pull the pie out earlier when it was still green (yeah, no, all that ended up resulting in was a pie with an undercooked bottom crust and middle). And after everybody's enthusiasm for this pie's vibrant green color on Instagram, I was actually ashamed to post the final product, a generic golden pie, on this blog and considered scrapping it completely.

But then I took a bite.

The pie crust, despite its golden color, was perfect. Crispy, flaky layers, with just the slightest hint of matcha to compliment a deep, cherry vanilla flavor. The best part is that cooking the filling beforehand yielded the perfect pie consistency, the kind that didn't run or turn the pie crust soggy after slicing.

So maybe the baked pie doesn't stay as attractive and appealing as it is raw. But it sure as heck is tasty, and maybe that matters more? You tell me.

featured:

napkin || wire rack || plates || flatware

Some baker's notes:

For the pie leaves, I used this monstera cookie cutter, which is a touch on the expensive side but worked perfectly. You can get different sizes too! In a pinch, if you don't want to pay $10 for the cookie cutter, you can print out a monstera leaf stencil and use a sharp paring knife to trace around the dough.

When I first wrote about matcha in 2012, I felt like I needed to explain what it was to my readers — these days, matcha is pretty ubiquitous and needs no introduction. Just remember that matcha is available in different grades; when baking, it's always best to opt for the culinary variety, which is cheaper and more strongly flavored than the ceremonial grade. I used the culinary matcha from Tea Bar, a local tea chain in town that also packages some of their most popular tea products for shipping around the country.

Matcha Monstera Cherry Pie

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Ingredients

Special Equipment:

a monstera cookie cutter

For the Matcha Pie Crust:

(makes one 9-inch double crust)

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) very cold water

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ice

1 cup (8 ounces) very cold unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon culinary matcha

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Cherry Filling:

(makes enough for one 9-inch pie)

3 1/2 cups (32 ounces) Bing or dark red cherries, stemmed and pitted

"tightly packed" 1/4 cup (1.85 ounces) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (1 ounce) cornstarch

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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Recipe

For the Matcha Pie Crust:

In a large liquid measuring cup, combine 6 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add 1/2 cup ice and whisk once more before transferring to the refrigerator to chill as you work with the rest of the ingredients. Slice 1 cup butter into 1-inch cubes and transfer to the freezer while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon matcha, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the ingredients are well combined. Remove the butter from the freezer and transfer to the food processor bowl and pulse the ingredients until the mixture looks like cornmeal, with no butter pieces bigger than your thumbnail. Remove the ice mixture from the refrigerator and drizzle 5 tablespoons of the mixture over the dry ingredients; pulse for a few more seconds until the dough begins to form a ball around the food processor blade.

Use a rubber spatula to tip the dough out onto a counter. Use your hands to quickly knead the clumps together into a rough ball. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into two even halves. Shape each half into a rough ball and cover in plastic wrap; punch down to flatten to a small disk. Transfer to the refrigerator to rest and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

For the Cherry Filling:

Combine half the prepared cherries (16 ounces, or around 1 1/4 cups) and 1/4 cup dark brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent the fruit from scorching, for 15 minutes or until the cherries have released their juices and darkened in color. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining cherries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until well combined. Let cool to room temperature before filling the pie; the filling can be stored in an airtight refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Assembly:

Liberally dust a work surface with flour and transfer one pie dough disc to the surface while keeping the second one in the refrigerator. Sprinkle the top of the pie dough with flour. If the dough feels solid in your hands, place it on the counter and use a rolling pin to give it a few solid whacks, rotating every so often to flatten it out. This will help soften the dough before rolling it out. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough into a rough circle around 10-inches wide, rotating the disc about 90-degrees to ensure that you're rolling the dough out into an even circle.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate and trim any excess dough beyond a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang so that it's rolling back underneath itself and sitting like a tube on the border of your pie plate. Squeeze the tube together so it creates a firm edge. Dip your fingertips in some four and use your thumb and index finger on the opposite hand to pinch around your thumb to crimp the pie tube. Repeat around the tube, flouring your fingers as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers.

Once the pie is crimped, pour the cherry filling into the center of the pie, using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly across the bottom of the crust. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you work with the second dough disc. Follow the instructions on Step 1 to roll out the pie dough to a rough circular slab around 1/4-inch thick. Use a monstera leaf cookie cutter to stamp out several shapes. Remove the pie crust base from the refrigerator and arrange the monstera leaf cutouts on top of the cherry filling. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

Bake:

Once the pie has frozen, it's time to bake the pie! Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Once the oven is preheated, transfer the frozen pie to the center of the prepared sheet pan and transfer to the lower third rack of the oven. Bake for 60 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

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Source: https://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2018/07/matcha-monstera-pie.html

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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5 Good Reasons Why You Should Be Shaving Your Face

Have you heard about dermaplaning lately? I would be surprised if you hadn’t, because this facial treatment is very trendy at the moment! While it sounds complex and scientific, “dermaplaning” is just a fancy dermatology term for shaving your face. (Okay, so there’s a little more to it than that, but that’s the gist of it!)

After reading up about dermaplaning and the benefits of shaving your face, I was game to give it a try! At first shaving my face seemed a bit strange, but now I’m hooked. I really love how soft and smooth my skin looks now! So I thought I would pass the information along to you, in case you’ve been curious about what all the buzz is about. I’ll begin by sharing some of the best benefits of shaving your face, then I’ll break the process down for you step-by-step!

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5 Benefits Of Shaving Your Face

1. It Gets Rid Of Dark Hairs

You know those pesky dark, thick hairs that sprout out of various locations on your face and neck? Shaving is a quick way to get rid of them! And it’s often quicker than hunting each one down and plucking them individually.

2. Makeup Is Easier To Apply

Clearing your face of both dark hairs and peach fuzz can make it easier to put on makeup! Your foundation will glide smoothly and easily onto your hair-free face. Some women even say they end up using less makeup because it’s so easy to apply and blend!

3. Get Clearer Skin

In addition to removing hair, shaving also helps remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. This makes it much harder for dead skin to buildup over time and cause breakouts. It’s a great way to incorporate regular exfoliation into your beauty routine!

4. Skincare Products Are More Effective

Another benefit of shaving is that it can make your skincare products work better. The exfoliating effect of shaving allows products to dive deep into your skin to deliver vitamins, antioxidants, and other beneficial ingredients. And if your products work better, you can use less which will save you money over time.

Related: This Cheap Anti-Aging Toner Is The Secret To Brighter Skin

5. It’s An Easy Alternative

There are plenty of options out there for removing hair and dead skin from your face, right? Plucking, waxing, dermaplaning, threading… this list goes on! But the advantage of shaving is that you can do it quickly and cheaply in your own home. Plus it doesn’t hurt, which is more than you can say about waxing and plucking!

Will Shaving Make My Hair Grow Back Darker/Thicker?

The answer is NO, shaving your face will not make your hair grow back darker, thicker, or coarser. This is many women’s biggest concern about shaving, but there’s no need to worry! According to Elizabeth K. Hale, a Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at the NYU Langone Medical Center, “It is definitely a myth that shaving will make the hair coarser or darker.”

The reason why this myth is so pervasive because we perceive blunt hairs differently than tapered hairs. Shaving cuts hair off at the surface, leaving it with a blunt edge. Other hair removal methods remove hair from the root, causing it to grow back with a tapered edge. A blunt-edged hair can appear thicker than one with a tapered edge, though the color and thickness remains the same.

How To Shave Your Face

Now that we’re finished myth-busting, it’s time to get down to business! Here are a few helpful tips about shaving your face.

Step 1 – Cleanse

Starting with a clean face will help you get a close, comfortable shave! Use your favorite cleanser, then dry your face thoroughly with a clean towel.

Step 2 – Apply Cream/Gel

A good shaving cream or gel will help the razor glide comfortably across your skin. It will also help keep your skin hydrated and reduce irritation. One of the highest rated options on Amazon is Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel, a dermatologist recommended gel containing oat and vitamin E.

Step 3 – Shave

Using a fresh, sharp razor is the best way to avoid razor burn. It’s also best to use a razor that was designed for women’s faces, like the Schick Silk or Tinkle brand razors. These have smaller, single blades and are much easier to maneuver than larger multi-blade razors.

Pull your skin taught, and shave in the same direction as the hair is growing. Use light pressure and be extra careful until you’ve gotten the hang of it!

Step 4 – Moisturize

After shaving, it’s important to follow up with a moisturizer. You have gotten rid of dead skin cells and exposed new, fresh skin, so you want to make sure that new skin stays hydrated! Any moisturizer will do, but one that has aloe vera in it (like this one) can be extra soothing on freshly shaved skin.

How Often Should I Shave My Face?

It depends on how quickly your hair grows! Many women only shave once or twice a month, but some women prefer to shave their faces weekly.

There you have it, a not-so-brief overview on the subject of shaving your face! Whether you end up choosing to shave your face or not, hopefully you leave this post a bit more enlightened on the subject than you were before! :-)

Source: https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/why-you-should-be-shaving-your-face

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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French Toast Casserole

This Easy French Toast Casserole is bursting with so much flavor! This breakfast casserole is loaded with almonds, fresh berries and a cream cheese drizzle – an amazing combination.

You will love the make-ahead option. Just like our overnight cinnamon rolls, this overnight breakfast casserole will become a favorite to serve the family.

Hey, hey! Valentina with Valentina’s Corner sharing an amazing Berry French Toast Casserole.

French Toast Casserole Recipe

This French Toast Casserole is everything you can ask for in a breakfast casserole. It’s not overly sweet, yet hits the sweet spot! Bread chunks in a cinnamon egg mixture, topped with sliced almonds that become crispy once baked, fresh berries that add to the flavor and finished off with a cream cheese drizzle that take the recipe over the top!

Serve the French Toast Casserole on the weekend, for a special occasion like Mother’s Day brunch, Valentines Day or the Holidays!

How to Make French Toast Casserole?

Cut bread into 1” cubes.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar. Add bread and stir to coat.

Transfer to a baking dish, arranging in an even thickens and and pour remaining egg mixture over bread

Sprinkle on sliced almonds, cover and bake breakfast casserole.

Meanwhile, prepare cream cheese drizzle: Beat cream cheese then beat in powdered sugar, vanilla and milk

Once French Toast Casserole is baked, dust with powdered sugar,

Add berries and drizzle cream cheese over French Toast Casserole

TIP: If you don’t like almonds, use walnuts or pecans, add them to half of the casserole, or omit nuts.

Do I Have to Use the Cream Cheese Drizzle?

No! You may omit the cream cheese drizzle altogether and serve with traditional maple syrup

How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole:

Make recipe according to instructions, minus the baking

Cover and refrigerate the casserole

The following day, bake the breakfast casserole

TIP: Since the overnight breakfast casserole will be cold, add an 5 minutes to the covered baking time then continue baking per the recipe.

What is the Best Bread for French Toast Casserole?

Brioche Bread, Challah Bread French Bread or even Italian Bread that can be sliced into about 1” squares will all work great.

Use bread that’s at least a day old. It will soak the egg mixture better and won’t taste soggy or mushy.

TIP: If your bread is a really large loaf, you may not need the whole loaf.

How to Re-Heat French Toast Casserole:

The casserole is best and most crisp right out of the oven, but it can be reheated. To reheat, bake at 350˚ F for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through and top is re-crisped.

Try these other BREAKFAST recipes:

For more breakfast ideas, check out our full breakfast recipes index.

French Toast Casserole

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

This Easy French Toast Casserole is bursting with so much flavor! The casserole is loaded with almonds, fresh berries and a cream cheese drizzle - an amazing combination.

Author: Valentina Ablaev

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $10-$12

Keyword: French Toast Casserole, Overnight French Toast Casserole

Calories: 293 kcal

Servings: 8 servings

For the French Toast Casserole:

1 bread loaf cut into 1-inch squares

7 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2/3 cup sliced almonds

16 oz fresh berries

2 tsp Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

For the Cream Cheese Drizzle:

2 oz cream cheese room temp

¼ cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp vanilla extract

2 ½ Tbsp whole milk

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, ground cinnamon and sugar.

Cut the bread loaf into 1” cubes and add them to the egg mixture. Stir to generously soak the bread then transfer to baking dish.

Pour any remaining egg mixture over bread and arrange bread evenly, patting down if needed.

Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds, cover and bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes then uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes, until tops of bread are crispy.

Meanwhile, prepare cream cheese drizzle: beat cream cheese until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until thick and drizzling consistency

To serve, top with fresh berries and use a teaspoon to drizzle cream cheese over the French Toast Casserole.

Nutrition Facts

French Toast Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 293 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15g 23%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Cholesterol 166mg 55%

Sodium 121mg 5%

Potassium 235mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 30g 10%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 25g

Protein 9g 18%

Vitamin A 10.4%

Vitamin C 1.7%

Calcium 12.7%

Iron 7.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/french-toast-casserole/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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20 Minute Chicken & Orzo Soup

I’ve got one of the easiest soup recipes for you today…Chicken and Orzo Soup. Not only is this one super hearty, but it contains veggies—bonus! So, it can easily be a one-dish dinner that leaves you with only a cutting board, knife, and pot to clean—exactly what we all need this time of year.

Plus, I have a tip for you. If you make the chicken in your slow cooker the day before, you can also make Overnight Chicken Stock in there to use in the soup as well. Not only will it taste SO much better than store-bought broth, but it will save you money and be better for you. What more could you ask for this holiday season? Haha! Well, probably more than just that, but STILL. Not bad, right? I think I’ll double this recipe next time I make it so that I can stash some away in the freezer.

I’ve been wanting a new soup recipe to add to my repertoire for some time now and this one exceeded my expectations! Enjoy.

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Print

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, minced

5 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, double if you like a little kick

6 cups chicken stock/broth

3/4 cup whole-wheat orzo pasta, uncooked

3 cups shredded/chopped cooked chicken, I used The Best Whole Chicken in a Crockpot, but you could also sub rotisserie

3 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and the carrots (while stirring) until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the red pepper, and cook for another minute.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, spinach, cream, lemon juice, salt, and dill, and simmer until heated all the way through. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Source: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/chicken-orzo-soup-20-minute/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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half tbsp, two classes, a dinner and 6 lines.

.

One of the good things about writing recipes here is that I can sign in at any time and change something. The virtual equivalent of being given the chance to pop back home and get something forgotten. Or add something, a line such as ‘I add a whole tbsp of black peppercorns to the beef , but you might like to start with half. Print is of course another thing entirely, it is there print (ed), fixed on a page which may have been ripped out and made, and might mean a very peppery supper. Or no supper. To anyone else that made the pepeso and found it to be too peposo – I am sorry, it is the most disappointing thing to hear a recipe didn’t work. It is a traditional recipe and not called pepeso- peppery for nothing, but clearly you do need high pepper tolerance. For anyone still to try the beef, wine and pepper stew, and I hope you do as it is delcious, start with half a tablespoon of black peppercorns, crushed, and taste, then only add the rest if you think it needs it.

The week after was pasta and potatoes with cheese, a soulful bowlful, proving yet again Neapolitans know something about comfort. Keep cooking, and keep letting me know if things go well, or not so well! I really care.

Now some practical things. I am happy to say that Market to Table, a collaboration between myself, the cook and teacher (also my teacher) Carla Tomasi, and cook, food stylist, writer and owner of the Latteria studio Alice Adams, is going to be a monthly occurrence. The idea is simple, we meet at Testaccio market at 9 30, shop for meat, fish, cheese and whatever vegetables are in season. We then walk across the river to the Latteria Studio, where along with more fresh vegetables and herbs from Carla’s garden we prepare a four course lunch, which we enjoy together with natural wines from our friend Antonio’s shop. Exactly what we cook will change from month to month depending on what’s in season. but there will almost always be something fried, sheep’s milk ricotta, fresh pasta, more often than not artichokes. We enjoyed our first four Market to Table’s immensely, they were joyful, creative occasions, so we are looking forward to this years. Market to table is usually the third Friday of each month, there are 7 spaces for each session, the cost is 100 euros pp, and you can book here.

Pause. Re-fill tea.

I am going to be teaching two days of Roman Cooking at Mark Diacono’s Otter Farm in April and then again in July. I am excited at the thought of spending time in Devon, just 30 minutes from my parents, with Mark, whose writing and work at Otter farm I admire very much. We will be cooking with produce from Mark’s extraordinary garden and the area. The plan is 6 dishes that celebrate Roman food in all its simple beauty, but also the connections with English food that exist. Depending on season and the group, we might make chickpea soup with fresh pasta, twice-cooked greens with olive oil, garlic and peperoncino, sweet and sour onions, a wild green salad, roasted pork with herbs, and panna cotta with blackcurrant sauce. For us it will be a feast. All the dishes stand alone though and are for the most part versatile – templates really – which can be adapted according to what you have and the time of year. More information here.

Last but not least, the dinner, or dinners with Giovanni Brighi at Il Cudega in East London. On the 16th and 17th of February I will be helping to cook a Roman feast, all profits from which will go to the charity Heads Together a coalition of mental health and suicide prevention charities with decades of experience in tackling stigma, raising awareness, and providing vital help for people with mental health challenges.. I have personal reasons to feel strongly, so strongly about the work Heads Together does, and I am proud to be involved. Please come. You can book here.

Did you read all the way to the end? You deserve a drink ! Please forgive a years worth of events and things in one post, which is all a bit exhausting. I do hope, though, that some of you will consider one of the above. I look forward to meeting you. Book – no not yet, bloody hell, but nearly, nearly.

I will finish here, and start the New Year, with 6 lines! No, not that sort, but Seamus Heaney.

So hope for a great sea-change On the far side of revenge. Believe that further shore Is reachable from here. Believe in miracles And cures and healing wells.” ― Seamus Heaney

Happy New year to you all

RR

Source: https://racheleats.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/half-tbsp-two-classes-a-dinner-and-6-lines/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Greek Pasta Salad

This Greek Pasta Salad is light and fresh, loaded with garden tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers tossed in a homemade Greek dressing with Kalamata olives and Feta cheese. Perfect for summer parties or potlucks!

Greek Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad, but taking my Greek Salad recipe and adding it to pasta is my favorite when I want a light pasta salad with no mayo. It’s easy to make and even tastes great the next day or two.

For extra flavor I like using the brine from the olives in my vinaigrette. I love mixing up the colors so I used orange bell peppers but green or red are perfectly fine. Any variety of cucumbers will work here, I usually use English cucumbers or a few smaller Persian cucumbers because you don’t have to peel them or remove the seeds but if your garden is overgrowing with other varieties of cucumber, you make want to scoop the seeds out first. You can use wheat or gluten-free pasta, for added fiber adding chickpeas would also be great.

Tips for Cooking Perfect Pasta for Salad

For perfect pasta salad here’s a few tips for success.

More Pasta Salads

Greek Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

This Greek Pasta Salad is light and fresh, loaded with garden tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers tossed in a homemade Greek dressing with Kalamata olives and Feta cheese. Perfect for summer parties or potlucks!

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp kosher salt

16 oz pasta (rotini, cavatappi or bow ties), wheat or gluten-free

1/2 cup halved pitted kalamata olives, plus 2 tablespoons brine

1/3 cup red onion, diced

3 cups (from 1 large) English cucumber, diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup feta cheese, cubed

fresh oregano, optional garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente, adding an extra minute.

Drain and rinse under cold water, drain.

Meanwhile, In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.

Add the olives, red onion and brine from the olives and mix to combine.

Stir in the pasta with the cucumber, tomatoes and bell pepper and toss well. Add the cheese just before ready to serve.

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 176kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 164mg, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugar: 2g

Freestyle Points: 5

Points +: 5

Photo credit: Jess Larson

posted July 1, 2019 by Gina

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Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/greek-pasta-salad/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Turkish Cucumber-Tomato-Olive Chopped Salad with Sumac ♥

Today's gorgeous summer salad: A colorful crunchy mix of fresh-fresh summer vegetables in a lemony dressing spiced with the delightful sourness of sumac plus cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. It makes a great supper salad or better yet, a salad for a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern meze platter. Weight Watchers Friendly, just 1 Freestyle point. Low Cal. Low Carb. Gluten Free. Paleo. Primal. Vegetarian. Not just vegan, "Vegan Done Real". And naturally, completely delicious.

So yeah, call me summer's broken record. Every year about this time I am surprised to experience the same thing: just how easy and fun it is to cook when tonight's tomatoes were picked from the garden this morning, when we've been waiting/watching patiently for just the right moment to pluck an expanding green pepper from the vine, not too big, not too small.

Not that there's any cooking to throw together this little gem of a salad, just some quality time with a knife and cutting board, is all.

This Turkish Chopped Salad was a very-last-minute addition to a family swim party, good thing we all played hard in the pool because man-alive, did we ever eat! Green Chile Burgers topped with jack cheese and the oh-so-gorgeous Green Chile Sauce (Salsa Verde) I'd made the night before. Ratatouille filled with vegetables from the garden. We were so full, so satisfied that instead of making the peach cobbler I'd intended, I plopped the kids at the kitchen table with a jug of milk and Banana Oatmeal Cookies. My kinda party.

Now this crew rarely raves. But the Green Chile Sauce and this Turkish Chopped Salad, they got compliments. And more compliments. And more compliments.

I'll take a little credit but mostly, the garden earned all the accolades. The peppers this year are oh-so-good and I really do recommend skin-thinned garden peppers here (and the green ones, to boot) versus their thicker-skinned grocery store Dutch bell pepper counterparts.

RECIPE for TURKISH CUCUMEBER-TOMATO-OLIVE CHOPPED SALAD with SUMAC

Hands-on time: 20 minutes Time to table: 20 minutes Makes about 5 cups

CHOPPED SALAD Collect about 5 cups chopped vegetables, total Cucumber Green pepper Super-ripe summer tomatoes Onion or red onion Good olives (don't skip) Fresh parsley & mint

DRESSING 1 clove garlic Zest & juice 2 lemons (about 4 tablespoons lemon juice) 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon sumac (don't skip) 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt & pepper to taste

CHOPPED SALAD Chop all the vegetables into equal-size pieces, some times I'll do big pieces, here I wanted the salad to go a long way so I chopped everything into small pieces. Even the olives!

DRESSING In a mini food processor, chop the garlic into tiny bits. Add the remaining ingredients, taste and adjust the seasoning.

COMBINE Just before serving, toss the dressing into the vegetables and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS This is an easy salad to make ahead of time. Just keep three separate containers until it's time to serve, the chopped vegetables, the parsley/mint and the Dressing.

LEFTOVERS Turkish Chopped Salad is best within an hour or so of mixing but stays quite fresh for a couple of days without turning soggy.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES FRESHNESS This salad is all about freshness, use the very freshest vegetables you can put your hands on. CUCUMBERS If you're using thin-skinned English or Persian cucumbers, there's no need to skin the cucumbers; with garden cucumbers with tougher skin, consider either "striping" or peeling the skins off and scooping out any large seeds. RED ONION I've used finely chopped red onion, also red onion shaved thin-thin-thin in short lengths. For extra convenience? The most-wonderful Spiced Pickled Red Onions are like "pre-chopped" red onion, any time you need just a bit. TOMATOES Tomato lovers will want to err on the side of the tomatoes here, especially early in tomato season. I think this salad would be especially pretty made with the tiny little tomatoes that grow by the bushel in the garden. WHAT IS SUMAC? I wrote about sumac here, Fattoush (Traditional Middle Eastern Salad). Sorry, I don't have a substitute to recommend, it adds an addictive sourness to the dressing that's difficult to replicate without sumac itself. I know it's tempting to skip an ingredient rather go out of your way to buy something for just one recipe. I find sumac easy to use, here's a few recipes that call for sumac.

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Adapted from either Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat or Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan. Sorry, I'm not sure which cookbook it came from, both copies came from the library and are now back on the shelf!

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Half Cup: 50 Calories; 4g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 39mg Sodium; 4g Carb; 1g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 1g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 1 & WW PointsPlus 1 & WW SmartPoints 2 & WW Freestyle 1 CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = 1 cup (2g protein).

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MORE FAVORITE CHOPPED SALAD RECIPES

~ Babe's Naked Fruit & Veggie Salad ~ ~ Raw Beet, Carrot & Kohlrabi Salad ~ ~ Spring & Summer Sliced Salad ~ ~ more Chopped Salad recipes ~ from A Veggie Venture

~ Quick 'n' Easy Raw Salad ~ ~ Power Food Broccoli Salad ~ ~ Bloody Mary Salad ~ ~ more salad recipes ~ from Kitchen Parade, my food column

COOKING IN SEASON: THIS SAME WEEK ACROSS THE YEARS

Tomato & Zucchini Salad ( Quick Broccoli Soup with Chive Oil For Instance Technique V (raw veggies with Italian dressing) Broccoli, Pepper & Celery Salad Corn Cayenne Tomato Ginger Jam ( Quick Microwave Sweet Corn Summer Tomatoes for Winter Greek Greens (Flash Cook to Eat Later) ( Mom’s Potato Salad ( “Lost Recipes” Classic Coleslaw with Boiled Dressing Dear Anonymous: THIS Is Why We Blog Ripe-Tomato Relish with Peaches & Pears (Sharon's Pickle) ( Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad Melon, Blueberry & Feta Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette Caponata - Sicilian Eggplant ( Raw Corn Chowder ( Julia Child's Cucumber Salad Israeli Couscous Salad with Yellow Squash & Sun-Dried Tomatoes Summer's Best Corn Chowder ( Garden Eggs "Benedict" Spiral Zucchini Noodle Salad with Homemade Catalina Dressing Warm Caprese Bites

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Source: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2018/08/turkish-chopped-salad.html

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Clark’s Oyster Bar – Austin, TX

You can’t win them all, can you? It’s a little bit funny but before this trip, I don’t think I quite realized what a huge difference service can make in a restaurant experience. Perhaps it is because the majority of service is relatively neutral and not memorable, or perhaps it is because I had experiences to such opposite extremes during my time in Austin. Whatever the case may be, the service at Clark’s is a stellar example of how NOT to provide hospitality.

The place is cute as can be and the food was good overall, but all of that was eclipsed by the sullen disinterested waitstaff. From the moment we sat down, I had the impression that we were somehow imposing on them by being there. Honestly, the service was so bad that now in hindsight, it makes me laugh every single time I think of it. When Mike Pence introduced RFRA legislation here in Indiana to help legalize discrimination, businesses in Indy countered with signs saying, “We like you here.” I keep thinking Clark’s needs the opposite sign: “We do not like you here.”

While I don’t aim to provide negative reviews, I do want to be honest. I think I’m a reasonable customer who is relatively easy to please. That said, Clark’s Oyster Bar doesn’t deserve a dime of your money or a second of your time if they can’t provide even decent hospitality to their clientele. Spend your money elsewhere.

Source: https://everydayannie.com/travel/clarks-oyster-bar-austin-tx/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Classic French Onion Soup

Dec 17

An incredible, classic french onion soup made with delicious caramelized onions, fresh herbs, a flavorful broth. Topped with gruyere cheese and a toasted slice of garlic french bread. You’ll make this one again and again!

Tony and I had one of the best french onion soups at a hotel in Cancun a few years ago. I wasn’t expecting it to be so delicious, but the caramelized onions, juicy umami flavors, savory broth, and crispy-yet-slightly-soaked bread sent me into a straight food coma of delight.

After that, we decided that french onion soup would forever be one of our favorites, and truth be told, we’ve been craving a good homemade version ever since.

A few weeks ago, I decided it was finally time to attempt a homemade, classic french onion soup that would rival the one I had in Mexico.

Admittedly, after slicing 5 juicy onions, my eyes were tearing up and burning, but the result was worth it. The onions caramelized until they were a dark amber brown and my house smelled like a French restaurant. Oui, oui!

Many have told me to chew gum while slicing onions to prevent tearing up. I still haven’t tried it, but plan on the next time I make this recipe. If you have any other tips to prevent onion tears, let me know in the comment below.

There are a few things I find essential to this recipe:

Using white or yellow onions. They add a nice sweetness to the soup. Don’t worry a mix of onions also work.

Flour. A little flour will help to thicken the soup. You can feel free to use a gluten free flour.

Dry white white. This helps to deglaze the pan and add a boost of flavor.

Good quality beef broth. You can also use a mix of beef and chicken broth. Homemade beef broth would help enhance the flavor even more, but let’s be honest, not many of us have time to make homemade beef broth, so store-bought works well.

Fresh thyme: Always go with fresh over dried.

Worcestershire sauce. The flavors in worcestershire sauce are a mix of vinegar, garlic, chile, molasses, etc. A tablespoon goes along way to help bring out the umami flavors. I’m in love.

Bread + gruyere cheese: Toasted baguette slices are dunked in the soup and then topped with sharp gruyere cheese. I call it magic!

Finally, there are two options to ensure success with this recipe:

Option 1: You can simply add the cheese to the baguette slices and then top with cheese. Broil until melted and then add to soup. Enjoy! This version is best if you don’t have mini oven-safe crocks.

Option 2: Add soup to crocks (these are the ones I use), top with your toasted baguette slice, add cheese and broil until cheese melts.

Whatever you do, it’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait for you to make this delicious recipe. Christmas, anyone?!

SEE HOW TO MAKE THE FRENCH ONION SOUP:

Classic French Onion Soup

Author: Monique of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1/6 of recipe

Calories: 347

Fat: 21.2g

Saturated fat: 11.4g

Carbohydrates: 22.3g

Sugar: 5.9g

Fiber: 2.3g

Protein: 17.8g

Recipe type: Soup

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

5 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ cup dry white wine (or beef broth), for deglazing the pan

7-8 cups beef broth, depending on how brothy you like your french onion soup (can also use bone broth)*

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon worcheshire sauce

1 bay leaf

For the baguettes

1 demi french baguette, cut into 1 inch thick slices

1 tablespoon butter

Garlic powder

8 ounces Gruyere cheese, thickly shredded

Melt the olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add in the onions and salt and stir to coat the onions with the butter. Cook onions, stirring occasionally; check onions every 10-15 minutes until they have completely caramelized and turned golden in color. This usually takes 30-40 minutes total. If the onions appear to be getting too dark or sticking too much to the bottom of the pan, then simply reduce the heat a bit.

After onions have completely caramelized, add in flour and minced garlic, stir to coat onions and cook for 2 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with about ½ cup very dry white white or beef broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Slowly add in beef broth, thyme, freshly ground black pepper, worcheshire sauce and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary, such as adding more salt and pepper.

About 10 minutes before the soup is done, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the baguette slices in a single layer on the baking sheet, brush one side of toasts with butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder and toast in the oven for 5 minutes per side until golden on the edges. Remove from oven.

At this point you have two options on how to finish the soup:

OPTION 1: Add shredded cheese on top of one side of the toasted baguettes and continue to bake for 3-5 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Ladle soup into bowls. Add a slice or two of your cheesy baguette on top. Serve soup immediately. Sometimes I add a little extra shredded cheese on top of the soup.

OPTION 2: You make the soup the traditional way placing oven-safe bowls/crocks on a baking sheet and ladling soup into the bowls. Top each with a toasted baguette. Sprinkle each bowl with about 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Make sure you are watching very carefully! Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings

3.5.3251

Recipe by: Monique of Ambitious Kitchen // Photography by: Sasha of Eat Love Eat

PIN THIS FRENCH ONION SOUP

Source: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/classic-french-onion-soup/

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Just a Taste

Many a veggie have appeared in tot form around these parts, from broccoli to butternut squash and cauliflower to now, zucchini! Sorry potatoes, but your starchy selves will have to sit this one out because Cheesy Baked Zucchini Tots are the latest and greatest way to eat our greens, sans the grease...

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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How to Get Organized for Dinner: Part 2 – Meal Prep

We’re on a mission to simplify family dinner and today’s post is all about setting yourself up for success by meal prepping.

If you thought a meal plan was the same thing as meal prep, don’t worry, most people confuse the two life hacks, and truthfully, you need one to do the other. Your meal plan outlines meals and helps organize your grocery haul for the week, but your meal prep is the pre-processing of those groceries into ready-to-go elements for dishes throughout the week.

If you are able to put in an hour or two of meal prep after you bring the groceries in, your life will change. You’ll be two steps closer to getting a wholesome meal on the table on a busy weeknight, because you will a) already have decided what to make, and b) have prepared a portion of the meal in advance.

Read on for a clearer explanation about this gift to your future self, as well as a list of some of my favourite meal prep foods and recipes.

Here’s an example of how meal prep can ease your week:

On the same day that you shop for groceries, set aside an hour or two for kitchen work. Instead of shelving everything in the pantry and fridge, you work on a bit of advance preparation for those recipes in your week’s meal plan.

Perhaps you wash and dry lettuce, whisk up a salad dressing and make croutons for a Caesar salad. You cook off quinoa for a salad, and chop vegetables for a stir fry. Next you make a batch of pesto for Friday night pizza, and grate the cheese while you’re at it. You get a batch of cookie dough in the fridge, wash grapes for lunches and toast a big tray of nuts for snacking. If you’re feeling like you want to keep going, make Bircher Muesli or chia pudding for breakfasts.

Before you know it, you’ve got the building blocks for a handful of meals later in the week – not just dinner, but breakfast and school lunches, too.

(Side Note: Yes, meal prep is similar to batch cooking. In this series, we’re going to classify batch cooking as preparing whole meals – like trays of enchiladas and lasagna – but we will cover batch cooking in the next post!)

How to Get Organized for Dinner: Part 2 – Meal Prep

1. Start by cleaning out the fridge. Actually, this can happen at the same time as you are making your weekly meal plan, for those multitasking over-achievers.

2. Make your prep list. Turn on the oven, if you’re going to need it for roasting vegetables, then write up a quick list of what you need to do while it is pre heating.

3. Get down to work. Shoo everyone out of the kitchen, plug in a podcast and get busy. Give it an hour, and if you are in a groove, go for two.

4. Stash everything away in jars and clear plastic or glass containers. You want to be able to open the fridge and see at a glance what you have on hand.

Here’s an idea of what can be prepped in advance for an average week.

Condiments – Salad dressing, marinades, pancake syrup, nut/seed butters, hummus, tzatziki, spice blends & rubs.

Grains, Pasta and Legumes – cooked quinoa + farro, rice pilaf, cooked red lentils, cooked beans and chickpeas.

Vegetables – roasted vegetables, fresh crudité, grated carrots, spiralized sweet potato or zucchini, slow-roasted tomatoes, pumpkin puree, washed salad greens.

Fruits – Washed grapes, cubed honeydew melon, sliced cantaloupe, apple chips.

Baking – Muffins, granola bars, cookies, power bites, ricotta pound cake, sweet breads.

Misc – Cold brew iced tea, boiled eggs, crostini/croutons, cooked bacon, peach lemonade concentrate, trail mix.

I haven’t been just writing about meal prep this week, I’ve also been in the kitchen getting things in order before I take a little trip. The folks at the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival have kindly invited me to come feast and frolic with them, as well as judge a junior chefs cooking challenge.

So I leave today for PEI, and in preparation, I have filled the fridge with all sorts of food to help Danny and the kids get their school lunches and hot dinners. Meal prep comes to the rescue in the form of spaghetti sauce, banana bread, chopped fruits and veggies and a batch of butter chicken. There’s also chia pudding, boiled eggs, salad dressing and washed lettuce. I think they will be okay.

Meal Prep Recipes

Here are a handful of my tried and true favourite recipes that are meal prep building blocks. Each and every one makes me feel like a rockstar in the kitchen.

Condiments

Mains

Snack/Lunches

Breakfast

The photo above was my meal prep shot for the week of Christmas last year. I was hosting Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas morning brunch, as well as attending various pot-luck dinners. Everything got done in the end, thanks to specific food prep, plenty of organization and many, many lists.

I didn’t start out with such extensive spreads, of course, but by incorporating a little meal prep into my week here and there, I’ve worked up to be able to take on major holidays with ease. Goals!

Do you meal prep? A lot or a little?

Source: http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-get-organized-for-dinner-part-2-meal-prep/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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japanheart88-blog · 5 years

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Vegetable Quinoa Fried “Rice”

Mock fried rice jam packed with vegetables and made with quinoa. This healthful side dish (or meal) is easily adaptable and is full of essential nutrients.

Lately, I’ve been all about super simple skillet meals. I’ve just been chopping up vegetables and tossing them in the cast iron skillet (or wok) with whatever else sounds tasty in the moment – rice, chicken, ground beef, tahini, ginger, turmeric, pumpkin seeds, you name it, in the skillet it goes!

As a result, mealtimes have been full of flavor and color with the added benefit of being super quick and easy.

Recently I had the brilliant idea of making a dish that is actually thematic and familiar versus a random hodgepodge, which is how this vegetable quinoa fried “rice” came about. I know, I know..it’s not actual rice, but it has the same elements and pizzaz.

I ended up being so into this veggie-packed quinoa fried rice situation that the would-be side dish unintentionally turned into a full meal. I simply scrambled up some extra eggs to throw on top and called it dinner. And then I repeated the same behavior the next day, because: yum.

This isn’t the first time we’ve made fried “rice” on the blog. We’ve gone the traditional route with a classic Vegetable Fried Rice and have also gone grain-free with Cauliflower Fried Rice. We’ve even taken it exotic with Thai Cauliflower Fried Rice with Ginger Almond Dressing

We start by cooking our quinoa according to package instructions. I’ve been using sprouted quinoa to ensure I’m unlocking the full spectrum of nutrients. We can cook our veggies while the quinoa is steaming.

All we do is heat up some oil in a skillet (I like using avocado oil, algae oil, or coconut oil when I’m cooking at high temperatures), add in your choice of fresh seasonal vegetables, and saute them until they reach your desired level of done-ness (for fried rice, I like leaving mine a bit snappy).

Whisk up a few eggs to add to the fried rice, and you’re good to go!

If you don’t follow a low-FODMAP diet, feel free to toss some garlic in with the vegetables while you’re sauteeing, and add in some chopped green onion at the end of the cooking process. Doing so adds a ton of flavor, although I absolutely love this quinoa fried “rice” without the garlic and green onion as well.

Make it a side dish, make it dinner, throw in some animal protein like chicken or shrimp…you’ve got options here, m’dear!

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 Tbsp avocado oil

2 large carrots peeled and chopped

1 large crown broccoli chopped

1 medium zucchini squash chopped

1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced

2 tsp fresh ginger peeled and grated

3 Tbsp coconut aminos

1 Tbsp ghee or grass-fed butter

1/2 tsp sea salt to taste

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

3 large eggs beaten

Optional Add-ins:

3 cloves garlic minced

3 stalks green onion chopped

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package instructions.

While quinoa is cooking, saute the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables reach desired done-ness (note: for softer vegetables, lower the heat to medium and cover with a lid to allow them to steam), about 5 minutes.

Stir in the fresh ginger, and cook another 2 minutes (note: if adding garlic, do so now).

Add the cooked quinoa, coconut aminos, ghee, and sea salt and stir well to combine. Remove from heat.

In a small skillet, scramble the eggs in a small amount of oil or butter. Once cooked, stir the scrambled eggs into the quinoa fried rice (note: if adding green onion, do so now).

Serve with your favorite entree and enjoy).

Source: https://www.theroastedroot.net/vegetable-quinoa-fried-rice/

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