Category: FOOD

What to do with your garden’s bounty? VEGGIE PASTA! Dinner this eve…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe1 Comment
The stars of the show...

Are you wondering what to do with a garden full of fresh veggies? Here is one quick and easy idea. What’s better is that this can be made with whatever you have on hand each day, so it’s completely different! Mushrooms, celery, walnuts, chicken, shrimp, hey… whatever you have will work! For this evenings meal, I have a zucchini, part of an orange pepper, some cremini mushrooms and some onion. Like I said, use what you’ve got…

Throw on a pot of water while you cut up the veggies. I like them cut small, my mom cuts big, it really doesn’t matter, do what you like (isn’t that liberating??)… Heat a skillet (you can use non-stick, I prefer a regular skillet or a cast iron skillet) with some olive oil, enough to lightly cover the bottom (don’t be too chintzy, you’ll need it to coat the pasta), toss in the cut up veggies (once you hear a SIZZLE when you slide a piece into the pan, cook it on medium high until it starts to get lightly brown… owwwwieee. you’re getting close to heaven now… won’t be much longer. Go ahead and toss the pasta into the boiling water. I usually use angel hair (capellini) because it cooks so quickly! Once the pasta is done, drain it well then toss it into the pasta and stir around. Turn the skillet off. I use tongs to coat the pasta with the oil and veggies. I realize I’m not giving amounts here, use what you like and whatever amount you like. You see what I used and that was for two people. I probably use about 1/3+ of a package of capellini… then sprinkle with PARMESAN… woohoo… you can also add fresh basil or any other herbs along the way. It’s hard to mess this up. It will become a go to meal when you can’t think of anything else to make (or don’t have time).

Tada... Dinner is served!

And there you have it… dinner is READY! As you can see in this picture I added a fresh cut up tomato.

Another option to change things up a bit… once the veggies are done, add the cooked/drained pasta, then add a few spoonfuls of PLAIN REGULAR yogurt (flavored is weird and Greek yogurt is too thick), stir it in with the veggies and pasta, then (hold on to your hat, this is the best part…) grate some pepper jack cheese over the top… throw a lid on top of the skillet just until the cheese melts… oh heavens. Tasty!

Catch you back here tomorrow!!

Foods that should never cross your lips… #1

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment
Image: Prevention.com
Image: Prevention.com
Once again, a wonderful article from Prevention magazine! The article is entitled “7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips”. It provides wonderful insight as to WHY you shouldn’t eat these foods… and they’re COMMON foods. Ugh. Here we go for this weeks food to avoid:

Canned Tomatoes 

Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A, gives us the scoop:

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe’s and Pomi.

Budget tip: If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.

IMAGE: Prevention.com

This is excellent information. I have already found the Pomi tomatoes (wonderful) at a local grocery store in town, so I’ve made the  switch to those… also Trader Joe’s just recently opened, so I will check out their tomatoes as well! See if you can find these tomatoes where you live, if not maybe ask the grocery store if they can order?? Hey, if I got more than one stinking tomato off my tomato plant (the size of a plum yet!) I would love to can them, what could be better than that??!
WOOHOO mom!! This is your LAST chemo treatment (woohoo, can you believe it??)!! Oooowieeee am i ever thankful for that! I love you! me
Catch you back here tomorrow… check out my PHOTO BLOG if you get a minute!

Quick and easy macaroni salad, perfect for a warm summer day!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Ahhh, who doesn’t love macaroni salad on a warm summer day? It’s so refreshing… and goes well with anything or all by itself. You can change this recipe to add more (or less) vegetables, add what you’ve got, I never make it exactly the same… Fresh dill (or whatever spice you like) always kicks it up a notch, makes it taste fresher… Made a note to pick up some fresh dill… I only had dried dill weed, but that worked just fine, you just have to use a lot of it!

SUMMERTIME MACARONI SALAD

Cook 2 cups macaroni (or similar shape) noodles as directed on package, then drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Radishes, Orange Pepper, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs

While the water is on, chop your veggies, whatever sounds good to you at the time… I used 2 stalks of celery, about a quarter of an orange pepper, about 8-9 radishes and three hard boiled eggs. Chop and set aside.

Dressing for Macaroni Salad

Get the dressing mixed up. I used three big oversize spoonfuls of Hellman’s Canola Mayonnaise. If it’s not enough you can always plop in a little extra. To the mayo I add a quick pour of apple cider vinegar, add more if you like vinegar, less if you don’t, a tiny squirt of mustard, salt, pepper and dill. Stir until creamy and mixed.

Stir macaroni into dressing and season with dill...

Now stir the macaroni that was set aside hangin’ out into the bowl with the dressing, stir it around good making sure to coat everything with the dressing, you don’t want any dried pieces of noodle. Blaaaah. Season with copious amounts of dill . Cover and refrigerate (unless you can’t wait… I couldn’t)… Now for the best part…

Summertime Macaroni Salad

Pour yourself a nice cold drink, scoop out a little dish of macaroni salad and enjoy! It will put a smile on your face AND if you make it earlier in the day it keeps the kitchen nice a cool, no stove… yipeee!

Catch you back here tomorrow!
Photo blog HERE…

Cancer Prevention Tip #12 – soy, tofu, miso and tempeh

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment
Image: FoodServiceDirect.com

 Today’s cancer tip is from a great magazine article “Edible Healing: Food Cures for Cancer” by Prevention Magazine! Now I realize these tips aren’t for everyone, you have to do what’s right for you. For instance I am sensitive to soy. I went through months of hives and severe allergic reactions yet test negative in every way. It’s a frustrating thing to be allergic to since it’s added to almost everything from BBQ sauce to tuna. The choice is yours, I wish I could go back to it, I loved my decaf soy latte on occasion… and my smoothie’s made with vanilla soy milk… ahhhh (frozen fruit in a blender with soy milk and some plain or vanilla yogurt. Heavens… tasty and refreshing! But now a no-no for me…

Well today was supposed to be the last chemo treatment… but there was a week (and thank God there was only one!) where my moms white blood count was too low… so she couldn’t get chemo that week… so it tacked on a week. That’s OK… it’s over NEXT WEEK! WOOHOO! On to the cancer prevention tip…

Compounds called isoflavones (including genistein, daidzein, and glycitein) prevent tumor growth and block the stimulation of cancer cells by sex hormones (such as estrogens and testosterone). There are significantly fewer breast cancer cases among Asian women who have eaten soy since adolescence, and when they do have breast cancer, their tumors are usually less aggressive with higher survival rates. Isoflavone supplements (in pill form) have been associated with an  of certain breast cancers, but whole soy, eaten as food, has not.

How to Eat It: Replace conventional milk products with soy milk or soy yogurts for breakfast. Also, use tofu, tempeh, and miso in soups and stir-fries.

Ok mom, I’m going to keep up with the health tips, cancer prevention and whatever else I read about… Keep up the good work, the end of chemo is near J – love you! me

Catch you back here tomorrow! If you get a chance, check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

How to roast Cauliflower!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, RecipeLeave a comment
Image: Food Network

I like cauliflower, always have. My husband on the other hand despises cauliflower, or rather, despised it… until he had it roasted (thank you Alison & Michael!) at a friends house one night… on our way home we were talking about the CAULIFLOWER, and there were many wonderful foods eaten that night but the darn cauliflower was a real surprise. It was sweet. Seriously sweet. We made it the next night and WOOHOO it was AWESOME, my husbands words at dinner: “I like this so much I could eat it every day” – well it’s on the menu at least once or twice a week, and given the 100+ degree temps that’s saying alot! Right now Fred is grilling some chicken, I’m roasting the cauliflower, I have cucumbers in Greek yogurt with apple cider vinegar, green onions and some dill, throw that with a small salad and woohoo, this is going to be one wonderful dinner! This recipe is from Emeril Lagasse, since I had garlic in the chicken I didn’t put it in the cauliflower, I also didn’t add the parmesan, didn’t need it, but may give a shot one day, here’s the recipe! Click HERE to go directly to the Food Network website for easy printing!

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

 Ingredients

  • 5 to 6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (from 1 medium cauliflower)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sliced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • Chopped chives, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower florets in a large saute pan or a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the saute/roasting pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately while still warm.

 Give it a try, I bet you’ll love it as much as we did! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Meatless Monday… Giada’s Creamy Farfalle, with Cremini, Asparagus and Walnuts!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe4 Comments
Image: FoodNetwork.co.uk

I made this a few years ago and it was outstanding! I just now remembered it while trying to come up with a meatless recipe that I know you would all love! Trust me on this, it’s a WINNER with a capital W! It’s quick, easy and the taste??? Out of this world!! Pair with a small salad and whoa, it’s friends-come-over-to-dinner worthy! This is one of the most popular Giada De Laurentiis recipes. Dang she’s good!

Below is the recipe, or click HERE for the link to the Food Network page where you can print the recipe!

 CREAMY FARFALLE WITH CREMINI, ASPARAGUS AND WALNUTS

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound farfalle pasta

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 cup mascarpone cheese

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

 

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. Serve.

Enjoy! Catch you back here tomorrow!

A cancer prevention tip that will make you smile!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment
Image: Prevention.com

Now this is a cancer prevention tip that makes me smile… it’s one that I don’t have to think about… one that I can do… one that I can OVER do, ha!

Dark chocolate (70%+) is more than a tasty morsel that you let melt in your mouth, it’s rich in so many ways…  uh, excuse me, had to jump up and grab a piece, don’t want to forget! (I heard you laugh… you’re right… like I would forget!)! Info from Prevention magazine . Click HERE for a fabulous article that has the list of foods we’ve been talking about over the past few months!

Cure It with Dessert

Enjoy antioxidant-rich dark chocolate

Chocolates containing over 70% cocoa provide a number of antioxidants, proanthocyanidins, and many polyphenols. In fact, a square of dark chocolate contains twice as many as a glass of red wine and almost as many as a cup of green tea properly steeped. These molecules slow the growth of cancer cells and limit the blood vessels that feed them.

How to Eat It: Enjoy about one-fifth of a dark chocolate bar a day guilt free. Milk chocolate isn’t a good alternative because dairy cancels out the cancer protection of the polyphenol compounds.

Next week is the last of this series…  but there will be more… I promise! Lets recap all the foods that can be fighting for our bodies to help prevent cancer, as long as we feed our bodies these nutritious warriors instead of say, those tart things you pop in the toaster (oh heavy sigh). It’s worth re-reading this list and adding as many to your day as you possibly can. Don’t ever stop!

BRUSSEL SPROUTS – BOK CHOY – CHINESE CABBAGE – BROCCOLI – CAULIFLOWER – GARLIC – ONION – LEEKS – SHALLOTS – CHIVES – WILD SALMON – ANCHOVIES – SMALL MACKEREL – SARDINES – ORANGES – TANGERINES – LEMONS – GRAPEFRUIT – STRAWBERRIES – RASPBERRIES – BLUEBERRIES – BLACKBERRIES – CRANBERRIES – DARK CHOCOLATE and next…. TOFU – MISO – TEMPEH – SOY MILK – SOY YOGURT, but that’s next week!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Ok mom! This is chemo #11, two treatments to go, WOOHOO!!

Love you lady! me

A hot hot day needs a cold cold dinner… SHRIMP to the rescue!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment
Chilled boiled shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce

When the temperature soars the last thing in the world I want to eat is something hot OR something that requires turning on the stove/oven for more than a few minutes. This is what we eat most weekends and it’s fabulous! It couldn’t be easier either…it’s just boiled shrimp that has been chilled along with a homemade (always the best) cocktail sauce. If we’re really hungry that day we’ll pair it with some pimiento cheese and wheat crackers. Ohhh, our favorite summertime meal!  If you’ve never boiled shrimp before read on! If you have, then I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

 
Start with fresh local shrimp if at all possible. It’s truly the best!
 
SHRIMP COCKTAIL WITH HOMEMADE COCKTAIL SAUCE
If it’s a meal we usually get a pound of shrimp. Clean and devein it (or buy it that way!!)
Turn on a large pot of water, add a tablespoon of salt, once the water is boiling, add the uncooked shrimp.
Watch it until it turns bright pink, the size we get is I would say medium size and takes about 4 minutes… a little less for smaller shrimp a little more for larger shrimp. Medium sized is a good size for shrimp cocktail.
Now drain the shrimp and run cold water to stop the cooking process.
I then dump into a very cold bowl of water (water and ice) and let sit until shrimp is cold (few minutes). I also throw a lemon that I sqeezed into the the cold bowl of water.
While this is chillin’, make the sauce:
Into a little bowl pour between 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup ketchup (more or less depending upon how much cocktail sauce that you want to end up with). Then I squeeze a wedge of lemon and 2-3 spoonfuls (heaping, but depending on how you like it) horseradish, the good kind, the REAL horseradish, not a sauce with horseradish in it… pinch of salt and pepper, stir it together, put into a ramekin or small serving dish and stick it in the fridge.
 
Now empty the bowl of water and put the shrimp in a bowl (without water or ice), then cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge until you’re ready to eat… you will not believe how good this is and how QUICK!
 
ENJOY! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Quick, easy and delicious! KEY LIME PIE, perfect for a hot summer day!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

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Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice… it makes a tasty and tart Key Lime pie. What’s more perfect for dessert when the weather makes you want to melt?? I was making dessert to take to some friends who were having us over for dinner… I needed something nice and cold and refreshing… Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Pie recipe is a hit on all counts… It couldn’t be quicker to put together and toss in the oven for 15 minutes, let cool and refrigerate. Then serve topped with whipped cream (or meringue) which you need to cut some of the sweetness. It looks a little flat in the graham cracker crust, but it’s leaving room for the whipped cream, so before you serve it, pile it high, then add a little lime zest/lime slices! Ok, here’s the recipe, it’s also on the back of the Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice bottle! You can find their key lime juice in most grocery stores, usually with the bottles of drink mixers (margarita mix, etc.) OR in the juice section… photo of pie served on friends pretty green plates is below the recipe…

Screen Shot 2017-07-18 at 7.44.12 AM.png

Oh and don’t do like I did… DO NOT USE THE EGG WHITES. I separated the eggs and tossed the yolks, that’s right… apparently I’m in a caffeine deficit right now, heavy sigh! Luckily I hadn’t yet poured it into the crust… so I just needed to go back to the store for another can of sweetened condensed milk…

Oh no, now I’ve got keylimepieonthebrain…ugh! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Berries… TODAY’S hot cancer prevention tip…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment
Image: BonAppetit.com

Who doesn’t love berries? Fresh or frozen they’re always a treat! Today’s cancer tip is from a great magazine article “Edible Healing: Food Cures for Cancer” by Prevention Magazine! Perhaps you’ve heard me talk about what a great magazine Prevention is, it offers ways to stay healthy, from diet to exercise and everything in between. A good gift idea as well! Click HERE to subscribe! (Nope, Prevention Magazine hasn’t a clue as to who I am… wish they did, but this is not a paid advertisement (boohoo), just a heads up about something I rely on!). On to the tip of the day…

Disease-Fighting Fruits – PART TWO

Fresh and frozen varieties provide year-round protection

 Berries

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries contain ellagic acid and a large number of polyphenols, which inhibit tumor growth. Two polyphenols found in berries, anthocyanidins and proantho­cyanidins, promote cancer cell death.

How to Eat Them: At breakfast, mix fruit with soy milk and multigrain cereals. (The best cereal options combine oats, bran, flaxseed, rye, barley, spelt, and so on.) Frozen berries are just as potent as fresh.

Well, I’ve been adjusting my weekly recipes to include foods we’ve talked about like garlic, onion, salmon, oranges, lemons, ginger, pomegranate juice, green tea, turmeric spice and veggies… finally a week where not much tweaking to my diet is necessary, we consume a good amount of berries, so woohoo… we’ll just keep up the good work!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Here’s to you mom! Week 10… only three weeks remain! Keep up the awesome work, you’re the best!

Ina Garten’s New Potato Salad… easy and delicious!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe6 Comments

Ahhh, Ina’s potato salad. Simply the best. I’m not a potato-salad-kind-of-gal… prefer my macaroni salad any day. But one day I was watching the Food Network show with the Barefoot Contessa herself (AKA Ina Garten) and she made potato salad. It intrigued me. I loved the way she cooked the potatoes for a short time and then covered them with a clean kitchen towel to steam. Brilliant! Nothing like mushy potato salad, and that does the trick, no more mush! Hey, maybe that’s why I never cared for it before? This is tasty, makes a good bit and is EASY. My husband needed to take something into the office, so I tried this recipe and he didn’t come home with any (not that THAT is a true indication, long story short, at an office I had worked at I burned a Pop Tart (yes, you know, those little healthy tarts filled with all things good… ha… I think I heard they last 13 years on the shelf… I buy them in case of a hurricane, hee), I didn’t just burn the edges the entire thing was solid dark black. I was about to toss it when someone said not to throw it away, to put it on a plate on the table in the breakroom and one of the programmers would eat it. I came back an hour later and that puppy was GONE and it wasn’t in the trash!!), but I’m sure they ate this potato salad because it was DELICIOUS! Try it for yourself!

INA GARTEN’S NEW POTATO SALAD

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds small red potatoes
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup good mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion

Directions

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Print Recipe

Catch you back here tomorrow! Check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com

Image and recipe via www.foodnetwork.com

Are you one to jump on the Meatless Monday bandwagon?

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment
Image: MeatlessMonday.com

There is an ever growing movement to have us all have a full day of meatless meals. Personally, we have plenty of meat free meals, and days with meat free meals, so it’s not a hard thing for us to do. I like meat, I just like a lot of other things that don’t include meat. There are countless websites, a few are:  MEATLESS MONDAY (click to get to website), MEAT FREE MONDAYS (click for website; started by Paul Mc Cartney to help save the planet) – Whether you give up meat one day a week to get in better shape, eat more veggies or to help keep global warming at bay and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions try eating one meatless meal a week. If you’re a big meat eater then try maybe just one meatless meal for a day a week, hey, it’s a start, and it’s cheaper!

 Check out the above websites for meal ideas if you need them! I have plenty of things that I like that are meatless… tonight is salad and a baked potato with green onions, Greek yogurt and 2% sharp cheddar… oooh, can’t wait!
Check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

Oranges, lemons, tangerines and grapefruit to prevent cancer… Today’s tip.

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH2 Comments
Image: Prevention.com

Oh, oranges, lemons, tangerines and grapefruit! MMMM, the crisp clean scent of citrus… delicious eaten as is or squeezed into water… Today’s cancer tip is from a great magazine article “Edible Healing: Food Cures for Cancer” by Prevention Magazine! If you haven’t been a reader of Prevention magazine, I highly encourage you to read it, check it out! On to today’s tip…

Disease-Fighting Fruits – Part One

Fresh and frozen varieties provide year-round protection

Oranges, tangerines, lemons, and grapefruit contain anti-inflammatory compounds called flavonoids that stimulate the detoxification of carcinogens by the liver. Certain flavonoids in the skin of tangerines–tangeritin and nobiletin–can also help promote the death of brain cancer cells.

How to Eat It: Sprinkle grated citrus zest (from organic fruits) into salad dressings or breakfast cereals, or steep in tea or hot water. Eat whole fruits out of hand, toss with other fruits in a salad, or use in a salsa to season grilled fish.

Hope this helps! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Hey Mom!! Well this is treatment number 9… only 3 to go… can you believe it? You are awesome! Love you… me

A serious addiction… Starbuck’s Frappuccino

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD3 Comments
Image: Frappuccino.com

I am addicted to coffee flavored Starbuck’s Frappuccino’s… the ones in the little bottles that come in a 4 pack at the grocery store… yep. It’s a shame. BUT, like with all things that aren’t technically “good for you” (although I do try hard to justify this, milk instead of cream, just a wee bit of sugar, etc. etc.) I have rules… ha ha. I only drink one 4-pack a week… the bottles are 9.5oz. So on most days I drink 1/2 bottle, and one day a week I get to enjoy the whole enchilada… and I look forward to that day! Now you realize 1/2 bottle is literally a few sips… but it is the sweetest few sips of my morning! If you have tried a Frappuccino you know what I’m talking about… if you haven’t, hmmm, I’m not sure I would try… I’m thinking it’s like a cigarette… it’s tough to quit… no butts about it… (hee hee. pun intended).

Catch you back here tomorrow! If you get a chance… http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

 
 

Something quick and easy to toss on the grill!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

We had been out all day and were starving! What’s quick and easy to throw on the grill and call a meal?? Kabobs! We picked up some chicken Italian sausage, whew! It was out of this world, along with some potatoes, onions and peppers we had a meal! It’s important to use cooked Italian sausage unless you’re really going to monitor to be sure it’s completely cooked… this meal was QUICK… To keep this moving along quickly, we did put the potatoes in the microwave until barely able to pierce with a fork, then finished on the grill. We quickly soaked the skewers while we cut up the veggies and sausage… anything else that sounds good, go ahead and add it!  Corn on the cob broken into 2-3″ sections would have been good. Prior to adding to the grill we brushed with olive oil and lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper… had some nice sweet watermelon afterwards. Yum!

It would have been really nice if I would have taken more than a “before” photo… Trust me… the “after” photo would make your mouth water… I guess I was too hungry to snap a quick picture, heavy sigh…

Catch you back here tomorrow!!