It's Slaw Crazy!

This is an absolute favorite salad of mine, a switch from your run of the mill salad for lunch or dinner.  It has spicy, it has sweet, it has salty, it's a party in your mouth, satisfies all your cravings and it's delicious.  Now what other dish has that all in one bowl?!  You can try it with different dressings, maybe a sweet and sour dressing, a hummus dressing, or a sweet balsamic dressing.  In the summer I usually make my own homemade dressings with fresh berries and balsamic, I mash the berries into the balsamic then pour on the salad.  Recipe below.

To print recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

I always pull everything out when I am making something, so I don't have to keep running around the kitchen, makes life easier.

Start building - slaw, oranges and cucumber....

 Cranberries, pecans and right before serving, top with garlic ginger crispy won ton strips....

 Toss with a light Asian Sesame salad dressing.  Delicious, flavorful, crazy good Broccoli Slaw Salad.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Ingredients

1/2  bag of broccoli slaw (see note)

2 snack size containers of Dole mandarin oranges

1/2 English cucumber

1/4 cup Craisin dried cranberries

1/4 cup Emerald glazed pecans

1/2 cup Fresh Gourmet crispy garlic ginger won ton strips

1/4 - 1/3 cup Ken's Asian Sesame Salad Dressing, Paul Newman also has a good Asian dressing

Directions

To a salad bowl, add the broccoli and fluff it up.  Drain the mandarin oranges in a strainer, add to the bowl. Peel the cucumber, or if you like leave the skin on, cut it in half and then slice so you have moon shapes. Sprinkle on the cranberries, separate them if they are stuck together.  Add the pecans, and top with won ton strips. Toss with dressing and serve.

NOTE:  I used 1/2 bag of broccoli slaw and it served three people.  A whole bag with all the other ingredients will probably serve at least six.  You can add all kinds of fruit to this, I've used blueberries, strawberries, fresh pineapple, almonds instead of the pecans, golden raisins instead of the cranberries.  Mix it up and be creative, just start with the slaw and go from there.

Cheesy Baked Chicken

Chicken is a favorite in my house, so I am always trying to come up with new ways to make it.  I also have a few picky eaters which doesn't help either.  I went shopping in the pantry and pulled the fridge open, and with only three ingredients made the best, most moist chicken in all the land!  Recipe below.

To print the recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

I used light mayonnaise, save a little bit of calories when you can, it doesn't alter the taste, I also used grated cheese and plain breadcrumbs.

 Slather the mayo on each piece, then sprinkle on the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes, and you have yourself some crispy, delicious, juicy chicken breasts.

 The mayo acts like a meat tenderizer, so no more dried out chicken breasts and they taste so good!

Cheesy Baked Chicken

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  With paper towels pat the chicken dry, absorb any water or juices.  Lay the chicken breasts on the baking sheet.  Divide the mayo between the two pieces and slater all over and around the sides of each piece.  In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the cheese and sprinkle all over the chicken.  Bake for 45 minutes, depending on the size of your pieces, juices should run clear when the chicken is done.

NOTE:  I only made 2 big chicken breasts, just up your ingredients for however many pieces you plan to cook.

It's Melts Like Butta - Butter Lettuce

I discovered butter lettuce a long time ago and I have to say I'm a fan.  It's also known as Boston, Bibb, Tom Thumb and Buttercrunch lettuce, and when it hits your mouth it literally melts like butter.  It's not course or bitter like some lettuces, but has a rather mild taste and smooth texture. I bought this big pack of Butter Lettuce at Costco, we go through a lot of lettuce in this family and I wanted to switch it up a bit.  These big heads came three to a pack, is hydroponically grown (in water not soil) in a greenhouse, and one head fed three people.  The grocery stores have great selections, you have to spend some time in the aisles to find and try new things.  Be not afraid, step out of your usual box, there is a whole world of goodness out there to try!

I used my lettuce to make a simple salad of lettuce, meaty Roma tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.  I then dressed it with kosher salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Easy to make and it's good!

Hearty, Healthy, Vegan Italian Tuscan Bean Soup

Soup is what's on the menu alot in my house lately.  With the cold weather in the air, it warms you and fills you up fast.  Soup is one of those dishes you can make out of anything that you already have in your pantry and/or refrigerator, it's that easy, and doesn't take long to cook.  I made Vegan Italian Tuscan Bean Soup yesterday, and the aroma all through the house was fantastic!  This is how I made it, recipe below. 

To print the recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

All of this went into my pot to make my soup.

 Chopped onion and celery, I even use the celery leaves they add great flavor and texture.

Add all the remaining ingredients and let it simmer on the stove.

 What you get when it's done, is a big bowl of flavorful soup for lunch or dinner, that not only tastes good but is good for you.  I topped mine with a few croutons and fresh shaved Parmesan cheese. To keep it totally vegan top with a vegan shredded cheese or cubes of tofu.  Dig in!

Vegan Italian Tuscan Bean Soup

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large sweet onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

4 stalks celery with leaves, diced

1 green zucchini, cubed, leave skin on 

1 yellow zucchini, cubed, leave skin on

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more if you like heat

2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon, dry

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 1/2 teaspoons, dry

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or 2 teaspoons dry 

2 teaspoons kosher salt, or regular salt, omit or lower if watching salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 - 32 oz. containers vegetable stock, not broth

3 - 14.5 oz. cans diced petite tomatoes with juice

4 - 15.5 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 bags escarole and radicchio mix, pick through for tough ribs

2 tablespoons raw sugar, optional

Directions

In a large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until tender.  Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes just until fragrant but not burnt.  Add the carrots, celery, zucchini, pepper flakes, thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper.  Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans and sugar, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the escarole, stir to combine.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occassionally.  Just before serving, if you like your soup a little thicker and less chunky, you can use an immersion blender to smooth some of the texture of the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender use a regular blender/Ninja blender, but you will have to let the soup cool before you put it in the glass or plastic container, it will shatter!  Take 2-3 ladles of soup out of the pot and into another pan. Use the immersion blender to partially smooth it out, then pour back into the soup pot.  Top your soup with croutons and cheese before serving. Makes 10 - 12 servings.

Window Dressing

WHY, OH WHY, do builders put these big windows near soaking tubs?  It makes no sense to me at all.  When you're in the tub bathing, because that's what you are supposed to do in the tub, and you stand up to get dried off and get out, guess what, the whole neighborhood can see what you own!!!!  Why put a big window, that brings in a lot of light, in front of a tub?  You have to keep it covered up! And when you do that, NO LIGHT COMES IN! Every house that I have been in, that has a tub like this, has had the same window.  I even saw one that was right smack in the front of the house!  This window has been a thorn in my side for 10 years. Not only is it right on top of the tub, it's directly across from my shower, so everybody can see what you're doing in your bathroom!  It's crazy.  I covered the window up the best I could for 10 years, I even took showers in the dark, n-u-t-t-y.  I put blinds on it, then a set of white curtains, couldn't find anything pretty of course.  The window is an odd size and I am not a sewing girl, never have been, nor do I want to spend a lot of money on curtains. 

My light bulb went off recently, I know, it only took 10 years, right.  The window is 50 inches long by 64 inches wide, really an odd size.  The easiest thing to do was to set the rod at 72 inches, that's the highest I could go because of the cathedral ceiling in the room.  You used to be able to buy curtains that were 72 inches long, not anymore, you can barely find 63's.  SO the gears were turning, what can I do to fix this window without spending a lot of money for custom curtains?  Well guess what I discovered, a shower curtain is 72 inches long! I mean I did know that, but never thought to put them on a regular window.  And so my pain and agony about this window is finally gone, a shout out to my brain for giving me an answer on how to fix it.

This is that awful window.  Blinds don't even fit it unless you spend lots of money getting them custom made.  I'm sorry, but I will not give in to that, I hung two side by side.

I bought 2 of these pretty fabric shower curtains at Target.

I also purchased 2 sets of rings at Target so I could hang it on the curtain rod. I figured since I was hanging new curtains I may as well get a new shower curtain too.  I wanted to match it somewhat to the curtains.  I found this one at TJMaxx.  The coral striped runner, also at TJMaxx, was on clearance.

These are the white curtains that were hanging before, and now the shower curtains are hung.  I never opened the white curtains or pulled the shades up, because even closed and down you could still see through them.

I think it looks much better now, I can open and close them if I want by just pulling them, they glide easily. 

View of the neighbors, but at least when the curtains are closed they can't see me now!

Pulled up the old rug and just put a runner down, makes the room look bigger.

A couple of new towels and a new decorative plant to brighten things up.

Then it was time to switch out the shower curtain.  The old shower curtain was aqua, gray and white, the new one is coral, beige and white.  Right now the shower curtain will do, hopefully next year the new doors will be on the shower stall.  They are very expensive and have to be custom made because of the size of the shower.  

I'm all done this room now and the total cost was $106.94.  

This is what I purchased on a budget to change my room:

Target - 2 Shower Curtains - $19.99 each

Target - 2 Sets of Shower Hooks - $7.49 each

TJMaxx - Shower Curtain - $14.99

TJMaxx - Striped Runner - $12.00 (clearance)

Marshall's - 2 Coral Bath Towels - $5.00 each (clearance)

Marshall's - 2 Coral Hand Towels - $2.50 each (clearance)

Kirkland's - Decorative Plant - $9.99 

Italian Pulled Pork

I wasn't "feeling the love" to cook dinner the other night.  With all this redecorating things around the house, I was too tired to even think about it!  So I popped a pork tenderloin in the crock pot in the morning, threw in some magic and made Italian Pulled Pork Sandwiches. Recipe below.

To print, highlight the recipe, click and print.

OK so here is the magic: olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, rosemary and Italian seasoning.  Use fresh if you have it, if not dried is perfectly fine.

 Make a paste from all the ingredients.

 Slather it all over that tenderloin, yes just like that!

 Let her rip on high for about 3 - 4 hours, depending on the size of the tenderloin, mine was small.

And you have yourself some very flavorful, tender, delicious pulled pork for sandwiches.  Enjoy!

ITALIAN PULLED PORK

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoons rosemary

2 teaspoons parsley

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or regular salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

1 pork tenderloin

Directions

Combine olive oil, garlic, rosemary, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Pour the cup of water into the bottom of the bowl of the crockpot.  Unwrap the pork tenderloin and place in the crockpot.  Slather on the olive oil mixture, cover with the lid and set on high.  Turn the tenderloin about every hour and make sure there is some juice in the bottom of the bowl, add a little water at a time if it evaporates. When the tenderloin is done shred it right in the crockpot, toss it with the juices and serve on fresh crusty rolls. You can also serve it topped with sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic or sauteed spinach.

Some Tricks Of The Trade

Here are a few tips and tricks of the trade when painting or repairing things around your home.  I always buy Multi-Surface FROGTAPE when painting, to keep my edges sharp and clean or so I don't get paint on other surfaces when painting a room.  I found this new Delicate Surface FROGTAPE that does the same thing for you, but you can put it on freshly painted dry walls and wallpaper, and it doesn't damage the walls and is easier to remove.  So when I was painting my wood trim I used this tape to line between the wood trim and the wall and then the wood trim and the ceramic tile floor, VOILA! No paint where it's not supposed to be.  Makes life a little easier. 

I used the green FROGTAPE to line a space that I had to caulk on the sink between the sink top and the sides of the counter top that had a gap in it from the house settling.

 The result was a nice, clean, crisp line of caulk and no mess.

Look, look, look new colors!  I love these little 8 ounce paint samples that Lowe's sells from Valspar paint.  They are perfect for painting something small, it's not canned paint, the colors are so pretty and they are only $2.98 each.  Beats buying a gallon or quart of paint if you don't need that much.  They are also great for craft projects.

Top -  Summer Sparrow

Middle Left to Right - Sea Air,Gravity

Bottom Left to Right - Spanish Tile,Ultra White,Indigo Cloth

 This is another one of the better things I have found while perusing the aisles at home improvements centers.  If you have hardwood floors and pets and/or kids, you all know they can be hard on the floors.  This little MINWAX Wood Finish Stain Marker hides all the damage that happens to your floors, this touches-up and fills in your scratches and scraps so you don't even notice them.