About Me

pantry staples: parker’s natural peanut butter

March 19th, 2012 | Posted by admin in PANTRY STAPLES - (0 Comments)

Favorite: Honey Creamy

Its peanuts, honey & salt.  NO hydrogenated oils, No trans fats, and gluten free.  I was making my own peanut butter after studying the labels of other popular peanut butters.  My amazing friend who cooks and is also a corporate honcho… makes her own peanut butter. My boys went crazy for hers and it was just salted peanuts crushed and creamed into a perfect butter.  I enjoy cooking, but my house went thru that peanut butter so fast it made me crazy.  Then I found this Parker’s brand.  I love the addition of honey (although you can buy it without) and I also love crunchy but creamy is also available.  I keep the Honey Creamy and Crunchy in my fridge at all times.  Really you need to try this brand, it is worth every penny.

 

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pantry staples: john mccann steel cut oatmeal

March 16th, 2012 | Posted by admin in PANTRY STAPLES - (0 Comments)

100% Natural Irish Oats

This product has been around since the late 1800’s.  When I eat this I feel like I’m back in time eating porridge from Little House on the Prairie.  It’s a 100% whole grain cereal and it makes the perfect breakfast.  I usually serve with a teaspoon of maple syrup and blueberries.  When I know I have a big day ahead and may not stop for lunch this is the breakfast that works for me.  I don’t feel full but it keeps you going throughout the day.  Not that I am recommending skipping lunch!  It’s imported from Ireland… so perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

I like to make it from scratch but you can buy an instant variety that also works if you are short on time.  This Irish Blessing is wonderful and appears on all their packaging, “May the road rise to meet you.   May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face.”

 

 

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curb appeal… beautiful containers!

March 15th, 2012 | Posted by admin in FLOWERS | Outdoor - (0 Comments)

Container gardens are great accents to your home. Using pots of varying sizes and colors accenting stairs, walks and front porches can be used as instant landscaping. Spring is on the way so I can’t wait to get started with cool spring bulbs, perennials, and accent greens. The container in the picture is filled with ever blooming hydrangea, a variety of ferns and lobelia.  This pot can be planted in the spring and will last throughout the season in a mixed sun shade environment.

 

 

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recipe: pineapple delight

March 14th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Desserts | RECIPES - (0 Comments)

This is a dessert my mom made whenever she had a dinner party.  It brings back memories of wonderful leftovers (hopefully) after all guests departed.  This is where my love of any dessert with a graham cracker crust started.  It is rich but still light… the perfect ending for a special evening.

 

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
• 18 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• ¾ cups of sugar
• 4 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1 cup of water (can use ½ cup of water & ½ cup of pineapple juice)
• 1 cup of crushed pineapple
• 3 egg whites
• 2 cups heavy whipped cream

 

DIRECTIONS:
• Mix graham crackers and melted butter and line the bottom of a square pan with ½ of the     mixture.  Save the other ½ for later.

• Mix the sugar, corn starch, and water together and cook over medium heat until thick.

• Take off heat and let cool.

• Once cooled down, add 1 cup of crushed pineapple.

• Beat the 3 egg whites, then add the pineapple mixture.

• Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Top with the rest of the graham cracker mixture.

• Refrigerate for an hour.

• Whip 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and spread on top.

 

Enjoy!!!

Keep refrigerated.

 

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pantry staples: bragg organic apple cider vinegar

March 14th, 2012 | Posted by admin in PANTRY STAPLES - (0 Comments)

Bragg Organic Apple Cider… I think it’s the best cider vinegar around.

This is a staple in my pantry along with other wonderful vinegars.  I think we tend to concentrate on balsamic, champagne, red wine vinegar and all the flavors, but this vinegar is amazing!  I love to have a mix ready in my fridge… ¼ cider vinegar, ¼ canola, ¼ olive oil, minced garlic clove, teaspoon of Dijon mustard mix with an emulsion blender or whisk  (of course a dash of kosher salt & pepper).  This is the perfect marinade or dressing for slaw, a fruit salad, pork tenderloin, or any veggie.  I love to revisit the classic staples we may all know but at times forget to use.  Let me know what you think.

 

 

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recipe: healthy, spicy slaw

March 14th, 2012 | Posted by admin in RECIPES | Salads - (0 Comments)

Serves 4 as a side dish or condiment for sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

Slaw:
• ¼ green cabbage sliced thinly
• ½ red onion cut & sliced thinly
• 1 fennel bulb sliced thinly
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers seeded & thinly sliced into rings
• 1½ cups of cauliflower thinly sliced

Dressing:
• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup of olive oil or canola
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• Dash of kosher salt & pepper

 

DIRECTIONS:
• Mix dressing ingredients, best to use an immersion blender or food processor.

• Combine and mix the slaw ingredients with the dressing.

• Season to taste. Store in an airtight container.

 

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welcome!

February 29th, 2012 | Posted by admin in UPDATES - (0 Comments)

Food is my passion.  My best memories are always centered around a table filled with family and friends enjoying a good meal and great times.  I have been a “sous” chef for my grandma, my mother, as well as my dad, and sister.  I have a wonderful group of friends who are amazing cooks that inspire me to try new things and venture out of my comfort zone.  I have recently started to cook for a client weekly and also for special dinner parties.  Cooking healthy and new interesting dishes on a weekly basis is what brought me to the conclusion I need to keep a diary, a book… a list at least of my best successes in the kitchen. Sometimes I am using my go to cookbooks or my favorite cooking magazines. I am usually changing things up or combining a couple of recipes that seem to suit my client. Other times I am lucky to have some family recipes and friends who love to share their food ideas.  My goal is to be a source of information including easy recipes, mostly healthy with the exception of some decadent desserts, and a source for new products that make cooking a meal easier and tastier.  Feasts should be what we all strive for in a meal whether it is simple or more complex… every meal should be special.  Flowers are just that… I am an avid container gardener and love making interesting arrangements for my home and clients.  So “Feast & Flowers” it is!

 

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recipe: stuffed peppers

February 29th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Entrées | RECIPES - (0 Comments)

Since it is spring… I think of Lamb. What can I say, I’m Armenian, so cooking with lamb is like cooking with beef for most people.  I grew up eating leg of lamb, shish kabob, lamb chops, lamb burgers, stuffed peppers with lamb, a lamb soup, and I could go on and on. Today my family requested stuffed peppers. I love to pick a medley of colored peppers red, yellow, orange,  and green. I take my ground lamb and mix with the ingredients listed below.  Then I stuff each pepper about ¾ full with the meat mixture.  Cover with sauce and cook for approximately 45 minutes… until meat is cooked through.  The best thing about this meal is you have your veggies and meat so really it’s a complete meal.

 

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
• 2lbs of ground lamb
• 1 cup of #1 grain Bulger
• ½ cup of finely chopped parsley
• 1 small white onion finely chopped
• 1 tbl of tomato paste
• Dash of kosher salt & freshly pepper
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup of red wine
• White onion sliced in wedges.

 

DIRECTIONS:
• Preheat oven to 350°.

• Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out any seeds, save tops.

• Mix the next 6 ingredients and kneed with your hands. Stuff each pepper with the meat       mixture about ¾ full.

• Place in a deep oven safe dish upright. Place onion slices between the peppers.

• Mix tomatoes & wine… then pour over peppers.

• Place tops on peppers and cook in preheated oven for 45 min. (If you have extra meat         make meatballs and place between the peppers.)

 

Enjoy!!!

 

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