Fresh Apricot's, Sweet Cakes and Coconut Cream

 

Fresh Apricot's and Sweet Cakes with Coconut Cream

 

Sitting in the wonderful breeze today, my mind was running over and over... I want to make a super tasty treat for the boys'!! My neighbor/best friends tree was looking pretty full of apricots, so I decided I was going to make some jam. Then while I was looking up the recipe for the jam, my mind went to this wilton® brownie cup pan that I used not too long ago for some strawberry shortcakes.

 

I decided that I would make up my own tasty treat. :-) I went into the kitchen and got to work. I started with the sweet cakes. I whipped up a gluten free pancake mix and added some sweetener. Then I pulled out my wilton® brownie cup pan and filled it up and baked them at 350 degrees till golden brown. (about 20 minutes).

  

 

I then got to work on the Apricot filling. I cleaned and pitted the mini apricots and sliced them into small pieces. I added 1/4 cup of Stevia and cooked them on low until they were a Carmel glaze of yummy goodness. Tasting is my favorite part. I say, if the taste of Stevia isn't your style, then add 3/4 cup of sugar.

 



   

 

While I let the Apricot compote cool a bit, I decided to make a Coconut Cream. I used 1 1/2 cups of Coconut Milk, Stevia and 2 pkg of Knox Original Unflavored Gelatin in the blender to make sure all the ingredients were well blended.(Make sure to follow the direction on the gelatin box) I put the coconut mix in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. The mix wasn't quite right, so I put it in the freezer for about 1/2 an hour more and it was the perfect consistency for the cakes.

 

The final result... A tasty, tangy and sweet treat treat fit for any sweet tooth. The boys' ate their treats when they came back from their swim time at the local Creek(water hole). What a fun day it has been!



 

Happy Eating :-))

The Mother Of All Pitch In's :-))

The Pitch In

This must have been the best "Themed" pitch in we have ever had. There are 2 shifts where I work. I am on the 2nd shift. So we all decided that we would vote on the themes for the pitch in. The 1st shift decided that they would go for the "Baseball" theme. You know hot dogs, soda pop and popcorn... Then 2nd shift voted.... We came up with a "Picnic" theme. It was one of the best Pitch In's I have ever been to. Let me show you why!!!

The table was set up with all that you can imagine with a picnic in mind. First we have the Cucumber Salad. This is freshly sliced cucumbers and olives in a vinaigrette dressing.



Then we have a Watermelon Salad with freshly sliced mozzarella, mint leaves and balsamic vinaigrette.

Here you have the Green leaf lettuce, Cauliflower, Bacon, Green Onions,White Onions, Sweet mayo and parmesan dressing.

Here we have an Asian Salad with greens and cashews.

Here we have a traditional Pasta Salad with cucumber, pepperoni, cubed cheese and green bell pepper.

This is also a traditional salad with a tangy sauce, onion, mushrooms and lots of leafy greens.

Here we have a BBQ Chicken and Fruit Salad. This salad was made with spinach leaves, BBQ slow cooked chicken, sliced pineapple, sliced peaches, lemon slices and a tangy Pineapple-Peach BBQ dressing. This was my salad for the pitch in :-)))

For Dessert

We have the Waldorf Salad minus the apples.. We all know what this has in it!

Double Layer Brownie Cake with Cream Cheese Topping

AND to top it all off... The Cream Cheese filled Strawberries with a drizzle of chocolate. The cream cheese was mixed with sugar and vanilla to create a cheese cake type filling. I have to admit I ate a few. I know it's not in my plan, but every once in awhile you just have to eat a little bad cause it's so good. They were divine!

So as you can see, there was quite s spread. We also had some traditional chicken salad, rolls and some store bought cookies. It was quite an eventful evening. Let's just say that none of us went hungry and we all left work satisfied for once... It was a great night.

Thanks to all who made this night happen..

Patti, Dawne, Teresa, Cathy, Lisa, Patrick, Marilyn, Denise and Me!!



Happy Eating Folks :-)))

Stuff Your Pancakes! :-)

What A Morning

I woke up this morning to the sounds of my two boys’. One was playing a video game and the other snapping together his K’NEX… Christopher loves to build. He is so creative that he built a coaster to hold his water glasses out of K’NEX.  Sammy just love to play video games and pretend he is a Ninja.

My boys’ also like to cook. They are my two little chefs’ who think that cooking is a great past time. Let’s hope they keep up those wonderful thoughts.  Anyway, so this morning, I tell them I am making them stuffed pancakes (Gluten Free of course)… They liked the Gluten Free crepes we made so much that I decided to do a spin off of them by fattening up the cakes and filling them full of fruit. I made the batter just a little thicker this time.

 

So Christopher wasn’t interested in cooking this morning. He says’ to me “Mom, You can do it!” I just thought that was a super cute thing and I went about my business. I made 4 large thin pancakes 10 inches in diameter. I then mixed together 2 tbsp. Of store brand crunchy peanut butter and Nutella. Next, I took 1 tbsp. of the peanut butter and of the Nutella and put it in an All Clad butter warmer and heated it until it was smooth enough to pour over the top of the pancakes.

I have to tell you that the smell was divine! It almost smelled like one of those old time waffle houses. You know the kind that used to have antique furniture, white tile floors and served all of the meals on china. All I can say is I have a picture of an old Plantation house in the middle of Savanna Georgia… LOL I think I just got swept away there for a minute. OK, where was I…

Now I remember, I was slathering the mixture on top of the stuffed pancakes. Then I topped them with a few slices of banana and sprinkled with a dash of powdered sugar. The boys’ loved them! They ate them so quickly that I didn’t even get a chance to get a picture of them at breakfast.  

Take my advice… If your children love to eat, try these stuffed Pancakes. They will love them!

You can beat Gluten Free!

Happy Eating :0)

Mexican.. It's What's For Dinner!

What's for dinner you ask! "Mexican" I say. Mexican soft tacos and fajita style rice. There is nothing better than Mexican comfort food when you're entertaining.

Some friends decided to stop by for dinner tonight and we decided on taco's. The best Mexican tacos are the ones made with the freshest ingredients.Things like, spinach,  fresh garlic, Roma tomatoes, onion and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Tonight, since not all of my friends ere vegetarian, I made beef and salmon tacos. As a side dish, I made fajita rice with a sprinkle of cheese and Pico De Gallo. As usual, no dairy except for the marble cheddar shredded cheese.

I have to say that dinner was quite a hit! These freshly made tacos are quite tasty and very filling.

KK's Mexican Tacos

1 lb ground meat

2 med Salmon steaks

2 tomatoes

2 small limes

1/2 white onion

1 large clove garlic

1 bundle of spinach leaves

1 small block of cheese (shredded)

8 med soft tortillas

Pico De Guyo

Chop 2 Roma tomatoes, 1/2 onion and 1 lg clove of garlic and mix in med size bowl, Take 1/2 a lime and squeeze the juice over the mixture. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Taco Meat Seasoning

 

2 tbs Onion Powder

1 tbs Chili Powder

1 tbs ground Cumin

1 tbs Paprika

1 tbs Garlic Powder

1 tbs Ground Oregano

1 tbs White Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

In a small bowl, mix spices together. Brown ground beef and drain. In a skillet, cook ground beef, 1/4 cup of water and seasoning mix until the sauce has become thickened.

In a separate skillet, cook salmon steaks on med/high for 6 minutes on each side. Remove them and place on a small plate. Squeeze 1/2 a lime across the top. Chop salmon into small pieces.

How to Serve

On a large rectangular platter, starting from the right, place one tortilla on the platter. Take one handful of spinach and place across half of the tortilla. Spoon 2 tbs of meat mixture across the top of the spinach. Top with pico de gallo and cheese. Just a squeeze of lime and fold. Continue on switching between the beef mixture and the salmon.

Recipe makes 8 lg soft tacos

Optional Condiments

Sliced Avocado, Sour Cream and Hot Sauce

 

Happy Eating! :-))

Drops Of Lemon.. Fountain of Youth?

Are Lemons The Fountain Of Youth?

For years there have been studies on the benefits of lemons, but are they the fountain of youth? If you search the benefits of lemons on Google, you will see dozens of websites on the benefits of drinking the juice, eating the core and grating the peel on your food and in your beverage's.

Scores of people have reaped the benefits of the little yellow fruit and find that with everyday use, they can cure some of the most commons ailments known to man.

 One of the Health Benefits of lemon juice is... The citric acid found in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones. Adding fresh lemon juice to a large glass of water in the morning is a great liver detoxifier as well....

These days you can count on hearing someone say they are getting their gallbladder taken out. One of the biggest (in my opinion) "Myths" that our doctors tell us, is that we do not need our gallbladder... Oh, I beg to differ! Our Gall Bladders' are a storage facility for liver bile. It's a reservoir for holding bile on its way from our liver to our intestines. When we do not have that facility, then the need to either watch fat intake, or balance fat with bile supplements and enzymes becomes a necessity. The reason it's a necessity is because there is a lack of flow between our liver and our ability to digest fat. How do you like that!

So, in fact, we DO need our gallbladders people!

So why do I think that lemons are the "Fountain Of Youth"? There are several reasons but I am going to touch on just a few. The first one is the glycolic acid found in lemons and limes activate the cells that have become slow over time. I am living proof that it can make the skin on your face, neck and hands look ten years younger with regular use.

Oh.. And those varicose and spider veins.. Just mix up some lemon and almond oils and rub it on those veins. Lemon oils have the ability the strengthen your vessels. Lemon juice also helps you absorb calcium due to the vitamin C to wort off the affects of Osteoporosis. Then, there is the old eye function as well. Rutin, found in lemons, has been shown in research to improve the symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy.

The best part about lemons is they contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including limonene a naturally-occurring oil that slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals. Lemons also contain a substance called flavonol glycosides which stop cell division in cancer cells.

Fun Fact #2546

Once you have juiced your lemons, remove the core and put them in the freezer. Take a grater and grate the lemon peels over your meals or put it in your drinks. Not only will you have an unbelievable flavor, but the peel has 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice!

Lemons! The Fountain Of Youth!

Happy Juicing! :-))



Think "OUTSIDE" Your Ice Box :-)

Healthy eating can be a challenge at best. Here's a scenario... You're at home and all the tasks on your list have been completed. Now it's time for lunch.. Hungry and have no taste for anything special. Take a look in your ice box! Pull a few things out and put them together.

I have a few motto's in life and one of the biggest is "Think Outside The Box". Some of the most fabulous meals have come from just throwing things together. The best salads and recipes have come from making use of what is already in the ice box. There is nothing better than making use of what you already have. AND it saves time and money.

This particular meal is not the best looking meal, however it was absolutely delicious! My dear friend and I were in the kitchen and she and I decide we are hungry. So we both come up with things that are already in the ice box. She pulls out the pre made turkey patties, veggie patties, avocado, tomato, onion and of course the Deli Flats from Pepperidge Farms. They are 100 calories a slice and are perfect for someone who is trying to cut out bread.

As a condiment, we used garlic hummus. Not everyone likes hummus but I find it to be the perfect solution to using mayo and other condiments that just so happen to not be in my plan, Two perfect meals for two different eating plans. Healthy and tasty!

For those of you who are wondering what I ate... Well I decided that today I would have a veggie patty topped with hummus and avocado with a few avocado slices on the side. Very simple and very tasty. My dear friend had a 100 calorie Deli Flat from Pepperidge Farms with hummus, turkey patty, onion, tomato and avocado. Again simple and delicious.

Healthy eating requires some very simple steps.. It starts at the grocery store. Just making simple changes in your grocery shopping can make a big difference in your life.

 

Happy Healthy Eating 

Saturday Morning Crepes

Saturday Morning Crepes

Today was the day for something special. My dear friend and I were going to make these Friday morning when we had our usual coffee time. However, it was just not the day for making anything. I work 2nd shift and she works 3rd shift. So we were both beat!

So we decided Saturday was definitely the day for making a good breakfast. Crepe's were made with a Gluten free pancake mix. I picked this one up at the local grocery store. It seemed to work out just fine. We used Almond milk and egg substitute for the dairy free part of the recipe.

This is the first time I have ever made crepes without a crepe pan. We used Paula Dean Signature Porcelain Cookware. We used the 10" inch skillet for the crepes and the 2.75 qt saute pan for the hash browns.

Once the crepes were done and the potatoes had browned, we plated them up with some Nutella (hazelnut and cocoa spread) and Strawberry Preserves. We topped them with powdered sugar and lemon zest.

The final result... A gluten free crepe that was fabulously fluffy,tasty and very close to the real thing. My dear friend  ate the potatoes since they are no longer on my plan. Her comments were they were crisp and tasty. All in all I would say that this was a successful cooking experience with two very enthused Foodies!

Happy Eating Friends :-)

Grandma's Grilled Apple Pie

What is better then a dinner made on the grill? How about Grilled Apple Pie! 

I love to make anything on the grill. So when I figured out that I could make an apple pie on the grill, I had to try it. The idea came to me in a dream. I have a very small house and when I cook inside, it gets really hot! So I decided one night just before I fell asleep that I would make all my meals on the grill.. In my dream, I have a vision of this beautiful apple pie in a cloud.. I woke up with visions of grandeur and decided that would be my next venture. So off to the store I went.

 Since it was my son's birthday dinner, I also decided to make a roast and potatoes since that is his favorite dinner. The pie came out looking like something from a magazine and tasted like it had been baked in a bakery. The key to this pie was one simple ingredient, Pumpkin Pie Spice! Normally, you would use cinnamon and sugar and a little allspice. I decided to be different this time. 

Onto the Roast and New Potatoes!

As you all know, I do not eat meat. So, I had to rely on my son's taste buds for this one. He said it was "Awesome"... I laughed at him and all he could say was C'mon MOM... Anyway, I made this one half on the grill and half on the stove. I ran out of gas before I could get the roast done. I used a roasting packet for this one. Put the roast in a baking dish and covered it with foil and set in the grill. Then, I placed the potatoes in a dutch oven and put the roast on top of them. Sad to say that I should have checked the tank before I started grilling. 

If you would like to recipe's for the two dishes, please let me know and I will be happy to post. 

Thank you for reading and as always... Happy Eating!

Carmike Cinemas Iron Man 3 Movie Blunder

Why is it that every time I try to do something good for my kids..... OK, so yesterday was Christopher's birthday and I decided to take the boys to the movies. Today just happened to be the only day I could take them this week. I looked up the movie times and planned it perfectly so that I could make it to work on time.

Well, what a BLUNDER that turned out to be. The movie started late and there was 26 minutes of commercials and previews! OK, I do understand that there are some previews, but for pity's sake. We had to leave the movie early and my sons' were very disappointed. One of them even started to cry!

I was so upset seeing that they were upset, I went out and spoke to the manager right away. She didn't even have the decency to apologize to me. All she could say was, "I haven't heard any complaints"! Well I was complaining! That is really bad customer service.. AND not to mention that a bag of STALE popcorn was $8.00..

So, I make it to work and all I can think about is my son crying and it makes me even more upset. If you post movie times, then post how long the movie is and how many minutes of previews there are going to be so that a person can plan accordingly. I called and spoke to a different manager, Shane Cooper. This was after I spoke to some kid on the phone who proceeded to hang up on me when I asked for the corporate office number. When he answered the phone, I had to ask him  to repeat himself because you could barely understand him...

I know I am ranting, but service is so important. The manager did comp my kids another couple of tickets. The problem I had was that when I complained (Mrs.Complainer), I didn't even get an apology. I am a stickler for service.. AS you all know! I am happy that it worked out for my kids, but sad to say that I will not visit an establishment that allows their staff to treat their customers any way they please.

On a side note... I love the Iron Man series. When I was looking for a good picture to post, I found these cool Iron Man 3 headphone plugs.. My kids are going to love them!

:-) :-) :-)

Down Home Cookin! Just like Aunt Bea :-)

 

Today I got to visit Famous Dave's Grill for lunch. When you walk in, it has an old time country feel to it. There are old black and white pictures of Plainfield, IN. That is the town I currently reside in. I like this little town. It has a Old/New feel to it. I just so happen to live in the Old part of town.

Not too long ago they refurbished a ton of the older buildings in this part of town. The Superbowl was held in Indianapolis and they decided that our town needed a bit of updating. Famous Dave's Grill came along about the time the refurbishment started.

I have visited once or twice before for breakfast. Today I decided on lunch. I had a Taco Salad! No meat of course, but I did splurge and eat some of the tomato. As you all know, I have dedicated myself to eating as healthy as possible. Today, I added in a few cheats. Today I decided that ranch dressing would go well as it's much better for me than a vinaigrette.

The Taco Salad was very beautiful in presentation. It was filled with lots of green lettuce, tomatoes, beans and cheese. The sides of the bowl were filled with taco style chips. I was a delight to my eyes. The salad was topped with jalapenos which of course I had to remove as I am not allowed any type of pepper or pepper sauce.

I also ordered a cinnamon roll. They have the most wonderful taste but I did find out they are not made in house. That was a bit of a disappointment for sure. However, it was very delightful as far as taste goes. They roll was small but filled with lots of flavor. It was served piping hot and the icing was dripping down the sides. I would say that it was not as good as a Cinnabon, but could definitely be in the running.

My friend had the Santa Fe breakfast. It was served with a side of biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were homemade and very fresh. In my experience, when you order biscuits, they are very hard on the outside. These were soft on the inside with the perfect outside. The downside is they were a bit dry. It seems that if a bit more butter was used during the preparation, they would have been perfect.

The Santa Fe Omelet was served with hash browns. In one word, Delicioso! The omelet was light, fluffy and full of meat and veggies. The hash browns were well done, but not overly done like some places. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I was impressed. It was definitely some down home cookin!

On a side note...

As you all know, I am all about customer service. The service is this little diner was as wonderful as the food. If you have a chance, you should stop in. The down home feeling you get from the regulars is just like you would get from Aunt Bea :)

Happy Eating Folks!



Waffle Extravaganza!

Today we took a trip to the "New" local Waffle House. It was super busy and we almost didn't. However, we pull into the parking lot and I can smell the most delicious smell on the planet. "WAFFLES" So we proceed to go in. There are five of us this time. Three of them are children 10, 9 and 8. It just so happens there were five seats at the small bar area where we decide is the best place to be.

I was very excited because this was where all of the action was. It was a very exciting display of "Carnival" like action going on behind the counter. There was music in the background and the servers' yelling out their orders one by one. Meanwhile, there were lots of waffles cooking in the waffle makers.

Then, our wonderful server Marty comes over to take our order. She had a smile on her face and she was the most wonderful and polite person in general. She served our order promptly and even provided us with two coffee's to go. The coffee was wonderful BTW! I give Marty and A+ for her wonderful customer service skills and her ability to help a vegetarian decide what to order from their menu! We need more "Marty's" in this world, that's for sure.

Egg and Cheese Wrap

This was my egg and cheese wrap made especially for me. I think it's a wonderful thing when any restaurant can brand themselves by serving something that's not on the menu. It may not look delicious, but it was! The egg's were light and fluffy as they should be. There was also the perfect amount of cheese. The dish was served with a packet of Mayo and two pickle slices. I did not indulge the mayo and my son Christopher ate the pickles.



Samuel and his Blueberry Waffle

The boys had waffles, bacon, chocolate milk, orange juice and apple juice to drink. They were a hit let me tell you. The boys ate all of their waffles and the bacon. They love to eat breakfast foods! The waffles looked very tasty, but I did not indulge this time. The boys said "We Love Them MOM"! So I think that says it all.

My dear friend ordered a typical breakfast served here in Indiana. The "Tex Mex" as I call it was filled with wonderful delights to scream about if you are a breakfast foodie. The fluffy eggs, hash browns smothered in gravy, bacon and the lovely buttered toast with jelly on the side.

All in all I give this visit an A+ for it was the entire package.. Ant the bill was only $24.80! You can't beat that!

Breakfast of Champions! Gluten and Dairy Free :)

Try a NON Dairy Fruit Smoothie Today

NON DAIRY MILK ALTERNATIVE'S

I have been exploring the world of Gluten free foods and Dairy free milks. I have noticed that most of them have little flavor. Especially the pre made frozen dinners you get in the Organic section of the grocery store. If I am going to eat, it has to have lots of flavor and texture.

I have been testing out different brands of Soy, Almond and Coconut milks. Two in particular are Silk and Simple Truth Organic. The most important thing to me is health. But I would like to have lots of flavor in the healthy foods I am eating.

Let's start with the Silk brand dairy free milks. The Vanilla Soy is quite thick in texture. It has a very vanilla flavor. The downside is the grainy after taste.The Chocolate Soy has a good flavor as well. It has a bit of the grainy after taste, but nothing like the Vanilla. I like to drink soy rather than use it in my cereals.

The Silk brand Almond milks have a better taste and no grainy after taste. The Vanilla has a very true flavor. The Chocolate has a very bold flavor but is not a true chocolate. It's more of a Carob flavoring . Both have a light texture and are suitable for use in cereal.

The Vanilla Coconut milk is very light in flavor and texture with no aftertaste. With 90 calories per serving, this is the perfect choice for use in several different applications. Mix in the blender with some fresh fruit and Ice. You will have yourself a great summertime treat.

The Simple Truth Organic brand of Dairy Free milks have a light and airy flavoring. I prefer this brand over all others.

The Vanilla Soy has a super Vanilla taste. Again the downside is the grainy aftertaste. It's certainly not as thick as the Silk brand. The Chocolate Soy has a rich chocolate flavor much like chocolate milk. The flavor is outstanding.

The Vanilla Coconut milk has a very light vanilla flavor and is suitable for every application. The texture is light and has no aftertaste. The Chocolate Coconut milk has a rich bold chocolate flavor that is unmatched. It is so similar to REAL chocolate milk that you can't even tell it's not. I prefer to drink this or use this over my cereal.

GLUTEN FREE CEREAL

My personal favorite is Mom's Best Cereal Brand of all gluten free cereals. My personal choice is the Crispy Cocoa rice. It's like eating a bowl of Chocolate Rice Krispies . You know, the cereal your mom would never let you get because she thought it had WAY to much sugar in it. Well, as a child I loved Chocolate Rice Krispies and this is the best and closest alternative. I give this brand an A+ in flavor, texture and price.