Time for a Re-Do

"Take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again" - Frank Sinatra

Listen guys, I'm ready. I know I have gone MIA then tried again a couple times in the past, but this time I know I'm truly at a point where I know I'm truly prepared to blog again. I miss writing and I want this to be my outlet. Why a public outlet? I think I'm super relatable and I want to be someone that people feel they can really relate to. I've had enough time to pick myself up, dust myself off, brainstorm, and now I'm here to start all over.

There are going to be five main blog topics that I will cover and I'd like to introduce you to them.

That's Life - This will be be where I talk about my life. I have a feeling this one will get a lot of love. I feel good things coming!
As Seen on TV - Product reviews! They won't be all be things I've seen on TV.. they could be things I've seen on Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, Amazon, wherever my online searches take me, things people have recommended to me, things I see at Target, Home Goods, and who else knows where. Real life, everyday reviews.
Tell Me a Story - I'm now a Book of the Month member. Some months I read faster than others and some months I can barely get 10 minutes a day. I hope that wanting to review books will push me to read more.
No Reservations - Foooooood. This is going to be where I talk about food - recipes I make up, any food I eat worth talking about, review restaurants, and recipes I've tried.
Take Me to the Movies - My boyfriend and I became AMC Stubs A-List members back in November and we loooooove it (I'll write a whole post about that). Since we now watch a lot of movies, I'm going to review them. I'll also review Hallmark and Lifetime movies, but those won't be structured ratings, more of just me sharing my opinions and comparing against the hundreds of other Hallmark and Lifetime movies I've watched. Back to the theater movies, I've created a rating system for how I will review and rate them.. Each category will be rated out of five then I will average the scores for one overall rating. It will go as follows -  

-Screenplay/Originality
-Acting
-Entertainment factor (including emotion factors too)
-Audio (including soundtrack and sound editing/mixing)
-Visuals (cinematography, animation, visual and special effects)
-Trailer 

There they are! What do you think?! I'll of course post about other things as well but wanted to introduce you to my current blog babies that I really love. I hope you'll love these and follow along. I can't wait to start working on the next post!

Until next time

Recipe Review: Natasha's Kitchen - Blueberry Lemon Cake

"Learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all, have fun." - Julia Child

Hi everyone! 

I know, it's been a while - a long while. I'm back with a new series which I'm calling "Recipe Review". This will be where I share my thoughts on recipes I find on this wonderful thing we call the internet. 

This first recipe I'm going to be reviewing is a Blueberry Lemon Cake from Natasha's Kitchen. Below you will find her exact shared recipe followed by some thoughts I have.

Blueberry Lemon Cake

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 55 mins Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

This Blueberry Lemon Cake is loaded with 1 pound of blueberries and every bite has sweet pops of juicy blueberry and fresh lemon flavor. It's not too sweet and not too tangy, but just right.

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Skill Level: Easy

Reviews: 4.7 from 174 reviews (as of 11/3/17)

Cost To Make: $8-$10

Serving: 9" blueberry cake

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (210 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (8oz) sour cream
• ½ cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour*
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 medium lemon (zest and juice), divided
• ½ Tbsp corn starch
• 16 oz (450g) fresh** blueberries
• Powdered sugar to dust the top, optional

It's Chili Time

"Fall isn't Fall without it being chilly outside and having chili cooking inside."

(toppings included)

I've been in the mood for chili. It's officially October, it's getting colder, and our bodies are already getting hungrier for those delicious Fall foods. I found a chili recipe courtesy of a packet of McCormick's White Chicken Chili mix that I wanted to make but noticed it has gluten/flour in it. Instead I did some research for a recipe and adapted it to be my own.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1 pound ground chicken
2 cloves of garlic, minced/mashed
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic salt - I have the one with parsley flakes
3/4 teaspoon of oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 can (15 ounces) white beans, undrained (I used Great Northern)
1 can whole corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained (I used Hunt's Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic!)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings:
Avocado
Salt & Vinegar Kettle Cooked Chips or Crackers
Shredded Cheese (vegan or regular)

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Pizza

"You stole a pizza my heart."

I won't lie, I'm not even really a huge pizza fan.. but maybe because I'm not supposed to be having gluten or dairy I've all of a sudden started wanting it all the time. I was roaming Trader Joe's (my favorite grocery store) and found a gluten free pizza crust which really got me thinking of how I can make my own pizza. I bought a few items from TJ's and as able to put together a delicious gluten and dairy free pizza.

1. Gluten Free Pizza Crusts - comes two in a pack. Also would like to note that there is no egg in this either.

2. Traditional Marinara Sauce - This pasta sauce is SO good for being all of $2 and so simple.

3. Soy Cheese Blend - This tastes way better than I thought it would. I wouldn't eat it alone but tastes perfect on this pizza.

And my choice of toppings:

4. Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage

5. Grape Tomatoes

6. Spinach

(not pictured)

7. Kalamata Olives

8. Artichokes

The cooking process was super simple. I preheated the oven to 350* while I assembled the pizza. I then baked it for about 15 minutes. Easy peasy pizza. :) 

All of this was bought from TJ's and all 8 of the listed items only cost me about $20 and makes two pizzas. Besides the crusts, I still have leftovers of everything. I failed at taking a picture of the actual pizza because it looked so good, and it was! I ate it faster than I could blink. I also used Hampton Creek's Just Caesar as a dipping sauce. 

(Shoutout to Hampton Creek for their "Just" line. Their mayo and salad dressings are vegan and so, so yummy!)

Do you have any recommendations for good pizza toppings? Or how about some good gluten free, dairy free options? I'd love to hear them! 

Until next time.

Quick & Easy: Bean & Avocado Salad

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food." - George Bernard Shaw

As mentioned in my last post, I'm going to post recipes of things I can eat. Things that are gluten, dairy, and egg free. The other day I was randomly in the mood for beans and I have no idea why. I had a can of Great Northern in my pantry so I searched on Pinterest for things to make. I found a recipe I was interested in but decided to just make my own. So I came up with a Bean & Avocado Salad - which is basically just guac with beans.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of Great Northern beans (drained)
• 1 medium avocado (cut up)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes (diced)
• 1/4 cup red onion (diced)
• 1/2 tbsp lemon
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 clove of garlic (mashed - or diced)
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix them all together. Honestly, it's that simple.

I was in a rush when I made this so I wanted to make sure I wasn't making anything crazy elaborate. I will say, the one thing I wished I add that I didn't have was cilantro, that would have been a perfect finishing touch. I did also make it again a few days later and added more avocado and Heart of Palm, which was delicious. 

Are you going to make this? Let me know how you like it! Until next time..

My Roll-Ups and My Weekend

This weekend was a super fun one that I'm going to tell you all about and even include some recipes. Whaatttt?! Yep. Full of deliciousness. 

Friday night I hung out with one of my friends at her place while we cooked and watched a throwback, Maid in Manhattan. She found this delicious Lasagna Roll-Up recipe that we worked off of that was seriously mouth watering. It can be made vegetarian or with meat, depending on your preferences.

Ingredients:

12-15 uncooked lasagna noodles (depending on size of your noodles - I had thinner ones - and how much mixture you would like to put)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

2 1/2 cups (one 10 oz package) shredded part-skim (or made with 2%) mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I still recommend the Bertolli Olive Oil, Basil & Garlic)

Directions:

I posted this on Snapchat and wanted to share it here too. 

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, drain and lay out on wax paper to avoid sticking.
2. While cooking, in a large bowl combine all other ingredients and mix fairly well. You can also preheat the oven to 375* at this time.
3. Once the noodles are done cooking and are laid out, spread cheese mixture over each noodle and carefully roll up. I used about 1/3 of a cup per noodle.

4. Pour enough spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom of an ungreased baking pan. Place roll-ups seam side down over sauce. Top with remaining sauce and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until heated all the way through and the noodles are baked to your liking. 

*Some great ways to add meat to this is to have some meatballs on the side or to use a sauce that includes meat.


We also made an Autumn Chopped Salad that was found from the blog Espresso and Cream.

Ingredients: 

2 chopped romaine lettuce heads

2 medium pears

1 cup cranberries

1 cup chopped pecans

8 slices of thick-cut bacon cooked crisp and crumbled

4 to 6 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Poppy Seed salad dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the salad dressings. For the dressings, add in based on your preference. We did about a 65% PS to 35% BV ratio and were pretty generous with it.

Tips:

• This salad is also super delicious with green apples instead of the pears.
• I tried it with turkey bacon and it wasn't the same, what-so-ever
• Also very good with raw spinach

Saturday I went to a Breast Cancer bingo fundraiser held by my friend's mom. It was a packed house and a ton of fun. She is taking part in the Avon 39 Washington, DC in May and held this event as a way to raise money. Attendees donated $30 (or more) to participate in bingo. All the bingo round prizes were Vera Bradley (woohoo!) and they also had door prizes, raffles, food, and more, with all proceeds going towards her goal.

I went in and was basically throwing my money everywhere. Food? Sure, I'll eat a million extra calories today. Extra bingo boards? Here you go. Raffles? Why not, the money is all going to a great cause! - I was just expecting to have some fun and head home but I ended up winning the 50/50 raffle and a really amazing smelling set of Yankee Candles!

Also, all attendees who signed up at least two weeks in advance received a nice bracelet. I've recently really gotten into those online yard sale pages on Facebook so I'm thinking what I'd like to do is put the bracelet up for sale and whatever money I make for it, I will double it (up to $100) and donate it. Maybe the next person could do the same thing and start a really awesome donation chain? I've given up Facebook for Lent so I'm going to give this a shot as soon as I get back on.

In the mean time, if you would like to donate, please consider donating to my friend's mom's page. You can find her page here: http://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/jenschwab 

Sunday was just spent winding down and relaxing. I also spent the day trying to finish this delicious dessert bar thing that I bought at the fundraiser on Saturday. It was basically a HUGE Golden Graham bar - the graham cracker cereal, chocolate, marshmallows, delicious gooeyness.

I hope you had as great of a weekend as I did, and I hope you consider donating to Jen's page. Talk to you all soon!

Five Frozen Lent Options

We are officially in Lent. While not everyone gives up meat, most do try to practice no meat on Fridays. So today, I'd like to present you with some frozen options for those who are in a hurry and don't have much time to cook.

1. Quorn Chik'n Nuggets - I discovered these through my cousin. Her husband is a vegetarian and LOVES these. I was planning on giving up meat so I gave them a shot and boy, they legit taste like chicken nuggets. I enjoy them so much that I always have a box or two and eat these versus "real chicken" nuggets. - You can cook them in the oven or microwave but I personally really like using the oven. The crunch is awesome.

2. Trader Joe's Salmon Burgers - My mom gives up meat every year and she really likes these A) because they're really good and B) because you can eat them as a burger or just with whatever sides you'd like. - The box provides cooking instructions for grilling, oven, skillet or microwave. I like this because I don't have a grill (I live in an apartment and they're not allowed) and the thought of a microwaved salmon burger really grosses me out. Their turkey burgers don't even have cooking instructions for skillet/oven and that's probably because they cook really weird with those methods. It's a great thing that these cook so nicely in a skillet or oven.

3. evol. Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli - Yum, just yum. I know most people eat a lot of pasta when not eating meat so this is a good alternative. - Cooking methods: microwave or oven.

4. TaDah Falafel Wrap - I actually have not tried this, my mom has. I found it in the Target frozen aisle and thought "Hm, my mom might really like this." and she did. - Cooking methods: microwave or oven. My mom will not use the microwave unless it is the ONLY option, so she used the oven.

5. - evol. Truffle Parmesan Mac & Cheese - Who doesn't like mac and cheese? Really, name me someone who doesn't.. You can't - unless they're lactose intolerant. SO. GOOD. That is all. Oh, and also, I've only seen the evol. foods at Target. - Cooking methods: microwave or oven.

These are obviously also great for people who don't eat meat in general. Do you have other suggestions that fit in the quick and easy category? Next week I'll be sharing some delicious looking "from scratch" options for Lent.

Are you giving up something other than meat for Lent? If so, what? I am. This year I decided to give up Facebook. If you knew me personally, you'd know how tough that is for me. I am trying to not have meat on Fridays also. I will say, this Lent has probably been the most self-reflective for me and honestly, it's been wonderful. I hope you've been having a good Lent this year as well!

What I Have in My Fridge Jambalaya

Hello there – I hope wherever you are, you’re having a nice and warm day. Currently, we have more than 6 inches of snow on the ground with it still coming down. OH, and it’s supposed to freeze rain later so it definitely feels like there is no end in sight.

So as I sit here, stuck in my apartment, I realized I was craving something warm and filling but wasn’t sure what. As any normal person would do, I went to my fridge and pantry to scope what I had then went searching on Pinterest. I found a few jambalaya recipes so I decided to make a “What I have in my Fridge Jambalaya”. So this is my warning that yes, I know this isn’t regular jambalaya. I promise it’s still really good and simple!

Ingredients –

1 package of Hillshire FarmTurkey Polska Kielbasa, sliced thin 

1 cup of vegetables (I tend to keep a container of diced celery, carrots, and onions in my fridge – so this is what I used)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp black powder

¼ tsp cayenne pwpper

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp Old Bay Garlic & Herb

1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained (I actually had whole tomatoes that I just cut up myself)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup white rice

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions –

1. With the oil, cook the sausage, vegetables and fresh garlic for about 8 minutes. (until vegetables are soft)

2. Add all of the spices and stir until fragrant. (less than one minute)

3. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and rice and bring to a boil.

4. Once at a boil, bring to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes, mixing occasionally. (or until rice is cooked to your liking and broth is absorbed)

5. Serve warm.

Tip of the Day: If you somehow make this dish too spicy (like I did by not paying attention to my measuring spoon, not because of the recipe) a good way to help with that is to add ketchup! Since the ketchup is tomato based but also sweet, it will help absorb some of the spicyness. The ketchup also helps if you refrigerate it and you feel it's drying up.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. If you have any great recipes to share in the realm of "this is what I have in my fridge" essentials, please share. Stay warm and I'll be back soon with another recipe!

Quick and Easy Pasta Salads

I feel like these days of record lows of freezing temperatures and blistering face pains are not going to be disappearing anytime soon, which is extremely depressing. I am normally a big Winter person but this year I am just *SO* over it and I know pretty much everyone else is too.

So to get us excited for Spring and Summer, I’m sharing two very quick and easy pasta salad recipes that are perfect for those picnics and BBQs.

Caprese Pasta Salad 

Ingredients –
1 package of pasta of your liking, cooked (I used mini shells)
1 pint of Grape Tomatoes, cut in half or quartered (depending on your preference)
1 Fresh Mozzarella Ball, cut into small cubes
1 cup fresh Basil or ½ cup dried Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Dressing –
2 cloves of pressed fresh garlic
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons of Olive Oil

Directions –

1. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the dressing together.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

3. Add in the dressing and mix well.

4. Depending on taste, you may want to add additional vinegar or olive oil. Once at your liking, add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Chill about thirty minutes all together prior to serving.

The next one I made because as I was trying to decide what to make for a BBQ, I found a box of SuddenlySalad (Classic) that I had gotten on sale for $1. I made the salad as directed and added in the following: hard salami, turkey deli, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives. I also added a bit of ranch dressing and a dash of garlic powder, mixed it all together and ta-dah.. a great pasta salad that works perfectly for potlucks, bbqs, and any type of party.

I hope you all like these quick and easy pasta salads and I hope these recipes work well for you and your next event!

Easy Slow-Cooker Chicken Gyros and Homemade Tzatziki

Why hello there! I’m back with another 21 Day Fix approved recipe. I found this recipe when someone posted it in the 21 Day Fix Support/Recipes group. Since I absolutely love any type of Mediterranean food, I just had to try it.

The original recipe was posted to Six Sisters’ Stuff but I made some small changes based on my preference. And when I say my preference, I mean my Middle Eastern taste buds that very much enjoy garlic and lemon. Feel free to cut the amount of garlic and lemon.

Ingredients -

1. 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2. 4 cloves garlic, minced (I actually have a wooden mortar and pestle that I use to mash the garlic)

3. 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (typically one fresh lemon) or ½ lemon juice

4. 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

5. 2 tablespoons olive oil

6. 1 teaspoon sea salt

7. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

8. 1 teaspoon dried oregano

9. 1/4 cup water

Directions –

1. You can begin by placing chicken in Ziploc baggie or Tupperware and adding 1 tablespoon oil, salt, red wine vinegar, oregano and garlic. Place in refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Spray crockpot with a non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken inside slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. (Add in a fourth to half of the onion slices in the last 30 minutes to an hour. Save the rest for later.)

·       You can skip the marinating process by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and pour over the chicken once it has been placed in the slow cooker.

While the chicken is cooking, you can make your homemade tzaziki. This recipe, I seriously became obsessed with. I’m never buying tzatziki again!

Ingredients -

1. 1 6 oz Fage 0% Greek Yogurt (or Greek Yogurt of your liking)

2. 1 Persian cucumber, diced

3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice

4. 1 garlic clove, minced (or as mentioned above – use a mortar and pestle to mash)

5. 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped

6. Dash of red wine vinegar

7. Salt and pepper to taste

Directions -

1. Mix first 6 ingredients together. Once well combined, add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Chill about one hour before serving.

Final prep of the sandwich –

I put together the sandwich in a Pocket Thin – 100% Whole Wheat Pita 

The additional ingredients I used for this was diced lettuce and tomatoes, the rest of the sliced onion, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. 

The way I count this for the 21DF is 1 red (easy to measure the meat into your container), 1 yellow (the open pita), 1 green (for lettuce/tomato/onion), 1 blue (cheese), and 1 orange (olives). I just measure out the tzaziki into two tablespoons and don’t count it.

Personal Your Way Pizza

Today’s 21DF recipe is going to be so easy that your kids can help you make it! What person doesn’t love making their own pizza? Mine has a Greek theme to it but you can add whatever you’d like, this is meant to be just a small guide to help you get an idea on what you could put on the pizza and what containers you can use.

1 Yellow - Flat Out ArtisanThin Pizza Crust 

2 tbsp Marinara Sauce (The one that I used and am totally obsessed with is the Bertolli Organic Olive Oil, Basil & Garlic)

1 Green – I used sliced grape tomatoes and spinach

1 Orange – Kalmata Olives

1 Red – Meat of your choosing –  I used sliced steak, which I had already cooked

1 Blue – Shredded cheese (Once again, I really wanted to use a salty cheese – feta – but opted for an approved cheese intead)

1 – Bake Flat Out for 2 minutes at 375 (according to package)

2 – After two minutes remove the Flat Out but keep the oven on. Next, use a spoon to spread out the marinara sauce and then spread out your veggies, meat, olives, and sprinkle cheese on top

3 – Bake about five minutes and then you’re all set!

Enjoy your delicious and healthy personal pizza. It’s ok not to share, I won’t blame you!