Pizza on the Grill

Mushroom Onion Pizza

  

My Shiney New Red Grill 

So... check out the new grill!

I'm most excited about it

It's small but perfect for me

I love that it has a side burner!

Check out my yummy pizza

I am loving Mama Mary's thin pizza crust

I just used some marinara sauce that I had in the pantry

(here I used Trader Joe's)

I sliced fresh mozzarella

&

I sauted mushroom and onions 

in white wine, butter, & balsamic vinegar

DELICIOUS!!!

Heart Le Creuset

Heart Le Creuset

I covet Le Creuset, 

&

I love all things heart

 

As I have expressed  

here 

&

here

My dear friend, Misty gave me this one for my birthday.

Isn't it adorable?

Chocolate Chip Cookie "Cake"

Pink M&M and Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Cookie dough & Pink M&Ms

Pink M&M and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Red and Pink Icing

My neice turned 9 years old on Friday, July 5th.  She requested a cookie cake with pink frosting and flowers.

Did you know that you can buy just about any color M&M from Party City?

It was very easy to do.  Nestle even includes how long to bake a big cookie on the back of the wrapper.

I thought of using cookie dough from scratch, but I found that my neice just likes the presentation.  She's not a big sugar eater. 

Flag Cake

July 4th Flag Cake

So, I know... the 4th was last week.  I have not been the best blog poster lately, but I really do plan to do a better job by posting at least 2-3 times a week.

This is a cake I make every year.  This year I did it a little different.  Instead of piping the white lines with cream cheese frosting... I sprinkled powdered sugar on top of the blueberries and raspberries.   The key is to place the blueberries and raspberries that you want to "sugar" on the cake first. (Actually, I spread cream cheese frosting on top of the cake first to act as "glue" for the berries to stick to).    I sifted powder over the rows of berries, then I placed the "non" powdered berries on the cake.

I keep this really simple.  I usually just make a box strawberry cake and make my own frosting. I sometimes use the tub o' frosting.  The presentation is fun, and the cake is usually moist.

This is not a true "flag" replica.  I was afraid I'd run out of raspberries if I put in the full 13 rows.

Thai Rice Noodles with Chicken

I

Thai Rice Noodles with Chicken

 This is a recipe that I clipped out of Cooking Light magazine back in 2009.  I have never cooked anything "thai" before.  This was so delicious.  

A couple things I might do different.  1) Cook the shallots with the green onions, ginger and garlic.   2) Not add chicken.   The flavor was so amazing, that the chicken just got in the way for me.

Thai Rice Noodles with Chicken

from Cooking Light, October 2009

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
2 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
8 ounces 1/2 inch thick rice noodles
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh chile past with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons thinly diagonally sliced green onions
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup torn fresh basil
1/4 cup very thinly sliced lemongrass (tough outer stalks removed)
1/4 cup very thinly silced vertically sliced shallots

Directions

1.  Combine 2 tablespoons lime juice and chicken in a bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
2.  Soak noodles in hot water for 15 minutes or until somewhat soft but still slightly chewy. Drain wel..
3.  Combine remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, sugar and next 4 ingredients (through the chile paste).  Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt.
4.  Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan, swirl to coat.  Remove chicken from juice; discard juice.  Add chicken to pan; stir fry 4 minutes or until done.  Transfer to bowl, sprinkle with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt.  5.  Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry 45 seconds or just until golden and fragrant.  Add noodles, cook 30 seconds, tossing well.
6.  Stir in sugar mixture.  Add chicken; cook 30 seconds.
7.  Place 1 1/4 cups noodle mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each with 2 tablespoons basil, 1 tablespoon lemongrass, and 1 tablespoon shallots

Herb Step Garden

Herbs - take 10

I've been trying to grow herbs

since 2009

Then again in 2010

&

once again in 2011

So, this time, I'm going all out

I have the standard herbs

rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme,

basil, sage, dill, parsley

I also got a lemon tree...

(isn't that baby lemon adorable?)

and...

...creeping spinach

(please, no comments about the dead eucalyptus plant)

Also, you may have noticed my fancy herb markers

Got this idea from Pinterest

I just bought cheap knives at the thrift store

some acrylic paints

and

a silver sharpie

but I found that it works better with

a black archival pen

Artichokes with a Tangy Lemon Sauce

I got this recipe from Mommie Cooks blog

Click here for the recipe

I love steamed artichokes, but I have never steamed them myself

For some reason, it just always seemed very intimidating

Using a sharp knife, cut 3/4ths off the top

trim the tail (stem) 

remove the outer layer of leaves

Then squeeze some fresh lemon all over

Placed in the dutch oven with lid to steam

put water in the pan - do not let it evaporate

add the lemons and garlic

They turned out beautifully

Especially the Tangy Lemon Sauce

This is a super easy to do

Not sure why I was so scared

Fish en Papillote

I first posted this recipe back in May 2010.

I'm heading to Whole Foods this time
to pick up all the ingredients
Then, it's out to my dad's
to prepare this
fabulous (and healthy)
feast

 This fish en papillote recipe

was inspired by watching

"Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian"

I bought  halibut @ Central Market

Following Melissa's recipe - I placed it on the parchment paper

Aren't these cute?

...and these too...

I promise, there is fish under there

I was very skeptical about pouring 1/4 cup of white wine

on top of everything that is only on parchment paper

...but...

but it worked...

They turned out fabulous!

A couple lessons learned...

1) Julienne the carrots and zucchini

2) Halibut is more hearty than the fish Melissa recommended (and more expensive)

so it needed just a tad more seasoning

(might try the Tangy Lemon Sauce from the artichoke recipe)

Lemon-Cucumber-Mint Water

If you love Pinterest

as much as I do,

you may have seen recipes

 for Detox Water

There are alot of varieties

but

I liked this one best from

A Sweet Simple Life

She calls it Sassy Water

She uses a mason jar

&

it gave me the

perfect excuse

to buy

this BIG one @ Target

for $16.99

Clean and slice one whole lemon
Clean and slice 1/2 cucumber
Add 10-12 Mint leaves
3 quarts water

Put in the refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours



Pretty Yummy Water

&

if it detoxes me

gives me pretty skin

helps me lose weight

even better

World Market Cake Carrier - Let Them Eat Cake



Let Them Eat Cake

Check out my new cake carrier

from World Market 

I absolutely love it!

It was only $24.99

I made an

 Apricot - Lemon Cake

last week

&

Everyone commented 

"Is that vintage?"

"Is that your grandmother's?"

"Where did you get that?"

DIY - Update Patio Furniture

 I bought 3 of these

Better Home and Garden outdoor ottomon's

about 5 years ago at Walmart

As you can see, 

this one (as well as the others)

have seen better days

I was ready to sell them

in a garage sale

 (that hasn't been planned yet)

I had painted one black a couple years ago,

but never really found the right cushions

until this weekend

I was at Target on Saturday

and

found these REI cushions

for $12.99

They fit perfectly

 &

inspired a new look

for the back patio