Wishing You A Smooth Sunny Day....Recipes Too!

"We need, each of us, to begin the awesome, difficult work of love: loving ourselves so that we become able to love others without fear so that we can become able enough to enlarge the circle of our trust and our common striving for a safe, sunny afternoon near to flowering trees and under a very blue sky."

June Millicent Jordan

I've decided that a change of pace would be nice and since I have a smoothie every morning and they are a refreshing delight to start a 5 am day - not when my body clock say I am to rise.... I've listed a few that sounded delish to me. I uses as much fresh fruit as possible. We have a Trader Joe's by my house and now an enormous Wegmann's - so I buy berries, bananas, kiwi, apples, etc. But there are frozen peaches and other fruits that are good for on the go risers if you chose not to use ice cubes or simply to have on hand if you're low on fruit and they really are very tasty. I keep yogurt in the frig. in regular size containers but you can also just buy the larger one to save a few pennies. If you have a recipe you'd like to share - send it over. When the fresh fruit starts to come out - I'll be there! When I can pick at the local places ... even better!

Peach Pie Smoothie


2007 Ellie Krieger
Ingredients:
1/2 cup nonfat or 1 percent lowfat milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger

Directions:
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.


Calories: 212; Fat: 0g(Saturated Fat: 0grams); Protein: 10g; Carbohydrates: 47g; Sugar: 41g; Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium: 120mg

Peach-Mango Smoothie


by jenny sansouci "It’s so good – almost like a healthy creamsicle!"
Ingredients (makes 1 smoothie):
1/2 banana
1 cup chopped peach
1 cup chopped mango
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
A few ice cubes (unless you’re using frozen fruit)

You can make your smoothie as healthy

and fruity and smoothy as you like -

lots of flavors, lots of colors, kids can help,

make them to-go, a special treat....

whatever you do...

do it for YOU.

It's Friday...choose a good book

take time to smell the flowers

treasure all the people in your life

and know you are loved by GOD.



Have Yourself A Merry Everything! Part two.... There for each other

 

It's been a busy time for me...but then isn't that the way this season is?

And it's over in what seems like a minute! All the preparation, wrapping, shopping,

cards, visits, lists, shipping, baking, cooking - POOF!

Big trash bags of garbage ready to go out filled with balled up wrapping paper and loads of tissue paper. Stacks of washed dishes for meals that were made with love and memory filled. Coffee ready, pies laid out on the table, kids playing with their new toys.

My family holiday is a little different but different can be totally cool too!

My son Matt and his girlfriend Connie are on vacation in Thailand . They've taught kindergarten in a private school in Korea for two years and are finally coming home in Feb.. My older son Todd and his wife Ravy live in Annapolis. Her parents, from Cambodia, just moved here too. My parents are in Florida. Cousins at the Jersey shore.

Here is a photo list of our little family holiday...

the National Christmas tree in Washing D.C.

 

Annapolis Holiday Lights on the Bay

downtown Annapolis stores decked out

home-made stromboli for Christmas eve

smoked salmon and trout 

caught and wood smoke by a friend  

Spinach and cheese stuffed pork loin 

my son Todd made potato pancakes 

Ravy's fav Black Forest Chocolate Torte

So we have a small, scattered family, 

but boy can we cook!

****

Oh, Come All Ye Faithful!

Happy Holidays!

12/27/11

update....ready to drive home from my son's in Annapolis

have eaten Cambodian food, snacks, cookies, pistachios, a roast,

cakes, cereal, treats, slept, napped, watched videos and shows,

visited and called friends and family

a chill and overindulgent holiday

best kind

get a call from my son that his mother in law's been in a car accident

I'm home with her father in law who doesn't speak English...

we meet everyone in the ER -

minor injuries thank God -

lots of translating, green cards, passports...

I'm staying over again....

a must have for post stress relief....

Yummo = stress relievers

Todd and Ravy

see...it worked...we're distressed

Party Planning Post Op!!!!

Pomegranate Jello Shots

Glass: 2oz plastic shots or small paper cups - Glass shots look better but are harder to drink from, paper or plastic can be folded into the mouth... I like to serve them in Champagne Glasses

Step 1: Boil the water
Step 2: Slowly add JELL-O while stirring until it dissolves
Step 3: Add cold water and let the jello cool down for 5 minutes
Step 4: Add vodka and stir
Step 5: Pour into shots
Step 6: Put a cranberry piece in each shot (optional)
Step 7: Put shots in freezer

Step 8: Get the party started!
You can also use:

Squeeze a lime in the mixture for that special flavor that only the lime can give.  Arils are new and fun!

Benefits:

no added sugars, preservatives or colorants

flash pasteurized to retain both flavor and nutrients

certified kosher

not a low calorie food - see nutrition panel for calorie and sugar content

gluten-free

good source of potassium

Then you shake your pom poms!
any friends with adorable
Teacup Pomeranians...
please bring them!

and here's a treat for all my blogging friends...

There's a method to my madness...

I'm having knee surgery on November the 30th and will be out of work for 2 weeks -

then on light duty for several more weeks and I plan to have one hell of a party

when I'm back on my feet!

Stuffed Portobellos with Greens

Ingredients:
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms:

4 medium portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1/2 teaspoon each of basil, Italian parsley, rosemary and thyme, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Herb Sonoma Goat Cheese

1/2 teaspoon each of basil, Italian parsley, rosemary and thyme, chopped

1/4 lb. Sonoma goat cheese

1 tablespoon creme fraiche

1 tablespoon cream cheese

POM Mustard Vinaigrette:

Juice from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates*, or 1/2 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1-1/2 tablespoons mustard

3/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
2 cups California baby greens

Garnish:

1/4 cup arils from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates** or POM POMS fresh pomegranate arils

Preparation:

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms:

Combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, half of the minced shallots and 1/2 teaspoon of each of the herbs in a bowl. Remove stems from mushroom caps and marinate in herbed oil and vinegar mixture for 30 minutes to one hour. Remove portobello from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill each side for approximately 2 minutes or until tender.

Herb Sonoma Goat Cheese:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine remaining herbs, garlic, goat cheese, creme fraiche and cream cheese. Spoon mixture onto cookie sheet in 2-1/2 to 3 ounce dollops. Place cheese in preheated oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Remove from cookie sheet and place into center of serving plate.


POM Mustard Vinaigrette:
Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.* Combine the pomegranate juice, rice vinegar and mustard in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.

Baby Greens Salad and Plating:

Add remaining shallots in equal portions to the baby greens and toss with vinaigrette. Place mushroom on top of cheese with a small portion of the salad.

Notes:

* For 1 cup of juice, cut 2 to 3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside. ** Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
Nutritional Information:

Nutrients per Serving (1 mushroom cap, 4 oz. salad, 2 oz. dressing): 416 calories (354 calories from fat), 5g protein, 39g total fat (8g saturated), 10g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 9mg cholesterol, 4g total sugars, 47mcg vitamin A RE, 112mg sodium, 415mg potassium, 2mg vitamin C

Let's get this party started!

Cranberry Waltz - Recipe - Design House

This Is A Triple Subject Post

First I wanted to feature some very pretty pieces of Cranberry Glass

I found by a seller on Etsy. I used to collect it along with Red transferware and it can be a very striking combination.

mothballstudio Etsy

next...
a home you will love

Elizabeth Locke's (jeweler)Virginia home

and...

Cranberry Brie Appetizer Bites

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
24 (3 1/4 x 3 1/4-inch) wonton wrappers
1 (8-ounce) brie round
Directions:
Place 3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and lemon peel.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 miniature muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Press 1 wonton wrapper gently into each sprayed cup, allowing ends to extend above cups. Spray edges of wonton wrappers with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until bottoms of cups are beginning to brown; remove from oven.
If desired, remove rind from brie. Cut brie into 24 cubes, about 3/4-inch each. Place 1 cube in each cup; place sheet of aluminum foil over each pan to prevent excessive browning. Return to oven. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until brie is soft. Remove from oven; top each with about 1 teaspoon cranberry mixture.

Makes 24 appetizers.
Per Serving: Cal. 68 (3%DV), Fat Cal. 18, Pro. 3g (5%DV), Carb. 8g (3%DV), Fat 3g (4%DV), Chol. 10mg (3%DV), Sod. 106mg (4%DV), Vit. A 17RE (1%DV), Vit. C >1mg (0%DV), Vit. E >1mg (0%DV), Calcium 21mg (2%DV), Iron <1mg (2%DV), Folate 13Ug (3%DV), Zinc >1mg (2%DV), Pot. 24mg (1%DV), Dietary Exchange: Starch 0.5, Fat 0.5

Did you have a nice visit today? Jennifer

Baby It's Hot Outside Let's Go For My Dip!

Hot Fun In The Summer Time!

Easy Red Pepper Dip
Ingredients:
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 package whole-wheat pitas, 1 pita torn into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 jar (16 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
Directions:
1.In a medium skillet, simmer pomegranate juice over medium-high until thick, syrupy, and beginning to brown slightly around edges, 13 minutes (you should have about 2 tablespoons syrup).

2.Meanwhile, in a food processor, process torn pita until coarse crumbs form. Add walnuts, paprika, cumin, and cayenne and process until finely chopped. Add peppers, lemon juice, and syrup and process until mixture is a smooth paste. With machine running, slowly pour oil through feed tube and process until combined. Season with salt and serve with remaining pitas, toasted and cut into wedges.

Avocado-Corn Salsa
Nutritional Info (Per serving):
Calories: 101, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 75mg, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Total Fat: 7g, Carbs: 11g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Protein: 2g  Carb Choices: 0.5

Ingredients:
3/4 cup(s) corn, frozen, thawed
1/2 cup(s) tomato(es), grape, quartered
1 medium avocado, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh, chopped
2 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, Kosher
Preparation:
Toss avocado, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.

No Biggie!

now let's partee!

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
12 ounces angel hair pasta

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Juice of 1 to 2 lemons (1/4 cup or so)

1 tablespoon table salt

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, and mint

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring often, until they are golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a bowl.
Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and pour in the olive oil. Add the garlic and stir it often, until it softens and becomes fragrant, about 45 to 60 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the lemon zest and juice. Set the pan aside.
When the water boils, season it with 1 tablespoon of salt and bring it back to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook it al dente (for about 4 to 5 minutes or as the package instructs).
Spoon 2 tablespoons of water from the cooking pot into a small bowl and set it aside. Then drain the pasta well. Return the pasta to the pot. Pour the reserved cooking water and the lemon juice mixture over the pasta and toss it well. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and pine nuts.
Season the mixture with the salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

I don't know about you - but summer for me is about family and fun - NOT slaving in the kitchen! Hope you like this recipe...Jenn
oh and....

chillax!