Cobb Salad

Corn Salsa (SoCal Style)

I originally found the corn salsa recipe from the Pioneer Woman's cookbook.  But I took out a few of her ingredients and added a couple of other ones instead and made it more SoCal style  :-)  

 

Here are the ingredients.

 

I can't give you any measurements.  I just usually eyeball everything and taste it until it is good.  So, this is what I threw in.  Corn (much better when it is cut fresh off the cob!!!), tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno or a green serrano pepper (chopped finely), red bell pepper, fresh garlic, cilantro, lime juice, a few dashes of red wine vinegar, about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cayenne pepper (sprinkle a bit on the corn), fresh ground pepper, salt.

I spray the corn cobs with cooking spray and then sprinkle a little cayenne pepper and garlic salt on. Then roast on the BBQ.  The stove top grill works too but I like the extra smoky flavor of the BBQ.

 

Then cut the corn off the cob and chop everything else up.  Give a few dashes of red wine vinegar, about a tablespoon of olive oil, fresh ground pepper, salt, and squeeze lots of lime (more the better!).  Mix it all up and vavoom!  I love it with the tortilla chips that are seasoned with lime.

Dangerous Desserts

These are Extreme Rice Krispie Treats.  The kids loved helping make them and they got a nice sugar high for when our sweet babysitter came over (sorry Courtney)! 

Mmmm Yummy!

So first follow the directions to make the Rice Krispie treats as described on the box of cereal.  Press them out into a 9x13 dish too cool.  Then pull them apart and roll them into small balls (about 40?).  Heat up some chocolate.  Then I poked the rice krispie balls with skewers and let the boys dip them in the melted chocolate.  I placed them on the cookie tray to cool for a few minutes.  It helped to let the chocolate firm up before adding the sprinkles.  Then I let the boys decorate.  And then let them cool at room temp a few hours till the chocolate hardens a bit more.

 

This is one of my favorite toppings.  I once bought a half a gallon container of these at Smart 'N Final (not so smart).

Mmmmm don't you just want to bite into that little guy?!!

Antipasta Kabobs

Hope you all are coming tonight to Kaleo's Christmas party!

 

Don't come just for these tasty bites.  There will be much more food, friends, and always amazing fun with the white elephant gift exchange.

Ok, I always want to do my own thing when it comes to recipes. It said to cook some cheese tortellini, cool them, then marinate them in Italian dressing.  I thought I would improvise and just chop up some mozzarella cheese sticks.  Not a good plan, they like to split in half.  Stick to the tortellini.  The recipe said to use olives too.  I am not a fan.  But they are not just for me, Right???  I just don't get why anyone would eat olives so I refused to put them on  :-)  But they would have given them some better color variation.  OK, you probably didn't want to know all my thoughts.... anyways, fun appetizer and kid approved  :-)  Hope to see you tonight.

Gobble Gobble

I saw this great idea on GirlTalk.  The kids loved it!  Miles has a cute song to go with his turkey craft :-)

 

 

 

 

So much fun and the boys got quite a sugar rush afterward!  These turkeys didn't make it to see Thanksgiving!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen website.  It was yummy and a bit spicy.  I think I might have added a little too much chili powder or maybe it was the 1/2 cup of diced jalapeno peppers but it was still great.  I improvised and added some extra stuff (diced potatoes) and deleted stuff (sour cream).  I couldn't wait to slurp it down and I forgot to take a picture so I had to pour an extra bowl after we ate just for the picture  :-)  I ran out of time and didn't get to make the tortilla strips so I guess it isn't technically tortilla soup.   I have been so eager to make soup.  So as soon as it was no longer 108 degrees out, I decided to go for it!  Delicious!   

Trader Joe's Pick Of The Week #3

Maui Beef with Thai Jasmine Rice


Yummy red meat...

Mix a little of this with it and throw it in the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours...

This rice is very tasty.  A perfect match with the Maui beef.

Yum.  That is actually zucchini.  I know they kind of looks like pickles in the picture.

Maui sounds very nice right now :-)  My sister in-law just landed in Hawaii for 5 weeks!!! 

I Like Cowboy Food

Thanks to Tracy I have become hooked on the very funny Pioneer Woman blog and apparently the PW has quite a following because Time magazine picked the Pioneer Woman's site as one of the top 25 blogs.  She has great photography instruction (someday I'll try to figure out how to use the camera) and yummy recipes.  She lives on a ranch and makes "cowboy food" (stuff her hubby loves) and then there is "cowgirl food" for the more feminine appetites.  Honestly, I really prefer the "cowboy food".   The meat and potatoes sound so much tastier than salads and veggies.  This probably is not a good thing and maybe I should change.

Tonight I made the Pioneer Woman's Garlic Cheese Bread.  Those are three of my favorite ingredients.  The family thought it was amazing.  Erick said only people who work on a ranch all day long should be eating this bread.  Look below.  Go to the Pioneer Woman's site to get the recipe.   She has step by step photos of how to make her recipes. 

I am still trying to win one of her contests!  Have any of you ever won anything from her? 

Why I Need The Wii Fit

This is the Pioneer Woman's Chex Party Mix.  It is completely addicting!  I am not going to tell you how many batches of this I made last week.  I love how PW puts fresh garlic and Tabasco sauce in it.  I cheat and cook it in the microwave.  When I cooked it in the oven I forgot about it and it turned black and burned, I am easily distracted.  I am never going to lose this pregnancy weight if I keep making this stuff.  It is so yummy!