Basil Pesto

Hey everyone. I told you that I'd be posting a recipe for basil pesto and I'm just now getting around to it. Pesto is really easy to make and super easy to vary. I'm just giving you the basic basil recipe but you can add as much or as little of other herbs to make it your own and switch up some boring dishes!

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of basil
1 cup of chopped parsley
1 tbsp salt (Don't use sea salt or kosher salt here. You want to use fine salt so it blends better)
1 tbsp black pepper
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 lemon zested

1. Combine the basil and parsley in a food processor.
2. Add the garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the food processor.
3. Pulse the mixture while slowly adding the olive oil.

You can make big batches of this and freeze it. Also, this pesto goes great on some baked or grilled chicken, pizza, or pasta!

Update on Tied With Love

Hey guys! So for those of you who don't know what Tied With Love is, it's a project I started a while ago. I make fleece blankets with ties around the edges for patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer and other diseases at City of Hope hospital in Duarte, CA. I started it because my mom passed away from breast cancer ten years ago and I wanted to give back to the hospital that helped out my family when we were struggling. This last summer, with the help of the Psi Beta honors club at Citrus College, family and friends, and my community, I was able to deliver 39 blankets to the pediatric in-patient unit at the hospital.

I am now working towards doing another delivery of blankets to the hospital hopefully for next summer (Summer 2012).

Bleu Cheese and Apple Salad

This is one of my favorite salads! I make it year round but fall is the best time to make it when the apples are fresh and crisp. This salad is also really easy to vary. You can change the they type of cheese, apple, nuts, and lettuce. Just keep in mind that you want your apple and cheese to compliment each other. For instance, if you have a sweeter apple, use a sharper cheese. I'm using bleu cheese and granny smith apples because the rich and creaminess of the bleu cheese pairs well with the sour crunch of the apple.

1 pkg of spring mix lettuce
1 granny smith apple
8 oz. of bleu cheese crumbles
1 handful of walnuts
1 handful of currants or raisins (currants are a sweeter version of raisins)
1/2 cup of your favorite balsamic dressing (I'll post a few balsamic dressing recipes later)
1/2 tbsp of course black pepper

1. Put the pkg of spring mix lettuce into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the bleu cheese and currants into the bowl.
3. Put a small pan on the stove. Heat the pan on medium heat and add the walnuts once the pan is heated. This shouldn't take much time at all. Once you start smelling the nuts, it's time to take them off the heat.
4. Once the walnuts are cooling, thinly slice the apple. They should be large slices but very thinly cut. Place them in the bowl
5. Once the walnuts are cool, place them on a cutting board and run your knife through them (just a rough chop). Place them in the bowl.
6. Add the pepper and dressing to the bowl. Toss the salad so the dressing covers all of it. You can add more dressing if you feel that you need it but be careful when doing that with balsamic dressing. It is very acidic and you don't want it to overpower the salad.
7. You can toast some stale wheat bread if you want and then crumble it over the salad as croutons. (Optional)

This salad goes great with lemon chicken or grilled steak!

To make this salad into an entree salad, try adding some grilled chicken.

Pesto Pizza

So this recipe is an easy 15 minute meal. I love pesto pizza and wanted to make it myself but I was on a budget and a time crunch so I bought the ingredients ready made. I'll post a recipe later for really good basil pesto if you actually have more than 20 minutes to make a delicious meal.

1 bottle of basil pesto. Any brand will do but I bought the store brand and it actually wasn't bad! And don't spend a ton on this ingredient. You're not going to use much of it anyways.
1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese
2 bright red tomato. I like plum tomatoes because they are smaller and to me, taste better but you can use whatever tomatoes you like. In summer, you can use yellow and green tomatoes too for a colorful dish.
1 tbsp coarse black pepper or red pepper flakes
1 pkg of ready made pizza dough (I used Pillsbury)

1. Preheat your oven to the degree stated on the pkg of pizza dough.
2. Roll out the dough on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
3. While the dough is in the oven, cut the tomato into very thin slices and place it to the side.
4. Take the dough out of the oven after about 5 minutes to spread on the pesto. Shake up the jar of pesto so that it's mixed well. Take a rubber spatula and spoon out about half the jar of pesto onto the dough. Spread it thin and sprinkle the cheese onto the pizza. You can also use different types of cheeses like Parmesan, Asiago, Ricotta, etc. Place the thinly sliced tomato on the pizza as well.
5. Place the pizza back into the oven and continue cooking until the edges of the pizza begin to brown.

With this pizza, I like to make a fun and festive salad with seasonal fruits.

Citrus Whipped Cream

After I started making this recipe I can no longer use store bought whipped cream for anything. And a little heads up...if you have anyone in your house that is like my dad, hide the whipped cream or make extra. Every time I make this I have to tell my dad not to eat the entire bowl of it...at least not in one sitting.

8 oz. marscopone cheese
8 oz. of heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tbsp of vanilla extract (if I could find vanilla bean I'd use it here to get an intense vanilla flavor)
1/2 cup of sugar (I'd use a fine sugar like baker's sugar. It will dissolve and blend easier)
1 tbsp of orange juice (either fresh or from concentrate)
1 juiced lime
2 tbsp lemon juice (Fresh is best)
The zest of 1/2 lemon, 1 lime, and 1/2 orange

1. Add the marscopone cheese and the heavy whipping cream to a large mixing bowl (I'd use one with high sides so it doesn't go everywhere when mixed).
2. Add the vanilla, zest, sugar, and juices to the bowl.
3. Mix (with a mixer not just a whisk and hand...you need machine power on this one) for 2 minutes or until fully blended. You can add extra sugar to taste if needed.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour at least.

This is the best thing over some honey toasted pound cake and orange slices!

Most Delicious Sounding Appatizer Ever

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/goat-cheese-chorizo-rolls-recipe

Just In Time For the Holidays

I got a fantastic Christmas sweatshirt to wear for the holidays at various family gatherings and I thought I'd share the site with you. This sweatshirt is so ugly it's cute! I'll post a picture later but here's the site...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/UglyXmasParty?page=2

Foundation Tips For a Flawless Finish

I hated how my makeup would come out after I applied my moisturizer and foundation because it would be faded under my eyes and next to my nose exposing my freckles (hello...this is why I wear makeup in the first place!). I figured out that it was because I wasn't allowing my moisturizer to full dry and sink in. I always apply moisturizer before, especially in winter, because I feel that it gives a really nice glow to my skin. Apply a moisturizer that you like and wait about 20 minutes. This will allow your skin to soak up the moisture and won't give you a greasy look where your makeup fades over the day. Then apply your foundation and allow that to set for about 20 more minutes before you put on your compact. I know this seems like applying makeup will take forever but I do my other morning routines while I wait.

Cold season leaves my nose red and dry :(

Here is my first non-food related post/tip. During winter or whenever I get sick my nose gets so dry and hurts really bad. It stings every time I try to put my makeup on or blow my nose. I started using chapstick to relieve the pain. You can use Vaseline or other creams but those don't smell all that great and they can get expensive. I go to Target or Wal-Mart and buy chapstick in whatever flavor I feel like. Then right when I get home I take out my trusty label maker and make sure I label it as my nose chapstick. No one wants to wipe snot and booger germs all over their lips. Gross! I put it on about three times a day and this way, my hands steer clear of my cold germs. Make sure you don't buy one that has color to it because you're going to look like Rudolph if you do. Unless that's the look you're going for...?

Why do I add lemon or zest to everything?

Reading some of my posts over, I realized that in a lot of my cooking I use lemon juice or the zest of lemon. If you don't like lemon, you can substitute it with something else. I use it though because it has such a refreshing and light flavor. I don't like to use a lot of salt because it isn't all that great for you. Because of that, I must find other ways to flavor my dishes. Not only do I use a lot of citrus in my dishes but I also love love love using fresh herbs like basil. These ingredients add so much great flavor to dishes without making them high in sodium. Try experimenting with some yourself and see what awesome flavor combos you can come up with.

Green Bean Salad

This side is great to go with any meal! Serve cold or hot. It's light, healthy, and refreshing!

1 bunch of fresh green beans
1 red onion sliced very very thin
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp of sea salt
1 1/2 tbsp of coarse pepper
1 lemon zested
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (I prefer light)
2 tbsp of red wine vinegar

1. Cut and wash the green beans.
2. Steam them. If serving hot, steam them until soft and keep them hot. If serving cold then steam them until cooked but still crunchy and immediately put hot green beans in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
3. While the green beans are steaming, slice 1/2 of the red onion very thin. You should almost be able to see through it and the slices should break up to become thin strings of onion.
4. Finely chop the garlic and zest the lemon.
5. Once the green beans are done cooking (if serving cold then this will come after the grean beans have chilled) put them into a large bowl.
6. Add the onion, garlic, lemon zest, salt pepper, olive oil, and red wine vinegar to the green beans and toss.

This side goes great served cold on a summer night with BBQ!

Italian Sausage Sandwiches

My comfort food is Italian food and nothing is better than on a cold night making these yummy sandwiches!

1 pkg. of french rolls
1 pkg. of Italian sausage (mild or hot, whichever you prefer. I usually go to Costco and buy the two packs of Old Spaghetti Factory sausage.)
1 can of your favorite pasta sauce or make your own (I'll put up a recipe later)
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp of red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the sausage spread out on the sheet.
3. Bake the sausage for 20 minutes on each side. Because it's pork...make sure you cook it through! There should be no pink.)
4. While the sausage is baking, heat the sauce on medium low heat.
5. Once the sauce has come to s light boil, turn the heat down to low.
6. About 2 minutes before the sausage is done, heat the rolls on a baking sheet.
7. Put one sausage in each roll, spoon sauce over the sausage, and sprinkle red pepper flakes on each sandwich.
8. Put cheese on each roll and let the cheese melt. If you need to, you can put them back in the oven to allow the cheese to melt.

These sandwiches go great with a green bean salad!

Lemon Broccolini

This is a great side dish to add to any meal! Whether you're BBQing, making an italian feast, or making comfort food, this side will add a fresh and bright flavor.

1 bunch of broccolini (or broccoli. Whichever looks greener that day.)
1 lemon
1 tbsp of sea salt
1 tbsp of coarse pepper
2 cloves of garlic

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and cut the broccolini.
3. Spread the broccolini out on a baking sheet (greased or covered with foil).
4. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the broccolini. Zest the lemon and sprinkle that onto the baking sheet.
5. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the broccolini.
6. Chop 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, and sprinkle that on the baking sheet.
7. Put the baking sheet into the over and cook for 12 minutes.

This goes great with grilled steaks and mashed or baked potatoes!

Easiest Lemon Chicken Ever!

This recipe is a universal must know. It is delicious, healthy, simple and super easy! This is the epitome 5 ingredients or less.

1 lb. of chicken breast (boneless and skinless)
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3 lemons juiced (fresh is best)
1 1/2 tbsp sea salt
1 1/2 tbsp coarse pepper

1. Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag along with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. If you want the chicken to scream lemon you can also add the zest of a whole lemon. remmber not to get the white part though (It's super bitter).
2. Shake the bag and make sure the chicken is coated with the marinade.
3. Let sit in refrigerator for 2 hours. This will allow the chicken to get really tender and soak up the juices.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
5. Place the chicken on a greased or foil covered baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

This chicken goes great with brown rice infused with orange zest and steamed veggies like broccoli!


Easy variations of this dish:
-add some chopped garlic to the marinade
-sprinkle on some chili powder before it goes into the oven
-add some orange zest to the marinade

Mom's Tacos

So this recipe was my mom's and they are the most delicious tacos you'll ever have. My boyfriend wants me to make them like 3 times a week :)

1 lb of ground beef (or turkey or chicken!)

2 cloves of garlic

2 white onions

"Soyrizo" (vegan version of chorizo...sold at most major grocery stores in the vegetarian aisle)

Mexican cheese

1 Avocado

1 head of Romain lettuce

1 pkg. of corn tortillas

1 container of sour cream

hot sauce or salsa of your choice

1. Heat a pan on medium high.

2. Chop the garlic and the onion. Place one of the chopped onions in a bowl to use as a topping later.

3. Spray the pan with PAM and add the garlic and one of the chopped onions. Let them sweat (cooked down/well)

4. Once the garlic and onion has cooked down, add the meat. Brown the meat. Once it's browned, lower the heat to low.

5. Drain the fat and add the meat back to the pan.

6. Raise the heat to medium and add 1/2 of the "Soyrizo" and mix it with the meat.

7. While the meat is browning, cut up the tomato, avocado, and lettuce.

8. Once the "Soyrizo" is blended with the meat (it should have a reddish orange color to it), put the meat in a serving bowl. Turn the stove on medium.

9. With the stove on medium, warm the tortillas on both sides until they are browned.

10. Build your tacos and enjoy!

Some mexican or spanish rice and refried beans goes great with this dish!

Angel Hair with olive oil, tomatoes, and basil

I recently found out how to make one of my favorite italian dishes. This is such a great, light pasta that literally takes less than 30 minutes to make!

1 box of angel hair pasta
1 large box of cherry tomatoes (or 2 small ones)
4 cloves of garlic chopped finely (add as much or as little garlic as you'd like)
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 large shallot (you can use onion if you'd like...shallots just aren't as strong) finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 pack of basil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Chop the garlic very fine. Chop the shallot very fine.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Heat a skillet pan on medium high.
3. Add salt to the boiling water and add the pasta. Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the oil to the skillet along with salt and pepper. Once the oil is heated, add the shallot and garlic. After about a minute, add the tomatoes to the skillet and stir occasionally.
5. Drain the noodles and put them into a bowl off to the side. Continue stirring the ingredients in the skillet. While that cooks, cut the basil into strips. Add the cheeses to the dry noodles and pour the ingredients in the skillet over the noodles and cheese.
6. Toss the pasta and sprinkle with basil.
7. SERVE AND ENJOY!

Try some caesar salad and garlic bread on the side :)