Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

     I am loving my garden this summer.  I've had cucumbers, zucchini, green peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant in abundance.  I've been making a lot of recipes this year with fresh summer veggies because I can just run outside and grab them.  I was looking forward to making this tostada because not only is it Mexican, but it's full of chicken and vegetables.  All I had to make as a side dish was rice.

     This ended up being one of my favorite Mexican dishes to date.  I had a slight problem broiling the tortillas and had to toss two out the door because they were badly burned.  Otherwise these were great.  The chicken is cooked with spices and then the fresh vegetables are added and sauteed.  Salsa is poured on top for some flavor and then the whole thing is topped with cheese.

      The tortilla gets golden brown and crisp.  The chicken, vegetables, and cheese melt into each other and have a slightly spicy and fresh taste to them.  I ate two of these tostadas and felt full but not stuffed.  It was the perfect summer meal that was quick to make after my zumba class.

Chicken and Summer Vegetables Tostadas (adapted from The Jey of Cooking)
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. garlic powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c. frozen corn

1 medium zucchini, diced

1/2 c. salsa
6 flour tortillas
1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream for serving

1.  In a large skillet over medium heat cook the chicken sprinkled with cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add in the garlic cloves, onion, corn, and zucchini and cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Stir in the salsa and cook for 5 minutes.

2.  Preheat the broiler.  Place 2 tortillas on a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Broil for 1-3 minutes or until the tortillas are brown.  Remove from oven and put 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture on top of the tortilla.  Sprinkle with both cheeses and broil for an additional 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

3.  Serve with sour cream and additional salsa.

Thi post linked to:

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Made From Scratch Tuesday

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Cast Party Wednesday

What's COoking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate Wednesday

Guacamole

    I love Mexican food.  It's one of those foods I can eat several time a week and not get tired of.  We like to have soft tacos, chicken tacos, beef hard shell tacos, nachos, and all sorts of other things.  One of our friends always brings over a really good guacamole as an appetizer when he comes over for dinner.  It's really delicious.  I've tried to replicate it but haven't managed to do it.

    So, I've been on the search for a good guacamole recipe.  I asked some of my cooking buddies, and this was my favorite of all the recipes.  It's a very simple combination of avocados, onions, fresh cilantro, lime juice, tomatoes, and a few other things.  It's best eaten after it has been in the refrigerator for a few hours.  The flavors combine into a great guacamole that is good eaten with chips or on a taco.

Guacamole  (adapted from Elly Says Opa!)
2 ripe avocados
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
Juice of 1 lime
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. cumin

1.  Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits.  Scoop out the insides and put in the food processor.  Add in the jalapeno, onion, garlic, and cilantro.  Pulse 4-5 times or until everything starts to blend.

2.  Put the avocado mixture in a bowl and mix with tomato, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cumin.  Mix well.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays, Meatless Mondays

Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Makin' You Crave Monday

Pear Butter

   I've really been looking forward to making apple butter.  I've never done it before but I absolutely love the taste of it.  I can't wait for fall so I can go and buy a huge basket of apples to use to make apple butter, apple pie, etc.  But, it's not yet apple season so I've been looking for something else to make.  Lately I've seen several posts on pear butter.

   Now pears have never been a favorite of mine.  I don't mind them, but they aren't something I normally pick up at the market.  But the pictures of the pear butter I've been seeing made me want to rush right out and get some...so I did.  It was a couple hour process but I got the pear butter made.  I'm glad I chose the recipe that I did because it adds in ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon as the spices which really bring a nice flavor to the pear butter.  It also adds in a little vanilla which gives it a nice depth.

    I wasn't sure if I'd like it as much as the apple butter, but this version of pear butter is clearly a winner.  I put it on toast the morning after I ate it and it was delicious.  Sweet and spicy with hints of vanilla this was certainly a surprising treat that I'll get to enjoy year round.

Pear Butter (adapted from Simply Recipes)
4-5 pounds pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 T. chopped fresh ginger
2 c. water
1 c. bottled lemon juice
3-4 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. vanilla, divided

1.  In a large pot over medium high heat place the chopped pears and ginger.  Add the water and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 20 minutes.

2.  Remove from heat and ladle the mixture, liquid and all, into a food processor and process for 30 seconds.  Measure the pear puree and place back in the large pot. For every cup of pear puree you measured, add 1/2 cup of sugar.  I ended up with 8 cups of puree so I added 4 cups of sugar.  Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and half of the vanilla. 

3.  Cook on medium heat stirring every few minutes to keep from sticking to the bowl.  Cook for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the mixture has thickened to the consistency you desire.

4.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining vanilla.  Ladle the pear butter into half pint jars that have been prepared, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace in each jar.  Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace.  Wipe the rims, place the lid on, and tighten the screwband to fingertip tight.  Put in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

5.  Remove the jars and let sit for 12 hours then check the seals.  Store in a cool, dry place.

Makes 7 half pints of pear butter.

This post linked to:

Sweet Tooth Friday, Friday Potluck, Fat Camp Friday

Fresh Food Fridays, Sweets for a Saturday, Not Baaad Sundays

Fruit Pizza

     One of my favorite things to enjoy at picnics in the summer is fruit pizza.  It is cold, sweet, and refreshing.  I love that it can be topped with all different types of fruits.  I've only ever seen it made with refrigerated sugar cookie dough, but I wanted to make my own sugar cookie crust.

     This fruit pizza was easy to make.  I baked up a simple sugar cookie dough then topped it with the sweet, creamy, cream cheese layer, then topped it off with blueberries, strawberries, and peaches.  It was fresh and tasty.  I will be making this often this summer.

Fruit Pizza (adapted from All Recipes)
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 package of cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla

1 t. cinnamon

Assorted fruit (blueberries, strawberries, peaches)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a large bowl mix the butter and sugars until smooth.  Mix in the egg. 

3.  In a medium bowl combine flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda.  Stir the flour miture into the butter mixture.  Stir until well combined.  Press the dough into the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

4.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just browned.  remove and cool.

5.  In a medium mixing bowl beat the cream cheese sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Spread over cooled pizza crust.

6.  Top with cut fruit and chill for at least 4 hours.

This post linked to:
Cast Party Wednesday, Made it on Monday,
What's Cooking Wednesdays? What's on Your Plate Wednesday?
It's A Keeper Thursday

Hummus & review of Crisco Olive Oil

   I was incredibly excited when I got a big box in the mail and opened it up to find three bottles of Crisco Olive Oil.  Thanks to the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, I was given the olive oil to try out using one of my favorite recipes.  I first tried the light tasting olive oil by sauteing some vegetables from my garden and found it to be light tasting and perfect for sauteing.  When I thought about what recipe I wanted to use I immediately thought of making hummus because there was a recipe I've been wanting to make for a few weeks.

    One of my favorite snacks is hummus. I love garlic hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, and lemon hummus. I buy it often but it’s not cheap. A few months back I wanted to make some myself but tahini is outrageously expensive in my rural town. So when I heard a few people talking about making hummus with sesame oil instead of tahini I was excited! I had half a bottle of sesame oil in the cupboard from the Korean short ribs I made earlier in the month.

     The recipe was very simple to make. I just threw all the ingredients into the food processor and whirled it around for a few minutes. The Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil blended in easily and gave the hummus it's smooth and shiny look.  After tasting the hummus I added some extra lemon and garlic for flavor. It was surprisingly good and much cheaper than buying it at the store. I suggest putting it into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so that the flavors have a chance to meld together.

Hummus (adapted from Food Network)
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ c. Crisco extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 T. parsley, chopped
2 t. paprika, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
¼ t. red pepper
1 t. black pepper
¼ c. water

1. In a food processor combine the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, half the parsley, half the paprika, garlic, salt, cumin, peppers, and water. Mix on high speed for a minute. Remove the lid and push the top ingredients to the bottom. Blend for an additional minute. Add additional olive oil if needed to blend smooth.

2. Spoon the hummus into a bowl. Sprinkle with paprika and remaining parsley. Refrigerate for several hours and serve with pita chips, raw vegetables, or tortilla chips.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mouthwatering Mondays, Mangia Mondays

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Candy Making: Truffles, BonBons, and Pate de Fruit for Daring Bakers

     I was so excited when I saw the challenge for this month's Daring Baker's Challenge.  The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!

      I had a million ideas in my head immediately and couldn't wait to get started.  My first idea was for a chocolate bark with liquor in it, but it ended in a delicious mistake that was a Bailey's Nut Truffle.  The truffle is filled with Bailey's Irish Cream, toasted almonds, and chocolate ganache.  I made this first in my kitchen and then again on vacation.  The Bailey's pairs perfectly with the toasted almonds and creamy ganache and I then dipped it in tempered milk chocolate.

      The second candy I made was a strawberry pate de fruit.  This was a tricky candy.  It was easy to make, but I had some difficulty with it firming up and would double the pectin next time I make it.  Still, the fresh strawberries really stood out and tasted amazing cut into bite sized pieces and rolled in sugar.

     The last two candies are filled bonbons.  These were almost the death of me.  I made 3 batches before I finally learned to put them in the refrigerator before unmolding the chocolate.  The first bonbon is a salted caramel one.  The salted caramel filling was sweet but the salt added another dimension.  The second bonbon was a cinnamon vanilla caramel filled one.  I loved the sweet caramel with hints of spicy cinnamon and lightly scented with homemade vanilla extract.

      All four candies were very tasty and impressed my friends.  I loved making them and know I'll be making many more variations in the future.  This was a fun challenge with limitless possibilities.

Bailey's Nut Truffles (a Hezzi-D original)
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 T. brewed coffee
2 T. sweetened condensed milk
2 T. Bailey's Irish cream
1/4 c. almonds, toasted and chopped, divided
1 c. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1.  Heat 2 cups of water in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Place a small metal bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure not to let it touch the water.  Add the milk chocolate and brewed coffee and stir until it is just melted.  Remove from heat.

2.  Stir in half of the toasted almonds mixing well.  Add in the sweetened condensed milk and Bailey's Irish Cream and stir until the mixture begins to harden.  Form into a ball and place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

3.  Remove the ganache from the refrigerator and form into 1 inch balls.  Place the balls on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile return the saucepan of water to medium high heat with a metal bowl on top.  Add in half of the bittersweet chocolate and stir until melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the remaining chocolate.  Remove the ganache balls from the freezer and dip in tempered chocolate.  Place each on a sheet of waxed paper and sprinkle with remaining toasted almonds.

Strawberry Lime Pate de Fruit (adapted from about.com )
3 c. fresh strawberries
1 T. lime juice
2 c. sugar
1 t. lime zest
1 1/2 T. powdered pectin

1.  Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and then spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.

2.  Put the strawberries in a food processor and process until pureed.  Place the strawberry puree in a large saucepan and add lime juice, lime zest, and 1/2 c. sugar.  Heat over medium high heat, placing a candy thermometer in the pan.

3.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 140 degrees.  Add the remaining sugar and pectin and lower the heat to medium.

4.  Continue stirring frequently until the temperature reaches 200 degrees.  Begin stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 225 degrees.  This will take 15-30 minutes.  Once the mixture reaches 225 degrees lower the heat and continue stirring for 2 minutes.

5.  Pour the strawberry mix into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

6.  Allow to set for at least 3-4 hours, or until firm.  Use a knife and cut into squares.  Roll each piece in granulated sugar and put in an air tight container.  The candy will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.

BonBons filled with Salted Caramel and Cinnamon Vanilla Caramel (technique from Daring Bakers hosts, caramel sauce is my own recipe)
8 oz. milk chocolate
20 wrapped caramels
1 t. sea salt
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. cinnamon

1.  Heat water in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Place a metal bowl over top of the saucepan and place half the milk chocolate in the bowl.  Stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate to temper the chocolate.

2.  Using a ladle, spoon chocolate over top of two chocolate molds.  Tap the chocolate around the molds to coat the bottom and all sides and then turn the molds upside down over top of the bowl.  Use a scraper and scrape the excess chocolate off the mold so only the wells are covered in chocolate.  Allow to cool and harden.

3.  Meanwhile, unwrap the caramels and place them in a small saucepan along with the butter.  Heat over medium heat until completely melted, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk.

4.  Separate the caramel into two dishes.  In one dish mix in the sea salt.  In the other dish stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.  Fill one of the molds with the salted caramel and the other with the cinnamon vanilla caramel.  Let sit for 10 minutes to firm up.

5.  Take a teaspoon and spoon the tempered chocolate on top of each well in the mold to completely cover the filling.  Tap to remove air bubbles.  Place in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.  Remove from the refrigerator and gently unmold.

This post linked to:

Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Tooth Friday, So Sweet Sundays

Party Mindie Style, Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays

Birds Eye Voila! review + coupons!

   As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program I was given a sample of Birds Eye Voila! to try.  I wasn't sure what to expect as it has been a while since I've had a frozen meal.  I like that all Voila! meals have a veggie, a protein, and grains in them.  I chose to go with the chicken alfredo pasta which had broccoli, carrots, and peas in it.

    For a freezer meal it was pretty tasty.  The sauce was cheesy and creamy.  The chicken was all white meat and tender.  The pasta was surprisingly well cooked even though it was frozen.  I would most definitely buy a Voila! meal again.  It took about 12 minutes to cook and would be perfect for nights when I'm too tired to cook.

    My husband also thought it was good for a freezer meal, and he is very picky about already prepared foods.  He liked the addition of the vegetables and liked the white meat chicken as well.  All in all, it was a well rounded meal, easy to make, and pretty tasty. 

    Foodbuzz and Birds Eye were also kind enough to give me some buy one get one free coupons good on both their regular sized and family sized meals.  The first five people to comment on this post and leave their e-mail address will receive one of each coupon!

Tuna Pasta Salad (Recipe Swap)

   When I heard we were going to do pasta for our recipe swap this week I couldn't wait.  Pasta is quite possibly my favorite food of all time.  In fact, my first two years of college I ate pasta every night for dinner.  Sometimes I had it with red sauce, sometimes with white, and other times with butter, garlic, and cheese.  So when we were given our recipes, I wasn't sure what to think about the tuna pasta salad.

    Don't get me wrong, I like a good pasta salad but thinking about putting tuna in it wasn't very appetizing.  I decided to just go for it, making about half of the recipe in case I didn't like it.  Turns out, it was really good!  The tuna in oil has a very subtle flavor that mixes well with the pasta.  I love the combination of red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, onions, and feta.  Topped with a little lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil, this is a very light tasting pasta salad.  It isn't bogged down by a heavy dressing and it is perfect as a summer side dish.

Tuna Pasta Salad (adapted from Simple Gourmet Cooking )
1/2 pounds rotelle or elbow pasta, cooked and cooled
2 cans albacore tuna packed in oil (I used packed in olive oil with garlic), undrained
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 T. capers, drained
1/4 c. sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 oz. feta, chopped
3 T. olive oil
1 T. red wine vinegar
Juice from half a lemon
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

1.  Put the cooled pasta in a large bowl.  Add the tuna with its oil and mix well.

2.  Put in the onion, capers, tomatoes, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar.  Toss to coat.  Add in the feta, salt, and pepper and mix gently. 

3.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and serve cold.

It's A Keeper Thursday, Friday Potluck

Fresh Food Friday, Fat Camp Friday

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables: What's Baking?

     This month the What's Baking? challenge was hosted by Jade of The Mess Pot.  Her theme for August was Celebrate Summer by using either an ingredient that makes people think of summer or an ingredient that is in season in the summer.  When I started deciding what to make I had to go no further then my own backyard.  My vegetable has been in full bloom as has my herb garden.  After taking a quick inventory of what I had out in the garden it was easy to decided on a recipe.

      I made a baked ziti with summer vegetables and herbs.  Included in the ziti were zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, oregano, and parsley all grown in my garden.  The sauce includes a little bit of olive oil, a little ricotta cheese, some mozzarella, and some herbs.  It was a light and fresh pasta dish that didn't weigh me down in the summer heat.  Additional vegetables or herbs could be added according to what is available.  This is a delicious pasta that I will be making again as I pick more vegetables from the garden.

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables (adapted from Cooking Light)

9 oz. uncooked ziti or penne
2 T. olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T. fresh chopped parsley
1 T. fresh chopped oregano
1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

1/2 t. red pepper

1/2 c. part skim ricotta cheese

1 egg

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and keep warm.

2.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add in 1 T. olive oil.  Once it is hot add in the zucchini, squash, and onion.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add in the tomato and garlic and continue sauteing for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the pasta, 1/2 c. mozzarella, herbs, salt, and both peppers. 

3.  In a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese and egg.  Stir into the pasta mixture and spoon into a 9 x 13 pan coated in cooking spray.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

This post linked to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays
What's Cooking Wednesday?  What's on Your Plate Wednesday?
Cast Party Wednesday, Made it on Monday

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake: The Secret Recipe Club

       This is the third month that I've been involved in The Secret Recipe Club and I love searching a different blog every month looking for a recipe I'd love to try.  This month the blog I received was This is how we eat by Laura Rees.   I loved how easy it was to navigate Laura's blog.  She had very defined categories and my favorites were her healthy meals tag and her desserts tag.

        I had to start back to work this week so as I was looking over the blog, I was trying to find something that would help me get out the door in the morning and back into the swing of teaching.  When I found an apple coffee cake that meant for breakfast I knew that was the dish I had to make.  I don't eat breakfast all that often and when I do it's usually something sweet.  I love the taste of tart apples in a sweet baked good so I knew this was the perfect dish to get me off to school on time.

       The cake was really simple to make with only a few ingredients.  It is then topped off with slices of apples and a sweet crumble topping.  It smelled heavenly in the oven and I could hardly wait for it to cool before I swiped a piece.  The cake is moist and lightly sweetened.  The tart apples give a nice contrast and the crumble topping adds the perfect crunch.  I had a slice on my way to the first day of the new school year and my day was good from then on. 

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake (adapted from This is how we eat.)
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
2 T. applesauce
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder

For the crumb topping:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
4 T. butter at room temperature.

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2.  In a bowl cream the butter and sugar together.  Add in the egg and egg white and whisk until blended.  Stir in the applesauce and vanilla and mix until well combined.

3.  In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients forming a thick batter.  Spread the batter into the bottom of the 8 x 8 pan.

4.  Arrange the apple slices on top of the batter making sure to cover the entire top.

5.  In a small bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients and mix until crumbly.  Sprinkle over top of the apples.  Bake for 35 minutes.

6.  Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting.

      

This post linked to:
Meatless Monday, Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday

Vampyre Kisses

Vampyre Kisses is the first in a new series by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej . The prologue goes back hundreds of years ago when the goddess of the witches warns Macsen, a guardian, to protect the Wikkerie line of witches at all costs. While she cannot be specific, she tells of a war where the Salt Whips will join with evil forces and will destroy the Wikkerie line of witches if they are not protected.

The book then flips to present day where 23 year old Faith is tired of working at her dead end job. She goes around in a saddened state due to the mysterious death of her father 4 years earlier and the distance her mother put between them. Her life changes the night she goes to a club with her best friend, Mac.

While at the club she meets the mysterious Trent. He is good looking, confident, and sweet as well. They dance the night away until he has to leave, but first he promises to see Faith again soon.

Trent is a vampire on a mission to find a human to take to his Master to help repopulate the vampire race. When he finds Faith his maker immediately tells him he can’t bring her to the master. Trent doesn’t know why but he makes it his business to find out.  There is something about Faith that he is drawn to.

It turns out when Faith was just a young girl she was given a vampyre kiss by her father’s lover, who is a vampire. A vampyre’s kiss can only be given by a very old, very powerful vampire and it protects the one it’s given too. The reason Trent can’t bring her to the master is because the vampire who gave Faith the vampyre’s kiss is older then the Vampire Master.

Trent and Faith meet again and Faith is slowly brought into the world of the supernatural. She learns that Trent is a vampire. She learns of Morgan, another vampire and her father’s lover. She meets Zou Tai, the prince of the werewolves.   All of this is overwhelming but it is nothing compared the secret Morgan finally shares: Faith is the last witch left on Earth and it’s up to her to keep her race going.

Around this time the blood stone is stolen from the vampires and the moon stone is stolen from the werewolves. Without these stones the vampires and werewolves will not be able to retain the powers of their respective races. Soon all the supernatural beings are on a hunt for the stones.

Before Faith is able to help she needs to learn to use her magic. With help from Morgan, Trent, ZT, and even Mac, Faith embarks on a journey to find her true self. She goes to Alkyre, a shapeshifter who has dedicated his life to learning about witches and helping them learn to use their powers. She trains with him for weeks until she is finally ready to go out on her own.

The war begins and only one side can win.  Faith is in the battle and when she meets the enemy she must defeat she is in for the surprise of a lifetime.  The enemy is someone she knows well and can't beleive has betrayed her.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  I felt as though it moved quickly and kept my interest throughout.  While there were a few scenes that were a bit "cheesy" there were enough parts that kept me engaged and wanting to read more.  I'm looking forward to reading the other books in The Last Witch series.

I give this book 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

**I was given a copy of this book to review by the author.**
This post linked to:
Book Review Wednesday

Muffins Two Ways: Banana & Apple Cinnamon

     One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast are fruit muffins.  I like using fresh fruit in them and reducing the amount of butter in them so that they are a little healthier.  They are perfect for me in the morning because I'm always in a rush to get out the door and don't have a lot of time for breakfast.  With fruit muffins I feel that I'm eating something semi-healthy but also something quick and delicious.

     The fruit muffin I make the most is a banana muffin because I often have bananas that I'm trying to use up.  My favorite breakfast fruit muffin is the apple cinnamon.  I recently went on a trip to Canada with my family and we had a 12 hour drive ahead of us.  I wanted to make muffins both for breakfast and as a snack.  I began preparing the mix for banana muffins, then at the last minute divided it in two and ended up making 6 of each muffin.  They were both moist and flavorful.  My family ate half of them for breakfast the first morning and we snacked on them until we were back in the United States.  These muffins are so simple to make and perfect for people who are "on the go".

Breakfast Muffins (Two Ways)  (Basic muffin recipe adapted from Muffins: 40 Tantalizing Recipes for Tasty Muffins by Laurie Evans, Fiona Roberts, and Annie Rigg)
3 T. butter
3 T. applesauce
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. honey
1/3 c. milk
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla

For the banana muffins:
1 banana
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

For the apple cinnamon muffins:
1 apple peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.  I used 6 red and 6 green so I could tell the muffins apart.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the milk, sugar, butter, applesauce, egg, egg white, and vanilla.  Stir until well combined.  Set aside.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Split the mixture into two, keeping one in the original mixing bowl and transferring the other half into the bowl used for the wet ingredients.

4.  In one bowl mash a banana.  Add in the nuts (if desired) and sprinkle in the nutmeg.  Stir gently.  Pour into 6 of the muffin cups.

5.  In the other bowl mix the chopped apples and cinnamon.  Stir gently.  Pour into 6 of the muffin cups. 

6.  In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over the apple cinnamon muffins.

7.  Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a cooling rack.

This post linked to:

Sweets for a Saturday, Party Mindie Style

Sweet Tooth Friday, So Sweet Sundays, Muffin Monday

Creamy Spinach Ravioli

     As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher I sometimes get an opportunity to sample foods and use them in my everyday meals.  As part of the Foodbuzz Tastermaker Program, I received four bags of Birds Eye Chef's Favorites.  In the sample bag I received two types of risotto, creamed spinach, and veggies with rice.  The one I was immediately drawn to was the steamfresh, lightly sauced, creamed spinach.

     I always enjoy making ravioli for dinner.  I've had ravioli in marinara sauce, ravioli with garlic butter, and ravioli with pesto.  I came across a vegetarian recipe with a creamy spinach sauce that sounded wonderful and would incorporate the Birds Eye Chef's creamed spinach.  The recipe calls for red bell pepper but I didn't have one so I used a green pepper.  It tasted great but next time I'll use the red pepper because it would give a nice contrast to the colors.

     The sauce is a light yet creamy, cheesy sauce filled with spinach and seasonings.  It is surprisingly low in fat for a cream sauce.  I like the addition of the mushrooms, peppers, and spinach to the sauce to give it added flavor and more nutrition.  The resulting cream sauce tastes almost like a light spinach artichoke dip.  It tasted great with spinach ravioli.

Creamy Spinach Ravioli (adapted from Sweet Beginnings)

6 oz. sliced mushrooms

2 chopped shallots
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 (24 oz) package of spinach stuffed ravioli
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 c. lowfat milk
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 package (10 oz) Birds Eye Steamfresh Chef's Favorites Lightly Sauced Creamed Spinach, thawed

1.  Cook ravioli according to package directions.  Drain and keep warm.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with cooking spray and add mushrooms, shallot, bell pepper, garlic, black pepper, and salt.  Cook while stirring for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

3.  Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese, milk, and nutmeg.  Continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

4.  Stir in the creamed spinach and Parmesan cheese and simmer for 2 minutes.  Pour the ravioli into the pan with the spinach mixture.  Toss to coat.  Serve warm.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

      I love eating sweet and sour chicken and tofu at the Chinese restaurant near our house, but I know it’s deep fried and full of fat. When I found a recipe for Sweet and Sour tofu that didn’t use much oil and incorporated a ton of vegetables I knew I had to make it. It seemed as though the recipe for the sauce would make a ton so I cut it by 1/3 and there was still too much sauce.

     The sauce was very good; both sweet and tangy. I let it simmer on the stove to thicken it up and served the tofu over rice. It was tasty and so much lighter then what we get at the restaurant. I would make this again and I’d like to try the sauce with chicken as well.

Sweet and Sour Tofu (adapted from Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for the Food Version 2.0)

2 pounds of extra firm tofu (2 blocks, 1 pound each)

1 c. light soy sauce

1 T. minced garlic
2 T. minced ginger
1 c. flour, divided in half
½ c. cornstarch
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
3 T. olive oil
2 c. ketchup
½ c. sugar
1 c. red wine vinegar
¼ c. honey
3 T. light soy sauce
2 T. vegetable oil
½ large onion, chopped
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped red and green peppers
1 c. broccoli florets
1 (12 oz) can pineapple (with ½ c. juice)

1. Slice the tofu bricks sideways into 4 pieces each. Place on paper towels then cover with paper towels. Place a heavy pan on top and let drain for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, ½ the flour, and cornstarch in a small bowl.

3. Put the drained tofu in a shallow dish and cover with soy marinade. Cover and allow to marinate 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.

4. Remove the tofu from the refrigerator and drain any extra liquid.

5. Heat 3 T. olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. In a shallow dish combine remaining flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge tofu through the flour and put into frying pan. Fry 2-3 minutes on all side or until golden brown all over. Remove to a cutting board and cut each strip into 4 pieces. Set aside.

6. In a small bowl combine ketchup, sugar, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Mix well and set aside.

7. In the same frying pan you cooked the tofu in heat the vegetable oil. Toss in the vegetables (except for broccoli) and pineapple. Sauté for 5 minutes then add in the tofu and half the sauce. Stir in the broccoli and heat until the sauce boils for 2 minutes.

8. Serve over rice with a side of the remaining sauce.

This post linked to:

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Made From Scratch Tuesdays, Cast Party Wednesday

 Made it on Monday, What's Cooking Wednesday