Spinach, Artichoke, and Broccoli Pasta Bake: Meatless Monday

      I know I've said it before but baked pasta dishes are one of my favorites.  Not only do they taste delicious but they are simple to prepare ahead of time and then bake whenever it's dinner time.  The original recipe for this pasta dish was for spinach and artichoke pasta.  I was super excited since those are two of my favorite vegetables.  I then decided to add in a third favorite vegetable, broccoli, to give it even more vitamins and nutrients.

     This is a great pasta bake.  The sauce is creamy but not overly heavy.  The reduced fat cream cheese and sour cream make it lighter as well.  All of the vegetables help to lighten it up and give it a nice crunch.  Both Frank and I really enjoyed this dish and next time I may add some roasted red pepper or sun-dried tomatoes to give it a little color. 

Spinach Artichoke Broccoli Pasta Bake (adapted from Carrie's Sweet Life)

16 oz of short pasta (I used penne)

1 T.  Olive Oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

 2-3 c. fresh spinach

1 c. broccoli florets

3/4 c. low fat sour cream

4 oz of cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)

½  c.  Parmesan Cheese

1 t. Italian seasonings

1 (14 oz) Can of Artichoke Hearts, rinsed and drained

¾ c.  mozzarella cheese

1.  Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before you drain the cooked pasta.

2.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the onion, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the broccoli and garlic and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

3.  Toss the spinach in with the other vegetables and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

4.  In a large bowl combine the sour cream, cream cheese,  Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings.  Add in the pasta and mix until well coated.

5.  Stir in the pasta liquid, artichokes, and half a cup of mozzarella cheese.   

6.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and spread the pasta into the dish.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.  

7.  Broil the pasta mixture for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and melted.

**If you made the pasta ahead of time and refrigerated, preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 15-20 minutes before broiling the top.  You may also need to add 1/3 cup of water before baking to keep it from drying out.**

 

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Scrumptious Sundays, Mangia Monday, Making You Crave Monday,

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops #SundaySupper

    It's time for another #SundaySupper!  This week the theme is cooking with kids.  As most of you know, I don't have any children of my own yet but I have plenty of children in my life.  Since I'm an elementary school special education teacher I have students in grades 1-5 that I often have reward parties for and during those reward parties we often cook something.  Both myself and my instructional assistant love to bake and cook so we like bringing that into our classroom when we can.

    In addition to the kids at school I have 3 adorable cousins in my life that I enjoy spending time in the kitchen with as well.  Johnna will be going into 5th grade, Greggy will be going into 4th grade, and Peyton will be going into first grade.  When thinking about a recipe that would be easy for the kids to help me with but would also help cool us off this summer I immediately thought of popsicles and ice cream.  Since I don't have an ice cream maker I wanted to make popsicles because anyone can make them as you don't need special equipment to do it.

    Thinking of my own childhood made me think of pudding pops.  I haven't had a pudding pop in years but when I was in elementary school my brother and I went through boxes of pudding pops.  Our favorite kind were the chocolate ones with caramel in the middle.  I decided to recreate these for #SundaySupper.

     Kids can help get the Dixie cups and popsicle sticks ready while an adult begins making the caramel.  The kids can also mix up the chocolate pudding and refrigerate it until it is time to make the pudding pops.  Have the children place a large tablespoon of the chilled pudding in a cup then the adult needs to pour the caramel in the cups and the kids can top off the cups with more pudding.  The kids can also put the sticks into the cups and place them in the freezer.  After 3-4 hours you have homemade pudding pops ready to eat outside to help you cool off in the hot summer heat.

   These pudding pops are insanely good.  The caramel doesn't totally harden in the freezer but it gets firm enough to stay on the stick.  The chocolate is rich and creamy while the caramel is salty and delicious.  The perfect summer treat!

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops (adapted from Good Thymes and Good Foods)
For the chocolate pudding:
1 package (5.1 oz) Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding
3 c. low fat milk
1 c. Fat Free Cool Whip

For the salted caramel:
½ c. sugar
2 T. water
2 T. unsalted butter
6 T. heavy cream
1 t. sea salt
1 T. vanilla
1/2 c.  Fat Free Cool Whip

For the popsicles:
10 small (5 oz.) Dixie cups
10 popsicle sticks

1.  In a large bowl whisk together the chocolate pudding and milk.  Mix well for 2 minutes.  Fold then the Cool Whip and refrigerate while making the caramel.

2. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved then increase the heat to medium high.


3. The mixture will begin to bubble after about a minute. Do not stir it.  When the mixture darkens to an amber color, after 5-7 minutes, remove from heat and add the butter and cream. The mixture will bubble.  Whisk to combine.

4.   Add in the salt and vanilla and stir. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

5.  After 10 minutes stir in the Cool Whip.

6.  Remove the pudding from the refrigerator and place a large tablespoon in the bottom of each of the Dixie cups.  Top with a small layer of caramel.  Finish off with another large tablespoon of pudding making sure that the caramel layer is totally covered.

7.  Place a popsicle stick in the center of the pudding mixture.  Freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm.

8.  To eat simply peel the paper of the cup away and enjoy.

Check out these other fun Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen recipes from the #SundaySupper group!

Start your day:

• Panko Encrusted French Toast Sticks ~Doggie At the Dinner Table 
• Pineapple Not-Upside Down Muffins ~In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Bacon, Egg & Sausage Breakfast Cups ~Daily Dish Recipes 
• Buttermilk French Toast with Homemade Cinnamon – Raisin Bread ~What Smells So Good

Healthy Snackers:

• Snack Attack: 3 Healthy Choices for Little Nibblers ~Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Fruit Salad in an Orange Cup ~Mama’s Blissful Bites 

Main Squeeze:

• Whole-wheat Pretzel Dogs ~Family Spice
• Poblano Mac ‘N Cheese ~Juanita’s Cocina
• Coconut Chicken and Shrimp ~Super for a Steal 
• Lunie and Mini-me’s Grilled Pizza ~Cravings of a Lunatic
• Hedgehog Meatballs and Chili Dog Pie ~Cooking by the Seat of our Pants
• Walking Tostada ~Shockingly Delicious
• Mini Sausage Rolls ~Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Mini Corn Dog Muffins ~In The Kitchen With KP
• Mexican Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers with Homemade Guacamole ~Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Threaded Spaghetti Hot Dog Bites ~Damn Delicious
• Golden Potato Patties ~My Trials in the Kitchen 
• Grilled Chicken Wings in Sesame Flavors ~The Queen’s Notebook
• Spaghetti Tacos ~Girlichef
• Parmesan Corn on the Cob ~Home Cooking Memories 
• Yum Yum Salmon and Green Beans ~Family Foodie
• Pad Thai ~Meal Planning Magic 
• Chicken Tortilla Bake ~Mrs. Mama Hen

Sweet Treats:

• Chocolate Slab ~Happy Baking Days 
• Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies ~Chocolate Moosey
• Self-Crust Coconut Pie ~Magnolia Days
• Fresh Cherry Clafoutis ~The Meltaways
• Wolf’s Wonderful Peanut Butter-Brownie Fudge Sundaes ~The Weekend Gourmet
• Cookies and Cream Ice Cream ~The Messy Baker Blog
• Healthy Creamy Caramel Apple Parfaits with Greek Yogurt ~Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops ~Hezzi-D’s Cooks and Books
• Chocolate Cheese Turnover ~Basic and Delicious 
• Chocotorta Vintage Kitchen Notes 
• Oatmeal and M&M Cookies ~That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Purple Blueberry Cake ~Tora’s Real Food
• Tropical Popsicles ~Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Carrot Cupcakes ~Diabetic Foodie

Brenda is hosting this special event  and we would love for you to join us.  We will be sharing great family recipes all afternoon and want you to share yours with us! Our #SundaySupper live chat will start at 3 pm EST.  Follow us on twitter by using hashtag #Sundaysupper or using Tweetchat.

Werewolf Descent (The Last Witch #2) by Elizabeth Kolodziej

     Faith, the last witch in the world, and Trent, her vampire boyfriend, have just returned home after surviving a deadly battle that put them into possession of the Blood Stone and the Moon Stone.  Back at their house they are trying to recover while building their relationship.  Things are going well until Vincent, a psychic vampire, moves into town.

     Vincent has an energy that Faith finds hard to ignore and he feels the same way about her.  While Trent is getting jealous of their budding friendship Zou Tai, the werewolf prince, is trying to find out who is killing members of his pack.  Vincent and Faith make a trip to visit an Alchemist who might know something about the killings.

      Soon relationships are tested, lines are crossed, and the group is in a race against time to stop the werewolf killings before Zou Tai, the real target, is killed.

     I enjoyed reading this book and found myself interested in seeing how Faith is growing into her powers as a witch.  She seems to be learning more about herself but is growing more confused about her relationships.  I wasn't thrilled with the story line of Vincent, Trent, and Zou Tai vying for her attention.  How many relationships does one witch need?

     There is a lot of action in this book and multiple story lines to keep me on my toes.  Morgan and Collin, two vampires from the first book, make an appearance again in this book and we are introduced to the beautiful Lilith as well.  As with the first book the conclusion of the book is a heated battle between supernatural forces.  However the ending of this book is so tragic and shocking that I never saw it coming.

I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.  

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation,  

Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau

     New show choir director Paige Marshall has no idea what she is walking into when she works the summer choir camp.  Paige, a struggling opera singer, is not well received by the choir students at Prospect Glen High.  But before she has too much time to worry about it, she finds rival choir director, Greg Lucas, dead in the auditorium.

     The main suspect is one of Paige's most promising male vocal students but she doesn't believe he committed the crime and sets out to clear his name. She begins putting together a list of suspects including the victim's wife, his former best friend, and even the other teachers at the school.  The more Paige digs into the murder, the more it looks like the murder is trying to kill a second victim-Paige.

      With a police detective who runs hot and cold, a gay theater teacher, and her Aunt Millie and her stuffed dogs, Paige needs to find the murder before she ends up his next victim.

      This was a fun book with a great cast of characters.  We have Paige who is a strong, determined woman, her Aunt Millie who is the top selling Mary Kay salesperson in the midwest, Detective Mike who can't make up his mind weather to arrest Paige or date her, and the sexy theater teacher who may or may not be gay.

     Murder for Choir is a well written book that kept me guessing the identity of the muderer until the very end.  With a few fun music scenes, a few steamy romance scenes, and a whole lot of trouble, this was a fast faced book for the musical mystery fan.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars out of 5. 

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation,  

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano Cheese

    Friday night at our house is usually Italian night.  After a long week I don't like to spend too much time on dinner on Fridays so we either have pizza or some type of easy pasta dish.  We had a lot of tomato sauce this week so I didn't want anything with a tomato or marinara base.  I found a simple recipe in Cook's Illustrated that I wanted to try.

     The recipe is simply spaghetti with Pecorino Romano, fresh cracked black pepper, and a little cream.  it's very simple and the sauce is fairly thin but it's a great dish.  The flavor of the cheese and pepper shines through and lightly coats the pasta.  The pasta and sauce took less then 20 minutes which makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano Cheese  (adapted from Cooks Illustrated) 

6 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese, 4 ounces finely grated and 2 ounces coarsely grated

1pound spaghetti

1 t. salt  

2 T.  fat free half and half 

2 t. olive oil 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper

1.  In a large pot over high heat bring 2 quarts of water and the salt to a boil.  Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.

2.  Drain the pasta into a colander with a bowl underneath to reserve the pasta water.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water into a measuring cup and discard the rest.

3.  Pour one cup of the pasta water into the large pot and whisk in the finely grated Pecorino cheese.  Whisk in the half and half, oil, garlic, and black pepper.

4.  Add the pasta back into the pot and toss to coat.  Let the pasta rest for 2 minutes then toss again.  

5.  Serve with coarsely grated Pecorino and fresh cracked pepper.

This post linked to:
Full Plate Thursday, Shine on Friday, Foodie Fridays1, Foodie Fridays2,

Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers

    Happy 4th of July!  I hope everyone is beating the heat and heading to the local pool or staying in the shade while having a cookout.  As part of the Holiday Recipe Club I made a delicious, chilled dessert for the 4th.  This time around the featured ingredients were blueberries, barbeque sauce, or whipped cream.  I had a difficult time choosing but finally went with the whipped cream.

     As usual I had 3 overripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl and I wanted to make something using them and the whipped cream.  Most times I'll turn the bananas into banana bread or muffins and take them into work the following day.  I've already done this several times this month plus I made brownies this weekend so I wasn't feeling up to baking.  It was too hot outside.  I asked some of my favorite bakers what I should make and as usual they had a ton of ideas.


     Some of the ideas I got were Bananas Foster, Bananas Foster Nachos with Chocolate, Banana Cream Pie, and Banana Chocolate Chip cake.  While these all sounded amazing and I pinned every one of them, the one that caught my eye was a simple recipe for Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers.  The recipe calls for making a simple vanilla spiced pudding then layering it with bananas, whipped cream, and Nilla wafers.

     This pudding was seriously so easy to make and it tastes amazing!  So much better then the instant pudding.  Layered with the bananas, Nilla wafers, and whipped cream it made a decadent dessert that we could eat one serving at a time and were perfect to share at a barbeque!  The bananas added big flavor to the creamy vanilla spiced pudding.  The Nilla wafers added a much needed crunch and I topped it off with fluffy vanilla whipped cream.  Put into parfait glasses this recipe would be a show stopper.

Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers (adapted from The Jey of Cooking)
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. fat free half and half
2 egg yolks
1 T. butter
1 T. vanilla
3 ripe bananas, sliced
24 Nilla wafers
Vanilla whipped cream

1.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.  Slowly whisk in the half and half and egg yolks.

2.  Continue cooking,whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and begins to boil, 8-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the butter and vanilla.  Whisk until butter has melted.

3.  Pour the pudding into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

4.  In a serving dish or glass layer the bananas, the pudding, and then the Nilla wafers.  Repeat one more time with the layers.  Top with whipped cream, a banana slice, and one Nilla wafer.

This post linked to:
Cast Party Wednesday, What's Cooking wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up,  Delicious Dish Tuesday, 
Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday,

General Chow's Tofu

     The last time I tried making General Tso's tofu it was a disaster.  I was supposed to dip it in a cornstarch and baking soda and it tasted terrible.  I was a little apprehensive to try a different version but this General Chow's tofu sounded much better.  I also made the tofu without anything on it which seems to be the best way for me to cook it.

         The original recipe for the tofu didn't have anything spicy in it except a dash of cayenne pepper and in my mind General Tso's (or in this case General Chow's) is always spicy.  I added in the red pepper and Sriracha which was just about perfect.  The tofu was crispy, the broccoli was tender, and the sauce was just a little sweet and a lot spicy.  This is definitely going to be my go to spicy tofu recipe in the future!

General Chow’s Tofu  (adapted from Give Them Something Better)

For the sauce:
1 T. oil
1/4 c. onion, minced
2 T. garlic, minced
2 t. ginger, minced
1 1/3 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. soy sauce
3 T. sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. red pepper

1 t. black pepper

1 T. Sriracha sauce
2 T. water

2 T. cornstarch

For the Tofu:

1 package (14 oz) extra-firm tofu
Cooking Spray
1 bunch broccoli

1. Drain the excess water from the tofu.

2.. Cut the tofu into five slices.  Cut each slice in half then each half into a triangle.

3. Spray the bottom of a large skillet with cooking spray.  Add in the tofu and cook for 10 minutes per side or until browned.  

4.Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

5. Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger.  Cook for 4 minutes or until onions are softened.

6. Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, red pepper, black pepper, and Sriracha sauce.  Bring the mixture to a boil.

7. In a small bowl mix the water with cornstarch and add to the boiling sauce. Cook until thickened.

 
8.  Add broccoli to the pan with the sauce and cook for 5 minutes or until tender.

9.  Pour the sauce and broccoli over top of the tofu and serve over rice.

This post linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesdays,

Theft by Chocolate by Luba Lesychyn and a Giveaway!

     Mystery, Mayans and Mayhem: looking for chocolate, love and an international art thief in all the wrong places. Chocolate addict Kalena Boyko wasn't prepared for this. Heading to work at Canada's largest museum as an administrator, she hoped for quiet and uninterrupted access to her secret chocolate stash. Instead she's assigned to manage the high-profile Treasures of the Maya exhibition with her loathed former boss Richard Pritchard. 

     With no warning, her life is turned inside out and propelled into warp speed as she stumbles across an insider plot that could jeopardize the exhibit and the reputation of the museum. After hearing about a recent botched theft at the museum and an unsolved jewel heist in the past from security guard and amateur sleuth Marco Zeffirelli, Kalena becomes suspicious of Richard and is convinced he's planning to sabotage the Treasures of the Maya exhibition. Her suspicions, and the appearance of the mysterious but charming Geoffrey Ogden from the London office, don't help her concentration. The Treasures of the Maya seem cursed as problem after problem arises, including the disappearance of a key artifact - the world's oldest piece of chocolate.  (-synopsis from Goodreads)


    Kalena is a fun main character to follow.  At times she presents as a ditzy woman who's love for chocolate stands in the way of everything else in her life.  At other times she is the strong museum administrator who is able to handle all the problems thrown at her as the Mayan exhibit comes to her museum.


    Throughout it all Kalena is surrounded by men that love her and hate her.  Geoffrey is a rich, sexy administrator from the London office.  Kalena spends a glorious few days with him in London only to later see a picture of him in the newspaper with another woman the very same week.  Then there is Marco, the new, much younger, security guard.  He quickly works his way into her world by being a great friend and by hinting at the future.  Finally we have Richard, Kalena's former boss and the cause of all the trouble with the Mayan exhibit.


     I found some of the details surrounding the chocolate in the story to be excessive and a little over the top.  Kalena is constantly eating chocolate in all forms throughout the book though manages to maintain her figure.  Her focus waives from the important whenever a piece of chocolate enters the room.  Other then that I found the book to be a fun, light read.  The mystery surrounding the theft of museum pieces gets tense and the ending has a twist I didn't see coming.


I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Theft By Chocolate Giveaway at Every Blog Stop

Please leave a comment below and your email address to be entered to win an ebook copy of Theft By Chocolate, the new release by Luba Lesychyn. The giveaway will be open through July 6 at midnight.  At that time a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Available in any ebook format. Remember to write your email address in the comments so that you can be contacted if you win!

$150 Gift Certificate Giveaway of Grand Prize on July 31st

Do you love chocolate as much as Kelana, the heroine in Theft By Chocolate? Here’s your chance to indulge in $150 US worth! The Giveaway Grand Prize is a gift certificate to a delectable chocolate online retailer. Winner chooses from one of three sites: http://www.chocosphere.com/, http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/ , or http://www.dlea.com.au/ . To be eligible for the Grand Prize, enter the Rafflecopter below. Remember to sign up for Luba’s email announcements (worth five entries). On occasion she’ll send out exclusive announcements for special events, blog posts, giveaways and free swag! On July 31^st, the winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Rafflecopter Grand Prize Giveaway

To learn more about the author, Luba Lesychyn:

Site and Blog 

Facebook

Twitter 

Amazon

Attica Books (Publisher)


This post linked to:
Saturday Situation, Review Party Wednesday,

Fruit Salad with Mojito Dressing

     I am having the best foodie week.  Seriously.  This past week has just been amazing!  I participated in the Foodbuzz 24 x 24 on Sunday, I received a huge cooler filled with Wholly salsa and guacamole products and I am giving one away to my readers, 2 of my blog posts have made the Foodbuzz Top 9 this week, and my black bean burger has been chosen as one of 3 finalists in Giant Eagle Market Districts Big Burger Bash!  If you are in Pittsburgh Saturday, July 7, stop into the Market District in Robinson around noon and help cheer my burger on to victory!

     Anyhow, back on topic, I am a sucker for fruit.  I could eat it everyday.  I like to have it in a smoothie, I enjoy eating it with yogurt, and I like just eating a piece of fruit plain.  In the summer I enjoy mixing all of the fresh fruit I can find together in a big bowl and making a fresh, sweet dressing to go over top of it.  My husband and I will eat the fruit salad for breakfast, lunch, or for a snack.  It's healthy, it's local, and it's delicious.

     One of my favorite summer beverages are mojitos.  When the mint in my garden started popping out I thought, Why not make a mojito dressing for the fruit salad?  Fresh mint, lime juice, and honey sounded great on a fruit salad.

      I was right.  This dressing is killer.  The honey is made from bees at a local orchard and is sweet and delicious.  The lime juice added a tartness and the mint gave it a nice finish.  I paired the dressing with raspberries, blueberries, and peaches.  It was such a refreshing and tasty fruit salad.  Everyone enjoyed it and we ended up finishing the entire bowl in one sitting.

Fruit Salad with Mojito Dressing (a Hezzi-D original)
4 peaches, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
3 T. honey
1 T. lime juice
1 T. rum (optional)
5 fresh mint leaves, minced

1.  In a large bowl combine the peaches, blueberries, and raspberries.  Toss to combine.

2.  In a small bowl mix together the honey, lime juice, rum (if using), and mint leaves.   Give it a quick taste and add more honey or juice as needed.

3. Pour the dressing over the fruit and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

4.  Give it a stir to coat the fruit in the dressing before serving.

This post linked to: 
Meatless Monday, Mangia Monday, Making You Crave Monday,

Foodie PenPal June

  Here it is the end of June already!  Time flies when you have the summer off.  The end of June means time to share what I received from my foodie penpal this month!  Every month it's so fun to wait for that big box to come in the mail filled with fun food surprises!  This month was no exception.

    Veronica, from Foodie by Night, sent me a fabulous foodie package this month.  Not only was it filled with fun food items, it came way earlier then expected which was awesome!  Included in my package was gourmet rosemary and parmesan popcorn.  It was delicious!  The popcorn pops in the microwave and then you pour on the popcorn oil and shake on the rosemary and parmesan.  It was definitely gourmet and I devoured the bag myself!

    Also included in the package was Taza chocolate and a recipe for making hot chocolate with it.  It's been too hot here to try this yet, but I did have little nibble and the flavor is out of this world!  The gingered pear jam was an immediate hit as I piled it on my toast every morning.  Pear is one of those flavors I loved as a kid and just recently got back into.  The sweetness of the pear combined with the spicy ginger was really tasty.

    In addition to food gifts, I received two food inspired treats as well.  One was a French toast lip balm which smells incredible.  The other was a copy of the Improper Bostonian, which is a local Boston food magazine.  It had all kinds of information on dining out in Boston, ideas for cooking fish, and gorgeous pictures.

     Thank you Veronica for a fantastic package!

Brisket Tacos for Food.Fun.Hop with Wholly Salsa + a Giveaway

     This is my first Food.Fun.Hop event hosted by Shy Babies & Little Inspiration.   For the Food Fun Hop the wonderful people at Wholly Guacamole sent me a cooler (that's right an entire cooler!) full of Wholly Salsa and guacamole.  They sent me 8 amazing salsa flavors including mild, medium, hot, pineapple, red pepper mango, roasted tomato, guacamole and spicy pico, and avocado verde!

      Wholly Salsa tastes fresh and is made with all natural ingredients.  The salsas are fat free, gluten free, and Kosher certified.  I recently took three flavors to a party and they were gone within 10 minutes!  While I enjoyed trying all 8 of the salsas my favorites were the medium, red pepper mango, and roasted tomato.  I love that the salsa is chunky and I was able to see the ingredients.  I have always bought Wholly Guacamole and I'm glad I had a chance to try Wholly Salsa!  I know it will be showing up on my grocery list a lot this summer.

      I had a very difficult time trying to decide which salsa I wanted to use to make a recipe.  After a big struggle I decided to use both the medium salsa and the red pepper mango salsa!  I made a delicious brisket that I used in tacos with a red pepper mango sauce.  It was delicious.  The brisket is tender and juicy, the red pepper mango sauce gives the brisket a slightly sweet and tangy flavor, and the medium salsa adds just a hint of spice.  It was the perfect summer taco recipe.

Brisket Tacos with Red Pepper Mango Sauce  (adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride)
3 lb. brisket
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. red pepper
16 oz. Dublin Dr. Pepper (made with real sugar-if you can't find this use regular Dr. Pepper with 3 T. sugar)
For the Red Pepper Mango Sauce:
1 T. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. ketchup
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. spicy brown mustard
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 c. Wholly Salsa Red Pepper and Mango salsa
For the tacos:
8 flour tortillas
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c. Wholly Salsa Medium salsa
1/2 c. Wholly Guacamole 

1.  In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, and red pepper.  Rub the mixture all over the brisket.

2.  Place the brisket in a crock-pot and pour the Dr. Pepper over top of it.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

3.  Remove from the crock-pot and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

4.  While the brisket is resting heat the oil olive in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Saute the onions for 5 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

5.  Add in the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

6.  Slice the brisket against the grain into 1/8 inch thick strips.

7.  To assemble the tacos place a flour tortilla on a plate.  Top with a generous amount of brisket.  Cover the brisket with the red pepper mango sauce.  Sprinkle on cheddar and pepper jack cheese.  Top with desired amount of Wholly Salsa and Wholly Guacamole.

8.  Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll.  Slice in half and enjoy.

Now for the giveaway!  One of my readers will win a cooler full of Wholly Products!  The giveaway is open to US readers and will run through July 14 at midnight.  I will contact the winner via e-mail on July 15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway **Wholly Salsa Products were received in order to facilitate this review and giveaway, but all opinions are 100% my own.**

This post linked to:
Seasonal Saturdays, Scrumptious Sundays, Think Pink Sundays,

Graceland Eggplant Sandwich

     In the summer we like to sandwiches for dinner a lot because they don't take a lot of time and even if we have to heat them the oven is only on for a few minutes.  I was excited that this week's recipe swap was for sandwiches.  I was even more excited when I saw I received Lishie's eggplant sandwiches.

     Now I love eggplant but I only cook it one of two ways.  We either fry it and put it into eggplant parmesan or eggplant parmesan sandwiches or I cut it up and through it into a vegetarian casserole.  I was happy to see that while this eggplant sandwich was fried it didn't have marinara sauce anywhere near it.  The fried eggplant is put on a sub roll along with roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella.  Then olive oil and balsamic vinegar is drizzled on top and it's baked just until the cheese melts.  It is delicious and feels so much lighter then eggplant parm.  The crispy eggplant, roasted peppers, and the tangy flavor from the balsamic make it a flavorful summer sandwich.

Graceland Eggplant Sandwich (adapted from DeLish)
1 medium eggplant
1 egg, whisked
1 T.  milk
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 t. oregano
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. paprika
4 sub rolls
1 jar roasted red pepper
4 oz. fresh mozzarella
1 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar

1.  Cut the ends off of the eggplant and then peel it.  Slice the eggplant lengthwise into thin slices.

2.  Whisk together the egg and the milk in a shallow dish.  In a second shallow dish combine the breadcrumbs, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.

3.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Slice the sub rolls in half and place on a baking sheet.

4.  Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

5.  Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then coat with the breadcrumbs.  Place 3 or 4 slices in the skillet and heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until it is golden brown.  Remove from skillet and place on a sub roll.  Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

6.  After the eggplant is placed on the sub rolls top with roasted red pepper, mozzarella slices, and a sprinkle of black pepper.  Splash a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the sub roll and place in the oven..

7.  Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is just melting.  Serve hot with extra olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

This post linked to:
Foodie Friday, Shine on Fridays, Foodie Fridays,

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

     My mom has a ton of rhubarb in her garden.  When she asked if I wanted any I jumped at the chance to take a few pounds.  I've had 2 jams recipes marked in my Ball Blue Book that use rhubarb and I've been in the mood to do some canning.  The one I tried first in the classic strawberry rhubarb jam.  I was lucky enough to get some fresh strawberries at the farmer's market as well.

      I'll be the first to admit I've never cooked with rhubarb before and I was a little nervous because I've heard that rhubarb can be poisonous.  After talking with some of my foodie friends and scouring the Internet, it seems that the leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous so I steered clear from those. Then there was the debate on whether or not to peel the rhubarb.  I decided against it because I love the pink/red color of the stalks.

      The jam came together quickly and went to a boil before I knew it.  This is a quick jam to make.  The flavor is wonderful.  It's both sweet and a tad sour.  The texture is great as well because the rhubarb gets soft but not mushy.  I served this jam with homemade biscuits for my Farm Fresh Brunch last week.  It's also great on toast and as a filling in cupcakes.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam(from Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving)
2 c. strawberries, crushed
2 c. chopped rhubarb (about 4 stalks)
6 T. classic pectin
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 t. cinnamon
5 1/2 c. sugar

1.  In a large sauce pan over high heat, bring the strawberries, rhubarb, pectin, and lemon juice to a boil.

2.  Add in the cinnamon and sugar, stirring quickly until dissolved.  Boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.

3.  Remove the jam from the heat and skim foam off the top if needed.

4.  Ladle the jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Remove any air bubbles from the jars and readjust the headspace.

5.  Put on the 2 piece lid and screw to finger tip tight.  Heat in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool for 12 hours then check to make sure the lids have sealed. Store for up to 1 year.

**This recipe make 6 half pints**

This post linked to:
Frugal Food Thursdays, It's A Keeper Thursdays, Full Plate Thursdays, Sweet Tooth Friday,

The Darkening Dream for 99 cents plus a giveaway!

A Vampire Novel with Actual Bite! As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back. The Darkening Dream is a chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. The book has received rave reviews and is on sale for only 99 cents on Amazon Kindle from June 25th-29th! Download your copy here. In addition, Andy is doing a big giveaway, including a $100 gift certificate to Amazon, signed copies of his books, video games, posters, and more! The Darkening Dream Rafflecopter Giveaway Tweet, like, follow, share, blog and grab a copy of his book to enter.

Get your 99 cent copy of The Darkening Dream today on Amazon only.

Long-time readers of dark historical fantasy (Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz) will appreciate the weaving together of mythology, occult, and religion, while younger readers and fans of HBO dramas (True Blood, Carnivàle) or urban fantasy (Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher) will be drawn to the twisted imagination, graphic action, and romantic tension. About The Darkening Dream Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs. 1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand. With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal? No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be her very soul.

The Reviews Are In "A vampire novel with actual bite." ~The Kirkus Reviews "A gorgeously creepy, strangely humorous, and sincerely terrifying tale." ~Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "Mr. Gavin has brought something refreshingly new to a genre now suffused with poorly-concealed bodice-rippers which have more in common with Fabio than Bram Stoker: depth. His big baddies are scary, not romantic interests, and the added religious lore is complex and engaging. Don't expect another Twilight -- the story can get downright creepy, so be prepared for a return to the old horror sensibilities of supernatural fiction." ~Amazon Review "With Mr. Gavin's video-game pedigree, I was expecting something aimed squarely at the 18-25 year old fanboy contingent; what I got in The Darkening Dream was something wholly unexpected: A period novel with a female protagonist, a crash-course on Judaism in the colonial years, and multi-layered series of plot arcs featuring a crazy cast of natural and supernatural characters populating turn of the century America." ~Amazon Review "…A perfect blend of mystery, magic and myth. A grown-up Grimm's fairy tale... emphasis on grim." ~Amazon Review

Read the first two sample chapters here.

Get your 99 cent copy of The Darkening Dream today on Amazon only.

About the Author

Andy Gavin is an unstoppable storyteller who studied for his Ph.D. at M.I.T. and founded video game developer Naughty Dog, Inc. at the age of fifteen, serving as co-president for two decades. There he created, produced, and directed over a dozen video games, including the award winning and best selling Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter franchises, selling over 40 million units worldwide. He sleeps little, reads novels and histories, watches media obsessively, travels, and of course, writes. Find out more here.

Trial of Tears by Chris Semal

     Pete Watts is a former undercover narcotics cop who got way too close to his job. He now runs a music rehearsal studio in which all manner of eccentric musicians come through. His soon to be ex-girlfriend is a talented singer with a sleazy manager who is in the habit of giving his clients drug habits, occasionally overdosing them to move their recordings up the charts, with the full support of the shady entertainment company for whom he works.

     This universe of people is inexorably drawn into a war between two violent drug gangs, viewed through the perspective of the Napoleonic leader of one gang. He has recently signed on a strange, but beautiful ex-mercenary named Alice, who wears makeup in the form of multi-colored tears running down her face. These tears are, in fact, decals on which different poisons are concealed, hence the title. Some survive the Trial of Tears, some don’t. The story’s taut climax is set in a posh townhouse in which only the courageous will emerge unscathed.

    While it certainly has its share of humor, action and suspense, it is also a story of friendship and redemption, as well as being a love letter to New York City. (synopsis from Goodreads)

     This book was fast paced and enjoyable.  There's a lot going on in the book and at some points it is difficult to keep track of the characters.  We have Pete who has a girlfriend but also has a fling on the side.  He runs a rehearsal studio and a lot of the characters stem from that.  Then there is a major drug war going on and many characters that go along with that.  The characters intertwine and know each other from different situations.


     The ending is an all out throw down between most of the characters.  We find out what happens to them, how they all relate, and where they will be going in the future.  There is a lot of violence in this book but it's not over the top.  I would have liked to have seen more of Alice, the woman on the cover of the book who the book is named for.  She pops up at different times in the book and is very intriguing, but she isn't in the book nearly enough.


     Overall the book was enjoyable and was an easy read.  I wanted to keep reading to find out how all the characters were connected.  This is a good book for anyone who enjoys thrillers.


I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation,