Breakfast.

Here's what was for breakfast this morning. Vanilla yogurt, strawberries, bananas, & granola :)

Bean.Salsa & Orange.Chicken

Sunday dinners with the roommates are THE BEST!! Tonight we made orange chicken (sooo yummmy) and Bean salsa. These recipes I got from Jenn (my sister) it's nice to eat this chinese cuisine without feeling like you're eating straight oil, because they usually deep fry it. It's a super fast easy recipe. Black bean salsa you can make for super bowl Sunday next week. This recipe will feed everyone at the party and you'll still have left overs! As an apartment we agreed we won't be sharing the left overs with anyone. Give it a lil taste. You won't be disappointed!

Orange Chicken cook time 20-30 min. serves 6

Ingredients

2 lbs. chicken breast (boneless skinless)-cut into bite size pieces

Flour mixture:

½ Cup flour

1 Tblsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

Sauce:

1 Tblsp. Gingerroot- peeled and minced (2 tsp. powdered)

1 tsp. garlic, minced

¼ Cup green onion, chopped

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 ½ Tblsp. Soy sauce

1/3 Cup white sugar

5 Tblsp. White vinegar

¼ Cup orange juice

1 Tblsp. Orange zest

1-2 Tablespoons for frying

Directions

 Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Dip Chicken in beaten egg then into flour mixture. Shake off any extra flour. Heat oil. When hot, saute chicken in oil until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Saute garlic, ginger and green onions. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, O.J. and orange zest. Cook sauce about 5 minutes until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens. Add chicken and heat through. Remove from heat and add sesame oil just before serving.

Sarah (left) & Kim (right) love helping out with Sunday dinner!!!

Black Bean Salsa

**This recipe makes enough salsa to feed a crowd!

 3 cups (1/2 lb. dried*) black beans (cooked and cooled)

3 cups frozen sweet white corn (cooked and cooled)

 1 med. Onion, chopped

 7 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

 3-4 garlic cloves, minced

 ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

 the juice of 1 1/2 limes

 olive oil, just enough to blend flavors (about 2 Tablespoons)

 1 tsp. cumin

 2 Tablespoons salt

Pepper to taste

 3 avocados

Directions

*canned beans may be substituted. Rinse and drain before adding to salsa.

Mix first 6 ingredients together. Add the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well, but carefully. Chill overnight. Add avocados just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

Lemon.Cupcakes

Brittany Wood and I made some lemon cupcakes froms fresh lemons last night!!!! They turned out, as you probably guessed, better than Sprinkles cupcakes. Here's the recipe you can substitute the lemon with strawberries if you wanted to make strawberry cupcakes. Try it out!

Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup grated lemon zest 

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cupcake pans.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Frosting Ingredients

(Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes)

3 Tablespoons Lemon juice

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (powder sugar)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons lemon juice, mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Grapefruit.Avacado Salad

First out of many recipes I will try with the goods from today's basket. Tonight I tried a recipe I never made before. Grapefruit avacado salad. Here's how to make this delicious healthy salad. Bon appétit!!!!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil

4 ripe Hass avocados

2 large red grapefruits

Directions

Place the mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

Before serving, cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the seeds, and carefully peel off the skin. Cut each half into 4 thick slices. Toss the avocado slices in the vinaigrette to prevent them from turning brown. Use a large, sharp knife to slice the peel off the grapefruits (be sure to remove all the white pith), then cut between the membranes to release the grapefruit segments.

Arrange the avocado slices around the edge of a large platter. Arrange the grapefruit segments in the center. Spoon the vinaigrette on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve. Serves 4-6.

Next Recipe: Lemon Cupcakes

Week #6

Homemade Cafe Rio chicken salad=MMmmmmmmm DeliCioUs!

Dinner Week #5

Another week, another dinner. Stuffed Baked Potatoes and Churrrros!!!

Week #4

BLTA (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado)= Delicious

Dinna Week 2 & 3

Last week I made Sweet Corn tamale Cakes.

This week I BBQ pizza. This is better than doin it in the oven. DElicious :)

Wednesday Dinner #1

This week I started to cook, yet again. In fact, every Wednesday I'm in charge of dinner. This week I made Rueben Sandwiches and pasta salad. Delicious :)

Coconut Lime Ice Cream

Put the Lime in the Coconut and mix it all up. It's Homemade coconut lime ice cream and it's topped off with toasted coconut.Mmmm Tasty...

FRy It UP!!

So I decided, once again, to try my hand at cooking.This time I made FRIED MAC N' CHEESE. It's great for everyone. They were DeliCiOuS.ANd I got the Stamp of approval from HUNTER:)