Why do some people think that others don't have a LIFE?????? Someone please explain that one too me?!?!?!?! I am probably the only one at work that is ALWAYS asked if I would like to pick up extra shifts/hours, when the other person doesn't realize that I am a BUS BABY less alone might HAVE PLANS!!!!!!! And then there are times that my roommate won't be able to come and get me after my noon to seven (12-7p) shift....and I will end up getting home like somewhere between 9 & 10pm!!!!!!!!!! Enough venting I know........but still, even if I tell them I have plans it seems to go in one ear and out the other.... I'll let you know now, if they call me from work the weekend of the 1st...........I AIN'T ANSWERING THE BLASTED PHONE......DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE THE OWNER either..........you already have me working on my birthday what else do you O&#^$*#$%* want from me!!!!!!!!!
***********deep breathe***********exhale***********
***********deep breathe***********exhale***********
***********deep breathe***********exhale***********
***********deep breathe***********exhale***********
***********deep breathe***********exhale***********
okay I'm good now
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Why do??
Children's Nutrition
Good Nutrition for Kids
Simple, delicious strategies for getting your kids the healthy, wholesome foods they need—recipes included
by Marissa Lippert, R.D.
nutrition 101
tips and recipes
more resources
One of the most important things parents can do for their children is lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating. Exposing kids to good, wholesome food at a young age just makes good sense: Not only does it provide them with the nourishment their growing bodies need, it also helps them develop smart eating habits that will continue into adulthood. While busy schedules and an overload of sugary, heavily processed, and fast-food options can pose significant day-to-day challenges for parents, making healthy food choices for your family is a lot easier—and can be way more fun—than you think.
The federal government's recent launch of the MyPlate campaign lays out nutritional guidelines with straightforward suggestions and clear visuals, all based around a single plate. Robert Post, deputy director of the USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, says the MyPlate icon was designed to be "a simple, yet powerful visual cue for consumers to choose healthier foods among the food groups at mealtimes to build healthy plates." The plate's divided quadrants and emphasis on fruits and vegetables automatically ensure that kids are getting smart, healthy portions.
Here's a breakdown of the campaign's goals, along with some of our quick tips on how to make the right choices for your family.
Make half the plate fruits and vegetables. Vegetables should get slight preference over fruit given that their sugar content is generally lower, but the main point is to emphasize produce overall. Naturally low-fat and low-calorie, fruits and vegetables are rich with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making them natural disease fighters and filling, energizing components of any meal or snack. Fresh, local vegetables and fruits are best, but out of season, frozen produce works, too—because it's often picked and processed at its seasonal peak, it can be just as nutritious as fresh fruit and veg, and sometimes even more so.
Grains should make up about one quarter of the food on your child's plate. Ensure that at least half of kids' grain servings come from whole grains like brown rice, whole-grain cereals, and whole-wheat pasta. Their high fiber content helps keep energy levels strong and blood sugar steady—which means kids will be satisfied for a longer period of time than if they eat white rice and bread. Get creative with nontraditional whole grains such as bulgur, barley, wheat berries, farro, and of course the ubiquitous supercharged pseudo-grain quinoa.
For protein, which should fill about a quarter of the plate, focus on lean-protein sources like chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, and lean meats. Try to steam, grill, broil, or bake proteins, and avoid frying as much as possible. Look for fish that are lower in mercury; avoid too much tuna and other higher-mercury fish such as mackerel, Chilean sea bass, swordfish, and grouper. Aim to buy sustainable wild fish, particularly salmon, to get a boost of lean protein and healthy fat without excess antibiotics, added coloring, or potential pesticides.
Choose low-fat dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and 1% milk to ramp up your child's calcium intake, which help keeps bones and teeth strong in growing kids. (Keep in mind that it's best to give toddlers 2% or whole-fat dairy products.)
When using prepackaged or canned foods, make sure that they contain less than 500 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Reach for water first and keep sugary, sweet drinks to a bare minimum.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/everydaycooking/family/good-nutrition-for-kids#ixzz2LOz2h300
Friday, February 1, 2013
Ten: All the Foods We Love... and 10 Recipes for Each
A bacon Swiss burger embellished with ripe tomato and avocado: delectable! In this burger, I've spiced up the meat with thyme and Worcestershire sauce, which hint at the Mediterranean and at the steak house. In this case, a soft white bun is the best choice—any other type of bun and the burger might become too huge to eat. But of course, that's what helps to make it delectable. Serve your favorite condiments alongside.
Yield: Serves 4
8 slices bacon
1 pound ground beef chuck or sirloin 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 or 2 dashes Tabasco sauce 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Vegetable oil, for grilling 4 slices Swiss cheese 4 hamburger buns, toasted, for serving Thinly sliced ripe tomato, for garnish Thinly sliced red onion, for garnish Sliced ripe avocado, for garnish Boston lettuce leaves, for garnish 
1. If you will be grilling the burgers, preheat a barbecue grill to medium-high.
2. While the grill is heating up, cook the bacon on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it is just crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set it aside to drain. (If you prefer to panfry the burgers, reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.)
3. Place the beef, Worcestershire, Tabasco, thyme, and salt and pepper in a bowl, and toss lightly with a fork to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties, each about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.
4. When you are ready to grill the burgers, oil the grill grate well. Add the burgers and grill for about 3 minutes for rare, 4 minutes for medium-rare meat. Turn them over and grill for another 3 or 4 minutes, topping the burgers with the cheese in the last minute of cooking. (Or panfry the burgers in the hot bacon fat over medium heat for 3 minutes per side for rare meat, adding the cheese as described.)
5. Place the burgers on the toasted buns, and top them with the bacon, tomato, onion, avocado, and lettuce. Cover with the tops of the buns and serve immediately.
Source Information Recipe from TEN: All the Foods We Love, Ten Recipes for Each by Sheila Lukins (Workman Publishing, 2008). |
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Bacon-Swiss-Burgers-with-Tomato-and-Avocado-350990#ixzz2Jeni8ZVZ
I tried this out last night with a few adjustments in the recipe; substituted the thyme with basil and added some cumin, and the burgers came out great... definitely will go in the cookbook.
Sorry if I haven't been here on a nightly basis like I want to, but with crazy stupid at work and everyone here in the neighborhood crying for attention in some way shape or form its hard staying focused with what I gotta do.
I have dropped the pampered chef consultant part and only will be a private buyer now through my friend who got me started. Am "QUIETLY" looking for a new job and possibly have one through the same PC friend of mine.......a little out of the way but a job and full time; none of the part time bs from where I am at now.....with that being said...now I may be able to focus on me more, my up coming Personal Cook thing, and my personal pathway.........will see how things go if/when I get the job that I am "looking at".
I hope everyone's day goes well and have a great weekend....
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Sunday Eve.....
For starters; my 49ers are going to the Super Bowl......and by the looks of it, so are the Patriots; either way, the 9ers are there...and of course gonna win that one too.........
I know what I need to do; drop one of the two groups that are lacking my attention, sorry Pampered Chef, I will still be around but just on inactive status and ordering when I truly need too. I will be back when I do need to be "back". The "fur kids" pretty much can take care of themselves (minus the 3 babies & mom); so don't really need to worry about them, except when they run out of food/litter. Roomie (Phil)............well as long as I have a job and help out around the house he can take care of himself too. My job??? Definitely need to change that one out; to where I am working in a "real" kitchen, happy with it, and working full time hours......or maybe just do weekends at a restaurant and the rest of the time at the "other job".......look out, I'm on a roll.......my portfolio is almost done and ready for me to venture out and start doing interviews and applications once again.....but when I am satisfied with it will it happen........as for my "other group", I am not gonna abandon my Children's Area for the San Antonio Pagan Pride Day.......just need some fresh ideas for the "what to do with them activity wise".........really could use some help from parents of the Pagan Community with ideas of how to enrich the creative minds about the pathways and the planet.
Here is a recipe for everyone.
Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
|
 |
Submitted By: DMCCRACKEN
Photo By: STOVERIDER
|
cooking spray
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke
hearts, drained and chopped
|
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed
dry
1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese,
divided
1 (4 ounce) package herb and garlic feta,
crumbled
|
| 1. | Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. |
| 2. | Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. |
| 3. | Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce. |
| 4. | Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top. |
| 5. | Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. |
| ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com | Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/20/2013 |
I came up with an idea of what I can do with my kitchen......but once I do it, I will blog about it.....
Peace out.........
Monday, January 14, 2013
I hate Mondays
Sour Cream Cornbread
|
 |
Submitted By: mogujoy
|
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
|
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sour cream
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
|
| 1. | Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. |
| 2. | Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Add sour cream, butter, and eggs; stir until fully incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. |
| 3. | Bake in the preheated oven until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. |
| ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com | Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/14/2013 |
Friday, January 11, 2013
Updates with a recipe
Okay, I am off and running with my posting for the evening......Today was payday for me, along with probably the rest of the country.....and like most.......smaller paycheck no thanks to the government called CONGRESS!!!!!!!!!! Flippen bas#*%&#)s.......most of us are broke and you folks in DC will probably give yourselves a raise where one ISN"T REALLY NEEDED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, really wanted to sign up for an event that the Pampered Chef is holding next month here in San Antonio, but due to a small check can't make it. Could wait until next payday, but don't want to push it cause of lack of funds and am already hurting for a few things. So I am gonna go ahead and get the things I need this weekend and see what happens.......but here is a recipe for everyone from the Pampered Chef...
Korean BBQ Pork with Crunchy Wontons
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1 Stack wontons and cut them into 1/4-in. (6-mm) strips with Chef’s Knife. Separate strips and place in Small Ridged Baker. Lightly spray them with canola oil using Kitchen Spritzer and toss to coat.
Yield:
6 servings
Nutrients per serving:
Calories 280, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Sodium 400 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 20 g
U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving: No information is currently available.
Cook's Tips:
Removing the silver skin keeps the pork tender during cooking.
To remove the silver skin from pork tenderloin, insert the blade of the Boning Knife underneath the silver skin, keeping the blade angled away from the meat, and cut along the entire length of the silver skin.
For a change of pace, 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips, can be substituted for the pork tenderloin.
Chocolate Ravioli in Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce Epicurious |
by Eric Ripert and Michael Ruhlman
A Return to Cooking
Editor's note: This recipe is excerpted from Eric Ripert and Michael Ruhlman's book the A Return To Cooking.
To read more about Ripert, click here.
This is the cook at work, switching a few ingredients from the pastry chef's mise to his own. Except for the sugar, chocolate, and pastry cream, this is just like cooking dinner. The sauce is simply an all-purpose ganache that can be used for all manner of desserts.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Active Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours and 35 minutes
THE PASTA DOUGH:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs
THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM FILLING:
3 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound hazelnut chocolate (gianduja), roughly chopped
THE SAUCE:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
THE POACHING LIQUID:
8 cups water
2 cups sugar
For the pasta dough, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and place the eggs in the well. Using a fork, slowly incorporate the eggs into the flour, until all the eggs have been absorbed. Transfer the dough to a work surface and, using the palm of your hand, lightly knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle a little flour on the kneading surface. The dough is ready if, when you make an impression in it with the tip of your finger, the dough bounces back. Shape into a disk and tightly wrap in plastic film. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla bean. Place over high heat and bring to a boil (be careful not to scorch the milk). Meanwhile, using a whisk, in a medium bowl, whip the sugar and egg yolks until pale yellow and frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch and whisk to dissolve any lumps.
Remove the vanilla bean from the milk and discard. Temper the egg yolk mixture by pouring a little of the steaming milk into the yolks, whisking to incorporate. Whisk the egg yolks into the remaining milk in the pan, set the pan over medium heat, and whisk quickly and constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, then whisk for another minute. Add the butter and stir until incorporated. Transfer the pastry cream to a storage container and place plastic wrap directly against the cream to prevent a skin from forming on top. Refrigerate until fully chilled, about 2 hours.
Once the pastry cream has chilled, place the hazelnut chocolate in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute; or melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir. Heat the chocolate for another minute, remove, and stir to melt the remaining chocolate. Add to the pastry cream and stir to incorporate. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Divide the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Using a pasta machine, one at a time, roll out each piece from the widest to the thinnest setting. Keep the remaining dough covered to prevent it from drying out.
To make the ravioli, dust a work surface with flour. Place one pasta sheet on the work surface. Starting about 2 inches from one end, place a teaspoon of filling every 4 inches down the pasta strip, ending about 2 inches from the other end of the strip. Brush the pasta dough with water, fold the dough over, and press to seal, being careful not to trap air inside the ravioli (or they will burst during cooking). Cut the ravioli into half-moons using a cookie cutter or pastry wheel. Press the edges together and squeeze to make the edges of the dough as thin as possible. Set the finished ravioli on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkled with flour, to prevent sticking. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should get at least 24 ravioli. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
For the sauce, bring the heavy cream, milk, and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted. Add the butter and stir to incorporate.
To cook the ravioli, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a large pot and boil until the sugar has dissolved. Add the ravioli to the pot and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, gently reheat the chocolate sauce.
To serve, remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon, letting the excess liquid drain, and arrange 4 ravioli on each plate. Drizzle the sauce over each plate. Serve immediately.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Chocolate-Ravioli-in-Bittersweet-Chocolate-Sauce-231566#ixzz2HjLJRkjg
Monday, January 7, 2013
Oh coolness.....almost done......
Had a quiet day at work, got some shopping done for dinner meals for the rest of this week. and now am watching (or listening too) "The Haunting Of" Fauriza Baulk....(chickie from The Craft), pretty interesting.... Anyways, am almost done with my personal PERSONAL COOK PORTFOLIO, am only a few pages away from doing that.........the pages that are to be done are gonna be a page a day projects cause of the work that needs to go into them, mostly on the personal level and the "foot work" level of research that is involved as well. But will be worth it when its primarily done later in my book....then onto getting on track with the PAMPERED CHEF projects that I have neglected since I have signed up with back in October...
There is a class that I want to sign up for at the local college but can't do it, because its in May.....which is good cause I can save the money for it. Would take it next month but fat chance on finances......When I finish with that class, I can add the certification to my portfolio......hehehe.....
Here is a recipe for everyone......
Blueberry-Drop Biscuit Cobbler
user rating
Blueberry-Drop Biscuit Cobbler
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream
- 6 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
preparation
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Blueberry-Drop-Biscuit-Cobbler-51108250#ixzz2HLwL4s9F
Well enjoy the rest of your evening where ever it may be.....
Mysh
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Another Grove Skipped
But ya know what.........am still here............haha.........
Okay so nothing much has really happened since like Friday. Yesterday, my boss texted me like around 7 - 730 am...........did I hear the phone go off..........nope!!!!! When I got up and checked my phone it was going on 10 ish and I still needed to do my laundry and wasn't gonna wait until today to do it.... My poor room mate Phil.....has to do double duty at work........open his store down the street and close another on the other side of town.....all cause one cashier thought the owner was out to fire him.....what an "iggit'
Made some Pasta Carbonara for dinner tonight.......came out alright even if its not what I am used too. One can find it on the Pampered Chef web site. Well I also did work on my cook's portfolio today. Tomorrow I go find out how much a book is price wise and sign up for a class in mid March (another thing to add to the portfolio). Then I have an idea of how much to put aside for the whole package for this class I wanna take even if it is only a week long.......the class itself is only $350. Hope its worth it......but its another certification I can live and get somewhere with after the class is over.
Pretty soon I will be joining the social life on Twitter, really haven't decided yet......but am working on it.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Skipped A Groove
Sorry about not posting anything last night; but outside of hearing from my roommate Phil (aka Santa to the neighborhood) won't be going to the movies tonight.....bummer (**facepalm**) nothing really happened exciting yesterday anyway....except it raining............
Thursday, January 3, 2013
A Bowl Of Chili Anyone
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Mid-Week
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Merry 2013
