My Sister's Cake

Celebrated my sister's birthday in Ohio this weekend.  I had so much crazy fun! This is the cake she designed. It was a strawberry cake with fresh strawberries...OMG it was so good!

What To Do?

Adobo is Spanish for sauce, seasoning, or marinade used in Latin American and Southwest U.S.-style cooking. The noun form describes a marinade or seasoning mix. Recipes vary widely by region: Puerto Rican adobo, a rub used principally on meats, differs greatly from the Mexican variety. Meat marinated or seasoned with an adobo is referred to having been adobada or adobado.

 Adobo relates to marinated dishes such as chipotles en adobo or Chipotles in adobo sauce is a condiment in which chipotles (smoked jalapeño peppers) are stewed in a sauce with tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt, and spices. The spices vary, but generally include several types of peppers (in addition to the Chipotle and most likely those on hand), ground cumin and dried oregano. Some recipes include orange juice and lemon or lime juices. They often include a pinch of brown sugar just to offset any bitter taste.

 Adobo is prepared in regions of Latin America and Spain. Pork, spices, and especially red pepper are used. Dishes with the borrowed name, but with different cultural roots, are prepared in regions of Asia Pacific.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobo

Friday Food Randoms

That picture up there? Me growing squash...from seeds!!! FTW!!

We eat enough spinach such that I want to attempt that next...baby steps!

E's BIL is going to build me a raised garden bed! His requested payment? His own pot of Jambalaya. LOL

I miss updating more often but I am busy with school for the next five weeks *head. desk.

I have some awesome opportunities on the horizon, will share later maybe

I love how things work out when you are walking hand in hand with God down HIS path for you

My web designer must be the Patron Saint of Patience!  I am sure every time she gets an email from me she shakes her fist at the screen! LOL...love you Nic!

I love bacon

To eliminate some of the sodium on bacon, I rinse it before cooking

I always have boiled eggs in the fridge; healthy snack option...I'm country so I eat mine with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and cayenne

Am I the only one stockpiling "scrimps" and other seafood just in case?

I typically buy fresh seasonal fruits and freeze them.  They are cheap when they are in season so I stock up. Same with vegetables.

A salad spinner is your friend when drying leafy vegetables; I even use it for drying other vegetables before freezing

Pitting cherries is the pits! Get it...LOL!  Babe and I pitted about two pounds last weekend.  We made mango cherry smoothies, ate some while pitting and froze the rest.

Fresh cherries are expensive hell!!!

I made a white wine foiled baked salmon last week...*faint*
Have a great weekend!

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan

I can't bake a cookie for ish.  Well it is rare that I bake a decent cookie but I try and try and try! This cookie however was scrumptious.  It has some of my favorite elements: pecans, raisins and brown sugar! Yummy yummo yum!  I imagine you can use any dried fruit or nut you'd like but I stuck to the original recipe that I got from here.

The only changes I made:

• I toasted my pecans on the stove
• I used light brown sugar (that's what I had in the pantry)
• I made smaller cookies.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan

Adapted from:  http://www.onceuponachef.com/2010/03/oatmeal-brown-sugar-cookies-with-raisins-and-pecans.html

What You Need:

• ¾ cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick cooking or instant oats)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (be sure to measure properly)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup raisins or currants

 

What To Do:

• Set the racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place chopped pecans in a skillet and 'toast' for about 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. 
• In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir to mix well.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Add flour and oatmeal mixture and mix on low speed until just combined; add pecans and raisins and mix again. Do not over-mix.
• Drop dough into 2-tablespoon mounds (about the size of a golf ball) about 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets (you should have ten on each sheet). Bake until edges are slightly golden but centers are still pale, about 15 to 18 minutes.
• Let cookies cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then either slide the papers off the pans onto cooling racks or transfer cookies with a spatula. Once cool, store cookies in an air-tight container.

Cook. Eat. Repeat.