Kristie thank you so much for the apron! I love it! It goes perfectly with my style and my kitchen. This picture is not very good of me... can you tell I love to cook?!? Thanks so much for all the little goodies, too. I was so surprised. The glass measuring spoons are so cool! Thanks so much for all the thought and time you put into making this quite a special package. I can hardly wait to dig into those brownies!

Megan, this was a really great idea! Thanks so much for putting this together and for enabling to send each other a blessing. Have a great time in Florida.

I LOVE my apron! Thanks Megan . . . it is absolutely perfect and so "me". Sorry girls, but I really think I got the best one. :) The colors are great and the pattern is so fun. (you might not be able to tell what it looks like, cuz I just discovered my husband isn't the greatest photogrpher!) I just love it! Oh Megan, you have got to tell me where you got those family cards --- I want some too! Collin, my 2 yr. old, insisted on being in the pics with me. :)
I'm trying to show the full skirt on the bottom of the apron. It's so cute. There also is a ribbon/trim of white around the bottom of the skirt. Can you tell from these pics that we're in the tropics? Chiang Mai, Thailand --- and we're now in the HOT HOT season.

MY ADORABLE APRON

Ok, I hadn't done my hair or my make up so it is a "from the waist down" photo (ha!)
Mindi did an amazing job crocheting this fun apron. I totally love the black and white!! Thanks Mindi!!

Portobello Mushroom Burgers
4 servings
www.Allrecipes.com

Oh my gosh, hubby and I inhaled these! Kind of an elegant twist on a burger or steak. AND OH SO YUMMY! I served mine up like a steak (minus all the fixings and cheese) and with a side of my new creation: Festive Spinach Salad (see below for recipe), and sliced tomatoes.

4 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese

Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

Festive Spinach Salad
4 servings

2 red bell peppers sliced thick
2 yellow bell peppers sliced thick
4 green onion stalks chopped
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. Flaxseed oil (or olive oil)
1-1/2 large bunches of spinach, rinsed & drained with stems removed

Place all the above ingredients (except for the spinach) in a wok on medium-high heat. Saute' no more than 4 minutes. (Note: do not add water. Veggies should be somewhat dry). Throw spinach in on top, stirring to coat with oils, till wilted. Remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Hello ladies.

Well, I am happy to announce that I am the proud new owner of an adorable apron. Sondra, thank you SO much. I really do love it. It's bright and cheerful, and as you can see, it totally matches my kitchen. It was just what i was hoping for. She even added my name for an extra special touch!

Megan, thanks for gettin this going. I had fun getting mine together and out the door as well. I can't wait to see the rest of these apron creations, so make sure you post pictures once you get yours in the mail!

Tomato-Potato-Leek Soup

Yesterday I opened the fridge and thought - what to do, what to do with leftover canned tomato, two potato's and two leeks that all need to be eaten asap. With little effort and no recipe I made a fantastic soup. Here's how I did it.

Cut the leeks and brown them in the pot that your going to use. Add a clove of crushed garlic. After the aromas have warmed and blended nicely, add the canned tomato. Let that simmer with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, adding a couple of cups of water along the way. Prepare and add a spice ball with 10+ whole black pepper, a sprinkle of star anise and a bay leaf. Cube the 2 potato's and add them as well. Let it simmer together for awhile (over an hour probably). Salt and pepper to taste.

I thought it looked very appetizing as well, although I'm not sure that came across in my photo!

Cheers,
Lisa

Apple Custard Tart


I also made this apple tart. Email me for the recipe.

Chocolate Nut Tart


This weekend I pulled out one of my favorite cookbooks. It is a book called "Once Upon a Tart". I don't remember how I ran across it but I really enjoy this cookbook. It is written by 2 guys that have a shop in NYC called "Once Upon a Tart." Anyhow, of course it has tarts but it also has wonderful salads and sandwiches and scones that they make in the shop. I highly recommend this one for your cookbook collection!
The crust for this tart is so perfect. It turns out wonderfully each and every time.

( As I began typing out the recipe, I realized its pretty long. So if you want it, email me and I'll send it along to you)

Okay, so I can't eat any of this, but my kids still have to eat. So, today for lunch I got creative and made them a sure fire meal. Since my trip to Trinidad, the kids have fallen in love with Curry. They constantly beg me to make them "green eggs" and Roti (Trini flat bread). So today, being that it was a bone chilling 35 degrees out, when yesterday was 75 degrees!, I decided to make thier favorite soup... only with yet another twist... curry! Man, I wish I could eat this soup!!! Please note, I use all organic ingredients below.

Mindi's Curried Chicken & Noodle Soup

1 box of tri color rotini
1 chicken breast
6 large (huge) carrots, sliced
4 stalks of celery, sliced
1/2 half large onion, chopped
2 Tbs. dried rosemary
2 Tbs. Curry powder
8 cups water

In a sauce pan filled with about 2 cups water, cook chicken breast with a a sprinkling of curry powder until done. When cooled, chop the chicken into bits. Pour stock and chicken into a large soup pot. Add carrots, celery, onion, rosemary, curry powder, and water. Bring to a boil and let cook for 15 - 20 minutes. Add rotini, turn off heat, cover pan, and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes. Soup will cool while rotini cooks... perfect for serving to kids! Enjoy with homemade Indian Squaw bread (recipe coming soon) and butter! Mmm Mmm Good!

My husband and I are doing a detox that strictly limits the foods we can eat. For dinner tonight we decided to get creative with our fruits and veggies-- the only foods permitted to eat for the next 3 weeks. The following recipe is really yummy, filling, and satisfying too. Enjoy!

Organic Spring Green Salad with a Twist

2 large platefuls of organic spring greens mixed with 1 cup of chopped white cabbage
8 - 10 organic strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 package of organic portabello mushrooms, sliced-- about 14 slices
2 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons organic flax seed oil

Sprinkle the sliced strawberries over each salad plate.
In a skillet on a gas stove, saute the mushroom slices, sprinkled with vinegar and oil, for no more than 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let mushrooms steam for a few more minutes. Remove from burner if using an electric stove.
Remove from pan and slice mushrooms into large chunks and sprinkle over salad.
Pour juices from mushrooms evenly over salads. Toss and enjoy!

mushroom cheese stromboli

1/4 - 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 T. butter
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
3 oz. pepperoni, sliced
6 oz. mozzarella, sliced thin
4 oz. provolone, sliced
1 c. parmesan, grated
1/3 c. spaghetti sauce
1 T. parsley, dried
1/2 t. oregano, dried
1 egg yolk
1/2 t. water
extra parmesan

saute mushrooms in butter. roll out dough into 2 pieces (8"x16" rectangles). layer meat, cheeses, mushrooms, & herbs on the long side of each piece. fold over dough & pinch to seal. combine egg yolk & water and brush on. cut in 5 steam vents. place on greased cooking sheets or pans. sprinkle extra parmesan cheese on top. bake at 350 for 27-30 min. slice & serve warm. enough for 4 peeps.

*sorry, no pix. i got this from my mom who got it from cooking light or something. the beauty of this delish meal is that you can add whatever you have on hand. i used bacon instead of pepperoni, pizza/marinara sauce, and basil instead of the above herbs. i used all the cheeses they specified. it was amazing. i think i finally got my cooking mojo back with this recipe! it's a fun-friday-night-family meal.