Moving

Moving can be exciting and scary at the same time. It teaches you to appreciate all the good times and memories you made. But it also makes you feel really bad about leaving a place you love so much. Its kind of like you are cheating on your childhood house for another young, good looking, bigger house far far away.

Florida to Texas means...

flip flops to cowboy boots

grouper to bison

rain to snow

ocean to lake

flat to hills

dolphin rides to bull rides

I am going to miss Florida but I am very excited to see and taste what Texas has to offer. They say everything is bigger in Texas.

Florida will always be my home. Its time to try and experience new and exciting things. We have lived in our house for 18 years. We are nervous and anxious but ready to head out to the Honkey Tonk West :)

Last night we had an amazing Going Away Party. All of our family friends came out to celebrate 18 amazing years. We eat like Kings and danced to the oldies. Told stories and appreciated everything Tampa has given us.

We will miss you Tampa! Off to Big Ole Texas!

Freezer Meals

I don't have any photos for this dish but it is FANTASTIC. Shrimp, whole wheat pasta, marinara cream sauce, and garlic? Uh yes please! And did I mention its SUPER easy and takes about 10 minutes to make?

I got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs Eat Live Run. You won't regret making this dish! Its so easy and so delicious!

Since we are moving pretty soon, we are trying to use EVERYTHING in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. It is kind of like I'm on the show Chopped, mixing and matching ingredients!

I will keep you updated with more recipes from the freezer! But go enjoy the beach and make that shrimp pasta!!

Take Out at Home

I'm so hungry.

There is nothing in this house to eat.

I don't want to cook.

There are always days when nothing sounds better than take out. Who can beat sitting on your couch, in your pajamas, eating Chinese food from your favorite take out restaurant?

Well, this is the meal you want to make when you don't want to cook. Its super easy and takes about 30 minutes to make!

We are moving out of our house at the end of the month so its operation "freezer meals". Which means we are trying to use everything out of our pantry, fridge, and freezer to make delicious meals.

This is recreating one of my favorite Chinese take out meals without all of the extra calories and sodium that you would get at your favorite chinese restaurant.

First, marinate chicken tenderlions in soy sauce, garlic, hoisin sauce, honey, and ground ginger. Marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Chop into bite sized pieces and add to a pre-heated wok with 1 Tbsp of oil. Cook chicken pieces until no longer pink.

For the sauce: 2 Tbsp of hoisin sauce, 1 Tbsp of chili sauce, 2 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Add 1 Tbsp of cornstarch if the sauce needs to be thicker. Reserve sauce in a separate bowl.

When chicken is cooked through, add sauce and broccoli to the wok.

If using frozen broccoli, pre-cook in a saucepan for about 5 minutes or until bright green. Drain and then add to the wok with the sauce.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to coat the broccoli and chicken. Serve over brown rice and enjoy a nice take out dinner without changing out of your pajamas!

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

adapted from allrecipes.com

Serves about 4

Ingredients:

6-8 chicken tenderloins

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp of hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp of chili sauce

2 Tbsp of soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup of chicken stock

1 Tbsp of cornstarch

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ground ginger. Marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Pre-Cook frozen broccoli for about 3-4 minutes or until bright green in a sauce pan. Drain and reserve on the side.

3. Mix in a small bowl: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, chicken stock, ground ginger, pepper, red pepper flakes, honey, garlic, and corn starch. Reserve on the side.

4. Cut marinated chicken into bite sized pieces. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and chicken pieces to a pre heated wok. Cook about 7-9 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.

5. Once chicken is cooked through, add sauce and broccoli to the wok. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.

6. Serve over brown rice.

Enjoy :)

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Thai food is something that I have never attempted before. The variety of sauces and spices can overwhelm me in the kitchen but I decided to give it a try. Who knew it would actually be easy and low fat!!

Juicy shrimp, light coconut milk, red curry paste and scallions. Its as simple as pie...or should I say cake.
Food is a way to express your feelings, emotions, and ambitions all in one dish. You can travel to Thailand and still be able to have dinner on the table before the Bachelorette comes on.

Feel free to throw those shrimp tails at Bentely. I hope he has many bad hair days.

Coconut milk may be my new favorite ingredient. Not only is it light and creamy but you feel as if you were on a deserted island drinking pina coladas in every dish you put it in.

Who doesn't want to get caught in the rain?

Anyway this dish is so delicious and so simple. You will have dinner on the table in under 15 minutes. Did I mention this is healthy? Did I mention that you will go back for seconds? Did I mention that this will be one of your favorite go to meals on those days you just don't want to cook?

Get excited. Make this tonight. Your taste buds will thank me!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

adapted from Skinny Taste

(143 calories per cup!)

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled and divined

1 tsp oil

4 scallions, separate whites and greens

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp fish sauce

6 oz light coconut milk

1 Tbsp of Thai Red Curry Paste (you can find this in the Asian food isle)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large non stick skillet on medium high heat. Saute scallion whites and red curry paste for about one minute.

2. Add shrimp and garlic to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and saute for about 2-4 minutes.

3. Add coconut milk and fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-4 minutes until the shrimp is cooked.

4. Remove from heat and add cilantro and scallion greens.

Serve over white rice.

Enjoy :)

Wake up and smell the baked brie

Happy Monday Morning! Are Mondays ever truly happy?

Happy is sleeping in on the weekends. Happy is all you can eat Champagne Brunch Buffets. Happy is spending the day in crystal clear water at Sand Key Beach.

Mondays are a reminder that all those happy things happened on the weekend and its time to start your week all over again.

But if you want to relax and indulge like its the weekend...make this.

Imagine gooey, creamy, decadent cheese oozing out of crispy flakey puff pastry. That screams weekend to me. This will help wake you up and get you ready to ride out that long week!

Wake up and smell the brie bakin'!

That also screams an intense workouts afterwards. But, who is counting points anyways...its the weekend right?

You will die happy and stuffed after eating this baked brie. There is no reason to think about the fact that its Monday while eating this stuffed masterpiece.

Now, get back to your weekend with this delicious easy recipe!

Baked Brie with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Apricot Preserves

adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/2 Package Puff Pastry Sheets

1 egg

1 Tbsp water

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1/2 red apple, chopped

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup orange juice

1 (13.2 oz) round Brie cheese

Directions:

1. Thaw pastry at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. While thawing, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F and make an egg wash by mixing the egg and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Put orange juice in a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add the dried cranberries to the heated juice until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and set cranberries aside.

3. Unfold puff pastry and roll out on a floured surface. Place brie round in the middle of the puff pastry. Top brie cheese with apricot preserves, apples, and dried cranberries. Fold puff pastry over the toppings. Press edges to seal and brush the egg wash over the puff pastry.

4. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy :)

Oh Twenty First Birthdays

Twenty First Birthdays. Enough said. My best friend Rima turned 21 and I knew I had to make an amazing cake to celebrate. I am not a very big baker but when I saw this BEAUTIFUL cake I knew I had to recreate it.

Mission: low fat strawberries and cream birthday cake.

chocolate

strawberries

whipped cream

custard

pirouette cookies

angel food cake

YUM!

When you think of 21rst birthdays you probably thing of tequila shots not chocolate covered strawberries. But, this cake is the best chaser for that tequila shot. Trust me.

The cake is really simple to make. So you have no excuse not to completely impress the person you make it for. I used boxed Angel food cake mix, cool whip, fresh stawberries, Pirouette cookies, and low fat strawberry jam! The only thing I actually made was the custard! The assembling of the cake is the best part!

The trick is to spray whipped cream in between the layers to make sure they stick! You layer strawberry jam, custard, and fresh stawberries between the layers. You should have 2 round cakes cut in half.

You should have 3 layers of filling in your scrumptious cake.

Frosting can be high in calories and sugar...so I used cool whip (a low calorie whipped cream). Genius. I spread a 16oz container all over the cake and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden.

Once the frosting is harded, assemble the pirouette cookies around the cake. I used hazelnut and dark chocolate pirouette cookies but you can use whatever flavor you want!

After the cookies are placed on the side of the cake, begin filling the inside with your chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate decorations.

For the happy birthday sign: just spread a thin layer of white chocolate on wax paper and place in freezer to harden for about 10 minutes. Once the white chocolate is hard, take the semi sweet chocolate and write Happy Birthday. Then place back into the freezer to harden.

Happy Birthday Rima!

Low Fat Strawberry and Cream Birthday Cake

adapted from The Baked Bean

Cake:

follow the instructions on the Angel Food Cake box or purchase a pre-made angel food cake.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

6 oz of semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces of white chocolate chips
15-16 large strawberries
Put the chocolates in seperate microwave safe bowls.
One at a time, melt the chocolate in the microwave in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring each time. Heat and stir until smooth.

Pirouette Wafers:

store bought hazelnut or dark chocolate

Cool Whip:

16oz container

Custard:

Ingredients:
2 cups of half and half
1\2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks (you'll need the whites for the cake!)
3 Tbs Cornstarch
4 Tbs of unsalted butter, cold and cubed.
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Heat the half and half, vanilla extract, 6 Tbs sugar and salt in a medium pot over medium heat until it starts to simmer.

In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, in a medium bowl, with the remaining sugar and cornstarch for about a minute.

When the half and half mixture reaches a full simmer, pour have of if into the egg mixture bowl and whisking constantly.

Return the mixture to the pot and whisk the cream over medium heat. Let the cream thicken for about 1-2 minutes. Once the cream has thickened, turn of the heat and mix in the butter until melted.

Strain the cream through a sieve over a medium bowl. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and press the wrap directly over the cream so that a skin will not form. Refridgerate until cold and set.

Use right away of refridgerate until ready to use.

Enjoy :)