1/30/13

Pepper Boats and Dips


Para Chuparse Los Dedos=Eat It Like You Mean It
Hola Amigos! Late post today. I had planned a completely different post but as it turns out, errands, traffic and weather got the best of me and I almost went post less today! The saving grace...I ate the last bit of my hubs horseradish dip!!! This is not good when the first thing my poor hubs looks for when he gets home after a hard day at work is a couple of chips, dip and a cold one!...So...manos a la obra, like we say in Spanish or Let's get down to it!

I got to think that these dips would be perfect for super bowl sunday! The last thing I want to do on the weekend is cook and do dishes. With these dips I kill to birds with one stone.


Nothing sophisticated here. I want to keep it simple, easy to prepare and tasty for the football watching crowd. For my first "boat" I made a Classic Vegetable Dip. Use your favorite Ranch Dip/Salad Dressing Mix (1 packet), 4 oz cream cheese, 8 oz sour cream, chopped orange, yellow and red peppers ( like 1/2 cup all together) and add to the mix. Chopped olives and smoked paprika for that earthy flavor. Refrigerate a couple of hours and ready. Garnish with some green onions and more paprika. Serve it it's own pepper boat and pepper slices. Listo!


Next I made and Zesty Italian Dip. Again, use your favorite Italian Salad Dressing Mix. 4 oz cream cheese, 8 oz sour cream, 1/8 tsp. basil and my favorite ingredient fine cubed Prosciutto! Now tell me your guy is not going to love anything with bacon on! Serve with with some Ritz Vegetable crackers and listo.







Last but not least, a South of the Border Dip. You will need 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa, 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 tsp chilli powder and another favorite of mine, Chorizo. Cook your chorizo thoroughly. Once is done, put it on paper towel to absorb some of the grease and add it to your salsa, cheese mix. Refrigerate, garnish it with some Pimentos and Queso Quesadilla and  serve with blue corn tortilla chips in its own pepper boat! This particular one is my teen's favorite!



Not only they are colorful but everybody could be watching the game with their own bowl of dip at hand!..no dishes to do at the end of the game and everybody happy.


I hope you liked my last minute dips, easy to do but full of flavor!
Remember my friends...everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!


Besitos,
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1/29/13

Sin Comentarios=Caption This One

Hola Amigos: I seriously don't get it with the weather lately! One minute is snowing, the next all the snow melts in less than 6 hours and now pouring rain! Noticed something...No Sun! I'm gloominess sick today, so looking back at my picture gallery I found this picture taking only  a few months ago and thought..well she's got the look and spirit I want to be in!

Let this cute fellow inspire you today into feeling even more fabulous than you already are! Have a wonderful  Tuesday... be the judge and Caption This One!


Besitos,
Lizy

Last week we had some hilarious captions to Tango's display of Valentine's affection. Here are some funny ones in no particular order:
"Hmmm.... I wonder if this will make up for giving her fleas?" by Leisa
"Maybe now she won't notice the mess in the next room. (that was not me lol)" by +ARod Rodriguez
"I gotta eat this quick before anyone sees me!" by +Paula Miller
"Shhhh! What happened to you is our little secret!" by J


Tango wants to Thank all" Caption This One" friends for stopping by!...we can't wait to see what you guys come up this week!
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1/28/13

Lunes de Chocolate=Sweet Monday


Hola Amigos! Brand new week and world of opportunities are all at our fingertips! Let's start this week on a sweet note and give the best of us to make each day count!

Do you remember your first kiss? Perhaps you remember the sweetheart who stole it from you, perhaps you remember the place or even what you were wearing that day..what I'm sure deep inside you don't want to remember are the feelings of adolescence awkwardness of that important moment in life, Not quite knowing what to do or how to react, all those emotions were most likely summarized in one word "wow", but you didn't show it...cool as a cucumber you went on with your date while your heart was doing Olympic flips!

My dessert today in many ways resembles that first kiss. It's sweet, leaves you wanting more...but it's sloppy! No matter how you cut it, serve it, photograph it...it's just a sloppy mess! Let;s get the recipe.

Strawberry and Chocolate Sloppy Pie


50 oz of Semisweet Chocolate
1 3/4 cups of white or wheat bread crumbs
2 cups chocolate milk
2 eggs separated
1/2 cup super fine sugar
3 Tablespoons Strawberry Preserves

Heat up your oven at 360F. In a saucepan, melt your chocolate and chocolate milk until almost boiling. Move from heat and set aside. Temper the 2 egg yolks with a bit of the chocolate mix. Add the tempered egg yolks and chocolate mix to the bread crumbs. Mix and add 5 Tablespoons of the super fine sugar. Pour this mix into a deep pie dish and bake for 25 minutes or firm to the touch. 
In the meantime, whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar until forming soft glistening peaks.
Once the pie is firm, remove from oven and top it first with the strawberry preserves and then the Meringue. Place in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Listo!
Serve it warm or cold and enjoy it!..

It's a sweet mess...it's slippery sweet texture won't allow you to have a picture perfect shot or the perfect first time serving!

Probably you will be coming back for extra meringue because you didn't get enough the first time.

And you can only eat it with a spoon and lots and lots of napkins!

What I suggest is just do what you did on that first date, the moment you got that first kiss...Close Your Eyes and Enjoy it!

Remember, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,
Lizy

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1/25/13

Kielbasa on Beer and Fresh Apples Sauce

Rapidito en Viernes=Quicky Friday

 Hola Amigos! Up here in Michigan we are getting hit with the low temperatures of the Arctic Blast! and according the the weatherman the situation is not abut to change any time soon....sigh , Cold weather screams to me Electric Blanket and Comfort Food!


This particular dish will bring comfort to all, but especially to the guy in your life. I know the key to my hubs heart is anything with either bacon or sausage and yes...Beer! So I think a have a winner here:
Lets get on with the recipe!


Kielbasa on Beer and Fresh Apples Sauce


1 pd. Fresh Kielbasa links
1/2 pd Smoked Kielbasa 
1 Belgian Style Wheat Beer 
2 apples (green and red)
1/2 cup apple juice (optional)
1 onion
nutmeg
a pinch of lemon zest
1 Tablespoon Red Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey 
Pepper to taste


In a frying pan, saute the fresh kielbasa until firm enough to slice in even pieces. Also chopped the smoked kielbasa in pieces. Once these sliced place them both back on the frying pan,  medium heat. Brown and add half the bottle of beer. Cook until most the beer has evaporated stirring often. Set aside 
In the same frying pan, add chopped apples, nutmeg and onions. Cook until apples are tender. 
Bring the browned kielbasa into the apple and onion mix. Add the rest of the beer, 1.2 cup apple juice (optional),  red vinegar, honey, lemon  zest and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thicken. Will serve 4

Listo,


I love cooking with beer, it brings certain aroma to the food without the overpowering taste.


But I think my hubs loves it even more because he gets to enjoy his meal with a cold one too!


Hope you liked this weekend's recipe...remember everything tastes better with a Pinch Of Love!
Besitos,
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1/24/13

Very Berry Kool Aid Cheesecake

Amor Es=Sugar Rush

 Hola Amigos...usually I bring you a craft on Thursdays  but today I'm sharing with you this surprisingly delicious and quick dessert which main ingredient is the humble Kool Aid!


For a couple of days now, while trying to organize my pantry, my little 4 yo helper found a few forgotten, maybe on purpose, packets of Kool Aid! I still don't know what possessed me to by them on the first place..is nothing we drink at this household anyways...but I couldn't just trow them away. I did a little online research and found a recipe using Kool Aid. I changed it a little bit and this Cheesecake was born.

Very Berry Kool Aid Cheesecake


1 .14 oz packet of Balck Cherry Kool Aid
1 .14oz packet of Grape Kool Aid
1 8oz container of Cool Whip
1 can Condensed Milk
8 ounces Strawberry Cream Cheese
3 Tablespoon Milk
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Strawberries, Blackberries and Blackberry Preserves for Garnish



 Yes, that is Little Helper Mixing Everything and "Berry" excited to try his new favorite treat! Can you blame him, what is not to like about this one!

Put the Cool Whip, Kool Aid, Condensed Milk, Cream Cheese and Milk in a Bowl, mix with a spatula until you can't see any traces of the Kool Aid. Once everything is mixed, refrigerate for 2 hours until firm. Decorate with strawberry slices, whole blackberries and drizzle some blackberry preserve preciously heated up in the microwave.




Listo!


I've got to tell you guys, this tastes better than I expected. 




I think it's because I cut some of the sweetness of the ingredients with the strawberry cream cheese.
Not only it gave it texture where you can actually sink your fork in, but it also goes well with the blackberry preserves and Graham Cracker Crust!
Claire Justine oxox


It's Valentine's, It's O.k to have a little sugar rush to keep the Love Going!


After all everything tastes better with a spoonful of sweetness and a  Pinch of Love!


Also friends, remember the Red Cross needs your help, not only this Valentine's but everyday of the year, not only by donating blood or funds, but also you can volunteer your time assisting staff and donors on blood drives or perhaps encouraging other people to get involved and donate! Whatever it is your call, give the gift of life this February 14th!

Besitos,
Lizy

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1/23/13

Chalkboard Paint Vase

Transformaciones=Change is Good Sometimes
Hola Amigos! There has been a slight change this week on the way I tittle my posts, seems like Google was having a bit of a hard time redirecting searches to the blog with the way it was done before, so now I will go straight to the point  in the post tittle but my Sub Tittles will remain both in Spanish and English with what I feel is the essence of my writings.

This week I'm bringing you a little redo on an old Xmas piece that was getting ready to be tossed out. This p cute centerpiece has been with me for the last 5 years...although there was nothing wrong with it, I was running out of space and the jeweled tone colors it had were really not part of my Christmas decor anymore.

They say necessity is the mother of all inventions...and since I have basically no Valentine decorations, well, why not making a little Valentine's twig tree!

Out came the Jewel tone ornaments and in the Bright Pink ,Purples and Reds. A couple of heart necklaces in different tones of pink and some glittery picks from some sale bins at Michael's.


A big pink bow brings it together and if the colors don't say Valentine to you, how about a few gold hearts (former Xmas ornaments) to match the glowing lights!


To make it even more versatile and fun I decided to paint the vase in Chalk Paint, 2 coats later and you can write whatever you please! (Yes Love is Dinner!!!, homemade, fresh and delicious, but there was no room to write all this, lol)








 I'm starting to enjoy Valentine's in my very fun way

What do you guys think?

Have a great week!
Besitos,
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