2 fer Souper!

I can always rely on September to cool things off a bit outside and heat things up in the kitchen! Nothing rings in a new season like a new soup/stew recipe!This week I am offering up two for you to try.




"Butter Me Up" Soup

I have always kept an eye on those interesting/ugly squash mixes you see in the grocery store, so I decided to pick one and make a soup out of it. I picked one Butternut squash and two Acorn squash. I assume I'll do a side dish with the Acorn squash, but for now, let's shine some light on the Butternut.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt & 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 medium sized butternut squash cut into 1 in pieces (about 3 lb)


Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, salt and pepper. Saute until tender. Meanwhile, remove the skin of the butternut squash by standing the squash up and slicing down the sides until all of the skin is removed. Cut into 1 inch pieces and add to veggies along with the stock. Bring to a low boil and simmer until squash is tender. Using an Immersion Blender or Food Processor, puree the soup until thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. I recommend garnishing the soup with homemade croutons or pepitas. :)




Holy Cioppino

I was craving something warm and comforting so what did I do? I turned to the reliable repertoire of Giada. I took her cioppino recipe and made my own substitutions and I have to tell you...I almost fell out of my seat. This recipe feels like you are receiving a hug from the inside... :)

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
2 cups white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Serving suggestion: crusty sourdough bread

Directions
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, garlic, shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and break into 1/2-inch pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato paste, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Uncover the pan and add the shrimp, beans, basil, and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Ladle the cioppino into soup bowls and serve with some crusty bread.

Browned Butter + Sage = Perfection

As the new school year creeps upon me, I have noticed my schedule already changing with the preparations of my new classroom. When one gets busy, one must also get crafty with EASY meals. There are so many nights during the school year that I actually have to muster up the thought of getting back on my feet to prepare a gourmet meal. If any of this sounds familiar to you, let me tell you a little secret...I have discovered the EASIEST meal that actually tastes like it came straight from Emeril's kitchen.

Busy housewife, I'd like to introduce you to browned butter. Browned butter, meet this housewife. She is in dire need of your simplicity and tasteful delight. Enough with the meet 'n greet, let's get down to brown business. When you brown butter, it becomes nutty and extremely aromatic. Add a few sage leaves and lemon juice and you will be dancing all over the kitchen. Your taste buds will most likely explode and it may even make a grown man cry...okay, actually I could just cry...That is how amazing this pan sauce is. Toss it with your favorite pasta or drizzle it over some cheesy stuffed ravioli. Your whole family will feel fancy in no time.


Ingredients:

* Pasta of your choice
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 6 sage leaves
* 1/2 lemon, juiced
* 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, mi favorito. ;)

Directions

While your pasta cooks, melt butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking until golden brown color appears in the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and set aside. Using tongs, gently transfer the pasta to the pan sauce...DO NOT DRAIN YOUR PASTA EVERRRRRRR!! (See note below) Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta before you toss...this will help it stick to the noodles. Spoon a small ladle of pasta water into the pan and toss to coat. Serve immediately!

Here is why I yelled at you...Pasta water is a precious commodity when cooking pasta with a homemade pan sauce. No matter what you are tossing into your pasta, a little pasta water will make the dish super creamy and will help thicken up the sauce, thanks to the starches that remain from the pasta. ENJOY!

Bangers and Mash

My favorite way to make it through the dog days of summer is by cooking. Trevor and I are obsessed with an Irish pub here in Florida. It offers such a different take on comfort food that we just can't get enough of it.

So basically, I gathered up my lucky charms and took a whack at it at home. I have incorporated steamed cabbage into this mash recipe for extra flavor. As for the bangers, I selected a pepper and onion variation. *FUN FACT: Bangers are called Bangers because when you brown sausage links, they bang and pop in the pan.* This recipe is perfect for work nights and it is highly imperative to wash it down with an ice cold beer in order to experience the full effect of it's comforting powers.

Here is my take on this classic Irish comfort dish and it will feed 2-3 people:

Ingredients

* 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
* Kosher salt
* 1/4 c cream
* 1/4 c chicken stock
* 2 tbs butter
* 1/4 cabbage, thinly shredded

* 6 large good quality pork sausages
* 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1-2 tbs butter
* Water
* 1 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

Directions

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, over medium heat, and heavily salt the water. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Steam the cabbage in a steamer sitting over the potato pot. They should be ready at the same time.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage on all sides in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove the sausage to a plate once it has browned. Add the butter and onions to the pan season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the onions until caramelized. Stir in the Dijon mustard and 3/4 cup water and return the sausage to the pan to finish cooking. Simmer until the sausage is cooked through and water has reduced to a glaze over the onions, about 7 minutes.

Drain the potatoes, return them to their pan, put the lid on and let them steam for about 5-10 min. This will make them dry out which is perfect because they are now going to slurp up the cream, stock and butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and mash them into a smooth creamy mixture. Fold in the steamed cabbage and taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary. Put the potatoes in the center of the plate and top with sausage and onions.

Cajun without the Voodoo

Hello dear cooking partners. This is a family recipe that we have been using for as long as I can remember. Family recipes make me feel so warm and I really hope this can do the same for you and yours. Even better, there's no magic or voodoo to it! It is so simple but so flavorful. The original version is from the Ralph and Kacoo's Cookbook which contains all things Cajun. Since I do not have my own copy of the book, I sort of just winged it and here is what I came up with.

1/2 stick of butter
2 garlic cloves diced
1/2 onion diced
1/2 green bell pepper diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes diced
1/2 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan to garnish


Saute the butter, garlic, onion, peppers until tender. Add the tomatoes and saute until tender and juices run out. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and cook for about 1 more minute. Then add your shrimp and saute until just pink. This part is very important! If you overcook your shrimp they will be tough and will lose their sweetness. Serve immediately over your favorite starch. We always use brown rice or angel hair pasta. Sprinkle some parmesan and more parsley if you wish.

Enjoy this fine family recipe from "Who Dat?" nation!

Grilled Summer Veggies and Couscous

I bought a ton of fresh summer vegetables this week so that I would be forced to eat light and healthy. This side dish is so colorful and so tasty, it doesn't feel like you are eating just plain ol' veggies. It's a new twist that I will be whipping up more often! You can either grill these indoors on your stove top grill or outside for a smokier flavor.

Dressing/Marinade:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and separate into two bowls. One should be large enough to toss the veggies in. The other bowl can be small, it will be the dressing you toss throughout the whole dish before serving.

Vegetable Mix:

1/2 large zucchini sliced into 1/4 inch slices or one whole small zucchini cut the same.
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 bundle of asparagus (about 8 spears) ends cut off.
1 tomato quartered and pulp removed.

Toss all vegetables in the marinade and place on the grill. You will cut them slightly smaller after you cook them but you want them to be large enough so that they do not fall through your grill rack. Once the veggies become softened and have a good amount of grill marks on them, remove them from the grill and let them cool down before you cut them. Place them back into their large bowl.

Couscous:

1 cup Israeli couscous (this is much larger pearl than regular couscous)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup water
Salt

Put all ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 min or until cooked through. If you have water left over drain the couscous, if not just toss in with the cooked and cut veggies. Pour the remaining dressing over the couscous and veggies and toss in some feta cheese and flat leaf parsley for extra flavor.

This is an excellent way to utilize the fresh and colorful veggies of summer.

What a Peach!

I am well aware of the fact that I have not blogged since I was 24. What have I been up to? Well, I have been cooking just the same, but have been the laziest bum in the universe past that point. I have lost track of dates and time as summer has swiftly moved into my life for the first time in 3 years. I do have plenty of recipes to share with you now that I have resurfaced from my June coma. This one in particular, had to be the first since it was just so darn good. Think coffee cake with a summer face-lift. It's the same cinnamon-sugar compound you are all comfy with but I added sliced peaches which took this morning favorite to a new dimension. This would be great with any fruit I think. The sour cream kept it moist and fluffy. I left a small portion without the pecans just in case the hubby wasn't in the mood for nuts. Here's what I did:

Ingredients

* 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
* 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3 large, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

* You can leave the butter and the eggs out the night before so they are ready for you in the morning.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.

Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top, and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.

Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. This could be served with vanilla ice cream for dessert or breakfast with a fresh cup of coffee. :)

Dinner for Sultans

Ever since I experienced Ali Baba's Mediterranean restaurant in Dallas, I have been trying to recreate meals from there as simply as I could. Last night's dinner was quite a fair because I finally have it down! Most people are turned off by curry because of the smell but I love it. I don't use a lot of it in this dish and despite popular belief, it doesn't make your whole house smell like curry. There is too much of the other ingredients to let that happen. I served it with some whole wheat flat bread that I heated in the oven for a bit and some store bought hummus. I love Sabra plain hummus and then I drizzle a bit of olive oil over it before I serve it. I also made a light and crisp "salad" to go with it. Eat your heart out Aladdin!

Chickpea Salad

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/2 of a cucumber diced
• 2 sm tomatoes diced
• 1/4 c of chopped red onion
• 3 tbsp of fresh chopped parsley

Dressing:

• 1/2 tbsp of Singapore seasoning (turmeric, coriander, fennel & cumin)
• the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Whisk all dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Toss together and chill for at least 30 min.

Curried Chicken

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 an onion chopped
• 1/2 flour for dredging
• 1 tsp of yellow curry
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 c chicken stock
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 c plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt because I like the texture)

Saute garlic and onion in oil until tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the curry and the cinnamon to the onion mixture. If you think you need more curry flavor add it here. Dredge chicken in flour and add to pan. Cook until no longer pink. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. As the chicken cooks, slowly add the chicken broth to add moisture and deglaze the pan. You don't want to create too much of a sauce here so let the chicken absorb the stock. Once the chicken is cooked through, take the pan off the heat and add the yogurt. I always serve it over Basmati rice. You can find it in the rice section ready to be steamed in the bag. It's very legit that way! :) Sprinkle with some parsley or cilantro and enjoy!

Skinny Sunday Scones

There are so many wonderful things to enjoy on Sunday. Breakfast sometimes gets overlooked at my house when we have to get ready for church, so my solution was to make scones the night before. These are super low cal and I made a delicious glaze to go over them. If you want the glaze done after they are cooked you can do that as well. The glaze will be thicker the cooler the scones are. These scones combine the sweetness of dried cranberries with the tang of lemon zest. I also used half whole wheat, half regular flour to make myself feel better! :)

Ingredients

Glaze
* 2 tbsp Splenda
* 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided

Whisk together and set aside.

Scones
* 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
* 1/4 cup Splenda
* 1 tsp lemon zest
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup white flour and 1 cup whole wheat
* 1 tbsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 3 tbsp chilled butter (must be cold) cut into small pieces
* 1/2 cup dried sweet cranberries


Position rack in top third of oven; Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Make glaze by combining 2 tbsp Splenda and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Mix buttermilk, remaining lemon juice, Splenda, lemon zest, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gently fold in cranberries. Add buttermilk mixture, stirring just until moist. (dough should be sticky)

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly four times with floured hands. Form dough into an 8-inch circle onto baking sheet, about 3/4" thick. Using a knife, cut dough into 10 wedges (do not cut all the way through). Brush lemon glaze over dough. Bake until golden, about 18-20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Serve warm or room temperature.

Lighter than air...almost

Here's what's happening this week. After pigging out all weekend on gumbo, yes...I made a gumbo that will rival yours...I decided to lighten up on things a bit. I am on YET ANOTHER quest to lose weight. But, it is just too dang hard to not cook whatever I feel like trying out. My culinary skills have blossomed and I REFUSE to let my butt size hinder that! With that being said, I have decided to move into a Summer meal session (along with the workout plan that has to counteract said sessions). I am fully aware of the fact the Florida is light years closer to the sun right now than you are but I think these could fall within your Spring time taste buds as well. For today, I stopped by the Fresh Market and bought some salmon. I had the butcher trim off the skin for this recipe. Now don't grimace, but I bought some freshly made pesto from the deli because frankly, this is a big week at work and I want to make it a bit easier! Then I grabbed a giant red heirloom tomato...here's what became of it all:

Ingredients (serves 2)
* 2 pieces of purchased puff pastry, each cut to be just larger than a piece of salmon (poke a few holes in it with a fork)
* 2 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
* 1 palm full of sliced almonds
* 1/4 cup purchased pesto
* 1 tomato sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the 2 pieces of puff pastry. Also place the 2 pieces of salmon, being careful to make sure they are not touching. YES, it all cooks on one pan!! Sprinkle each piece of salmon with 1 tablespoon of the sliced almonds. Bake for 10 minutes.

To serve, place each piece of puff pastry on a plate. Top each puff pastry with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the pesto with 2 slices of tomatoes each. Top the tomatoes with the salmon and serve.

Are we there yet?

I can smell Cinco de Mayo from here. It's only three days away! It's actually sort of funny that Americans even celebrate it, however, I will not argue with a holiday that gives me an excuse to gorge myself on Mexican food and margaritas. Fish tacos are a great way to celebrate the Independence of Mexico. Fish tacos come from the influence of Baja California, Texas and Mexico. With their powers combined, we have a light, simple recipe to share with friends. I also made my very special black bean soup to wash it down with!

Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas

***Before stuffing the corn tortillas, place in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds.

Fish-

• 2 fillets of tilapia
• 2 tbs of ancho powder
• 1 tbs olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Toppings- Just go nuts and do whatever you want here. Here is what I did:

• Frozen corn, thawed and sauteed in oil until charred.
• 3 tbs Queso Fresco
• 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1/4 c chopped purple onion
• Pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds. VERY Mexican! :))



Heat oil in a saute pan until hot. Season fish with ancho poweder, salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and saute for 4-5 min on each side. Watch for fish to turn white and the sides will crisps. Remove from heat and place on a plate lined with paper towel.

Break fish into small pieces and add to warm corn tortillas. Add toppings to your liking and enjoy!



Black Bean Soup

• 1 tbl olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves quartered
• 1/2 c onion chopped
• 1/2 tbs cumin
• 1 8oz can black beans. Do not drain
• 1 8oz can diced tomatoes. Do not drain.
• 3 c chicken stock
• 1/4 c cilantro

Heat oil in large soup pot. Add garlic and onion until onion is transparent. Season with cumin. Add the chicken stock, beans and tomatoes. Simmer for about 20 min until flavors have combined. Add the cilantro and remove the soup from the heat. Let it cool down for about 5 min. In batches, blend or process the soup and return to pan and let simmer until ready to serve.

You can decide what sort of texture you want. You don't have to puree the soup if you like it chunky. If you want the best of both worlds, only puree about half of the soup. If you are anything like me, you can puree the whole dang pot! It's totally up to you! Just make sure that the less you puree it, the finer you have to chop your ingredients. If you puree the whole thing, it's a lot less chopping! :)

Sprinkle with Queso Fresco and cilantro.

Tortellini Soup and Parmesan Popovers

You might just popover when you eat this meal! However, I swear I will stop posting so much Italian, but just this last one. I don't know what came over me this last week, but never fret, my kitchen's passport is already on its way to Mexico in light of Cinco de Mayo. I have a few Mexican dishes coming your way so that you can get some ideas brewing for Thursday.

Back to the soup at hand...

If my soup placed an ad in the dating section of the paper it would read: S/W/F. I'm easy and must be paired up with someone rich. Contenders must love garlic!

I think you get the idea. Since the soup is so easy, I just had to add more to it so that my time in the kitchen lasted a bit longer. Does that make me crazy?

So then came the idea for Parmesan Popovers. They are so cute and "filthy rich"! The perfect pairing for a desperate housewife...I mean...the soup.

Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• Dash of Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 8oz can diced tomato
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 package of tortellini
• Handful of fresh spinach


Heat a large soup pot with olive oil. Add the garlic and onion until the onion is transparent. Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the can of tomatoes with their juice. Add chicken broth and bring the soup to a boil. Once the soup is boiling add the tortellini and reduce heat to a gentle boil. Once the tortellini puffs up and almost doubles in size, the pasta is done. Turn the heat to a low simmer and add the spinach. Once the spinach wilts, the soup is done.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and fresh chopped basil.


Parmesan Popovers

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
• 1 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 5 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a Kitchen Aid mixer or blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.

Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

They will literally pop out of the pan on their own. :)

Pesto Lasagna with a Bechamel Sauce

This lasagna is by far, the MOST decadent thing you will ever taste. The bechamel sauce makes it so rich and moist and the pesto adds the flavor kick. After about five minutes of moaning and groaning through the first bite, I just knew this was worth cooking for guests when they come into town. It's that special!! I made it lighter than the traditional versions and used canned pesto. I would make my own, but I cringe every time I see the cost of pine nuts, which is the best part of a pesto...

A word from the wise-ish about bechamel sauce...I would not call myself a pro at it yet but the first time I made the sauce was last week for a Mac and Cheese gone wrong, I was not patient enough and didn't toast my flour correctly. Needless to say, the whole meal was gross! So, I had to be careful this time and was determined not to ruin it. I am pretty sure I nailed it on the head this time, judging from the symphony in my mouth with each bite of this lasagna. Just stay near the sauce and stir constantly and taste as you go along. Once it loses it's floury taste, it's ready.

Bechamel:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk/ 2 1/2 cups skim milk (this keeps it flavorful but will cut back on the richness and the fat content.)
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Other Ingredients:
• 1 jar of pesto
• 1 cup of mozzarella or parmesan ( I used mozzarella because Trevor loves it so much)
• 1/4 cup of parmesan to sprinkle on top before and after cooking
• 1 box of no cook lasagna noodles. I found a box of sheet-like lasagna noodles. They are much easier to layer.


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 13 by 9 by 4 baking dish and add a thin layer of the bechamel sauce. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, and then another thin layer of bechamel. Gently spread about 4 tablespoons pesto across the surface, and then top with about 2 tablespoons of your cheese choice. Repeat until you finish layering the lasagna. Top with a final layer of noodles and spread a final very thin layer bechamel, pesto, Parmesan cheese and a little butter to help the cheese crisp-up when cooked in the oven.

Cook the lasagna for about 30 minutes. Serve dressed with some Parmesan and a drop of extra-virgin olive oil.

Beshamel:
Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the flowery taste! It takes about 10 min. It should look like a dark ivory color and bubbly.

Gradually ladle warmed milk into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. STIR CONSTANTLY. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

This meal is WORTH the labor. I made it a little lighter than traditional versions but the decadence and elegance of this recipe with make everyone around you happy!

Porky Goes South

Just think...oven roasted pork tenderloin with a sauce that tastes like it just came out of a kitchen nestled in southern Italy. The flavors are robust and so decadent. Porky will be singin' a new tune!

Now, I am a huge believer in pork tenderloins. For one, they are so easy and so full of their own flavors. Basically, it's a meat that can speak for itself. They even come in various marinades for busy nights..no sauce necessary. I do love making a variety of sauces to drizzle over it for some pizazz but have grown weary of other members of the pork family. To be frank, I HATE pork chops. Mom used to try and make me eat them growing up, and I just never wanted it. Sorry mom...

In my own cooking adventures, to my mom's defense, I have decided that there is NO WAY to make it tender. I am now accepting advice from others out there who know how to make this cut tender. I have grilled it, baked it and "parmesan-ed" it in a pan, but to no avail.

Pork tenderloin, however, is a much fattier cut. Although, I do recommend trimming some of the fat off to stay as healthy as possible...it adds so much flavor. Today I paired it with orzo tossed in a roasted tomato vinaigrette. Both recipes are my rendition of Giada's original recipe.

Enjoy this one!

Pork
* 3 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauce
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 small onion, diced
* 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 medium orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* Kosher salt for seasoning, plus 2 tablespoons
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup red wine, such as syrah or cabernet sauvignon
* 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
* 1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree
* 1 dried bay leaf


For the pork: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub 1 tablespoon oil over the pork and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the pork and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 165 degrees F. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes.

For the sauce: In the same skillet used for the pork, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the paprika, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and pepper, to taste.

Fire Roasted Soup

This soup should wear a caution sign saying, "Eat with caution, flavors might explode in your mouth and could cause an overindulgence in it's deliciousness." The idea originated from a Rachel Ray recipe, but I can't make anything without putting my own twist on it. I just know how I like things and you can always do the same thing too!

The key ingredient (and this is NOT optional) is the ancho chili. I used two for this recipe and it was the base of the soup. Now these are quite hard to find. The way I found them...three grocery stores later, was packaged in a bag in the Hispanic section of the spice aisle. I do not know if you have a section like this in your store but I am in north Cuba so you can bet I have that section. You may also find them in the produce section near the other peppers. The ones I bought were Badia brand. Now here is a little background on the pepper itself. Ancho chili is a dried poblano pepper. They are bright green when fresh but turn almost black when dried this particular way. They are woody and a bit sweet so they are mild as well. They must be reconstituted but it's simple.


Fire Roasted Ancho Chili Soup

Ingredients

* corn tortillas sliced
* 2 large ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed
* 1 quart chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 ears corn on the cob, husked, kernels removed or 1 cup frozen kernels, defrosted
* 1/2 large red onion, chopped
* 1 jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped or thinly sliced (wear gloves!!!)
* 1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped or thinly sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced (try to find these, it adds a ton of flavor!)
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/2 left over rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded or just poach some chicken in chicken broth and shred
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 to 2 cups water
* 1/2 lime
* 2 ripe Hass avocados, halved
* Sour cream, for garnish
* Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Add the ancho chilies and the chicken stock to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chilies are tender. Remove from the heat to cool.

While the anchos simmer, heat a medium soup pot with vegetable oil over high heat. Add the corn and saute until charred at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat a little, add the onions, jalapeno, red chile pepper and garlic. Season with cumin, smoked paprika and cinnamon. Saute for 5 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes.

Puree the anchos and the stock in a food processor, then add it to the soup pot. Stir in the honey and the shredded chicken and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Thin the soup with 1 or 2 cups of water and simmer over low heat to combine flavors, about 5 minutes.

Zest and juice 1/2 lime and add to the soup pot. Seed and dice the avocados and add to a small bowl. Dress with the juice of the remaining lime.

Pile some corn tortillas into each soup bowl. Top with diced avocado and ladle the soup over the avocado. Garnish with sour cream and whole or chopped cilantro leaves.

Thank me later! :)

Pasta Rustica

If I had it my way I would die in a pool of noodles. Since I am always on the hunt for new pasta night ideas, I thought I should share this one with you. This is my rendition of a Giada favorite. It is so comforting and rustic that it will please the entire family. I swear by this one. I served it in a cast iron pan for an extra touch of "countryside" service.

Rotini with Sausage and Sun-dried tomatoes

Ingredients
3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1 pound Italian hot sausages, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
16 ounces rotini pasta
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Then pour it into a cast iron pan. Cut some of the fresh mozzarella and sprinkle it over the top of the dish. Put it in the oven for a bit to melt the cheese.

It looks amazing when it comes out and then I sprinkle it with more basil.

The sauce at the bottom of the pan is so rich and decadent that you could even dip some crusty bread into it to top off your meal.

Peruvian Chicken with a "to-die-for" Aji Sauce

Never have I been anywhere near Peru...however, my little kitchen has been there and back. I always love roasting a chicken, but have grown tired of the typical rosemary rub and side of veggies. Hence, when I discovered the Peruvian art of flavor, I just HAD to try it. They use vinegar in a lot of their recipes which is something I never work with. I was intrigued to try this and it was amazing! The chicken marinates for 12 hours in a beer, vinegar and spice marinade. The meat will literally fall off the bone when you eat it. The chicken is perfectly complimented with an Aji sauce made of fresh jalapeños, cilantro and sour cream. This sauce gets better over time in the fridge and can go on anything your heart desires.

Peruvian Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken
4 oz beer (I used Corona light)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 lime, juice of
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
salt
paprika

Place whole chicken in a large dish and season generously with beer, vinegar, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, cumin and oregano. Cover tightly and marinate overnight.

Remove chicken from bag, cut chicken in half and place both halves on a large oven safe baking dish, skin side up. Discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and a little more garlic powder and salt and bake at 425° for about 50 minutes, basting with the pan juices half way through. To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken; the thermometer should read about 160°F. The chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F, but after the chicken is taken out of the oven it should rise to 165°. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Aji Verde Sauce

2-3 jalapeños, seeded
3 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp white vinegar
pinch cumin
salt and pepper
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve over chicken and a side of cilantro, lime rice.

Traditionally, the sauce is served under the chicken but I poured mine all over the top of it. The flavors are ridiculously wondrous together. Try it, I swear by it!

Lean Green

As you guys know by now, I LOVE to purée my soups and now I have a new recipe that's springy and bright. It's a cinch and hardly requires any ingredients so it's cheap cheap cheap! The picture I took is sort of dark but it has a rich green color and the sour cream adds that creamy texture. If you are into presentation, swirl a bit of real butter in it at the end so it looks glossy.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

• 1/2 small onion, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 small zucchini skin on cut in large chunks
• 32 oz fat free chicken stock
• 2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
• salt
• pepper

In a medium pot, saute onion, garlic and zucchini in about a table spoon of olive oil until almost transparent. Add the stock and cook on medium heat.

Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. If you have an immersion blender, add the sour cream, pinch of salt and pepper and purée until smooth. I used my food processor and did it in batches. Blenders work just as well.

Garnish with parmesan and there you have it, the world's easiest soup and Trevor couldn't get enough of it!

Easy Breezy Pasta

As busy as I am, I ALWAYS make time to serve my man dinner. At the beginning of our marriage, I fell back on what I called my "staple dinners"...I could always count on them and they were the easiest recipes ever. My most common one was pasta and sauce from a jar. HO HUM! My newest goal as a cooking wife was to STOP serving my husband the same meal every Thursday. I have been very adventurous but now more than ever. Since, we moved to Florida, I decided to fill my time up as much as possible with whatever I can. This is my attempt at making Med School more manageable to get through...Enough of my home life, let's talk about what I have begun doing. I want a larger box of tools to pull from. I NEED those easy recipes every now and then so I have found one in particular worth sharing. Aside from my obsession with all things Giada, I have picked up a few new recipes. This one is so easy but looks and tastes so gourmet!

Rigatoni with Almond Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni pasta
3 cups purchased garlic-flavored croutons, (about 5 ounces)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce), toasted
1 cup julienned roasted red bell peppers
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl.
Place the croutons and the almonds in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes the texture of bread crumbs. Add the crouton and almond mixture to the hot pasta. Add the peppers and the olive oil. Toss to combine and serve.


Now, I would have garnished it with my new basil plant, but it died over the break when I was out of town. Anyone have any advice for my pale-green thumb? How do you keep this fragile herb alive while out of town??? Thanks!

Pesto Presto!

I am absolutely in LOVE with pesto. However, it is kind of expensive and goes bad fast. So I used it across the week. First, I pulled out that frozen pizza crust (see earlier post) and spread it as my sauce. I added a fresh sliced heirloom tomato and some mozzarella cheese and that's all there was to it. Then I spread it on wraps and such for extra flavor. My favorite use of it was in my white bean soup recipe. It is warming up so some people might avoid soups but the white beans keep it springy in my opinion.

White Bean Pesto Soup

5 garlic cloves sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cans white canellini beans drained
3 cups chicken stock
3 tbs pesto
Shredded Parmesan

Saute the garlic in olive oil and red pepper flakes.
Add beans and 1/2 cup water. Stir in pesto and chicken broth. Simmer until thickened. Add the chicken broth. Simmer until heated through.

Now you have some more freedom here if you want to add pizazz. You can add some veggies or kalamata olives chopped. I just put some of the mixture into the blender because I prefer my white bean soups pureed. It makes it feel heartier to me. I garnished it with a bit more Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and a few basil leaves.

It's quick and very gourmet! Enjoy!

A Twist on Taco Night

Tacos and Texas go hand in hand. Chili is a favorable second. So I set them up together on a blind date...of course, they got married in my kitchen and the rest is history. Here's how to do it:

Turkey Chili Taco Soup

WW Points+: 5 pts
Serving size is about 1 1/2 cups


1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
10 oz can rotel tomatoes with green chilies
15 oz canned or frozen corn, drained
15 oz kidney beans, drained
8 oz tomato sauce
16 oz fat free refried beans
1 packet taco seasoning (you can use 40& less sodium)
2 1/2 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth

In a large pot, brown turkey on medium heat, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, add onions and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, corn, beans, tomato sauce, refried beans, taco seasoning and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer about 10-15 minutes.

I topped mine with fat free sour cream, two slices of jalapenos and some cilantro.

Now I know the refried beans sound strange, but trust me on this one. It thickens up the soup and is a lot better than masa flour or cornstarch since it adds flavor and no carby starches.

It's so hearty, healthy and warm. A great way to finish it off is with a Beano enhanced desert. :)

His vs. Hers

Hello friends! Today I'm talking about PIZZA! I have often discussed the pizza battle with my friends. It seems we are constantly struggling with it because, the men in our lives ALWAYS fall back on pizza. I know that if I put Trevor in charge of dinner, we would have pizza every time. It is one of those foods that can rack up the daily calories in an instant. I don't know many who have the self control to eat just ONE slice.

Here is what I have decided to do for myself...I made a His and Her pizza tonight. Trevor's consisted of the traditional Baboli thin crust. It comes packaged and is usually on an end cap whenever I have found it. I also buy the Baboli pizza sauce. It comes with three packets so it lasts a good while. I buy low-fat shredded mozzarella, pepperoni and jalapenos. We have a huge discrepancy on pizza toppings so it only makes since to make my OWN. I was so tired of trying to tailor my section of the pizza to my liking.

My pizza was as follows: Right next to Trevor's packaged crust, I found the Whole Wheat and much smaller crusts I was looking for. My package comes with two crusts so I froze the extra. Now for the pizza sauce. Traditional pizza sauce is higher in sugar than regular old canned tomato sauce. I know this sounds boring but I jazzed it up with Italian seasoning blend. YUM! Then, here it comes like Jaw's fin skimming the water, the cheese! Our figure's worst enemy. I tend to form a mountain with it on my pizza, however, after calculating the points/guilt, I perfectly measured out a 1/4 of a cup. Now this may sound like nothing for a whole pizza, but my later ingredients will foil the scarcity of cheese. I then proceeded to form a new mountain of all my favorite veggies: an heirloom tomato diced, artichoke diced, baby bella mushrooms and olives! My pizza was overflowing with 0 point goodness. I barely sprinkled the veggies with some good parmesan so they didn't feel lonely. I didn't miss the meat, I didn't miss the sauce nor the overflow of cheese. I could eat and entire half of the pizza for 6 points! I foiled up the rest for lunch tomorrow!

Now, I have one more secret weapon for you to try...it seems so simple but make a loaded salad with a fat free dressing while it bakes. This will fill you up more than you know so that two slices become a little more difficult to eat. Bon Appetit!!!

HERBivores Rejoice!

After discussing the topic of herbs with my mom, I thought it would be wise to blog about our conclusions about the green stuff. Fresh herbs can completely transform a meal from ho-hum to wow! Especially when preparing those diets foods that lack some oomph! (sp?)
However, I have always been so reluctant to buy them. For one, they are expensive and you NEVER use all of it. Sometimes I feel like pruning the bushels it's sold in and fighting with the cashier, Father of the Bride Style. I have come to the conclusion that you MUST plan your every move for the week. I bought dill for the first time. It feels like such a random herb, but it went with my delicious Orzo Salad. See yesterdays post for details. I also had to plan out a few other recipes so that my dill purchase wasn't a complete waste. I decided to make a delicious Tzatziki Sauce to accompany all of my veggies and sandwiches for the week. It's a great substitute for Mayo, which can get boring, and it makes for an awesome addition to my cardboard flavored rice cakes. I eat them because they are only 1 WW point. Yay! The recipe for my Tzatziki is below.
Back to the Herb discussion...Barefoot Contessa showed me a great little trick to make that giant bushel of cilantro last. She recommends chopping it up and putting it into an ice cube tray. Whenever my recipe calls for cilantro I can just visit the freezer instead of my wallet. I'll let you know how that works out. Mom found a much simpler solution. She discovered bouillon style cilantro to use in your Tex-Mex soups. She said you can find it in the Hispanic section of any grocery store. I'll keep an eye out mom! :) Anyways, buying fresh herbs doesn't have to be remorseful if you just plan ahead and discover new ways to preserve them.



And yes, those are Texas shaped cilantro cubes! Nothing goes better than Texas and cilantro!

Tzatziki Sauce

1/2 cup of Low-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt or Low-fat Plain Yogurt
1/2 cup peeled and seeded cucumbers chopped fine
1/2 tsp of lemon zest
2 table spoons chopped dill
pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper

P.S. The longer it sits in the fridge the better it tastes! :)

Blog Revamp

I have come to the realization that I do not have an exciting enough life to blog about it. I don't have a baby to gush about, I don't have any masterful pieces of art to post, nor do I do much of anything. I work. A lot. I go to school most Saturdays and no one on earth wants to hear about the monotony of my life. Don't get me wrong... I am blessed to the Nth degree but feel too far removed from my surroundings to blog about them.
However, there is one thing that I think about almost as much as I think about Trevor, and that my friends is food. It inspires me, it is therapeutic and by golly it's the one thing I am confident enough to talk about on the internet. I came out of the womb asking for food, no... more like screaming for food. I love trying new things and exploring the flavors within every culture. Since I am momentarily tied down to Florida, I must experience all walks of life through my cooking. The flavors I have learned to experience in my married life have been full of hits and misses. I have a lot of misses and what better instance to write about than the time I blew up my kitchen when experiencing the cast iron for the first time..eh, I am sure you have all heard that story via my status updates. Along with my love for food has come the ever reluctant weight gain. I have battled it since senior year of high school when I stopped running 9 miles a day. Hence, I have learned a healthy way of cooking for both myself and my husband. He does not eat as strictly as I do so I have learned to modify his meal to be a bit heartier. I think that I might be able to help others with my ounce of food knowledge be it cooking for two or cooking lighter. I cook an eclectic mix of South Beach and Weight Watchers. This is simply because these are the ONLY two diets that have worked for me in the past 8 years of yo-yo dieting.
Friends and family, you will now log onto my blog to experience my cooking journey as I explore new meals that are healthier and tastier than ever. With all that said, I must tell you about the most amazing recipe that I have marinating in the fridge for when Trevor gets home. It's an orzo salad that will accompany my WW chicken piccata. I will make a lemon butter and caper sauce for Trevor's and a lighter version sauce for my chicken. Instead of real butter, I will use a butter substitute like Smart Balance. Here is the recipe for the orzo salad. This recipe hails from Barefoot Contessa, I just added half the oil and substituted her feta for reduced fat goat cheese. It's also good with roasted shrimp as an entree. MMM MMM.



Orzo Salad
Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* Good olive oil
* 1/2 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1/2 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
* 1/4 cup small-diced red onion
* 1 oz light feta cheese or goat cheese

Directions

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.


Add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the orzo. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!!

The 7 month itch

Wow, long time no see blog. I have abandoned you for too long and I thought there might be an ounce of human life out there that might be interested in what our life has been like for the past seven months. I am not going to lie, I thought this blogging thing would be therapeutic for me in my new found life. However, all I have to say is, "Who has time to blog?" In all honesty, I don't have time to blog...but have decided to MAKE time for it. Our lives have been completely different. We are over halfway through our first year battle. Trevor just started a new semester and is full-blown busy all over again. I myself am just trying to stay afloat. Work has been amazing. I haven't looked back for even a second. There are so many rewards in teaching that I hardly pay attention to when Pay Day happens. My trials are that there are students that I just can't reach. There is still a lot of the school year left and it is definitely crunch time! Ding Ding Ding, let the fight begin. I want so badly for all of my students to make it to third grade. I just hope I have been the best asset I can be in their growth.

We were so blessed to have the opportunities to go home for both Thanskgiving and Christmas. (Sponsored by our parents) We finally met our neice Lilli. It was hard to part with her. My brother has grown so much, I'm afraid to admit, he is a full blown man and a foot taller than me.

We have moved since we first moved here, not about to get into that debacle, but needless to say, we are happier than ever. We have everything we could ever want and only 3.5 years left until we hopefully get to move back to Texas. We are shooting for Dallas but at this point I'll take any town with the word Texas following right behind it.

I am two classes and two State tests away from my Professional Certification....almost there! Until then, I will continue yo-yo dieting, experiencing the new found joy of Yoga and counting down the days until Florida is in the past. Dear Blog, don't be a stranger...