SmashingLicks

2009-07-09T13:50:00.002-04:00

no pictures + my camera = boo.

2008-08-31T09:43:00.000-04:00

my camera is currently under construction!

for whatever reason it is not working && you oguys have been missing out on fabulous recipes & foods!

I've made many different granolas, banana bread, ginger bread, homemade sourdough bread, Fresh tomato, kilebasa and artichoke pizza, green beans, strombolis & more!

I'm sorry I couldn't share them all, but as soon as my camera decides to work again! You'll be sure to know!!!

- lin

Even Yummier Refreshing Pad Thai

2008-08-27T15:45:00.000-04:00

I love cooking asian/oriental. Every time I successfully accomplish an oriental dish, I kinda feel like I conquered the world, (or at least i do until the food gone...)

[Oh man, i have to give you guys the recipe for a delicious japanese carrot dressing that I created. !!!! The next time i make it... for sure.!]

but mmMmm this pad thai was even more delicious than the first! I combined thinly sliced Shitake mushrooms with julienned carrots and peppers and tossed it with chopped scallions. I dont recall exactly everything i used to season it, but Im pretty sure I used a simple dressing of rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil a few red pepper flakes (opt) & i think i might have added garlic powder or freshly minced garlic..

Oh && super uber muy imporante when making pad thai... use the right kind of noodles!! I think these are rice noodles... and for lo mein, i use egg noodles...fyi.

my luscious chewy && ever so popular caramel squares.

2008-08-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

divine goodness. Would you believe that they are milk free?! Im allergic to milk (but can eat butter) and I created this recipe to be enjoyed by all!

These are fabulously chewy caramel squares that can be topped with almost anything. Here i've topped them with cashews, cranberry nut balls, sliced almonds and a delicious toasted coconut mixture (bottom pic)!!

YUMM!!!!

Caramel Blueberry Almond Blondies

2008-08-14T14:51:00.005-04:00

These are so amazingly delcious. They have a nice soft but chewy texture with a caramel flavor with a hint of almond & balanced with the fantastic flavor and texture of fresh blueberries baked right in!

These are also incredibly easy to make!

yet again i didn't write everything down... BUT! im almost positive this is the recipe! haha.

Amazing Caramel Blueberry Almond Blondies

1 cup granulated sugar
1.5 tbs honey
1 stick melted butter
1 egg
1.5 tsp almond extract (feel free to use vanilla extract instead)
1 cup flour
Dash of salt
1 cup fresh blueberries (or more if youd like)
nuts (opt)

Combine the sugar and honey until it is a thoroughly combined crumbly mixture. Then pour in the butter and the egg and mix until well combined. Add the almond extract. Stir in the flour and salt until everything smooth and fold in the blueberries. (If you add nuts, add them now). Pour into a greased baking sheet, (bang on counter to get out the air bubbles) and bake at 350º for about 35 - 45 min until golden brown and semi firm.

(It will be a little soft, and when a toothpick is inserted, stuff will stick to the toothpick)

Hope this works!

Homemade Peanut Butter!

2008-08-14T13:25:00.002-04:00

who doesnt love love love the smell of roasting peanuts?
Especially when they are roasting just to be made into a delightful homemade peanutbutter! yum.

I have no exact recipe for this one, its kind of just you add to taste and to get the right texture... but the only ingredients are peanuts (I use salted cocktail peanuts and roast them til dark brown in the oven), honey and oil (peanut, veggie or canola oil will do)! Then just put it all in the food processor and yay! homemade peanut butter! (Oh, and I don't usually refrigerate mine, it tends to make it hard... sometimes)

Onion Soup & Parmesan Croutons

2008-08-12T13:23:00.002-04:00

the other day my parents bought Panera Soup.
&& lets just say, i'm very stubborn when they order food out.

I feel as though I must win them back and recreate what they bought... except make it taste even better ofcourse. So this is my version of the Panera Bread French Onion Soup & Parmesan Croutons.

Delicious Onion Soup

(measurements are approximates, adjust as necessary)

1/2 Onion, sliced ( i made my sliced nice and thick)
1 frying pepper, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 packet onion soup mix
1 tbs (or so) lemon juice
10 capers
salt (to taste)
1 - 2 tsp corn starch (optional, used to thicken)

Sauté the onions and peppers in a little olive oil and salt until tender. Add the broth, water and onion soup packet and stir until combined. Then add the lemon, capers and salt. Season it to your desired taste.

If you'd like to thicken your soup, mix the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of the soup liquids and then pour back into the soup. Stir and continue cooking.

Asiago Parmesan Croutons

Thick cut Sourdough or some sort of good bread
Asiago Parmesan, thinly sliced and chopped
olive oil
kosher salt

Generously olive oil both sides of the bread slices. Then cut them into 1 inch cubes. Put them on a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle them with the kosher salt and cheese. (make sure the cheese is on the bread... and not the pan haha) Then bake at 450º until brown and crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside!

pure goodness = baked oatmeal.

2008-08-11T21:19:00.006-04:00

so you dont want bread.
but you want something bready.
but you dont want pudding.
but you want it oatmeal-y.
but you dont want smushy oatmeal.
but you dont want granola-y oatmeal.
but it you arent sure if you want it warm or cold.

i know what you want!!!!

BAKED OATMEAL!!!

mmm you can eat it hot with milk on top, or cold like bread, or warm like a muffin, or even toasted with butter (toast under a broiler though)... this is the amazingly versatile food that fulfills any breakfast craving. you can put in any fruit, nuts, even bacon if you want! And you can season it just like anything else! You could make it cinnamon, or brown sugar and maple, or banana chocolate, or apple peanut butter... im telling you... this. is. pure. awesomeness.

And the even awesomer part, is that the recipe is basically the way you make oatmeal.
All i did was pour some oats, brown sugar, sliced peaches & apples in a bowl. Then i combined some rice milk (you can use regular or soy milk for that matter... even water) and vanilla extract (some times i add almond or maple extract) it should be semi liquidy but not as liquidy as when you make smooshy oatmeal. ... and then bake at 350º until firm! Voila.

Eat it warm or cold with milk. or eat it like bread. or with a spoon. or with honey. or with peanut butter. or put on some bacon and syrup...

im telling you.

this is fabulousness to the extreme.

who says salsa is for peppers. its pineapples turn.

2008-08-11T21:11:00.002-04:00

yes indeed, i made PINEAPPLE SALSA! its the perfect blend of the sweet and tangy taste of pineapple balanced with the crisp, savory flavor of fresh onions, peppers and tomatoes.

(and those are basically the only ingredients added plus a little salt, and lemon juice... cilantro is good in it too! I used canned crushed pineapple. Its all about balancing the flavors to get it just how you like it.)

Custom Order Pita Pizzas!!!

2008-08-06T13:40:00.000-04:00

sometimes my family just wants a good ol' home made pizza. but by the time i finish making the crust for my pizza, (that has to sit and rise for a little while), they have already ordered, picked up and finished the pepperoni pizzas from the nearest pizza shop. Leaving my soon to be made pizza, alone and unwanted.

but alas i have found a solution!!! PITA PIZZA!

the pita bread crust IS basically an already baked pizza crust. And considering I had some in the cabinet left over from my greek food phase (which being more that 2 weeks later, im still stuck in), I used them from my mini pizzas. And the great thing about using pita, is that they make individual sizes, so i got to make my dad the pepperoni that he wanted, my mom the olive that she likes and a bunch of others like onion, cheese and pepper, that could be eaten later on.!

All I did was grease a baking sheet & put 6 pitas on it. Then i spread them each with this really good pasta sauce, of course you could use fresh tomatoes or pizza sauce, and then i sprinkled them with cheese and added the toppings. They were baked at 400º until bubbly and brown!

Definitely make them, they are quick and easy and will fulfill your pizza craving for sure!

Amazing Pork Pad Thai

2008-08-05T12:17:00.003-04:00

Who doesn't love the fresh taste and chewy-ish texture of pad thai noodles? Here I created a delicious pork pad thai with chunks of sautéed onions & cherry tomatoes. && yes, i failed when it comes to writing down this recipe.... :)

Fabulous White Greek Pizza.

2008-08-03T18:18:00.003-04:00

is a pizza still a white pizza if it has fresh tomatoes?

Well my as apart of my greek/salad phase, I made this delicious greek pizza. It has fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, feta cheese, black olives, onions & a little salt. oh yea and BACON! MWAHAHAHAHAHa..ha..h....ahem... .. And i did it on pillsbury pizza dough crust which added a surprisingly sweet balance to the salty toppings. And for a "white" pizza, infact, for any pizza... this was superb. yes, i said superb.

Greek Salad doesn't have lettuce.

2008-08-03T17:51:00.005-04:00

So im still stuck in my cobb salad, greek food phase from my visit with my sis in NYC. From the delicious feta cheese that made me itchy, to the to-die-for cobb salad with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, mozzarella, baby corns, onions, olives and the wonderful fresh hot pitabread. (yum! my mouth is watering)...but basically, im stuck in a salad rut & I can't get out... (but i don't really want to either)

So, Apparently in Greece, their salads don't contain lettuce. But hey, who needs lettuce when it tastes soo good! I love salads, especially when it has lots of accessories... thats what i call all the croutons, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and other toppings...

Either way... greek salad is all accessories... and its mighty fine with me. So i decided to make my version of the all-accessory greek salad with black olives, capers, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, lemon juice and salt... it.is. divine. ((oh && you can add plenty of feta if you so desire!))

SO here it is!

my BIG & Crunchy OREO oreo cake.

2008-08-01T12:48:00.009-04:00

oreo is a funny word. i mean when you keep saying and spelling it. oreo oreo oreo. hm. weird.

eitherway, its a good GREAT cookie.

So it was my dads birthday && just like every other birthday for a family member, I like to make them homemade cakes... and i never duplicate the same cake. So this time, I made him this wonderful, organic, crunchy and chocolaty OREO oreo cake. except i used trader joes "oreos" not the real ones. && ill admit... i thought it would be kinda cute to make the whole cake look like an oreo itself! yay.

so. lets see. this cake was partially homemade... and partially a boxed mix... considering I ran out of sugar to make the vanilla part of the cake... ha.

so for the chocolate part, I used an amazing cake recipe I just discovered from the Best of the Best Food & Wine Cook Book titled, "That Chocolate Cake" & let me just say... this sooo is... that chocolate cake... except its even better because its oreo...

For the Vanilla Cake, I used the Trader Joes Madagascar Vanilla Bean Cake mix... yummm it is soo good and buttery! But im sure any golden cake mix will do.

&& finally for the frosting and filling i used chocolate chips, oil, salt, vanilla extract & almond extract. You can even just use chocolate chips and coconut oil, which has a delicious flavor too!

"That Chocolate Cake"

2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs, lightlyl beaten
1/2 canola oil
1 cup whole milk (i used soy milk)
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly butter/oil & flour two 9 inch cake pans, then li ne with parchment paper and butter & flour the paper.

In a bowl mix the sugar, flour, cocoat, salt, baking powder and baking soda on low speed. Mix in the eggs, oil and milk.

Continue mixing for 2 minutes then add the water and continue mixing. The batter will be super liquidy... but thats okay!

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.!

YAY!

oh and let it cool before attempting to remove from the pans ha.

Frosting

Chocolate Chips
Canola and or Coconut oil
Vanilla Ext
Salt
Amond Extract (opt)

Melt the chocolate under a broiler. Stir in a dash of salt and a few tsp of oil until well combined. Then add the extracts. (Often time if the extract has even t he slightest bit of water in it, it wil lreact with the chocolate and make it harden... if this occurs... just add more oil until it is spreadable.

Basically after the cakes were made and the frosting was made... I layered them (chocolate, vanilla, chocolate) while putting frosting and crushed oreos in between each layer.

On the top I spread the rest of the frosting & put the remaining crushed oreas and drizzled it with chocolate and sprinkled it with powdered sugar. I wwould have drizzled it with white chocolate... but... my parents dont like white too much...

... so voila! theres my big fat OREO oreo cake! ENJOY!!!

Lettuce + Tomato + Bacon - Burger x other stuff = Delish Cobb Salad

2008-07-30T15:29:00.005-04:00

ive been gone from the internet all weekend until today... Can i just say i was going through tastespotting withdrawal! Oh, how wonderful it is to be back and surrounded by mouthwatering recipes & food!

But, while i was gone I went to this amazing diner (and i didnt think i liked diners) where i ordered a cobb salad. TALK ABOUT SALAD! that was the biggest & most gourmet cobb salad i have ever eaten & boy was it good. if had huge chunks of avocado & bacon, & those little corn thingys that are often in Chinese dishes. Also since i dont like blue cheese... and am allergic to milk... i had them put on mozzarella cheese instead (for some reason i don't always get a reaction to that)... YUM! (I even went back the next day and ordered the same thing!)

anyway... the salad was so good, i decided to make my own.! Except minus the avocado and corn thingys and plus crispy apple chips & fresh purple basil...boy was it good.!

Fresh Yum-bo Gumbo!

2008-07-25T17:01:00.004-04:00

mmm delicious gumbo with farmers market fresh Peppers as well as fresh Okra, Tomatoes, Garlic, Onions & Cilantro with Roasted Corn kernels. Sautéed with spicy sausage & seasoned with fabulous ethnic spices such as Cumin, Saffron, Tumeric, Paprika, All Spice, OldBay & more!

this was amazingly wonderful. it had the perfect spicy, tangy, tartness that satisfied every tastebud. mmm my mouth is watering.

didigetthosefromthebakery? Lemon Cookies

2008-07-24T14:45:00.003-04:00

yummmy, chewylicious tangy lemon cookies. Taste like they would be bought from a bakery or something.!

ofcourse i quickly jotted down the recipe on a random piece of paper in my kitchen, as the cookies were baking, so that I wouldnt forget how to make them... but of course being that it was a random piece of paper... im not exactly sure where it went... so once i find it! I can give you my exact recipe! yay!

7/25/08
victoryy is mine! upon searching and digging throughout the newspaper and cook books in my kitchen.. i found the recipe i wrote down! Here it is! i hope you enjoy!!

Chewy Soft Lemon Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbls or so Honey
1/4 c. softened butter
1 egg
1 1/8 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp baking soda
grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine the sugar and honey until it resembles a crumbly brown sugar. Add softened butter and mix til smooth. Add egg and continue stirring until smooth and creamy. Then combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and a dash of salt. Add to the first mixture. Mix until well combined and add the lemon zest and juice! Drop by tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet, be sure to keep them about 2-3 inches apart since they will spread. Bake at 350º until golden brown. !

(FYI. Mid way through the baking, i like to bang my cookie sheets against the racks to make sure my cookies stay flat. incase you were wondering. ha.)

Bean Salad! With Fresh Tomatoes & Peppers!

2008-07-23T11:39:00.001-04:00

i. love. beans.

( ...ok well maybe not the side effects of bloating & whatnot. ) BUt they taste good in so many different ways! As a snack, as breakfast, as lunch, as dinnner, as supper, as a midnight snack, on crackers, in soup, on a salad, in tacos, on a sandwhich, in a potpie, on brownies, in a biscuit... ... joking about the brownie part. but heyy... technically if you make tofu brownies, then theyve got beans!

But this time, I made a salad with them! A delicious two bean salad (Garbanzon & Kidney Beans) with sautéed onions & peppers and diced fresh tomatoes. DELISH!

The Bold Flavor of Jasmine Rice with Cilantro & Cumin.

2008-07-23T11:25:00.000-04:00

I wanted to make a delicious rice to accompany the bean salad I had made. So I decided to add an Indian twist to it. SO! Here we have a sticky Jasmine Rice with Cilantro & Cumin. Also in it is a delicious chicken broth and soy sauce for added flavor.

It is an amazing dish by itself.

Plum & Nut Tart with Dried Blueberries on a Shortbread Crust

2008-07-20T18:50:00.003-04:00

I had leftover plums left in the fridge from the farmers market last week & needed to do something "summery" with them. So instead of making a typical pie or crisp, I made a tart out of the sliced fresh plums, tossed with honey, lemon, walnuts, pistachios and dried blueberries on a simple butter shortbread crust!

pistachio blueberry granola.

2008-07-19T10:18:00.002-04:00

i warned you i was a granola addict. !

hehe well this time I made my cinnamon molasses granola with corn pops in it! & then added dried blueberries & pistachios.

((I made a delicious peanut butter granola the other day, but I forgot to take a picture. I will next time though! And I still have yet to make granola bars, but when i do... ill let you know!))

yumm. this will be gone by the end of the day! I guess that'll just mean i have to make more!

have no fear of a leftover omelet.

2008-07-18T10:22:00.000-04:00

sometimes its scary having leftover scrambled eggs sit in your fridge. but have no fear! you can make a breakfast sandwich!

Just stick the omelet under the broiler with some cheese, so its nice and bubbly and melty! then place that on some hearty white bread or a bagel that has been slightly toasted and buttered and voila!

breakfast for dinner. Cilantro Pita Omelet with Polska Kielbasa & Bacon

2008-07-18T10:13:00.000-04:00

everyone knows the best dinner is breakfast. Whether is french toast and sausage or pancakes & bacon. Breakfast dinners never seem to disappoint. !

Here, I made delicious cilantro omelet with pita triangles cooked right in!

cinnamon zucchini biscuits.

2008-07-18T09:56:00.001-04:00

these are pretty tasty too! I have to work on the texture though!

Cinnamon Zucchini Bizcuits

1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla ext
dash of salt
dash of clove (opt)

1.5 cups bisquick
2 tbs milk
1 tbs melted butter

Combine the bisquick, sugar, cinnamon, salt and clove. In another bowl mix the vanilla ext, milk and 1 tbs melted butter. Combine all ingredients. If it is too dry or too wet add a little more milk or bisquick! just don't over mix!

Roll into balls and place on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake 350º until golden brown.

garlic butter biscuits.

2008-07-18T09:20:00.001-04:00

who doesn't love to walk into their home & smell the wonderful goodness of garlic. !? yesterday I made these amazing, melt-in-your mouth buttery garlic biscuits with a delicious garlic butter drizzled on top! They would be sooo good with stew or pasta or something! And even better in the winter when the real hearty meals are prepared.

The only reason I really made biscuits was because I bought Bisquick from the store the other day thinking my parents or someone might use it to whip up a quick batch of pancakes or waffles... but who was I kidding... if there is something in the house to be made or experimented with ... ill undoubtedly be the one making/using it. but atleast the family reaps the benefits...right? ... that is ... if my experiment pans out.

Today, however, was a success. I was able to make these delicious garlic butter biscuits and cinnamon zucchini biscuits (whose texture could use some tweaking)!

Unfortunately for the garlic biscuits though, my parents are a little afraid to try them bc of the side effects they may cause ha! they aren't that garlicky though... i think it has just the right balance.. but who knows! Either way, I individually wrapped them in foil & froze them for my garlic loving sister to take to her apartment!

Mel-in-your-mouth Garlic Butter Biscuits

1 2/3 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup butter (chilled)
1/3 - 1/2 cup milk
1 clove of garlic (finely minced)

Cut the butter into the bisquick until smaller that pea sized. Then mix in the finely chopped garlic clove. Using the pastry cutter, pur in cold milk little at a time until dough forms. Divide into 8 sections and drop onto buttered baking sheet. Bake 350º until begins to turn golden brown. Now you will drizzle on the butter topping and continue baking

Garlic Butter Topping

2 tbs butter
1 clove of garlic (finely minced)
dash of salt (optional)
1/2 tsp pepper (or red pepper flakes)

Melt butter with garlic for 20 - 30 seconds in microwave. Mix in salt and pepper.
Drizzle onto each biscuit, make sure you get some of the garlic pieces on them! And continue baking another 5 or so minutes until browner!

Mmmm these are so good.

Tangy & Spicy Barbecue Shredded Chicken & Crispy Rosemary Potato Slices

2008-07-16T14:20:00.000-04:00

Why is it then whenever I have a moment of sudden revelation of a great recipe idea or should i say... food experiment... my family always seems to order out "Just in case"?

Well yesterday our fridge was on the verge of empty and seeing that my mom had just previously cooked a great broccoli rabe & kale dish a few days before... I only thought it was necessary to follow that up with some good southern styled cooking...or atleast what my mind believes is southernesque...

the idea that had been dwelling in my mind was some sort of barbecued chicken and fries. However, although I have been yearning for some great fries... I have not at all been in the mood to linger over boiling oil for hours.

(For some reason, whenever I decide to fry... I can never keep it to one food item or group like potatoes or vegetables... my last frying venture ended up being an entire feast of cholesterol consisting of funnel cake, fried pickles, apple fritters/donuts & ... general tso chicken... random... i know.)...hence... when i fry... it takes hours.

So, instead of frying... i figured why not roast the potatoes however, not julienned like fries but sliced like chips.

... And so came my first creation of Olive Oil & Rosemary Potato Slices.

Olive Oil & Rosemary Potato Slices

10 Potatoes, Thinly Sliced (I used Red & Yukon Gold)
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 tbs Salt
1 tbs Dried Rosemary, (add as much or as little as you like)
Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Preheat oven to 400º. While the oven is preheating, put in your greased baking pan/s (I needed to use two) so they can get hot.

Toss potatoes in oil and add the salt, pepper and rosemary.

Spread onto baking sheets with spoon or something in thin layers & bake til slightly brown... then rotate pan, loosen & flip potatoes and continue baking until brown.

Now for the chicken.

As i had been pondering a barbecue chicken... I wanted it to be more of the sloppy joe variety or steak sandwich sort... as in sliced or ground... so upon cooking my tenderloins on the stove, I pulled them apart with two forks, so they became shredded. Then i added a few seasonings & sauces here and there and ...KAAAPOW... i think created one of the best chicken recipes I have ever thought up!

If a chicken wants to be anything in its afterlife... i think it would want to be this.

Tangy & Spicy Shredded Barbecue Chicken

yummy simple granola.

2008-07-15T12:36:00.000-04:00

ok ill admit it. i have a granola addiction. (but its not as bad as my homemade buttery popcorn addiction that fell into once I received my absolutely fabulously WhirleyPop for Christmas one year... talk about one divine creation...) ... anyway. who doesn't love granola? From my maple nut granola concoctions to my almond berry experiments... if there are oats in my cabinet... then there are granola crumbs everywhere!

Yesterday, after making a great batch of cinnamon honey granola with huge chunks of walnuts, pecans and dried cranberries for my aunt, I realized... i cant just make her some and not have any myself... who does that? So i took the remaining ingredients that I could work with... which was basically just a few drops of honey, some oats and a measley handful of cranberries... and whipped up a pretty decent batch of granola...which by now is almost gone... unfortunately... as with most of my own recipes... i dont measure... so giving you guys an exact recipe is pretty impossible... unless its like... muffins or cookies or something... but hey... heres what I put into this one...

honey
sugar
molasses
oil
vanilla extract
salt
& oats

I'm sure ill have tons more granola pictures and experiments to come... and hopefully... ill remember to measure...

... ... well. i tried. ... and so continues my delicious addiction ...

Tomato Salad

2008-07-14T12:26:00.000-04:00

Fabulous tomato salad with fresh onion, garlic, purple basil & olives! Its sooo good on everything... from steak sandwiches, to salads & even omelets!

Want recipe? let me know!

Summery/Autumny/Wintery Peach Pie

2008-07-14T12:21:00.000-04:00

I was absolutely dying to make a fruit dessert the other day && just had to use the organic peaches we had just purchased from the local Farmer's Market! It has the perfect balance of tart and sweet & is great hot or cold!

Summery/Autmny/Wintery Peach Pie

Crust

1 1/3 cups All Purpose Flour ( use 1 1/2 if necessary)
1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter
1.5 tbs Sugar
tsp Salt
4 tsp Cold water (only enough to form dough)

Combine Flour, Sugar and salt. Cut in chilled butter until pea-sized. Then add only enough water to form into a ball of dough. Mold into a buttered pie dish, prick with fork and pre bake crust at 350º for 10 minutes.

Filling

5-6 Peaches or 3-4 sm cans of peaches ( I suggest using atleast 1 can of peaches so you have added liquid to work with)
2 tbs lemon juice (depend on how lemony you like it!)
1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon (to taste)
2 tbs. melted butter
brown sugar or granulated sugar, (sweeten to taste)

(I also enjoy the taste of nutmeg & cloves in my peach pies sometimes, but I didnt add them this time)

Slice peaches into large chunks & combine with remaining ingredients. Make sure you taste them so they taste just how you like! (You can even add walnuts, cranberries, fresh blueberries, pears, etc!)

Pour into pre baked pie crust & cover with the remaining dough! (If you used all canned peaches, you may not need to add all of the liquid)

In order to cover my pie, I didn't roll out my dough, I simply took small pieces of dough and pressed them between my fingers and layered them across the top of the pie. This allowed lots of little holes where the bubbling liquid could seep through! Brush the top crust with additional melted butter or remaining liquid (this time, I used leftover liquid) and bake until bubbly and golden brown!! YUM!

Want recipe? let me know!

the ideal fruit cocktail!

2008-07-11T14:13:00.000-04:00

pasta circles.! (transformed into a wonderful salad.)

2008-07-10T20:22:00.000-04:00

So I found these pasta circles at Trader Joes and HAD to do something with them. Even though it's only pasta, I couldn't exactly wrap my mind its cheerio shape.

My first thought was to string them on a licorice rope just like all the cheerio and fruitloop shaped edibles have once experienced.. or maybe i could cut them all in half so they look atleast a little bit like normal macaroni... no, that would take too long... so instead I insisted on deceiving my mind and telling myself that it is only pasta...
it's only pasta...
it's only pasta...

... no.
it's not only pasta. its circles. im cooking circles.
who cooks circles?
I must be loosing my mind!? My sister is going to call me up and ask what i cooked today...
"I cooked circles ..."

Either way... atleast I cooked my circles with spinach and mushrooms sautéed in garlic infused olive oil and tossed with toasted pine nuts! Ill admit it was a well rounded dish (HA! okay... not funny) but hey, it was Healthy && Delicious!

Want recipe? let me know!

spicy cabbage salad.

2008-07-10T18:48:00.000-04:00

Thinly sliced cabbage sautéed and tossed with toasted Ramen noodles and a variety of oriental-ish ingredients.
Great as a light summer salad or a warm nightime meal!

Want recipe? let me know!

graham cracker toffee bars.

2008-07-10T15:15:00.000-04:00

just plain wonderful. Delicious graham crackers coated with decadent white and dark chocolates and topped with a homemade soy toffee and other yummy ingredients. mmmmmmm!!!

pignolia spinach chicken rolls.

2008-07-10T14:07:00.000-04:00

delicious, juicy and savory chicken rolls. Stuffed with a pignolia (pine nut) spinach mixture and drenched in a buttery lemon marinade. so good.

can we say. COOKIE BRITTLE!

2008-07-09T18:22:00.001-04:00

wannabe caramel apple pie.

2008-07-08T16:37:00.002-04:00

first attempt at a caramel apple pie.
Note to self... dont put on the caramel until AFTER its baked...duh.