Tres Leche Cake with fresh strawberries

My oh my When my good friend Renee Taylor has us over and served this cake I thought I has died and gone to heaven. **Sidebar, i have to say Renee is one of the best cooks I have met in a long time...we DROOL like hungry dogs over eachs others food posts!****
Ok back to the cake, so Renee has a simple solution she uses a boxed yellow cake mix
which when you are in a hurry works great for me. On doing some research I found The Pioneer Lady has a Tres Leches Cake recipe, and as you all know I am NOT a baker nor do I pretend to be...so either way is fine for me.
Renee Taylors Tres Leche Cake:
1 Box of yellow cake mix prepared and baked to instruction
let stand and cool. Then take a fork or cake tester and carefully poke holes in your cake all over.
WHY...because the best part is coming: take 1 can of evaporated milk, 1 can of sweetned condensed milk and 1 pint of heavy cream and mix together then POUR all over making sure to get in all cracks, creaves and edges :)
let sit over night and then "frost" with whip cream and top with strawberries.

The Pioneer Ladies Tres Leches Cake recipe is right here:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/tres-leches-cake/

Either way enjoy and ummmmm dont be on a diet the day you make this :)

So here are some HOW TO's

When I began this project Blog...I did not want it to just be about cooking. I have other interests like simple decorating, organizing and fun projects for kiddos...

I saw this picture on another blog and L O V E D it!
I have a friend who sells Uppercase Living and that is where I am getting my letter from. http://debbi.uppercaseliving.net/

Then I am going to use simple twine and some cute door knobs.
This is the picture for my inspiration I will post my finished results as soon as my letters come in.

Guest Blog~From my dear friend Michelle

Hi...my name is Michelle and I am a friend of Sarah's. She's asked me to share my homemade granola recipe with you and I am happy to do it!! You won't believe how easy it is. My family loves granola...but my budget does not. So I rarely ever buy it...much to family's disappointment. Over time, however, I'd read on other people's blogs that they were making their own homemade granola...and I was surprised that it sounded quite easy! So...I decided to give it a try. I searched online recipes...I looked in cookbooks...and then I sort of combined several different recipes and came up with one that we really like. (After a flop or two...that were still actually good and edible...just not "the one".) It's a hit every time...and does not last long at all. (I have doubled the recipe...and it still doesn't last even a week!) My family (which includes two teenage boys, hence the reason it doesn't last long.) likes to eat it with milk like a bowl of cereal while I prefer it sprinkled on blueberry yogurt. Mmm...I might have to make some myself today! Keep in mind that the recipe I came up with can be used as a guideline. You can add whatever nuts you like, don't care for almonds? Add walnuts or sunflower seeds instead. Not a fan of dried cranberries? Add raisins or dried currants...maybe some dried apricots. You can add more honey and omit the brown sugar, you can add less oil and add a splash of apple juice. The possibilities really are endless...you can create a custom recipe specifically for your family's tastes and health needs!


Homemade Granola
• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flax and/or wheat germ (optional)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, flax and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, honey, cinnamon and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add cranberries and mix until evenly distributed.
Once it's completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Pistachio Salad with Cool Whip

In our home this is better called CANDY SALAD.
Such a yummy treat and SO needed on St. Pattys Day!!!

Ingredients:

1 pint Cool Whip

1 can crushed pineapple (16 0z)

2 Cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 small package pistachio pudding (use it dry)


Add the pudding to Cool Whip then add other ingredients.

Lucky Leprechan Lime Punch~by Paula Pomerene

Lucky Leprechaun Lime Punch

1 quart lime sherbet, softened
1/2 cup frozen limeade concentrate
2 tablespoons sugar
2 (12 ounce) cans carbonated lemon-lime beverage, chilled
1 -2 cup crushed ice
...
In a mixing bowl, blend sherbet, limeade and sugar. Stir in soda and ice.
Pour into glasses. Garnish if desired.

I omit the extra sugar but that is just for our tastes.

Guest Blogging~my beautiful cousin Mary

I’m Mary, Ms Sarah’s cousin and I am honored that she has asked me to be a guest blogger for her new site! I am, by no means, as frequently in the kitchen as her, but I like to try my hand at some things for me and my friends. This recipe is a favorite for either a girly Sunday brunch or a dish for a holiday morning. It requires a long period of resting time, so not a last minute dish, but it is sooooo worth the effort! All of my adult friends enjoy this spin on French Toast, and I am sure our shorter counterparts will also enjoy!
Overnight Banana French Toast Regular recipe with my edits in ( )
Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour


1 16-oz loaf French or Challah bread, cubed and divided (I used French Baguette, next time whole wheat!)

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, cut into pieces (I used Fat Free Cream Cheese)

2 Cups sliced banana (about 3 bananas)

6 large eggs (you can use egg beaters too, although I went with the Omega-3 eggs)
4 Cups milk (I used 2%)
½ Cup sugar (I used splenda. You can also use the 50/50 splenda if you want a bit more sugar)
¼ Cup butter melted (I used the smart balance)
¼ Cup Maple Syrup (I used reduced sugar)
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Arrange half of bread cubes in lightly greased 13x9 in pan
(I used butter-flavored spray).
Sprinkle evenly with cream cheese and bananas; top with remaining bread cubes.
Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, butter and maple syrup; pour over mixture in pan, pressing bread cubes to absorb egg mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake, covered, 350 F for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake 30 minutes more or until lightly browned and set. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. You can use a bit more maple syrup around base of piece, but not necessary as it has plenty of moisture and flavor! Serves 10.

Per Serving – Taken from full recipe, not with my light mods.
585 calories, 21g fat, 11g saturated fat, 170mg cholesterol, 830 mg sodium, 490mg potassium, 82g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 19g protein, 0g omega 3.
*8 hour chill and 5 minute stand extra


I’m hoping I shaved at least 100 – 150 calories off the portion using my substitutes. I definitely recommend subbing something unless you’re one of those annoying people who don’t have to care about caloric intake, in which case I hate you.

Guest Bloggers!

I am So excited to announce that this week and next and hopefully after that....we will be having guest bloggers.
I have 2 dear friends who will be blogging there yummy recipes, and my cousin and friend Mary will be blogging her incredible French toast.

Stay tuned we are going to make your mouths water :)

Reorganizeing the kitchen

Alright so I had this fantastic idea in my 5 month of pregnancy  to host a Tupperware party to earn the products I needed to organize my kitchen before the baby got here. The party and the results were a HUGE success....then the products I earned for free came and the reorganizing came.
I am on day 5 YES DAY 5!
This was so NOT as easy as I had hoped....I started going through all the cabinets and realized that the tupperware was NOT going to fit in one cupboard, so I had to now switch cupboards. Oh my oh my....So as I am pulling all the food out of the cupboards I realize we have WAY TO MUCH. I saw Holiday cakes, goodies, pies, treats and other grand ideas go into the garbage as I started looking at the expiration dates and the had expired. I could not even "bless" a food bank. So $$$$$$$$$ sign are now going into the trash! I'm frustrated, I have spilled popcorn kernels on the floor from the bag that was supposed to go into the tupperware!In the midst of this chaos my 2 wonderful sweet loving boys come in and ask "mom whats for dinner,I'm hungry"???

Rocket Lettuce Salad

Ok, so I admit I had NO idea what Rocket lettuce was until I moved to England.
This wonderfully peppered lettuce is really yummy, so this is the salad I made last night to go with dinner.

Take some fresh Rocket Lettuce and rinse and pat dry, add shaved parmesan cheese, and roughly chopped parma ham or (prosciutto), red onion and 1-2 mushrooms. Gently toss together. For the dressing use something light with olive oil and wont over pour this salad.

We have a French Chardonnay mustard dressing here that I used.
ENJOY!!
With spring and summer coming...make it a point to try new salads dont be afraid to add meat or fruit and try a dressing other than Thousand Island or Ranch. (wink wink)



P.S. I will start taking pictures of our food and uploading. Some people are more visual and I need to make sure that is available.

Dining Room Table

Good Afternoon,
This is a beautiful Sunday afternoon. 
I am just curious as a new blogger...What menus have I made that you would enjoy seeing?
I want to start a great "following" If God allows because I think that the dining room table at dinner is slowly dieing in this generation of go go go.  Please do not get me wrong, I think after school activities and church events are important. I just think that we need to make sure ans set a time to sit and talk. Whether it is just you and a loved one or a whole family with children. Take the time to ask "How was your day"? Ask your children, what projects they have, what do they need from us this week?

I encourage you this week to sit and have 1 meal with your family hopefully more but please try to have 1. I also encourage you ladies, and moms to clean off the dining room table, set out those placemats, grab some flowers put them in a vase and set them in the middle and I can almost guarantee your table will call to you and you will respond.

Have a Blessed week!

California Gold Olive Oil

I have to tell you about this FANTASTIC award winning olive oil company.
With permission I am going to let them tell you about their award winning Olive Oil.
Take it away folks:
Welcome to the California Gold Olive Oil Co. We are a small family run operation located in the beautiful foothills of Oakdale, California, where we produce our award winning premium extra virgin olive oil. All of our oils are of the freshest quality, and certified extra virgin by the California Olive Oil Council. (COOC) Our goal is to produce some of the finest gourmet olive oils available. This year we are excited to introduce the first bottling of our Estate Arbequina, and California Arbequina single varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils. The Estate Arbequina olive trees are 3 years old, and were harvested for the first time.The California Arbequina olives were handpicked in Santa Nella, California.

Last year, our first year for our Estate Blend we won three medals; a Silver Medal at the 1st California Olive Oil Council Olive Oil Competition, a Silver Medal from the Yolo County Fair Olive Oil Competition and a Silver Medal from the Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition.

Our Proprietor's Blend won a Gold Medal at the Yolo County Fair Olive Oil Competition and a Bronze Medal from the Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition. We are off to a great start this year with 2 silver medals in the 2nd Annual COOC Competition. This is our second year for the Estate Blend, and the awards keep coming! Our first year California Arbequina also looks like it will be another winner. Stay tuned!

You can go to their website: www.californiagoldoliveoil.com and order a bottle to try.
You can also follow them on facebook.

Seared Mahi Mahi with a parmesan garlic rub

Good Afternoon,
I do not really have an "secrets" here, because even though I LOVE seafood, I am not a expert by any means on the preparation of seafood.
When I prepare my mahi mahi, I sear them in olive oil ( www.californiagoldoliveoil.com) is my FAVORITE! More about them later. I put about 2 tbls. of olive oil in the pan on med heat, I sprinkle each fillet with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, however today we are going to sprinkle with Longabergers Parmesan Garlic rub.
Season both sides of fish.  When oil is hot, add mahi mahi pieces, skin side down. After 3 minutes, turn strips over and cook for another 3 minutes.

SIDE DISH:

I am boiling some penne pasta and then adding olive oil, fresh garlic and fresh parm cheese. Boil your noodles, drain and then add your olive oil, fresh garlic and parmesan cheese mix well and serve on each plate then place your mahi mahi on top of the pasta.
VEGETABLE: Zucchini, mushrooms, and red onions. Cut your zucchini squach into round disks, slice your mushrooms, and red onions. In a skillet add your Olive Oil and place your onions in first for about 2-3 minutes cooking on med heat, add your mushrooms and zucchini and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook to your liking I prefer to have a bit "al dente". You can sprinkle them with fresh Parmesan cheese if you like.
Well thats todays menu folks....If you have questions on preperation let me know, I am sorry I am not an expert in the "lingo" so let me know if i gave you a hmmmm moment.
Thank you again for reading!!