Strikes my fancy

As soon as I saw this recipe , I knew it would be a hit at our house! Ingredients:  - 2 Tbls toasted sesame oil  - 2 halves, skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced  - 2 Tbls finely chopped fresh ginger  - 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped  - 3/4 pound snow peas, trimmed  - 3 Tbl reduced -sodium soy sauce  - Juice of 1 orange  - 4 cups chopped mustard greens  - 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted I skipped the ginger and sesame seeds - didn't have them on hand.  I also subbed pineapple juice for the oj due to an allergy. In an extra-large skillet heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high; add chicken in a single layer. Cook without stirring 2 minutes or until browned. Cook and stir 2 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining sesame oil to skillet; heat over medium-high. Add ginger and garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add peas; cook an...

One of the funniest thing about the listing for our home was that it said something about the backyard being ready for a cocktail party.  I don't know what you envision when you think of a cocktail party, but I can tell you that no lady in heels wanted to be in our backyard...or our back deck.  I loved the size of our deck the first time I saw it...and hated the red - probably because of the brick. I'll be honest - moving in with an almost 1 year old and so many "immediate" redo needs....we didn't take care of our deck.  We aren't convinced it was built to too high of a quality standard either, but we didn't love the wood like we should have.  So fast forward to this year and it was something I both wanted and needed to work on.  We replaced a few boards and needed to stain all of them.  I should say that our long term goal for this space is to make it screened in.  The mosquitoes around here are no joke!  We love our creek and our "it rained...

For some reason, all of my pictures seem to have disappeared, but check out this site for the original recipe and her pictures! Ingredients 1/2   red onion , chopped 1   red bell pepper , chopped 2 15.5 oz cans of chickpeas ( rinsed and drained) 1/4   cup tamari or   soy sauce 2   tablespoons   balsamic vinegar   (the more syrupy, the better) 2   tablespoons maple syrup 1/2   teaspoon   garlic powder   (or 2 minced garlic cloves) 1/2   teaspoon   ground ginger   (or 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger) 1   teaspoon   red pepper flakes 1   teaspoon  toasted sesame oil 3   green onions , chopped  sesame seeds , for garnish  Cooked white rice , for serving  I skipped the onions, sesame seeds & red pepper flakes - didn't have them on hand.  You could also use 3 cups of cooked chickpeas, but for the me the cans are easier. Instructions Ad...

So yummy I forgot to take a photo! adapted from Woman's Day Mag Ingredients: 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed 1 Tbl finely chopped chipotles in adobo  1/4 small pineapple, cored and cut into thin 1/2" pieces 2 small red peppers, sliced 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 8 small corn tortillas, warmed fresh cilantro & sour cream, for serving I skipped the chipotles & onion, used canned pineapple & flour tortillas. Instructions: Heat oven to 425 degrees F or an outdoor grill to medium-high. Tear off four 12" squares of foil and arrange on two baking sheets. Toss together the beans and chipotles, then divide among the pieces of foil. Top with the pineapple, peppers and onion. Cover with another piece of foil and fold each edge up and over three times. Roast or grill (covered) for 15 minutes Transfer each packet to a plate. Using scissors or a knife, cut an “X” in the center and fold back the triangles. Spoon the mixture into tor...

I found this recipe in Oprah magazine, but this link is to the original. Ingredients: 3 cups cauliflower florets, approximately 2-inch pieces 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15-ounce can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained) 1/2 cup tightly packed frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid 3/4 cup finely chopped red peppers 4 scallions, white and light green parts, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon turmeric Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup dressing or sauce of your choice (tahini**, salsa, spiced yogurt, etc.) We didn't have red peppers or scallions, but used shredded carrots instead. Instructions:  Place the cauliflower in a steamer basket and cook over medium-high heat until just tender, 8 to 10 minu...

adapted from BH&G Ingredients: 2 15.5oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1# carrots, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick 2 cups cauliflower florets 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1 cup vegetable broth 1/2 cup orange juice (I substituted pineapple juice due to allergies Instructions: In a 12" skillet heat 2 Tbls olive oil over medium-high.  Add chickpeas; cook 4 minutes or until lightly brown, stirring occasionally.  Remove chickpeas from skillet; set aside. Add 1 Tbl olive oil to skillet.  Add carrots, cauliflower, paprika, cumin and 1/2 tsp salt.  Cook 5 minutes or until carrots and cauliflower are just tender, stirring occasionally.  Add broth and juice.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Boil gently, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Stir in chickpeas; heat through.  If desired, sprinkle with mint (I did not) This dish was better received than I thought it would be.  We all loved it!  One pan...

adopted from Food Network Magazine Ingredients: 4 boneless pork chops (1" thick) Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup BBQ sauce 1/2 cup hot pepper jelly  2 cups frozen lima beans, thawed 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed 1 15.5oz hominy, drained & rinsed 2 scallions, sliced (white & green parts separated) 1 tsp fresh thyme 4 Tbls unsalted butter, melted  I omitted the hot pepper jelly (at least 2 of us would have paused before eating that!) and somehow I missed adding hominy to my grocery list, so we added edamame (which is a favorite vegetable of my toddler).  Instructions:  Preheat a grill to medium high. Lay out four 12-by-18-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Whisk the barbecue sauce and hot pepper jelly in a small bowl. Remove 1/3 cup of the sauce to a separate bowl and brush all over the pork chops; reserve the remaining sauce. Mix the lima beans, co...