Salsa Secret

I am amazed at what a difference a little bit of fresh cilantro & fresh onion makes when added to a container of store-bought salsa.  Finely chop some fresh cilantro and a sweet onion and stir them right in with your salsa.  For those of you who like fruit in your salsa, you could also try chopping up some fresh peaches [...]

Popcorn Paradise

Kids + summer = hungry all the time. Food prices are up, and so are the appetites of my kids and their friends. How do I cope? Popcorn. It’s quick, easy, and cheap. I’m not referring to the expensive microwave wannabe rubbish that leaves that weird filmy substance in your mouth [...]

Does She or Doesn’t She?

I have a new favorite kitchen trick, but it’s not a food prep tip, it’s a beauty secret! When I’ve been doing lots of cooking, cleaning & gardening, my hands get soooo dry.  I hesitate to slather on lotion during the day, just to have to wash it off 5 minutes later before I touch [...]

Huevo Sandwichero (fresh mexi sandwich)

The Huevo Sandwichero is a glorious lunch delight. Julie wanted me to “handle” the Cinco De Mayo menu this year which included primarily Tacos de carne asada  (grilled beef tacos) and Tacos de pollo (chicken tacos). This is the base for the Huevo Sandwichero.
I’ve tried to recreate the delicious flavors generated from our local Taco Bus. As far [...]

Cookie Log Blog

Next time you make a batch of your favorite cookies, and you have some extra dough that you don’t need to bake right away, try this:  rip off a sheet of waxed paper, about 12 x 12″. scoop out enough cookie dough onto the waxed paper to make approximately 1 sheet of cookies. (a rough [...]

Wedge Salad

 
We had the most refreshing, crisp, simple, delicious salad the other night at our friends’ house. Perhaps some of you have had this before, but it was new for me! Take a head of iceberg lettuce. Cut it in half.  Cut each half into quarters. Place it on your plate curved side down. You want [...]

Breakfast Brilliance: make ahead breakfast sandwich

my sister-in-law rene gave me a great idea for quick, easy, make-ahead, healthy, protein-rich breakfast meal idea to get your kids’ brains working for the morning. what more could a mom ask for?!
1) EGG: warm up a small 8″ omelette skillet over medium-low heat. once warm, add 1 T olive oil. whisk up just 1 egg with a dash of [...]

BCR make-ahead Burritos (don’t forget to roll your “r’s”)

can of beans, rinsed & drained (pinto or black)
shred some cheese, i use cheddar, sometimes w/ pepperjack too (hot!)
rice, already cooked – brown or white work great!
burrito size (large) tortillas
olive oil
 
now make a little assembly line:
 
1)  lay out the tortilla on a piece of tinfoil. once assembled, you are going to use this tinfoil to [...]

Lunch prep tip #457: the sandwich factory

i have two children in elementary school and one little pre-schooler home with me. when i make sandwiches in the morning for my kids’ school lunch boxes, i also make a sandwich for my preschooler and me to share, wrap it up in foil or waxed paper and pop it in the fridge.  when lunchtime rolls around, all i have to [...]