Friday, February 28, 2014

I haven't forgotten you!


Sadly, being a full-time teacher doesn't leave much time for part-time homemaking and blogging.
The amount of work I have to do this weekend is totally absurd for a person who teaches 6-year olds. I really don't understand the public school system sometimes.
Alas, I will blog foodie things again when I get the chance...probably not for about another 2 weeks :(


In other news, we took a week long trip to Belize over the winter break and it was AMAZING. Especially considering how much we like food. When I get the chance I will be attempting to recreate some of the food we ate while we were there!



Hasta luego Blog...see you in a few weeks....


PS, here are 2 pictures from Belize! Go there if you can! It's beautiful and delicious!


sunset

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The Fanciest Tasting Hot Cocoa I've Ever Made

True, you can just buy powdered cocoa/hot chocolate mix, stir with water, and microwave for 60 seconds, and I used to do this all the time, until one day, I tried making my own...

If you are a foodie and/or have taste buds, you will never go back to mix again after trying this recipe.
It's seriously so good. And seriously so easy.



I can't even... so delish. 


This recipe serves 2, and took me about 10 minutes total.

Ingredients:
*2 "mug-fuls" of your favorite milk  - measuring with the mugs you'll be drinking out of, ensures you'll make just the right amount :)
*1/4 cup sugar 
*4-5 heaping teaspoons of cocoa powder (more or less to taste)
*1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips(optional) 
*1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* a pinch of sea salt
*a PINCH of cayenne pepper - seriously, do NOT put too much, or else...

Directions:
Pour the milk into a small pot on the stove. Heat but don't boil. Stir in the remaining ingredients with a wire whisk. Pour into mugs once it is fully mixed and comes to the desired temperature (about 5 minutes). Enjoy!


:)

Monday, February 3, 2014

Balsamic Veggie Wraps

With (optional) chicken and rice! 

Sometimes, the simplest meals can be the most satisfying. This weekend, I had a craving for a grilled veggie wrap, mostly because I'm longing for summer hardcore. There was another snowstorm here today (which I had to drive to work in) and I was beyond angry about it. For me, cooking and baking have become more and more of a de-stresser. I like that I'm able to do something I like, while also feeding my family (aka my lovely boyfriend), and of course it's nice that he's always so appreciative (even when I mess up..oops!).

Ready to wrap! 


Finished veggie/chicken mixture
ANYHOO! Here's the recipe! It's perfect for a quick weeknight meal or even a weekend lunch. Enjoy! :)
Ingredients:
*Note* - This will cook faster if you use frozen veggies (ironically enough), but fresh are of course good too. And you can use basically any mix, these are just the veggies that I had on hand. And the measurements are approximate, depending on how many people you are cooking for (and how big their appetites are....). I also "eye-ball" measurements a lot when cooking, so use your own judgement for this.
~1/2 cup bell peppers, thin sliced
~1/2 cup thin cut carrots sticks (see photos)
~ 1/4 cup leeks, sliced
~1/4 chopped spinach
~ 4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
lettuce (for garnish)
~1 tomato (for garnish)
~1 tablespoon olive oil
~ 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
a few shakes of salt, pepper, and garlic powder
1 chicken breast (if you want - still really good without it!), cut into thin strips
brown (or any other kind) rice, to eat on the side
tortillas


Directions:
1. First I start making the rice, since it takes the longest to cook. I made brown rice on the stove top.
2. I cut up any veggies that need to be cut (some were frozen and pre-cut), into small, longish pieces.
3. I cut up the chicken into small, longish slices. Then I cooked the chicken in olive oil, a large skillet on the stove.
4. When the chicken is cooked, I take it out ( or move to the sides of the pan), add a little more oil, and cook the veggies. Add the salt, pepper and garlic now too. It took about 15 minutes total.
5. I add the chicken back and the balsamic vinegar when the veggies are almost done. Cook until the veggies are as crisp or not-so-crisp, as you'd like them.
6. Scoop mixture onto a tortilla. Add tomato and lettuce if you want. Attempt to wrap it up. (This part never works out for me). Serve rice on the side.
7. EAT! :)





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All wrapped up with a side of rice! 
~Mallory~