Egg and avocado bake with Israeli couscous

This is super easy and so tasty!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
1. Halve an avocado and place onto a cookie sheet. Take out the pit. You can leave the fruit the way it is or get creative. I scooped it out and mixed it with chopped red onion and salt/pepper to taste and put the mix back in the skin.
2. Spoon out enough that an egg will fit in there.
3. Crack an egg into the avocado halves and place in oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and shred cheese on top of avocados. 
5. Throw some Sriracha on those suckas!
6. Put cookie sheet back into oven for another 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Put a small scoop of plain yogurt on top
Done!

This was interpreted from Foodandwine.com that was featuring recipes from chobani.com. I used a locally made plain yogurt.

Couscous!
Brown 1 cup couscous with 1 Tbsp. butter in pan, then add 1 cup water and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and keep at a simmer for 8-10 minutes. Once the liquid was absorbed a bit, I added diced green chili and diced fresh tomato. Delicious! 

Tortellini with snap peas and mint pesto

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  This recipe is so good! I feel like mint, basil and cilantro are often under used but are easy to over use. I prefer to buy organic herbs and produce and local when possible. I had never made pesto before I made this recipe and man oh man, did this get me motivated to make it. Make sure you use fresh ingredients. The fragrant, leafy herbs make this a recipe to remember. This recipe is also from cooking light. I love this magazine. They have great recipes and, though it sounds like it would be for diet wimps, the recipes are actually hearty, fresh and delicious. 

  Tortellini with Snap peas and pesto

• 1  (9-ounce) package refrigerated three-cheese tortellini (such as Buitoni)
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved diagonally (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. 1. Cook tortellini according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add snap peas to pan during last 3 minutes of cooking; cook 3 minutes. Drain.
2. 2. Place mint and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a mini food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl once. Combine oil and juice in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. With processor on, slowly pour oil mixture through food chute; process until well blended. Combine tortellini mixture and mint mixture; toss gently to coat.

Lemon pound cake with mint, berries and cream.

 

One of my favorite things about summer is strawberries.  This recipe is wonderful. I would recommend omiting the mint from the cream mixture, though, to add contrast to the flavor of the cake. Very rich and very tasty. Start drooling! Southern Living, y'all. August 1999.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves
• 3/4 cup butter, softened $
• 3 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 3 large eggs $
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind $
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice $
• 1 (12-ounce) jar lemon curd
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced $
• Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Preparation

1. Process sugar and mint leaves in a food processor until blended.
2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy; gradually add 1 1/2 tablespoons mint mixture and 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add flour alternately with 1/2 cup whipping cream, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon rind and lemon juice. Pour batter into an 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch greased and floured loafpan.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool on wire rack.
4. Beat remaining 2 cups whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon mint mixture at medium speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold in lemon curd.
5. Stir together remaining mint mixture, remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and strawberries.
6. Serve pound cake with lemon cream and strawberries. Garnish, if desired.

Chicken Tostadas, guys!

My first featured recipe is Chicken Tostadas. I found this recipe in Cooking Light, August 2012. I threw in some jalepeno poppers. The dipping sauce for the poppers is 4 Tbs. sour cream and 1 tsp. Sriracha. Some of the things I feature on this page will be semi-homemade. So, the poppers I didn't make myself. BUT! some of the foods that I feature on this page, I will be attempting from scratch at a later time. I'm keeping track, don't worry. I love a good challenge. Here is the Tostada recipe. I encourage fresh ingredients because that's the only way to get the most delicious result. Here is the link, as well! 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-tostadas-50400000122502/

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup prechopped tomato 
• 1/2 cup prechopped white onion 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
• 4 (6-inch) flour tortillas 
• 2 cups shredded green leaf lettuce 
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco

Preparation

1. 1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add tomato, onion, cilantro, and avocado; toss gently to coat.
2. 2. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 3/4 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1 tortilla to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining 2 1/4 teaspoons oil and tortillas.
3. 3. Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates. Layer each tortilla with 1/2 cup lettuce, about 1/2 cup beans, 1/2 cup chicken, 1/4 cup avocado salsa, and 1 tablespoon cheese.

Salsa starter

Cuteness

Make sure your drink station is ready to go!

Salsa! "Because people like to say Salsa!"

Delicious closeup!

Finished product. So tasty!

 Hello!

I am a food enthusiast. I also love cider and wine. I love a nice luscious breeze. I love food, family, nature, life and animals. Most of all, I love cooking and clothes. Cooking makes me feel whole. I feel comfort and confidence when I am in a kitchen. That's because of my Mom. Clothes make me feel excited and creative. This is what my blog is about. These are the things I love. I hope you enjoy.