Bruschetta Chicken Pasta- my knock off

All I have to say is... yum. We ate this meal twice in one weekend it was so good! And it is so simple that it can be made with kids running around you (that is how I usually have to prepare our meals)!

I made this one up based on a dish I love from TGI Fridays (classy I know), and I did not compare them side-by-side, but rather wanted to have the same flavors as the meal I love!

Ingredients:
(serves 2)
1/2 a box of angel hair pasta (trust me angel hair is MUCH better for this than spaghetti)
1 box of cherry/grape tomatoes
a LOT of fresh basil
chicken (1 large breast)
balsamic vinegar
fresh or minced garlic
olive oil
salt

1. Chop all of your tomatoes in half, place them in an oiled baking dish/sheet and set the oven to 400 degrees.  drizzle a little more olive oil (or spray with olive oil) and sprinkle some salt. Add the minced or whole garlic pieces (if you want to chop them later) and place in the oven for 50 minutes. Check to make sure they aren't burned at around 40. The tops can have a little charring, but not too much!

2. Pour a nice amount of balsamic into a pan with a little olive oil. Rub the chicken around (I chopped my chicken into smaller pieces to speed the cooking time up) on both sides so it is nice and coated. Sprinkle with a little salt and cook until done.

3. Meanwhile, boil your water and cook your pasta (and drain).

4. pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups of balsamic vinegar into a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn it down to med-high and watch it often, so it doesn't burn. It is done when it has reduced by 1/2 to 3/4. You can add brown sugar to this if you want, but we didn't.

3. chop up your basil (lots, as if you were adding spinach to a pasta dish)

4. When the tomatoes/garlic are done, mix them with the balsamic reduction.

Pour a little olive oil or butter into your pasta, add the chopped basil, chicken (cut into pieces), and tomatoes/vinegar combo and mix it all up (add salt to taste)! If you haven't had roasted tomatoes before or a balsamic reduction, you are in for a treat!

now go print this and stick it on your own 30, 60, or 90-day dinner plan!

I am organizing my life: The 90-day meal plan

A few days ago I was surfing pinterest when I saw something about organizing your whole life. I immediately clicked on it because I really would like to have my whole life organized!! My mom even came over last week and helped me get rid of all the excess toys we had so that I could keep all THAT organized (and I am happy to say my house hasn't been a mess since)!

Okay, I tend to go into too much detail.  One of the ideas on that site, was to create a 90-day dinner meal plan that you can circulate through over and over. I thought that was genius and would really solve my weekly "what the heck am I going to make this week...." conundrum. And so I spent the next 2 days making one. And since lots of people on facebook and Instagram have asked me how I did it, here it is!

 1. I went through all my "EVERYDAY FOOD" magazines and tore out only the recipes I thought I'd actually make.
2. I went through my file folder of torn out recipes, recipes from friends, etc and eliminated all the ones I never got around to making or again-- thought I probably wouldn't make.
3. I went onto my pinterest and printed out all the recipes I'd tried (and liked) or REALLY wanted to try for dinner.
4. I made copies of all the recipes in my cookbooks that I liked and then put them (the books) in a pile to be donated!!!! (except for the few that had so many recipes I liked that I am actually keeping them.)
4. I compiled them into sheet protectors and put them in a notebook. All in one place.

 5. I printed out 3 blank calendars (and saved the file for future use) and began to fill in the days with the recipes I had in my notebook, my personal cookbook, and the 3 other cookbooks I kept.

 

Above: the four cookbooks I saved (besides my notebook)

Above: an example of one of my months. I didn't say it was pretty! I purposely left Friday and Saturday off because I usually have leftovers from one or two nights during the week, and I hate cooking on the weekends. Sundays we eat with my parents and that is a joint effort so I never know what I need to bring.

HOW I ORGANIZED MY CALENDAR OF MEALS:
1. I tried to make mondays really quick-prep or crockpot meals because that is the day I grocery shop and that is exhausting enough.

2. I wrote the ingredients that I might need to get at the grocery store that week (there are more ingredients than what I listed, but the rest were all staples I usually have on hand) at the bottom of each day. This will make my grocery-list making SO MUCH EASIER!!!

3.I haven't done this to the whole calendar yet, but if there are repeating ingredients that are pricey (such as fresh herbs or specialty meats) I make a note to freeze the rest for a future meal. Even better would be to have similar -ingredient recipes close enough together that you don't have to freeze the ingredients.  I am learning. (Also, I don't love eating the same foods or flavors day after day so we'll see about that.)

4. I am pregnant so I only listed meals that sounded good to me right now.... previously we had been eating mostly meatless and SUPER DUPER healthy (sprouts, low grain, dairy-free, etc) but seriously, when I think about that food I feel like hurling now. Hence the meals I have chosen are not un-healthy, just not AS healthy as I know I could be/possibly should be eating. But dang they are yummy (and contain only whole foods--except for one)!

Here is the calendar I used (I just printed it in B&W) and I didn't fill in any dates, because I plan on repeating the 3 month rotation multiple times!

And though these calendars won't work for you since you don't have my recipe books, people have asked to see them, so you can take a look and maybe get some ideas! Some of the recipes are right here on my site (see the right side of my blog).

month one

month two

month three 

(this one has lots of blanks because it is for the "fall/winter (which we don't have in Florida)" and I want to fill it in with pinterest recipes I come across in the meantime)

Phew! I hope this inspires you and is helpful because I can already see it working in my life! (For instance, today they had beef and chicken broth on sale as well as angel hair pasta, 2 things I noticed repeating a lot on my calendars. So I stocked up!)

you can make it? homemade yogurt (in a crockpot!)

The yogurt. Yummy, creamy, honey-almond yogurt.

 The players:

Making yogurt is sooooo simple I never knew. I once read a post about someone making yogurt and I remember thinking, "why would I make my own yogurt when it is so cheap? and especially when it requires yogurt to make it!"

Well I am eating my words (and they are yummy!). First of all, you only have to buy the yogurt to make your yogurt the first time (and again after making it maybe 5 or 6 times). Second, it is ALOT cheaper. Now that I have a child who loves yogurt, and I have tried homemade yogurt and am now a fan of yogurt, I can see how 4 for $5 isn't really that cheap. Or those Stoneyfield farms yogurts that are so good but Olivia wants to eat the 4 pack in one sitting. PLUS they are FULL of sugar (except for plain yogurt or horribly artificially-sweetened yogurt).

Here is my own recipe for Honey-Almond yogurt (but you can flavor it however you choose):

(basic instructions on how to make yogurt I found here)

Ingredients:
 1 qt milk of your choice (I used non-homogenized, cream-on-top, local whole milk---you need the fat to absorb the nutrients in milk)

PLAIN YOGURT (1/2 cup)(cannot use anything flavored or sugared--it conflicts with the probiotics as they grow or something)

almond extract (or other flavoring if desired) (TO TASTE)

raw honey (with bee pollen which is SO good for you!) or other natural sweetener (TO TASTE)
............................................................
1. Pour your entire quart of milk into a crockpot and warm it on LOW for 2 1/2 hrs. Don't stir.
2. TURN IT OFF for 3 hours
3. pour in your 1/2 cup of yogurt and stir. Recover the crockpot, place a thick towel over top of the whole thing and leave it for 8-12 hours. (I usually do this over night.) DON'T TURN IT ON

4. wake up to fresh, homemade yogurt! I usually pour it into canning jars and flavor one (with the honey and almond extract), leaving the rest plain.  Put in the fridge so it stops the live cultures from doing their thing (making it more sour too)

5. set aside 1/2 cup of yogurt and freeze or refrigerate it to use as the starter yogurt for the next batch!

PS. If you want thick, greek yogurt, just strain the yogurt through a thin kitchen towel or cheesecloth sitting in a mesh strainer over a bowl (or hanging by a string over a bowl).

This week/end

Here is what I have been up to (besides our spontaneous trip to Disney with the kids yesterday). I have started sprouting buckwheat groats and wheat berries! I love reading about healthy eating and from what I've read, sprouting is a great way to bring live foods that are rich in in vitamins and minerals into your diet! Today I through some of the sprouted buckwheat into my morning smoothie (which also had flax seed, almond butter, almond milk, banana and a touch of raw honey in it---the honey was very unneccessary turns out). Right now I have the rest of it, along with some "reactivated" raw nuts and seeds in my dehydrator (that my husband surprised me with for valentine's day!!!) in an effort to make some raw granola. Can't wait to try it!


And my fingers are working around the clock (okay during naps and nighttime) to get  ready for my next fab sale!!! Its gonna be full of new stuff---or stuff never seen online at least--as well as some popular styles!

I heart fresh basil and goat cheese

 The recipe that began my love affair with goat cheese and fresh basil..... (still my all time favorite appetizer).
And here are some new favorites for breakfast and dinner!

  I am not actually a huge egg fan, but I have been trying to cut down on my carbs and up my protein for the same reason everyone else does it...... to lose weight. One day I was trying to make those eggs seem appealing and so I tried throwing in some of my favorite ingredients... and suprised myself with something I really loved!

Goat cheese omlette:
virgin coconut oil (for coating the pan)
eggs
tomatoes
goat cheese
onions
fresh basil leaves
s&p to taste

Coat the pan, throw in the eggs, and everything else (wait a few minutes before you put in the goat cheese). flip it when its ready. YUMMMMMMMMY.

Sorry I am posting a photo of raw chicken on here but I forgot to take the "after" photo!!!
Goat cheese stuffed chicken with red peppers:
goat cheese
red bell pepper sliced (1/2-1 whole one per person)
fresh basil
chicken breasts
balsamic vinegar
1. pound out the chicken breasts until they are thin.
2. spread a GOOD amount of goat cheese inside and top with fresh basil leaves (you can't have too much of either. its impossible.
3. fold them over, stick them in your baking dish and pour balsamic all over them.
4. cut up the red peppers and put them all over and around the chicken.
5. bake for 1 hour (or less depending on the thickness of your chicken---you need to check it) at 350.

now go buy some goat cheese and a basil plant and make these! enjoy.

Citrus-Herb Season Salt (makes a good gift!!)

wait. The holidays are over so why am I giving you gift ideas? well the good 'ol FAB.com sale took over my entire month of December so I am behind on all the things I wanted to blog about! Here is the small gift I made to give to friends during the Christmas season. <----- I am sure I could've made some sort of clever pun to go along with it but that's not really my style.

I liked this gift because A. I was able to make a big batch at once and then  I was done (and I had VERY little time to do things like this b/c of the Fab sale). B. It encouraged healthy eating and though I am a huge chocolate lover, sometimes I am greatful when I am not given a bunch more that I will likely consume before the day is over! I figure there must be others that feel the same... C. it is delicious and tastes good on meats, beans, hummus, etc!

I got the jars at the dollar store and I made the labels using photoshop!

CITRUS-HERB SEASON SALT
(adapted from Martha Stewart)
 combine:
1/4 C coarse salt (I used kosher)
2 T finely grated lemon zest (I used organic lemons cause ick on the shaving pesticide into the mix!)
4 t dried rosemary
3 t dried thyme
3 t dried oregano
1/2 t each of: sugar, paprika, and red pepper flakes
1 T tangerine zest  ** (I added this at the end, its my own addition to the recipe and it seriously upped the ante. It smelled delicious!)

I quadrupled the recipe, got cheaper herbs in the plastic bags, and made this an economical gift! But really, if its not the gifting season just make it for yourself. yum. I can see this being a good teacher gift? (Along with something else.) And if you grow your own herbs you could dry them yourself and put them in... yum! The possibilities are endless.

Trail Mix for the sugar craves (sugarless)

I went off sugar (processed, honey, etc but not fruit) 3 days ago in an attempt to ease my addiction to it, as well as shed some baby weight. I did this once before (a couple months before I got pregnant with Olivia) and lost about 13 lbs in 2 months without changing a thing else (meaning I still hadn't been exercising, I was eating as much as I wanted to, and I enjoyed fun things like fries and chips occasionally).

This time I am exercising like 5-6 days a week, so hopefully I'll see a change?? I've been exercising like that for 1.5 months and I have lost exactly ONE POUND. Yes, even going off dairy and eating mostly whole/healthy foods. Nice. I hate when people say breastfeeding makes you lose weight. NOT FOR ME!!!!! I digress.

I went off sugar, but I wanted to have something to stick in my mouth in the afternoon when my blood sugar gets low and I am apt to stuff it with cake, cookies, chocolate...whatever I can find. So I made this trail mix out of things from the bulk bins at Whole Foods and my nut stash from Costco. It is D E L I C I O U S. So I wanted to share:

Ingredients:
Raw pumpkin seeds (WF bulk)---these are packed with minerals and vitamins
Sunflower seeds (hulled, WF bulk)--- again, super nutritious
raw almonds (costco--so cheap)---nutrition facts
cashews (WF-prepackaged is cheaper than bulk)---nutrition facts
walnuts (Costco)--never knew how good these were for you!!
peanuts (with skins)--- nutrition facts
raisins and currants (unsulphered--WF bulk)---nutrition facts
Goji Berries (WF bulk)---nutrition facts
**SUNSPIRE grain-sweetened chocolate chips!!! (WF-baking aisle) they are sweetened with grains, no sugar! woohoo! I didn't put a ton in there, but it does really make this trail mix seem decadent. This was the only ingredient that I felt was pricey, but $5 for chocolate chips seems worth it when you are off sugar!


I don't really know how much of each of these I put in... I just made it by throwing the ingredients into a tupperware container and make sure it was a ratio of dried fruit:nuts/seeds that I liked. This mix is so nutritious, so delicious, and satiates that mid-afternoon (or late night) sugar craving. go make it.

Let's Talk Food

It all started here. On January 29, 2010 I bought myself a Blendtec Blender and opened my world to the idea of drinking spinach. I was an avid green smoothie drinker for a long time (okay like 10 months) until.... I got pregnant. I couldn't even stomach the idea of drinking spinach even though I knew you couldn't taste it! Sad. Then my friend Lesley decided to change the way SHE ate, and taught everyone hew new ways on her blog. This made me really want to revamp the way I ate again (I was raised on the healthiest of foods growing up thanks to my mom, but I had veered off the straight and narrow:). But it was hard being on such a tight budget and having a slightly resistant husband (though I must say he is open-minded to most of it). So I decided to put it off again.

Then I had this little cutie pie (8 1/2 wks ago!) and she didn't seem to like the dairy (non-stop farting among other things!!!). So I went off of it (mother of the year right here<-----). All of the sudden everything I wanted had cheese or cream in it! yikes. So I did some research which turned into my new addiction---researching healthy vegan (vegan because their recipes are dairy-free) cheeses, desserts, ice-creams, etc.

And now I am in the process of totally re-doing the way I feed my family, because the more you read the harder it is to keep on eating the same way you always have.  For instance, the "Vegetables" side of my grocery list is now jam-packed. The rest of it is pretty bare and mostly just has whole foods like nuts, dates, raw honey, agave, chia seeds, spelt flour, etc.  I can't even believe it when I look at my list!

My new goal is to eat around 50-60% raw foods per day, and the rest all whole foods. I am definitely not going to be crazy about it all though. I think it is good to have moderation and to not cut yourself off from others because of your diet, when it can be helped. We are only going to eat humanely-raised meat/animals, and only 1-2 times per week (which really helps with our budget!). Anyway, sorry if I am rambling about health food on an art/craft/design blog....but:

Here are a few of my new favorite tried and loved recipes from my new favorite websites!

 flourless choc. chip cookies (gluten and dairy free naturally!)

 choc. chip cookie dough babies (like lara bars)

Deep dish cookie pie 

All from chocolate-covered katie (she has tons of super easy, yummy healthy desserts. This is where I started and I have loved every single thing I've made from her website.)

vegan mac and cheese. YUM!!!!

I think this is one of my favorites to peruse and read. Kind of a cheesy name ("Oh She Glows") but greaaat recipes. These pb crunch balls taste like butterfingers. But they are healthy and vegan!

and carrot cake oatmeal!

Carrot cake smoothie (alternative to greens---carrots!) from RAWxy.

Gorgeous blog and delicious recipes. Vegan Tacos (the "meat" is made of walnuts ground up with other things). She is good at explaining all the nutrition behind different foods, esp superfoods. Its very educational and makes you WANT to eat all these healthy things! "My New Roots"--she also writes a recipe on mondays for Martha Stewart (Whole Living I think?) but I've never looked at it.

And lastly, Roost. (Cashew Brioche). This is maybe the most gorgeous of all the food blogs. It isn't vegan, but it is based off of some crazy (SCD) diet she and her husband have been following to get rid of the symptoms of Crohn's disease. He is now off medications he has been on for 10 yrs. Anyway, its gluten free, mostly grain free, mostly (not all) dairy free, etc. They use nuts to make up their flours, and let me tell you the desserts on this site look spectacular. I can't wait to make one of them!

And are you wondering how I've felt about not eating any cheese, milk, or my beloved Blue Bell Ice Cream (which I had been eating at least 2x a day since the middle of my pregnancy)??? I feel GREAT! I haven't been sneezing or getting any sinus infections like all the rest of my allergy-plagued friends (I normally get them too). I don't feel bloated or in any pain after I eat (I think I have always had a little issue with dairy, but I didn't really care b/c I wanted to eat it). And I don't even MISS IT!!!!  There are so many fantastic alternatives and I am having fun learning how to make "dairy" out of things like nuts.

Okay hope I haven't bored you all to death. But seriously, even if you aren't interested in changing your diet, try some of these recipes out. They are good! And if you want more ideas for healthy recipes, follow my food board on pinterest!

Oh and do any of you have healthy suggestions or links to recipes you love? Leave a comment!

I'm Back! and I'm Hungry!

 How to make your own microwave popcorn!!!! Can't wait to try this!

 looks delicious. You could eat them alone, pair them with pasta or french bread, or rice...

 I made a version of these but I added peanut/almond butter, agave, flax, and dried apricots to mine. they turned out great and I froze the extras for later!

 Goat cheese? yum. tomatoes? yum. eggs? well my husband loves them, and I am sure paired with the other two (and stuck in a pita or on toast) I might like this too!

 I love fresh basil, tomato, and mozzarella, and I loved grilled cheese, so this would be a perfect lunch!

 Ice Cream Bread. TWO INGREDIENTs. TWO! top that with some butter. yum.

 Refreshing and perfect for summer. or winter. or anytime of the year! I love asparagus in pasta.

 Made these last weekend. Brie and raspberry paninis. delish!

my mom made this the other night (yogurt, zucchini, tom, pasta). It was SO GOOD!!!! I am making it tonight and bringing it to a neighbor (just had a baby) as well!

So hey, I know I've been gone for a month, but it's been crazy around here. I looked and looked for a place to live, entertained my toddler, found a place (finally), moved in, unpacked boxes (still doing this), repainted a bunch of furniture (still doing that), and I've been running around trying to get everything done and ready and checked and blah blah before this baby comes. ALL WITHOUT A HUSBAND. Yes I've been solo since the first week of May. Luckily I have family here, but still its alot to try and do THIS pregnant!! (I am 36 wks).

So that's why I haven't blogged. Its just another thing and I couldn't justify spending the time on it. Anyway, I am back, 4 wks. until this baby is supposed to be here (and not a moment sooner-- not ready), so I will try and blog my heart out until she comes! Thanks for staying with me!

yuuum. make these and eat them right now!

  THESE. ARE. SO. GOOD. My friend Shannon made these a few weeks ago and let me try one. I was in heaven! I finally got around to making some myself tonight, but I made a couple substitutions that made them slightly healthier??...ish. And they were still so good!!! Here is the original recipe. To make my healthier version:

--substitute the 1/3 C of oil with 1/3 C of applesauce (eliminating the fat....)

--For the flour, it calls for 1 3/4 cups of flour. I did 1 C of WHOLE WHEAT and 3/4 C of white flour. (more whole grains....)

and keep everything else the same! OH! It says it makes 6 muffins, but I got 9 out of it and they were still huge. You could easily make it into 12 med. sized ones and call it a day.

Do you love grilled cheese? I never really cared much for it growing up, since I hated cheese (I know what WAS I THINKING???) but as a grown up I've developed a love for melted cheese (still won't eat it cold). My dad makes AWESOME grilled cheese sandwiches and I was craving them the other day when I saw this image on pinterest. I have already made it twice. yuuuuummmm.
Here is the original recipe/site.

I never actually looked at the site, just the photo, so I missed the whole apple slices thing, but I bet that would taste good too. Here is how I made it:

Ingredients: bread, avocado, cheese, cooked bacon (I used turkey bacon), salt, butter

1.toast your bread (I had no idea what a difference this could make in your G.C. until my dad did it)
2. butter each slice on one side (not a low fat way to make it, but OHHHH the difference)
3.add slices of cheese, avocado, and bacon, then sprinkle with salt
4. put them in your frying pan or grill until the cheese is melted, making sure you get both sides.

Eat it.

Valentine's Recipe: Pumpkin Cream pasta with Goat cheese and Roasted Tomatoes

Okay, so this isn't really a Valentine's recipe, but it feels delicious and fancy enough to be worthy of a stay-at-home Valentine's dinner! I made the recipe up (parts of it) after eating something similar at a hip, delicious restaurant here in Atlanta called "Two Licks."  (There dish had goat cheese ravioli, which would be delish, but I don't always have time to make stuff like that.)

Here is a step-by-step, and then I will follow with the recipe! (you know, its so blog trendy to show the step-by-step).

 Cut up some cherry tomatoes, spray a pan/dish with oil, and broil them for about 8 minutes.

 Boil your pasta of choice. I did Rigatoni.

 Heat up your olive oil in a large pan/pot (mines a combo) and add the garlic and onion. saute.

 In a separate bowl, pour in your pumpkin, chicken broth, 1/2 of your sage, and the half&half (I used light cream from whole foods, but no big diff.).

Once the onions are soft, add that bowl of ingredients to the pot/pan. Reduce to med/low and simmer for 10 minutes.

It'll look something like this... Stir Frequently and season with S&P

Pour the strained pasta into the sauce (or vice versa depending on the size of your pots), and toss to coat. Pour in 2 T of the cheese and mix well.

Top with remaining sage and parm, as well as some slices/chunks of goat cheese, fresh basil, and the roasted tomatoes. YUUUUUMMMM! We devoured this dish. Enjoy!

Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce, goat cheese, tomato and basil

Pasta of your choice

1 /2 of a Vidalia onion chopped fine

3 medium cloves garlic (or a spoonful of minced)

Dried (or fresh) sage, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup fat free half & half (or low fat heavy cream)

salt & pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

goat cheese (room temp)

cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (1/2-1 carton)

fresh basil leaves (chopped slightly)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sald and pour in the pasta and cook according to package directions.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until they have softened. Stir in the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, half & half, and 1/2 of the sage. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste; keep warm on the lowest setting.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce, then add 2 tablespoons of the cheese and mix well. To serve it: top with remaining sage, parm, slices/chunks of goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves.

yum-oh-yum-oh-yum!

 smitten kitchen

dinner party

This weekend we went over to our friends' house to play Kinect (super fun and a good workout!) and have dinner. I had to bring dessert, and I wanted it to be good. My friend Lisa has a "Dinner Party" blog where she puts together meals for her own diner parties from various recipes she's found-mostly across the web.  And that's where I found this delicious recipe (via Smitten Kitchen). It is the most gourmet dessert I have ever made (I had to brown butter and whip eggs for 10 minutes!) but it wasn't hard at all and it tasted so delicious! You must try it out!

Good Things: phoney macaroni

This is my adorable (albeit messy) daughter Olivia. She is EXTREMELY picky about texture in food. This usually means she won't eat fruit (like RARELY eats fruit) and barely eats veggies unless they are in something (like a soup, a pasta, a sandwich, etc). Well, normally I just make her a daily smoothie of spinach, flax, carrots, and various fruits (she WILL drink her fruits and veggies, she just doesn't like their slimy textures when whole).

but..... I was recently inspired by the sneak chef.  And decided to try something out. And now I am passing it on to you!

Ingredients:
one box of mac and cheese (annies, whole grain, or regular)
one steamed sweet potato (you can also use carrots) OR you can just use a couple jars of baby food

1. make the mac and cheese like normal.
2. steam your sweet potato and/or carrots
3. mash up the veggies, or stick them in a blender
4. mix them up with the mac and cheese, and then add some extra milk!

DONE! olivia ate this stuff up. okay so mac and cheese isn't the healthiest thing on the planet, but on a desperate day when you want your child to eat some veggies and you know they'll eat m&c, then try this!!! yum.

"Good Things" appetizer edition.

About 4 years ago, while I was living in Utah (my husband and I were in school--he in the 5th year of his undergrad and I in a masters in teaching) I went to a classmate's party at her apartment. Someone brought this appetizer that I seriously could NOT stop eating! I think I ate half the tray. Embarrassing? nah.

I asked her for the recipe and it was so easy that I have made them more times than I can possibly remember! And they are SO good that even my 11 year old brother begs me to make them (and he is extremely picky). So now I want to pass it on to you!! Enjoy. You may just want to eat these for dinner all by themselves:)

Ingredients: 
Loaf of French or Italian bread
goat cheese (costco and trader joes have the cheapest)
garlic (minced or powdered depending on how much time you have!)
fresh basil (dried will not cut it)
1-2 red bell peppers depending on size of the pepper and size of the loaf!

1. preheat oven to broil
2. slice entire loaf
3. place each slice on a cookie sheet (you may need 2 sheets or 2 batches) (butter them if you like- I never do b/c I know I am eating about 10 of them))
4. bake until the tops are toasted (about 1. 5 min in my oven!!)
5.take them out and apply the minced garlic ( a little per slice) or sprinkle each piece with powdered garlic if you are short for time.
6. slice and and saute the red peppers in a pan of oil or pam (I use pam since its fat free).
7. spread the goat cheese on each slice, the more the better!
8. wash and tear off basil leaves, then put a few pieces on each slice of bread.
9. put a couple slices of red peppers on each slice and you are done!!

now eat one and tell me if you can stop. I am salivating just thinking about these things.