ONE IS NOT ENOUGH - MY FAVORITE ICE CREAM

Yes, yes,yes... this is my favorite ice cream: DRUMSTICK by Nestle! I love it from top to bottom...specially the bottom filled with that creamy chocolate already melting from the warmth of my hand holding the cone and can't wait to get to that part; my mouth is frozen but I don't give up; and...here comes Baby (my best friend and the cheapest alarm sistem female dog) looking at me with this question mark on her face "can I have a tiny piece...pleeeaaasssssssse....."How can I resist this face? So...most of the time Baby ends up eating the bottom of the cone. Next time I will start eating from the bottom; Baby will enjoy any part of the cone, just give it to her!


ENJOY! (the ice cream and my Baby little story)

Have a nice day!

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 hands full of fresh spinach,
1/2 sliced red bell pepper,
1/2 sliced yellow bell pepper,
1/2 sliced red onion,
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
2 tablespoons white vinegar,
2 tablespoons water,
1/2 teaspoon salt;
DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing salad bowl, combine oil,vinegar,water and salt; add onion and bell peppers - mix well; add spinach and gently mix until well coated; turn salad on serving platter or small salad bowls and top with crumbled goat cheese.
Healthy, tasty and refreshing!

ENJOY!

Have a nice day!

PORK AND POTATO STEW WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb.lean pork meat cut in small pieces,
2 cups chopped onion,
3 minced garlic gloves,
6 medium potatoes-peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick,
1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes,
1/3 cup olive oil,
2 bay leaves,
salt,
pepper,
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley;
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil; brown meat; add onion and garlic, salt and pepper; stir; add 1 cup broth (water is fine);cover and simmer for 6,7 minutes on medium heat; add potatoes, tomatoes,bay leaves and 3 cups of broth (water is fine); cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are fully cooked .
Taste for salt; sprinkle fresh chopped parsley and serve !


ENJOY!

Have a nice day!

SOUP DU JOUR - CLAM CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans -6-1/2 oz.each -Chopped Clams-drained-reserving liquid
1 quart water,
5,6 garlic cloves, minced,
3 bay leaves,
1/3 cup butter,
1 celery stalk, diced,
1 onion, diced,
1/3 cup all-purpose flour,
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed,
1 cup heavy cream,
1 cup milk,
freshly ground black pepper,
1 handful parsley, finely chopped,
salt to taste;

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, cook onion, garlic, celery and potatoes until tender. In a mixing bowl combine milk,heavy cream,reserved clam juice and flour; mix until smooth; pour over cooked vegetables and stir; add pepper,salt and bay leaves; cover and simmer for 4,5 minutes; add clams and parsley.
Serve in sour dough bread bowl or soup bowl with garlic bread!

ENJOY!

Have a nice day!

STEAK WITH ROASTED MUSHROOMS, PEPPERS AND SUNNY SIDE UP EGGS

Good morning! Breakfast is ready! What's on the plate?
We have some nice and tender pieces of steak cooked in butter and seasoned with ginger, garlic and soy sauce, mixed with roasted green, red and yellow peppers, onion, mushrooms and carrots and two sunny side up eggs.
What else can you ask for on this beautiful sunny California day? A glass with OG ?...ok, coming up!


ENJOY,
Have a lovely day everyone!

HOLLYWOOD STYLE - ASSORTED FRESH FRUIT SALAD

Well not exactly HOLLYWOOD STYLE because everybody no matter where they live and who they are, can satisfy their cravings for a nice, colorful, exquisite, fresh fruit salad. I just name it like that for my celebrity friends that followed me on TWITTER.

INGREDIENTS:

2 sliced bananas

2 cups blackberries
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups grapes
1 cup walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum
1/2 cup sugar (or less)

Mix and serve !

ENJOY!

Have a nice day!

GRILLED PORK CHOPS,GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES,RICE PILAF AND CARROT SALAD

These pictures speaks for them self's ! A nice and delicious meal that my family enjoyed a lot.

PORK CHOPS ON THE GRILL

You can marinate the meat few hours prior grilling.
Ingredients for 6-8 pork chops:
6-8 boneless pork chops,
1/3 cup olive oil,
1/2 spoon thyme,
1/2 teaspoon salt,
1/2 garlic powder,
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper;
Combine all the ingredients making sure the meat is all coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours before grilling. If you are in a hurry (like it's always happening in this house) grill right away. The meat needs to be turned once.
CARROT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
8 shredded carrots,
1/2 cup thin sliced onion,
1/4 cup white vinegar,
1/4 cup water,
1/4 cup olive oil,
1/2 teaspoon salt;
snip fresh parsley;
In a mixing salad bowl combine all the ingredients. Serve into individual small salad bows.

ROASTED GARLIC POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:

6,8 medium red potatoes,
4 minced garlic cloves,
2 tablespoons butter,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
salt,
pepper,
parsley;

Boil whole potatoes for 1o minutes in salty water. Cut each potato in fourths. In a mixing bowl combine potatoes and all the ingredients (minus parsley) Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes on 375 F. Remove on a serving platter and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
RICE PILAF

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rice,
1/2 cup chopped onion,
1/2 cup chopped carrots,
1/2 cup chopped celery,
1/2 teaspoon salt,
1/2 teaspoon pepper,
1 tablespoon butter (or margarine)
2 tablespoons olive oil;
2-1/2 cups chicken broth (or water)

In a skillet heat oil and butter. Add onion, celery and carrots and saute for 2,3 minutes. Add rice and broth. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
Fix your plate with a little bit of everything and ...
ENJOY !
Have a nice day!

BK ANYONE?

No, this is not my creation, not my recipe. This is what my son wanted sooo bad this morning.
He brought home some for me. I was smiling...thinking that no matter how much time I spend in the kitchen trying to be creative on each and every meal I make, he still crave BK or MCD or JITB...oh well, I can not be mad at him at all specially when he tells me : "Mom, your food is the best!" :))))))

TWO DESSERTS ONE PLATE - VANILLA CREAM PEACHES AND CHOCOLATE RUM BON BON

These two darling desserts I imported from other blog of mine "Nina's Culinary Creations".
It's been posted a while ago but I never post the recipes; so, here they are starting with the most simple and delicious one:

VANILLA CREAM PEACHES

INGREDIENTS:
1 can (16 oz.) peaches in light syrup (halves),
1 pk. instant vanilla pudding,
1 cup cool whip topping,
maraschino cherries for garnish;
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare vanilla pudding following directions from the box. Refrigerate until set.
Drain peaches; let set on paper towels cavity down until most of the moisture is gone ; arrange peaches on double foil paper cups (or just on serving plate); pipe vanilla pudding on top of each peach cavity; follow by piping cool whip topping and garnish with maraschino cherries.


CHOCOLATE RUM BON BON

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cookie crumble,
1 cup unsalted butter,
1 cup powder sugar,
1/4 cup cocoa powder + 1/4 additional
1/2 cup milk,
2 tablespoons rum extract (or 1/3 cup brandy - not for children in this case),
1 teaspoon vanilla extract;
DIRECTIONS:
Combine cookie crumble with milk and set aside; using a electric mixer combine butter, sugar, 1/4 cocoa powder, rum (brandy) and vanilla; add moistened cookie crumble. Refrigerate for one hour. Form 1 - 1/2 inch balls and roll them in the remaining 1/4 cocoa powder. You can place each bon bon in candie wrappers, or candy dish. Refrigerate until use!


ENJOY!
Have a nice day!

CHICKEN WITH HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES AND GARLIC SAUCE

A meal that is very easy to make, very tasteful and budget friendly!
All I bought was the rotisserie chicken; for french fries and garlic sauce I had everything I needed.
Recipes for french fries and garlic sauce are following in the next posts.
Have a nice day everyone!