Day 177: Reboost Amuse Bouche

Yield: 1 serving
Time (Start to Finish): 5 min

Ingredients:
¼ cup vanilla yogurt
2 tsp honey
¼ cup mango/orange juice
5-10 blueberries

Directions:
1. Mix the yogurt and honey together
2. Find a clear glass and put the yogurt in the bottom trying not to let it drip down the sides. Half of this treat is the look
3. Add the juice on top making sure not to mix the 2
4. Sprinkle the blueberries on top and serve between courses

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: I love this little treat for a number or reasons. The first is I love the name. an amuse bouche is a little one or two bite serving given between courses or when you first sit down in a restaurant. This is small and quaint, so I love it. It perks you up so quick. I also love this because I just spend 4 days dancing, ice skating, and working New York City to a pulp, and this was a perfect boost to make it the rest of the way. It is light, refreshing, and I really loved it. The mango juice added a lot, and I feel recharged to go root for the Jets!

Day 176: Dessert Goat Cheese

Yield: 1 log
Time (Start to Finish): 5 min

Ingredients:
1 log FRESH goat cheese
1 orange, rinded
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup pecans, chopped super fine

Directions:
1. Buy goat cheese from a farmers market or a very good local vender, this is all about the cheese
2. Add the orange, coconut, and pecans and mix. Then form into log or scoop into a bowl

Rating: 3.5 strawberries
Notes: This would not have been made without my girl Heather! I went into Brooklyn to check out the green market she runs and I got some fresh goat cheese! I got to mix it with yummy things and let me tell you, it is pure heaven! I would serve it with slices of poundcake and fruit, a great thing for a buffet. You can mix anything into this cheese, but these couple of things really add to the flavors. Thanks Heather!!! It was such a fun thing to do! Cooking in New York is hard, mainly because it is a short trip, so I want to fill it with seeing people and doing things. That is why I gave this a lot rating, because I didn’t spend much time on it. It works and is great, but I could have gotten a poundcake or made one with it. Enjoy guys!

Day 175: Blueberry Vodka Soda

Yield: 1 drink
Time (Start to Finish): 5 min

Ingredients:
1 oz vodka
¼ cup sprite
5-10 blueberries
squeeze lime

Directions:
1. In a glass, lightly crush the blueberries in the bottom
2. Add the vodka, soda and lime juice and stir
3. Enjoy before heading out!

Rating: 3.5 strawberries
Notes: I don’t give this a high rating because it was thrown together, but it tastes SO good! I made this real quick with blueberries bought from a street vender, and vodka from the liquor store I used to go to after working at magnolia bakery. Cool huh? It was a pick me up after a nice morning and getting ready for going out and seeing some live music and dancing all night long. The blueberries must have released their power to keep me going all night. You can add ice to this if you like, and I hope it picks you up like it did me.

Day 173: Coffee Granita

Yield: 2 cups
Time (Start to Finish): 4 hours

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh strong brewed coffee
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp sugar
dash kalua

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Directions:
1. Take the coffee and add the vanilla, sugar and kalua (leave out if you are serving to kids! But you shouldn’t serve them coffee anyways..)
2. Put into a shallow bowl and into the freezer
3. Every 45 min, with a fork, go in and scrape to break up the crystals
4. When it is fully frozen and flakey, take out and put in a bowl or cup with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the center

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: I let it freeze a little too hard, so my scraping wasn’t so good, but this tasted delicious. Creamy, sugary, and coffee flavored. Use good coffee for a better taste. My favorite is gorilla from new york! I made this in the upper west side kitchen, and I swear it helped me stay awake for the craziness I got into!

Day 172: Caramelized Banana Oatmeal

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 20 min

Ingredients:
1 banana
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup steal cut oats
1-1 ½ cup water
¼ cup pecan pieces
2 Tbsp flax flour

Directions:
1. In a pot on the stove, cook the oatmeal with the water according to the directions
2. Add the brown sugar (saving a little) pecans and flax
3. Preheat the broiler
4. Take the banana and slice
5. Put on a cookie sheet
6. Sprinkle brown sugar on each banana making sure not to mound it too high
7. Place under the broiler, and KEEPING AN EYE ON IT wait until it bubbles and begins to brown. This will happen fast so do not leave it alone
8. Take them and place them on the oatmeal and dig in!

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: I made this before hopping on a plane to NYC!! It was SO GOOD! The crunchy bananas added a whole new element that I think is fantastic, and the flax is just always good for you. You can add these bananas to anything, dessert, ice cream, whatever. They are killer, so you gotta try it. It gets that sugar need out of your system right away in the morning.

Day 172: Chocolate Toffee Reeses Pieces Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Time (Start to Finish): 45 min

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/8 cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 stick soft butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup reeses pieces
½ cup toffee pieces

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a mixer, mix the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 min
3. Add the vanilla and the egg
4. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and mix on low until it comes together
5. With a spatula, add the toffee and the reeses pieces and mix until combined
6. Spoon mixture onto a lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake about 10 min until cooked though
7. Make SURE to grease the pan!! Toffee gets sticky! And use your sense of smell to tell when they are done, chocolate is hard to notice.

Rating: 3 strawberries
Notes: This only gets this much because of the reeses pieces. These cookies aren’t that good because I mixed up a butter cookie recipe instead of using a chocolate cookie recipe. If you make it, make a chocolate cookie recipe and add the toffee and pieces. They tasted good (the 12 I didn’t burn) and I made them for my ride to the airport. Thanks mac! Nothing better than reeses pieces..i may try to make more things with them. These are thin, and if you want them less flat, sub some of the butter with shortening. Try them out if you want, but there are lots of changes to be made!

Day 171: Orange Pecan Sticky Buns

Yield: 6 buns
Time (Start to Finish): 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry
6 Tbsp room temp butter
¼ cup brown sugar
¼-1/2 cup pecans

1 Tbsp melted butter
I orange, juiced
1 orange fully rinded
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Make sure to defrost the puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight
3. In a bowl, take the 6 Tbsp butter, ¼ cup brown sugar and mix until smooth
4. In a muffin tin, spoon mixture into 6 muffin cups evenly, and then sprinkle the pecans evenly inside as well
5. Tale the puff pastry and spread onto the counter
6. Mix the melted butter with the orange juice and brush over the entire pastry
7. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and orange rind until combined
8. Spread evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1 inch boarder along all sides
9. When done, roll the mixture (tightly but not TOO tight) and then slice the log with a sharp knife into 6 pieces. Feel free to cut the ends off that don’t have any brown sugar goodness
10. Place each slice into the muffin tin so when you look down into it you see the spiral and bake for about 25min
11. Make sure to keep checking it, you don’t want then to burn, and remove them from the pan right when they come out buy taking a lined cookie sheet and flipping them over. BE CAREFUL. The sugar is VERY hot and may burn you.

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: These are incredible!!! They are quick to make, if you want a better thicker bun, try a yeast dough, but this is good in a pinch or for something yummy fast. They are best right out of the oven, and get more crunchy the longer they are out, but pop them in the microwave for a few secs and they soften back up. I won the roomies over big time with these, and even brought one in to share at work..after I ate 3…

Day 170: Breaky Rice

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 20 min

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
bacon bits
¼ cup shredded mozzarella
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp rosemary
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat a skillet to med/med high
2. Mix the egg and the milk
3. Throw into the pan and scramble
4. When the egg is almost done, add the rice, cheese, bacon bits and spices to taste and stir until cheese melts
5. Serve alone or with a big glass of juice

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: I love rice for breaky, and I don’t know if that is because I love I love Lucy and she used to make it for Ricky all the time, or if I actually like it. This is so yummy and filled me up big time!! I have a ton of bacon bits for some reason, so im trying to use this up, and as a warning, I added a lot of salt, but the cheese and bacon are salty, so be careful. A great start to a long day ahead. It sticks with you for sure.

Day 169: Almond Granola

Yield: 2 cups
Time (Start to Finish): 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup honey
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup flour
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a bowl, mix honey and vanilla
3. Add the oats, coconut, almonds and flour and mix until combined
4. On a greased cookie sheet, spread the mixture and bake, stirring every 10 min
5. Bake until golden brown and falling apart and serve!

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: so, I didn’t put the almonds in the mix until after, so the pic is not of them toasted, and I would for sure add them when you bake it. This is really quick and easy, and you can add dries fruit, or other nuts if you like. I always forget how easy and cheap it is to make granola and it is SO worth it if you eat it all the time…it is pricy in the stores! Try this simple recipe out and enjoy it.

Day 168: Strawberry Black Bottom Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Time (Start to Finish): 1 hour

Ingredients:
4 oz strawberry cream cheese
1/8 cup sugar
½ beaten egg
pinch salt

1 1/8 cup flour
¾ cup sugar
1/8 plus 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking soda
pinch salt
½ beaten egg
¾ cup water
1/8 cup veggie oil
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin with papers
2. In a bowl, whisk the cream cheese, sugar, ½ egg and salt until smooth and set aside
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda. Add the sugar and whisk.
4. Add the egg, water, oil and vanilla and mix until combined.
5. Pour chocolate batter into cupcake tins so it is 1/3 of the way filled in each tin
6. Then take the strawberry batter and fill so it is ¼ to the top.
7. Bake for 15-20 min until they are baked through

Rating: 3.5 strawberries
Notes: There are 2 things I would change about this recipe. The first is I would make my own strawberry cream cheese by taking strawberries and regular cream cheese and blending them together. The second is using a different chocolate cake recipe. Maybe even the hershey’s one which I think is the best chocolate cake ever made. But, nonetheless, these are pretty killer and have been eaten up quick. They are moist because of the oil and creamy on top! You can make any flavor cream cheese too, but chocolate and strawberries are by far the best combo. The lightening is off in the pic, but they are a nice pink color which makes them cute too!

Day 167: Hamburger 2.0

Yield: 2 burgers
Time (Start to Finish): 25 min

Ingredients:
½ pound grass fed beef
blue cheese
bacon bits
2 brioche buns
sprinkle cinnamon
butter
pepper

Directions:
1. Spread a very thin layer of butter on a split open brioche roll and toast it
2. Take the meat and mix it with a sprinkle of cinnamon and pepper. Don’t add too much cinnamon, just a pinch to bring out the meat flavor
3. mix the cheese with bacon bits
4. take the meat and split into 2 burgers. You want to take the cheese bacon mixture and but in the center of the burger so the meat is totally covering it. Also make the meat as flat as possible and larger than the bun because it will shrink
5. cook on a grill until it is the done you like, I like it a tad pink
6. serve with condiments of your choice

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: These are so good! I know I use cinnamon a lot, but im telling you, it draws out a lot of the meat flavor. The cheese and bacon combo also add a lot of flavor. I like grass fed beef too because it is much more moist (thanks to a taste test with my mom!) These burgers turned out perfect and the bun, im telling you, seals the deal. I dunked mine in ketchup which is why it isn’t shown in the pic.

Day 166: Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart
Time (Start to Finish): make: 30 min, freeze: 2 hours

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon

2 cups recess peanut butter cups

Directions:
1. Make sure you have an ice cream maker and that it holds a quart and it is ready to make ice cream (I forgot to freeze part of my machine)
2. With a whisk in a bowl, mix the peanut butter with the powdered sugar
3. Add the cream slowly so to not to create lumps
4. Add the milk and whisk
5. Then add the vanilla and cinnamon
6. Put into your ice cream maker and let it go
7. When it is almost done, add the peanut butter cups
8. Pour into a container and freeze and enjoy

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: This is So good! I am going to make so many more ice creams now! You must get an ice cream maker. I am telling you, they are incredible. I love this ice cream so much. I would even go on a limb and say add peanut butter cookie pieces. This is so tasty. I love anything with peanut butter, so you have to try this. It is creamy and perfectly smooth. Sorry this picture isn’t so amazing, but it wasn’t fully frozen when I took it. I had to go to sleep. I hope you like this guys!

Day 165: Wilted Greens

Yield: 1 serving
Time (Start to Finish): 20 min

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed greens
2 gloves garlic
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper
olive oil
nutmeg scrape

Directions:
1. Heat up a skillet on med heat and add the olive oil
2. Chop the garlic and add to the pan and slowly cook until it is soft
3. Add the mixed greens and toss until they begin to wilt
4. Add salt, pepper, cayenne and a scrape or shake of nutmeg to taste
5. When fully wilted, take off the heat and serve

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: These were so tasty, but I made them a little spicy and a little too garlicy…I know, me saying something has too much garlic! They would go great with a steak or mashed potatoes, but I ate them all alone, so they were a little much. You could even add some toasted pine nuts on top. Enjoy you guys!

Day 164: Pasta 'Salad'

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 25 min

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed greens
½ avocado
bacon bits
1 cup cooked pasta

2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp parm cheese
scrape nutmeg
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan
2. Take off the heat and add the cream, salt pepper and nutmeg and add back to the heat
3. Heat until smooth and melted but before it comes to a boil.
4. Add the cooked noodles and bacon bits to taste
5. On a plate, but the mixed greens, and the avocado sliced into pieces.
6. Add the cooked noodles over it, and more parm if you need.

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: Pasta salad, get it? You can also cool it off if you want a cold salad you can do that too, just be careful of the sauce separating. I like the bacon bits because it adds a smokiness, but you can add read bacon too if you like! Anyways, this one isn’t too inspired, but I love alfredo, and this one is so quick.

Day 163: Savory French Toast

Yield: 4 slices toast
Time (Start to Finish): 30 min

Ingredients:
1 slices sourdough bread
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 sprig rosemary
1 Tbsp oregano
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbsp butter
bacon bits

Directions:
1. Preheat a skillet to med high
2. In a bowl whisk the egg and the milk
3. Chop the rosemary and the oregano and throw in the mix
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Butter the pan
6. Dip the bread in the mixture and cook until both sides of the bread are toasted
7. Sprinkle bacon bits on top and serve with butter or syrup

Rating: 4.5
Notes: I would for sure serve this with a dollop of crème fraiche instead of the syrup. These were out of this world. You must try it! Use different spices, but these two were perfect. You can even just use Italian seasoning. I prefer fresh spices, but if you need to you can use dried. I made these again before going to work, but I would eat these any time of day.

Day 162: Avocado Dressing

Yield: 1 salad
Time (Start to Finish): 20 min

Ingredients:
1 avocado
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
lemon, juiced
olive oil

Directions:
1. Take and blend the avocado with the balsamic, salt and pepper, and lemon juice until smooth
2. Drizzle the olive oil in while it is mixing until the dressing is smooth but not too runny
3. Pour over mixed greens, veggies, and bacon bits!

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: This is a really awesome dressing. I would even put this over chunks of avocado. You must try it. There is nothing like a smooth dressing on a salad. I made this for dinner and I was full and happy at the end of it! It just takes a few seconds and is a lot more fun than just balsamic and oil.

Day 161: Peanut Butter Balls

Yield: 12 balls
Time (Start to Finish): 25 min

Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup powdered sugar (maybe a little more)
½ cup chocolate chips
¼ tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients but the chocolate chips in a bowl until it forms a ball. Switch to mixing with your hands when it gets firm
2. If the dough is too firm, add a little more peanut butter. If it is too soft than add more powdered sugar
3. Add the chocolate chips and mix in
4. Form into one inch balls and serve!

Rating: 3.5 strawberries
Notes: These were ok, but I would have rather added a rice cereal or something like that. They were quick and tasty and added something different to a plate of cookies we had going on the counter, but I think there is a lot of room for improvement. You cant mess up chocolate and peanut butter ever, but you can make it taste and look way better. I must admit though, they hit the spot, and I do think you should try them

Day 160: Mac and Apples

Yield: 4 servings
Time (Start to Finish): 45 min

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup dried pasta
water (to boil pasta)
salt and pepper
1 ½ Tbsp butter
1 ½ Tbsp flour
1 ½ cup milk
¾ block medium cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tsp cayenne pepper, ground

1 granny smith apple

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 ½ Tbsp butter

Directions:
1. Boil the pasta in salted water until a little but undercooked. Not soggy, and set aside
2. In a pot, add the butter until it is melted, and then add the flour
3. Whisk the two until it forms a paste, and then add the milk
4. Keep whisking until smooth, and cook on med high until it starts to thicken
5. When it is the thickness you like, like a melted ice cream, add the shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Whisk until smooth, and add salt and pepper to taste. Then the cayenne
7. Preheat oven to 375F
8. Cut up the apple (skin on or off, I have it on) into bite size pieces
9. Add the pasta and apple to the sauce and stir.
10. Pour into a casserole dish
11. Melt the butter and add the bread crumbs to make a crumbly mixture
12. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole and bake until the top browns and the sauce begins to bubble.

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: wow, this is so killer! Thanks to my girl roomies we cleaned this up! It is spicy, sweet with the apple, and creamy good! The crumbly bread crumbs on top make it much more special. You must try this! You can add bacon, another kind of cheese with it, whatever you like. Maggie, if you are reading this, try it!! Mac and cheese just is always perfect. I could make this any day of the week.

Day 159: Eggs and Latticed Bacon

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 45 min

Ingredients:
1 sourdough bread roll
2 eggs
salt and pepper
butter (for spreading)
4 slices bacon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Take 4 slices of bacon and cut in half. Look up how to lattice a cherry pie tip and do the same thing with the bacon, but put them as close together as they can get without overlapping
3. Bake in a cookie sheet that has edges (grease will form and you don’t want that spilling in your oven) until the bacon is cooked to your liking. Should take about 15 min
4. Take roll and hollow out.
5. Spread butter on the inside
6. Crack 2 eggs into the bowl and add salt and pepper
7. Put in the oven on a pan and bake until eggs are cooked. About 15 min
8. Serve with the bacon lattice on top or on the side. You can toast the bread that was in the center and serve on the side if you like.

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: Lattice the bacon…what a cool say to serve it!!! Hello?! Why didn’t I think of this before??! It is so cool looking. And baking eggs in a bread bowl..duh! This is a really simple ingredient meal that I think looks so awesome. Id love to get served this in a restaurant. I ate this for dinner. I love breaky for dinner. Try this out and if you have any questions, hit me up. Here is a link for how to lattice.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_lattice_top_for_a_pie_crust/

Day 158: Avocado Blue Cheese Dip

Yield: 1 cup
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
1 small avocado
½ cup blue cheese dressing
3 Tbsp chipotle juice
½ lime, juiced
salt and pepper

buffalo or chicken wings

Directions:
1. In a blender, blend together all ingredients
2. Serve in a bowl with chicken wings to dip. You can add more chipotle in order to make it more spicy.

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: This sauce is INCREDIBLE!! It is so simple, and there is nothing better! I am going to make this for any sporting event party I have (along with my 8 layer dip that you will see on super bowl day) I made it because I get huge buffalo wing cravings, and I love avocados. An obvious connection of the two! My roomie took the left over sauce and spread it on some tortillas with eggs, which looked really good too. You gotta try this, it is really killer.

Day 157: Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Time (Start to Finish): 45 min

Ingredients:
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup gran sugar
1 ¾ cup flour
1 egg
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla

sugar
cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix the shortening and the peanut butter until smooth
3. Add the sugar and then the egg and vanilla
4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and blend until it is combined
5. In a bowl, combine sugar and a few shakes of cinnamon to make a mixture you will roll balls of the dough in
6. With your hands, roll the dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in the sugar mixture and place on the cookie sheet. They will spread, so give them a little room
7. Bake for 10-15 min until they are cooked and barely brown in the bottom. Don’t overbake! Underbaking is always better

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: These turned out so wonderful! I made them and then suddenly got invited to a dinner party, and they were a hit as dessert. They are quick to make (I cooked them while I was getting ready) and super tasty! The peanut butter is subtle but noticeable, and the cinnamon on the outside adds a perfect touch. Enjoy these!

Day 156: Candied Lime Peel

Yield: 1 lime
Time (Start to Finish): 25 min

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar + more for rolling
1 tsp vanilla
1 lime

Directions:
1. In a sauce pot, combine the water and the sugar
2. With a zester or peeler, peel thick slices of the lime skin and add to the water
3. Add the vanilla
4. Bring water to a boil and let simmer until the peel is cooked through, should be about 15 min
5. In a bowl add the extra sugar
6. Drain the peel and roll in the sugar before it cools
7. Serve on drinks, plating, or on its own!

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: So first off, feel free to save the liquid. What you have made is vanilla lime simple syrup which is great to use to sweeten drinks or teas. You must try it! Also, these strips are a little bitter, even though they are covered in sugar. Im not generally a fan of candied peels, but the vanilla makes these taste a little better. You can do this with oranges, lemons, any citrus that has a thick skin. I like to just put out a bowl of these in different colors. I hope you like them!

Day 155: Apple Galette

Yield: 1 6 inch galette (3-4 people
Time (Start to Finish): 2 hours

Ingredients:
¾ cup flour (plus extra for rolling)
½ stick butter, very-cold, cut into cubes
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon sugar
2 Tbsp ice water

1 granny smith apple
½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
¾ cup pecan pieces

Directions:
1. Combine flour, salt, and sugar
2. Add butter and mix with hand until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea size pieces of butter
3. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until it clumps together
4. Shape dough into a disk and put in fridge for 1 hour
5. Preheat oven to 350F
6. Roll out into a round disk like you would be putting in the bottom of a pie pan, but place on a lined cookie sheet
7. Slice apple into ¼ inch slices, skinned or unskinned
8. In a bowl mix the apple with sugar, vanilla, pecans and cinnamon
9. Place in the center of the pie dough and fold around it making a crust with the top exposed
10. Crack and beat egg and brush onto the outside of the crust
11. Bake for 20 min until crust is brown

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: This was so yummy! I suck at making pie crusts though, always. This one is a great recipe and you can probably nail it, but I suck at making them! This is a pate brisee dough, for those who know what that means. Im sorry for being so behind in my blogging, but we are all up to date now, and look forward to more intimate recipes than what I have been doing. Im in the house alone waiting for the roomies to come home and smell a house of apples and cinnamon. Enjoy with ice cream!

Day 154: Chicken Bacon Pizza

Yield: 1 12 inch pizza
Time (Start to Finish): I day (cook time 1 hour)

Ingredients:
¼ oz packet active yeast
¾ cup warm water

1 ¾ cup flour (+for rolling)
1 Tbsp olive oil
dash salt

2 chicken breasts, bbqed
4 slices cooked chopped bacon
jalapenos
2 cups mozzarella
¼ cup parmesan cheese
¾ cup vodka tomato sauce

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix the yeast and warm water and let sit for 5 min
2. In a larger bowl put the flour, oil and salt. Add the yeast water and mix with your hand until I becomes a ball. Kneed the dough, add flour if it gets sticky for about 5 minutes.
3. Coat the ball with olive oil and let sit in a bowl covered with a towel and with an X cut into the top of the dough for 2 hours.
4. After 2 hours, punch the dough down, kneed again, and let sit while you prepare other ingredients (cooking chicken, bacon)
5. Preheat the oven to 450F
6. On a pizza pan (12 inch round pan) spread the dough by pulling it with your hands so it is a round pizza shape with a little more on the edges for a crust. Bake for about 15 min until it is about halfway cooked
7. Take out of the oven, cover with sauce, then the bacon and chicken and jalapeños, add the mozzarella and bake again until about 5 min to being done
8. Add the parm right near the end and bake until crust is brown and cheese is melted. If the crust is done but cheese it not, broil for just a minute. Serve with a movie

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: Happy new year! This was my day, hanging around, making pizza. Filling the house with smells of bread and bacon. You cant get better. The crust needed a little more salt and was crunchy, but I liked that. This one one of the first pizzas Ive made! I say add more cheese than you think the pizza needs, and I always love putting the add ons under the cheese so they are less likely to roll off. The chicken can be bbqed or cooked with any spice you like. The dough is good, and I think whole foods sells pizza dough already made, and even though this takes time, it really isn’t hard to make. Watch with a good movie and a nice cold beer and some friends and I cant think of a better hangover…I mean…relaxing new years day! The pic has half with jalapenos and half without...i don’t like them so much

Month 5

Annie’s Current Weight: 129
Pleasures: I lost 2 pounds…I guess that is a pretty good pleasure! Ive been working out, wanting to get in shape, so I guess that took a part. Also, the holidays made me super busy, and I don’t eat when im busy…I guess that helped. Also, I got a lot of great holiday treats cooked, which was good. I had a number of guest kitchens, but also feel like I cooked a lot alone or just for myself, which means I have a lot of great solo recipes this month. I feel like I mixed up a lot of cool winter recipes, so doing this is a for sure pleasure, and I bought a few plane tickets, one for January and one for march, so im excited for some more traveling challenges
Pains: some of my stuff this month is boring and uninspired. Twice I got close to not cooking something, and that is 2 times too many…I need to get back into an inspired place. I feel very alone on this project now, and I feel like my roommates are now learning they need to stop eating so much, and aren’t as psyched on lots of creations in the kitchen. Also, I have found myself busy, and I know it’s a choice, but I need to make more time to cook. I don’t get up early anymore and I rush home, throw something together, and go out again. I need to focus more attention to this project. I know life is important, but this is part of it, and if im not going to commit, why do it?
Promises: I promise to focus more on this project. Look through recipes, talk to people, and make stuff that inspires others instead of just throwing stuff together and posting it. I need to MAKE mac and cheese, and I need to express myself more through food. My days off I should make something more challenging, and save those throw together things for days I am REALLY busy…I promise to focus on that
Ponders: This month was a crazy one..the 2 pound thing is really interesting to me. I feel good about myself and I look good. I tend to just eat whatever I cooked that day, and not much else, interesting. I get scared I will slack on this project soon, and I need to remember why I started it. I am almost at the halfway mark, which is great! Then it is all downhill form there…haha! If I want this to mean anything, if I want this to be anything, I need to post more, I need to get pumped and get support from those around me by being psyched and asking for help. I need to just be INTO it. I am pumping myself up, right? And I got an apple galette in the oven…I guess that is a good thing…I can do this…even if its just for me, I will rock this project…happy holidays guys, lets rock some epic recipes in the new year.

Day 153: Bacon Cheese Quiche

Yield: 8 mini Quiches
Time (Start to Finish): 40 min

Ingredients:
1 round pie dough (I used Pillsbury)
3 eggs
¾ cup milk
3 slices cooked bacon
¾ cup mozzarella cheese
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
salt, pepper, garlic powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. With a big round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 8 pieces that will fit in muffin tins
3. Press each piece of dough into the greased muffin tins so it makes a little pie crust
4. Bake for about 5 min until it stops being shiny.
5. In a bowl, mix the eggs and milk until smooth.
6. Add the cheese, cooked bacon, rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic powder
7. Pour into each muffin tin not too high but to the top of the dough and bake about 15 min until they are cooked in the center

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: The dough was a little too thick. Next time I will roll it out a little but more. It also wasn’t tall enough on the sides, so the center spilled over and it was hard to take them out of the pan, but let me tell you, the rosemary gave it a super rustic taste. They were wonderful! A great new years eve brunch with the ladies and this was a great contribution. We had scrambles, scones, pancakes, and mimosas. Start the champagne off early! This can be made into a regular sized quiche very easily, so give it a twirl and send yourself off into a new year with a tummy filled with great food!

Day 152: Walnut Brittle

Yield: 2 cups brittle
Time (Start to Finish): 25 min

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

Directions:
1. Make sure to have a sheet pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray aside and ready
2. In a saucepan, put the butter and the sugar and melt on med heat
3. This will take awhile, and stir just until all the sugar is dissolved and then leave alone, stirring once every 2 min or so
4. Let cook until it becomes a nice brown color, it takes a little bit of time, so be patient and stay with it
5. It will start clearing away from the bottom of the pan and be brown, and then turn the heat off, add the cinnamon, vanilla salt and walnuts. The vanilla will bubble when you add it
6. Pour the brittle onto the cookie sheet, and spread out with spatula so the nuts are even. Let cool and then break apart and serve

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: This is such an easy and tasty little brittle, and great to share! It gets sticky fast, but if you make it in small batches, then it wont be around long enough for that to happen! You can add any nuts you like, and you can toast them beforehand if you like. Here is a little salt tip ive been meaning to share. A pinch is using your pointer finger and your thumb to add a little bit of salt. A dash is using 2 fingers and your thumb, so there is a little more salt. Interesting huh? Anyways, the cinnamon is the clencher here…sometimes I also add cayenne.

Day 151: Pico de Gallo

Yield: 2 cups
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, 1 red, 1 yellow, both big
½ red onion, med
¼ cup cilantro
1 clove garlic
½ cup green apple
1 jalapeno, seeded
salt and pepper
red pepper flake
2 limes juiced

Directions:
1. Take all ingredients and chop into small pieces (tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, apple, jalapeno)
2. Add salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flake for spice, and the lime juice. Let sit and then enjoy with corn chips

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: This is a wonderful recipe for a quick salsa. I know I add apple in lots of things, but im telling you, it does a lot for salsa! It adds a little sweet which is great. If you want more spice, leave the jalapeno seeds in, or add a second one. You can also add cayenne if you like. If you want less spice, feel free to just leave it out. I serve with crunchy thick corn chips since this is a pretty chunky salsa, but do as you will!

Day 150: Bacon Brussels Mac and Cheese

Yield: 2 people
Time (Start to Finish): 30 min

Ingredients:
1 box mac and cheese
2-4 Tbsp alfredo sauce
¾ cup Brussels sprouts
2 pieces cooked bacon
salt and pepper
red pepper flake

Directions:
1. Cook the Brussels sprouts by boiling them or steaming them with salt and pepper and a little red pepper flake
2. Cook the bacon in the oven or stovetop and slice into small bitesize pieces
3. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the box
4. With the cheese packet, mix with alfredo sauce. You can use home made or store bought alfredo
5. Mix the sauce with the noodles and then add the Brussels sprouts and bacon and serve

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: very tasty, as always, but a quick on the go meal. I know I haven’t yet made mac and cheese from scratch, but I promise you I will! This is great with the alfredo as the sauce. I ate this while catching up with the roommates after the holidays. A great meal for that. You must try it. The bacon makes it super smoky, and the Brussels sprouts in mac and cheese is a killer combo.

Day 149: Peppermint Bark

Yield: 2 Chocolate bars
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
2 dark chocolate bars
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 tsp peppermint oil
1 candy cane

Directions:
1. Break up the candy cane using a rolling pin, a can, or a mallet. Cover or up in a baggie so the pieces stay together
2. Heat in a bowl over boiling water the white chocolate and the peppermint oil
3. While its melting, take the 2 dark chocolate bars and put in separate pieces of foil so there are 1 inch sides up the sides of the bar. You will be pouring the white chocolate on top
4. When the white chocolate is melted, pour over the 2 chocolate bars and spread out with a knife.
5. Quickly sprinkle on the pieces of candy cane and put in the freezer for about a minute
6. Take out and break up into pieces.

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: a great way to use left over candy canes and also a nice sweet treat to have during the holidays! They are quick and easy to make and who doesn’t like mint and chocolate! I made this after a long day at work doing returns after returns, so there is nothing more fabulous than a bar of chocolate.

Day 148: Alfredo Brussel Sprouts

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 25 min

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp Parm cheese
scrape nutmeg
salt and pepper

1 cup brussel sprouts

Directions:
1. Steam the Brussels sprouts with salt and pepper, or boil them. Steaming is better.
2. Melt butter in a separate pot
3. Take off heat and add in cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
4. Replace the pan and stir until the sauce is smooth, without letting it come to a boil.
5. Pour over Brussels sprouts and serve as a side dish

Rating: 3.5 strawberries
Notes: I always forget how much I love brussel sprouts! They are so freaking good!!! And covered in alfredo, you can not get better! This are a classic side, and go great with chicken, pasta, anything. You have to try it. I promise you will love it. If you think you hate brussel sprouts, try them one more time. You will be surprised!

Day 147: Seth’s Honey steamer

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2-3 Tbsp honey
dash nutmeg

Directions:
1. This is very simple, but most people don’t make it
2. Steam the milk or heat it up on the stove. Steaming the milk is better, but if you don’t have a device, just heating it is fine
3. Add the honey and the nutmeg and mix
4. Serve with left over Christmas cookies, peanut butter on bread, or just on its own if you cant sleep.

Rating: 3.5 strawberries
Notes: Merry Christmas! I made this after eating food ALL day long, flying home and needing to sleep but was too full and awake to do it. I made this and then was down for the count. Seth used to make this when we worked in the climbing gym. I added the nutmeg which is a great touch, and it was just nice to have while going to bed. Felt very homey. You have to try it and I swear you will love it. You can even mix it with soy milk to make it less creamy if you want.

Day 146: Breaky Bread Pudding

Yield: 2 people
Time (Start to Finish): 25-45 min

Ingredients:
1 egg
½ cup milk
1 big slice bread
2 slices bacon
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Slice up the bread into bite size cubes
3. In a bowl mix the egg and the milk
4. Add the cooked bacon, cheese, salt and pepper
5. Add the bread and mix until the bread is fully coated and let sit a few min to the bread soaks the egg
6. In a muffin tin, fill each tin with the egg bread mixture. Don’t overfill, they expand a little. It should fill 2 or 3
7. Bake in the oven until the center is cooked. About 15 min

Rating: 5 strawberries
Notes: I give this a great rating! And merry Christmas eve! This is such a great treat! There is everything in your fridge right now I am sure, and it is all in a compact little area, and it is so great tasting! You can add herbs, you can add spinach, it is versatile and impressive. I gave it a 5 because it shocked me with how it turned out, and I really enjoyed it. A must try for sure!

Day 145: Tangerine Green Sweet Tea

Yield: 1 pitcher
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
3 green tea bags
2 cups water
1 cup gran sugar
3 tangerines
extra cold water

Directions:
1. In a pot, add the tea bags with the 2 cups of water and bring to a boil
2. Once it boils, take it off the heat and add the sugar and stir. You can take the tea bags out at this time
3. Mix with a spoon until the sugar is dissolved, and pour into a pitcher
4. Fill the pitcher with cold water and ice
5. Add the 3 tangerines juiced and sliced up
6. Serve!

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: Too bad I made this in the dead of winter, it is so refreshing for the summertime! The orange and the green really combine well, and then turning it into a sweet tea was a nice touch! It is light, sweet, and super yummy. I drank this while wrapping the last of my christmas presents! You must try this when you need a cool down or are sitting on a porch swing enjoying a summer breeze. I think it would be ideal.

Day 144: Tangerine Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Time (Start to Finish): 1 hour

Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cup rolled oats
½ cup walnuts, chopped
3 tangerines, zested, and juiced separately

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Take the butter and the sugar and blend in a mixer until smooth and fluffy
2. Add the egg and mix and then the vanilla
3. Add the flour, baking powdered, cinnamon, salt, oats and mix until combined.
4. Add the tangerine zest and walnuts and let sit in fridge for 10 min
5. Preheat oven to 350F
6. Scoop 1 inch balls onto the cookie sheet and bake for 15 min until brown. They spread a tad but feel free to press down a little before baking
7. In a bowl sift the powdered sugar. Add the tangerine juice to it. You want it to be thick put pourable frosting, so play with the powdered sugar ratio and add more juice or sugar to make it the right consistency and drizzle over the cookies when they are cool

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: This is a play on Edie’s orange oatmeal cookies, and let me tell you, they rule. They are soft, chewy, and perfect! The orange flavor is subtle, but just enough for you to be able to place the taste. A very nice snack while watch a movie or coming home fro school! You can add pecans too or orange zest instead of tangerine.

Day 143: Edamame Strawberry Turkey Wrap

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
2 Slices turkey
½ cup cooked shelled edamame
½ cup sliced strawberries
salt and pepper
avocado
lemon juice

Directions:
1. In a blender, blend the avocado with the lemon juice salt and pepper to make a creamy dressing
2. Smash the edamame and add a little salt
3. Take a slice of turkey and spread the edamame on it.
4. Add the sliced strawberries and them dress with the avocado dressing and wrap up.

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: These were kind of hard to eat to be honest with you. Rarely like things wrapped like this with 2 open ends, so make sure to not use thin sliced turkey. The flavors are very fresh and make you feel awake, so it’s a good low carb dish. You will be hungry again soon though. I hope you like it!

Day 142: Turkey Bacon Melt

Yield: 1 person
Time (Start to Finish): 15 min

Ingredients:
Fresh French bread
Alfredo sauce
Bacon, 2 slices
4 slices turkey
brie, 5 slices
avocado, ¼
apple, 3 slices

Directions:
1. Lightly toast the bread, not too dark
2. Take the bread, and spread on thin mayo, then add the bacon and brie
3. Put in the toaster oven until the brie is melting. Then add the apple and turkey and avocado and enjoy!

Rating: 4.5 strawberries
Notes: This is a pretty simple melt, and it is openfaced. It may not seem that creative, but did YOU think of it?? Haha. This is a really nice healthy simple snack, or dinner in my case. I ate this with a big glass of milk and a bunch of chips…a really great meal.

Day 141: Strawberry Swirl Pancakes

Yield: 6 pancakes
Time (Start to Finish): 30 min

Ingredients:
1 ½ Tbsp Butter, melted
½ egg (mix an egg and use half)
1/3 + 1/3 cup milk
sprinkle sugar
dash salt
1 ¾ tsp baking powder
¾ cup flour

1 cup strawberries

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix the egg, milk and sugar
2. Add the salt, baking powder, and flour and mix until just combined, and then add the melted butter
3. In a blender, blend the strawberries until smooth
4. Add about half of the pancake batter to the strawberries and mix.
5. On a hot skillet, oiled or buttered, pour a ¼ cup of the regular batter, and then on top ¼ cup of the strawberry batter, and cook until brown on the other side, flip and cook again.
6. When out, serve with syrup and cream!

Rating: 4 strawberries
Notes: I really liked these. The strawberry part came out a lot softer than the non strawberry part, which was ok. Make sure your pan is greased or they will stick. Sorry I haven’t blogged in awhile! These were very basic, and you can add any kind of fruit you want, or even add chocolate chips, pecans, anything like that! The swirl is what is the cool exciting part, and it once again was a great way to wake the roomies up.