Cheesecake Pops

Rich & I will be spending Labor Day with our friends Donnie & Megan over in Naples. They are making all the sides and we are bringing the meat. I also decided to try making Paula Deen's Surprise Cheesecake Pops. To make the pops you must choose a center, a cheesecake flavor, and decide what you are going to roll the pops in. I decided to make 2 kinds today. I made a Reeses' pop that has a miniature Reeses' PB cup inside, marble cheesecake, and peanut butter chips on the outside. I also made a Strawberry-Key Lime pop that has a fresh strawberry in the center, a mixture of original and key lime cheesecake, and white chocolate chips on the outside. It was actually pretty easy. It took about 45 minutes to make 12 pops. I'm not sure that the stick is going to hold, but oh well. If I make it again I will probably try to buy a firmer cheesecake. It was difficult to get the cheesecake into a firm ball. I put them in the freezer. I will let them freeze overnight and hopefully they will make the trip to Naples (on ice, of course) without losing shape. Hopefully they will be tasty!

TEETH!!!!

This afternoon I went to the dentist for a cleaning. I was about 5 months overdue for my regular cleaning. Oh my goodness. My mouth is so sore after the deep cleaning & root planing that I had to have done today. Also ever since we got home I have had a raging headache! I do not like going to the dentist or doctor...so enough of this day already. Good night!

Ahi Tuna & Leftovers

Tonight for dinner I made Ahi Tuna steaks with leftovers. I needed to use up the fruit and nut couscous that I had left. Also I had half of an avocado. Tuna steaks are best prepared quite rare. The middle needs only to be just heated. This is about 5 minutes per side under the broiler on high. When it comes to tuna steaks it is best to purchase sashimi grade tuna so that you don't have to worry about the rare center. Basically all this means is that the particular grade of tuna is safe to be consumed completely raw. If you cook tuna too well done, it is dry and tough. Even with a light pink center, it can still be overcooked. So be careful! I made a mango-soy sauce marinade for the fish and it marinated about 3 hours. For sides I decided to re-do the couscous leftovers. I sauteed 1/2 of an onion and 3 cloves of garlic in some olive oil. I added in some extra turmeric, cumin, and coriander and covered the onions and garlic with vegetable broth. I added in the leftover couscous for a much moister experience. While I was working on the couscous the fish was cooking. The total cook time on the fish was 11 minutes. 4 minutes in I brushed the avocado with olive oil and dusted it with garlic salt & pepper and tossed it under the broiler too.

My dinner was delish! The couscous was definitely better with a higher onion & moisture to couscous ratio. The avocado was super tasty and the fish came out perfect.

The tuna and avocado under the broiler. 

My dinner plate!

Perfectly pink ahi tuna.

Tuna Marinade

1/4 cup fruit juice (orange, mango, etc. is fine)

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tsp sugar

My Bestie

I have spent about 2 hours working on my blog design in the past couple of days. I really do not like enjoy this type of thing, but thanks to my best girlfriend, my eyes have been opened and I see how much more exciting blogging can be when I manage to find something a bit easier on the eyes! I had no idea how many backgrounds and design options were available on a google blog, until she gave me a a phone tutorial from 2,541 miles away (yes that is door to door, driven). I like my new blog design much more than I like my old one. But this post isn't about my blog design, it's about my best friend, Jessica. There are some people that you can phase in and out of contact with as life demands more or less from you, and you just remain closest friends. Jess and I don't actually have much in common, which is what makes our long-standing friendship unique. We have agreed to disagree on almost everything. :) But the thing is, I know she'd do anything for me and I'd do anything for her. We have made some hysterical memories together (most of which are still under wraps), have gotten in trouble together, laughed together, cried together, argued with each other, agreed, disagreed, supported, and best of all just loved each other in the best way that girlfriends can. We've had more girlie-magazine, movie, & ice cream nights spent in my first tiny apartment than we know what to do with. She stayed with me when the hubby was away on business in our first year of marriage (yes, I was almost too scared to stay by myself) babysat our kitty (her "nephew"), put up with my dog eating the whipped cream off of her dessert, and taught me a shopping principle that has remained with me to this day: "WHEN IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT!!"

When Jess came out to visit me shortly after we moved here, we made a point to go to the Everglades for a guided "alligator tour." Wouldn't you know, after paying our $20 and getting on a really frighteningly decrepit air boat, we did not see a single one all day. "Hmm...real unusual-like...ain't never happened a'fore." (Words of wisdom from our old Cajun alligator-finder-man). We got soaked in the rain, but those alligators never came up for air. Jerks. She was here for 4th of July, when we bought a box of tiny little "firecrackers" from Wal-Mart and lit them off in the condo parking lot. Lol!! Happy 4th! :)

I'm really blessed to have some great friends in my life. I could name on one hand the people I choose to open up to 100%, and she definitely makes the list. So, to my best girlfriend, Cheers!

Fruit & Nut Couscous & Salmon Skewers

This is definitely my favorite fish recipe that I have made in a very long time! The salmon turned out moist and perfect. The couscous was very good, but it was way too much. Next time I would make some adjustments: I'd start with half the amount of couscous, and I'd soak the apricots in some extra chicken broth before adding them to the couscous so that the dried fruit doesn't absorb all the moisture. I will post the recipe below and the pictures. yum! My main gripe is that the salmon had the skin on (I didn't know that when I bought it). It was really GROSS to try to get the meat away from the skin neatly. Ewwwwwwwwwwww.

Fruit & Nut Couscous with Salmon Skewers

3 c chicken stock

1 onion, finely diced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/4 c ea of dried apricots and dried cranberries, chopped

¼ c shelled pistachios

2 c couscous

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 lb salmon, chopped into 1” cubes

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp turmeric

kosher salt & pepper

Gather these tools: cutting board, chef's knife, dry and wet measuring cups, measuring spoons, medium saucepan, large saute pan, wooden spoon, sheet pan, skewers

Preheat the oven to broil. (Soak skewers in water if wooden.) Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan, cover, and keep warm.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, saute the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until tender and turning golden brown. Add the turmeric, cumin, and coriander and stir well to coat. Add in the apricots and pistachios. Then add the couscous and combine well.

Return the chicken stock to a boil over high heat and pour it over the couscous mixture. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and remove from the heat. Let stand for 10-15 minutes, or until the broth is absorbed. Then fluff couscous with fork, and stir in the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

Skewer the salmon on four small skewers. Combine the oil, turmeric, salt and pepper in a small bowl with the salmon. Place the skewers on a broiling pan lined with aluminum foil and place under the broiler. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. DO NOT OVERCOOK!!!

Spa Day!!

How pathetic is it that I have a groomer's license, yet don't groom my own pets? The bottom line is, I don't like the mess in my house! I take the dog and cat every couple of weeks to get bathed and blow-dried. Even though the dog has short hair, he seems to know how fresh -n clean he is after grooming and he prances around the house for the rest of the day. He always gets a cute little bandana! The kitty always rips off his bandana angrily as soon as we get home and hides under the bed until dinner time.

 This is the "ain't I cute" face :)

 Prancy-dance!

He's pretty cute!

Happy Birthday !!Rich!!

My posts are a bit out of order these days due to the demise of my mouse-pad-thingie on my macbook. Thanks to Facebook, one of my high school friends was able to suggest a solution that worked quite well and allowed me to download my pictures! Aug 19 was Rich's birthday (which he shares with Bill Clinton...). We both worked all day however that did not stop me from making him a yummy birthday dinner. Rich's favorite meals usually involve meat, cheese, potatoes, bread, and A-1 sauce. Don't mess up his celebratory meals with veggies or salad, unless it is Caesar, and smothered with bacon bits and croutons. On my lunch break I rushed home to peel and slice potatoes and make a delicious sharp cheddar roux for homemade potatoes au gratin. Filet mignon and a loaf of rosemary & sea salt sourdough bread completed his birthday dinner. I made him his birthday "cake" which was Jell-O no bake cheesecake. Yes, that is his favorite. After dinner we went out for a while and came home ready for sleep like 2 oooold people. And he's only 25....Happy birthday babe!

A happy face :)

 "Real men eat meat and potatoes."

 This was a great recipe. See below if you'd like to try it.

Orange is his fav. color!

--->>Potatoes Au Gratin

4 russet potatoes, peeled & sliced thinly

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

2 c milk

2 c shredded Cheddar

salt & pepper

onion powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Layer 1/2 the potatoes in the baking dish and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Add remaining potatoes and repeat salt, pepper, and onion powder. 

In a medium saucepan make your roux--melt butter over medium heat, add flour and 1/2 tsp salt, and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in milk. Stir constantly until mixture has thickened. Stir in the all cheese, and continue stirring until well melted, 1-2 minutes. Pour the cheese mix over the potatoes and bake for 1-1/2 hours. 

**if done in the crock pot you may cook on high about 3 hours. This is what I ended up doing, but I prefer this done in the oven.

Enjoy!