Banner Day....

Ok, so here is my banner day...
1. Great weekly networking meeting
2. Awesome meeting with my Life Insurance Broker—she aligned her company with a bigger outfit and the services she can offer are extraordinary. I can't wait to see her office next week.
3. Finally made it to the pottery studio to copy the plastic tray of my mom's, so she can have a ceramic version. It has a design to it, but since she reads my blog (thanks, mom), I will not share it now.
4. Got to work on my Personal Productivity workshop—with the aid of Google Docs and voice dictation.
5. Baked dessert for a dinner party Saturday night and made the dough for cookies for brunch on Saturday morning (I already made a batch of different cookies for the brunch).

Now you see why I call it a banner day. Was you day a banner day? If not, try and have one soon.

From the late great, Yogi Berra

"The future ain't what it used to be." —Yogi Berra

In the Kitchen on Thursday: Easy Tacos—Turkey and black bean

1 lb. ground Turkey
1 can (14 oz.) black bean soup (I used Progresso)
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning
2-3 Tbps. Sunflower oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
Taco Shells
Toppings: Shredded lettuce, tomato, grated cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt, diced Avacado

Chop the onion and the garlic. Heat the oil in a 10" skillet. Add the onion and the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the meat and cook until it is browned. Open the can of soup and drain off 1/2 the liquid. Add this and the seasoning to the skillet and stir to combine. Let the soup heat through. Then, let each person make their own taco. Serves 4 (2 tacos each).

In the kitchen on Thursday.. A recipe from a friend.

Last night I made Chicken and Rice from the Family Plate Cookbook by Marie Isner and my family loved it.

Full Disclosure: Marie is not only my health coach but also a dear friend. My hat goes off to her for writing a cookbook.

To purchase the cookbook at Amazon, click the link below.
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Plate-Cookbook-Real-Families/dp/1500147273/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429219452&sr=8-1&keywords=marie+isner

(P.S.I made the Italian Meatball recipe too and thought it to be better than the one in the Joy of Cooking.)

In the kitchen on Thursday or not....

For my Thursdays, I post a recipe that I have made recently and well since I had wrist surgery last week, I haven't been cooking and not starving either since I hired a caterer to prepare some meals for me, so my family could eat well (not take-out every night) and I wouldn't have to worry thankfully.

In the kitchen on Thursday.....Mac n' Cheese reinvented

1 box your favorite mac n'cheese brand

1/4 C. pesto sauce

Prepare the mac n' cheese according to the box. Once the cheese sauce is all mine, add in your pesto and toss the pasta until coated. Serve warm with grated cheese as a topping.

In the Kitchen on Thursday....Oatmeal Pancaks

1 C. Oats
1/2 a medium Banana
2/3 C. Almond Milk (Soy milk or cow's milk)
1 egg.
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Maple Syrup
Oil or vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350. Blend all ingredients in a Cuisinart or high powered blender (I use my Nutribullit). Grease a muffin top pan. Pour batter until each top is 2/3 full. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve with jam, syrup, butter or other topping. I spread almond butter on mine. Makes 6 pancakes.

In the Kitchen on Thursday: Asian Salmon

1 lb. Salmon filet

2 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce

2 tsp. Soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger

Mix the last three ingredients together. Place in a bag of covered dish with fish. Shake to coat. Let stand at least 1 hour. bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness of the filets. Serves 4. Great with salad or brown rice and veggies.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Decadent Mac n' Cheese

1/4 C. butter

1/4 C. flour

1 lg. can evaporated milk

1/3 C. milk

1/4 lb. each of American, Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheeses

2 boxes elbow noodles

Cook the noodles according to the box. Melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Then add the milk. Cook for 3-5 minutes until mixtures thinkers. Add Cheeses and stir constantly until they are melted. Toss with the cooked noodles until they are all coated. Makes plenty for a Superbowl get together. Serve hot.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Clair's cabbage salad

My friend Clair made this when she came over and cooked dinner.

1 medium head of green cabbage
1/2 medium onion
2 small limes
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

Cut cabbage in quarters and remove the core from each cabbage. Slice into strips on the short side and place in a bowl. Slice the 1/2 onion in strips and add to the bowl. Add the juice of the two limes, the honey and the olive oil and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

(Thanks Clair and Sean for an awesome dinner and a great time with good friends.)

In the kitchen on Thursday: Festive Slaw

Take one medium green cabbage and cut it into quarters. Take one quarter at a time and remove the core. Slice into strips on the short side until the whole cabbage is cut. Place in a bowl and add 1/3 C. dried cranberries and 1/3 C. walnuts chopped. For the dressing mix 3 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar and 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. Poor this on the cabbage mixture and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Healthy Latkes

Baked Sweet Potato and Apple Latkes*

Preheat oven to 400. Grate 2 medium sweet potatoes (aka Yams). Peel half a granny smith apple and grate into the potatoes. Add 1/3 C. oat flour and 2 beaten eggs. Mix all the ingredients together. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and grease with olive oil. Shape mixture into large "meatballs" and flatten on cookie sheet. Brush tops with olive oil. Bake for 15-25 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12. Latkes can be refrigerated overnight.

(There is no picture because I forgot to take one before I served them and they were devoured.)

In the kitchen on Thursday: Overnight oatmeal

1 C. Water
3/4 C. Oats

Place ingredients in lidded jar or bowl and shake. Place in the fridge overnight. In the morning warm up the oatmeal with whatever add-ins you like.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Easy Marble Cake

Take one box of yellow or vanilla cake mix and prepare according to package directions. Remove 3/4 C. batter to another bowl and mix with 3 Tbsp. Cocoa powder (I used sweetened powder). Pour 1/2 of "vanilla batter" into a greased Bundt pan. Spoon on the chocolate batter. Pour remaining "vanilla" batter. Using a knife in a back and forth motion, swirl the batter together. Bake at 350 for 35-45 miniutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Banana Walnut Muffins

As easy as peeling a banana....

1 Yellow or Vanilla cake mix
3 medium bananas (very ripe)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. Milk
1/4 C. or 1/3 C. chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mash the Bananas and mix all ingredients together, except the walnuts with an electric mixer for 2-3  minutes. Stir in the nuts. Pour into 12 lined muffin cup pan. Bake for 25-25 minutes. Allow to cool. Can serve warm with butter or cream cheese.

Tip: I take very ripe bananas and freeze them. When I have three I defrost them and make these.

In the kitchen on Thursday...Buying in bulk

A few months back I made my fist trip to a bulk store. I was so excited to get large packages of items that were gigantic sized or multiples of a smaller size. Friends and family had raved and my mother, who I went with, was dying to check it out. She liked  it and I didn't. Why? She is one and I am three in my household. Whatever she buy is just for her. My daughter was with us, so we bought some snacks for her and I still have some left and she is tired of them. The cleaning products were a steal, the food items not so much. I am glad that my local grocery store is still in business and won't be folding anytime soon. Just my thoughts.

In the kitchen on Thursdasy: Easy Pasta Meal

1  jar Vodka sauce
3-4 slices cooked Turkey or Pork bacon
1/2 box Spaghetti, cooked according to the package directions.
3/4 C. Grated Parmesan or other cheese

Cook the bacon until crisp. Allow to cool and then crumbleHeat up the sauce. Put the cooked pasta in 4 bowls. Ladle sauce on top. Then add crumbled bacon and cheese. Serve immediately. Seves 4.

In the Kitchen on Thursday: A classic with a twist

When I spoke to the caterer about my families food dislikes, I mentioned tomatoes, and so the vegetable lasagna was sauceless, like a white pizza and in my opinion equally as good as the classic and better than white pizza, a favorite of mine and so, I recommend you try your next veggie lasagna sauceless.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Classic sugar cookies

2 C. flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 C. Butter (1 stick), softened
1 C. Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 C. Milk
1/4 tsp. Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Cream softened butter and sugar. Mix in the egg. Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the milk. Add in the vanilla. Form the dough into a ball and put in the freezer for 30 minutes. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 inch and cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets 2" apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.

(From the Settlement Cookbook originally published in 1903 and last published in 1995.)

In the Kitchen on Thursday: Corny Muffins

1 Jiffy Corn Muffin mix
1 sm. can creamed corn
1 Tbsp. Milk

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased or lined muffin tim. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Makes 6 (and can be doubled for 12).