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Sunday, October 21, 2012

PUMPKIN-STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

 
 
PUMPKIN-STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE 
Courtesy of Nancy Larson Adkisson
 
 
 
Okay, let's face it folks the Holidays are here.  Whether you choose to believe it or not "it" has already begun as evidenced by the Halloween, Thanksgiving AND Christmas displays that are simultaneously up at all major retailers across America. 

So while stores are already displaying thier Holiday wares, we here in the random Jolls house have already begun the baking.  There have been several loaves of bread and just today we made some sugar cookies...And, plans are on tap for some Cinnamon Rolls later in the week. Ah yes the Holidays are indeed here and it is time to share the love.

It is really the foods of the Holiday season that brings it all together for me.  Holiday foods equal a happy tum tum; okay yes a fatter, lazier tum tum but a happy one damn it!  And, what is January 1st for anyway if not to set goals and start a diet?  I don't want to break tradition at this point...

So send me your recipes and pics and I will post them for all to enjoy this Holiday season.  First up is a fabulous looking Fall coffee cake courtesy of Nancy Larson Adkisson.  Thanks Nancy!

Okay, your mission peeps it to make it, to enjoy it and then to let me know if it is as delish as it looks m'kay?

Shells.


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sour cream
1 3/4 c.  to 2 c. pumpkin
1 egg
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

 STREUSEL:
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
 
DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla; add 3 eggs beating well. Combine flour, baking powder and soda. Add to butter mixture alternating with sour cream. Combine pumpkin, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and spice. Spoon 1/2 of batter in 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of streusel over batter. Spread pumpkin mix over streusel. spread remaining batter over pumpkin. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 12.

I added a simple powdered sugar glaze to the hot cake at the end!!
 
 



Saturday, October 13, 2012

Papaya Thai Cuisine

 
 
Papaya Thai Cuisine
916 787-0505
5015 FOOTHILLS BLVD. ST 3 ROSEVILLE, CA
 
 
OMG, soooooo goooooood, let's just get that out of the way right off the bat!  Papaya Thai Cuisine, the little restaurant that no one knows about...Yet!
 

 
So sis and I were out last weekend drumming up raffle prizes from local businesses for a pancake breakfast fundraiser.  While I was hitting up a local Mr. Pickles my sister went into a new biz called Papaya Thai Cuisine.  She gave them her spiel and I guess the owner told her they were struggling a bit but he offered her a $20.00 gift card towards lunch or dinner; which I found really generous! 
 
The owner's comments about struggling got my sister and I talking about how we really need to support local small business more and I told her I would love to try the place and spread the word...The bottom line is either you are good or you are bad right? 
 
Papaya Thai Cuisine is good, really good!  I walked into the place not expecting much (the exterior is a very generic cookie cutter strip mall) and got quite the surprise at the sweet and calming interior.  The colors are dark woods with hints of golds and greens.  White table cloths provide a beautiful atmosphere and give a feeling of elegance.  My overall impresssion was that Papaya Thai Cuisine is quietly intimate but not at all cramped.  There is a beautiful centerpiece bar along the back wall and lovely music that automatically makes you feel both relaxed and welcome.
 
I ordered the chicken Pad Thai (family size) and for $8.00 received a HUGE to go container of noodley yumminess!  The smell wafting from the container got me at about two steps from the door and I opened my lunch up and dived in like I was a homeless person.  Yes, I admit it I was standing on the sidewalk scooping noodles, and chicken, and peanuts, and onions into my mouth with my fingers (which I now find amusing because I was asked if I wanted a plastic utensil set...And, silly me thought I would be eating this at home and I said no) and I didn't care that I was scarfing food on the street... I DID NOT CARE people, because it was that good!
 
 
 
I have added some pics I found on the Papya Thai Cuisine website because ummm, well I kinda devoured my dish before I thought about taking a picture.  But, honestly it was as lovely as the pictures before I got my grub on.  And, well let's be honest here I got my grub on, and my grub all up in that Pad Thai dish...LOL, and I liked it!
 
 
 


 
Check out Papaya Thai my friends and let me know what you think.  I think this place is fabulous and a small local business worth your time.
 
Shells
 
 
 
 
 


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Marie and I

Marie Osmond has nothing on me.  She lost a mere 50 lbs.  I've lost 80 and counting.  Since January 20, 2012 I have actually lost the weight of an average 3rd grader.  It was NOT hard!  Once I quit eating out with Pete at Red Lobster it was a piece of cake!  I went back to Nutrisystem.  I used it as my starting point and even though I am not yet done losing weight, I rely on the food less and less.  My main plan now is working out and consuming 1000 - 1200 calories per day.  Once you make that your habit, it becomes much easier.  I never thought I would be saying this, but I actually go out of my way to workout.  Almost every night something comes up that I could easily say is more important, but I finally am of the mindset that without that, I will never get to my goal.  Nutrisystem food is good!  I know our posts are usually funny (and quite witty if I do say so myself), but I thought I would take a moment out and give myself a pat on the back.  I'll post again when I am at my goal.

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Roberta's Cocina Mexicana

Roberta's Cocina Mexicana
5635 Freeport Blvd. Ste 6
Sacramento, CA 95822
 
 
 
Roberta's is a simple Mom and Pop style place with  a friendly staff and really good authentic Mexican style food.  The place is clean and there is so much to choose from on the menu:Tacos, Burritos, Quecas, Birria, Carnitas, Menudo and so much more.  I opted for a brekkie classic of Chorizo and Eggs... And, below is a pic of what I got for something like $5.00 with chips and salsa and a drink...Ridiculously inexpensive and OMG sooooo good, so good!  My friend ordered the Menudo and received a trough of the stuff with all the fixins and I can tell ya it was some of the best I've had.
 
 
So here is the thing folks, if you enjoy, and I mean REALLY enjoy places like Del Taco, Taco Bell, Jimboys Tacos and El Pollo Loco you "may" not like Roberta's style of food.  Not that there is anything wrong with any of the places I listed...I enjoy ALL of them, but they are not authentic Mexican food.  They do not have that rich layered flavor of meats cooked slowly, or the exquisite burst of spices that comes from family recipes or regional areas...Roberta's food has that and more.
 
I highly recommend Roberta's and I hope you enjoy your visit...Let me know mmmkay?
 
 
Shells

Shrimp Tacos with Zesty Cream Sauce




This is a really great light recipe for Shrimp Tacos...My sister and I grubbed on these this week and all you heard in the house of gnosh was "mmmmm!, damn!, soooo good!, this doesn't suck! and more please!

The original recipe was in Americas Best Recipes Magazine, 101 Quick and Easy recipes; however, I made a few changes that were appropriate for me and sis...I suggest using 8oz of sour cream, the rest is wasted since you basically drizzle it over each taco.  And, I added more spices because sis and I enjoy really flavorful ingredients. 

Make this folks it's just good food!  And, let me know your thoughts.

Ingredients:


  • 1 (16 ounce) container nonfat sour cream

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder, divided

  • 1 teaspoon cumin, ground (divided)

  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided

  • 3/4 cup water

  • 1 lb shrimp, medium (unpeeled)

  • 3 tablespoons orange juice

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

  • 1 avocado, chopped

  • 8 corn tortillas, warmed (6-inch size)

  • Directions:

    Whisk together sour cream, 1 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoons salt and cinnamon. Add 3/4 cup water, stirring until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
     
    Peel shrimp, and devein. If desired, chop. Combine remaining 1 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a shallow dish or a zip-lock plastic freezer bag; add orange juice and shrimp, turning to coat. Cover or seal, and chill 15 minutes.
     
    Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding marinade. Saute garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink. Serve with sour cream mixture and avocado in warm tortillas. Prep time includes refrigeration time.



    Shells

    Friday, April 13, 2012

    SKINNI(ER) CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

    Yeah so okay  it's been like a year since I have bothered with this site and I thought maybe I should add some stuff.  Just so you all know I have totally gathered, saved and written lots of stuff, I just never bothered to actually add it to this blog.  Now, please understand that I am not stating that updates are going to be more frequent (mostly because I am lazy) what I am stating is that I will totally think about trying  harder to actually post to this blog.  You're welcome!


    SKINNI(ER) CHICKEN CORDON BLEU



    I know, it looks amazing right?!  It so totally is, and I am totally made of awesome because this dish is the shiznit fo sho!

    Preparation time: 15 mintues
    Cooking time: 30 minutes
    Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 8 (per serving)
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients:
    4 Foster Farms Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Breast fillets
    4 slices  Kraft Singles (2% milk) Swiss Cheese
    4 slices Oscar Meyer Deli sliced Ham
    1/2 Cup Progresso Panko (Italian Style) Bread Crumbs
    1/2 Cup Sunnyside Real Egg Product                                                                                                   
    4 Tsp salted butter
                                                                                                                                                                                 
    Instructions:
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 

    Pound chicken to 1/4 inch (or less) pieces. Assemble ingredients to make a production line...Chicken, cheese , ham, toothpicks, egg wash, bread crumbs. 

    Place 1 slice of ham and one slice of cheese in center of chicken breast and jellyroll the chicken.  Secure ends with toothpicks.  Using one hand coat chicken with the egg wash.  Using your other(clean dry hand) sprinkle panko crumbs onto breast to lightly coat.  Do not roll directly in crumbs as you will likely use too much on the first few pieces leaving nothing for the rest of the chicken pieces. 

    Place assembled chicken onto baking sheet.  Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray (I use an olive oil spray, but any type will do) and bake for 30 to 40 minutes depending on your oven.  Chicken should be white and juices should run clear.  You can always use a meat thermometer to test doneness. 

    Remove chicken from oven.  Use a microwave to melt 4 tsp of butter.  Drizzle 1 tsp over each piece of chicken and serve warm with salad, fruit or veggies for a lovely and satisfying skinni(er) meal. 

    And Nancy don't make any snarkey comments about my plates...I was totally channeling Beyonce Chicken.


    Shells