Good/Bad Egg?

A few years ago my Dad thought it would be fun to buy some cute chicks for the grandchildren for Easter. The chicks are now full chickens, and they are still pecking away at his yard and garden. The grandkids are less interested in playing with them, but we sure do LOVE getting fresh eggs from their nests. The tricky part at times is to figure out how long you can keep the eggs since they don't come in a nice labeled package. Check out this blog post for an easy trick to figure out if you have a good or a bad egg on your hands. I especially love the smiley faces on the eggs. Cute. 

Spaghetti Squash Tips

Previously, I posted directions on how to make your spaghetti squash in the microwave. If you are in a pinch for time, this is definitely the way to go. But if you have the time to use your oven, you will be happy with the added flavor.

Preheat oven to 375. 

Cut your squash in half. Check out this post for a tip on how to do this safely. Remove the seeds. 

Slather olive oil over the flesh of the squash. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place halves in an oven safe dish.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until a fork inserts easily into the flesh. 

(The color of this "before" picture is more orange than the actual flesh. When baking it yourself there will not be much of a color difference in the before and after)

Remove from oven. Using a fork scrape squash to obtain the "noodles". Add to your recipe or serve with a little butter and salt. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts Tips

Brussels sprouts are notorious for wrinkling many noses as people say, "oh I don't like them". I was in that camp for quite awhile, until I learned how to cook them properly. . . with bacon. I mean really, anything cooked with bacon is good right? Since then I have graduated to other forms of preparations that don't include bacon. I found this little trick to help when sautéing and it works like a charm. 

Rinse brussels sprouts and remove any unwanted leaves. 

Cut each in half. Using the tip of your knife cut into the stem of each sprout. This will allow an even heating and cooking of your little veggie nuggets. 

Heat oil of choice in pan (I used coconut oil). Start process with cut side facing down, cooking on medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also added lemon pepper and a bit of lemon juice as I sauteed. After a few minutes flip each to their back side (as pictured) and continue to cook for 3-5 min more. Your sprouts will be done when they have softened a bit and are slightly browned. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Paleo Mayo Help!

Struggling with your Paleo mayo? Check out Sarah's video to get a handle on your culinary skills. You will be whipping up your own concoction soon!

 

Grilling a Perfect Steak

Check out this video for some simple and helpful tips on how to grill the perfect steak. Not all cuts of meat are equal and should be seasoned and cooked differently. Enjoy!

The Skinny On Honey

I have been interested recently to discover there are different types of honey, and they all are unique in their flavors and sweetness. For a simple breakdown of the 3 most common types of honey, check out this post. The next time your recipe calls for a bit of honey, you may find yourself making a more educated decision and happy you did! Enjoy!

 

Skirt Steak Tips

I came across this awesome post about how to cook a skirt steak perfectly! I find that I usually overcook it, and it becomes tough little bits of meat. Not my fav. Her explanations and pictures are fabulous and hopefully you will be heating up your stoves with confidence and enjoying some delicious steak too!

 

Keeping Your Kitchen Clean

There is nothing that takes he joy of cooking away more than a dirty kitchen. I have to start with a clean pallet so to speak. Check out this post by Real Simple for a breakdown of things you should do and when to keep your kitchen clean. They also include the Shiny Sink 101- a "how to" for cleaning your kitchen sink.

 

 One thing I do that really helps is: I don't let go of an item until it is put away. So that means if I take my plate to the sink to rinse it off I don't just leave it there to pile up with other dishes. I put it in the dishwasher immediately.* If I take out the olive oil, I use it and put it right back. As I am cooking I leave the dishwasher open, rinse out a pan or bowl as I use it and put it away. This little step will keep the mess down and your kitchen clean. Say no to making "piles" of mail, dishes, spices etc.

 

 *I actually timed myself emptying the dishwasher the other day. Maybe it is my CrossFit mind taking over and doing everything "for time", but the reality was it ONLY took 3 minutes!!! So don't let your clean dishes sit there- empty it. . . quickly. . . 3. . 2. . 1. . GO!

 

Check out this shop for a cute clean/dirty magnet. We purchased one awhile ago and love it.

 

 

Cheers to a clean kitchen! Enjoy!

Cast Iron Help

I LOVE my cast iron skillet. I use it just about every time I am in the kitchen. The handle however does pose a bit of a problem as it heats up and makes it hard to handle. (ha-ha- excuse the pun). Check out these options for handle covers I found. Maybe you will find one you like and it will solve your dilemma too!

 

Simple Black

 

Leather

 

Silicone

 

Just For Fun

 

Happy Shopping- Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Egg Decorating Tip

Well, it is Easter weekend and in case you haven't decorated your hard boiled eggs yet, check out these pictures for some inspiration:

 

Rubber Band Eggs:

 

 

No Mess- Sharpie Eggs!

 

 

Blackboard Painted Eggs:

 

 

 

And a genius trick for using traditional dye:

 

 

Happy Easter!!

Enjoy!

Someday. . . When I Grow Up.

Someday, when I am grown up I will own one of these.

 

 

 And when I do, the food I will make will be so amazing! Until then, I will be content to enjoy the picture, and my not so amzing food (*wink-wink*). Isn't it just beautiful? If you own one, give it a hug and a kiss. . . from the Kitchen Beast. :)

Fresh Take On Breakfast Muffins

I saw this trick on Pinterest and tried it out last week. It worked beautifully. The ingredients are flexible, depending on your taste, but it is easy and you can make a big batch for the week. I am posting it under our Friday "tips" because it really isn't a "recipe" just a cooking trick. :)

Breakfast "Muffins"
Lunch meat (I prefer Applegate at it is clear of added sugar and chemicals)
Eggs
Salt
Pepper

Optional:
Veggies of your choice


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease cupcake pan with oil of your choice.

In the cupcake pan place one piece of lunch meat in each cup. (My turkey was large so I cut it in half and layered it a bit)

Wash and chop your veggies. Place a few in the bottom of each cup. (I used tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms)

Crack an egg into each cup. Top with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 min. Remove and let cool a little before removing from pan. Enjoy!

Sauteing Tip

Here is a little tip I recently learned about sauteing:

 

 When sauteing vegetables, don't add salt until the end as it will dry out your veggies.

 

 

 

Ever have this happen to you?

Ha ha!

picture link
 

Happy Friday!

Halloween Problems

Wahoo! You made it through Halloween! You may have snacked on a ton a few sugary treats. The tip for today is referring to any "extra" candy that is laying around calling your name: THROW IT AWAY! Hey, you paid for it and you can decide to throw it out! Just do it, don't think twice, and don't take an extra bite for the road. Halloween came and went, it was real, it was fun, and it is over.  Besides who wants to turn into Augusta Gloop anyway. . .? Enjoy!

 

That Day Old Bacon Smell

You know that day old bacon smell. You made a delicious dish last night that included bacon. It was mouthwatering, everyone loved it, the hills sang, and the heavens opened. (This is usually what happens at my house) Today you return home from work, open your house and it smells like day old bacon. Uh- no thanks caveman. This is one of my favorite candles. It's clean smell fills my house and kicks the bacon smell to the curb. If you are in the market for a new candle, this is the one for you. Enjoy!

 

Spicy Friday

What are some of your favorite spices to cook with? Have you tried out a new flavor recently? Maybe you have used an old goodie in a new way. Check out this post by The Clothes Make The Girl regarding the differences between spices and herbs. I was inspired to try some new ingredients and clean out my spice cabinet. Glass mason jars? My favorite!! I think I need to go shopping. . .

 

 

Luches Got You Down?

I don't know about you, but I am great at making myself breakfast and dinner. I pack a lunch with delicious Paleo snacks, but often find it was not enough food or protein and by 3:00 I am hungry again! I can usually attribute that to the little time I gave myself to pack the lunch to begin with. Lunches seem to be tricky for many people. Where do you find the time to prep and make sure you have the right amount of food for the whole day? Click on this link for your solution. Paleo Power Lunches to the resuce! You can download the book today, and have lots of great lunch ideas. Enjoy!

 

Infused Olive Oil

A few weekends ago some of my girlfriends and I headed into Seattle for a day of Pike Place Shopping and dinner. Not only did we come home with arms full of flowers, but our bags were heavy with the delicious infused olive oils we found.

 Since then have been LOVING the full flavor of my sun dried tomato olive oil. Using the fresh cucumbers from my parents yard, I splash a bit of the oil over them and they are over-the-top-scrumptious! They have many flavors to choose from, and they also carry some mouthwatering balsamic vinegars. Check out their website, and the next time you are in Seattle, be sure to check them out!

Pantry Soutions

The other day I was browsing through Pinterest and I found this awesome website for some inexpensive glass jars. If you have been following my blog for awhile you will know that I LOVE mason jars and use them every day to store, and transport food. So when I came across this site I was naturally stoked to see all the jars that I can use to organize my pantry. They not only look awesome, but they make it easy to see the contents. Maybe you have been inspired to start a weekend project of cleaning out your pantry! Happy Friday- enjoy!

 

 

The "Sigh"

I don't remember where I heard this tip, but I notice it is still in my head everytime I eat. There are times that I am distracted while eating. This could be for a variety of reasons: being preoccupied, chatting with my friends, in a hurry, working through lunch, you name it. I try to slow down my eating times and actually enjoy my food. Yet occasionally I find that I have not been paying attention to my eating.  I am scarfing my food so quickly I hadn't noticed I was full! This little tip I heard so many years ago has helped me know when to stop eating, so that I don't over do it. The next time you are eating a meal, there will be a time that you take a "sigh". Notice when that is. This natural sigh is your body telling you it is satisfied and being full is right around the corner. I usually take a few bites more and then stop eating. It may sound crazy, and it did to me too, but it really works. So try it out over the weekend and see if your body is trying to communicate with you too. Enjoy!

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