Posts by betsy | BetsyLife

Tomato and Avocado Salad

May 22, 2013 · by betsy · 2 Comments

A tomato and avocado salad seems so basic, yet it can be so complex at the same time. This particular version gets its oomph from grilled corn and onions. I love the mix of raw and cooked ingredients combined with the creamy dressing to bring it all together.

I’m on day 3 of my New York detox, and my insides are starting to feel normal again finally. I was telling my friends yesterday that although I’ve had a blast traveling all over these past few weeks, I’m starting to feel like I’m too old for this much excitement! I’m exhausted! Can you imagine if I had kids? I’d be a zombie all the time.

Despite the exhaustion and the digestion issues, I’m feeling so grateful to have the opportunity to live this life I’m living. I’ve got great friends, I get to travel to exciting places, I get to spend my days creating in the kitchen, and I get to live in the most beautiful city in America. Life is majorly grand right now.

Traveling is over for a bit, and I’m looking forward spending more time in my kitchen in the coming weeks. Dishes like this tomato and avocado salad are majorly on my radar right now as they’re seasonal, fresh, and don’t require me to turn on the oven now that the temperatures are on the rise. Stay tuned for more!

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Ingredients

For the dressing

1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, minced

For the salad

2 ears yellow corn, shucked
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 yellow tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
2 red tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 sliced peeled ripe avocado

Instructions

Preheat grill to high heat.
Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Chill buttermilk mixture until ready to serve.
Coat corn and onion with cooking spray. Arrange corn, and onion on grill rack; grill 8 minutes or until done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut corn kernels from cobs.
Arrange 2 yellow and 2 red tomato slices on each plate. Top each serving with 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes. Divide corn, onion, and avocado evenly among plates. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over salads. Drizzle about 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing over each salad.

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**recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Meals For One, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian/Health Food · Tagged: grilled corn, grilled onion, light, Salad, tomato and avocado salad, vegetarian

Cucumber Salad

May 21, 2013 · by betsy · 1 Comment

I think cucumbers are one of the top 5 quintessential summer vegetables. They are easy to grow, and are a garden staple from coast to coast. I personally have several cucumber plants growing this year, but no actual cucumbers….yet. I’m pretty sure in about a month I’m going to have more cucumbers than I know what to do with. (Pickles anyone?)

For this light and refreshing cucumber salad I was forced to purchase a cucumber from the grocery store, but it was worth it. I’m totally detoxing after consecutive weekends in Chicago and New York, so vegetables are just what I need right now. Plus, its kind of hot in San Diego these days so this was a nice cool treat for lunch.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices orange bell pepper
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices yellow bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, sliced

Instructions

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Add bell peppers and remaining ingredients to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat.

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**Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

I’m hoping to post a garden update sooner than later, but in the meantime I’m interested to hear what other people are growing this year. Raise your hand if cucumbers are among your vegetables! What are your favorite things to make with your garden harvest? Leave me a comment and let me know your favorite straight from the garden dishes are

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Home/Garden, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian/Health Food · Tagged: cucumber, cucumber salad, garden harvest, gardening, Salad, summer cooking, vegetarian

Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole

May 20, 2013 · by betsy · Leave a Comment

This cauliflower and sausage casserole is yet another nothing-in-the-fridge meal I managed to throw together. We’ve been traveling so much that its pointless to go to the grocery store, but I’ve found there’s always a way to mix up a complete meal with whatever randomness is in the freezer/pantry.

I always have a couple of these basil chicken sausages on hand. They make them fresh at the meat counter at my local Sprouts. They’re healthy, inexpensive, and easy to freeze. Before we left for NYC last week, I thawed a few out, combined them with a couple cans of diced tomatoes and a head of cauliflower I had on hand, and called it a casserole. It was actually really tasty, and I’ll probably make it again even when I’m not in a pinch.

Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower, about 2 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1pound uncooked chicken sausage, casings removed
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, leaves only
Two 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 T melted butter
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F
Chop cauliflower into bite-sized florets
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and boil for 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the sausage. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the sausage is browned breaking up the meat with a spoon as it cooks.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, and thyme to the pan with the sausage. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in reserved cauliflower. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the mixture into a 9X13 baking dish coated with cooking spray
In a small skillet heat the melted butter and breadcrumbs together, stirring frequently until the breadcrumbs are browned. Mix in parmesan.
Top cauliflower mixture evenly with breadcrumbs and bake for 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Now that I’m home for a while, I’d like to apologize for the lack of beautiful and creative recipes this month. Life’s been hectic, but I’m home, and summertime is here which means fresh produce and great lighting for photographs! I’ve got tons of ideas flowing so I hope you’ll come back and see what I’m cooking up in the following weeks. Thanks so much for your patience!

Filed Under: Meat/Seafood, Recipes, Slow Cooker/Casseroles · Tagged: casserole, Cauliflower, Sausage, sausage casserole

The Great List 05.17.2013

May 17, 2013 · by betsy · Leave a Comment

Popping in from NYC for a quick Great List. We slept in pretty late today so let’s make this snappy so I can get back to exploring!

1. I had the most amazing day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday. I think I may need to spend a whole weekend there some day in order to really absorb everything they have on display. There was tons of awesome stuff, but my MOST favorite thing was hearing a young boy say to his mom, “this stuff is SO COOL! I wish we could come here every day”. It’s so Great to see a kid’s mind expand right in front of your eyes

2. Getting here was not as bad as I anticipated. I always complain when we have to fly all the way across the country, but it was actually fine. The Hubs and I watched a movie, Dinner Rush, that my dad had been telling us we would love for ages. It was just ok (sorry dad) but it helped pass the time.

3. The weather here is perfect! 70′s and sunny just the way I like it.

Like I said, just a quick one today. I’ll be back next week with a recap post and some new fabulous recipes for you. Have a great weekend everyone!

Filed Under: The Great List · Tagged: The Great List

While I’m Out: A Cookie Giveaway!

May 16, 2013 · by betsy · 10 Comments

Greetings from New York City! I would hate to leave you all high and dry while I was away, so I worked up a sweet giveaway for you!

The Hubs is a MAJOR cookie-a-holic. Men give women flowers in a relationship, I give The Hubs cookies. Bad day=cookies. Good day=cookies. What can I say? The man loves his cookies.

I’m now going to give you all a chance to send someone you love some awesome cookies as well! Gourmet Cookie Bouquets is going to give TWO winners a $75 cookie tin. SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS WORTH OF COOKIES!! Yes. It is true. I personally love the Congratulations! cookies shaped like thumbs-up signs

But maybe you’re more of a Bee Happy type

There are tons of delicious options to choose from so leave a comment below to enter to win. Be sure to click the I ENTERED button on the rafflecopter widget!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Annnnnnnnnd: the legal stuff

The giveaway rules:

*Enter using any of the Rafflecopter choices available for entry below. Any of the options are acceptable, and entries per person are limited to the number indicated in the contest form. Entries will be reviewed and duplicate or uncompleted entries will be removed.

* If you have problems using Rafflecopter, be sure you are running the latest version of your web browser and have JavaScript updated.

NOTE – You must complete the specified entry task in order to be eligible to win the contest. If you click the green entry button without completing the task, your entry will be thrown out (disqualified from winning the prize).

*Contest is open to all residents of the 48 Contiguous States and only to those 18 or older!

*Winners will be chosen by random. The winners will receive their choice of cookie box or tin valued at up to $75 from this cookie tin and gift box page.

*Winners will be notified via e-mail. You must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.

*The full list of rules can be found here .

*Sweepstakes ends at midnight EST on May 26th, 2013. The sweepstakes winners will be announced by June 2nd, 2013.

Filed Under: lifestyle, Travel · Tagged: Cookie, cookie giveaway, gourmet cookie bouquet, win a cookie

Pinterest Experiment: How to Make Your T-Shirts Feel Vintage Soft

May 15, 2013 · by betsy · 2 Comments

I recently saw this pin on pinterest describing how to make your T-shirts feel vintage soft. Since I had just purchased two new t-shirts, I thought it was time for a little Mr. Wizard action in my laundry room (garage).

I opted to keep one t-shirt as is for my control group, and brine the other one in the salt water solution suggested by the pin for 3 days. My results are outlined below

It feels pretty soft. I didn’t find it to be very stiff or itchy to begin with. It’s noticeably softer than the control group, but nowhere near as soft as my two oldest, most loved, vintage tees. I’m curious as to how this experiment would work on a new, super stiff, baseball or concert tshirt.

I’m interested to hear if anyone else has tried this or had success with it. I’m also actually curious to know how many successes and failures pinterest has spawned since it became so wildly popular. What have you tried from pinterest that you’ve loved or you’ve hated?

Filed Under: Health/Fitness, Home/Garden, lifestyle, San Diego Living · Tagged: experiment, fashion, Pinterest, t-shirt, tees, vintage tee

Happy 0-1 Lily and Madison!

May 14, 2013 · by betsy · Leave a Comment

I wanted to share a few moments from my trip to Chicago last week. One of my main reasons for going was to see my twin nieces whose first birthday is today! As you can see, they’re very sweet, very smiley, and full of curiosity.

Madison is already taking a few steps here and there and Lily is on the brink. They love peek-a-boo, books and their big brother Luke.

Although a bit more stubborn with strangers, Lily seems to be the mellower one, and allows her sister to push her around a bit. (She warmed right up to me since it’s obvious what an awesome aunt I am)

Madison is the leader, and always gets what she wants!

It took a while to get used to feeling this strange grass on their legs.

And they never quite warmed up to the hair bows…….. But we had a great time nonetheless!

Happiest Birthday Lily and Madison! We waited a long, long time for you two. May your year be filled with many joyful days!

What a difference a year makes!

Filed Under: lifestyle, My Favorite Things, Travel · Tagged: Chicago, Family, nieces, travel, twins

Egg White Omelette Grilled Breakfast Sandwich

May 13, 2013 · by betsy · Leave a Comment

Despite the amount of food produced on this blog, I think most people would be surprised to know that our fridge is often empty. To be more specific, its either packed so full you can’t move a thing, or completely bare. I may have an issue in refrigerator stocking extremes.

We travel a lot so I’m always trying to use up the last of everything, or I’m making the most of my time at home by cooking a million things in one weekend. The Hubs travels even more than I do, which sometimes makes grocery shopping seem pointless when I’m home all by myself. I’m usually able to figure out something to make for myself with what I already have on hand.

Recently, The Hubs was out of town, and I was about to leave for Chicago so the fridge was in a sad state of empty. One thing we are never without is eggs so it was time for the classic breakfast-for-dinner maneuver. Perfect for those times when you don’t feel like cooking, you haven’t been to the store recently, or when you’re cooking for just one.

Another thing I’m never without is I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!. True story! I make popcorn using the brown paper bag method and I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! spray on my popcorn. However, for breakfast after dark this time around, I opted for the spreadable version.

Using the end of a loaf of bread, the egg whites I had leftover from making fruit curds , and some chopped broccoli and asparagus, I easily whipped up a delicious and healthy omelette stuffed, grilled breakfast sandwich. You can make this with anything you have on hand….just add eggs! Plus, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! buttery spread makes the perfect golden crust on any grilled cheese.

I ate mine with some fresh strawberries on the side. All that was missing was the coffee….oh wait, you should probably leave coffee out of your breakfast after dark plans if you don’t want to be up all night.

If you’re cooking for one, or don’t feel like going to the store tonight, or heck, if you just love eating breakfast food, you can find more great breakfast after dark ideas by checking out I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! recipe webisodes. I personally think the breakfast pizza with a cauliflower crust sounds pretty darn awesome.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Breakfast, Meals For One, Recipes, Vegetarian/Health Food · Tagged: Breakfast, Breakfast sandwich, egg white omelette, egg white sandwich, Eggs, grilled cheese, grilled cheese sandwich, Sandwich, vegetarian

The Great List 05.10.2013

May 10, 2013 · by betsy · 1 Comment

I’m happy to be spending this Friday in Chicago with my friends and family. Generally I only get back once per year, and this visit we’ve had a lot of fun. In fact, this whole week has been pretty Great.

1. I’ve always been kind of obsessed with twins and its even cooler that we now have twins in our family! My nieces turn one in a couple of days, and I’m overjoyed to see what sweet, curious girls they’ve grown into in the last year. I spent the day with them on Wednesday and getting to know their budding personalities has been so Great! They are very happy, very smiley girls.

2. I cannot forget big brother Luke! Being an aunt is one of the greatest joys of my life. I’ve got 10 nieces and nephews (and counting!) and I’ve learned that kids just get better with age. The twin’s big brother Luke had kind of a rocky adjustment with their birth since he had all the attention for five whole years. He’s getting the hang of it now, but I always make sure that Luke and I go on our own special “date” without his sisters whenever I see him. This year, Luke and I were both so happy that The Hubs was here to tag along. The 3 of us laughed our way through miniature golf, Chuck E Cheese, and a stop at the ice cream parlor. He tried to hit us up for a $60 Lego set too…smart kid….he just might get a surprise in the mail soon.

3. Speaking of The Hubs, he has been in Chicago since last weekend for a trade show that ended on Wednesday. Even though he has still been handling a few work responsibilities, its nice that he’s here to spend time with me, the kids, the rest of my family, and my friends away from his work. Its a rare occurrence that we get to spend so much time in a single week together, so I try to savor every moment.

4. My camera came back from being cleaned and repaired JUST in time for me to bring it on my trip! I seriously felt like I was missing a limb while it was gone.

5. I had an awesome time chatting with my fellow San Diego food bloggers at the bake sale last weekend. Even though its awesome how much money we raised for No Kid Hungry, my favorite part was getting to know people in person who’s words I’ve been reading online. I love blogging!

6. It makes me kind of sad that I only get to see my best friend from childhood, Katy, one day out of the year, but we made that one day count! I love watching her parent her almost four year-old son, Cole. Watching her, I think, “that is exactly how I would be if I had a kid” I think there are a lot of right ways to parent, but the way Katy talked to Cole just seemed so natural and familiar to me. I love seeing Cole too and hearing him talk. Its one thing to see cute pictures of kids on Facebook, its completely another to hear them talk. He is totally the cutest.

7. If you did a google image search for the word “spring” I bet the photos that would come up would look JUST like my hometown right now! Everything is very fresh and green and there are TONS of flowering trees. It even rained, which I always love to see. The gray sky against the bright green leaves and purple, pink and yellow flowering trees is very striking. I think there might be a painting in there somewhere.

Wow! Seven GREAT things in one week! I think that’s a record for me lately. Even though April ended up being kind of a dud, I was able to squeak out a few Great things each week. Of course its always easier to see the Great things in life when everything is going well, but its important to remember there is ALWAYS something. I will definitely use this week as a reference point the next time everything seems to be going wrong. I love having these lists to look back and reflect on.

Have a Great weekend everyone!

Filed Under: The Great List · Tagged: grateful, gratitude, great, positive thinking, The Great List

Pineapple Mango Mojito

May 8, 2013 · by betsy · Leave a Comment

I can’t think of a better way to kick off my vacation then with one of these fresh pineapple mango mojitos! Now that so much fresh fruit is available, you shouldn’t be having anything to drink without adding some fresh fruit puree. Even water! (I think they call it, aqua fresca….fancy!)

Mangoes are everywhere right now so we’re featuring them over at Seasonal Potluck this month. Drinks, salads, baked goods, you name it! Mangoes are super versatile so I’m sure there will be great variety in the recipes that people link up. Of course I jump in with a cocktail. Typical.

Head over to Seasonal Potluck to check out my pineapple mango mojito recipe

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Appetizers/Cocktails, Recipes, Travel ·

Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake

May 7, 2013 · by betsy · Leave a Comment

Now that I’m all stocked up on fresh fruit curds and what not, I thought I’d use my fresh strawberry glaze to bake something delicious. Two weeks ago I had a failed strawberry bundt attempt that I’ve been determined to make right. Baking with strawberries can be unpredictable since they release so much water. Replacing my fresh strawberry glaze for the chopped up strawberries that ruined my last cake was the key to my success with this strawberry swirl pound cake.

Another thing I learned from this recipe was that I have no idea how to use a Canon camera! My wonderful friend, and recipient of this pound cake, Marissa, leant me her camera while mine was being repaired. I spent quite a bit of time online trying to figure out where my familiar settings were located. I did the best I could but I’m still very happy to have my old Nikon back.

Thank you Marissa for your generosity! I know this is my blog and I can post or not post at my leisure, but the thought of 2 weeks with no new content made me pretty darn anxious. Seriously, you saved me from going nuts!

Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
3oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
juice & zest of 1 lemon
1 1/3 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
pinch Salt
1/3 cup fresh strawberry glaze

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined.
Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time
Stir in vanilla
Slowly fold in the flour mixture. Continue folding until well combined
Pour 1/2 batter into a greased loaf pan. Spoon 1/2 the strawberry glaze into several dots on top of the batter. Swirl with a knife.
Top with remaining batter. Dot remaining strawberry glaze over the top and swirl once more.
Bake for 65-75 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean
Cool in pan for 20 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack

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In other news, I’m off to Chicago today! I’m looking forward to seeing my nephew and nieces, and the rest of my friends and family. Oh yeah, and eating beef sandwiches. I’m really looking forward to that part too.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts/Baked Goods, Recipes · Tagged: Baking, Cake, pound cake, Recipe, strawberry, strawberry glaze, strawberry swirl pound cake

Fresh Fruit Curd

May 6, 2013 · by betsy ·

Every tree in my neighborhood is bursting with fruit right now, and the tables at the farmers market are overflowing with strawberries. I love this time of year when there is so much fresh fruit that people can’t seem to keep up with it all. Due to the generosity of friends, a sale on pineapple at Sprouts, and an irresistible sample table at the strawberry stand, I found myself with my own mountain of fresh fruit right before I’m about to leave to go out of town.

There is only so much fruit a girl can eat in one sitting, so I decided to make some curds so I could use this delicious bounty when I return next week. Curd can easily be frozen, so its a great option if you’re short on time and can’t figure out what to do with that 8lb bag of meyer lemons.

Pineapple Curd

Ingredients

1c fresh pineapple puree, strained
1/3c sugar
3 egg yolks
2T cornstarch
small pinch of salt
2T butter

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pineapple puree, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and pinch of salt.
Turn heat on to medium and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens.About 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until melted.
Will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze.

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Fresh Strawberry Glaze

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh strawberries, stems removed
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons corn starch

Instructions

Combine the water, strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large saucepan on high heat.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly
After the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow to cook for up to ten minutes, stirring occasionally. As the strawberries soften, use your spoon to break them in pieces.
Remove from heat. Using a strainer, pour liquid into a bowl ensuring to press as much juices through strainer with wooden spoon. Dispose any of the solid strawberries leftover from mixture, and return liquid to pan on low heat.
Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Pour into the simmering pan of strawberry juice.
Increase heat to high, and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens into a glaze (approximately 3-5 minutes).
Remove glaze from heat and cool completely

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Meyer Lemon Curd

Ingredients

6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced (1/2 cup of juice)
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) cut in 1 inch pieces

Instructions

Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium heat taking care to make sure the mixture doesn't boil.
Gently stir in lemon juice and zest.
Stir continuously for 10-15 until curd thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon (it should still be pourable).
Stir in butter until melted.
Strain the curd using a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl (to remove any cooked bits of egg).
Cool completely

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Now I have a week to figure out what to make with these delicious curds. Any favorite recipe suggestions? Leave a comment and let me know!

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Desserts/Baked Goods, Recipes, Vegetarian/Health Food · Tagged: Baking, fresh strawberry glaze, meyer lemon, meyer lemon curd, Pineapple, pineapple curd, produce, Recipe, strawberry

The Great List 05.03.2013

May 3, 2013 · by betsy · 1 Comment

My funk has finally lifted! I dont’ know if April was just sucky or what, but its May and I’m starting to feel like myself again. Maybe its because I completed a LOT of major tasks in April, and my mind is finally free, or maybe its because its sunny and 85 degrees right now, but whatever it is I’m grateful for it!

1. Taking a step back from the cook-style-shoot-blog tizzy I’ve been in for the last 2 and a half years has been a major blessing. I needed to refresh my perspective and I can see it happening. I love being an artist and working in a creative field, but art is very personal, and when you’re feeling uninspired or things are poorly received, it can be very hard. What I realized this week was that I need to keep my creativity more well-rounded. Alex and I filmed a new betsylife video last weekend, I’ve been working on my new painting, and I did a few non-food posts this week. All of these things resulted in new ideas both cooking-wise and other. If you’re ever in a creative rut, never stop! Just change direction for a bit, and eventually you’ll be able to see your true path.

2. Some birds built a nest in the rafters of our covered patio. Generally I think birds are kind of scary and gross, but small birds in their natural habitat are so interesting to watch. I loved seeing them bring in stick after stick for the nest. Fortunately they don’t seem to be too bothered by us or the dogs. I can’t wait until there are eggs and tiny little baby birds!

3. My garden is bumpin’! Except for a few pesky inch worms, my garden is sprouting up like crazy. The zucchini and eggplant have already bloomed, and the tomato plants have doubled in size. With the garden, the wildflowers and jasmine I planted, and the new pool chairs, I have a feeling that this summer at The Wet Spot is going to be beautiful! If this hot weather keeps up, we should be swimming by next weekend.

4. I’m gearing up for a month of travel. First stop, Chicago for my twin nieces 1st birthday! If you remember from my Great List last year , these are VERY special girls, and I cannot wait to see them and their brother. I haven’t been to Chicago since last summer, and I know the girls are standing, crawling and bursting with personality. Probably the only thing that sucks about living in San Diego is not being able to watch my nieces and nephews grow, but that’s what makes trips like this all the more meaningful. I’m also excited to see my old friends and meet/see their children as well. Oh yeah, and the beef sandwiches. I’m looking forward to that too!

I’m off to finish baking for the Food Blogger Bake Sale this weekend! If you’re in San Diego, please come down to Great News! in Pacific Beach tomorrow to buy some delicious treats and help a great cause. I’ll be selling mini versions of my famous Samoa Bundt Cake. If you’re not in San Diego, you can donate and win some fabulous cookbooks over at Seasonal Potluck. THANK YOU to all who have donated so far. I am TRULY grateful for your support.

Filed Under: The Great List · Tagged: grateful, gratitude, Great List, positive thinking, thankful, The Great List

Paleo Porn: Baked Chile Relleno

May 2, 2013 · by betsy · 1 Comment

In preparation for Cinco de Mayo this weekend, I’ve got chile rellenos on the menu! I’m super excited for this post because I know I have a bunch of readers out there who are following a paleo diet. Luckily, when my camera broke, my friend and paleo expert, Marla Sarris, stepped in to share a recipe from her new cookbook, Los Paleo: Mexican Paleo Recipes.

Marla is a primal/paleo OG. With two paleo cookbooks and 4 years of a paleo lifestyle under her belt, I couldn’t ask for a better expert to share some delicious and healthy mexican fare. Chile rellenos are one of my favorite mexican dishes, and I’m super stoked to try this paleo version. Here’s what Marla has to say about this recipe:

I like to get creative in the kitchen so in order to expand on the typical chile relleno that’s typically stuffed with cheese I chose to use seasoned grassfed bison instead. With the addition of eggs, this dish becomes more of a casserole and can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Plus it makes for great leftovers and can be eaten hot or cold.

Baked Chile Relleno

Ingredients

Heat Rating: Medium

Serving Size: Serves 6-8

6 poblano peppers
1lb ground grassfed bison
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot
3 bunches green onion, sliced

Instructions

Set your oven to broil. Place all 6 poblano peppers on a foil lined cookie tray and broil for 5 minutes on one side, flip and broil 5-7 minutes on the other side. Rotate and roast until skins on all sides are semi-charred, brown or loose, possibly another 3-5 minutes.
While the peppers are in the oven brown the bison in a large skillet over medium heat.
After five minutes, add the paprika, coriander, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and cayenne pepper to the bison. Stir to combine well. Bison will cook faster than ground beef (if you make a substitution, keep your eye on the meat as you move forward with the rest of the recipe.)
When the peppers are done, remove them from the broiler and transfer them to a glass dish with a lid or a gallon size zip lock bag. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375º F.
While you’re waiting for the peppers to do their thing, crack 10 eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, arrowroot and whisk until combined.
Slice green onions.
Remove the peppers from the zip lock bag and gently peel the outer skin off the peppers. Take care when working with the peppers as they tear easily. Cut off the tops, remove the seeds and set aside.
Gently stuff the bison mixture into each pepper and transfer each stuffed pepper to a 9x13 glass baking dish. Continue this until all peppers are stuffed.
Pour the egg mixture between the gaps of the peppers in the dish.
Top the egg and pepper dish with the sliced green onions.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from inserting into the egg.
Remove from the oven, let sit 5 minutes, cut and serve.
Enjoy! :)

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Um, holy YUM!!! Too bad The Hubs is going to be out of town this weekend. I’ll have to invite some friends over to help me eat this awesome casserole. Question Marla: Are margaritas paleo friendly too?

Marla Sarris is the author of the cookbook Pigskin Paleo and the blogger behind Marla’s Paleo Porn. Her latest cookbook, Los Paleo: Mexican Paleo Recipes, made its debut this month for Cinco de ~~Mayo~~ Marla.

Aside from being creative in the kitchen and cooking up new Paleo meals for her and her husband Jeff, she also enjoys traveling, managing projects at Spyr Media and staying active with HIIT. Later this month Marla is competing in the state competition for the Mrs. America pageant and hopes to use this platform to spread the message about Paleo and the importance of nutrition and properly sourced foods.

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