Artichoke Pesto Pasta with Grilled Shrimp

I swore I would never ever be that parent who lives and breathes vicariously through their children's
lives. If you were to ask me I would tell you that I think I'm doing a pretty good job at fulfilling that goal. I would then go on to tell you that I actively encourage all 4 of my youngin's to aspire to what they want to be by engaging them in the things they are good at and helping them to work through those things that they aren't perfect at.  It's hard being a 4, 7, 8 and 19 year old after all.


I love baseball. I always have. The crack of the bat, the smell of the grass, the fresh air and the way the major league players look in those grey pants   the old fashioned, all American feeling of it all. I was never great at playing the sport but I sure wished upon more than one star that I would be the team hero at least once rather than 'Odd Man Out' more often than not. That's the thing about baseball. It's a team sport but when your up to bat or a pop fly is hit to your corner of the field, ALL eyes are on YOU. As a kid, one minute it feels like you're the team Super Hero and the next minute, you strike out (again) and you are shunned and ridiculed.






Being the mom of 3 boys (and 1 perfect little girl) means I can get my fill of watching and being a part of sports like my fav, baseball. My oldest son had a serious love affair with basketball and played his heart out on city leagues, clubs and in junior high where he was even team captain for 2 years, until when he got to high school and wasn't quite good enough to make the team.

It broke his heart but to my amazement he didn't sulk or even complain. Instead, my 13 year old son, went home and all on his own wrote a resume to the head coach of the High School Team listing all of the reasons why he was qualified to be a part of the team no matter what he had to do. Whether it be by being a team manager, passing out and picking up the balls, encouraging his team mates (which he did graciously and enthusiastically) and by just doing whatever was need of him, just so long as that he could be a part of the team while he practiced and practiced and practiced.


Which he did. And he got better. And they let him play. Joy.




























Back to baseball and my 7 & 8 year old boys. My 8 year old could care less about sports. I'm o.k. with that. Really. I find it exhilarating that all of my children are unique and special with a set of their own  interests, skills and personalities. My 8 year old son loves art and building things, especially Lego's & Origami.

My 3rd and youngest son, age 7 was very eager to play baseball much to my excitement. He has my family's body type which I prefer to say is "Athletic" instead of "Big Boned".  He has a natural athletic ability when it comes to physic and strength and if we can just work on that coordination and speed thing I think we might have something here……..

"Not living vicariously through my children. Not living vicariously through my children."


Today was the last game of the season. When I asked him to go get ready to go to his game he pouted and sulked and then flat out protested. I said "What's wrong Nolan, I thought you liked baseball?" and do you know what my son said to me?



"My favorite part of baseball is the end. When it's over."


Wow.

Maybe he'll change his mind.

Maybe not. And I'm o.k. with that. Kind of.

There is always comfort in pasta. Always. As long as it's a good quality, better yet home made pasta you can really sink your teeth into. As long as there as a fresh sauce or pesto you can twirl your noodles through life will be o.k.  Molto Bene!!

Not home made, but this pasta was fabulous. Thick and non starchy cooked to Al dente perfection with a hollow center to soak up even more of the green sauce! Swoon.

A twist on your traditional pesto, artichoke hearts make a light and lovely green pasta sauce. This unpretentious pesto would also pair well with jumbo grilled shrimp alone as an appetizer. 

A twist of lemon, a toss of freshly grated Parmigiana ~Romano and a bit of Italian parsley along with pine nuts or walnuts and you have yourself a guest worthy meal in minutes. Don't forget the wine!

Ingredients

1 package of pasta, cooked to package directions
5-7 artichoke hearts (found in glass jars)
1 large handful fresh Italian parsley
2 handfuls of walnuts or pine nuts (about 1 cup for those who measure)
1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiana~Romano2-3 cloves fresh garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of water to thin pesto to desired consistency
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
red chile flakes if desired

1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pre-heat grill. Spray a grill pan with oil. {You can also bake shrimp at 400F for 8-10 minutes or stir fry). Grill shrimp over medium flame until they turn dark pink, about 3 minutes per side. Don't overcook or they will become dry! Remove from heat and set aside. No need to season shrimp for this recipe.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Combine all ingredients, artichoke hearts through cracked pepper in a food processor or blender till combined.  Toss pesto with pasta to coat. Sprinkle with chile flakes for some heat if desired. I do. ;}

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Pepita Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms //// Appetizers to Bring to Your HolidayGet Togethers.

I made these savory stuffed mushrooms in preparation for our upcoming Thanksgiving get togethers. I think that one of my favorite parts of the Holiday's is taste testing all of the possible appetizers that may or may not make it to our family dinners and the small gatherings we 'squeeze in' with our closest friends. Thank the Lord we have such large families and such good friends so I can taste test to my hearts content!  Can I get a  'HALLELUJAH!'

 All of the women in our group thought these were an amazing appetizer! I  l.o.v.e. stuffed mushrooms in a perfectly stalky kind of way and these were just a bit different than any I've ever had, very light and healthy without the cheese overload and yet they fulfilled my cheesy, stuffed mushroom addiction  craving. The Pepita seeds were a wonderful twist to the usual pesto. My husband 'liked' them but said he expected more 'kick' which is to be expected of my cooking….. and from men  ;}   It ain't got no beef in it honey!

As I so eloquently mentioned before, I have an appetizer fetish/love/addiction which I am not ashamed of whatsoever. In fact, if it were up to me, I would quite happily live off nothing but appetizers (and the appropriate wine) for dinner every. single. night. 

I have high hopes that I will be most diligent in posting my absolute  favorite, tried and true (don't fret Martha, I know I'm no expert.")  Holiday appetizers which are totally family reunion worthy (I know what expectations that brings) and yet so simple that they will bring you ZERO stress while throwing together and the most skeptical of MIL's will appreciate.


This is my vow. I got your back!

• 20 small cremini or white mushrooms, *stems removed
• 4 tablespoons (plus a few to place on top) unsalted Pepita's (pumpkin seeds), toasted
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves 
• 2 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 3/4 teaspoon grated orange rind 
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2-3 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

Preparation

1. 
   
2.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange mushroom caps, stem sides up, in pan; cook 5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Turn mushrooms over; cook 5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Place mushrooms, stem sides down, on paper towels to drain and cool.
3.  Place 4 tablespoons Pepita's, parsley, and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until chopped. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until well blended.
4.  Fill each mushroom cap with about 1 teaspoon pesto; top evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons Pepita's. Serve either warm or chilled. Place a small sliver of shaved Parmesan for presentation if desired. 

NOTES:  I find it much easier to use my fingers instead of a knife to 'pluck' out the mushroom stems. It makes a nice 'cavity' for stuffing's that way. 

Use any combination of herbs or greens you desire. 

Make sure to pat dry the cooked mushrooms so they are not soggy. This appetizer is best served immediately or chilled and served. 

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Baked Cauliflower with Buffalo Sauce and Home Made Blu Cheese Dressing

I work in an place that is predominantly employed with women. It is a fast paced, usually high stress work environment that doesn't allow for mistakes or some one could die. This makes for a large group of women who are mostly type A personality. A group of women who get up every day ready to save lives, treat people who are sick or injured and give a lot of attention to detail for 8-12 hours straight. We do this while working along side other strong minded women and surgeons who expect nothing less than perfection and efficiency in as short of a time as safely possible.

I love my job. 

I am lucky to work part time right now and with a flexible schedule so I can spend a lot of time with my 3 young children. So when I go to work it's a little like spending time with a group of friends and catching up on each others lives. I think my favorite part of working in an surgery is that every day I get to work with several different people and do many different types of surgeries from total joint replacements and spinal fusions to urology and fertility. 

What's strange to me, working in a place with mostly women is that almost ALL of them are into football. Big time. More so in fact than most men I've ever known. Picture 7 nurses in the lounge Monday morning all fighting for the sports page and talking stats and irate over the referee's bad call the night before. Picture news paper clipings of football articles taped up in the women's locker room. These women can carry on a conversation with the male surgeons about football as easily as my friends and I do about recipes and everyday happenings. Weird.

I learned early on when I started working at my current hospital 3 years ago not to mention the fact that I wasn't a football fan. That is an unforgiveable sin as far as my co-workers are concerned. 

While I'm not a big football fan ( shhhhhhhhhhh.......)    I do like football food. Hot wings, chips and dip, 7 layer bean dips and brats with saurkraut.  Mmmmmm. 

Love the food, hate the calories and more importantly the way I feel after indulging. Hot wings are my weakness. I could eat a big pile of them covered in chunky blue cheese and lick the sauce of the plate afterwards with out a bat of the eye. 

When I discovered this much healthier version of hot wings, minus the wings I nearly jumped out of my chair. Now I didn't have to feel guilty about eating my beloved hot wings and could eat them when ever I craved them which is often. Sometimes before noon. Im not ashamed.

recipe source: Curvy Carrot

Servings: enough for at least 3-4 people 

Ingredients 

1 head cauliflower, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces 

1 cup buttermilk 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons garlic salt 

1 cup buffalo sauce 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted


Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, flour, and garlic salt, whisking until mostly smooth (it’s ok if there are a few lumps left). 

3. Very gently (cauliflower can be pretty delicate), place the cauliflower in the bowl and lightly toss to completely coat with the buttermilk mixture. 

4. Place the cauliflower in a shallow baking dish and bake for about 15-18 minutes or so (watch it, it may start to brown up quickly on you.) 

5. Meanwhile, combine the buffalo sauce and the melted butter in a small bowl. 

6. Carefully remove the hot cauliflower from the oven and pour the buffalo sauce mixture over it, stirring gently to coat it as best you can. 

7. Return the cauliflower to the oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes or so. Let cool slightly and serve immediately.

Recipe originally from PETA.    {Who knew Peta had vegetarian recipes?}

*see home made healthier blue cheese dressing below {my own recipe}

Enjoy!

Home made healthier Blue Cheese dressing:
  

TIME     5 MINUTES        YIELDS     1 /12 CUPS 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup buttermilk

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 

In a small bowl, mash 1/2 cup blue cheese and yogurt together with a fork. Stir in lemon juice, vinegar,  garlic powder and salt and pepper until well blended. Top with more crumbled blue cheese. Makes a little more than 1 cup.

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Ultimate Halloween Roundup

Halloween is my favorite "Holiday".  Partly because the weather finally dips into the double digits here in Phoenix but mostly for the creepy fun costumes, decor and parties. We have a chili 'cook off' every year and have friends over to sit around the fire pit. The kids love making crafts to hang all over the house and turning our front yard into a cemetery.

These cute hand print plates from Mom Endeavors are not only fun but will help your little one with fine motor development.

Been saving up those toilet paper rolls? Nows your chance to let the kids create a whole village of spooky Halloween creatures. From Space Ships and Laser Beams.

Family Fresh Meals has you covered for creepy fun lunch box treats.

Macaroni and cotton swab skeletons and simple side walk ghost lanterns from Spoonful.

Having a few friends over for a Halloween Party or just want to entertain the family? These simple games are classics for a reason. Courtesy of Babble.

I loved this as a kid! Perfect for a kid friendly Haunted House. 

Peel the skins off of grapes for "Slimy Eyeballs"  

Wet noodles for "Brains or Veins"  

Dried Apricots for "Tongues"  

Corn husk threads for "Old Witch Hair" 

Dried Corn for "Teeth"

Fake Fur "Rats"

Slime for "Guts"

Don't forget to take pictures of their facial expressions! 

This one is my favorite! I can't wait to use this as the centerpiece for the snack table.

photo courtesy of Stylista

For your Adult Haloween Party and Decorating ideas, Stylista has some of the creepiest ideas on the web. 

Shots!

Old store foam heads with cheesecloth, a fog machine and some scary background music, scare the kids and the parents.  

Happy Haunting!

Do you have any Halloween traditions? 

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Papaya, Mango-Ginger Frozen Margarita

The problem you see,  if you are tolerant enough to see that it is in fact a problem, is that the weather here is so gorgeously perfect out right now that it is impossible to get anything done on time. The laundry is piling up, the dust bunnies are everywhere and my 'To Do' list has all but been forgotten. All for the gravitational pull of the warm 'Spring' Phoenix sun that quite literally drags me outdoors to soak in all of it's perfectness. Bad day. Forgotten.







The afternoons here have been perfect in every form of the word and I would be insane not to take advantage of weather most of the world is wishing for right now and not sit outside on the back patio with a cocktail in the late afternoon and enjoy every last fleeting moment of it. July will be here all to soon with it's triple scorching digits and all of you in Central Park, Maine, North Carolina and everywhere else can rub it in my face if you please.

I love papaya's subtle, floral sweetness and it's buttery texture. Make sure you choose the smaller tropical ones, not the giant ones from Mexico, in my experience those smell and taste like vomit. Sorry, just warning you. The smaller ones are as I described above just make sure you wait until they are very ripe to get the full tropical flavor experience, otherwise they are fairly tasteless. It's pretty safe to buy frozen papaya as I did for these margaritas. Paired with mango, a squeeze of lime juice and a bit of ginger and you have yourself one damn good margarita.

What could make this situation any more perfect? Two things. Shrimp and margaritas. duh.

National Margarita Day was on Saturday and just in the nick of time for most of you clinging to your coats, scarves and blankies in knee deep snow. ick. If you aren't fortunate to be able to celebrate this occasion outdoors, there is absolutely NO reason IMHO not to turn up the heat, put on a tank top and blend up a tropical margarita this afternoon! It's quite rude not to honor holidays you know. Quite rude.


Heather from GirliChef put together a little party to celebrate this worthy National party, made up or not I've yet to find out. Who cares? If I get to mix up a margarita or two (or three) and sit outside in the fabulous Sonoran sun then I'm celebrating!

Of course, I managed to somehow miss the link up in time (see disclaimer above) and didn't realize my post didn't auto load that morning because I had to work all day. On a Saturday. On National Margarita Saturday no less. Bummer. Ah well, nothing a Papaya, Mango and ginger margarita can't fix. Mood brightened!

If you too are in need of a cold frozen Margarita, head over to GirliChef for an impressive list of margaritas. If fact, their are Margaritas on the rocks, Margarita cupcakes, drunken shrimp and more!

SERVES 2
2 cups frozen papaya and mango
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
2 limes, juiced
2/3 cup blanco tequila
4 oz. triple sec or Cointreau 

Blend, enjoy, repeat.
Chile Sugar to garnish on rim

I made a big bowl of Drunken Shrimp Pasta to go with our frozen Papaya Mango Margaritas and needles to say, we were in 7th heaven that evening sitting outside in the setting Phoenix sun sipping on our drinks and slurping up the spicy sauce from fettuccine noodles. Check back in a couple of days for the recipe, It's the best shrimp pasta I've ever had if I must say so myself.

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PICOBLAT : What you need to bring to your next picnic! #PicnicGame

Somebody told me that today was the halfway marker of summer on the calendar. That someone has also has only lived in The Valley of the Sun for exactly 3.5 months. Ummm,  did the nickname "The Valley of the Sun" not clue you in? I was sorry to burst his shiny, happy yet clueless bubble but summer unofficially or not starts in mid April and ends at the very tail end of October here in Phoenix. Prepare yourself.






I did clue him into a little known secret that apparently is well kept by us Zonies. There is relief from the scorching heat only a stones throw away via the I-17. Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Greer and other retreat from the heat towns are a minimum of a 2 hours drive North from Phoenix. And....... wait for it........... there are a handful of beautiful bodies of water known as creeks and lakes scattered amidst the desert mountains (puddles in comparison to the Midwestern lakes but we love them nonetheless).

"Puddles" of water that are perfect for a day trip, beat the heat picnic getaway. We are masters of this scenario. We pack mostly healthy snacks to last all day long, plenty of water and fish bait to keep the kids entertained.

I have to say that as a Native Arizonan, I haven't shared some of my most favorite places to picnic or camp with the newbies because let's face it, tourists can cramp your style and solitude is nothing short of a blessing when you live a hectic life in the city. I will however share with you a picture or two of our latest stumble upon spot somewhere along the Mogollon Rim, pronounced,  /mʌɡɨˈjoʊn/ or /moʊɡəˈjoʊn/) or /mɒɡɒdʒɔːn


Did that help?

So what do I bring on road trip picnics? Fruits, veggies, cheeses and PICOBLAT, of course. 

An acronym for 

P eppers
I talian dressing
C ilantro
O nion
B lack beans
L ime juice
A vocado
T omatoes


When put all together and let to marinade for a day equals the perfect picnic food.
No need for instructions on this, it's really super simple and you can add as much or as little as you prefer of each ingredient, although I do recommend going easy on the Italian dressing (house/creamy style) and heavy on the lime juice. Also, if you use canned black beans, you want to drain them first. I also add chopped jicama to this more often than not which adds the crunch factor.

Need more ideas and inspiration for you summer picnicking? Check out these fabulous recipes perfect for summer noshing.




Today we are celebrating International Picnic Day by bringing you a basket packed with goodies from A to Z, in the style of the picnic game! Drop by the Sunday Supper Movement to see the whole picnic spread out on our virtual blanket.

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing...
Asian Chicken Salad from Try Anything Once Culinary
Beautiful Beet Salad from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Chicken Muffuletta from Marlene Baird
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups from The Dinner-Mom
Elote from Peaceful Cooking
Fennel Slaw from FoodieTots
Greek Farro Salad from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Honey Porter Glazed Chicken and Vegetable Skewers from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Italian Pasta Salad from Casa de Crews
Japanese Plum Sushi from NinjaBaking.com
Kudos Kitchen Kolaches from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake from In The Kitchen With KP
Molasses Lovers Baked Beans from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Northern Bean Salad with Egg and Prosciutto from Family Foodie
Orzo Salad from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
PICOBLAT from Simply Healthy Family

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Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Caramel Sauce

Summer dessert doesn't get any better than this grilled pineapple in a simple coconut caramel sauce. Just throw it on the grill alongside some fish or jerk chicken and then commence lounging on the patio in complete bliss. I snuck one of these glazed pineapple pieces straight from the grill, and wasn't ready for the magic that happened. I love pineapple and something seriously amazing happens when you throw it on the grill. The natural sugars are brought out by the flames and the pineapple juices become a smokey caramel flavor.






And just to make things even better we drizzled the hot pieces of grilled fruit with a coconut caramel reduction. Thick, gooey and hot coconut caramel paired with grilled pineapple is a match made in dessert heaven. We had this alongside our grilled fish tacos and not a peep was uttered during dinner on the patio that night except for Mmmmmmmmmm's and the occasional Oh yeeaaahhh!

Instead of spending time in the kitchen baking dessert this summer try throwing different fruits on the grill for a super simple after dinner treat. My other favorite fruit to grill are nectarines, the flavor brought out from grilling them is out of this world!

recipe from Sunset Magazine


TIME     20 MINUTES          SERVES     6

1 large pineapple

1/2 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup coconut milk (the kind in the can)

handful of shredded, sweetened coconut

Pre heat outdoor grill to medium high. 

In a small saucepan over medium high heat bring water and sugar to a steady, low boil stirring just to combine.  Continue to boil rolling the pan to swirl liquid occasionally. Do not stir. This will take about 15-20 minutes before the liquid reduces and turns into a caramel color and consistency. Continue to boil gently swirling pan until you have a thick caramel reduction.  

Meanwhile trim the top and end off of the pineapple. Trim of the outer skin and discard. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise then cut each half lengthwise again so you have four long pieces. Cut the core from each piece and save for use in a green smoothie the next day.  Cut pieces in half again lengthwise if they are too thick, then cut them in half to make smaller pieces.  

Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in coconut milk while whisking to combine. The caramel sauce will bubble and splatter so be careful. Pour some of the caramel sauce into a small serving bowl reserving the rest to brush over the pineapple.  

Place pineapple pieces in a large serving tray or plate. Brush with the coconut caramel sauce to coat them. Using tongs, place them on the hot grill. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes then turn them over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove from grill and serve immediately!  

Drizzle with more caramel and enjoy!

What are your favorite summer desserts?

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