National Spinach Day-Ramen style

Today is national spinach day, I love spinach but didn't feel like cooking tonight. I made Joe and I each a different kind of Ramen both with Spinach.

Mine: Ramen, spinach, green onion, and poached egg white.

J: Ramen, spinach, green onion, and grilled chicken with siracha hot sauce.

Hope you enjoyed some spinach today!

Jalapeno Pinto Bean Dip

I've been making this pinto bean dip for sometime and it is always a crowd-pleaser, I made it yesterday while visiting friends and once again it was a hit. It's a simple recipe, however it is does have a small catch you must serve it with Doritos (Flavor is best with a Doritos vs. a tortilla chip), either Nacho or Taco works for me. A suggestion yesterday was Salsa Verde Doritos, I'm trying those next time.


Ingredients:
2 Cans of Pinto beans, drained
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup (in the soup aisle)
1/4 cup hot water
8oz HOT Sliced Jalapenos, chopped ( I used 1/2 jar of mezzetta's)
4 to 5 dashes of Tapatio hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)

Directions:
Place sauce pan on medium heat, add drained pinto beans, cheddar cheese soup, water, chopped jalapenos, and hot sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Serve in bowl or tiny crock pot (warm setting) with your favorite Doritos.

TJ's Likes: Sugar, Chocolate & Coffee Bean Grinder

I shop at Trader Joe's (TJ's) twice a week, I like so many of their products. I am very fortunate that my brother works in one of their stores so he is always telling me what to purchase and giving me the heads up on new items.

Sugar, Chocolate & Coffee Bean Grinder

I saw this at my sister in laws when we went to La Jolla last month. I had seen it in the store but had forgot to ask my brother about. I don't think it's a new item but I had never tried it so I bought it and I am glad I did. 1 to 2 twist on top of my coffee in the morning is perfect you can taste the Chocolate and Coffee Beans, yum! This morning while I was rushing out of my house I left my coffee on the counter, ugh so upsetting.

Eggplant Parmesan

I have always been intimidated by eggplant, tonight I killed it.

1 Eggplant, sliced
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Olive oil
Olive oil spray
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 cups Bread Crumbs
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
2 cups Mozzarella

Directions: Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. Spray glass baking dish with Olive oil spray, set aside. Slice Eggplant, let it drain on paper towels, sprinkle with a little sea salt. Heat Olive oil in pan on stove over medium heat. Crack 3 whole eggs in bowl, add garlic powder, beat with hand mixture until fluffy, Put eggplant in flour on both sides, dip in egg mixture and then in bread crumbs on both sides.

Cook on medium heat for about a minute on each side, once you have cooked every piece. Place in glass pan, dollop marinara sauce on each piece bake for 10 minutes, cover with mozzarella and bake another 10 minute. Turn oven to broil, broil eggplant on medium for about 2 minutes until cheese is bubbling.

*I enjoyed making this dish not sure why I was ever intimadated by a Eggplant, lol.

Tater Tot Casserole

A friend in culinary school loved to make Tater Tot Casserole, he even had a special ingredient he used, I forgot all about the casserole until I was on pinterest yesterday and saw a variation of the casserole. His secret ingredient was "Cavendars Greek Seasoning" the recipe I saw on pinterest called for salt and pepper I omitted the salt and pepper and opted to us the Cavendars (one of my favorite seasonings anyways). He also said when making this casserole you have to use american cheese specifically, Kraft singles. So here's my friends version that I made. My husband and brother LOVED it, I highly recommend this casserole so good, very easy, kids would probably like this casserole too.



Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey (I used beef)
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken
1 tablespoon Greek Seasoning
16oz tater tots
6 slices of american cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef in pan, add diced onions, seasoning and cream of chicken un-diluted. Spray glass baking pan with cooking spray (I love TJ's olive oil cooking spray). Pour mixture in glass baking pan, cover with frozen tater tots. and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cover in single layer with american cheese. Broil on low for 2 minutes until cheese bubbles.

Yummyness!

Tainted Love night

I went to see Tainted Love on Friday we were going to dress 80's and opted not to, Thank God! We would have looked like fools since only about 25% of the 200 peeps were dressed up, we had a GREAT time and the band rocked it as always.

Lemon Cucumber Salad

After a weekend of bad eating and glutinous drinking, I was craving something healthy. My co-worker/second mom, came over and we picked lemons off my lemon tree. Her mother in law makes a dried chili powder that I can not get enough of!

6 Persian cucumbers
Juice of 4 medium lemons
1 tablespoon chili powder (your choice)

Slice cucumbers, sprinkle chili powder, and add lemon juice, stir. Place in fridge for about an hour.

This is such a delicious salad, must like lemon to enjoy.

New Bracelets

I picked up these bracelets from H&M, they were very inexpensive $9.99 for 5. They are not showing up on the US H&M website, here's a pick I found on their uk site.

I was hoping to wear them sometime this weekend but who knows. Tonight I am going to see Tainted Love aka the best 80's cover band, so excited!!! this is probably my 10th or 12th time seeing them, we (Annie & I) are even dressing 80's...pictures to follow.

Have a wonderful weekend loves!

Photo via http://www.hm.com/gb/product/97680?article=97680-A

Spicy Tomatoes

Store bought tomatoes have no flavor to me. I decided to jazz up a store bought tomato...I can't wait for fresh garden tomatoes in the summer. For now this turned out just perfect.

1 Roma Tomato
1 tsp Sea Salt
Juice from half of a lemon
15 shakes of Tapatio or your favorite hot sauce

Chop Tomato, add salt, tapatio and mix. Chill in fridge for at least one hour. Use on your favorite tacos or burritos. I'm going to use them on a quesadilla.

Hair #2

3 braided buns.

Hair #1

Upside down messy french braid!

Purge and or Clean #1

One of my friends says "it's best to just throw $h*t away", she calls it purging.

Q: Who needs 4 bottles of pink nail polish? A: Not me! However that's how many I have. Time to get rid of polish!

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

1/4 cup honey1/4 cup soy sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced
4  pork loin chops, boneless (trim fat if any, mine came trimmed)
1 tbsp olive oil

Whisk together honey, soy sauce and garlic. Place mixture and pork in ziploc bag, refrigerate for 2 hours. Add olive to hot frying pan, sear on each side about 2 to 3 minutes. Cover pan with foil, finish in 400 degree oven for about 5 to 8 minutes (internal temperature of pork should be 145 degrees).

Marinating! 

Just getting started, sizzle.

Cover with foil and place this in the oven.

Serve with Potatoes & Roasted Cabbage.

Adapted from: Sparks People