The largest citrus fruit!

Walking through Whole Foods is always an adventure, I find myself exploring the wine, the fresh fruits, the always changing selection of prepared foods. There is always something new to try and on my last excursion I came across the pummelo. Piled high in the produce section and stating boldly that it was "the largest citrus fruit in the WORLD!", the pummelo is a member of the citrus family and can grow to be the size of a volleyball. It's similar to the grapefruit and can be eaten as such but it is a bit sweeter. The rind is very spongy and with a little sugar sprinkled on top, it made a very refreshing breakfast!



Now it has been awhile since I have cut a grapefruit and it was the first time I cut pummelo so I cute vertically when I should have cut horizontally. It was still very tasty and I think in the future investing in a grapefruit tool is a good plan.

Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf with a Balsamic Syrup Glaze

This isn't the meatloaf of your grandmother's day - this delightful update takes the loaf out of the pan to keep it moist, adds a boatload of veggies and a simple, yet delicious glaze of balsamic and ketchup. Meat keeps its starring roll and the addition of the veggies really rounds out the flavor. Trust me when I say this is one of my favorite recipes and a true crowd pleaser. Served with mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower and you've got yourself a hearty and delicious comfort food meal!

Roasted Vegetable Meat Loaf with a Balsamic Syrup Glaze - serves 6

Have it:

3 tbl. olive oil

1 large zuchinni, fine dice

1 large red pepper, fine dice

1 large green or yellow pepper, fine dice

3/4 c. button mushrooms, fine dice

1 medium yellow onion, fine dice

Salt & pepper (as needed)

2 1/2 tbl. garlic, minced or chopped fine

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb. ground pork

1 lb. ground chuck

1 c. panko breadcrumbs (available in the asian foods section of the grocery store)

1/2 c. romano cheese, grated or shredded (parmesan can be substituted)

1 1/2 c. ketchup, divided

1 c. +2 tbl. balsamic vinegar

(The original recipe calls for 1/2 lb. of ground pork and 1/2 lb. of ground veal but I usually just go with a lb. of ground pork and it tastes delish.)

Do it:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper to taste and cook till soft. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minutes. Cool slightly. A tip for the veggies is to cute into large chunks and then use the food processor to pulse into the fine dice. When processing be careful not to over pulse, you want the veggies chopped but not pureed.

3. Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl (the largest bowl you have!). Add the meats, breadcrumbs, cheese, 1/2 c. of the ketchup, 2 tbl. of the balsamic vinegar and the vegetables, mix well. I used my hands to mix everything together and ensure a good combination. If you think you need more breadcrumbs, add a bit more.

4. Mold the meatloaf evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk the remaining ketchup and vinegar and brush on the meatloaf. Reserve some for basting the meatloaf. Bake for approx. 1 hour, checking at 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

This tasty dish came from a comfort foods cooking class and while the business is no more, the recipe sure gets a lot of use in my kitchen!

Source: Culinary Comfort Foods Class, Moveable Gourmet

Blogger App Discovered!

Wow, for someone who uses their phone as much as I do, I am seriously lacking in the app department! I did not realize that lurking within the Android Market was a Blogger app! There may just be hope for my lonely little blog and a great activity for my daily train rides. I do wonder how this will look on a computer. Verdict forthcoming...

Happy day for me, hope it is for you!

Do right for your kisser

It's no secret that I have a long standing obsession with every variety of lip products. Sticks, balms, glosses, wands, rollers, pots, tints, you name it and I've bought it. However, in all the products that have come across my lips, I've never found a combination quite as smoothing and conditioning as my new Lush product combination. Follow my easy-peasy regiment to softness and you too will be hooked.

Step 1: Exfoliate with Lush lip scrub. This lovely product is just like a body scrub but formulated for your kisser. It comes in four delectable flavors: Mint Julips (my choice), Bubblegum, Sweet Lips and Bon Bon. The scrub removes any dead or uneven skin leaving lips feeling refreshed and soft. I've been using just a smidge in the morning and the evening after I've brushed my teeth and after the first use I noticed a big difference.

Step 2: Condition with Lush Ultrabalm. After a nice scrub, I follow with this all purpose body balm. It's the same texture as Vaseline but is all natural and isn't a nasty by-product of petroleum (bad for the environment and bad for your bod). I slather this on my lips at least a dozen times during the day. It's great for any other spots on your bod that might need a little extra TLC as well.

And if you're not familiar with Lush, check them out here. Their handmade cosmetics are fab and make great gifts too!

Baked Potato Casserole

It's getting to be that time of year - the temperatures are falling as are the leaves, and the comfort foods are back in season. I love warm, hearty dishes and find myself enjoying them the most during the cold months when hubs and I are hibernating. Baked pastas, crock-pot delights and casseroles fill our tummys and make for tasty leftovers. One of my favorites is this easy to make and very tasty twist on the baked potato. I've been making it since college (when my repertoire consisted of macaroni and cheese and spaghetti) and it still hits the spot.

Baked Potato Casserole - serves 6-8 (or 2 with plenty of leftovers)

Have it:

5 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced

10 slices bacon, chopped and cooked

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (I shred my own block of cheddar to avoid unnatural ingredients)

1 pint sour cream (I prefer Daisy, don't go reduced-fat unless you have to)

3-4 green onion stalks, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Do it:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place peeled and cut potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Add salt to taste and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. When tender but firm, drain water.

2. Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces and cook until desired crispyness. Use spoon or tongs to remove bacon to paper towel lined plate but do not drain grease. Heat bacon grease and add diced green onions. Saute 2-3 minutes. Remove onions to paper towel lined plate and drain remaining bacon grease.

3. Combine potatoes, bacon, sour cream, 2/3 green onions and 1/2 cheese in ungreased casserole dish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle remaining cheese and onions evenly over casserole. Bake 30 minutes uncovered or until cheese begins to bubble.


I love that this dish is so simple and so good. I mean, how can you go wrong with bacon and potatoes and cheese? And it tastes good warmed up too, great for lunches or for another weeknight dinner.

Relief is spelled C-O-M-C-A-S-T

After an unintended hiatus from blogging due to three agonizing months of internet service comparable to the days of dial-up, I am excited to again have functioning high speed internet! The saga of Sprint Broadband has rivaled the drama of a Mexican soap opera, without the extravagent costumes. Three loooooong months without blogging, without being able to upload pictures and forget streaming video! In the last two weeks I've logged some serious computer time catching up and I am so excited to get back to blogging. Lots of new adventures in the kitchen, in the exercise arena and I've picked up a few new hobbies along the way. This wife has been busy, busy, busy!



So happy - this post was so much faster than when Sprint was running the show!

Chicken Shish Kabobs with Herbs and Garlic Potato Salad

I love summer time. Great weather, long days and sunshine. What better way to cap off a beautiful Chicago day than by throwing some nosh on the grill? I can't think of one and have been enjoying a variety of grilled delights over the last couple weeks. One of the easiest and tastiest? Shish Kabobs and the ultimate summer side dish - Tater Salad. Yum, yum, and more yum...

Marinated Chicken Shish Kabobs - Serves 4 (dependent on meat/veg quantities)

Have it:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
12 white mushrooms
1 onion
Marinade (of your choice - I used a poultry seasoning I got from an Amish town in Indiana and some olive oil)
Bamboo Skewers

Do it:
1. Submerge 6 skewers in water and let soak at least 30 minutes.

2. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts. Cut into 2 inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle or pour your desired marinade over chicken pieces and let marinate at least 30 minutes. I marinate 3-4 hours if time allows.

3. Cut peppers and onion into 2 inch pieces and set aside. Wipe mushrooms down with a damp towel. Do not wash as they will soak up the water and run the risk of becoming mushy.

4. Skewer peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken onto the pre-soaked bamboo skewers.

5. Place on a hot grill for approx. 6 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.

Herbs and Garlic Potato Salad - Serves 6

Have it:

2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 teas. fresh garlic (1 lg. clove)

1/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tbl. chopped chives

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 c. mayo (I used Hellmann's Light)

1 tbl. Dijon mustard

1/2 c. chopped celery (1 lg. stalk)

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. freshley ground black pepper

1 teas. dried thyme

Do it:

1. Place the potatoes (whole) in a large pot, add enough water to cover the taters, cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife, 15-20 min. Drain and let cool until you can handle them but they are still warm. Peel and cut into approc. 1-inch cubes.

2. While the taters are soaking in their hot tub, in a large bowl stir the garlic, parsley, chives, onion, mayo, Dijon mustard, celery, salt and black pepper. Crush the thyme lightly with your fingers and stir in.

3. Add the cut potatoes to the mayo mix and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to overnight.

Source: Potato Salad, 65 Recipes from Classic to Cool (a.k.a. my newest go-to for summer side dishes)

Set out a few candles and pour a nice cold glass of raspberry lemonade and you've got yourself one easy and delicious backyard (or for us city-dwellers, back patio) meal!