fake bake: day one.

If you know me then you know I will try absolutely anything and everything for a healthy glow.  Especially in the summer.  I am an extremely pale girl.  However, once I have a base tan I seem to be able to keep a good tan.  Last summer I was golden all summer long.  

Here is a short list of the methods I've used to become a bronze goddess:

• Tanning beds.  (Yes, yes... I know they are terrible for you... but they are so relaxing and they really give you an amazing result.)
• Bronzers.
• Tanning oil and my backyard.
• Spray tans.  (They're pretty amazing once you know how to pose.)  
• Multiple brands and types of self-tanning lotion.  I have yet to find a lotion that doesn't turn me into an Oompa Loompa. 

Needless to say, I am trying again.  I was shopping and found Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer on sale.  For $2.50.  Seriously it is normally $13.  I had to buy and try it. 

Now I did have a bad experience with their Express lotion last year.  I am talking horrible streaks in the summer when I love to wear shorts and capris.  I thought perhaps foam would be the way to go.  I know it was likely the way I applied it.  Apparently this kind starts a natural glow gradually and takes a week to really see results.

DAY ONE

Don't make fun of my pasty legs.  This is a shot after application.  

I must say I was impressed with the application and the dry-time.  Usually while using a lotion you have to wait forever for it to soak into your skin.  You stand around waiting like a dolt, walking around not wanting to stain your clothing or furniture.  The foam dried instantly and my legs feel lovely and smooth.  I've had #dryskinprobz all winter and this stuff is actually HELPING.  Remind me that I said that in a week if I am whining about how awful my legs look.

So... that brings me to asking who wants to place bets on if I will be whining and regretting this in a week... place your bets, folks.

jalapeno popper chicken.

It was a bright, sunny, and warm March day today.  The sun was seeping through the windows.  I had them all open.  I decided to make one of our favourites tonight... jalapeno popper chicken.  The reason for this picture is to show off my lovely casserole dish.  I literally peeled potatoes in it just because.  It just makes me very happy.

Here is the jalapeno popper chicken before the oven and after cooking.  Mmm.  And now for the recipe!  In my pan's defense, it isn't dirty.  I am breaking it in and you can purchase it here:  Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan.  Apparently they turn really dark after awhile and it just makes them better.  Mine has been nothing but amazing so far and I highly recommend one for every kitchen.  

ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 2 tbsp. low-fat cream cheese
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped into small pieces
• handful of shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• toothpicks

directions

Preheat your oven to 375.  Mix your cream cheese, shredded cheese, and jalapeno peppers.  Slice "pockets" into your chicken breasts but be careful not to slice them in half.  Stuff your cheesy-jalapeno mix evenly into each pocket. Secure with toothpicks.  (I use 3 for each so that I remember the number and no one is eating them later.)  Dip your chicken into the whisked egg, making sure it is nicely coated.  Then dip into your panko breadcrumbs.  Repeat.  Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes.  Don't forget to take the toothpicks out before devouring this delicious chicken.

Probably one of my favourite ways to make chicken.  Absolutely delicious.

five dollar curry.

Or as I like to call it loudly... FIVE DOLLAH CURRY!!!  I am going to try to remember this recipe and what I threw into it.  It looks a lot like my chickpea, tomato, and chicken curry.  It isn't.  It is a vegetarian curry.  I honestly threw this together last night because I decided during the day that one pack of instant oatmeal was enough to eat and I was SO HUNGRY when I came home from work.

ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can of lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 can of diced tomatoes... I used Aylmer's Accents.  You can also use a chopped tomato.  The can was soaked in olive oil so I rolled with it.
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 tbsp. of curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne 
• 1/2 tsp. Epicure Spices for Chutney (optional)
• squirt of ketchup (optional, I just threw it in)
• fat-free yogurt for serving
• naan bread for serving

directions

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet.  When the oil is hot throw in the minced garlic, cook for half a minute, throw in your spices and warm them up for a minute.  Throw in your chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes.  Squirt some ketchup over it, mix everything together and let it all simmer for 30-45 on medium-low.  (Is that a real temp on an oven?  It is now.)  Serve with some naan and yogurt.  Enjoy.

As you can see... I almost forgot to take a picture of the finished project.  I was that hungry.  It was filling and delicious.  Next time I will remember to take a picture when I dish up.  Next time I will also pay more attention to the oil heating in the skillet and I won't almost burn the house down and burn three cloves of garlic. 

Cheapest curry ever?  Probably!  I'd love to try dried chickpeas and lentils... any advice?  

no excuse.

I have no excuse for my short hiatus, I've decided.  I've had some ENT issues the past couple of weeks so aside from being overly attractive with a suspected sinus infection I haven't been up to much... including cooking.  I've been sticking to simple items.  

Although... I did make a ginger chicken soup when my boyfriend was sick.  I forgot to take a picture but I have a recipe.  I had never ever made soup before and it actually worked which made me very happy.  We happily ate soup for dinner for a few nights and I was even able to  freeze most of it.

And I did make a $5 Curry in a Hurry tonight because we were both starving.  We have no meat at all because we haven't been grocery shopping so it was a vegetarian night.  (Fine by me!)  Mmm... lentils and chickpeas.

I've also been working on my crochet skills and working on a scarf for a friend.

I've been stressed/busy at work.  Four large coffees to get through a day is pretty much an every day ritual at this point.

I've also had some ups and downs over the past few weeks and that tends to turn me into a somewhat introvert.  

Basically, I have no excuse for not at least writing a little bit, especially when writing makes me very happy--whether it be about lipstick or yarn or rap music or food.  So, my two readers, please yell at me the next time I decide I am going to take a break for no particular reason.

Hey look,  I almost kind of get this crochet business.  

mini bbq chicken meatloaves.

Chicken can become boring.  I've been trying to change it up here and there.  In the future I will post more chicken recipes once I re-make them.  (Jalapeno popper chicken breasts, fried panko chicken, rosemary chicken).  I have also been trying to use lean ground chicken instead of plain old chicken breasts because again--boring after awhile.

One night I decided to be creative and make mini chicken meatloaves with mashed sweet potatoes.

This is the worst part about ground meat.  Touching it makes me queasy.  But I pulled through, my friends, I sure did.  I mixed it with eggs, panko breadcrumbs, and bbq sauce.  Nasty.  But worth it in the end. 

ingredients

• 1 package of ground chicken (or beef, pork, or turkey)
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 egg
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I used PC Apple Butter sauce)
• 1/2 cup or so of BBQ sauce to top meatloaves

directions
Preheat the oven to 375.  Mix the ground meat in a big bowl with egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, and 1/2 cup of bbq sauce.  Try not to be too disgusted, it feels awful.  Once mixed, scoop into a muffin tin, distributing the ground meat evenly.  Pat down with a spoon (or your hands).  Spoon a bit of BBQ sauce onto each mini meatloaf.  Put the pan in the oven and let them cook for 30-35 minutes.

ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup of cream (I use fat free)

directions

Peel and chop your sweet potatoes.  Put them in a big pot filled with water and heat on high.  Once the water boils, turn the heat down to medium and let the potatoes cook until you can easily pierce through them with a fork.  Once cooked, drain them, put them back into the pot and mash with garlic, salt and pepper, butter, and cream.

This meal was relatively quick and easy.  It was also pretty delicious on a cold night.

spring wishlist.

(1)  Coach:  Poppy Floral Print Hallie Tote  (Along with the matching wallet.)
(2)  Aldo:  Bonomi Heels in Bone
(3)  Rickis:  Kimono Sleeve Bolero in Black  (And gray.)
(4)  Kate Spade:  New York Studs

I especially want the bag.  I have shoes, sweaters, and earrings that are eerily similar to all of those.  I am boring but the bag is exciting.  That bag is something else.

thai coconut chicken.

Some days I come home from work and I don't feel like cooking.  Actually, most days are the same.  I do the majority of my cooking experiments on the weekend and stick with simple things during the week.  I could probably live off of toast, salad, and cheese and crackers as meals.  On the weekend I like to try to spice things up.

I think this meal will become a weekday staple easily.  It was simple, delicious, and yielded so much food that I had lunches for a couple of days.  

I started out with a spice pack.  Usually I make my own spice mixtures but I had this one in the cupboard:

Club House's Thai Coconut Chicken.  Thai food could have a serious battle with my love for Indian food.  And win.  When I purchased this spice pack I was hoping it would taste a bit like  my favourite emerald curry from My-Thai but it didn't.  It was completely different and still completely delicious.  Not sure if I am crazy about the added stuff in the mix, but maybe I can figure out how to copy it with my own spices. 

Totally didn't have any vegetables that would have worked with the thai spices, so I used a defrosted bag of Green Giant's Japanese Mix.  Carrots, broccoli, sugar snap peas, yellow peppers, and my favourite water chestnuts?!  Good enough!  I never said this meal would be authentic.  

ingredients

• 1 package of Club House thai choconut chicken seasoning
• 1 package Green Giant vegetables (or 3 cups of your own chopped ones)
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil  (I used EVOO) 
• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 3/4 cup coconut milk 
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter (I used Kraft Whipped PB and added a half tbsp.)
• Rice or noodles for serving
• Sriracha, for some extra heat (optional)

**Note:  The recipe calls for 1-1 1/2 cups of veggies.  I used about 3 and a half cups because I love them. Next time I plan on freezing half of it.  


directions
In a wok or a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Chop chicken into chunks and add into skillet, cooking for about 4 minutes.  Add your vegetables and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.  Blend the milk, coconut milk, and spices and add to the skillet.  Also add peanut butter and mix.  (Or mix all of it in a blender or food processor until it is smooth and then add it to your skillet).  Reduce heat to medium and stir regularly to help the sauce thicken.  (Add a bit of corn starch if it won't thicken up).  Serve over rice or noodles.  Add sriracha if you like a lot of heat. 

I honestly think that this recipe was better the next day when I took it for lunch.  The only thing I would do differently next time is add bamboo shoots.  And I would freeze half the recipe as I had to throw some out because it had been in the fridge too many days.  Which made me very sad.  I almost wanted to risk food poisoning to finish it off.