Low Brow Thai Curry

I know, I'm obsessed with Trader Joe's and all their yummy pre-made concoctions.  I've walked passed the Red Thai Curry sauce for years and finally bought it.  I was craving curry, and the consensus:  DELICIOUS--and uber easy.

Here's what you need to serve about 4:

3 red potatoes cut into large chunks
6-7 mushrooms sliced
2-3 green onions sliced lengthwise
handful of raisins
1 lime
1 jar of Thai Red Curry Sauce from Trader Joe's

Directions:
Boil potatoes for 7-8 minutes until tender
Saute mushrooms in an oiled pan, add green onions and potatoes. 
Pour jar of Thai Red Curry Sauce into pan and let simmer for 5-6 minutes. 
Toss in handful of raisins and mix.
Add over rice and squeeze a wedge of lime over meal...the lime really adds zest, don't neglect this ingredient!
I'll definitely not pass up this sauce the next time I go grocery shopping...I look forward to trying the other curry's!

Food For Athletes

I know, I know...It's been awhile.  I had all the excitement about my engagement and then I went on the road to volunteer with the Challenged Athletes Foundation's main fund raising event--the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge.  Please check out this organization and what they do for athletes who have lost their limbs.  It is truly an inspiration to see men and women bike 620 miles in 7 days...especially when they have no legs.  It started in San Francisco and had stops along the California coast to Pismo beach, Santa Barbara, San Louis Obispo, Marina Del Rey, Newport Beach and finally San Diego.  Although I didn't bike 620 miles, I got to eat the same yummy food the cyclists did!  Unfortunately I didn't get to burn the calories off!  When you're cycling all day...you definately need the right fuel for your body!

Engagement Dinner

Yes ladies and gentleman, I'm engaged!  And the meal my man whipped up before the proposal couldn't have been tastier.  Not to mention it was eaten by candlelight in a VW bus surrounded by mountains and water.  You can read about the proposal here. 

He prepared this on a camp stove outside, but I'm sure it's even quicker and easier on a kitchen stovetop!  Here is what you'll need for this tasty Italian dish:

Fettuccine
1 large chicken breast or 2 small chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 onion
5 mushrooms thickly sliced
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes
1 tomato chopped
1-2 Tbsp capers
2 garlic cloves minced
1 lemon
Olive oil

While pasta is boiling, pan fry cubed chicken.  In another pan saute onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Add sun dried tomatoes, capers, and artichoke hearts (with a couple of tablespoons of the artichoke juice) and mix well.  Add the chicken to the vegetable mix until chicken is coated.  Spoon over fettuccine and drizzle olive oil and lemon juice on top!

Light the candles, enjoy the view and bon appetit!

Oh Yeah....I'm getting married!  Woohooo!

5 Minute Nachos!

I love food blogs.  I love seeing the new recipes and pictures and reading all about people's experiences cooking.  What amazes me is how often food bloggers post new blogs!  I don't know about you, but I often eat the same two or three meals for breakfast and often rotate about 5 or 6 different meals for lunch.  I wish I didn't have to work...I would love for my days to revolve around a stove, a kitchen table and new recipes.  Maybe that's when you'll see daily posts from me--until then, if you're like me and often find yourself with only 5 minutes in the kitchen, then this is the recipe for you! Here is a super duper quick and easy meal to whip together for one or two people...you can easily modify this recipe for more people.  Sometimes life and food gets too fancy.  This is for my simple, lowbrow peeps!

What you'll need:
Tortilla chips
1/4 cup frozen or fresh corn
1/4 cup black beans
1 avocado
salsa
shredded cheese
lime
garlic salt

Directions:
For Guacamole--Halve a ripe avocado and remove the seed.  Squeeze a wedge of lime and add a dash of garlic salt.  Mash with fork until it's the consistency you prefer.

Pre-heat oven .  Set to 350 degrees.  Spread out the tortilla chips on a cookie sheet or convection oven sheet.   Evenly toss shredded cheese over the chips and bake for about 3-5 minutes.
While that is cooking, in an oiled pan add corn and black beans with dash of garlic salt--Mix until heated.

When cheese is melted remove tortilla chips and add black beans and corn.  You can use the guacamole and salsa as a dip, or just dump on top.  That's it!