Easy Peasy Sangria

Found this great recipe for white wine sangria that was pretty darn good and super easy.

Take one bottle of white wine, Chardonnay works well, and three cans of Fresca. Mix in some cut strawberries, blueberries and peaches. Yummers...

Turkey Black Bean Tacos

Just the other day I found myself with a half a pound of ground turkey wanting to make some tacos. I thought I would put a can of black beans with the turkey and a packet of taco seasoning to make my filling. It was a genius idea. Incorporating the lean ground turkey with fiber filled black beans it was just yummy. Thought I would pass along.

Skulltastic

It makes me smile when I see something either online or in a magazine that I've been wearing literally for five years. On a trip to Asheville I found some wonderful skull beads made from bone. I decided to take them and make a set of stretch bracelets for myself. I wore them with everything. The neutral color made them appealing with any outfit. Now, today I'm online and I see that Sisco Berluti has one for sale for $88! wow. Time to make more...

From Sisco Berluti

Mine

Mine 

Skinny Apple Tart

This is a super easy recipe for an apple tart from Cooking Light. All you do is take one pre-made refrigerated pie crust (like Pillsbury; found in dairy section). Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 12 inches in diameter. 
Place crust on cookie sheet or pizza pan. Mix 1/4 cup sugar with a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Take 1 tbsp. of the mixture and sprinkle over the entire crust. Then take 2 lbs of granny smith apples and peel and cut into thin slices. Arrange the slices in circles going from outside to inside of crust. Take remaining sugar mixture and sprinkle over all the apples. 
Bake at 425 for 30 minutes
Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons honey with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pop in microwave for 40 seconds and mix up. Brush over tart after baking while still warm. Serve warm.
I think you could mix this up and use all sorts of different fruits.

Pizza here pizza there.

I've tried to perfect my pizza making skills. Went to the kitchen supply store and purchased two pizza peels (one wood, one metal). I have two pizza stones and through trial and error I've figured out how to make the best homemade pizza right in your own oven.


It's so easy too. I usually use my lower oven for pizza baking needs and I keep two pizza stones in there.

After I preheat the oven to 500 degrees I start stretching out the dough. I used to roll it out with a rolling pin but with a little patience you can stretch and pull and press it into shape. Before placing the dough on a wooden pizza peel I cover it with course corn meal. This keeps the dough from sticking to the wooden peel as you slide it into the oven. I then top the pizza with a little sauce and toppings, slide in the oven for 5-8 minutes- you'll see the top starting to get brown and know it's time to take it out!


This system works so well that you'll have a crisp crust and your toppings will be nice and brown, yum!

Avocados galore

This is the season for avocados and I love 'em as much as the next guy. I did hear a little tip recently about how to keep them from browning while your cutting them up etc. If you cut one in half then run water over the halves they'll take a little longer to brown. The water creates a barrier between the air and the avocado.