Midnight Snack {recipe}

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese 

Pear

Apple

Wasa Crispbread

Substitute any fancy cheese for a more exquisite taste, or try apple instead of pear.

9g of Carbohydrates and 3g of Protein - midnight snack of champions.

It turns out a lot of things they tell you about pregnancy are actually true. Like having to go tinkle a gazillion times a day, or being hungry more times then not, and liking foods that you previously couldn't stand

Most of the time I do good with having smaller portions 3-4 hours apart but when dinner is at seven, by the time bed time rolls around - I'm starving. 

I've tried having fruit, cereal, yogurt and oatmeal because I don't want to have anything too heavy. Yet it's not filling enough. 

I've tried going without and then I can't sleep at all. 

In an effort to sleep well, be somewhat full, I went on a quest for a healthy and protein rich snack. Here is my recipe for a satisfied tummy and a good night's sleep. 

(Of course, there is always PBJ, if all else fail)

Apple Scrumptiousness {recipe}

I have a great and super easy recipe for your weekend. The fall is in full swing and not making something with apples is just got to be some kind of sin. I love apples and literally eat them by the pounds, so incorporating them in baking is another great way to use up the vitamins. 

I am not much of a baker. I do like to make sweet things but nothing to fancy, nothing that involves more than couple of mixer attachments. 

I found this recipe when I had left over puff pastry and some apples, and nobody does it better than the The Pioneer Woman. 

Here is the recipe because I did not feel like re-inventing the wheel when she has done such a fine just explaining every step.

Enjoy! 

Zucchini Muffins {recipe}

So my aunt has an organic garden and she gave me a huge zucchini. I honestly did not know what to do with it because I like my zucchini young. So I decided to find a recipe that will incorporate zucchini without compromising the flavor. I discarded of the seeds in the middle and had only the outside shell left.

These are healthy and you get your zucchini serving without compromising the taste. 

This recipe is easy, yet again, with delicious results. 

Recipe Courtesy of My Recipes

Ingredients

• 4.75 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
• 3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg 
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine whole-wheat flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, honey, and egg in a small bowl; stir until blended. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
3. 3. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Squares {recipe}

Courtesy of My Recipes

These amazing, tangy, sweet, crunchy and absolutely delicious dessert squares are the best you will ever have. I made them over the weekend and it were amazing! Easy to make, even though I don't have a food processor, and very yummy! With the summer wrapping up, I don't feel like ice cream anymore, but these sour-sweet treats were just perfect for an afternoon tea on the porch.
I was enjoying them so much that forgot to snap a pic ;-)

Ingredients

3.4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons canola oil

Cooking spray

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

2 large eggs 

1 large egg white 

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, pine nuts, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times to combine. Add butter and canola oil. Pulse 3 to 5 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Place mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

3. Combine granulated sugar and next 5 ingredients (through egg white) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour mixture over crust. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle squares evenly with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.

P.S. I changed couple things. 

First, I am not going to spend $5 for 3 tbsp of pine nuts, so I substituted in almonds. It gives the crust some crunch and saves you some $$.

Second, I bought Meyers Lemons, because they have a little bit more of a taste and not as sour. Therefore, reducing sugar by 1/2 cup of sugar

{Shrimp Fried Rice}

Mine came out picture-perfect

Once in a while I find this recipe that's easy and delicious. Well, this is it! This is easy to make and with all the right ingredients, it will taste better then take-out. Trust me!

I love Shrimp Fried Rice and with my constant craving for salt, I can satisfy hunger 

with some very nutritious stuff. 

I followed the recipe to a T and did not change anything!

(Well, except I like cilantro and parsley so I added some of that in)

**Recipe and all pictures below are courtesy of natashaskitchen.com**

Ingredients for Shrimp Fried Rice: Link

1 lb (26-30 count) uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp canola or other cooking oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped

5 cups left-over, cold rice (Make sure to rinse the rice before cooking so it’s not sticky – sticky fried rice doesnt’ work)1 and 1/2 cups (12 oz)  frozen carrots and peas, defrosted according to package instructions and well-drained

2 1/2 to 3 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

How to Make the BEST shrimp fried rice:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet on high heat. When a bead of water sizzles and evaporates, swirl in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.

3. Add shrimp to the hot skillet and spread them out in a single layer. Cook about 1 minute each side, or until cooked through and no longer opaque. Remove to a bowl.

4. Over medium heat, add eggs to the same skillet. Break up the eggs with a spatula and cook until no longer runny. Remove to a bowl.

5. Wipe down the skillet with a paper towel and return to high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and onions and cook green onion until fragrant (if using regular onion, cook until soft).

6. Add rice and mix well. Spread rice evenly over the pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stir and saute another 1 to 2 minutes. Rice should sizzle.

7. Drizzle 2 tbsp soy sauce over rice and stir well.

8. Add sesame oil and vegetables and mix well.

9. Add cooked shrimp and cooked eggs to the pan and mix well. Continue to cook until the rice is hot and sizzles, stirring frequently. Add another tablespoon of soy sauce to taste, if desired.

The Best Grilled Cheese Panini

I'm already munching on it. Quick take a pic so I can have my food.

I had a dream. One of many food dreams. I had a dream that I was eating the best grilled cheese sandwich in the world (I guess that's what pregnancy does to me). So I started researching how to make the best grilled cheese sandwich because let's face it - it's all in the cheese. 

After few blogs, Foodnetwork shows and cooking books I found my cheese. Muenster cheese. 

I can't pronounce it correct because it sounds like monster.

OH MY GOODNESS! This cheese is like a piece of heaven on Earth. 

I give you my very own take on the whole grilled cheese thing. And let me tell you, it's better not have anyone around when you are eating it. You wouldn't want to share.

At least don't have any hungry pregnant women around you - they do not share their food. 

Take it from me. Da pregnant one.

Ingredients:

2 slices of deli cut Muenster Cheese

2 pieces of Wheat Bread

1 medium yellow tomato

3 thin slices of Canadian Bacon

butter

Preparation: 

Cut tomato into very thin slices and preheat the panini maker. Non stick skillet will suffice if you don't have panini maker.

Put slices of cheese on both bread pieces and pile on tomatoes and Canadian bacon in the middle. 

Lightly grease the cooking surface with butter and set it on medium heat. 

Make sure the cheese is nicely melted and hot all the way through. 

I know you are hungry but give it some time and don't rush the perfection. 

Check on the panini or turn it over, if you are using skillet.

I sliced up more tomatoes for the side because they are from my aunt's garden and 

ohhhh so deliciously sweet.

Ta-Da! 

Go ahead enjoy it. I won't look.

From Russia With Love

Olga's Flavor Factory - Cold Beet Soup

The weather is frowning at us and I'm just going to make a bit pout lip and not get all dressed up his morning. Instead, I'm making good food. Sometimes, I crave something from mother Russia and then call up my mom to ask how it's made. Well, today is one of those days. I already called up mom and she gave me all the tips and tricks, so I can get to work. I'm making a truly authentic Russian dish - a cold beet soup, served with hot potatoes. We Russians put beets into everything (almost) and here in US they are hard to find at times. So here goes the recipe, which I found on another blog by a great young Russian cook, and let me tell you, she does a great job with recipes. I encourage you to try this recipe on a hot summer day - you will thanks me. Enjoy!

It's Delicious. It's Pizza.

In an effort to eat more healthy and stay within our budget, I decided to try to make a pizza. Maybe for some of you it's a piece of cake (yuummmmm, cake....) but for me it's kinda of big deal. It's hard to get it right when your oven isn't even and parts burn while others are under cooked. So I found this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine that I get and let me tell you, it's delicious! Very easy too!

Recipe is from the Cooking Light Website but I also added some prosciutto, which was an idea from another recipe.
ENJOY!

Mommy Day

For this Mother's Day I am planning on honoring my beautiful and amazing mothers (my mom and in-law). The word mom encompasses so much that it's hard to define what it is really like to be a 'mom'. I'm not a mother myself (yet) but all I know is that it's the toughest job in the world. I know that it's the most rewarding job also although we do bring disappointments to our moms at times. There is nothing that says that you care more than a gift with thought, so here is a quick and easy recipe your mom is bound to love!
Have a great weekend ladies (mommies or not)!

Ingredients:
1 cup Whipping Cream
1tsp vanilla
1 tbsp confectioner's sugar
3 tbsp cool whip
2 (1lb each) packages of strawberries (or any other berries)
1 round angel food cake

Equipment:
Hand-held or stand mixer
Truffle Bowl

Preparation:1. To make sure you will get stiff, fluffy cream put the mixer bowl, whisk and whipping cream into freezer for about 15 minutes ***very important step***
2. Wash and cut strawberries
3. Cut the angel food cake across, splitting it into two halves; then cut about 2 in pieces
4. Layer the angel food cake on the bottom and spread half the strawberries evenly on top

5. Cover the strawberries with half of the whipped cream 

6. Again layer the angle food cake, then cream and top with strawberries (if you add other berries it will look even better)
7. Cool in the fridge for about 2-3 hours

8. Serve and enjoy!

P.S. If you want a little more dzing to your dessert, pour a little orange liquor over the angel food cake.


P.P.S. I'm also made these to bring over to moms' houses. They are a little bit of work but every bite is worth it!

Hillbilly Breakfast

Last Sunday night we went out to our friends' house and had breakfast for dinner. My girlfriend is a great cook of all things breakfast and made a delicious hash brown casserole, which I haven't mastered yet. She also made biscuits and gravy and, let me tell you, those were the best biscuits and gravy I have ever had. So the boys devoured the food (I had only 2) and I was left with a craving for more.  Today I finally had the time to make some. My recipe is a combination of Pioneer Woman's Biscuits and Gravy and what I saw my friend do on Sunday (I was hanging in the kitchen with the girls).

So here it is:
10oz pork sausage (or ground pork)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sausage fat
1/4 cup of flour
3 cups of 2%milk
8 biscuits
salt and pepper

Place the sausage into a warm skillet and cook through until there is no more pink. Drain sausage and reserve the fat. In a clean skillet melt butter, then add flour constantly whisking on medium heat. Cook roux until it's starting to change color and getting a little yellow. At this point put the biscuits in oven and follow the directions on the box. Start adding more milk a little at a time on low/medium heat. (DO NOT add all the milk at a time, you will get clumps). While whisking the roux add more milk and stirring  to make sure it's all absorbed until you run out of milk. Cook the sauce on low heat, adding 1tbsp of pork fat, salt and pepper to taste. Add sausage to the sauce and mix well. Once your biscuits are done, you are ready to devour this goodness and never to look back!
I served them with scrambled eggs and OJ.
Enjoy!

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

So here is my first recipe.
I love avocados and literally eat them with everything and by themselves. They are a very healthy supply of essential oil and supposed to be good for your skin. So here is a recipe of classic bruschetta with my favorite avocado, very and easy and quick.

Ingredients:
8 pieces of French Baguette (Vienna Bread)
2 Tomatoes
4 Basil Leaves
1Avocado
Salt, Pepper
Olive Oil
Unsalted Butter

How To:

Cut the baguette into 1inch pieces and places them on the top rack of you oven with broil setting on. Make sure you only broil them for about 30 seconds because they burn fast. Cut up tomatoes into small pieces along with basil leave, add salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil to taste. Take the bread out of the oven and spread butter onto the warm surface so it melts. Peal and cut avocados thinly and places 3-4 slices on every piece of bread. Top the bread with tomatoes and serve immediately.