Kitchen Concoctions

“Skinny” Strawberry Cheesecake Shake

2012-05-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Muhaha!

This is exactly what I was thinking as Eric and I sat in silent for like 10 minutes slurping down these *skinny* strawberry cheesecake milkshakes.

No I take that back. I was laughing hysterically on the inside.

A.) Because these are *skinny* food and Eric hates when I give him *skinny* anything (except he secretly is obsessed with MY Skinny Cow Mmmmocha Truffle Ice Cream Bars and totally tries to “sneak” them)

AND

2.) He hates almond milk and cottage cheese. (Oh yeah. Those are the “secret” ingredients in this *skinny* milkshake).

I’ll be honest I was a bit skeptical too. I mean seriously? Drinking cottage cheese? But it totally works. The cottage cheese gives this just enough tang, richness and thickness that you think there is real cheesecake in there.

I mean heck, if Eric was fooled (heeheehee) then I am sure anyone will be! (BTW Eric still doesn't know those secret ingredients to that magical shake, I guess until now!)

One Year Ago: Peach Pie Fruit Salad and In Season: Strawberries
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Ribbon Pie
Three Years Ago: Cake Mix Bread

“Skinny” Strawberry Cheesecake Shake
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Serves: 2

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
½ tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups frozen strawberries, sliced
Place the milk, cottage cheese, honey and extract in blender and blend until completely smooth and all lumps are gone.

Add in frozen strawberries, a few at a time, blending in-between each addition until all are added and shake is smooth.

Nutritional Information (calculated on Spark Recipes): Serving size: 1 cup Calories: 145.6 Fat: 1.7g Carb: 25.6g Sodium 288.9mg Fiber: 3.5g Protein: 8g Sugar: 16.9g Weight Watchers Point Plus: 4 points

adapted from Spark Recipes

Slow Cooker Asian Peanut Butter Pork

2012-05-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

I decided today should be deemed “Throwback Tuesday!”

You know since today is the Tuesday after a long holiday weekend. Making it like a Monday only even worse because it is the first day of the work week after not just two days off but three.
But on the bright side it is Tuesday which means only four days until the weekend!

One of the questions I get asked the most is if I have a favorite recipe and if I ever make the same thing twice. The answer is yes and yes.

I actually have quite a few favorite recipes that I make over and over again. These are tried and true favorites that we all love and request often. They are easy and inexpensive to make (perfect for a Tuesday after a long weekend), earning mega tried and true points, and of course yummy in our tummies.

Some of our top faves and the recipes I make several times a month when I am tired and exhausted, don’t feel like tying anything new, and recipes I always have the ingredients on hand are: Lemon Peppered Chicken, Sausage and Pepper Arrabbiata, Lentil Bean Soup, Chili Lime Tilapia with Roasted Corn, Texas Style Chili, burgers and pizza.

This recipe for Asian Peanut Butter Pork is another one of those recipes. Eric asks for this meal all. The. Time. So like the good girl I am, every time I can get a pork loin at a good price this goes on the menu. Twice.

This is “Flashback Tuesday” because this is a recipe I originally made in my first few months of blogging (read the original recipe has a horrible almost unrecognizable photo since I knew nothing about food photography then, and heck I don’t know much more now). So I thought it deserved to be made beautiful and shared again.

The recipe below is my tweaked and toned version of the original. It is one of our faves.

One Year Ago: Peach Pie Fruit Salad and In Season: Strawberries
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Ribbon Pie
Three Years Ago: Cake Mix Bread

Slow Cooker Asian Peanut Butter Pork
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high Serves: 6

2 pound pork tenderloin
1 onion, diced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Peanuts, optional for serving
Green onion, diced, optional for serving
Hot cooked rice, optional for serving

Place pork loin in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the pork loin. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Once cooked, shred pork and mix with sauce. Serve over rice, garnished with chopped peanuts and green onions.

inspired from here and A Year of Slow Cooking

How-to Build a Successful Summer Salad

2012-05-25T18:00:00.000-05:00

I think I shared some succulent and drool worthy summer salads with you this week (*cough* excuse me while I toot my own horn). Some making for the perfect side dish while others making a great main dish.

But in case you are still looking for tips and inspiration to make your own satisfying summer salad, check out the article below that I wrote for meal planning site Food on the Table. And be sure and check out the ten salad recipes at the bottom of this article!

Marinated Tomato Salad, Tomato Basil Orzo Salad with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

Avocado Salad with Sweet Italian Sausage, Spinach and Pear Salad with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Warm weather often means lighter, fresher eating. Salads are perfectly light, yet satisfying, and are a great way to incorporate all the beautiful fresh, seasonal summer fruits and vegetables taking over the grocery store produce department.

Below are few simple salad suggestions, to make that humble bowl of lettuce a refreshing summer meal.

The Greens: Start your salad with a strong foundation of hearty greens. Iceberg, romaine, or green leaf lettuce are all a great start. But to add extra flavor, texture and nutrients mix in some spinach, arugula, bibb lettuce, radicchio, escarole or endive. To prepare salad greens, wash them under cool running water and dry on paper towels or using a salad spinner. After drying, chop or tear lettuce into bite size pieces.

Pile on the produce: Don’t be afraid to load your salad with the freshest summer produce. Fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calories and will add exceptional flavor. Topping a salad with raw produce is common, but grilled or roasted fruits and veggies add extra flavor and texture.

Add protein: Take a light salad to a satisfying and filling meal by adding some protein. Grilled steak, chicken, shrimp and fish are all obvious salad proteins. Other flavorful protein options include, ham, bacon, sausage, canned tuna, deli meats, or hard boiled eggs. To keep your salad vegetarian/vegan, add protein with cubed tofu, quinoa, chick peas, black beans, edamame or other legumes.

Top it off: A well-built salad combines slightly soft yet crunchy ingredients to make texturally pleasing fare. Croutons, French-fried onions, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, crushed chips, rice, couscous, pasta, or cheese, can make a classic salad an over the top sensation.

Dress it lightly: While vinaigrettes and salad dressings can add and enhance the flavors of a salad, a little goes a long way. Over pouring the dressing can take an otherwise nutritious salad to an unhealthy mess. Also keep in mind, that vinaigrettes should be added right before serving as the oil will cause the lettuce to become limp.

Take these succulent salad tips, and keep your summer salads a simple concoction or dress them up and make them your own!

Below are ten amazing salad recipes from around the web to try this summer!

Southwestern Cobb Salad (Kitchen Concoctions)
Tuna Fish and Tomato Salad with Sunflower Seeds (Kalyn's Kitchen)
Creamy Fruit Salad (Kitchen Concoctions)
Asian Beef Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette (The Hungry Housewife)
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (Kitchen Concoctions)
Caribbean Salad with Sweet Orange Vinaigrette (Our Best Bites)
Festive Fall Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing (Kitchen Concoctions)
Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing (Real Mom Kitchen)
Southwestern Corn and Black Couscous Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Kitchen Concoctions)
Arugula with Pomegranates, Blue Cheese and Pistachios (My Favorite Recipes)

Tomato Basil Orzo Salad with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

2012-05-24T23:59:00.000-05:00

Eric pokes fun at me a lot, because of the little things in life that get me excited.

Little things like going to get an ice cold sno-cone (it must be Hawaiian shaved ice).

Picking up a new cookbook.

Even rolling around in mud (yes I was completely giddy about doing my first mud race).

I even get excited and a little rush from cooking. Like a good bread kneading, great for when you need some stress release. Or whisking. I love taking a good ‘ole whisk to a big bowl of heavy cream (homemade whip cream, *drool*) or a homemade vinaigrette. Nothing like trying to force oil and water to mix together.

This simple salad also makes my heart sputter. I love the texture and cuteness of orzo pasta. And the flavors of this salad, tomatoes, basil, capers, lemon and garlic; complement each other nicely and makes my taste buds happy.

One Year Ago: Peach Pie Fruit Salad and In Season: Strawberries
Two Years Ago: Lemon Cream Squares
Three Years Ago: Cake Mix Bread

Tomato Basil Orzo Salad with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
By Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Printable Version
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
3 cups fresh spinach, chiffonade
3 tablespoons capers, minced
Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette, as needed (recipe below)

Cook orzo according to package directions and cool. Place all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Add dressing as desired and toss to coat.

Can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
By Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com

1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk all ingredients together and serve.

Website Wednesday: Spinach and Pear Salad with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

2012-05-23T23:30:00.000-05:00

I don’t do diets.

It’s just not my thing.

I believe everything in moderation, portion control, and living an active lifestyle.

With that said, I know there are many people out there who do diet for whatever reason. For health reasons, to lose weight for bikini season, or because they have allergies. If you are one of these dietin’ folks, for whatever reason, you probably scrutinize food labels, and carefully count points. Which can be good but sometimes I would rather not know this information, to enjoy an occasional splurge guilt free.

And while I am not dieting, I had heard rave reviews of the “healthy eating recipe site” Spark Recipes. Out of curiosity and because everyone could always eat just a little bit healthier, I decided to feature this site as the website of the month.

Initially I found the site useful and appreciated the fact that one of its prized features is the nutritional data found on each recipe and the fact that you could plug in your own recipe ingredients and get the nutritional data. But for every recipe I have done this for the information seems WAY off (a huge pet peeve of mine).

I understand that this type of data can differentiate depending on the brand you use, but when I am only adding one extra ingredient or just substituting one tablespoon of something it shouldn’t be almost double the original nutritional data.

Even though I have not believed that the nutritional data represented on this site is 100% accurate I have still shared it on these recipes since this is a key feature of this site (but this is not something I will be doing on all recipes, because of my reasons above). So this is my disclaimer, the nutritional data listed below is calculated on Spark Recipes, using their software program. But what do I know, I am not a nutritionist, I don’t count calories, I just make good food! So take that as you will.

But in the meantime take this: This simple salad is another one to add to your salad collection. The dressing uses simple pantry ingredients and while the salad itself is pretty basic it is perfect to accompany a more heavy meal like steak and potatoes, or could be eaten by itself for a light lunch or dinner.

One Year Ago: Creamy Fruit Salad
Two Years Ago: Lemon Cream Squares
Three Years Ago: Tomato Bruschetta Chicken

Spinach and Pear Salad with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette
Printable Version
Prep Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pears, cored and sliced lengthwise
1 (10 ounce) bag fresh spinach
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans

In a small bowl, whisk together the water, vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and black pepper.
In large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients to form salad. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (calculated on Spark Recipes): Serving size: 1 ½ cups Calories: 308.2 Fat: 18.4g Carb: 37.8g Sodium 147mg Fiber: 6.4g Protein: 3.8g Sugar: 15.5g Weight Watchers Point Plus: 9 points

Adapted from Spark Recipes

Avocado Salad with Sweet Italian Sausage

2012-05-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

Rabbit food.

Salads often get a bad rap. They are often called ‘rabbit food’ and stigmatized as not filling and satisfying. These general assumptions usually come from hungry men (aka Eric) who can polish off two burgers (yes you read that right, TWO) in one sitting.

But I love salads! And I have been on a major salad ~~obsession~~ kick lately. This obsession is either meet with a warm welcome from Eric (that boy loves him some taco salad) or meet with major complaints (salad again?!?).

So finding salads that will curve my weekly daily cravings AND keep Eric full for longer than 2.5 seconds have been a struggle. But thankfully I have found two salads (besides Eric’s covenanted taco salad) that Eric loves, keeps him full for at least an hour, and that satisfies my cravings.

This is one of those salads. Sausage in a salad may seem a little strange, but this sausage is cooked to perfection and works wonderfully with the other ingredients of this salad. Eric and I both loved this. I served this with some simple tomato bruschetta and had a meal that Eric has asked for every week since.

I call that salad success!
One Year Ago: Creamy Fruit Salad
Two Years Ago: Lemon Cream Squares
Three Years Ago: Tomato Bruschetta Chicken

Avocado Salad with Sweet Italian Sausage
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 avocados, halved and sliced
1 (8-ounce) package salad greens

Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook sausages, turning over once, until well browned, about 8 minutes total.

Add 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, water and herbs de Provence. Cover, cook, stirring occasionally, until sausages are fully cooked, about 5-8 minutes. When cooked thoroughly, remove from pan and cool slightly and slice.

Mix thoroughly the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to form dressing.

Gently toss the avocado, salad greens, tomatoes, sausage and dressing. Serve immediately.

adapted from here and here

Marinated Tomato Salad

2012-05-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about this week (I think I say that at the start of every theme week!), as I am bringing you yet another theme week! This week's theme is summer salads!

I have been planning this summer salad week for, well, weeks now and couldn't wait to share with you some incredibly tasty and satisfying salad recipes. I had planned on hosting salad week last week but had some other things I *had* to post last week and I have been feverishly working on a TON of recipes and exciting blog posts that I have planned for this summer, as well as some much needed blog design changes that I hope to go into effect soon. So I am really *EXCITED* about all that to come!

But with all my planning and preparation, I did have to laugh a little at the start of last week because Laura (Real Mom Kitchen) hosted a salad week last week too! I guess great minds think alike! And while Laura shared a lot of various wonderful homemade salad ingredients (dressing, croutons, etc.), my week of salad recipes will focus some fabulous salads that are perfect and light for summer dinners and get togethers!

First is a simple marinated tomato salad. Growing up I loathed tomatoes, and in certain things I still do. But what made me start to, dare I say LOVE tomatoes, is eating them fresh and in season in the summer. Nothing beats a bold and bright red tomato in it's peak in the summer. The fresh flavor, juicy yet plump texture is simply perfect and the way tomatoes should be!

This salad keeps the summer tomatoes the star of the show with a few simple ingredients to inhance the flavor. A light a perfect side dish to pair with some grilled chicken or steak kabobs, or a summer grilled vegetable platter.

One Year Ago: Mom’s Lemon Peppered Chicken
Two Years Ago: Hoppin' John Salad
Three Years Ago: Tomato Bruschetta Chicken

Marinated Tomato Salad
by Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Wait Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours Serves: 6-8

4 green onions, chopped
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
8-10 Plum Tomatoes, ripened cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3-4 fresh basil leaves, torn or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup sugar
½ cup olive oil

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, green onions, and parsley.
In a small bowl whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour dressing ingredients over tomato mixture and toss to coat.

Cover and marinate refrigerated for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Website Wednesday: Slow Cooked Sirloin Steak

2012-05-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

Last week, (during spa week) I talked “man food” and “chick food.”

Since it was spa week, in honor of Mother’s Day, last week was all about the girls.

Today’s recipe is a “man’s recipe” (argh, argh, argh (say just like Tim Allen in Home Improvement))!

Nothin’ says ‘man food’ like steak and potatoes.

Steak and potatoes slow cooked to tender perfection, (just look at that mouthwatering photo below), with mushrooms and a *meaty* sauce.

Man food, chick food, I don’t care what you call it, this is good food.

Comfort food.

One Year Ago: Mom's Sugar Cookies with Butter Cream Frosting
Two Years Ago: Lemon Truffle Pie
Three Years Ago: Fireman’s Special: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Slow Cooked Sirloin Steak
Printable Version
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 3-4 hours on low or 6-7 hours on high Serves: 6

2 pounds sirloin steak
1 small onion, diced
1 ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons low-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 large baking potatoes, halved then quartered
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

Place steak in slow cooker. Mix together remaining ingredients (except potatoes and mushrooms) and pour over beef. Add potatoes to slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until beef is tender and cooked through. During the last 45-60 minutes stir in mushrooms and continue cooking as directed.

Nutritional Information (calculated on Spark Recipes): Serves: 6 Calories: 363.3 Fat: 6.4g Carb: 35.7g Sodium 326.3mg Fiber: 4.5g Protein: 39.6g Sugar: 3.3g Weight Watchers Point Plus: 9 points

Inspired by Spark Recipes

Giveaway: Skinny Cow Prize Pack- CLOSED

2012-05-14T23:59:00.000-05:00

UPDATE 5/24/12: This giveaway is now closed. The winner, chosen by random.org, is comment number 40, Kimberly. Congrats Kimberly! Please email me with your contact information within 72 hours of this posting to claim your prize. If winner has not claimed prize within 72 hours then their prize is forfeited and a new winner will be notified.

Happy Monday Y'all!

Today I am happy to share that I have another giveaway for y'all for a product I love, Skinny Cow® products. I have been enjoying Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches, for like, forever, but did you know Skinny Cow offers a whole variety of frozen treats?

Eric and I recently tried the new Mmmmocha Truffle Ice Cream Bars and all I kept hearing from Eric was that he couldn't believe that these were considered *skinny* and for real only had 100 calories!
They are so creamy and dreamy! There is defiantly a mocha flavor but it is not overwhelming. I wish I could shove my hand right through the computer screen to share one with you right now!

Here is some additional information about the new Skinny Cow Brand products:

Skinny Cow offers a great portfolio of low-fat frozen snacks and has recently introduced NEW! SLIMITED EDITIONS SHAKE-STIRS and three NEW! Ice Cream flavors as the perfect afternoon snack, just in time for summer. Below is some information about the delicious new treats:

SKINNY COW™ SLIMITED EDITIONS™ SHAKE-STIRS™:

White Mint Cookie includes white mint low fat ice cream swirled together with crushed chocolate cookies. This flavor has 220 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 5 grams of fiber (when using skim milk).
Double Chocolate Crumble includes chocolate low fat ice cream with crumbled chocolate cookie bits. This chocolaty flavor has 230 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 6 grams of fiber (when using skim milk).

Additional SKINNY COW™ SLIMITED EDITIONS™ novelties:

Oh Fudge Nuts! Low Fat Ice Cream Cone is a spin-off of the classic ice cream sundae. This delectable cone has 150 calories, 3 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber.
Mmmmocha Truffle Ice Cream Bars contain low-fat chocolate and coffee ice cream laced together and then topped with chocolaty ribbons. These bars have 100 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber.
Best of Both Swirleds Low Fat Ice Cream Sandwich mixes two favorites together from top to bottom – with vanilla and chocolate low fat ice cream swirled between chocolate and vanilla wafers. These sandwiches have 150 calories, 2 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber.

Now for the giveaway:

The Skinny Cow Prize Pack will include the following:

One Skinny Cow thermal bag

Two full value coupons for ANY Skinny Cow product

HOW TO ENTER GIVEAWAY:

You have SIX separate ways to enter the Skinny Cow Prize Pack giveaway! (NOTE: Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each response below):

1. Leave a comment stating which new Skinny Cow product listed above you are most excited to try.

2. Become a follower of Kitchen Concoctions through Google Friend Connect.
3. Tell someone about this giveaway, whether it be on a blog, Facebook or Twitter and leave a new comment letting me know and sharing the link.

4. For a fourth entry to this giveaway, head over to Kitchen Concoction’s Facebook page and click ”Like”. Then come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

5. For a fifth entry follow Kitchen Concoctions on Twitter. Then come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

6. And last but not least I finally broke down and joined the Pinterest craze! For a sixth entry head over and follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment letting me know!

This give-away closes Monday, May 21, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST. Winner will be chosen at random (by random.org) and will be announced sometime shortly after the give-away ends. Winner must contact Kitchen Concoctions within 72 hours at kitchen_concoctions at hotmail dot com to claim prize. If winner has not claimed prize within 72 hours then a new winner will be notified. Giveaway for US residents only.

NOTE: Please check back shortly after giveaway closing to see if you are a winner. As much as I would like to run all over the Internet world looking for you, I do not have the time. So you as the winner MUST contact me with your information.

"Disclosure: The coupons and information have been provided by the Skinny Cow® brand."

Avocado Banana Hair Mask

2012-05-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

My Mom has beautiful hair. It is thick and full of volume and has a natural shine.

I remember being a kid and watching my Mom carefully care for her hair. Washing it every night. Rolling it hair curlers. Appling hair treatments.

It was mesmerizing to watch her.

I seriously thought she was a hair model because her hair was so long and thick and look like every commercial and magazine ad for Suave, Vo5, or L’Oreal.

Fortunately this is a trait that I inherited from her. I always loved when I was a kid, teenager, and heck even now, and people compliment me on my lovely locks. (I do/did not love when complete strangers think that they can touch my hair, just because it is so thick. Ugh. Eww.) These compliments always make me think of my Mom because without her I wouldn’t have the hair that I do! ; )

My Mom’s hard work to keep her beautiful mane looking top notch always inspired me. Granted I fry my hair on a regular biases with a flat iron, I still try and keep it conditioned and nourished.

Today’s recipe is for an avocado hair mask. It may look good but sound gross at the same time. Here are the facts: avocado is known for its ability to moisturize hair, add shine and body. Bananas repair damage and soothe hair. Eggs add essential protein to strengthen hair and the oil conditions and shines. The vinegar strips residue, leaving hair light and clean.

With that, I slathered this on my hair, spent some time alone (because no one is very attractive in a shower cap) and let these super foods do their thang! And what I noticed was that after all was said and done my hair was soft and smooth and full of bounce and body and actually felt clean!

One Year Ago: Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette and In Season: Spinach
Two Years Ago: Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza Pitas
Three Years Ago: Lemon Peppered Chicken

Avocado Banana Hair Mask
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Wait Time: 20 minutes Makes 2 masks

1/2 avocado
½ banana
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
1 cup water

Combine water and vinegar and set aside.

Combine avocado, banana, egg, and oil in blender or food processor. Puree until no clumps are present.

Massage prepared mask into scalp and comb through hair with fingers or a wide-toothed comb. Cover hair with shower cap and leave in for 20 minutes. Rinse hair with cool water and wash with shampoo.

After shampooing rinse hair and then pour vinegar/water mixture over hair. Let vinegar sit on hair for 1-2 minutes then rinse and condition as normal.

Adapted from The Amazing Avocado

Vanilla Spice Body Scrub

2012-05-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

Everyone needs today’s recipe. Mother, aunt, sister, daughter. Whoever you are make this.

Make extra and give to your Mother, aunt, sister, daughter.

This homemade scrub smells great and leaves your skin smelling vanilla-ie and cinnamon-ie and sweet.

Like a cookie!

And it leaves your skin soft and smooth.

This body scrub is a great all-purpose scrub to use from your neck down to your feet. But the way I have enjoyed using it is on my hands. Since I am cooking food all day I am also washing my hands all day. And therefore my hands tend to be rather chapped and dry. This scrub helps exfoliate as well as moisten. Making my hands feel soft and smooth afterwards.

The recipe below makes a good solid cup of scrub which filled my jar nicely. However I think you could easily double or triple the recipe to giveaway. Easy and inexpensive! Love it! This would be a great gift for all the lovely ladies in your life, your kid’s teachers, Christmas presents, or baby/bridal shower party gifts.

To gift this I simply placed the scrub in a cute jar from the Dollar Store and tied on a pretty ribbon. Or you could recycle baby food jars or some sort of other glass jar. Or use a mason jar topped with a piece of pretty fabric.

After I took the pictures I decided I needed a pretty tag so I created this one. And guess what you can use it too, just click here.

Or make your own using scrapbook tags, gift tags, or printer labels.

Have fun! Get creative!

Vanilla Spice Body Scrub
By Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Printable Version
Prep Time: 5 minutes Makes: about 1 cup

½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions: Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in vanilla and oil. Scrub should have a paste-like texture. If too dry, add more oil a little at a time. Keep stored in tightly sealed jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

For use: Gently apply to wet skin in a circular motion. Let scrub sit on skin for 1-2 minutes and then rinse off with warm water. Can be used on entire body or just hands and feet. Can be used once every day.

Website Wednesday: Sassy Spa Water

2012-05-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

Chick food vs Man food

I hate comparing food and classifying it as “macho” or “feminine.”

There are plenty of foods that are typically classified as “man food” that I love and eat on a regular biases. Wings. Scratch that Buffalo flavored anything. Pizza. Cheeseburgers. Steak. Ribs.

But then I get huge cravings for things like salads. Quiche. Angel food cake.

So what’s the big deal?

If Eric loved every salad I put in front of him this week. And even asked for more.

But there are certainly foods that are and aren’t typically served at certain events. I mean you would never find sangria at a bachelor party or hot dogs at a bridal shower.

But there is one thing that I always see at things like baby showers, bridal showers, and oh say spas.

Fancy water.

Most commonly lemon or cucumber water.

Eric’s Mom Ioves cucumber water and Eric just doesn’t get it. He is like “why can’t you just drink the water just as it should be, straight from the tap?”

Gesh! He just doesn’t get it! Sometimes you just need something, well fancy!

For some cucumber water is an acquired taste. I find it refreshing. I love the kicked up version below with added flavor from mint and limes. This is almost like a mojito, you know minus the rum.

One Year Ago: Greek Pasta Salad and Tips For Throwing a Mother's Day Brunch
Two Years Ago: Cheesesteak Subs
Three Years Ago: Oven Roasted Broccoli With Garlic

Sassy Spa Water
Printable Version
Prep Time: 5 minutes Serves: 8

8 cups water
1 medium cucumber peeled, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
1 sprig mint leaves

Mix together and chill for 1-2 hours or overnight for flavors to blend. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Adapted from Spark Recipes

Nutritional Information (calculated on Spark Recipes): Serving size: 1 cup Calories: 4.7 Fat: 0.1g Carb: 1.8g Sodium 5.6mg Fiber: 0.7g Protein: 0.3g Sugar: 0.2g Weight Watchers Point Plus: 0 points

Chocolate Martini Face Mask

2012-05-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

I have to be honest I have never been to a real spa.

Of course I have had my nails done, but I am a late bloomer at that considering my first professional manicure was not until I was going to Senior prom and my first professional pedicure was not until a few years ago. I have had a professional message in my own home from Eric’s sister (she is a registered massage therapist) but never at a spa.

I have always dreamt of going to a real live spa. Being pampered and doted on and a day with no distractions just relaxing. You know, the feeling when you get your nails done just 10x better!

One spa treatment I would totally do is the mud bath. There is just something that sounds so appealing about that to me! Soaking in a big tub of mud! I am so down!

Today’s spa recipe for Mother’s Day is for a face mask. Not just any face mask but a Chocolate Martini Mask! Now doesn’t that just sound yummy!

As I made this and slapped it on my face I couldn’t help but image soaking in a mud bath. This is what I thought about when I sat and had my 20 minutes of peace and quiet the day I made this mask.

That and how wrong would it be if I ate the reaming mask with a spoon.

You wouldn’t tell?

Would you?

You may think slathering food on your face is silly, but it actually has a lot of benefits. Cocoa powder is rich in antioxidants, improves blood flow, and helps tighten skin. Oatmeal has cleansing and exfoliating properties which aide in soothing dry skin. It will absorb dirt, cleanse pores and gently exfoliate. Honey has been used for thousands of years to moisturize, protect, heal and rejuvenate skin.Not to mention this uses ingredients found right in your pantry, so is uber cheap and easy!

My skin did feel tight and smooth and actually clean afterwards; and smelt like I dipped my head in chocolate pudding! If all beauty regiments were this tasty I could totally live in a spa!

One Year Ago: Greek Pasta Salad and Tips For Throwing a Mother's Day Brunch
Two Years Ago: Cheesesteak Subs
Three Years Ago: Eric’s Famous Mashed Potatoes

Chocolate Martini Face Mask
Printable Version
Prep Time: 5 minutes Wait Time: 20 minutes Makes approximately ½ cup

1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup oatmeal
2 tablespoons almond milk

Grind oats in blender or food processor to form a powder.

Stir together oatmeal powder, cocoa powder honey and milk.

Apply to a clean face, leave on for 20 minutes, then wipe with a warm towel.

Place any remaining mask in a storage container and keep refrigerated for up to one week.

Note: Do a patch test if you have sensitive skin.

Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray

Green Monster Smoothie

2012-05-07T22:58:00.003-05:00

I know it’s Monday and most of you are still recovering from the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, but did you all remember that this Sunday is Mother’s Day?

Yes, I said THIS Sunday!

But don’t worry. I’ve got you covered.

Yes with another theme week!

This week is spa week here on Kitchen Concoctions in honor of Mother’s Day! Each day this week I’ll bring you some great homemade recipes to create a spa experience in your own home. Some of these can be packaged up in cute packaging to give to the Mothers in your life; your Mom, sister, friend, neighbor, Mother-in-Law, co-worker, or yourself!

Other things I will be sharing are easy DIY pampering treatments that you can do for yourself at home, just in case all you *get* for Mother’s Day is 30 minutes to yourself. A good book or gossip magazine, a foot soak and a face mask will certainly bring at least a moments peace.

First up is my version of a green/green monster smoothie. Green smoothies have taken over the web lately, and are basically a traditional smoothie made using white/light colored fruit (banana, pineapple, peach, mango, etc.) with spinach added, which then makes the most beautiful green color, not to mention is loaded with fiber and nutrients.

Below is my favorite version and the one I usually make for my post workout “snack”. Maybe because I drink smothies after my workouts I think they should be associated with some excerise spa or something. Or maybe because as I drink them I get to have 5 peacful momments.

I use frozen fruit, whether fresh that I have frozen or store bought frozen fruit, to eliminate the need for ice (no watered down smoothies here!), just make sure your fruit is diced up to blend more easily and quickly.

One Year Ago: Greek Pasta Salad and Tips for Hosting a Brunch on a Budget
Two Years Ago: Lime Cheesecake Dessert Squares
Three Years Ago: Eric’s Famous Mashed Potatoes

Green Monster Smoothie
By Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Serves: 2

1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen diced pineapple
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen sliced peaches, diced
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
1-2 tablespoons milk

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into glass and serve immediately.

Giveaway: Cheerios Prize Pack- CLOSED

2012-05-06T23:31:00.000-05:00

UPDATE (5/14/12): This giveaway is now closed! The winner chosen by random.org is comment number 20, Geraldine Sandoval! Congrats Geraldine! Geraldine please contact Kitchen Concoctions within 72 hours to claim prize. If winner has not claimed prize within 72 hours then their prize is forfeited and a new winner will be notified.
Hey friends! I have another giveaway for you today!

But first if your name is Julie and you were comment number 18 on the Green Giant Giveaway then you are the winner and need to contact me ASAP!

For everyone else, today's giveaway is for some Cheerios! I am a huge fan of Cheerios (I mean how can you not be?). I eat them for breakfast topped with fresh banana slices or blueberries (or sometimes if I am all crazy I top it with both). I also get buck wild and make crazy things like S'mores Snack Mix or Chocolate Chex Mix with Cheerios. Because Cheerios are awesome like that!

For more information about today's giveaway keep reading:

As a savvy Club member, you can recognize the value of buying Cheerios® cereal at your local Costco, Sam´s Club or BJ´s. While buying Cheerios at Club is already easy and affordable, new 2 box Cheerios packaging format makes Cheerios an even better purchase! You can cheer on the value by purchasing the new 2 box Cheerios packages in Club!

What´s so exciting?

•New 2 box Cheerios contains two individual boxes, making them easier to store and easier to pour! Not to mention...
•By reducing the amount of air in each individual bag, these enhanced containers fit 10% more cereal than before and use less packaging

•While each box contains more cereal, packaging material has been reduced by over 200,000 lbs, saving 1,000 trees and taking 130 Cheerios trucks of the road, decreasing CO2 emissions.

Check out all the benefits of new 2 box Cheerios packaging!

New and improved 2 box Cheerios are now available on the shelves of Costco, Sam´s Club and BJ´s nationwide.

Your Cheerios prize pack will contain:

•(2) new 2 box Cheerios packaging (four boxes)

HOW TO ENTER GIVEAWAY:

You have SIX separate ways to enter the Cheerios giveaway! (NOTE: Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each response below):
1. Leave a comment stating when is your favorite time to enjoy a big bowl of Cheerios. Is it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, an afternoon snack, a midnight snack, a pre workout fuel?

2. Become a follower of Kitchen Concoctions through Google Friend Connect.

3. Tell someone about this giveaway, whether it be on a blog, Facebook or Twitter and leave a new comment letting me know and sharing the link.

4. For a fourth entry to this giveaway, head over to Kitchen Concoction’s Facebook page and click ”Like”. Then come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

5. For a fifth entry follow Kitchen Concoctions on Twitter. Then come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

6. And last but not least I finally broke down and joined the Pinterest craze! For a sixth entry head over and follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment letting me know!

This give-away closes Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST. Winner will be chosen at random (by random.org) and will be announced sometime shortly after the give-away ends. Winner must contact Kitchen Concoctions within 72 hours at kitchen_concoctions at hotmail dot com to claim prize. If winner has not claimed prize within 72 hours then a new winner will be notified. Giveaway for US residents only.

NOTE: Please check back shortly after giveaway closing to see if you are a winner. As much as I would like to run all over the Internet world looking for you, I do not have the time. So you as the winner MUST contact me with your information.

Disclosure: Cheerios® cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Week of: Cinco de Mayo (25 Mexican themed recipes)

2012-05-05T12:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I hope you have enjoyed sharing some Mexican theme food, traditions and history this week week with me! As I have stated all week we do Mexican food a lot at my house and whether it is Cinco de Mayo or Taco Tuesday these recipes are to die for any time of year.

This week I featured 4 recipes and 1 useful article all about popular ingredients found in Mexican cusinie. Those recipes are pictured below (incase you missed them) and I also have 20 other mouthwatering recipes from around the web listed at the bottom of this post!

Enjoy!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Popular Ingredients found in Mexican Cuisine

Chicken Enchilada Stacker

Quick and Easy Black Beans

Slow-Cooker Posole

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2012-05-04T23:59:00.000-05:00

This isn’t the recipe I had planned for today.

Remember on Tuesday when I was extremely upset because the recipe I had planned on sharing then was MIA? Well I have spent every waking moment since then looking for that recipe. I have torn apart my office, I have gone through files and papers and still have had no luck.

So again today I am sharing a recipe I did not have planned (because I really wanted to share that recipe) BUT it is still a good scratch that, amazing one nonetheless.

AND on the brighter side I found like 5 other recipes I had jotted down in random places that go with a bunch of pictures on my computer. YEAH! Look forward to a blog overload coming soon to an internet near you.

But back to these taquitos.

Taquitos remind me of college. Late nights studying, the ability to eat whatever you want whenever you want, having only $11.67 in your bank account.

Frozen boxed taquitos and ranch dressing are a staple in college. And that is preciously where I left them, in the freezer of my second apartment, the one that I shared with 3 roommates.

I have never looked back.

But these Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos have gotten mad reviews all over the web. Which made me want to try them and want to run the opposite direction at the same time.

You see whenever something gets insane reviews, whether a movie, restaurant, book, etc., and I finally try it I am either tickled pink because it is everything I had hoped it would be or extremely disappointed because not only was it not good it did not warrant all that hype.

But don’t worry these taquitos fall under the tickled pink emotion and totally make up for all those horrible boxed taquitos I ate in college.

Like, these are a million times better!

One Year Ago: Greek Pasta Salad and Tips for a Brunch on a Budget
Two Years Ago: Cookbook Review: Family Circle All Time Favorite Recipes
Three Years Ago: Dulce de Leche Tres Leches Cake

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Printable Version
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Makes 14-16 taquitos

1/3 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup green salsa
1 lime juice, juiced and zested
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6-inch corn tortillas
nonstick cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice and zest, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro, chicken and cheese.

Wrap 3-4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds so they are soft and pliable. If you find your tortillas are cracking when rolled, use damper paper towels and increase the microwave time.

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and then roll up.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve.

Adapted from Our Best Bites Cookbook and seen all over the web

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Mexican Cuisine

2012-05-03T23:59:00.000-05:00

I have had fun sharing all these traditional and non-traditional Mexican dishes with you this week. I have one more great recipe coming at you tomorrow but today I am sharing an informative article I wrote for meal planning/recipe site Food on the Table, all about popular ingredients found in Mexican cuisine.

Many of these ingredients are found in the recipes I shared this week and if you don't make Mexican food on a regular basis, (then there is something wrong with you.... I kid. I kid!), you may not be familiar with some of these ingredients. And even if you are familiar with these foods maybe there is a fun food fact below that you don't know or at the very least there is a great group of Mexican food recipes you should most defiantly check out at the bottom of the article!

*Photo credit: Gameanna via Free Digital Photos

Cinco de Mayo is fast approaching and allows many to celebrate the history of Mexico, honor Mexican culture and of course indulge in Mexican cuisine!

Mexico has a rich and flavorful food history, which uses native ingredients mixed with worldwide culinary inspiration to form the popular dishes we all know and love. Authentic Mexican cooking starts with traditional ingredients that are found in various regions of Mexico.
Below is helpful information about these popular ingredients that give Mexican cuisine its unique flavor.

• Tomatillos, a member of the gooseberry family, are small, round green fruits enclosed in a papery husk. They have a tart flavor and are often roasted and pureed into Mexican sauces or salsas, referred to as verde.

• Hominy is dried maize kernels that have been soaked in lye to soften the tough outer hulls. Hominy is often ground to make grits or masa flour or added whole to stews and casseroles.
• Cilantro is a green herb that comes from the leaves and stems of the coriander plant. It has a strong flavor that compliments spicy dishes. Cilantro is most common in Mexican cuisine, but can also be found in Asian and Indian cooking.

• Chayotes are native to Mexico and are a member of the squash family. They are mild in flavor and look like a wrinkled, pale green pear. Chayotes can be boiled or baked or eaten raw in salads. Zucchini or another summer squash makes for a great substitute.

• Chile is a generic word referring to a large variety of capsicum peppers. There are over 100 varieties of chiles, including the most popular varieties such as the spicy jalapeno, fiery habanero and large poblano. As a general rule, the smaller the chile the more concentrated the heat; which is from the capsaicin found in the chile's veins and seeds. Chiles are available fresh, dried, and pickled, and are found in many Mexican dishes.

Looking for some tasty Mexican cuisine to serve up for a Cinco de Mayo celebration or simply taco Tuesday? Well look no futher than the wonderful recipes below:
Crispy Fish Tacos (Kitchen Concoctions)
Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos (Tasty Kitchen Blog)
Leftover Turkey/Chicken Creamy Enchiladas (Kitchen Concoctions)
Layerd Mexican Dip Stack-Up (Cook, Learn, Grow)
Mexican Corn On The Cob (Kitchen Concoctions)
Tres Leches Cupcakes (Lick the Bowl Good)
Gooey Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas (Kitchen Concoctions)
Strawberry Quesadilla (Real Mom Kitchen)
Slow-Cooker Posole (Kitchen Concoctions)
Refried Beans (Annie's Eats)

Website Wednesday: Chicken Enchilada Stacker

2012-05-02T23:51:00.000-05:00

Let’s talk false advertising, shall we?

I am sure you have all heard by now the little Nutella debacle.

Here is my two cents on the subject (in case you wanted to know!). We as human beings are responsible for how we treat our bodies, this means a number of things but of course what we eat.

So, People, read labels and use common sense.

Period.

But companies have a responsibility too.

Even if they put the facts on labels, their advertising, slogans, and marketing campaigns need to be honest and real too.

So there is no confusion.

No questions asked.

I am happy that many companies are now labeling their foods with their nutritional information for not only per serving but also for the entire package. You know when you run into the convenience store for a road trip snack, and grab a bag of chips and eat the whole bag even though the serving size was only ¼ a bag.

Because that is one of my biggest pet peeves, when a company, cookbook, etc. gives you nutritional data and makes the serving size super small so that the per serving data is super low.

But this is real life guyz.

Who eats only 1/10 of an enchilada stacker made using 8 inch tortillas?

This is the first recipe from this month’s recipe website, Spark Recipes. Spark Recipes is a ‘healthy’ recipe site that provides nutritional data for each recipe as well as healthy eating and cooking tips. Which I thought would be a great as we are approachin’ the, um, summer months.

But this first recipe I chose was originally labeled as a serving size of 1/10 of this whole stacker.

Which is not real.

How could you possibly even cut this into 10ths?

But I wanted to make this recipe. For today. For Cinco de Mayo week. So I modified the recipe.

Made it real and guess what it’s not that bad. I mean it is still Mexican food after all! : )

This meal was satisfying and can be easily adapted. I was drawn to it because it uses my sadly underused cheesecake pan. And has cheese. And tortillas. And is in my favorite food group. Mexican!

PS: I promise, tomorrow will be less, shall we say political.

One Year Ago: Southwestern Chicken Tacos and Ideas for Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
Two Years Ago: Everything Cookies
Three Years Ago: Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

Chicken Enchilada Stacker
Printable Version
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 4
2 boneless and skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons chunky style salsa
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2/3 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line 9 inch cheesecake pan with foil.

Heat a large pot of water to boil. Add chicken and boil for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the water, let cool slightly, and shred with two forks. Add enchilada sauce to shredded chicken and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place beans and cilantro in a food processor and pulse three-five times until mashed slightly. Set aside.

Heat a small non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add salsa, corn, onion, and spices. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
Line the bottom of the cheesecake pan with one tortilla. Top tortilla with mashed black bean mixture, then corn mixture, then chicken mixture and then 2-3 tablespoons cheese. Repeat again, using remaining ingredients.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information (calculated on Spark Recipes): Serving size: 1/4 entire prepared stacker Calories: 430.5 Fat: 6.1g Carb: 51.3g Sodium 589mg Fiber: 10.3g Protein: 42.8g Sugar: 1.9g Weight Watchers Point Plus: 10 points

Adapted from Spark Recipes

Quick and Easy Black Beans

2012-05-01T23:57:00.000-05:00

It may not appear, to the outside world, that I am an organized person.

But I am.

I can tell you precisely what box my Girl Scout uniform from the 3rd grade is in.

I was able to pull receipts for parking from an event back on June 20th 2011 from my purse (which was 4 purses ago) because that is exactly where I put it for ‘safe keeping’, and complete my taxes with time to spare.

Eric always gets so mad that he can look for things for hours and not find it but then ask me and I can immediately find it.

But then it happens.

I actually lose something.

And even I can’t find it anywhere.

When this happens I become this monster. Cursing and yelling and throwing things.

I know.

So-not-becoming.

But how can I, the queen of ‘organization,’ loose something.

I get the maddest when I misplace a recipe. All that time and hard work gone.

I have been trying to immediately type up my recipes as I make them but sometimes I just jot them down on a piece of paper, and then well, you know, what happens next- I lose it.

Anyways, the whole point to all of this, is that I misplaced the recipe I had planned for today. I know, I almost can’t live with myself!

But good thing we eat Mexican food at least once a week. Which translates to “I-try-a-lot-of-new-recipes” and have a whole backlog of Mexican recipes to blog. So since my original choice for today didn’t work out you get this easy, peasy, and tasty recipe for black beans. I mean really, a Cinco de Mayo feast really couldn’t exist without black beans.

That’s why I got you covered!

One Year Ago: Southwestern Tacos and Tips for throwing a Cinco de Mayo celebration
Two Years Ago: Sweet-and-Sour Turkey Meatballs
Three Years Ago: Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

Quick and Easy Black Beans
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves 4

2 (20 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1 lime, juiced
Cheddar cheese, optional for garnish

In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to medium-high heat. Sauté onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds more.

Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When beans are done cooking, remove from heat and add in fresh lime juice. Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so mash ¼-1/2 of the beans, just to thicken the mixture. Serve topped with cheese or as desired.

Adapted from Our Best Bites Cookbook

Slow-Cooker Posole

2012-04-30T23:54:00.000-05:00

Some days I have so much I could write about. Incoherent ramblings, food facts, cooking tips, ideas, goals for the future, questions for you. But then other days I can barely think of one word to write.

Today is one of those, barley able to think of words day. Me. Tongue tied. That’s an oddity in real life and in written form!

So I guess I will just get to it.

Lay it all down.

I have an exciting theme week for ya this week. Well exciting for me at least, maybe not you (Question: Do y’all like theme weeks?).

Can you guess the theme?

(beating drum, beating drum)

Well since Cinco de Mayo is Saturday and since we have Mexican food like once. A. week. I thought a Mexican food theme week would be perfect. Not to mention (I kid you not) I have like 8 Mexican food recipes I need to blog.

So this is perfect.

For me.

And you.

First up, Posole. Posole is a traditional Mexican dish made of pork, hominy, cilantro, and chili peppers. It is most commonly served as a thick stew but is also wonderful served on top of a bed of rice. This posole recipe is extremely easy, since it is made in the crock-pot, making it the perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

Classic. Spicy. Easy. Perfect Posole!

One Year Ago: Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Two Years Ago: Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Three Years Ago: Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

Slow-Cooker Posole
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Wait Time: 7 hours Serves: 6-8

1 (2.0 pound) boneless pork loin roast
2 (14.5 ounce can) enchilada sauce
2 (15.5 ounce can) yellow hominy, drained
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Place the meat in a 6 quart slow cooker. Pour the enchilada sauce over the meat. Top with the hominy, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt and pepper.

Cover, and cook on High for 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the cilantro. Cook on Low for 30 minutes more. Before serving, use two forks and shred pork in sauce mixture. Can be served as a soup or over rice.

Adapted from Food on the Table

Website Review: My Recipes

2012-04-29T23:29:00.000-05:00

It's so sad to see another month pass us by! Mainly because that means I am getting older but also because that means the end of another featured website of the month. BUT to keep things positive, ending one month, in life and in this website of the month series, means we get to look forward to a new month, new activities, and of course a new featured website!

But before we move on to our new featured website for the month of May, let's wrap up and review the food site, My Recipes.

Here's what My Recipes is all about:

Pictures: Most recipes

Half of the recipes on My Recipes are submitted by community users just like you and me. Most of these user recipes do not have photos. The other half of the recipes on this site are from popular food magazines like Cooking Light, Southern Living and All You. Almost all of these recipes, from the food magazines, have good magazine quality photos to accompany them.

Prep Time, Cooking Time, and Number of Servings listed: Yes and No

Some of the recipes have this information provided but not all. This is a bit frustrating that this information is not consistently provided since this can be a determining factor for many if they make a particular recipe of not.

Nutritional Information provided: Yes and No

Again this is not consistently provided on all recipes.

Clear, easy to follow directions and ease of preparation: Yes and No

Of course the recipes from the food magazines have clear and easy to follow directions but might be a little more labor intensive depending on the recipe. While the user submitted recipes can be less intensive, they may not be written as well as the professional recipes.

Easily available ingredients and budget friendly: yes

I would say overall most of the recipes are pretty budget friendly. But if you are extremely budget conscience they have a whole collection specifically of budget friendly recipes.

Variety of recipes: All types of recipes

This site is huge and has tons of recipes. I mean like thousands. So anything you are looking for.

Meal Planning Feature: Yes

My Recipes has a selection of 'menus' for different occasions with suggested recipes. There is also the capability to add recipes to a menu and save that menu and recipes or print, you can also add additional ingredients to your shopping list (which is broken down by grocery department).

Source of recipes: Recipes are from popular food magazines, such as Cooking Light, Food and Wine, Southern Living, and others as well as submitted by members

You can view all recipes whither you have a My Recipes account or not but cannot add recipes or create a menu without setting up an account. With a membership you can also rate and review recipes, leave comments or personal notes, save and organize your favorite recipes, and create a menu.

Cost: FREE!

Special feature: There is so much to this recipe site, and I have only begun to scratch the surface of everything. One feature I love is that when you register for this site you are asked for your zip code. This is because once you register and submit your zip code the site will show you ingredients for each recipe that are on sale at various stores in your area. This is very helpful to save money and plan your weekly shopping trip. They also have an uber cool feature, where you can type in ingredients in your panty and then the site will pull up recipes that use these ingredients, so no more excuse as to 'what can I make for dinner'!

In case you missed it here are the recipes I made:

Barbecue Fries

Lemon-and-Dill Green Beans

Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

Disclosure: I am not compensated for this review. They are just my thoughts and opinions about a site I love and use!

Giveaway: Green Giant Weight Watchers Prize Pack- CLOSED

2012-04-27T18:12:00.002-05:00

UPDATE (5/6/12): This giveaway is now closed! The winner chosen by random.org is comment number 18, Julie! Congrats Julie! Julie please contact Kitchen Concoctions within 72 hours to claim prize. If winner has not claimed prize within 72 hours then their prize is forfeited and a new winner will be notified.

It's that time of year! Spring is here and summer is fast approaching! Time to buckle down and get ready for short and swimsuit season. (Yes I am totally going there!) But good thing I have a giveaway today that will help you get on the right tract.

Here are the details:

Whether you´re striving to watch your weight or simply helping your family to add more vegetables in their meals, with a little help from Green Giant® finding a delicious way to mix up your diet routine can be easy and convenient!

Available in a wide variety of flavors, there are nearly 30 varieties of Green Giant® frozen boxed vegetables endorsed by Weight Watchers®, including offering that feature decadent sauces and tasty seasonings.

•Available in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store, Green Giant is the only frozen vegetable brand to be endorsed by Weight Watchers®, and nearly all endorsed varieties have a 1 or 2 PointsPlus® value per serving

•Click here to download quick and delicious recipes that incorporate Weight Watchers® endorsed Green Giant Boxed Vegetables, with most coming in between only a 1 and 4 Weight Watchers® PointsPlus® value per serving - from "Broccoli and Chicken Topped Potatoes" to "Quick Corn and Black Bean Soup," this wide array is sure to satisfy every member of your family

•If you prefer a smaller serving size, try Green Giant Just for One vegetable trays which are also endorsed by Weight Watchers®

Want a printable coupon for $0.60 off the purchase of two boxes of Weight Watchers® endorsed Green Giant Boxed Vegetables? Click here to download and print!

The Green Giant Weight Watchers Prize Pack Includes:

(1) VIP coupon for a free box of Weight Watchers® endorsed Green Giant Boxed Vegetables any variety

Water Bottle

Lunch Bag

Mini Nutrition Tracker

Lunch to Go Kit

Solar Powered Pedometer

Mini Ice Pack

HOW TO ENTER GIVEAWAY:

You have SIX separate ways to enter the cookbook giveaway! (NOTE: Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each response below):

1. Visit the Green Giant website and leave a comment on this post sharing which variety of Green Giant Boxed Vegetables you would like to try.

2. Become a follower of Kitchen Concoctions through Google Friend Connect.

3. Tell someone about this giveaway, whether it be on a blog, Facebook or Twitter and leave a new comment letting me know and sharing the link.

4. For a fourth entry to this giveaway, head over to Kitchen Concoction’s Facebook page and click ”Like”. Then come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

5. For a fifth entry follow Kitchen Concoctions on Twitter. Then come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

6. And last but not least I finally broke down and joined the Pinterest craze! For a sixth entry head over and follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment letting me know!

This give-away closes Friday, May 4, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST. Winner will be chosen at random (by random.org) and will be announced sometime shortly after the give-away ends. Winner must contact Kitchen Concoctions within 72 hours at kitchen_concoctions at hotmail dot com to claim prize. If winner has not claimed prize within 72 hours then a new winner will be notified. Giveaway for US residents only.

NOTE: Please check back shortly after giveaway closing to see if you are a winner. As much as I would like to run all over the Internet world looking for you, I do not have the time. So you as the winner MUST contact me with your information.

"Disclosure: The coupons, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by Green Giant® and Weight Watchers® through MyBlogSpark."

Website Wednesday: Barbecue Fries

2012-04-25T23:58:00.000-05:00

I make homemade French fries all. The. Time. I mean when you have burger night a few times a month, and who am I kidding in the Spring and Summer every week, you get to be a pro at it.

Since we eat our fair share of homemade burgers and fries, I am always looking for new recipes for both of these things. So when I got the urge to make burgers this past week (ahhh….. Spring!) I decided I need a new fry recipe to try!

Today’s website recipe is one that looked great on paper and tasted good in the end but I had a little difficulty executing. I liked the flavor but because I forgot to spray my pan and my fries stuck, bad. Another issue I had was because of the bbq sauce, some of the smaller fries really started to burn before the larger ones were done; so be sure and cut your fries in a uniform size. Oh and don’t expect a ‘crispy’ fry, because of baking these in the sauce they came out more on the softer side, like a sweet potato fry. But as for the flavor, these are spot on!

One Year Ago: Couscous Salad with Chickpeas
Two Years Ago: Mexican Chicken Salad and Tortilla Crisps
Three Years Ago: Gooey Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas

Barbecue Fries
Printable Version
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 pounds russet or baking potatoes (3 large potatoes), scrubbed

Heat oven to 450° F. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except potatoes.
Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 to 10 wedges. Add them to the bowl and toss. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared sheet.

Bake, turning once, until golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Adapted from myrecipes.com

Tips and Tricks to Perfect Crock-pot Meals

2012-04-24T09:42:00.002-05:00

I have always been open about my love for my crock-pot. I had a jaw dropping moment recently when I found out several people I know don't even own a crock-pot or have never used one. Seriously people? My crock-pot is essential on my super busy days when I won't get home until late and don't want to fuss with dinner and don't what to succumb to the dreaded fast food line.

So today I am sharing some crock-pot cooking tips and tricks (and of course a whole slew of delectable crock-pot recipes) in an article that I actually wrote some time ago for meal planing/recipe site Food on the Table. So lets get slow cookin'!

(Photo Credit: Amazon)

Your crock pot or slow cooker is one of the best time and money saving appliances in the kitchen. Cooking with a slow cooker is great for beginner cooks or individuals with busy schedules. For most slow cooker recipes, all you have to do is put the ingredients in the cooker, turn it on and hours later dinner will be ready!

Since the slow cooker typically cooks meats in a liquid over a long period of time, it is great to use for the cheaper and ‘tougher’ cuts of meat. Due to this cooking process the end result of the meat will be tender, rich and flavorful.
To make sure you are getting the most from your slow cooker follow these simple tips:

Purchasing a slow cooker. When buying a slow cooker look for one with a removable liner. This makes clean up easier since the liner is dishwasher safe. If you already own a slow cooker without a liner, use disposable cooking bags. These bags are inexpensive, and allow you to throw out the used bag after your dinner is ready!

Prepping your food. Remove skin from poultry, and trim excess fat from meat. Fats melt with long cooking times and too much fat will result in a greasy and unpleasant texture in the final meal. Also, most meats do not need to be browned before adding to the slow cooker. However, browning your meat or poultry in a skillet before adding them to the cooker will add color and give the meat a more developed texture and taste. For best results, ground meat should definitely be precooked before adding to the slow cooker. Ground meats may develop an unappetizing gray color and chewy texture if not pre-cooked.

Layer appropriately. Most vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers take longer to cook than meat and should be placed at the bottom of the slow cooker. However, tender vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini should be added during the last 45 minutes of cooking time so they don't overcook.

And whatever you do, don’t peak! Don't lift the lid to stir, especially if you are cooking on the low setting, unless the recipe calls for it. Each time you lift the lid, enough heat will escape that the cooking time will need to be extended by 20 minutes!

Since I love my crock-pot so much it was hard selecting just a *few* crock-pot recipes to feature with this article. Here are some of my top faves that I am currently drooling over.

Crock-pot Pizza Soup (Kitchen Concoctions)
Slow Cooker Chicken Fettuccine (Taste and Tell Blog)
Classic Red Beans and Rice (Kitchen Concoctions)
Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Pudding Cake (Mel's Kitchen Cafe)
Texas Style Chili (Kitchen Concoctions)
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken (Real Mom Kitchen)
Buffalo Chicken Lasagna (Kitchen Concoctions)
Joyful Almond Oatmeal Recipe (Apron Strings)
What is your favorite crock-pot recipe? Do share!