Breakfast Stuffed Sweet Potato

        

 {   I love looking through pintrest, and seeing soo many amazing things people have to share with the world. I usually tend to stick to the food or gardening posts but I also enjoy the fashion/beauty posts or the fitness: I get soo much motivation, tips and different techniques from there.
So just like I promised, with the over flow of likes I got on my instagram picture; I'm posting the recipe to the delicious Breakfast Stuffed Sweet Potato which on pinterest is where I first saw a picture of it. I can say it was pretty much love at first sight and my taste buds agreed once I had my take on it made. I didn't follow the exact recipe, but it's pretty close. }

ingredients:

- 4 medium sweet potatoes (I used the light skinned sweet potatoes)
- 1 cup of black beans
- 4oz Fontina cheese, freshly grated. ( I used smoked and I bet it was just as good as the original recipe if not better )
- 2 cups of fresh arugula
- 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 - 1 lemon juiced (depending on how juicy your lemon is)
- 4 eggs, cooked as desired
- 10 extra thin slices of pancetta
- salt & pepper


directions:

- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse the sweet potatoes, cut in half and place on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake for 30-40 minutes more. Remove and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Carefully cut down the center (length wise) of the sweet potato, pinching the ends together and pushing them inward. Stuff each potato with an ounce of the fontina cheese and top equally with the beans. At this time you can place the potatoes back into the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and to keep everything nice and hot.
- Place the pancetta on a separate baking sheet with a wrack attachment (so the extra fat drips off, and pancetta doesn't sit in the drippings, this causes the pancetta to get extra crispy). Place on lower wrack and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Dab the pancetta with paper towel to soak up any extra unwanted fat. Chop into large crumb size pieces. Pull the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle pancetta equally over each potato opening.
- Arugula: Rinse and pat dry. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper and whisk together until all combined into a homogeneous mixture. Pour over the arugula and toss until coated evenly. Top 1/4 of the arugula to each potato, then add your cooked egg. If desired, you can cook the eggs when the potatoes have a few minutes left in the oven.


Enjoy
And please let me know how it turns out for you.




P.S.
Coming soon......

                                  {Vanilla Sugar Waffles}

DIY Framed Chalk Board

I've had this huge bulky picture frame lying around in my garage for the past 4 years, just collecting dust and taking up space. And now that my 2 year old has the urge to color on my walls with crayon instead of her Dora coloring book, I've decided before things get way out of hand with her artistic needs, Id make her something she can draw (scribble) on to set forth the opinions, and feelings that come to her as she grows. 

A chalk board! 

For a 2yr old what could be better then a big space on the wall dedicated just for her and framed with a vintage, gold picture frame...

 So here it is, my DIY framed chalk board.

                         Supplies:

• Picture frame
• Flat board, drywall, mirror, metal sheet, anything that will fit into the frame. Flat hard surface.
•  Fluffy roller with removable head, and a removable sponge head.
• White paint primer.
• Chalk board paint or spray paint.
• Very fine sand paper.
• Some kind of frame to wall attachment. To hang up your project.
• Chalk for drawing. 

1. First off you want to make sure that the surface you are using as your C.B. (chalk board) is wiped down, clean, dry and ready for step 2.
2. Give the drywall (which is what I used) a good coat of the primer paint, when its finished drying, go ahead and give it a second coat.
3. Once the primer has dried, use your very fine sander or sand paper and in circular motion start sanding the whole surface of your to be C.B.
4. Next you want to get a clean moist towel, and wipe the surface of the C.B. This will get rid of all the dust from the previous step; and will give you a smoother surface.
5. Now you can either use Chalk board paint or spray paint. My husband decided to try out the spray paint first. WRONG IDEA..... didn't work for us, left and an uneven look. But feel free to try it out for your self. I went over the spray paint with the regular chalk paint. (in a can) and it covered everything right up. Once your first coat dries add a second coat. Let completely dry. At least 24 hours before hanging up or drawing on it.
6. Attach the drywall to the frame and the frame to the wall. Enjoy.

 Happy DIYing everyone.

Grilled Tilapia with Avocado Mango Salsa

                   Wow what a fun Monday yesterday was. The weather was amazing, the mood in the air was so bright and good spirited. I would love to have more Mondays like this one.

                        With it being so warm out, and me needing to use up some ingredients in my kitchen before going grocery shopping, I decided to prepare something fun for our early dinner. Grilled Tilapia in a creamy sauce, served with an Avocado Mango Salsa, and Grilled Corn on the Cob, with a spicy mayo sauce. This amazing, fast and easy dinner left us full, and very satisfied. 

Grilled Tilapia with Avocado Mango Salsa

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the salsa

1 whole Medium- small avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 cup peeled, diced mangoes

3 tbs. minced red onions

4 tbs. minced red bell peppers

1-2 tbs. minced fresh cilantro

1 tbs. fresh lime juice

1 minced jalapeno pepper, seeded and rinsed

1/2 tsp. kosher salt 

You can always replace the mango for blueberries, or granny smith apples. 

For the Tilapia:

 

4 fillets of tilapia  

1 tbs. Vegeta, all purpose seasoning

1 tbs. sriracha hot chili sauce

3 tbs. sweet chili sauce

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Vegeta found in European stores, sriracha, and sweet chile sauce found in Asian isle of produce stores. You can replace chicken breast for the tilapia if you prefer, marinade for at least 2 hour. The longer the better, even over night would work great.  

Directions:

Combine vegeta, chili sauces, and mayo in a bowl. Coat tilapia is sauce and let marinade or at least 30 minutes.

Combine the avocado, mangoes, onions, bell peppers, cilantro, lime juice, jalapenos, and salt in a medium bowl. Lightly crush with a fork to release the juices. Set aside. 

Serve each fillet with 1/4 cup of salsa. 

Grill tilapia, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until tender, turning once.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

ingredients:

4 medium ears sweet corn 

4 tbs butter, melted

1tbs minced fresh parsley, or dill

1 clove of garlic, grated 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine butter, dill, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Carefully peel back corn husks to within 1 in. of bottoms; remove silk. Spread butter mixture over corn, with a rubber brush. 

Re-wrap corn in husks and secure with kitchen string. Grill corn, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Cut strings and peel back husks.

Spicy mayo:

3 tbs. Mayonnaise
1 tbs. sriracha hot chili sauce

Mix, and serve. Adds a little flavor to the corn or even to the fish. 

I usually come up with recipe myself, like these, so I hope you try it out and let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy. 

Please feel free to ask any questions.  

Vegetarian "or Not" Fajitas.

               Yesterday after a LONG day of "Spring Cleaning" and finishing up a few things around the house. I was SOOO in the mood for something light but flavorful and filling for dinner. So I came up with this recipe. Vegetarian "or Not" Fajitas. Tasty vegetable wraps. Bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms sauteed in a delicious sauce, served on a warm whole wheat tortilla and a fresh mayo.

Vegetarian "or Not" Fajitas. 

Ingredients:

- 2 tbs. Olive Oil

- 2 Onions, thinly sliced

- 2 Green bell peppers, seeded and sliced

- 2 Red bell peppers, seeded and sliced

- 8 oz. Mushrooms ( I used Crimini) thinly sliced

- 1 Jalapeno, seeded and sliced

- 2 tbs. chopped fresh Cilantro 

- 1 lb. Roast beef. (If not making vegetarian style)
- 100% whole wheat tortillas. 12 ct.

Sauce:

- 1 tbs. Sweet chilli sauce

- 2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

- 5 tbs. Ketchup

- 1 tbs. A1 sauce

- salt and pepper to taste.

about 1 tsp. of salt, 

and 1/2 tsp. of pepper.

Fresh Mayo:

- 3 tbs. Mayonnaise 

- Zest of 1 lemon

- juice of 1/2 lemon

- 1 tsp. of chopped fresh Dill

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tbs. oil in a heavy bottom skillet. Add the onions and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the green and red bell peppers, jalapenos, and cilantro and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.

2. On a medium low heat, In a separate skillet add remaining oil, and cook the roast beef. Add the sauces, let beef marinade while cooking. Turn the heat to low and cook for another 5 minutes, add beef and sauce to vegetables. 

3. Mix ingredients for mayo in a bowl and set aside. 

Dry-fry the tortillas, one at a time, for 30 seconds on each side in a separate skillet. Spread 1 tsp. of mayo in the center on each tortilla. Divide the vegetables between the tortillas, roll up, and serve. 

You can definitely take out the roast beef if you prefer the vegetarian version better, or you can even replace it with tofu.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

Hope you enjoy.

"Homemade" Pizza

        Some of you may or may not know this about me, but I LOVE to cook, and bake. Another way for me to express myself. My wonderful Mother has planted the seed of ingredients, spices, and flavors in me as a little girl. Always with her in the kitchen either helping her with the food, or just cleaning and washing the dishes as she cooks. Which I very much thank her for.  Now after those few years of being right by her side, and having my own family, I've learned little secrets and ways of finer preparations. I would be happy to share techniques, experiences, and recipes here.

My type of cooking/baking is Russian/American/French/Italian. Lets just say I have a background of Russian , but I like to try many other styles as well. 

 

Please don't expect anything professional, or to be flabbergasted. All that I know is what I've learned form my mother, or just being self taught.

                        My Mother and I in the center, my older sister

                Snezhana on the left,and my sister Marina on the right.

"Homemade" Pizza:

 

Ingredients:

- 18oz. Cheese Flat Bread  (I found mine at Costco)

- 2 tbs. Mayonnaise

- 4-5 tbs. Marinara sauce

- 10-15  Olives of choice

- 20 Pepperonis

- 5-10 Cherry tomatoes

- 1 large Sweet onion

- 1 large Red bell pepper

- 1-2 cups Shredded Cheese of choice 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400dg F.

1. Slice onion, and bell pepper thinly. On medium high heat, saute the onions on a skillet with 1tbs. butter, about 5 min. Add the sliced bell pepper to the onions and continue sauteing for another 10 minutes. Until you get a nice golden color. Set aside.

2. Spread mayonnaise evenly over flat bread, spread marinara sauce evenly on top of the mayo. Sprinkle about 1/2 a cup of cheese over the marinara (cheese will act as glue for the pepperonis), add the pepperonis on top.

3. At this point go ahead and top the pizza with the sauteed onion/bell pepper. Slice the olives, and tomatoes. Add to the pizza. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. 

4. Place pizza on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese forms a nice golden color.

Please feel free to try any vegetables or meat of choice, adding mushrooms, basil, spinach, artichokes, or even sun dried tomatoes(YUM!) would make a GREAT alternative.

Enjoy.

My mother would make a similar pizza like this during my childhood, growing up we would rarely go out to eat, so instead of buying a pizza she would create her own, which for me and my siblings was totally fine, we always loved her versions better anyway :) 

If you would like me to share more recipes please let me know so.