As if we should need an incentive...

I just donated to the Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center and got a cute little key fob in the process. I had intended to donate somewhere, but I just didn't know where I wanted to send my money. I stumbled on this blog Pitter Patter Art, via One Pretty Thing, and just decided that they deserved my help. I have no real way of verifying that this is legit, aside from the seemingly genuine efforts of this one crafty lady to entice more people to support this cause. I have read the blog, checked out the sites, and realized that I had to do something. I don't know how any informed person could sit back and do nothing. The devastation is unreal. So, if you want a cute little handmade key fob (and who really scams people while sending them hand sewn key fobs!?!) then check out this blog and donate! If you don't want one, then find another venue for helping out, because they need help people. Real bad.

Garlicky Greens

When I was in high school, I learned that I had low red blood cell levels/ I was slightly anemic. Not surprisingly, Mom rarely packed any red meat or leafy greens in my lunches - which by-the-way, CAN YOU BELIEVE my Mom packed my lunches for me high school!?! First of all, only losers brought mom-made lunches, complete with sharpie-labeled brown bags, crinkle-cut carrot sticks and little embarrasing notes (which actually really make your day). I loved it. Second of all - How lucky was I!?!?! If I had some extra cash, I would seriously consider paying big bucks to hire Mom as my full-time lunch maker seeing as I have already accepted my uncoolness.

So anyway, when I was shot down at our high school blood drive for showing up with a lame red blood cell count and a ratio of far too much plasma, my Mom helped me research some ways to beef up (pun intended) my iron consumption. Not being a huge carnivore, I sought out iron-rich alternatives. I have been on a quest for dried peaches since. They just can not be found. What I did discover was spinach. I love spinach. Love it. One of the best parts about spinach, besides it's high iron content, is how easy it is to incorporate it into your diet. I like it strait up, in my scrambled eggs, sandwiches, salads, pizza, meatballs, tacos, lasagna, even fruit smoothies! Which bring me to the end of this wandering tangent - the recipe for garlicky greens. I would love to tell you about the NPR radio show that I listened to last weekend where garlicky greens were being downed in massive quantities at an eating competition, but it's time to get to the point.

Garlicky greens are just a bunch of spinach cooked down in a pile of butter and garlic. It takes all of two minutes to make them. Easy peasy. They are delicious and nutritious and I could eat them every day. To start, you need a big frying pan and A TON of spinach. One bag of spinach is only enough for about two to three servings. Add some butter or olive oil to the pan and turn it up to medium-high and add a clove or two of crushed/chopped/mashed/pressed garlic. Dump in all the spinach and cook that stuff up until it's shrunken down and wilted. Then add some salt and enjoy... or add it to your meatloaf! Then feel awesome and do your best Popeye flex, because you just ate a ton of spinach! Yummmmm...

Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

 

Looking for something a bit healthier to eat, I tweaked this recipe last night and it turned out to be really, really good! I actually like this version of meatloaf better than any others that I've tried. It's really juicy and tasty, easy to make, inexpensive, and healthy! Quadruple win! If only it didn't take an hour to cook - by the time it was done I was STARVING! So I ate about half of it :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
    (All I could find were turkey burgers, so I only bought 1lb, which made for very small slices... which is how I justified eating half the pan...)
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well to remove any excess water
    ( I just cooked up a panful of "garlicky greens" and threw in what looked to be enough...recipe for "garlicky greens" to follow...)
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    (Didn't have this so instead I sprinkled in just a touch of dill and thyme... not really a comparable substitution at all -  but it worked out well!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 cup)
    (I didn't have mozzarella, so I used muenster and it tasted great.)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, combine turkey, spinach, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, egg whites, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Press half of mixture into an 8-inch loaf pan. Top bottom half with cheese. Press remaining turkey mixture over top and flatten. Whisk together ketchup and mustard and spread mixture over prepared meatloaf.

Bake 1 hour, until top is golden and loaf has pulled slightly away from sides of pan. Let stand 10 minutes, then slice and serve. YUMMMMM!

Printable Beatles - We'd love to take you home with us :)

It was twenty years ago today,
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play
They've been going in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

In paper...

 Click here to make your very own!

Holiday Mug Flair - Adorable

 

 

This is very likely the cutest way on the whole flippin' planet to serve gingerbread. Would it be insane to attempt to make like 40 of these things for Christmas? Yes. Probably. But they are SO CUTE! Really "not martha" you are so very martha. Don't even try to deny it with your clever little blog name. You are totally martha.

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

I have been in search of a delicious Christmas cookie recipe for this year's cookie exchange at work. Last year I made some lame sugar cookies that I was not very proud of. After experiencing the deliciousness of my coworkers unbelievable baking skills, I realized that I had to step up my game. I've got nothing though.

Just mentioning family cookie recipes to my Mom bring up stories of tears and defeat - My two-year old self consoling my her while she bawls on the floor hunched over a dressbox full of shattered Krumkake, while I stood by confused repeating the phrases, "Mommy cwy? Cwookies bweak?" True story. Sad, I know - don't worry, this post gets better.

Anywho, I was looking for a redeeming recipe to knock peoples socks off and I found this gem. I'll might have to give it a whirl. It seems fairly simple...

                                             
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup or brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality.
Take a large bowl, Check the Cuervoagain, to be sure it is of the highest quality, Pour one level cup and drink.
Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter In a large fluffy bowl.
Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it’s best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another Cup just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup Of dried fruit.
Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.
Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry It loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.
Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves A sheet.
Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table.
Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can Find.

Greash the oven. 

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall Over.Don’t forget to beat off the turner. 

Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.

Cherry Mistmas!!!

Just Keep Pedaling

 

 

 

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.”
-Paulo Coelho