Bird Bath

   Now that I am back home from school, I have had some time to spend in my house as well as outside of it! By outside, I mean that I am able to stay in the backyard, and enjoy all of the pleasantries of nature. We have always had a bird bath in the backyard, but often times it is bone dry and filled with fallen leaves. The bird bath is positioned right next to our pecan tree. We never, ever have pecans during the fall season because all of the squirrels eat them before they fall to the ground. I have come out onto my patio, in order to work on some trigonometry homework that I have. It is amazing, even though I am sometimes sidetracked by all of the sight-seeing in my own backyard. I am thinking about creating a bird feeder and setting it up right next to the bird bath.

Star Wars Death Star Birthday Cake

I am certain that Noah had a "super-cool" birthday. This is awesome. Look at the "Death-Star" it looks scrum-diddly-umptious.

may the FOURTH be with you

Hi everybody. So, my roommate Eddy Epic brought to my attention that today May the 4th is in fact an unofficial holiday for Star Wars fans. So, happy May the fourth everybody! True to form, I will be uploading a cake that is inspired by George Lucas's epic saga.
So a little bit of trivia behind the whole May 4th Star Wars link is as follows. Whether or not you are a "warsies" ( since star trek fans call themselves trekkies) you may have already known that one of the most popular quotes in Star Wars is "May the force be with you." As a play on words many warsies say may the fourth be with you, on this date May 4th.

• So a little history about this date includes Margaret Thatcher Britain's first female prime minister being elected to office on May 4th 1979. Which led to her party placing the advertisement in the London Daily News "May the fourth be with you."
• In addition, during a 2005 interview on German news TV  George Lucas (the creator of star wars) was asked to say his famous sentence, "May the Force be with you." Upon which the translator simultaneously translated into German, "Am 4. Mai sind wir bei Ihnen" (We shall be with you on May 4). 

Cinco de Mayo preparations

Good morning. It is almost that time of year again, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May as a rough English translation.
A few tidbits about about this annual celebration is that it is primarily celebrated in The United States more than Mexico itself.
Also contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexico's Independence Day!
I've decided that Albondigas Soup is a great idea to eat on this festive occasion that celebrates Mexican pride and heritage.
I've added a step by step instructions guide that even I can follow, but for the more relaxed chef, don't fret you can by  buy a can of Jaunita's Albondigas at a convenience store near you.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Meatballs:
1 pound chuck ground beef
1/2 pound pork sausage (spicy is nice)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup cream (or milk)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Soup:
2 quarts beef or chicken broth (or a combination)
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped mild green chiles, with liquid
1 cup diced sweet onion
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
For Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs, crushed tortilla chips, shredded Mexican cheese blend

Preparation:

Combine ground beef, pork sausage, cornmeal, cream, egg, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and pepper with a large fork. Do not overmix. Form into small meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Set aside. (The meatballs may be made up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated.)

Place beef or chicken stock, tomatoes, green chiles, onion, oregano, cumin, and hot pepper sauce in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add rice, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully add meatballs to the broth and simmer an additional 10 to 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Add corn and cook until heated through. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves just before serving.

Garnish each bowl with crushed tortilla chips, a sprinkling of Mexican cheese blend, and a sprig of fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

Yield: about 8 to 10 servings

Vegetable steamer

Any chef will tell you that in order to produce crispy vegetables that are not dry and flavorless you will have to have a vegetable steamer at your disposal. Steamers are a wonderful tool that allows you to cook food without using any oil. This is a plus for health, and allows users to prevent using olive or vegetable oil that may affect the taste of the food.

Grilled Corn

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a relative of the wheat family, yet at the same time it is a vegetable. Corn is a healthy alternative to other snack foods, and it is relatively easy to fix up. Just follow this quick guide and be on your way to some great eating! Add butter, and seasoning to further enhance the flavoring.

Prep Time : 10 Minutes
Cook Time : 30 Minutes
Ready in : 40 Minutes

Ingredients

6 ears corn
6 tablespoons butter, softened
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.
Peel back corn husks and remove silk. Place 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper on each piece of corn. Close husks.
Wrap each ear of corn tightly in aluminum foil. Place on the prepared grill. Cook approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is tender.

Peppermint Tea

peppermint tea, a photo by ashley_tarr on Flickr.

Oh, it is another chilly day outside. I think that it would be best to keep ourselves comfortably warm and dry. While we stay indoors and seek refuge from this blistering weather, we should prepare ourselves a hot soothing mug of tea. Peppermint tea is a great choice. The refreshing, sweet taste of peppermint and the relaxing aroma that it gives off. That is why Peppermint tea is today's drink of choice.

Prep Time : 7 Minutes
Cook Time : 20 Minutes
Ready in : 30 Minutes

(allow to cool)

4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup dry peppermint leaf
3 -4 cups very hot water
2 -3 tablespoons honey
1 cup of milk

Directions
1 Boil about 3 or 4 cups of water.
2 Add the peppermint leaves and shut the heat off.
3 Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes.
4 Pour through a tea strainer.
5 Add the honey and pour into cups.
6 The tea can be made from fresh leaves or dryed leaves, or be store bought in tea bags

Cornbread

Two Cornbreads, a photo by ataldredge on Flickr.

Cornbread is a great side dish that is usually prepared before the main course. It is a necessity for all home based recipes and it is one of the first food types that is passed down from your parents. Cornbread goes great with soup, and is a tasty treat with butter. Made with flour there are dozens upon dozens of ways to make cornbread, with many different variations. A little treat is that I like to pour warm honey on my cornbread, it is amazing!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
Mix egg, milk and oil together. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cornmeal and potato flakes. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of pan comes out clean.

Calories: 263

Macaroni Pie Casserole with Sausage

Macaroni Pie, a photo by NomadicGourmet on Flickr.

The decadent taste of macaroni casserole is a beautiful delight. The warm cheese, and filling elbow macaroni makes for a great combination that can be mixed with meat and vegetables.

Prep Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ready in : 40 minutes


Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound processed cheese, cubed
1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large bowl combine macaroni, processed cheese, mixed vegetables, mushroom soup, 1/2 of a soup can of water and sausage. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 to 25 minutes.

Calories: 525

Pretzel served with Cheddar and Sauce

Pretzel at Monk's Kettle, a photo by trustella on Flickr.

Whenever I go to the ball-game or the mall, I am always certain to look around for the pretzel vendors. Ah, soft pretzels. Such a simple device really, but it is genius none the less. Warm flour, baked just right, and it goes well with cinnamon, or raisins which are my favorite! As a matter of fact, why not just add both?

Prep Time : 50 Minutes
Cook Time : 15 Minutes
Ready In : 1 Hr 5 Minutes

Ingredients

* 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
* 2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1 egg
* 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 tablespoons water
* coarse salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, butter and egg. Stir in 3 cups of flour; mix until smooth. Add enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Cover bowl tightly with foil; refrigerate for 2-24 hours. Punch dough down and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, cut each half into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-in. rope. Shape into the traditional pretzel shape and place on a greased baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and water; brush over the pretzels. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until brown.

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder, a photo by davecurry8 on Flickr.

What goes best on a cold day? Hot cocoa, blankets, sweaters? Yes, all of those are nice, but how can we forget about our good friend New England Clam Chowder? This soup is in my dictionary considered to be synonymous with the word yummy!

Prep Time : 15 Minutes
Cook Time : 30 Minutes
Ready in : 45 Minutes

Ingredients

* 4 slices bacon, diced
* 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* ground black pepper to taste
* 3 cups half-and-half
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams

Directions

1. Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.

Calories: 396

Funnel Cake

FUNNEL CAKE ZOMG, a photo by jadepearli on Flickr.

Enjoy this delicious mouth watering treat with your family. Just follows these simple steps and before you know it you will be diving into mounds of rich funnel cake joy! Don't forget to add free fruits and whipped cream for that extra zest! Enjoy

Ingredients

* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the eggs and the milk. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture, and beat with a mixer until smooth. The consistancy should be thin enough to run through a small kitchen funnel. Test it, and if it is too thick beat in a little more milk; if too thin, beat in a bit more flour.
3. In an eight inch skillet, heat the oil to 360 degrees F (182 degrees C).
4. Put your finger over the bottom opening of the funnel, and fill the funnel with a generous 1/2 cup of the batter. Hold the funnel close to the surface of the oil, and release the batter into the oil while making a circular motion. Fry until golden brown. Use tongs and wide spatula to turn the cake over carefully. Fry the second side one minute. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar.

Calories: 438