What's on My Food?

Find out what's on your food at: whatsonmyfood.org

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Life Sure Does Get in the Way....

Hi Boys and Girls!

Boy! I cannot believe I have been away so long! I am sure you all, I mean, y'all missed me! You will be pleased to know I am still alive and kicking...mostly kicking! Besides my commitments to Master Gardeners, quilt guild, adorable husband, even more adorable daughter, I have finally committed to building a new quilting studio. So, as this progresses, I will post pictures. As of today, the old one is no more and my supplies are now in the garage covered with drop cloths! So, if I want to work on something I have to try and remember where I put it in the garage!

Anyway, I had to share my new recipe with you. I discovered this absolutely delicious tomatillo sauce at Costco costco.com I wish you could buy this online but you cannot. It is in the refrigerated section.
It looks like this. Really cute name. Anyway. this is what I did with it. BTW, this would be good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I had leftover flank steak that was shredded for tacos, but you could use leftover chicken, salmon or pork.
  • Spray your pan with Pam or other nonstick pan. I personally use cast iron skillets. You know the reason. No toxins and the iron is good for you. Anyway, let's get on with the recipe.
  •  Break up 1-2 corn torillas in the pan. (OK, I will leave you alone about choosing corn tortillas GMO free. Happy now?)
  • Stir the corn tortillas until a bit brown.
  • Add the meat.
  • Pour the tomatillo sauce over the tortillas and meat.
  • Cook on low until warmed.
  • Break 1 or 2 farm-fresh eggs on top of this mixture. Add salt and pepper.
  • Turn heat down to low and cover pan.
  • Cook to your desired "doneness" of eggs. I like sunny side up...
  • Enjoy!

  • Yes, I added 3 eggs!

  • Doesn't this look good? If it does not look good to you it is because you see my foot in the picture! Please give this recipe a try. I had lots of meat lefover so I made enchiladas.

  • Maybe this picture will convince you!
  • Until next time, call a friend or family member that you have not talked to for a while. Just say, "I missed hearing your voice." You will make their day!
     

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Quick Version Chicken Noodle Soup

Hi Boys and Girls!

Yes, it is cold here again. So, out comes the soup pot for chicken noodle soup. This is a quick version. I did not have time to put chicken pieces in the pressure cooker. That is when  you get the really good chicken stock. I belive I posted that version at one time. So, this quickie version just uses chicken broth and chicken breasts.

Even though this recipe is scaled down, don't skimp on the veggies. I still use organic celery and organic carrots. You cannot believe the difference in your soups.

Here are the ingredients:
Central Market Organic chicken broth is not my favorite. As you know, I prefer Pacific Organic chicken broth. http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/broths/organic-ls-chicken-broth But, I have not been to Costco in a while so I was forced to use what you see pictured.
See the celery? Organic is preferred but if you don't have that, be sure to use the heart of the celery. This adds the most flavor to soup. I am giving away my life-long secret to fabulous soups! My mother taught me this trick.

Reames Egg Noodles taste just like home-made! This link even has a coupon. You will be buying these noodles by the case and keeping them in your freezer. They are addicting. I bought mine at Albertson's but even the Wal-Mart in Lexington, VA had them. So maybe Wal-Mart here does too.
Other ingredients are parsley (add last), onion, salt and pepper to taste and chicken breasts.

Start the broth simmering. Use about 3 boxes. Chop the onions, carrots and celery.

Next, cup up the chicken breasts. Note: It is so much easier if your chicken knife is sharp.


Don't worry about any pieces falling to the floor. If you have a pet, like Angie my kitty, it will be picked up and eaten really fast! 
Here is the cut-up chicken. Cut all the fat off the chicken breasts.
Cut the chicken up into chunks. If it is cut too small, the chicken will get tough during the cooking process.
Add the chicken to the pot and simmer for about 30-40 minutes.
When the carrots are starting to get soft, drop in the noodles, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes.


Here is your finished soup in less than one hour.

You can do this for dinner tonight for dinner! Granted the soup will taste better tomorrow but hey, tonight you can have a nice hot bowl of chicken soup.

Reminder: If you use a wooden cutting board like I do be sure to wash it with hot soap and water. Wash the knife too.

Have fun and remember to kiss the cook!








































































Saturday, January 8, 2011

Big Cup of Chai Tea Latte

Hi Boys and Girls!
Is it cold where you are? It sure is here and will be Sunday and rest of the week. So, while watching football (unfortunately, the Saints lost) I decided to make a chai tea latte.

If you like chai tea you have probably become addicted to Starbucks chai tea latte. It cannot be helped!
starbucks.com In fact, they are having a special until the January 10, as you will see on the link. If you are watching your calories and your pennies, you have probably limited your visits to Starbucks. I know I have.

So, I have come up with a fair tasting Chai Tea Latte ala Gardenquiltlady.

Here are some of the items you will need.

You will also need honey or raw sugar.

Start with really good chai tea. My most favorite, and I have mentioned it before, is Zhi tea. http://zhitea.com/ They have a very robust chai tea that is almost addicting. http://www.zhitea.com/black-tea/cacao-chai.html You will notice that it is low in calories but high in flavor. It is very hard to stay away from this chai tea! When you search this site you will find a recipe for Chai Tea Latte. I like to think mine is easier but I am willing to give their recipe a try.

Next, you need milk whether it be whole, soy or my preference, Almond Breeze Almond Milk. http://www.almondbreeze.com/ They have recipes for warm drinks and smoothies and also have nutritional contents. This is a great alternative to dairy milk if you are lactose intolerant and it is lower in calories.

Unless you have an espresso machine that can foam milk, you need a battery-powered milk frother. I found one for .99 or $1.99 at Ikea. I cannot remember the price but I wish I had bought more! It takes two batteries and as you will see, it really foams the milk (in my case the almond milk). You can also find one on Amazon. It has a brand name but looks exactly like the one I have.



I have even used a Mexican molinillo.
Of course, this takes more time to froth milk than a battery-powered frother but if you have friends over you will really impress them with your skills!

Use a good size coffee mug. The one I like using is from Fiesta Ware. It is large, heavy and oh, so pretty. The one in the picture above is eggplant color. Any good size mug will do but if you worry about lead content, use Made in USA product.

OK, boil about 2 cups filtered water. Place about 4-5 teaspoons of chai tea in the water and let steep for 10 minutes. In the meantime, heat 2 cups of milk in the microwave or on the stove. Strain the tea into your mug and fill mug only half full with tea. Fill to almost the top with the warm milk. Add 1 tablespoon honey or raw sugar. Stir. Froth the remaining milk. Spoon the milk on top of your tea. You should have enough for two full size mugs of chai tea.
Here is my finished product.
Now, I hope you are not thinking this is too much trouble...you are, right? OK, you can buy a chai tea latte concentrate on Amazon also.
This is pretty close to what Starbucks uses. However, it is not economical nor low in calories. If you make your chai tea yourself, you will save lots of money and appreciate the art of making tea.

So, my wish for you is to give this a try. It is most fun and a real treat. Oh, and if you get to Ikea, buy half a dozen of the battery powered milk frothers. You can make a super nice gift basket with all the ingredients shown here.  Hey, Valentine's Day is coming up really fast! A gift of all the ingredients for making Chai Tea Latte will really be speacial. What a great idea! You're welcome!

Until next time...spoil yourself...and kiss the cook!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Today is Your Day...

Hi Boys and Girls!
OK, today is football, movies for the kids, playing with new gadgets or texting...certainly texting...what day does not go by that a tween is not glued to their phone?

But today you can have a little luxury. This 30 minute time out will take you away from routine and bring you back energized. I am talking about an herbal soaking bath commonly known as bath salts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_salts

Pamper yourself with ordinary Epsom salts and maybe some herbs or oils. If you do not have any herbs or oils at least use Epsom salts which is found in any drug store. Bath salts will turn your practical bath into a luxurious, relaxing time out bath.

Here is a simple recipe:
for 1 cup bath salts

1/3 cup Epsom salts
1/2 cup sea salt
1/3 cup baking soda
15-20 drops essential oil (lavender, rosewood or sandalwood as an example.)
In a large bowl, mix together the salts and soda.
Using an eyedropper, add the oils to the salt mixture and stir to combine.
Store in clean mason jars with tight-fitting lids to keep salts dry and free-flowing.
Use about 1 tablespoon of salts per bath. Add to bath directly under running tap or hang them in a bath bag from the faucet. Use warm water, not hot. (I use rather hot water, my taste.)
Your skin will be more receptive to the healing powers of the bath additive if the wter is not hot, and the essential oils will retain their effectiveness longer. Courtesy of Gifts for Herb Lovers.


If you want a very luxuriuous treat and are willing to spend $$ on yourself, buy leCamptoir de Famile. My favorite is Passiflore (Passion flower). This is distributed in botiques and specialty shops. It is absolutely Heavenly. I have not been able to find it anywhere. However, Tuesday Morning has a nice selection of bath salts.http://www.tuesdaymorning.com/indexCatalogOn.asp Maybe there is one in your neck of the woods.

So, while Roberto is working in the yard and I decide to take a soak. I fire up
Nora Jones The Fall on my iPod. Light a candle and start the bath. No cats allowed. Oh how could I be so cruel??

Another key ingredient to my special soak is a nice cup of tea.
My sweet brother Bill gifted me with a Tazo gift box from Starbucks. For my soaking, I chose Passion. It seemed to go along with the Passiflore salts. This tea is so good I do not miss coffee...Really! http://www.starbucksstore.com/products/shprodli.asp?DeptNo=8100&ClassNo=0027




So, this is my tip for today...be good to yourself!

Until next time, make time for yourself...all it takes is 30 minutes. The roar of the jungle will be waiting for you. In fact, I am sure you will faintly hear the pounding on the bathroom door..."Mommmmm! When are you coming out??"

Saturday, January 1, 2011

A New Year Starting at Gruene Onion Grill 2010

Hi Boys & Girls!

I am sure 2010 has been a tough year for you as it has for millions of citizens.There is a universal feeling of insecurity and trepidation of our economic future and our leaders. This has not been a good year for those on unemployment and those losing homes. The wars in which our country is engaged still continue and we continue to lose young men and women in what seems like hopeless battles. What are we really fighting for? So, many of us have lost hope and excitement for the future. But it is New Year's Eve! There must be some hope! We must celebrate and wish for the best for it is tradition. We never give up.

This is New Year's Eve! I decided to try a restaurant in New Braunfels for our New Year's Dinner.
The Gruene Onion Grill has been open for a few years and usually has really great food. We wanted to give it another try and bring in the New Year at a local establishment.

This classic restaurant has a great Martini Bar and Happy Hour every  day. It is hip, modern and lots of great food. http://www.grueneoniongrill.com/ I remember when it first opened the chef actually waited on tables sometimes to see and experience his customers. Although upscale, we were not out of place coming in our jeans and boots. The atmosphere is relaxed and low-keyed.

Tonight's celebration dinner was a reservation only affair with 2 seatings...one at 5 pm and another at 7 pm. We chose the 5 pm seating. We had a nice booth and a very nice waitress. We chose our wine and indicated we wanted a leisurely dinner...not hurried. The wine was a fine choice...a good Merlot. The menu started  with several choices of appetizers. Roberto chose the chicken crepes and I chose the fried shrimp.

The chicken crepes had a teriayaki sauce and were rather tasty. They were served on a bed of greens...spinach I believe that was pan fried. The shrimp had a lot of breading and was also served on a bed of pan fried spinach. They were very tasty and had a full body shrimp flavor. The pictures do not show the actual colors of the crepes and the shrimp. It was a tad dark in the restaurant, even at 5 pm. The shrimp was a rich pink and the chicken crepes were rich brown in sauce and fillings. The spinach was a vibrant green and obviously very fresh.
I was disappointed that the spinach had to be fried but it did look pretty on the plate. I ate it and it was good. I had not finished my appetizer before the dinner salad arrived. That sort of set the pace for the rest of the dinner. I paced myself and made sure I did not put my fork down which would indicate that I was finished with my portion. As I mentioned earlier, the waitress had been informed that we wanted a leisurely dinner.

The dinner salad was nondescrip with the exception of chopped pears which was a nice touch. Pecans and cheese added texture along with the salad greens. It was nice not having just regular iceberg lettuce. The dressing was a blueberry vinegrette. The color was not pleasing and the flavor was basalmic vinegar with no hint of blueberries.

I tried not to put my fork down but I can only keep that up for so long. Along comes the main course before I was finished with my salad. I asked the waitress to keep it warm for I was not finished with my salad. She complied. That should have given her a big hint. One nice touch was the sherbert served with our salad. We were told that would cleanse our pallet for the main course.

We had a choice of several items for the main course. I chose lobster and tenderloin; Roberto chose salmon with shrimp. The salmon was served with risotto cooked with sun dried tomatoes.  Asparagus and fresh carrots accompanied both entrees.

The lobster came with twice baked potatoes. Roberto's salmon was very delicious. Moist and cooked to perfection. He was not crazy about the risotto for it was cooked the traditional Italian way...very moist. My tasting of it only imparted these feelings...the sun dried tomatoes were too large and were not soft. The risotto was cooked to perfection but the sun dried tomatoes should have been chopped smaller and the flavor was a bit bland. It need something...basil? Tarragon? I am not sure...it was not cooked in chicken broth that is for sure.

Twice baked potatoes were starchy but had a nice crisp topping. The skin of the potato looked like a baking potato but the texture of the potato was a bit gloo-ey. I imagine the potatoes were whipped too much. Here is a good recipe if you like twice baked potatoes. http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/twice_baked_potatoes/

The asparagus was small but flavorful. Asparagus is out of season so I asked the waitress its place of origin. I also inquired about the lobster and its place of origin and whether it was farm raised or fresh.

OK, the asparagus came from Mexico. Since I had no way of knowing if the asparagus was free of  pesticides, I did not finish them. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/332/the-new-dirty-dozen-12-foods-to-eat-organic-and-avoid-pesticide-residue.html

The lobster came from Maine and the waitress confirmed it was farm raised. That explained the perfect tail and the perfect fit on the plate. It could also explain the toughness of the lobster meat. Was it steamed and kept warm to be heated in the microwave when ordered? Did they have it prepared prior to our ordering?

Wine was still in our glass when the champagne was poured. That indicated the dessert was on its way. So, we finished as much as we wanted of our main course and just accepted the fact that dessert was soon to come.

I ordered tiramisu and Roberto ordered chocolate mousse. I must admit I am rather proud of my own accomplishments in both these recipes so the standard has been set. Tiramisu is a combination of sponge cake or lady fingers that has been soaked in a liqueur and combined with sweet whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, coffee, coffee liqueur, cinnamon and cocoa powder or a combination of similar ingredients.


As you can see, the presentation of the tiramisu is outstanding. Upon closer inspection, you will see the ratio of ladyfingers to whip cream is out of proportion. Maybe there were 2 full size ladyfingers in this dessert. They were soaked in kalua. The whipped cream tasted fresh and not canned. If you would like to give this recipe a try, please do. You will love it and I can almost guarantee it will taste better that what I experienced. I have made this for many years.
Tiramisu
4 fresh eggs
1/2 cup Tia Maria or brandy
1 lb mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 pckg stale ladyfingers
1/2 cup strong espresso
2 1-oz squares semisweet chocolate
Separate eggs into two large bowls. Add liqueur to egg yolks and stir until blended. Add mascarpone; stir until blended. Add half of egg whites to cheese-egg yolk mixture and blend well. Then add rest of egg whites and fold in gently. Set aside.
Dip ladyfingers quickly in espresso. (don't sturate them.) Place flat side down in shallow dish (10-inch round or 9-by-12 inch oval.) Add half of the cheese mixture and smooth the top. Grate half of chocolate over top, covering surface. Then add another layer of espresso-coated ladyfingers. Top with remaining cheese mixture and smooth the top. Cover with remaining chocolate. Refrigerate finished dessert, covered, several hours or overnight before serving. Recipe courtesty of Nora Ephron, director of Sleepless in Seattle.

This chocolate mousse was a disappointment. It was dry, heavy and tasted like chocolate pudding. If you love mousse, you know it is supposed to be light and airy. It was served on a fried won ton wrapper.



So ended our New Year's Eve dinner. It may sound like a total loss. On the contrary, the dinner was a delightful way to end 2010 and bring in 2011. Out with the old, in with the new.
Is that what is happening to restaurant dining? Are the old standards of pride and cleanliness passe?
(The waitress clearly needed a clean uniform.) Is fancy fried fideo mounted on a plate meant to enhance the dinner plate or to hide the food's imperfections?
Clearly, this restaurant has a mission. Maybe I am from the old school but I do not believe in ever turning away customers. During my seating there may have been a total of 18-20 people. Four sets of couples were turned away during our meal. Either they did not have a reservation (clearly, there were plenty of empty tables) or the price discouraged them. In any event, hundreds of dollars walked out the door.

So, enjoy eating out but do not lower your standards. Expect only the best effort of any cook or waitperson.
Remember food is to be enjoyed. Eating serves two purposes: nourishment for our body and nourishment of our soul. Food is beautiful and meant to lift our spirits.

 Share your favorite restaurant with me. Why do you like it? What is your favorite Twice Baked Potatoes recipe? Have you tried Tiramisu?

Until next time, call your mother! Ask her for a favorite recipe she always made for you!

                                                            Happy New Year!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A Garden for Herbal Skin Care

Hi Boys and Girls!

What a great learning experience I had from the Comal Master Gardeners. They had a SIG (special interest group) that taught me about making skin care products for men and women. The ingredients are herbs and other household items that are really easy to obtain. These SIG presentations are open to the public so just read the Herald Zeitung http://www.herald-zeitung.com/ for these monthly presentations. This meeting was held in the historic Forke Store. http://www.nbconservation.org/forkestore.htm

Many items use ordinary ingredients such as corn starch, honey, oatmeal witch hazel, borax, baking soda, apple cider and beeswax. Natural Beauty from the Garden by Janice Cox is where most of the recipes came from. She has several books published on using herbs as skin care and making gifts. The cute little soap below are made in cookie molds or even ice trays. They are then wrapped in tule and tied with a lable.

Super-Easy Oatmeal Soap
1 cup grated castile soap (1 3-oz bar will yield this amount
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons oatmeal


Place the grated soap in a double boiler on the stove top. Pour the water over the soap and stir over medium heat to dissolve all of the soap in the water. When the soap and water are combined, add the oatmeal and stir well. Pour the mixture into a greased mold (coat the mold with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil). Let cool completely and unmold by turning the mold over and gently tapping it on a table or countertop. Let the soap dry for a few days. (Yield: 8 ounces, 1 large bar or 4 smaller bars)
Another idea is to use sliced loofah pieces as molds. Just push the soap into the spaces of the loofah and set. See this picture on Amazon to get an idea.  3 pcs/Set Loofah Bath Sponge-100% Natural Fiber,To Soften,Wet the Loofah Sponge in Water,Apply Your Favorite Shower Gel ,Gently Massage the Skin and Enjoy .As you can see, if you slice these into 1/2 inch slices they would make nice molds for soap. They would be perfect as a gift or in the guest bathroom.

This was a real big hit with my husband and a few other guys that attended. It is Old West Aftershave.
1/2 cup witch hazel
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
1/8 teaspoon alum powder (optional)
Mix together all ingredients. Pour into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Place the jar in a dark, cool place and steep for 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, strain of the liquid, discard any solids and pour into a clean container. To use: Splash on your face after shaving. (Yield: 4 ounces)

Some of the items would make a lovely gift. Look how pretty all these things are in this pot.

Add some of the goodies you made and include seeds and maybe a plant. The pot does not have to be this big. If you have a garden gift to give here is a really great hand cream for dry skin. I have dry skin not only from gardening but from handling fabric all day!
Green Thumb Hand Cream
3 tablespoons grated beeswas
1/2 cup dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons strong calendula tea
2-3 drops EO (essential oil) of lavender
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Combine all ingredients in a glass, heat-resistant container or double boiler. Heat in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove until all the wax and oils are melted (do not boil), stirring well. Pour the melted mixture into a container or jar and allow to cool completely. Stir again when the mixture has cooled. (Yield: 4 ounces) This is really heavenly. I have an idea to spread this on my hands just before bed and put on a pair of gloves so it can soak in all night!

There were so many skin recipes. You will have to read the books to get them all. Another favorite was the Southwest Scrub. I also really liked the Lavender Dry Perfume. It was not heavy with lavender and it can be placed in a closet or drawer to freshen the air.

Save empty bottles or buy some unusual salt shakers at the thrift store. It is amazing how cute these can look with a ribbon and tag attached. I save pure maple syrup bottles. They are small and have a little handle in which to tie a tag. The tag would identify the ingredients. Look at these coffee mugs. They are all different but filled with Tub Tea or could be filled with soap balls. The mugs were most likely purchased at a thrift store.

Tub Tea (from Herb Companion Nov 2008)
Large tea ball, muslin sack or square of cheesecloth
1/4 cup dried herbs or 1/2 cup fresh herbs
Fill container with desired herbs; use either a blend of your choice or individula herbs. Hang tea-filled container under the spout as you run your bath, letting the water flow through it. Gently squeeze the bag or allow tea ball to float in the water as you bathe. (Yield: 2-4 ounces--enough for one bath.
For a Foot Spa: Let the bundle steep in a small tub or large bowl of boiling hot water until the water is cool enough for your feet.

What herbs to use in your Tub Tea you ask? Well, here are some suggestions:
Stimulating--rosemary, lavender, mint
Relaxing--chamomile, elderflower, angelica
Refreshing--basil, lemon balm, mint
Invigorating--raspberry leaves, bay leaves, mugwort
Cleansing--sage, thyme, lemon verbena

We also got some really good food treats!
Pesto-Garbanzo Dip
1 (7 ounce) container pesto sauce (for testing purposes, DiGiorno Basil Pesto Sauce was used)
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Pita chips or assorted veggies
Remove and discard top layer of oil from prepared pesto sauce. Process beans and garlic in a food processor or blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. With processor running, pour pesto sauce, olive oil and lemon juice through food chute, blending well. Transfer to serving bowl; stir in cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pita chips and assorted vegetables. (Southern Living, December 2003)

New Year's Punch
1 can (46 ounces) pineapple juice
4 cups brewed tea
3 cups apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups ginger ale
In a gallon container, combine pineapple juice, tea , apple juice and lemon juice; mix well. Store in the refrigerator. Add the ginger ale just before serving. Yield: about 30 servings

Oh, another treat was seeing Karen's "new" boots that she bought from the Boot Whisperer in Wimberley. http://www.wimberley.org/ These are raspberry not red! Oh so cute.


So, have I got you itch'n to start your Christmas presents? This will get you started and you will have a hard time giving them away! Stop by your nearest re-sale shop or thrift store and pick up some cute bottles, salt shakers or jars to make your wonderful skin care products.
References:
Natural Beauty at Home, Janice Cox
Natural Beauty from the Garden, Janice Cox
Natural Beauty for All Seasons, Janice Cox

Until next time, kick up a good time in your new boots and kiss a cowboy or a cowgirl!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

What's for Dinner?

Hi Boys and Girls!!

This is what I had in my refrigerator. I was hungry and it was time for dinner. Roberto ate leftover risotto/sausage and added mushrooms. He liked it. But I did not want to eat that. Besides it was only enough for one!




So here is what I had to work with:
  • leftover grilled Brussels sprouts. They were grilled with olive oil and garlic
  • half of one sweet red pepper
  • handful of organic tiny squash, some yellow, some green
  • one small uncooked sweet potato
So, I sauteed the chopped up sweet potato in 1 tablespoon olive oil. I then added the veggies and Brussel sprouts. I let this simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, I made a pot of brown rice using leftover organic chicken broth for the liquid http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/broths/natural-free-range-chicken-broth The veggies were served on a bed of rice.
I had to have some nice wine with it so I chose
Chateau Ste Michelle http://www.ste-michelle.com/
Harvest Select Riesling that I had bought at Costco http://www.costco.com/ They have a great wine department.
So, I had a very good dinner despite the fact that I had very little to work with.
Here is my dinner:
Be creative. Look and see what you have in the fridge. You will be suprised what you can make of it!
Always keep on hand organic chicken broth, canned mushrooms, brown rice, canned beans and of course,
good wine!

Until next time...be good to yourself and kiss a baby.