on crock pot barbecue pork ribs...

Have I ever told you how much I adore my crock pot? Well, I'm telling you now. Who knew Barbecue Pork Ribs can be so juicy and melt in your mouth! These are so easy to make and they were a surefire hit with the hubby, because you know our men, they like their meat. 

Ingredients:
1 pound pork baby back ribs
season with:

• salt 
• pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder

Sauce:
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's)
3 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Djon or brown mustard 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 teaspoon hot sauce 

Directions: 
1// Season ribs and cut the ribs into third's or so that they fit nicely into the crock pot. 
2// Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce.
3// Place ribs into the crock pot and pour sauce over them. Cover crock pot and cook ribs on high for 6-7 hours. 
4// Once ribs are done place them in a 400° oven with another coating of barbecue sauce and bake them for 15 minutes to caramelize sauce. 

Enjoy! 

xoxo.

on south pole hot chocolate...

One of my great mentors and someone who is very dear to my heart asked me to help create some recipes to go along with her book The Search for South Pole Santa that was just released this past October. Of course I was on it in no matter of time since I fancy projects, especially if I get to spend more time in my kitchen!

Okay. Now go on over to JingleBelle Jackson's website where you can find the recipe to some really delicious South Pole Sensational Hot Chocolate! And there's a secret ingredient unlike any other.  Go, shoo, go!

Oh Oh Oh! 

on bits & pieces...

Bits & Pieces...

1// Guatemalan

2// A little boy who dressed himself

3// In my natural habitat 

4// regrowing some green onion

5// swinging life away, no really. stop growing kid

6// woah. sun on my vampire looking skin. ahhh it's burning my eyes. 

xoxo. 

on spinach artichoke melts...

I'm sorry but there's nothing better than spinach or artichoke. I love both and then when they are combined it's like best thing of all. Well, maybe it's just me but these melts are delicious and a must try. This week I've been making quick dinners. It's been a gloomy and tiring week and  so when I have days/weeks like that all I care about is quick and easy meals. Of course quick doesn't need to necessarily mean lousy. Sometimes my quick meals end up turning out to be so yummy. Again if you don't have a panini press well, you must get one. Best thing ever! These melts are the best with sourdough bread which is my all time favorite bread. My first job back when I was still in high school was at bakery. Great Harvest Bread Co. to be exact so I was very spoiled with all my breads. I still don't know how I'm not 300 pounds after that episode of my life. Golly. I still absolutely love bread so whenever I make melts or panini's sourdough is always my number one chose. Highly recommend it for these melts. Brilliant combination! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter + some to spread on slices of bread
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 bundle of fresh spinach or 1 cup of thawed frozen chopped spinach
2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1 ounce cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded 
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
*sourdough or your choice of bread, sliced

Directions: 
1// In a skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute. Add flour and whisk until it creates a paste. Pour in milk, cream cheese, sour cream & both cheeses. Cook on low heat until it becomes creamy yet not too thick. Just at more milk if it does. 
2//In a separate skillet slightly wilt spinach. 
3// Add artichoke and spinach to creamy cheese mixture and cook for another 5 minutes to allow everything to combine. 
4// Butter the outside of each slice of bread and spoon a heap of spinach artichoke mixture on a slice and sandwich it. Either cook melts on a skillet like you would be making grilled cheese or simply use your panini press. Cook until crispy, golden and ooey gooey on the inside. 

See what I mean?! A picture is worth a...naahh these pictures just make my tummy rumble. 

xoxo.

on chicken cordon bleu au gratin...

I made this yumm-o Chicken Cordon Bleu Au Gratin just the other night. I was looking for something different, delicious and something that I could just pop in the oven. It was all those things and more! It's funny because I was actually planning to make an ordinary Cordon Bleu dish but ended up throwing this together and honestly I'm glad I did. And the best part are the left overs!! Just place it in the oven and go about your to do list. I needs a good hour to bake so I had plenty of time to fold that basket of clean clothes that was sitting for god knows how long in my bedroom. I swear my boys have more clothes than me. Phew. Chores always make an appetite grow. Win win.

Ingredients:
4 whole Russet Potatoes, sliced thin
2 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon flour
2 cups milk 
1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano 
3 chicken breast, sliced thin
2 cups ham, chopped
salt & pepper 
4 slices of provolone cheese or swiss cheese ( I used provolone) 

Directions: 

1// Preheat oven to 400°. In a casserole dish, spread thinly sliced potatoes along the bottom. Light salt & pepper potatoes. Next sprinkle chopped green onion and chopped ham then in a single layer place chicken on top. 
2// In a medium sauce pan melt the butter. Add the flour and milk. Let it thicken on low heat. Add Parmesan Reggiano  and mix everything together well. It should thicken slightly. If it becomes too thick just add a little more milk. 
3// Pour cream mixture over top of the casserole dish. Sprinkle some more salt & pepper on the top. 
4//Cover dish with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover and lay provolone cheese or swiss all along the top of the dish and bake it for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese browns and bubbles. 

Bon Appétit! xoxo.

on body modification...

I'm a twenty-four year old mom with tattoos and piercings. I started out in a very strict old fashioned European family. Well, that's basically describing my father. Anyways, it was always frowned upon, and I knew this oh so well because my father never was or will be subtle about anything (and I wonder were I got it from). I always knew that I fancied tattoos and piercings and although I never voiced my liking to my dad, I think he secretly knew I did and just prayed to the heavens that I wasn't going to "do that to my body". For the most part (because I hid my belly button piercing for while and got my nose pierced all the way in Europe, far far away) I respected my dads wish up until my eighteenth birthday when I marched right in and got my first tattoo along with piercing my lower lip. I came home newly inked and my dad's reaction was as expected and then he said something that is still voted #1 most ridiculous things my dad has EVER said to me I hope those come off! Well, no dad. Those two stars that have been tattooed below my collarbones do not come off. OK, so I didn't say that to my red in the face father and just left it at a simple nope. With a big grin of course. 

That's how it started and since than I've gotten a few more tattoos and piercings. I am not heavily tattooed but I know I will be in the next five years. Why? Because I want to be. I've always gotten questioned by my family, friends or just random people about why I have tattoos or my piercings? And I always have a short and simple answer. Because I like it. There's really nothing more to it. Others might have different answers but for me it's just because I like it. And then I'll have a person come back and say well, I still don't get it...Honestly you don't have to. Why do you to eat pizza? Or why do you have a cat instead of a dog? Then most of the time they won't have a comeback to that. Which really, doesn't everything come down to that? We all do the things we do or have the things we have because we want them and like them for whatever the reason. I will never be something that society or culture wants me to be. I've always had a free mind about everything there is in this world. And I know that's how I will raise Sebastian. 

It's totally a different time now but I do know this, I can't picture myself having a mom or a dad all tattooed up. I always will wonder what Sebastian will think when he is older. I'll never know for sure but I do know that all my tattoos are part of me. He knows that it's just how mommy is and right now my "pictures" are cool. Cool mommy, you awesome. When it comes to that time and he's the one coming up to me saying he want to get a tattoo, well, I don't really know what I'll say. I know for sure that nothing is going to be inked on his body until the day he turns eighteen. Other than that I pretty sure I'll be okay with it. He'll always be my baby but once he turns eighteen the choices he makes are his. I know I will guide and oversee and help but what you do is what you do. I only say this because that's how I wanted to be treated at eighteen. 

This world has come so far but I hope that my children and my children's children grow up in a world that doesn't judge people for the way they look. The way we look does not define who we are and I will always teach Sebastian that. Or even preach that to everyone. I'll shout it out and hope that those few people will hear and see how wrong their actions can be. I still to this day get a few side-eye questionable glances my way or comments that really all I can do is laugh at but at the end of the day I am who I am because I want to be and that's that! We are all diverse. Be who you want to be because hell, we only live this life once. Amen. Hallelujah.  

I'm a twenty-four year old mom with tattoos and piercings. And I love it!

xoxo.

on sweet potato waffles with candied bacon...

Sweet Potato Waffles with Candied Bacon. Yeah man, this happened this morning and we give it two thumbs up. My little picky eater boy even ate these waffles so that tells you a lot and for that I am jumping in glee. It's like pure bliss when Sebastian doesn't scrunch up his nose to something and actually gives something a slight nod of acceptance. And it's even better when he comes up to me and says Mmmm mom this is deeeelicious! The candied bacon is the cherry on top. Try these out for your next breakfast adventure. 

Sweet Potato Waffles: 
(adapted from taste of home)

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 baking powder
1 teaspoon cardamom 
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated 
1 cup sour cream 
1 cup mashed sweet potato, cold
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions: 
1// In a medium mixing bowl combine the first five dry ingredients. Set aside.
2/ In another bowl mix together sour cream, sweet potato, egg yolk and melted butter. 
3// In a Kitchen Aid or with a hand mixer, add egg whites and whisk until stiff peaks form. 
4// Meanwhile add the wet mixture from step 2 into the dry ingredient bowl. Mix well. 
5// Then fold in the stiff egg whites. 
6// Bake in a waffle iron until golden brown. Serve with maples syrup at candied bacon (recipes below)

Candied Bacon:

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon paprika 
2 tablespoon finely chopped pecans 

Directions:
1// Mix all ingredients together.
2// Place a wire rack into a baking sheet lined with foil. Lay bacon on wired rack and sprinkle mixture all along the bacon strips. 
3// Bake on 350° for about 20 minutes or until bacon is browned and crispy.
4// Cut up and sprinkle on top of waffles!

Enjoy. xoxo.