Cherry Berry Smoothie

                                      I'm totally on a smoothie kick...You may see them weekly.
                     I love that I can drink them on a warm day and it is so refreshing. I love that I
                           never waste fruit, anymore. I love the vibrant colors you get when you
                                     blend everything together. It's the little things in life.

                                                                   Cherry Berry Smoothie

                                                                    2 cups of strawberries
                                                                1 cup of fresh pitted cherries
                                                                             1 banana
                                                                      1/2 cup almond milk
                                                                  2 tablespoons agave nectar
                                                                           2 cups of ice

                      1) Place ice in blender and all of the other ingredients. Blend until smooth.
     

Coca Cola - Pulled Chicken

                  Happy Memorial Day Weekend.  I thought I would share this recipe with
         you just in time for your family BBQ's or get togethers. This came out so sweet, juicy
                and tasty. You can serve it on rolls, eat it by itself. Stir it in some pasta.
                       Anyway you serve it will be good. A few good side dishes with this
                             would be baked beans, potato salad...anything. Enjoy.

                                                                 Cola Pulled Chicken

                                                            5 boneless chicken breasts
                                                                1 large onion, sliced
                                                                   2 garlic, cloves
                                                                2 cans of cola soda
                                                                 1/2 cup bbq sauce
                                                                  1/3 cup ketchup
                                                            2 tablespoons brown sugar
                                                          salt, pepper and garlic powder

                 1) Heat a large pot on stovetop with a little olive oil.
                 2) Place chicken in pot and sear chicken on both sides.
                 3) Add onions, garlic, spices, cola, bbq sauce, ketchup and brown sugar
                 4) Boil on medium for an hour to an 1 1/2. or until moist and done.
                 5) Take chicken out and shred with 2 forks. Place back in sauce and stir.

Cherry Chocolate Scones

                                                            Fresh Farmers Market Cherries

                               Ever since my early teen years I have had a long love affair with -
             Cherry/Chocolate combination. Thank you, Cherry Garcia Ice Cream. You changed
                  my life with that flavor combo. There was no greater comfort food for me than
                      that Ice Cream. Fast forward to the present time and I go gaga...over
                             Cherry/Chocolate anything. This recipe is beyond delicious.
                        A moist scone is a very rare thing to come across and this recipe is the
                         best one I've ever had. You can play with the flavors add blueberries
                                     and white chocolate chips the sky is the limit. Enjoy.

                                                               Cherry Chocolate Scones

             2 cups all purpose flour
             1/2 cup sugar
             1 teaspoon baking powder
             1/4 teaspoon baking soda
             1/2 teaspoon salt
             1 teaspoon vanilla
             8 oz butter, frozen
             1/2 cup fresh cherries, chopped
             1/3 cup chocolate chips
             1/2 sour cream
             1 egg
             1 tablespoon of sugar for on top

          1) Heat oven to 400 degrees.
          2) In a medium bowl mix flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking flour.
          Grate frozen butter into flour mixture. Mix with fingers until flour resembles
          coarse meal. Stir in vanilla, cherries and chocolate. Mix.
          3) In a small bowl whisk together sour cream and egg until smooth.
          4) Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into the flour mixture until large
          dough clumps form. Use hands to press dough against bowl and form into a
          ball. The dough will be very sticky at this point. It should be.
          5) Place your dough on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7 by 8 inch
          circle and 3/4 inch wide. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Using a sharp
          knife cut into 8 triangles. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and have
          1 inch apart. Bake until golden. 15 to 17 min or until done.  Cool.
     

Southwest Goulash

                         When I was growing up my mom would make a goulash that my dad
               loved more than anything in the world. It was something we looked forward too.
                   In New England we didn't call it goulash we called it American "Chop Suey"
                        I've lived in the South and California and no one calls it that. It's known
                              as goulash. No matter what name you call it. It is delicious.
               My mom's version was Italian. I thought I'd do a fun twist on hers. Thanks mom.

                                                               Southwest Goulash

               1 1/2 pounds ground beef
               1 pound elbow pasta
               1 1/2 cups beef broth
               1 can tomato sauce, 2 depending on what you like
               2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
               1/2 can green chilies
               1 tablespoon minced garlic
               1/2 jalapeño, optional
               1 1/2 cup corn
               1 onion, diced
               1 green bell pepper, diced
               1 1/2 cups cheese
               1 teaspoon oregano
               1 packet taco seasoning
               salt and pepper

           1) Boil water in pot and add salt.
           2) Meanwhile, add olive oil to pan and sauté onions and pepper. Cook 4 min.
           Add Garlic, taco seasoning, oregano, green chilies and meat.
           3) Once the meat is brown add broth, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Heat through.
           4) Drain Pasta, add sauce and corn.
           5) Stir in cheese, season with salt and pepper.
           6) Add any toppings, sour cream, cheese, green onions and crushed chips.

S'mores Pancakes

                           Sometimes in life we just need to be a little decadent. I know, I do.
                 For some reason I never feel guilty about eating a yummy breakfast. Maybe the
                 one part of my brain is telling me I have all day to burn off those calories. Wink.
                 Be what it may be. I'm a breakfast person. Could eat it for lunch and dinner, too.
                     I hope you enjoy this. It's so fun to eat and your kiddos will love it as well.

                                                                   S'mores Pancakes

                                                                   1  1/2 cups flour
                                                            3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
                                                                     1 teaspoon salt
                                                                    2 teaspoons sugar
                                                                      1 1/4 cups milk
                                                                            1 egg
                                                             3 tablespoons butter, melted
                                                         1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
                                                              1 cup mini marshmallows.

                     1) In a large bowl mix dry ingredients. Make a well in center of the bowl and
                                 add the milk, egg and melted butter. Mix until smooth.
                     2) Add marshmallows and chocolate chips.
                     3) Heat skillet with a little vegetable or and butter.
                     4) Pour batter and cook until done.

                    Note. You do not have to make homemade batter. Any pancake mix will
                    do. Making your own is very easy. Try it. Add a little extra marshmallows
                    and chocolate chips. Serve with syrup.
                                                       

Corn and Lobster Salad

                               You didn't think I would leave you this weekend without coming
                  up with fantastic Mother's Day brunch recipe? Your mom would be overjoyed
                       if you showed up with this amazing corn and lobster salad. You could
                           even make it for yourself!! Trust me when I tell you it is nothing
                            short of spectacular. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

                                                                  Corn and Lobster Salad

                                                      3 (16 ounce) bags of frozen corn, thawed
                                                                8 ounces mozzarella, cubed
                                                                    1 red bell pepper, diced
                                                                 1 orange bell pepper, diced
                                                                         1 red onion, diced
                                                                   10 basil leaves, julienned
                                                                           3 lobster tails

                                                                        For the Dressing
 
                                                                        1/3 cup olive oil
                                                              2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
                                                                          4 limes, juiced
                                                                    2 garlic cloves, minced
                                                                    3 tablespoons of honey
                                                                       1/2 teaspoon thyme
                                                                      1/2 teaspoon oregano
                                                                      1/2 teaspoon parsley
                                                                         salt and pepper


                    1) Boil water in pot with 1 tablespoon of water. When water comes to a boil
                   add lobster and cook about 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool.
                    2) Add corn, bell peppers, red onion, basil leaves, and mozzarella in bowl.
                    Mix and add diced lobster.
                    3) Mix dressing and pour over corn salad and toss well.                                           

Orange, Banana and Pineapple Smoothie

I'm a smoothie/juicing aholic. I live these days to blend or juice any

 fruit or vegetable in sight. I get completely excited when I see a Farmer's market.

Trader Joe's pretty much knows me by name. I love drinking healthy drinks. 

This is one of my favorites. I love everything in it. 

Orange, Banana and Pineapple Smoothie

2 bananas

1 cup of fresh pineapple

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 1/2 cups ice

2 tablespoons of honey

Place all of your ingredients in a blender and blend away until ice is crushed.

Weekend Wrap - Up

     I had a very full and busy weekend and wanted to share a few highlights of it with you.
                              The weekend was gorgeous with perfect weather.
                           I adored the grouping of these gorgeous palm trees in SF.

                                 Took a ferry ride and loved looking at The Golden Gate Bridge.
                                                                 Not a bad view in sight.

                                                   City landscape, nothing short of awesome.

                                                   Enjoyed a day at a Giants baseball game.
                                      What a view and I soaked up the sun and had a margarita.
                                                           It was Cinco de Mayo after all.

                     Made a quick stop in San Jose and went to Falafel's Drive In and had a
                falafel pita and a banana milkshake. I would have taken pics but it was so good
                                       that I did not have time to break out the camera.
                                                                                                           

                                        Went to Marin and had the best BBQ chicken sandwich-
                                                with garlic parsley fries. A plate of perfection.

                                 Stopped by Laetitia Winery....if you haven't had their wines you must.
                                                                 Pinot Noir is my favorite.

                                                      Wine Vines are so gorgeous!!

          There you have it.....A quick round up of my busy weekend. I hope yours was great.

Watermelon Margaritas

                     With Cinco de Mayo, fast approaching us. I wanted to share with you
          a little goodness to start your weekend off right and into Cinco de Mayo. All you
      need are some chips and salsa and I see a perfect fiesta happening. Enjoy my friends!

                                                               Watermelon Margaritas

         3 cups cubed watermelon
         2 limes juiced
         1 cup of Cabo Wabo tequila ( my personal favorite)
         1/4 cup triple sec
         1/2 cup sugar
         1/2 cup water
         salt or sugar for rim

        1) Heat sugar and water in pot. You are doing this to make a simple syrup.
        When the sugar is dissolved...take off of stove and let cool
        2) In the meantime juice the watermelon in a juicing machine. "If you don't
        have a juicer and blender will work fine. It will be a little thicker.
        3) Add lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and cooled simple syrup to the watermelon
        juice. Mix well.
        4) Rim your glasses in sugar or salt. Add crushed ice or ice cubes.
        5) Pour the Margarita in glass and serve.
         Note, to make it extra special add a slice of watermelon and lime to glass.