So Long 2012 :)

Hello Sweets,

Well it's the last day of 2012, and I thought I would take the time to reflect and see what the last year has meant to me.  Plus I have another fun kitchen gadget to share with all of you, since this will be a shorter post :)

As you may or may not be aware I have a rare diagnosis that will require me to have a type of brain surgery, well when 2012 started they did not want to go ahead with surgery just yet (which I can tell you can be devastating).  It had caused me to go off work in August of 2011 and a huge part of who I am was tied to my job, but this year I decided to start discovering who I am without the job title and it has been a wonderful journey.  Life isn't easy at times, and when it is easy it's probably not worth it.  I finally received the news this October that they will be going ahead with the surgery (finally!), I cannot even begin to describe how happy this news made me as this has been a hard adjustment in my life.  I also started my blog in October.  I started it because I was feeling down because of being off work.  However, the support I have received from all of you, coupled with the fulfilling feeling of blogging was just what I needed.  I've always enjoyed writing, and realize now that I should have never stopped because I feel like even when I'm having a bad day I can be thankful for what I do have and that I can peruse my passions.  Rediscovering my love of the kitchen, being encouraged to pursue it from the ones that mean the most to me, and not to mention the meaning it has brought to my life.  The one thing that can make a bad day better is creating in the kitchen, even though it can sometimes be hard on my body the feeling that it gives me encourages me in all other aspects of my life.  Nathan has even got me thinking about possibly starting my own little bakery shop, and I can't tell you what it means to have an amazingly supportive man in my life.  I think probably the best part of this past year was being completely accepted by Nathan's family and friends, knowing that when I move to Texas one day that I already have some family and friends makes the decision of change that much easier :)

Okay enough of the touchy feely emotional reflection of this past year, I have a super cool and helpful kitchen goodie for you again.  I had a recipe that is ready to blog about but wanted to save it for tomorrow, I did this because I wanted to do a reflection post with a fun ending.  Don't worry I will give you a super recipe tomorrow that is definitely worth the wait, not to mention this recipe has now spawned a new one of a kind recipe that is fully in the works and will be completed probably on the weekend, so keep your eyes peeled!  So as you all know, Nathan's family gave me a TON of cool kitchen tools for Christmas, and I am trying to show you all the cool items over multiple posts and today's is one of those posts!  I have mentioned in a previous post that I love everything that goes into creating in the kitchen, even the mundane prep work that has to go into each recipe.  I have also mentioned how much I love doing small things for Nathan, such as picking out the perfect melons at the grocery store and cutting it all up for him to it's ready to enjoy.  Well guess what one of the gadgets were, a melon slicer!  Now it really is a fun and easy tool but with my weak shoulders I needed Nathan's help  pushing in through the melon, however I am confident that post surgery I will be able to do it all on my own!  Okay lets get to the fun stuff :) (here's a link, not my exact one but just the same :) )

Let the fun begin!

 Start with a ripe melon, slice the top of the melon off

Place the melon cutter on top then rock back and forth a few times to get a grip

 Firmly push down, then remove.

 

 So pretty

There you have it, if you or anyone in your house really enjoys eating melons but hate the messy and annoying preparation, GET THIS!  It is so worth it lol it makes the cutting process much easier (not to mention pretty), and it's even cuts every time!

Well I hope you all have something enjoyable planned for your New Years eve, spend it with those you care about the most so you ring in the new year with a positive bang ;)  Nathan and I are going to share our first new years together with just the two of us, a romantic dinner first, and then sharing champagne at the stroke of midnight.  This will be the first time I have ever had a new years celebration like this, and I honestly cannot wait because I think the best way to ring in the new year is to be with the ones that make you the happiest.  There isn't a single person I would rather be with at midnight.  Spending it with my best friend and soul mate is the perfect scenario.  Happy New Years everyone, and I'll see you all in the new year!!!  Until next time (year lol)..............


Stay sweet,



Jennifer xoxoxo 

Journey into the unknown....Kale!

Hello Sweets,


Well I'm settled in Texas now which means Nathan and I did our first trip to the grocery store (I love having fruit to snack on).  Nathan always makes me smile and giggle a little in the produce section because he claims that I "pick the best cantaloupe and honey dew".  I'm always a little modest when he says this, because I always feel that when picking a melon it can be a little like Russian roulette.  Now I have my little tricks of course; knocking and listening to the sound, smell, and of course the general look always plays into it as well.  Well tonight was no different, a melon success lol!  As soon as we get home, I immediately start cutting up both the cantaloupe and the honey dew so the household can snack at will, yet another reason why Nathan loves when we buy them :)

Melon prepped and ready to eat

While in Tom Thumb, a light went off in my head.  My girly Sarah (www.mymostlyhealthylife.com), had tried Kale chips, and I thought since I like salty potato chips, this would be a great healthy substitute.  So I went online to search out some general guidelines.  I came across the website www.keeperofthehome.org, and got myself familiar with the basic premise.  Knowledge in hand, I forged forward on the kale chip journey, and since it was a success, I am passing my adapted recipe on to you!

Kale Chips (guided by www.keeperofthehome.org)
Ingredients:

1-2 bunches of kale

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

chopped dry onions

cayenne pepper

garlic powder

red pepper flakes

Directions:

1)  Wash the kale and dry it, a salad spinner works great if you have one but I just patted mine with paper towel. 

 Looks like garnish leaf but smells like broccoli, weird lol

2)  Pull or cut the leaves off of the stalks.  Cut into chip sizes and place in a large bowl.

the darker green the veggie the healthier it is!

3)  Get your oil and all the spices together, and either shake or pour in the bowl and mix well with your hands.  Depending on your pallet, you can use more, or less spices, and even different ones if you're feeling adventurous.

4)  Place on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 350F for 15-25 minutes.

All spiced up and ready to go :p

5)  Shake the baking sheet while in the oven, and if the kale is crisp place in a bowl and enjoy!

Final product, YUM!

Now I was a little weary as this was my first time making it, and being in the great state of Texas (land of meat), I was nervous to say the least!  When the timer went off, I pulled them out of the oven, they smelled great but looked.....lets say interesting lol.  I tried one before venturing out of the kitchen with them and, surprise surprise they satisfied that salty chip craving.  So I bravely brought them out to the living room for Nathan, and his brother Mark to try (the real test).  Even my meat loving Texan, and Mark enjoyed them!  Now if that isn't a milestone to be proud of, then I don't know what is, and Nathan even ate them steadily and not to appease me :)  Now his dad, who always says to me, "why don't you make anything healthy?  Always with the sweets canuckette" (yes Nathan's dad calls me that regularly), did not like them, and not because they tasted bad, but because he said they wadded up in your mouth.  Lol.  Now Nathan and I didn't experience this problem, I just think his father couldn't get past the look of the kale chips.

Have any of you tried making kale chips?  Maybe with different spices/seasonings?  Or even some other delicious kale recipes?  Send me your comments of what you've done, and if you try the recipe let me know how it turns out :)  Until next time.

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo