Southwest Quinoa Salad

Needs some tweaking but I want to remember the basics

2 cups pre-cooked quinoa (chilled)
1/2 cup corn kernals
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 roasted red pepper, diced (broiled until skin burnt, then cooled in closed tupperware and then skin removed)
1/2 cup pinto beans (need to try different bean-didnt really like)
1/4 cup diced onion (one large onion slice, diced)
   
Mix with following blended dressing
  2 T lime juice
  2 T EVOO
  2 T red vinegar
  2 garlic cloves, pressed
  1/4 tsp cumin
  pinch chilli powder
  pinch cayenne pepper

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
• 3 T flour
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic; minced
• 1/4 cup white wine/sherry
• juice of 2 lemons
• rind of 2 lemons
• 1 t rosemary
• 2 t thyme
• 2 T butter
• 1 t salt
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t sugar

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt & pepper and then cover with flour. Shake off excess flour and then saute in hot pan with 2 T olive oil until golden brown. Take chicken out of pan and put into a large casserole dish until sauce is ready.

Add 1 T olive oil to pan and lower temp to med/low. Add onion and garlic and saute until golden and soft. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup white wine/sherry. Add butter, lemon juice, rind, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and sugar. Simmer for a few minutes and then add to chicken in casserole. Toss to cover chicken in sauce. Can eat immediately or keep warm in 300 degree oven.

Savory Chicken & Rice Casserole

Savory Chicken Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 T full fat mayo
1-2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 T Poultry Seasoning
1 T garlic puree or garlic powder
1 T sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian paprika
1 tsp. thyme (optional)

Put all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid and shake well until all ingredients are combined. (Don't worry if there are some beads of mayo that don't combine; they will dissolve when you're marinating the meat.)

Used leftover marinade (1/3 cup?) on 3-4 chicken breasts and let marinade for a few hours.
-1 can cream of chicken
-1/2 can hot water
-1 tsp onion powder
-3/4 cup uncooked white rice
-2 cups frozen mixed veggies (can of veggies drained)
Mix above in casserole. Add marinated chicken breast and cook at 375 for 50 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese on chicken and let melt for 10 minutes.

Ate with crescent rolls. Awesome and savory!

Bliss Candle Scents

Scent Name - Candle Scent Description

Amber Romance -duplicate of VS
Aphrodisiac- Sensual blend of essential oil fragrances
Banana- just like the real thing
Baby Powder- just like the real thing
Basil Sage Mint- Very herbal and clean scent
Black Cherry -Dark and full bodied Cherry
Blueberry -Blueberry with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon
Breathe Deep- Relaxing, clean citrus blended with floral and piney
Caramel- just like the real thing
Cedar Wood- Like the inside of a hope chest
Cinnamon Red Hots- just like the real thing
Citroberry Berry -version of Citronella
Cucumber Melon -duplicate of BBW
Honeydew- just like the real thing
Country Berry Hotcakes- Buttery hotcakes layered with mixed berries
Cupid- Sweet, rich, cherry almond, coconutty scent.
Fresh Linen- floral blossoms scattered through blades of green grass
Goddess- exotic musky floral with a hint of citrus
Harvest- warm spices in apple cider
Honeysuckle -just like the real thing
Hot Apple Pie- just like the real thing
Jingleberry- Mulberry and cranberry with a splash of orange and vanilla
Lemon Bundt Cake- just like the real thing
Juniper Breeze Type- duplicate of BBW
Love Spell -duplicate of VS
McIntosh Apple- Crisp, red and juicy!
Mango Papaya- Fruit fusion with mango and papaya
Orchid- just like the real thing
Patchouli- just like the real thing
Peppercorn -masculine dark, spicy, warm and sultry
Peace of Mind -Soothing blend of chamomile and lemongrass
Pineapple Cilantro -Sweet fruit with a touch of fresh green cilantro
Pink Sugar Type -Duplicate of Aquolina's Pink Sugar
Pumpkin Pie- just like the real thing
Rain Fresh- green-floral fragrance
Raspberries & Cream- just like the real thing
Spiced Cranberry- just like the real thing
Spiced Pear- Duplicate of Pier 1 fragrance
Strawberry Jam- just like the real thing
Sun Ripened Raspberries- duplicate of BBW
Sugar Cookie- Smells like you have been baking Christmas cookies-yummy
Sweet Dreams -soothing citrus blend that is peaceful and calming
Tidal Wave- Clean, salty ocean type
Wildberry Zinger Tea- Overflowing with berry scents
Ylang Ylang -sweet floral scent similar to Jasmine. Very relaxing.

Chipotle a la Alissa

4 chicken breast tenders cooked & shredded (sauteed in olive oil, sprinkled with S&P & accent seasoning & then microwaved for 1 minute)
2-4 oz cream cheese
4 oz shredded colby jack cheese
1 small tomato diced
2 small diced slices of onion
sprinkle of roasted garlic powder
2-4 oz sweet corn kernals

microwave 4 minutes in 1 minute increments and mix between heatings.

Put blend inside flour tortilla with prepared rice.

Very good :)

Carmelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

Tried this last night and it was a winner all around .. mmm...

Prepared pizza crust (I used Boboli)
1 1/2 cups carmelized onions (2 large onions sliced)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 oz crumbled goat cheese

Make carmelized onions by cutting ends off of onions, remove skins, cut onion in half and then slice. Put cut onoins into saute pan over medium heat in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in teaspoon of sugar or honey and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and turning golden brown.

Make balsamic vinegar reduction by heating in a small saucepan until simmer and steaming. Stir often and let simmer until vinegar is reduced by 1/3. (about 10 minutes)

Distribute the carmelized onions evenly across the dough. Push into dough if a premade crust is not used. Sprinkle goat cheese over the top and then drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top.

Bake for 15 minutes (or whatever is directed for crust) at 450. Let sit for 5 minutes before you cut.

Very sweet and savory!!

Inspired from post on East Village Kitchen. http://eastvillagekitchen.com/2009/02/01/caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-pizza-recipe/

What are Aroma Beads?

Aroma Beads by bliss


Pretty organza bags filled with strongly scented fragrance beads. Wonderful to scent your car, closet or locker with. Throw some loose beads down on the floor to vacuum up and enjoy the scent every time you clean. I have one attached to my car vent and I smell it every time air blows through it.. even months later!! Hand made in Kansas City.

Price: $3.00 each or 4 for $10.00 (limited to available stock)
Available Scents as of 6/21/10 (# available)

• Coconut Lime: Summer in a Jar..mmm (4)
• Cupid: Sweet, rich, cherry almond, coconutty scent. (2)
• Fresh Linen :floral blossoms scattered through blades of green grass (1)
• Goddess : exotic musky floral with a hint of citrus (3)
• Love Spell: duplicate of VS (3)
• McIntosh Apple: Crisp, red and juicy! Very clean, fresh. (5)
• Mango Papaya: Fruit fusion with mango and papaya (2)
• Peppercorn: masculine spicy, warm and sultry (3)
• Pink Peppercorn: above mixed with Pink Sugar for a softer scent. (2)
• Pineapple Cilantro: Sweet fruit with a touch of fresh green cilantro.  Very sweet.. one of my faves. (5)
• Pink Banana: Sugar sweet and oh so soft. Very girly. (7)
• Purple Banana: Ylang ylang and banana. Very soft, sweet floral. (8)
• Pink Sugar: Type Duplicate of Aquolina's Pink Sugar (3)
• Strawberry Jam: Just like a bowl of sugared summer strawberries. (3)
• Sugar Cookie: Sweet vanilla and cinnamon and butter-yummy (3)
• Wildberry Zinger Tea: Overflowing with berry scents. My favorite! Its always in my car! (1)

Please contact me if you would like to order anything or to receive a full catalog of everything that I make.
You may contact me at lafngirl (at) yahoo (dot) com.