May 7th, 2014
Another year has gone by and I realize with family so far away, it makes it hard celebrating certain holidays. Just yesterday I was talking to my mother about how I would love to go to see Mother’s Night Out with her this weekend, since it is such a hilarious movie, but then I realized I was going to have to wait since she lives in Texas and here I am in Pennsylvania.
I really imagined being closer to family and some days it is harder than others, not because I would love help with my young daughters, but I would love to see more interaction with the girls and their grandmothers. I try not to tear up or feel down but I know that God has us far from family for a reason and I thank Him for bringing others around us to help and mentor.
Today I spent time around women of all ages that I have grown to admire and cherish in my life. The first year living in Pennsylvania was super hard because, of course, we knew no one at all. I am the kind of person who likes meeting people quickly and making long life friends, but that illusion quickly wore away knowing that it takes TIME to establish friendships.
The women in my Bible Study group have been such a moral support and prayer partners that if I happen to miss just one Wednesday I truly do not know what to do with myself. I find that despite the hard days and getting them together just to get to church just truly makes up for having a better week. In essence, I see these older women as wise women with experience and lots of Godly love.
I thank my mother for being of strong character because she truly taught me to be the person I am today. I love seeing truth and I thank her for instilling that in my life because I do not know where I would be with that foundation. I thank my God for choosing her to be my mother.
Share something you admire about your mother! What one characteristic do you love about her?
Okay, so MOMS, if your husband is looking for a recipe to make you for this weekend, tell him the following recipe is super easy and hardly any work. If you are having a brunch in your home for your mom, make it for her. She will love it!
This is a recipe that my grandmother makes all the time and has made for as long as a I remember. I gave it my own twist with some herbs and spices and a few other additions. Have a blessed week!
Grandma’s Savory Breakfast Casserole
by Noelle Kelly
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients (8-10 servings)
- 16 eggs
- 12 slices of whole wheat sandwich bread
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 cup pepper jack, shredded
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 large slices of fat-free ham
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
- 1 4-ounce jar pimentos
Instructions
Grease a 13 X 9 glass Pyrex dish.
Assemble all ingredients together for layering process.
Beat 16 eggs in a bowl. Add the milk and spices and seasonings. Set aside.
Mix both shredded cheeses together in a small bowl and set aside.
Brush each side of six slices of the whole wheat bread with melted butter and place each slice as a first layer in the dish. Layer next with 4 slices of ham. As the third layer, spread 1 cup of the mixed shredded cheeses over the ham.
Pour half of the egg mixture over the first layer of ingredients and repeat the above process with rest of the bread, ham and ending with the cheese. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the casserole.
Garnish the casserole with the pimentos and cover. Refrigerate overnight for the egg mixture and seasonings to have time to soak in the bread.
Next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 40-45 minutes or until lightly golden brown and egg is set.
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May 6th, 2014
This is a sponsored post by VisitPhilly.com. We were provided with entrances to all the tourist attractions. All opinions are my own.
Back in February, Ryan and I had a chance to get out for 36 hours since my mother was in town. She had lots of time to spend with the girls while we had time to catch up as a couple. Initially when we started talking about going somewhere we looked at going to Baltimore or DC but then we both decided we needed to get to know our city. It has almost been 2 years since we have moved to Philly and while it has been exciting to be closer to a big city, we have hardly been able to visit it as a couple.
We decided to map a few places to eat throughout our trip that we had seen from Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives show on Food Network, since we are foodies. We simply had to. We took the train into the city and within 45 minutes we were in the city ready to take on the sites, but first we checked out Honey’s Sit ‘N Eat. It was delicious hole in the wall restaurant with delicious food. We shared a matzo ball soup, ordered a famous latke, ate fish tacos and drank La Colombe coffee. We truly had a great brunch but now we were ready for touring.
We decided to try the Philadelphia Sightseeing Trolley, especially since it was still very cold, but then we had the ease of hopping on and off in order to check out the attractions on the sightseeing track. It was perfect! The shuttle service picked us up from our restaurant location and took us to the trolley stop. Our first stop was the Eastern State Penitentiary which is something both of us had been wanting to visit. It is gorgeous from the outside and really sticks out in Fairmount Avenue, a gorgeous street. I love how eerie it felt as we walked in especially since it was REALLY cold. We were very glad to have our coats because our self-guided tour was mostly outdoors even though there were no windows it was pretty much an open jail. It was fascinating learning the history behind the place and we were satisfied with our experience. It is a definite must-see attraction but I imagine the place being better to see during the summer. Check out their tours.
Since we had arrived in the city a little later than we planned we were only able to work in one attraction but we were happy. We were still able to pick up the trolley from the prison and continue the tour from the trolley with the guide describing the rest of the following attractions:
Stop 10. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Stop 11. Philadelphia Zoo
Stop 12. Memorial Hall / Please Touch Museum
Stop 13.”Rocky Steps”
Stop 14. The Franklin/ Logan Circle
Stop 15. Four Seasons Hotel
Stop 16. Hyatt at the Bellevue
Stop 17. Antique Row
Stop 18. South Street/Head House Square
Stop 19. Society Hill Sheraton
Stop 20. Penn’s Landing/waterfront
Stop 21. Old City/Christ Church
We finished by walking to the Macy’s to see the Wanamaker Pipe Organ which has the largest playable organ. I wish someday Ryan could play on that organ because it would be awesome.
Since we had a later lunch we held off on dinner until a little later and walked around Locust street and saw some sights at night. It was St. Patrick’s Day, so the festivities were definitely in full swing. We wondered if we would get a seat anywhere but since it was still a Monday night we had luck. We originally were going to try another Guy Fieri recommendation but we thought Jamaican food was not so Irish. We settled on Fergie’s Pub on Samsom street which turned out to be surprisingly good. I have not been too disappointed with Yelp reviews, so we’re glad it was pretty accurate on its ratings. We were lucky enough to catch a bag pipe playing throughout the restaurant but left after briefly after open mic started.
We definitely enjoyed the location of our hotel. We were blessed to have enough points on our American Express to book our a room at the Sheraton Hotel overlooking Logan Square in Center City. It was beautiful in the daytime and especially at night before we went to bed. What a treat indeed. Since we were Starwood Platinum members we were able to have breakfast at the hotel and leave our belongings until 4pm. We are always looking for the best deal and one of those can sometimes be in accruing points.
The next morning it was a little warmer and we decided to walk to our first destination from our trolley tour. It was a few blocks away from our hotel and we enjoyed the morning exercise. Chinatown is one of my favorite places to go in ANY city. I had not been to it in Philly despite visiting the city years ago.
We explored stores, checked out some food stores, picked up some treats and even had one of my favorites: bubble tea! If you have never tried one of the popular drinks originating from Taiwan, then you are missing out. They are so creative in their drink creations and even though you might not be a tapioca (bubbles)fan there are always other options to be ordered. You can always tag me @singerinkitchen to ask for different options too!
We continued walking until we found Reading Terminal Market. Even though we had been there once, we did not have a chance to see everything since we were with our kids. We managed to eat lunch there before, but this time we only purchased a few food gifts and ran into a friend from church and took it easy. It was also nice just to sit and watch people rushing to get their lunch. This is a definite must when deciding where to visit when in the city. It is a lovely experience.
We decided since the sun had decided to make its appearance that we would skip the trolley until the end of our trip and continued walking in order to see more of the area. We headed to Rittenhouse Square and enjoyed window shopping and checking out local businesses. We loved running into occasional murals that were gorgeous! We found out that the same trolley company has a specialty tour called the Mural Arts Tour. I am definitely planning on going back for that because I was just simply amazed with the few we saw. I want to know all the history and dates when they were started and completed too.
Our trip was almost to a close so we decided to finish the rest of the afternoon taking the trolley and finishing the rest of the route we had not seen.
Stop 1. Independence Visitor’s Center
Stop 2. Betsy Ross House
Stop 3. National Constitution Center
Stop 4. Chinatown
Stop 5. Convention Center Marriott
Stop 6. Love Park / City Hall
Stop 7. Cathedral Basilica of Sts Peter And Paul
Stop 8. Rodin Museum
We were glad to take a rest after being on our feet most of the morning. We got off on a stop closest to our hotel and picked up our stuff. We made sure to make one last stop at one of my favorite coffee places: La Colombe. I really can’t get enough of their coffee. We found our train and returned to our life in the suburbs and thanked God (and Visit Philly) for allowing us to be able to visit such a beautiful city. There is definitely a lot more left to see and we cannot wait to get back to see the rest in different trips. We were glad to have Visit Philly as a guide to all our attractions too.
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May 2nd, 2014
April showers are hopefully over and May is upon us which can only mean several things: warm weather and picnics! Our kids are addicted to the outdoors and once the ground dries up I am really looking forward planning some more outdoor activities with friends.
When planning a picnic or any lunch, I always think of the perfect snack foods to bring along with us. I have always enjoyed the occasional potato chip at parties or picnics but I hardly purchased them in the store. My husband enjoys tortillas chips and pretzels so those have mainly been our go-to snacks.
I was recently introduced to Tyrrells chips which is a British company recently making its way to the US. They come in seven different and unique flavors that are all-natural and gluten-free. Here are the flavors they offer:
- Lightly Sea Salted
- Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar
- Mature Cheddar and Chives
- Sea Salt and Black Cracked Pepper
- Sweet Chili and Red Pepper
- Worcestershire and Sundried Tomato
- Beetroot, Parsnip and Carrots with a Pinch of Sea Salt
I immediately opened the Worcestershire and Sundried Tomato because it sounded amazing. One of the things I look for in the ingredient list is MSG. Chips can have the habit of being addictive but it is only because there is an additive that makes them so, not because they are delicious! MSG was NOT in these chips at all. I was so excited to really say that these chips are really all-natural!
These chips are all made in the UK at the Tyrrells Farm and are cooked in small batches so that they can come out perfectly crunchy and crispy.
These are the perfect chip, not too thin and not too thick, which made for the perfect chip. These bags of chips were really hard not to consume in a couple of days but we made it worth our time. My hubby made delicious sandwiches one evening and we decided to have the Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper chips and they were delicious.
While my hubby thought these were under-salted, I thought it allowed my palate to appreciate and savor the flavor of the potato chip. I really really liked them. Tyrrells also has delicious veggie chips too! The Beetroot, Parsnip and Carrots with a Pinch of Sea Salt were super delicious and even my older toddler enjoyed them and made for a healthy snack. I cannot wait to make these occasional chip permanent for our picnics, parties, and snacks.
Where can you find these chips? You can find Tyrrells at Weis, Fresh Market and Kimberton Whole Foods locations throughout Pennsylvania and also for purchase online at www.tyrrellschips.com.
If you are not getting in your card to get some of these chips and if you can really wait, then you can also win a SACK FULL of chips to try yourself. One US reader will get a chance to win! Enter below and good luck!
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May 1st, 2014
This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Cacique and Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions are my own.
Cinco de Mayo is next week and I am really excited to actually celebrate this year. There is always a great excuse to create recipes to share with friends especially when it comes to Mexican food. As the month of May quickly approaches I decided to give a twist on a timeless classic: Quesadillas.
When I try to recreate Mexican recipes, my husband usually asks me if the dishes are authentic or more Tex-Mex. When I think of quesadillas they are more a fusion of cultures, with a little Latin flavor and American flavors. It is a more familiar menu item in restaurants, so when I go to my favorite Mexican restaurant I like ordering it either as an appetizer or for dinner but I am sometimes frustrated when the dish ends of being more quesoor cheese than the combination that the menu description specified.
Quesadillas taste even better when using authentic ingredients, like Cacique products. I really enjoy using their line of cheese because I know how my finished product will turn out. The dish will be full of flavor and even enhance the rest of the ingredients used for the complete result.
As I sat to create my recipe I looked over at my husband and asked him what he would like in his quesadilla. I hardly ever ask my husband but I thought I would, just to hear his dream quesadilla recipe. I should have known that he would choose bacon and chicken since men are all about those two ingredients but I really decided to go with it. Even though my husband is not Hispanic, he also asked me to put roasted poblanos in my recipe too. Wow. I already knew this recipe was going to be full of flavors.
Since my husband’s ingredient choices were tantalizing, I decided to create a fusion experiment that would be an excellent recipe for all Mexican food lovers or newbies. The process to create this recipe might seem a bit lengthy but the finished product was so tasty and delicious that it made the process so worth it.
I marinated chicken breasts overnight with lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and grilled on the stove top while some bacon slices cooked. After they finished cooking, I sliced 2 medium onions and placed them in the chicken and bacon drippings. I roasted poblanos in the oven for 20 minutes and let them sweat in a Ziploc bag for 15 minutes before peeling the skins and removing seeds.
Stuffed Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
by Noelle Kelly
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Keywords: griddle melted heat grill appetizer entree lunch brunch chicken dairy cheese corn tortillas Cinco de Mayo Mexican Tex-Mex
Ingredients (5-10 servings)
Marinade for chicken
- 2 chicken breasts ( about 20-ounces )
- 1 lime, juiced
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Quesadilla ingredients
- 6 bacon slices
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 4 poblano peppers
- 12-ounces Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco
- 10-ounces Cacique Queso Quesadilla
- 20 corn tortillas
Cacique Crema Fresca
Toppings
- 2 avocados, pitted , peeled and sliced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
Place the chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag with marinade ingredients and let sit in refrigerator overnight.
Roasting Poblanos
Turn on broiler on oven. Wash 4 poblano peppers and dry, placing them on a roasting pan. Brush each pepper lightly with olive oil. Place on upper rack and broil for 7-10 minutes on one side. Peppers will look slightly bubbly, not burned. Rotate peppers and roast for another 7 minutes. Remove from oven and place peppers in a large Ziploc bag and let the peppers sweat for 15 minutes. Open the bag and let the peppers cool a bit. Using gloves remove the outer skin of the pepper and slice pepper in half. Remove the seeds and slice the peppers. Set aside.
Preparation
The following day, heat a large stove griddle on medium heat and place chicken breasts to cook for 10-12 minutes. Place bacon slices on the same griddle and cook until crispy. Slice chicken into semi-thin slices and crumble bacon into ½-inch pieces and set aside. Drain bacon and chicken drippings in a small bowl.
Add a little of the drippings on the griddle and cook the sliced onions on cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until softened.
Crumble the Ranchero Queso Fresco and shred the Queso Quesadilla and set aside.
Assembly
Place 1-2 Tablespoons of the bacon drippings on a large non-stick pan. Heat on medium heat and place two to three corn tortillas on the skillet. On each tortilla, place 2-3 Tablespoons of both the Ranchero Queso Fresco and Queso Quesadilla. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of grilled onions and roasted poblano peppers, 3-4 strips of chicken, and 2 Tablespoons of crumbled bacon. Top each with 1 Tablespoon of both cheeses again and a corn tortilla.
Grill the quesadillas for 5-7 minutes on each side or until tortilla is slightly crispy. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Remove from pan and place on a cutting board and cut into 4 squares. Serve on a dish and top with avocado slices, crema fresca, and chopped cilantro. Serve with salsa verde.
4 quesadilla squares make a perfect appetizer and 8 makes a delicious meal. Serves 5 to 10 people.
Like my recipe? My recipe is being paired with another blogger for a Quesadilla Cook-Off starting May 2nd. Come back and check the link and VOTE FOR ME! Go to Cacique’s Go Auténtico Blog to vote and comment for my Quesadilla recipe! Thanks!
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April 30th, 2014
Disclosure: I received these product for review from the company. All opinions are my own.
Our little family enjoys eating salads very often but we usually get stuck with the same dressing. Even though it is nice to have a natural lemon and olive oil vinaigrette, sometimes you just want something different and even more flavorful.
I had a great opportunity to try four different savory and sweet dressings that are super healthy made with NO oil from Terrapin Ridge Farms. The calories on each dressing are super low making these dressings guilt-free. I usually stray away from such dressings at the store because they either have processed ingredients or MSG, or too much oil. Not with these dressings. They are sweetened with agave nectar and fat free!
The Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette is super tangy with a hint of sweetness. You really have to have a love for mustard to enjoy this dressing. My husband, for example, is not a mustard person, but he gave it a try and thought it was too tangy. I liked it! It also had a bite to it even though there was nothing spicy in the ingredients. I think the sharper the mustard is the better the bite. I added this dressing to fresh green salads.
Yum. My recollection of the Garlic and Herb Vinaigrette is memorable. I could not believe that a dressing without oil with all natural ingredients other than a base dressing of lemon juice and oil, could taste so delicious! The dressing was very flavorful and made a wonderful addition to a green salad with lots of veggies.
The Toasted Sesame and Ginger Vinaigrette is perfect for that Asian Salad Bar we had. It gave the salad a flavor punch and was a mixture of sweetness and sour that was perfectly blended. I think it would be delicious in a cold noodle salad too!
Want a chance to try these dressings and sauces?
Enter the drawing below! Check out Terrapin Ridge Farms for their products and even more!
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