Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas, everyone!! This is my favorite holiday ever because it's Jesus' birthday, and we spend time with family and friends. I spent my Christmas with my parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle, and sister! It was absolutely amazing fun!! 
My Grandma suggested we play the newlyweds game (I think that's just too cute!), so we did. It turned out very interesting; my parents won; they got ALL the questions right on the first round, and the majority of them on the second. My aunt and uncle got second place, while my grandparents got last (a total surprise!).
Christmas dinner was spectacular: with the famous Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese (it truly IS "over the rainbow"), and my Grandma's perfect Collard Greens. The turkey was roasted to perfection, and the butternut squash and mashed potatoes; oh, you could not go wrong!
All in all, my Christmas was sooo perfect!!


I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas, and have great fun in the kitchen!!


-Sandra


P.S. the macaroni and cheese was gone less than an hour after it was done!! Looks like mom will have to make more tomorrow :)

It's My Birthday!!!

Today is my favorite day of the year: it's my birthday!! I had the pleasure of inviting friends over and we listened to Taylor Swift (my absolute FAVORITE singer) and went shopping at the Domain!! Well....we went window shopping but hey we still got to go!! A special package arrived from...(I'm not naming any names) and a special Williams-Sonoma gift card was in it, as well as some Homemade Apple and Pear Crisp Jam (Apple and Pear Crisp recipe by Ina Garten)!! Thank you to everyone for making my birthday special!!


Merry Christmas and have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Snow!!

As I write this it is snowing outside!! Finally!! I've been waiting for this all year!! My family and I are going to play in it soon (if the snow sticks). Considering it is going to be my birthday in eight days, this is a GREAT present. 

For those who live where snow is falling: Have fun in the snow!!

And have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Its Here - Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Finally Thanksgiving is here, after days and days of cooking and cleaning, it's time to sit down and eat!! My family is here: my Grandma Sugar (mom's side), and my Grandma and Grandaddy (on dad's side). We're all tortured because of the turkey cooking in the oven. All the herbs just make your mouth water! We made a lot of things ahead of time: Apple and Pear Crisp by Ina Garten, Pineapple Cheese Pie (family recipes), Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese, and my Grandma made Sweet Potato Pie!! We also made: the dressing, and the Collard Greens. I'm so tortured. 

Pics to come!!

Happy Thanksgiving and have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

It's Almost Here!!

Thanksgiving is almost here! This past Saturday my Grandma Sugar came from Chicago. Since then we have been shopping -not only for Thanksgiving but for the house- and doing...oh just about everything! Yesterday we all went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients we needed, it took us around an hour-and-a-half, and two grocery carts! 
I had the pleasure of buying a Honeycrisp apple (I would've taken a picture but I ate it before I realized I was supposed too). It tastes very sweet, slightly tart, and has a crispy bite to it. I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a new type of fruit to try. It works as an excellent snack. I looked at pictures of this Honeycrisp apple online and apparently they don't do it justice. At the very least, this apple weighs about 1lbs, and is about twice the size of your fist (in my opinion). But none the less it is amazing.
This morning I have started making the collard greens (with the help of mom and grandma of course), and later on we will make the Pineapple Cheese Pie. 
Tomorrow comes the famous Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese, Ina Garten's Apple and Pear Crisp, and many more recipes.

More to come!

Happy Thanksgiving and have fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Thanksgiving Preparation

Let's face it. Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday! But the cooking, the decorating and the CLEANING; it just takes it all out of you. So this year I'm trying to make things simple. Which isn't working that well. Since I have all my grandparents coming down this year, I will be slightly distracted from the other preparation. I've been persuading my rockin' awesome choleric-sanguine mom to go to the store and get all the ingredients for the fantastic meal early, but since my mom isn't the fastest choleric-sanguine in the world, we are going to be packed with things to do at the last minute. 
My Grandma Sugar (mom's mom) is arriving on Saturday, and since she's been so busy lately, we're just going to let her relax. But if she wants to go and shop and party, hey there's no stopping her! (I call her Grandma Sugar because she's so sweet and gives us lots of love)
My dad's parents are coming down on either the day before Thanksgiving, or the Tuesday before. So that means we have more to prepare, and so little time to prepare it. 
So with all this said my secret is out. My mom and dad are not the fastest people in the world like my grandparents are.
This year I have decided to explore my possibilities. I am leaning towards the idea of making Ina Garten's famous Apple and Pear Crisp. And hopefully my Grandma (on my dad's side) will make her delicious Sweet Potato Pie! Not to mention my mom's Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie.

More to come!

Have great fun in the kitchen!


-Sandra

New Blog!

Hey, everyone! I just created a new blog: Dark Countess. It has ideas, for shopping the latest fashions, accessories, color schemes, and more! Be sure to check it out!

And the Winner Is....

Thank you to all who commented on my last post about the chicken recipe idea. But unfortunately only one idea will be selected. It came down to two choices: Baked in a crock pot by Fightin' Mad Mary, or Herb Roasted by an Anonymous reader.
I have tested both of these ideas -with my own twists- And the winner is......(drumroll)....alright, okay. The winner will be announced on my next post showing the new recipe!
So for now, keep watching for my new post!

Have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Recipe Ideas

I'd like some ideas for a chicken recipe and I need your help. Something creative, but not too extravagant and/or for lack of a better word: bland. It's creative and it's also a good way to get involved in cooking.

If you have any ideas, post them in the comment section, and if I find an idea I like, it could be in one of my next blog posts!

So feel free to give ideas!

Have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Turkey Sandwiches

I promised you recently I would post my recipe for Turkey Sandwiches. Well, it's beyond time for this to be shared, so here it is!

• Take two slices of bread, (this can be any bread you like: whole wheat bread, white bread, french bread, etc..) and spread some mayonnaise over it. The amount doesn't matter, you can customize this sandwich any way you want.
• Then, on one slice of bread, assort some iceberg lettuce. Make sure the lettuce is really fresh. Nobody wants wilting lettuce on their sandwich.
• On the other slice of bread, place a slice of cheese onto it (this can be any cheese you want too).
• On top of that slice of cheese, assemble some shaved turkey onto it.
• (Optional) I like mustard on my turkey sandwiches, so if you like mustard (again this can be any mustard: coarse grain, Dijon, etc..), squeeze any amount of mustard on top of the turkey, and spread it out evenly so there will be a thin layer of mustard.
• If you'd like, you can add tomatoes, or anything that you think will give this sandwich a finishing touch.
• Carefully place one slice of bread on top of the other, and cut it into two triangular slices (or four triangular slices, or squares, etc...).
• Enjoy!
  

Have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

Labor Day Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake -with a Slight Twist-

In my post Labor Day Preparation, I mentioned the Strawberry Short Cakes I would make. It's not a gourmet dish or a secret family recipe, it's something that you can make any day! Not just for special occasions. Actually the shortcake part of this recipe, is something that millions of people buy at their local grocery store everyday in the U.S.
So here's the recipe for Strawberry Shortcake.

• Bake one yellow box cake into twenty-four cupcakes according to the directions.
• After the cupcakes are out of the oven, let them cool for 15-20 minutes so they will be completely cooled for the whipped cream.
• After the cupcakes are completely cooled, set them on to a plate (don't put more cupcakes on the plate than you can fit on it).
  
• Take about one to two 8oz cartons of whipped cream (depending on how much whipped cream you like on shortcake) and spread them onto the cupcakes as shown on the picture above. Set it aside.
• Then, take some strawberries (a one pound carton is fine) and slice off the top. After that, chop them up into about 4-5 bite size pieces per strawberry.
• Assemble the strawberries onto the shortcake and whipped cream (three or four slices per shortcake).
  
• (Optional) For a unique finish on this dessert, sprinkle some orange zest on top of the shortcake.
  
• Enjoy!

This dessert is fruity, fun, and absolutely delicious!!

Have fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Labor Day Preperation

Tomorrow is Labor Day, so I've been working on what to do. So far, I'm on the Mini Strawberry Short Cakes. Well, it's like short cake but I'm not using the actual short cakes.

More to come! I'll post pictures!!

Have great fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

Strawberry Short Cookie

The title of this recipe may seem a little bit strange but since I didn't have any cake around when I made this, I decided to use the sugar cookies I bought that day.
But anyway, here's how to make these Strawberry Short Cookies.

• Take about 4-6 strawberries and cut them in to 3-4 bite size pieces (be sure to throw away the top of the strawberry) and set them aside in a small bowl.
• Meanwhile, take a sugar cookie, put it onto a plate (it really helps if the cookie isn't cold), then take a large spoonful of whipped cream and put it onto the sugar cookie. Make sure it's not sliding off of the cookie.
• Put some of the strawberries on top and enjoy!

To make a two-layer short cookie, just do the steps above twice.

Have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

(P.S. Check out my new blog http://emeraldcountessofthenorth.blogspot.com)

Sight Seeing in Corpus Christi!!

I am now home from my vacation. But I just have to show you my experience!!!
So without further ado, I present: The Sights of Corpus Christi!My friend-who I was visiting while I was there-got most of these pics. The picture below she got in the car. She didn't get out because we were in a hurry to get to the gorgeous beach on Mustang Island.My friend let me take pictures of her kid's hermit crabs. Named: This One and That One. Don't ask me which is which.

More posts to come!

Have Great Fun in the Kitchen!!

-Sandra

Corpus Christi!!!

I have been home from Texas A&M University since late Sunday night, and on Thursday, I left for Corpus Christi! So far, I went to the Gulf, and the Bay, Macaroni Grill, a Ferry, saw the U.S.S Lexington, and Mustang Island!! I'm soo excited about being here, I don't care about it being almost midnight!!!
Pictures from all these great locations soon! And a recipe for simple Turkey Sandwiches.

Have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Vacation, Vacation, Vacation!!!!!!!

I am now officially on my vacation!! Even though College Station (home of the Texas A&M Aggies) may not seem like a vacation spot, I'm there to watch a state swim meet as my free time. I know: a swim meet. But I choose to do some interesting things for my leisure time! So far everything is going fine, more to come!!

Have fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Vacation!!

I am now officially going on vacation the last weekend of July!! Meaning freetime!! And more recipes!!

I managed to squeeze in this post in my break time.

Have fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Back to Work!

But I really don't want to!

Hey, everyone! Check out and follow my friend's new blog! Swimming 101

Have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

The Vacation is Almost Over!

Today is the last day of my vacation. All my relatives have gone back home, I am sad for them, but I am still enjoying the last hours of my free time. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of watching Speed Racer for the first time. It was amazing! Five out of five stars! I definitely recommend it.

More recipes are soon to come! Have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

Vacation, Vacation!!

For the past few days, I've been enjoying my vacation. Watching I Love Lucy, The Patty Duke Show, and others is pure Heaven for me. My vacation will end on Monday, so then I will be back to posting recipes.

More to come! Have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

The Driskill Hotel

I went to the Driskill Hotel yesterday for lunch, and OMG! It was amazing!! I learned all about it being the second most haunted hotel in America. There were quite a few "ghost stories" I have heard about the Driskill. Here's a little excerpt from probably the saddest story in the world.
A very young girl was staying at the hotel with her father. She was playing with a little ball near a staircase and the ball fell down the staircase and the little girl tried to get it, but tripped and tumbled down the stair case to her death. She was four years old.
While I was at the Driskill, I got a tour of some of the areas of major interest, such as the painting of the little girl who died on that staircase. Her name was Cassandra. She looked very pleasant. But when you looked at her, no matter where you stood, she stared at you. No matter where you stood.
There were some very strange sofas in the lobby. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so I couldn't take pictures. The sofas looked like they were occupied, but no one was there. It was very mysterious.
The cafe was amazing. I ordered a Driskill Burger with Chili Spiced Steak Fries. It hit the spot!

More to come! Have great fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

(P.S. Notice that the name "Driskill" has the word "KILL" at the end of it!!!)

The Celebration Continues!! -Mount Bonnell-

While my relatives were here we had the pleasure of going to Mount Bonnell. It was very beautiful. So beautiful, I took over sixty-eight pictures, and I had to limit them for this post.
They're were a lot of fenced areas on one side, and barely any on the other. I saw some people who were brave enough (and stupid enough) to sit on the very edge, having a little picnic, and definitely enjoying the scenery. They're were multi-million dollar houses all around us; in the hills and on the edge of the lake.
The picture with the number four on it was mysterious so I decided to take a picture of it.

This is a major family trip and I do recommend you go to Mount Bonnell soon.
These locations are sooo beautiful, they'd be a great place to have a private picnic with a loved one.Have a great summer and have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

A Second Vacation!!!

I don't know what it is but since I've been on vacation, I can't seem to stop blogging! Today my family and I will possibly go to Mount Bonnell. I've been there before, and it's absolutely gorgeous! Especially the view of the lake and the lakeside mansions. Hopefully I'll be able to get some snapshots of this. Then I will be able to share them with you!!

Many more updates to come!! Literally!!!

Have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Post July Fourth Celebration

I am having a Pre and Post July Fourth celebration with some relatives. We plan on doing alot while they visit.
While a few relatives went out to eat, I ate leftover Barbecued Ribs and Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese-click the following link- (Five Cheese Roni and Cheese [You'll have to do part 2 separate])

That's all for now. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to get pictures of the food, but that's okay.

Happy Belated Fourth, and have great fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

(P.S. Since it's a holiday I will have more time blog! Yippee!!)

Happy Fourth!!!

I just got back from watching the July Fourth fireworks!!!! Of all the states I've been to Texas has the best fireworks....but hey I live there..lol!!




Happy Fourth and have great fun in the kitchen, and at the grill especially!!

-Sandra

Herb Scrambled Eggs

Sorry I couldn't get a better picture. These eggs actually look better in person.

I've been really busy lately, and I can barely get a blog post in edgewise. It kinda feels like I run a very small blog with a few posts here and there to show how you can cook better and reviews on what I made that you should make too. Either way let's get on with these eggs.

• In a medium-sized bowl combine 5-6 eggs with 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of milk or half-and-half and beat until the eggs are completely broken up. Set that aside.
• Meanwhile, chop up 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon of fresh basil , 1 teaspoon of fresh oregano and a 1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme.
• Put that all into the bowl and beat it with a whisk.
• Put in a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk it again, and set it aside.
  
• Meanwhile, put 1/2-1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized skillet. Turn it on medium-low.
• After you've let it heat up, take the bowl with the egg mixture whisk it a couple of times more, and pour it into the skillet. Let it alone for half a minute.
  
• After the half minute is up, take the spatula, and fold the eggs. The best way to do this, is to start near the middle of the skillet, and fold it around to the edges.
• Keep on folding until the eggs seem to come together (like in the picture above).
  
• Take the eggs out before they're just done (and I mean just before they're done!). Put them in a serving bowl and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

These eggs are healthy, delicious, and hit the spot with just about any breakfast. Happy Belated Mother's Day and Happy Fathers Day and have fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Just An Update...........

I've been really busy lately, so I haven't been able to blog in a little while. Trying to nail new recipes, retesting the old ones, and modifying some others to make them fool proof. Other than that, I'm still really busy!! I only have enough time to squeeze in a short blog post. But maybe soon everything will be less cluttered, and I can post some longer posts.

I may post some dinner entree`s in the future so look for those.

Have fun in the kitchen!!

-Sandra

Homemade French Fries

You may not know this, but I have a little bit of "Southern" cooking in me. So I decided to share this french-fry recipe with you.
You only need three simple things to make this, and you won't have to go back to the store and get them!

• On a cutting board, peel three or four (depending on the number of people) russet potatoes. After every speck of skin is peeled off, slice the potatoes into strips-any size is fine-and put them into a bowl.
  
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch of canola oil or vegetable oil (depending on the size of the skillet) on medium-low temperature, until it starts to pop a bit. The way to find to find this out is to drop a little bit of water into the skillet, and when it pops, (not too much!) the oil is ready. Put the potatoes in to the skillet, in one layer, and cook until golden brown. Don't walk away! If you have to do these in separate batches, that's okay. But don't let the oil get too hot! If it does, the fries will brown too quickly, but will still be raw inside.
  
• After the potatoes are golden brown, set them on a plate covered with paper towel, and pat them gently.
  
• Salt them lightly, but don't put too much on!! (optional)
  
• After the potatoes are cooled, take the paper towel out from under the potatoes.
• Enjoy!

These fries are simple, fun, and absolutely delicious!! I have a hamburger/meatloaf recipe to go with this, and I may post it soon.

Have fun in the kitchen!!!!

-Sandra.

I'm On Vacation!!!!

I'm on vacation in Dallas with my family. That's why I haven't been able to post anything, lately.
First my parents surprised me by reserving a suite in a four-star hotel.
The suite is fabulous!!!


On the last day in Dallas, I went to a Mongolian Grill and had the Sweet and Sour Pork. It was very good. There at the grill, you get a recipe card, and it shows you how to make the food, by putting the ingredients into a bowl, such as your meat, vegetables, sauce, and seasonings, and giving them to a cook to grill. Here's how it turned out:And when they mean "sweet and sour", they mean "sweet and sour"! But overall it was very good. I believe there was a farmers market in Dallas but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to go see it.

Also I went to Barnes and Noble to check out their selection of Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks. I didn't buy one, but the selection was amazing!!

More to come!!!!

-Sandra

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries from Ina Garten

This weekend for Valentine's Day, I made Ina Garten's Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. It sooo easy to make and sooo good. The White Chocolate part I added, and it makes a difference in the intense chocolate flavor. If you want to try this recipe, click here: Food Network Website.

This recipe is great for Valentine's Day parties, and even a special dessert.

Happy Valentine's Day and have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

Homeade Kasoo Dip (Queso)

If you're wondering about the spelling of Kasoo, this is the way I always thought it was spelled - believe it or not (guess I need to learn Spanish). I love this dish. But I have it only so often. So I think it is a good idea to share this recipe with you.

• In a crock pot, empty two cans of Rotel ( 10 oz each cans). Then turn the crock pot on high.
• Meanwhile, in a saute pan, take at least 1 pound of hamburger meat and dump into the saute pan. Turn to pan on high to start with. Then, turn it down to medium so you won't have to tend it as much. Check it every few minutes, and chop it down to tiny bite sized pieces.
  
• Then, chop 1 32oz box of Velveeta cheese into tiny cubes. Throw them into the pot.
  
• Take the browned meat, and season it with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of Tony Chaceres, but don't season it too much! Taste it while you gently pour the seasoning on. If it is perfect seasoned to your satisfaction, drain the meat in a strainer. This takes out all the fat.
  
• Put that into the crock pot. Reduce the temperature to low, and cook until the cheese is melted.
  
• If you are impatient like me, you can take the Kasoo, and microwave until it is done.
• Put the finished Kasoo into a bowl, and on a plate put on some tortilla chips.
  
• Enjoy!

This dish is easy, fun, and is great for parties, preferably Super Bowl parties.

Way to go SixBurgh Steelers and have fun in the kitchen!!!!!


-Sandra

Creme Anglaise Ice Cream from Ina Garten

Just recently, I made Ina Garten's (the Barefoot Contessa) Creme Anglaise Ice Cream. It was very easy to make and the ingredients are the types that we use everyday.

Here is the mixture before it is chilled and churned to the consistency of ice cream.

I tasted this before chilling (because it looked and smelled sooo good) and it was amazing.

Here is the finished ice cream. Devoured in five Minutes. But I made myself a small serving, anyway.




Also, here is a link to the recipe if you desire to make it. Click here: Food Network Website

Have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra

Mixed Fruit Smoothie

Sorry I haven't posted some recipes in a while but my days have been just so crowded. So to make up for this, I have decided to give you a fool-proof recipe for a drink that is sure to satisfy your thirst needs.

If you're wondering why I'm posting so many drinks is because soon I may post some foods and the drinks just may go with the dish. Okay, back to the recipe now.

Sometimes my Father makes smoothies. In this case it's a mixed fruit smoothie. So I'll show you how to make it. It's very good and is healthy as well.

• In a blender, combine 3/4 to 1 cup of mixed fruit (strawberries, mangoes, and papayas are fine) and 1 1/2 bananas. Also a half-can of frozen white grape juice from concentrate (you can find it at your local grocery store) Then press the "blend" button until smooth.
  
• Take about 1 quart of crushed ice and pour some into the blender. Press the "ice crush" button until ice is crushed. Continue this process until all the ice is crushed.
  
• Take about 1/4 of a cup of unflavored yogurt and put it into the mixture, then press the "liquefy" button until smooth.
• Spoon into a glass, any kind is fine.
• Enjoy!

Happy New Year and have fun in the kitchen!

-Sandra