Girl needs to eat a cheeseburger! This is really scary! I know women who are naturally very skinny find it insulting when people talk about their weight (fair), but we all know Angelina is not naturally this thin. How could we ever forget her in Tomb Raider where she exemplified a feminine body with a healthy weight. I am scared for her.

I have learned that you can never go wrong with brussel sprouts and bacon! A friend sent me this Linguine with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon recipe and I have now made it twice with great results. I usually dislike pasta sauces with bacon because the bacon can take over the rest of the flavors, but the strong flavors from the shallots and the bitterness of the sprouts compliments the bacon perfectly.

Brussel sprout haters may even love it!

I read an article, Stuck or Content, this morning and I found it to be a great articulation as to why I am still living in Cincinnati. I spent half of my formative years in Los Angeles and then half of them in Union, Kentucky (Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati), so I feel like I have an unique perspective, much like the author of the article.

Cincinnati is just easy! While younger you think you need to live somewhere sexy, like LA, New York, Chicago, or DC, to feel alive…or to feel like you are “living the life.” But as you get older, and therefore busier, you realize the costs of living in a sexy place aren’t worth the sacrifices to your quality of life.

In Cincinnati, a middle income family lives very comfortably. A family with an income of $60k/year can afford a nice, modestly priced home in a decent school district for their children. A “long” commute in Cincinnati tends to be less than an hour, which is nothing compared to other cities, and if you are living in the true “burbs” driving that hour commute, you are probably living in a brand new McMansion that you built custom for less than $200k. Hell, if you are willing to live in the “sticks” (like 20 minutes out of the city) you could even own a couple of acres for that price.

While Cincinnati may be the city of …well to be honest, its a bunch of right-wing nutty republicans (John Boehner, case in point), but there are some pockets of amazing artist, entrepreneurs and creatives (liberals of course) that are able to live comfortably while they pursue their passions. Not to mention it offers a healthy environment for families; great farmers markets, organic food options, mom & pop restaurants, a couple of good music venues that bring in good artists, no more than a 15 minute drive to anything your heart desires, and for us specifically, a cute freaking house in a great school district for a modest price.

Cincinnati…its just ok, but it affords me a very comfortable life so I can focus my efforts on the things that really matter!

GEORGE MICHAEL BLUTH
Don’t you always say “family first”?
MICHAEL BLUTH
Yes, I do. But that is not a family…They’re a bunch of greedy, selfish people who have our nose…

For those who do not watch Arrested Development…you MUST. By far one of the best half hour comedies ever.

I found a slider roll recipe and then just threw together a few things to make a pulled bbq chicken filling.

Ingredients
1.5lbs chicken breast
8oz bbq sauce
1/2 cup italian dressing
2 tbsp worcestershire
1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions
Mix bbq sauce, italian dressing, worcestershire, and brown sugar in small bowl. Add chicken to slow cooker. Cover in sauce mixture. Cook on high for 3 hours.
If I had it to do all over again, I would have added green pepper and onion to the slow cooker with the chicken.

Every year about this time, our home undergoes the typical festive transition. We dust off the customary holiday tinsel and festoon the living room.

A couple of years ago, we discovered these miniature woodland creature ornaments which have quickly become one of the most favored parts of our holiday season. We’re working on creating the ultimate woodland infestation by picking up a few new creatures each year.

Here’s a few shots of our current cache… hopefully we can procure some new ones over the next few weeks.

These little guys are the perfect accompaniment to our traditional South Park themed pagan holiday ritual because every time I look at that them, I can only think one thing…

Hail Satan!

Mizithra, pasta and browned butter, an Old Spaghetti Factory famous dish, is a perfect quick weeknight family meal. Everyone, including kids, love this dish. The key ingredient is the Mizithra cheese. Mizithra cheese is an “unpasteurized fresh cheese made with milk and whey from sheep and/or goats”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizithra . It can be difficult to find, but a Kroger Marketplace or a gourmet cheese store should have it in stock.

Between the garlic browned butter and the salty cheese, you have an irresistible pasta dish.

Ingredients

• 1/2 to 1 lb Mizithra Cheese (grated or shredded)
• 1/2 stick butter
• 8 cloves of garlic, 4 sliced, 4 diced
• Parsley (optional)
• Basil (dried and fresh-I recommend only using dried if your on a budget)
• 1 can diced tomatos, italian flavor
• 1 red onion
• 1 box spaghetti
• Salt
• Pepper
• Italian Seasoning (optional)

Instructions

Cook pasta according to instructions on package. In a medium to large pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add diced onions and 4 diced garlic cloves, mix with salt, pepper, italian seasoning, dried basil. Cook until onions are translucent then add can of tomatos (you can then add fresh basil). In small pan heat butter and 4 sliced garlic cloves on medium high heat. Once butter begins to brown, turn down to low. Its important to not burn the butter.
Once pasta is cooked, toss with browned butter and parsley (optional). Top with half sauce and half cheese. Then it is ready to serve.
*I usually serve with additional mizithra on the side. The more the yummier!

If your wondering about calories- well just don’t think about it with this dish! This is not the healthiest, but also not the worse. Portion control is key.

My father enjoyed cooking so I had many yummy home cooked meals growing up, but after my parents divorce home cooking was a rare thing. My mom had only a few recipes; no bake cookies, battered round steak, caesar salad, turkey soft tacos, roast beef burritos, true Mexican enchiladas and her “famous” chicken tacos. The chicken tacos are incredible. Ask anyone who has eaten one! But they are also not the most healthy meal. The corn tortillas are fried in oil, the chicken is cooked in olive oil and lots of cheese is a must. So you can imagine how the calories and fat add up. This recipe is a great alternative with less calories.

After reading some other chicken taco recipes and looking into corn tortilla preparation methods, I came up with the following recipe.

Ingredients

Corn Tortillas (8)
Rotisserie Chicken (dice/torn)
1 White Onion Diced (halved)
Diced Cilantro
Limes quartered
Salsa
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
EVOO
Cotija Cheese

Instructions

Heat EVOO in medium pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add Rotisserie Chicken with 1/2 cup of salsa. Let simmer together for 10 minutes. While waiting, heat up large frying pan. Add corn tortillas until browned on both sides and somewhat crispy. I usually set the oven to 200 degrees and keep the tortillas warm in the oven until you are ready to serve the meal. Make the tacos by using one tortilla and filling it with the Rotisserie Chicken mixture and then topping with white uncooked onions, cilantro, and Cotija Cheese. Garnish with lime.

With less than 170 calories per taco, I thought it would be nice to have a side. I made a coconut and black bean side dish. It wasn’t bad considering it was comprised of items that I already had in my pantry.

Ingredients

1 Can Black Beans
1/4 Cup Coconut
1 Red Onion
2 Tbsp of Half & Half
1 Tbsp Margarine
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat Margarine and add red pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and then add coconut and half & half. After coconut blends with margarine and red peppers, add the beans (undrained). Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes.

I never bake things from scratch. My theory is that box stuff is always better than anything I can make, especially since I don’t have the proper kitchen tools, like a flour sifter. That is not to mention that baking takes forever and I rarely have the time. However, convenience comes with a price… lots of calories.  So I decided to give this baking concept a try and I have to say, I am very happy with the results.  These muffins came out very well and only pack 170 calories a pop. Once you take into account the fiber and other natural benefits that come from the oats and fruits, you have a perfect start to your day.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oat
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F In medium bowl, stir together the flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla and butter. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon batter into greased muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (start watching around 12 minutes; oven temperatures vary) or until toothpick inserted into center muffin comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and let cool on wire rack.

If you insist on butter, I recommend the spray butter to control your calorie intake.