Petunia Bloom

Favorite Video Podcast March 27, 2008

My husband received an Apple TV for Christmas.  Recently, Ryan showed me that I could watch video podcasts on it if there was nothing on television.  First of all, I like all of Rick Steves’ products.  His travel guides are so good I like to read them for fun.  His website is amazing and offers some great resources if you are planning to travel overseas.  So…now I found his video podcast.  They are very short, but packed with information.  Many times, after traveling, I forget important names, dates, and details about places I have been or want to go.  This is a great way to refresh one’s memory or learn about new places.  If you have an Apple TV, simply search under podcasts for Rick Steves.  If you have I-Tunes, click here for directions on how to subscribe to Rick Steves’ video clips.

Quick Meat Sauce and Shells March 26, 2008

In the April addition of Family Circle there were several good lean beef recipes. I tried this one last night and it was wonderful. The following recipe is not the exact same as in the magazine. It is modified to my tastes. I will definitely be making this again! Serves 6 – Prep: 15 mins – Cook: 23 mins

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large sweet red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 t sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta shells
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

1. In a skillet, cook crumbled ground beef, peppers, and onion for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over med-low for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook pasta following pgk directions. Drain.
4. Spoon sauce over pasta. Top with shredded cheese and serve.

If you make this, let me know what you think!  Here is the original recipe.

Sophie got a haircut today! March 25, 2008

Sophie’s haircut!  She is smiling for the picture.  When I took her in the stylist said she would probably have to shave the bottoms of Sophie’s ears because they were matted.  I felt horrible and assumed she would look hideous when I picked her up.  They got the mats out without shaving her and she looks beautiful!!  From now on, I will be combing Sophie’s ears with a comb every other day.  The stylist also said that the ears are extremely sensitive and you have to be very careful when trying to get mats out.  You can actually tear the ear skin apart if you aren’t careful.

Recipe Organization March 24, 2008

After I got married, I started cooking and accumulating recipes.  Some of the recipes were from my mom, some were cut out of magazines, some were my grandma’s, some were from the internet, and some were from cookbooks I had received.  After using the various recipes for close to a year, I knew which ones I liked and which ones I used frequently.  All I needed was a way to organize my favorites!  I found this recipe organizer on the internet.  It is basically a glorified three ring binder, but it is well worth the time and money.  Since it is just a three ring binder, I can print off recipes or make copies of recipes, punch them with a three-hole-punch, and file them under the appropriate tab.  Each tab is also a folder for random recipes that you cut out or find that are awaiting a permanent location.  If you are interested, click here for purchase information.

Napoli’s Italian Restaurant March 1, 2008

I kept hearing about this wonderful little Italian restaurant called Napoli’s.  It was close to my house so I decided to take an out-of-town friend there for lunch.  At only $6.95 for the lunch special, which included a salad, I thought it would be a nice outing.

To begin with, we had the homemade bread on the table.  Oh my goodness, it was very good.  (A warning:  Don’t eat too much.  It is very tempting but use restraint.)  Next, our salads arrived.  They were small, all lettuce and one slice of a tomato.  This is not how I typically like my salads, but it was a lunch special so I am not going to complain.

I ordered the manicotti and my friend ordered the Chicken Marsala.  The manicotti was better than my mother’s which is a huge compliment.  I have never particularly liked any manicotti that wasn’t my mother’s.  It did not have too much garlic which is my typical complaint of most Italian food restaurants.  I would wager to guess that the manicotti noodles were made on-site.  My friend said the Chicken Marsala was very good as well, and the whole thing cost less than $20.  You can’t beat that for great sit-down Italian food.

The service was extremely quick and efficient with Italian waiters on the side.  The atmosphere isn’t anything to write home about, but is clean and has character.

With the great price, service, and location I will definitely be back.

Homemade Fresh Berry/Pink Berry Yogurt

The recipe I found online to make this type of frozen yogurt called for strained yogurt. I have made it both ways and don’t notice much of a difference.

Here is how I made this batch:

In a blender, liquidize: 3 Cups Plain Nonfat Yogurt & 1/3 Cup Sugar

Pour into running Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for 10-15min. depending on the consistencey you like.

This batch seemed a bit more tart. It might have been because of the nonfat yogurt. It seems to work better with low fat plain yogurt, but if you don’t want the extra fat/calories use the nonfat. It still tasted amazing.

Cake #3

I just finished this cake for my cake decorating class at Hobby Lobby. The roses and flowers I made myself. Making roses was challenging at first but I love how they turned out. For next time, I will make the frosting for the roses stiffer so it is easier to get the roses to look right.