Sunshine in my pocket

Food to Make you happy — Easy Yakisoba

By KariV on March 6, 2013 in Cooking Light, Dinner in Minutes, Recipes

We are celebrating around here for making our goal of 100 likes to our new Facebook page! Thank you, friends and dear readers! And what could be a better way to celebrate than with VEGETABLES!?! I’m serious! If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE my vegetables and I drink (yes, drink) them every morning. I will be sharing my delicious breakfast drink soon!

But I have been getting SO many requests for my Yakisoba recipe that I decided to post it today. I have to keep my favorite people happy!

Truth is, this recipe makes me so happy…and I think you will agree when you try it out. It’s easy…it’s delicious…it’s filled with color. That is celebration right on a plate, friends! (Can we please officially change the title of this recipe to “Celebration on a Plate”?)

Let’s get started with the Yakisoba.

First, assemble your favorite veggies. I like to use all the colors of the rainbow (except maybe blue, I can’t even think of a blue vegetable!) My favorites for this dish are:

Onion, Carrots, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Red pepper, Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Garlic

Slice your onion (I use yellow onion). In a large pan (or stir fry pan), warm 2 T. of olive oil on medium high. Once oil is hot, add onion. Let this cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onion is soft and browned.

While the onion is cooking, cut your other veggies. Cut them in similar sizes for even cooking. When onions are browned, add carrots and zucchini. Cook for 4-5 minutes. I like to let the zucchini and squash cook without stirring for a few minutes. This allows them to get browned on one side. Oh! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Turn them over to brown on the other side.

Once zucchini is browned, add peppers and broccoli. Allow those to cook for a bit, then add the cabbage.

While that is cooking together, get your meat ready. I used chicken for this recipe, but you can also use beef or pork, or keep it vegetarian! I cut my chicken (3 chicken tenders) into bite-sized pieces. Then warmed a small amount of olive oil in a separate skillet. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally. Add a couple cloves of garlic (minced) with the cooking chicken, if you like. (I like!)

When chicken is done…it only takes a few minutes! Add to the vegetables. Then, add your noodles, water, and seasoning mix from the package. I usually include 2 packages of noodles, both seasoning packets, and 1 cup of water. Here are the noodles I like to use:

[Note: If I don’t have these on hand when I crave Yakisoba, I have also used angel hair pasta or spaghetti…and I make sauce using a bit of soy sauce, cornstarch, and water!] You have to coax these particular noodles to separate, but please be careful and don’t break them. It just doesn’t taste the same with broken noodles!

Now, dish up and enjoy! (here’s another secret: I sometimes add a bit of low-sodium soy sauce to mine)

How’s that for a celebration!?

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Taste Test Tuesday: Salted Caramel Chocolate

By KariV on March 5, 2013 in Favorite Things, Taste Test Tuesday

I have to admit, I was very excited about this particular taste test. I mean, who wouldn’t be when Salted Caramel Chocolate bars are on the agenda?!? (Actually, I shouldn’t even ask…my husband hates salted caramel, my 2 sons do not like chocolate, I also have a friend who does not particularly like it either, and my grandma is allergic to it!) But for perhaps everyone else in the world, this is an exciting taste test!

The results were also a little shocking, but practically UNANIMOUS. But first, I must introduce you to the contenders:

THE CONTENDERS:

1) Good & Delish – generic bar new to the scene that I picked up from Walgreens. Retails at $1.99

2) Lindt Caramel with a Touch of Sea Salt – a seasoned performer as far as brands go, but this is a new flavor for them. Retails at $2.99

3) See’s Candies – Butter Caramel Milk Chocolate. This served as a control, but backfired just a little. I went in to find a salted caramel to add to our list of greats, but See’s is very traditional and does not carry a salted caramel. This was the next best option, and at just under $4.00 for 5 pieces, was also the most expensive of the bunch.

4) Godiva Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel – another well-known and well-loved brand, this one also boasted salted toffee pieces. Retails at $2.99, but I got on sale for $2.50.

5) Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Bar, Caramel with Black Sea Salt – this bar was supposed to be the heavyweight contender, with much talk and support of fans, but it did not stack up well in this competition! Retails at $1.99

6) Ghirardelli Dark & Sea Salt Caramel – another well-loved competitor! I purchased this one on sale at $2.50, the small bags sell for around $4.69.

THE SET-UP:

This was, of course, a blind taste test. We cut the chocolate bars into small pieces and distributed them onto their corresponding numbered plate.

All panel contestants took 2 pieces of each contender and put them onto their “placemat” with the matching number. We also provided water so the judges could analyze the flavors without them fighting each other. (Some chocolate flavors were stronger than others, but that didn’t necessarily mean they took first place).

THE JUDGING:

We had multiple categories for judging: Texture, Caramel taste, Chocolate Taste, Saltiness, and Overall Taste. We also added Smell as a category at the last minute, as requested by the judges.

Here is the form we used:

(If you’d like to conduct this taste test in your test kitchen and you’d like this form, please let me know!)

THE RESULTS:

Are you sitting down? Because 9 out of 10 judges chose the ONLY contestant that didn’t officially have “salted caramel” in their description!! The See’s Candies milk caramel took this whole contest by surprise! It does say something about tradition, though, doesn’t it? Sometimes the oldies REALLY are the best!

Unfortunately, the See’s Milk caramel had to be disqualified because it snuck into the fight without all the qualifications. However, I wanted to note this crazy turn of events, for you, dear reader! Because it’s worth taking a second look at an oldie. (And I was afraid that if I didn’t acknowledge this little gem, the judges might come after me!)

THE REAL WINNER:

Godiva Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel !! (Crowd goes wild!)

Truth be told, the real winner actually came in SECOND place, but the first contender was disqualified for not actually having the “salted caramel” in the title. This Godiva bar was introduced to me by a good friend and neighbor (thank you, Sherri) and the results showed an all-around love and admiration by all!!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Good & Delish (yes, the generic one!) AND Ghirardelli (still a favorite, although it came in third place with a wide margin between 2nd and 3rd).

STRONGLY DISLIKED:

Lindt. Yes Lindt. Many judges were VERY vocal about their dislike of this particular contender. To me, the chocolate had a strange coconut taste, but other judges said: 1) it had a strange after-taste and 2) they wouldn’t want to eat an entire bar of this.

Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate with Black Sea Salt. Some judges said it was too salty. Some said the chocolate was just too bitter. Another said it had a chalky taste. One judge even choked a little after eating this one! [editor’s note: I am very saddened by this report. I heard many great things about this bar, and eaten alone it may be good, but it just didn’t have what it took to stand up against the other contenders!]

Congratulations, Godiva!

A special thanks to all the judges and assistants: Jenn, Jay, Shellie, Kerri, Lindsay, Linda, Kait, Kari, Sherri, and Lann. You are truly professionals at what you do!

So, what do you think? Did I miss any strong contenders? Do you think you would have chosen the same winner if you conducted this taste test?

So if you do like Salted Caramel Chocolate, go out and try our winner and let me know what YOU think!

{Stay tuned for our next Taste Test Tuesday!}

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Dose of Sunshine Monday : Miracles Happen Every Day

By KariV on March 4, 2013 in Freebies, Inspiration

The printable I’m sharing with you today is very near and dear to my heart. A saying I made up (and even sang it to a little song) when I was having many serious health and relationship challenges.

But even so, I always believed that you should never give up on a person because Miracles happen every day! And they do. What miracles have you seen in your life lately?

If you would like to download this pretty little printable, please like my page here:

and then download the 3×4 or 5×7 printable here:

3-13 miracles happen 3×4

3-13 miracles happen 5×7

Notice the miracles…enjoy!

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maple-pecan-waffles-with-cinnamon-whip-cream-2

Maple Pecan Waffles with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

By KariV on February 28, 2013 in Dessert, Dinner in Minutes, Favorite Things, Recipes

It’s my husband’s birthday…almost! He’s a leap year baby, and so he really doesn’t have an OFFICIAL birthday this year, but don’t worry: he figures he can celebrate for TWO days this year.

I had a different post all planned, but it just didn’t seem right on this celebratory day. So this post is dedicated to my sweetie, who helped me test out this recipe on Sunday: Maple Pecan Waffles with Cinnamon Whipped Cream! (Yum!)

My husband is the waffle-maker in our house. He loves waffles, and he has a nice collection of waffle irons. He has round, square, belgian, and farm animal waffle irons! I’m surprised we don’t yet have a Mickey Mouse waffle iron, but I’m sure we will eventually. And I’m not complaining….NO! I LOVE that he has taken over as waffle chef in our house. His absolute favorite waffle iron is one that I got him a couple years ago on super-sale and he reaches for this one the very most: Check it out here

It will make TWO belgian waffles at once and that is great when you have a lot of mouths waiting for their waffles! We love to host a waffle party…and we even sometimes eat waffles for dinner….or lunch. When isn’t it a good time for waffles?

So let’s get to the “recipe.” It’s so simple (I love a simple recipe!) This comes together in minutes!

First, chop up some pecans.

Then, whip up your heavy cream (PLEASE use the real stuff! My kids are fine with the frozen whipped topping, but that just won’t do for this recipe…You need the real stuff here…believe me, you’ll thank me later)

When the cream is nearly fully whipped, instead of adding sugar to the cream, add CINNAMON/SUGAR. It is so delightful!

Now for the waffle part. Don’t laugh: my husband has found a shortcut to his waffle making secret. He uses Krusteaz waffle & pancake mix to start with! Fifteen years of trial and error and testing every waffle mix out there, and he has found this to be the best. We buy it in the giant bags at Costco! Make it using the instructions on the back. Then, add a bit of cinnamon and a bit of Mapleine.

Put your waffle mixture on your pre-heated waffle iron and sprinkle on some of the chopped pecans. Now let the waffle iron do the rest of the work. {Note: we tried this recipe two ways: one with the pecans sprinkled in the waffle batter, one with pecans sprinkled only on top. The winner: Pecans IN the batter!}

Add your Cinnamon Whipped Cream, a few more chopped pecans, maybe a strawberry or two! These waffles are amazing. When you try this recipe, let me know what you think!

Before I go, I wanted to share that this “recipe” has me giggling a bit. It reminds me of a cartoon I once saw YEARS ago (If I can find it, I will post it here). It started out with the “Dad” of the cartoon getting ready to make breakfast. The kids say “Mom says that everything tastes better when it’s made from scratch.” The Dad replies “Then that’s what we’ll do!” The next slide shows the Dad pulling a box out of the pantry, and the kids say: “What’s in the box?” He replies: “Scratch.”

Gosh, I love my husband!

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Dose of Sunshine: Motivation Monday

By KariV on February 25, 2013 in Freebies, Inspiration

It’s Monday! The day that is most complained about of all the days of the week. It’s back to work for many, and the start of a long week. But why not embrace this day? I remember as a teenager listening to some motivational tapes (yes, cassette tapes!) and one of my favorites had positive affirmations that I was supposed to repeat after he said them: “I will greet this day with love in my heart.”

I still remember that affirmation all these years later. And I still sometimes say it to myself. So why not greet this day with love, with enthusiasm, with a desire to do something better or learn something new? What a great way to start the week!

I made you a chalkboard printable as a reminder to greet this day with love. It’s sized at 3×4″ …the perfect size to slip into a sheet protector if you are working on “Project Life.” Or print it to put on your bathroom mirror in the morning! Have a great Monday!