Summer Days

Oh, how I love summertime! After a nice day of being outside, grocery shopping, and swimming, what better to do than make Tacos!!! For Dust, I made Chicken Tacos, by sauteing two Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast by simply spraying a small pan with Butter Flavored Cooking Spray and cooking them for about 5 minutes on each side before taking them off and cutting them up into small chunks. I then placed them back in the pan and added a bit of Water and Taco Seasoning. I let them for a few minutes more, had him come over and assemble the taco the way he liked (he added 2% Mexican Cheese and Taco Sauce). Then I placed the assembled taco in a pan over a med-high hear and sprayed with the Cooking Spray until they were a nice golden color and the Cheese had melted.



For me, it was the same concept, only I made Veggie Tacos. I used the Morning Star Grillers Recipe Crumbles. I eyeballed it and put just enough for about two tacos into a small pan with the Butter Flavored Cooking Spray. I let it cook over a medium heat until heated and tender. I assembled mine similar to how Dusty assembled his; except, I used the 2% Mexican Cheese and All Natural Salsa. I placed them on the same pan over a med-high hear and sprayed with the Cooking Spray until they were a nice golden color and the Cheese had melted.



We sat outside on the porch and enjoyed our tacos as the sun went down on our nice summer day.

A Candlight Dinner and Dancing

Tonight, Dusty pulled a fast one on me! He told me to get cute, that we were going to the store to pick out what we want for dinner, make it together, and have a candlight dinner for two! It was soooo fun and yummy! Dusty simply had Whole Wheat Pasta with a basic Tomato Sauce and I made a Squash and Zucchini pasta. My pasta wasn't that great, then again it was the first attempt. It needed a lot more flavor, so I will try it again and THEN give you all the wonderful ingredients that go into it. I tried to make a Garlic Sauce/Topping for it; but, it was not so hot.

The overall night was amazing though. The table was beautiful and the company was wonderful. Dusty and I listened to songs by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Michale Buble, the romantic and jazzy type of music. After dinner we danced, played cards, and just hung out. It has been very nice.

Our beautifully set table and meal.

Dusty's Whole Wheat Pasta and French Loaf

My "First Attempt" Summer Squash Pasta

My Latest and Greatest Toy....

The Mortar and Pestle! This thing is FABULOUS! It will make crushing up almods for baking, corn flakes for fauz-frying, and anything else you can imgine easier and more fun! Sure, anyone can pop those things in the food processor, but only a true cook, a healthy cook, knows how to use her mortar and pestle!

My first game, crush the garlic! I made a garlic paste out of Garlic Cloves and Salt tonight for our Chicken Terriyaki! I just placed a dab of Almond Oil in a saute pan, added in the Chicken over a medium-high heat, and threw in a few swigs of Terriyaki Sauce to cook together while I minced and ground my Garlic Cloves in the mortar and pestle! So fun! I also let White Rice steam while the chicken was cooking as well; HOWEVER, you should definitely use a Whole Grain (brown rice) in place of the white rice. That way you get all the nutrients that are packed into the Whole Grain rice and delpeted from the White Rice. Unfortunately, I just served up empty carbs and calories and no nutrients tonight with the white rice!

If you're not a big rice fan, like me, this chicken is amazing over a bed of Shredded Lettuce with a touch of Catalina Dressing. I was so hungry and it was so yummy I didn't even stop to think about a picture until after it was all gone (LOL).

The dinner was good, not as exciting as that Pork Tenderloin turned out to be, but it was still fabulous! Dusty even helped me cook! I give him credit for keeping the chicken from burning while I played with my new toy! :) Again, I forgot to take a picutre before, so these shots are from AFTER everyone dug into the dinner (LOL).

Tonight's Dinner...

Today I tried something new! Pork Tenderloin! It's only 3.5 g of fat for 4 oz., so it is a lean meat.

I had a roast down on Dusty's menu for tonight, but I couldn't find one that I could afford (LOL)! Dust had been eying the tenderloin for a few days anyway, so I gave it a go...and it was a HUGE success!

(Note: the pictures do not look appealing, this is what happens when you leave supper for two guys; they demolish it!!! lol)



Today was my day to work in Ft. Rucker, so I seared the tenderloin using the amazing new Almond Oil that daddy bought me the other day, placed it in the Croc-Pot with 2 cups of Low Sodium Beef Broth, about 1 cup of Water, a splash of Terriyaki Sauce, and a douse of Black Pepper. I let it cook on high for about one hour before adding in the Sliced Whole Potatoes and the hand-sliced Carrots. I let it continue to cook on high all afternoon until Dusty got home from work at 5:30 and was ready to eat.



I got a text around 6:00 that said, "Omg this dinner is so good!" I had two Pork Tenderloins in the Croc Pot to begin with, and this is what now remains:

Ok, so, to go along with the post about the fabulous grill that my fabulous daddy got me, these are the pictures of my first few times at the grill:

Grilled Chicken

• 1 Large Ziploc Bag, sized accordingly to the size of your chicken breast
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray
• 1 Tyson 100% Natural Chicken Breast
• Mrs. Dash Grilling Blends Seasoning in Mesquite or Chicken Flavors

1. Take your ziploc bag and add the chicken breast and butter spray. Shake around and squish with your fingers in order to coat the chicken breast with the butter spray (Note: you want just enough butter spray to coat the chicken and help the spices to stick. Do not overdo it.) Next, add in the Mrs. Dash Seasoning of your choice. (I suggest shaking the seasoning over one side of the chicken and them flipping the bag over to coat the other side as well. Then, press down on the chicken to help it stick).
   
2. Let you chicken marinate in the refrigerator all day if possible, but for at least 1-2 hours in order to let the seasonings really seep in.


3. When you are ready to cook, fire up your grill to high for about 5 minutes in order to get your grill nice and hot. Then, lower the heat to medium to med-high. Place the chicken on the grill and close the lid. Check periodically and try to flip the chicken after about 5 mintues. Cook until the juices run clear and the chicken has no pink in the middle.

Now that you have the chicken, you need a side!

How about a delicious summer squash and zucchini combo:

Grilled Squash and Zucchini

• 1 medium summer squash
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium onion, optional
  

1. Slice the squash and zucchini into long, medium-thick slices, so that they do not fall through the grill racks (if you have a grilling wok or a grilling tray you may use it in order to keep the vegetables from falling through as well). If you own a mandolin, which I suggest you run out and buy if you don't already have one, you want to make your slices around 1/4 in. thick, maybe just a tad thinner.


2. Slice your onion into medium-thick rounds. Again, with your mandolin you will want to make the onions about the same thickness.


3. To make the combination extra fabulous, toss together with just a tad bit of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray and one packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning (found on the dressing isle beside the ranch dip/dressing mixes).
   Heat up your grill to a high heat for about 5 minutes in order to get it nice and hot. Then, cut it back to a medium to med-high heat.


4. Grill your vegetables until you achieve the desired grill marks and/or tenderness of your vegetable medley.

Here's just a few more fun grilling pics!