Cauliflower Fritters

We ate this tasty caulflower side dish with our Garlic-Tequilia-Lime Shrimp over the weekend.  Tasty and caulflower??  You might be asking yourself why those words are in the same sentence.  Believe me, it's hard to imagine, I know.  But yes, it's true.  Cauliflower can be yummy, especially if you cook it like this recipe below.


My husband's friend came over and joined us for dinner that included these veggie fritters.  After he took one bite, he said, "I think this is my favorite way to eat cauliflower."  I couldn't agree with him more!  See if you and your family agrees with us too! 




Cauliflower Fritters

(Makes 10 - 12 patties)

1 head of cauliflower, steamed and chopped finely (about 3 and 1/2 cups)
1 cup of whole wheat flour
2 eggs
2 cups of reduced fat cheese of your choice (I used monterey-cheddar blend)
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup of warm water
1 tsp garlic salt
dash of Cajun seasoning
cooking spray or oil


Steam your cauliflower for about ten to twelve minutes on the stove.  Remove from heat and let it cool before chopping into fine pieces.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped cauliflower, whole wheat flour, eggs, cheeses, water, garlic salt and seasonings.  Stir well with spoon or your hands.  Form mixture into small patties, about 3 inches wide.  I made 12 patties with mine.  Set aside.


Heat a large skillet on the stove at medium high.  Spray cooking oil or use about 1/4 cup of olive oil for the bottom of the pan.   When the pan is hot, place your cauliflower patties in skillet.  Cook on one side for 7 to 10 minutes.  Flip over and cook the other side for 5 to 7 minutes.  (Note: I cooked four patties at a time in my skillet). 


Transfer cooked patties to a serving dish.  Sprinkle with a teaspoon of shredded and/or Parmesan cheese for garnish.  Enjoy!


You can freeze any leftovers for up to three months.  Remove from freezer and simply reheat in the microwave.


Do you have any great summertime vegetable recipes?  I am looking for other new, easy and delicious ways to get my family to eat more veggies!

Grilled Garlic-Tequilia-Lime Shrimp

This is my new favorite way to eat shrimp!  We've made this recipe several times over the years.  However, this past weekend I perfected the marinade.  It was the perfect combination of garlic (tons of it!), lime and a hint of tequilia flavor.  Soooo yummy! 


Fire up your grill and try out this amazing, delicious recipe!






Grilled Garlic-Tequilia-Lime Shrimp

(Serves 3-4)

1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned with tails on!
3 bell peppers, cut into 1 inch or bigger squares (I used a green, red and orange)
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. tequilia
2 tbsp. lime juice (one lime)
zest of one lime
3 garlic cloves, minced (I actually doubled this because I love garlic!)
wooden or metal skewers to hold the shrimp, onions and peppers


Clean and devein your medium shrimp but be sure to leave the tails on.  Cut your peppers and onions into one inch size chunks.  Arrange your shrimp and vegetables onto the skewers. I alternated a shrimp with a vegetable, placing an average of four shrimp and four veggies per skewer.  Set aside.


Rub a garlic clove around the storage or plastic container where you will let the shrimp and marinade sit.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, tequilia, lime juice and zest and garlic in a small bowl.  Stir well.  


Place the shrimp skewers into the storage container that has been rubbed by garlic.  Pour the marinade over the skewers.  Place in the fridge and let it sit for 2 to 4 hours prior to grilling. 


Grill shrimp and veggie skewers over hot coals or use a gas grill.  Shrimp only take five minutes or less.  Watch them carefully so you don't overcook them as they will become hard or too chewy. 


We served ours with salad, a side of cauliflower fritters (recipe coming soon) and homemade bread.  I love grilling season!

What are your favorite things to put on the outdoor grill?  Do you have any special marinades or sauce recipes?

What's Cookin' This Week (May 2 - 8, 2011)?

The job starts on Monday.  I'm very excited!  As I move further along in the new role, I'll share more here.  But for now, I can tell you that it was my personal decision (and preference) to re-enter the workforce.  The job has nothing to do with food or cooking but I think it will give me several creative outlets and be a lot of fun too!  :-) 


I've done a lot of kitchen prepwork over the past few weeks to prepare for the new transition so I think (hope) it will go smoothly.  However, this week I'm keeping my meals easy and mostly light.  I will try out a new sandwich recipe and a new one-dish skillet pasta.  Over the weekend, I will experiment with a new breakfast meal and a crepes recipe with sausage too.  I'm going to only attempt one dessert this week.  The rest will be family stand-by's and favorites of ours. 


Here's what I have lined up: 

Monday, May 2 - Mediterranean Chicken Sandwiches with leftover Cauliflower Fritters from my freezer

Tuesday, May 3 - Cheeseburger Skillet Pasta with a side salad

Wednesday, May 4 - Leftovers or Eat Out with Friends

Thursday, May 5 - Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Friday, May 6 - Barbecue Chicken and Ranch Pizza

Saturday, May 7 -  Breakfast: Makeover Hashbrown Casserole, scrambled eggs
Dinner: Sausage Crepes with homemade Caesar salad

Sunday, May 8 - Mother's Day Brunch - Eat Out. 
Dinner: Eat from freezer - Sausage and black bean soup

AND  I hope to make just this one dessert - Peanut Butter Pretzel Torte - to celebrate my first week at work!  :-)


I will be sharing a delicious grilled shrimp recipe along with a scrumptious cauliflower side dish recipe too.  Come back and visit me soon for that! 


What's on your meal plan this week?  Do you have any special plans or food that you'll be eating for Mother's Day!? 

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Learn With Me: Make your own "Bread Flour" AND My Favorite Homemade Sandwich Bread

It has taken me several months and a half-dozen breadmaker disasters (read about those mishaps here!) BUT I have finally perfected the perfect sandwich bread.  In fact, I finally learned the important component to making bread - Gluten! 




That's right.  Learn with me!  You can make your own bread flour!  You don't need to buy special store-bought flours to make bread!  Bread flour is simply regular flour plus vital wheat gluten flour in it.  Follow this simple recipe to make your own "bread flour" for baking the best loaves of bread possible. 

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Bread Flour
1 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten flour - Just one bag of this this stuff lasts you quite a long time!!  Look for it in the flour section of your grocery store or the healthy/organic section!
1 cup of flour - you can use regular, all purpose flour.  But I like to use King Arthur's 100% Natural White Wheat

Combine 1 Tbsp of Gluten flour into 1 cup of regular flour.  If a recipe calls for three cups of flour, then use 3 Tbsp of gluten in the recipe!  That is how you get "bread flour."  The gluten give it more elasticity. 

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Yes, I've finally realized that you don't need store bought bread flour or other fancy flours to make decent bread.  You just need regular flour and extra gluten (flour) to make it a flexible, rising loaf.  In fact, I would recommend NOT using bread flour because most of the ones out there are not natural and enriched with components your body does not need.  Instead, choose an unbleached, unenriched flour (like whole wheat ). 

Note: If you have gluten allergies, don't worry!  There are other options for you, such as this delicious looking gluten-free sandwich bread recipe!  For gluten free breads, you need mixes and flours that do not contain wheat and that have the component xanthan gum in it.  I will be trying out a gluten-free bread soon and will share the results here!


In the mean time, I'd like to share with you my new favorite, homemade sandwich bread that I make every week now!  I love it.  The recipe is easy and it always comes out moist and perfect.  It is a whole wheat, healthy and all natural bread that my family loves.  We use it in almost every capacity - grilled cheese sandwiches, French toast and bread crumbs.  This versatile bread is great compared with anything!





Mandy's Favorite Sandwich Bread - Yogurt Whole Wheat Bread

(Makes a 2 lb loaf)

1 cup of warm water
1 and 1/3 cup of plain yogurt (I used fat free)
5 cups of whole wheat, all natural flour (I use the King Arthur 100% White Wheat brand)
6 Tbsp of vital gluten flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp of bread machine yeast (or 2 and 1/2 tsp. SAF yeast)


Place all ingredients in a lightly greased bread loaf in the order in which they are listed above.  Set your bread machine to the basic cycle and set to medium crust.  Mine was ready in 3 hours and fifteen minutes.  

Remove from the machine (or oven).  Let it cool for about ten minutes.  Turn it over and dump it from the pan.  Slice it and serve.  (I get about 14 to 16 slices out of my bread loaves).






You can make this bread my hand as well and bake it in the oven for just over an hour.  However, I love my bread machine and don't have time to do this by hand much.  If you try it by hand, let me know! 


Do you have a favorite sandwich bread?  Do you make your own bread or buy them from the store? 

Every now and then I still buy a loaf from the store, if I find a good deal.  But there is nothing quite like the freshness and smells from my kitchen when I bake homemade bread! 

I Died And Went To Crepes Heaven!

During my vacation in California last week, my very good friend (and local CA girl) Carrie took me to one of the best restaurants I've ever visited - A place that specializes in crepes called La Creperie Cafe in Long Beach. 


Confession: I've never really had crepes before.  Well I have, but I wouldn't call Denny's breakfast plate or Village Inn restaurant a real crepe-like experience.  Nothing like this place La Creperie Cafe who makes authentic, French style entrees and desserts.  This restaurant calls itself a Bohemian bistro and bar specializing in crepes.  It certainly felt like a whole different world as we stepped inside and was tranformed into a foodie paradise. The atmosphere was gorgeous, with clever ornaments, ornate mirrors, elaborate ceiling fixtures and a bar that would make anyone's mouth drop from sheer vastness and beauty. 


After spending too much time drooling over the menu options followed by quenching my thirst with their homemade peach tea, I made my decision with confidence.  I ordered the  Al Mare Savory Crepe - which was described as the following: Jumbo shrimp, sun-dried and plum tomatoes, wild mushrooms, shallots and mozzarella cheese in a lobster basil cream sauce.  Oh believe me, it's as good as it sounds.  Just see for yourself in this photo: 





Need I say any more? Yes, that's me!  Look at my happy face!  Check out my Fonzie style pose!  (Hahaha!)   Dang, just looking at this photo makes me want to drool! 


My pal Carrie ordered the Dipollo - which was described as the following: Fresh wild mushrooms, herbs de provence and mozzarella with your choice of chicken, ham or turkey in a sherry cream sauce. She chose the chicken to accompany it.


Here is Carrie (pictured below) showing off her wonderful plate:






I took a bite of her food and she took a bite of mine.  Good friends share, after all.  Both were equally amazing and delicious.  We both ate every single bite of this good sized meal.  I was stuffed.  Literally.  I didn't want to go on.  I told her that I could not eat another spoonful. Yet Carrie persisted, saying we MUST have dessert crepes as well. 


So we ordered and shared the Romeo and Juliet Crepe - which was described as the following: Nutella, fresh strawberries and bananas.  You could add in Bailey's Irish Cream for $1.00.  So of course we did!  When the option to have Bailey's is available, could anyone really say no??   We omitted the bananas in there since we were both only craving the berries~!


Oh my gosh, I wish I would have taken a photo of the dessert.  I was too busy sucking down every last speck of it to bother with photography.   I think it should have been named "Better than sex crepe" or something similar to that because holy schmoly!  It was soooooo yummy! 


If I knew I was going to have a last meal, this is what I would order all over again.  My exact entree and my exact dessert!  Oh yeah, that is how fabulous it was!


And when I wasn't indulging in crepes, I was stuffing myself with Mexican cuisine, traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie and having lots of Starbucks tea and treats, like this:

Oh yeah, being on vacation and eating whatever you want is the life of luxury!  :-) 


Have you ever eaten crepes?  Have you ever tried making them from scratch?  If you could plan out your last meal on earth, what would you choose to be on your plate? 

Early Start Muffins

As I was looking through my ingredients in the pantry and on my counter over the weekend, I realized I had all the things to make my usual Peanut Butter and Banana Oat muffins.  Only I also had a bunch of blueberries as well.  That may make a great combination, I thought to myself.  And what a great way to start the day, especially as I'm returning to the workforce again next week - after a year and a half of being a stay at home mom (yikes!). 

Therefore, I created these muffins on the spot.  I am naming them "Early Start Muffins" since they have a lot of things your body needs to start the day right.  They have bananas (great for potassium), blueberries (wonderful antioxidants) and peanut butter (the good fat and a source of protein).  When I combine that with minimal (all natural) sugar, whole wheat flour and oats, the end result is a mighty breakfast packed into a normal size muffin! 

Here's the recipe that surprised me with how good it is and is sure to be in my hands for breakfast once or twice a week:




Mandy's Early Start Muffins

(Makes 18)

Dry ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour (I use the King Arthur white wheat brand)
1 and 1/4 cups of old fashioned oats (or quick is fine)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of all natural sugar (I used Truvia)

Wet ingredients:

2 bananas, very ripe and mashed
1 and 1/4 cup of reduced fat (or skim) milk
4 Tbsp of Peanut Butter, all natural creamy
2 egg whites ( 1/3 egg substitute or one regular egg)
1/2 cup of applesauce

Add in last:
1 and 1/4 cup of blueberries


Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin and a 6-muffin tin with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Mix the dry ingredients in one medium size bowl. Sift and stir.  Set aside.

Mash the ripe bananas in a separate large bowl.  Add in all the other wet ingredients EXCEPT the blueberries.  Whisk and stir until all is combined and nearly smooth.  Small chunks of banans or peanut butter is okay but it should mostly be liquified.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.  Stir well until combined.  Add the 1 and 1/4 cup of blueberries last.  Gently blend them into the mixture so you don't crush them or puncture them. 

Spoon or pour out batter into the greased muffin tins, 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.  Remove from the oven.  Let them cool. 




This made a total of 18 muffins for me.  I kept 6 out in a plastic container and froze the rest of them.  Muffins are such great breakfast or snack items.  They are quick to eat, not messy (usually) and can be eaten on the go.  By making them at home and carefully selecting good, wholesome ingredients, you're guaranteed a healthy, delicious item! 

To defrost: simply remove from the freezer and microwave each one for about 30 to 45 seconds.  Or leave out overnight in a storage tight container so it can come to room temperature.

Enjoy!  Muffins are a big favorite of mine.  They are one of the first things I really started experimenting with when I became a stay at home mom. I know I'll be eating a lot of these on a weekly basis now that I'm entering the workforce again! 

What's Cookin' This Week (Apr 25 - May 1)?

Hello there!  Did you miss me while I was gone?  Probably not.  You were most likely out enjoying yourselves and eating great foods.  Oh well, that's okay.  I had a great time being away.  A wonderful break indeed!  


But now it's time to get serious!  Now the prep work really begins~!  My life is about to get more hectic and I'll have less free time to cook and meal plan.  So I have to make good use of the hours in a day, in a week.


I've already done some great preparation for lunches in the near future - Yesterday I made 16 black bean burgers which both my daughter and I love!  (Thanks again Allison G for the great recipe~!)  I've pureed around 5 cups of carrots to use in future recipes.  I made 18 "Early Start Muffins" which I will be sharing the recipe for later this week.  They include blueberries, bananas and peanut butter - three things I know I'll need for energy to help me start the day right in my new role outside the home.  I've finally perfected the best healthy, whole-grain and protein-enriched sandwich bread that my family enjoys.  I'll share that recipe in the coming days as well.


Furthermore, I will post a funny photo and details from my recent California vacation.  So stay tuned for that and more!  You have lots to look forward to reading!   And welcome to you newcomers too!  I see I gained a few new followers in my absence.  I'm glad to have you here!  Now, I can't promise I'll be posting every day but I do guarantee that I'll be back when I can, sharing great meals and tips from my kitchen to yours!


In the meantime, here's my meal plan for the week:


Monday, Apr. 25 - Unstuffed Peppers Casserole (made with ground turkey and rice)  - This recipe is from my cookbook.  If you'd like a copy of it, let me know!  This makes a lot so I freeze some for later.

Tuesday, Apr. 26 - Homemade Fish sticks! Serve them with a side of sweet potatoes and salad - I'm nervous about this one but I still want to try it!  If it comes out great, this would be easy to freeze and enjoy for lunches this summer!

Wednesday, Apr. 27 - Pepperoni Pizza Pasta - This recipe is from my cookbook.  It also makes a ton so I freeze more than half for later!

Thursday, Apr. 28 - Leftovers or grilled ham & cheese sandwiches

Friday, Apr. 29 - Chili Fritos (since I used up all of my homemade chili in the freezer, I'll just open up a can of Hormel Turkey Chili with beans from my pantry and layer it with shredded cheese and Fritos chips!)

Saturday, Apr. 30 - Tequilia Lime Shrimp with shishkabobs on the grill, side of corn bread cake

Sunday, May 1 - Chicken and Vegetable Enchiladas, serve with leftover corn bread


I chose these above dishes in mind so that I can freeze leftovers for later.  That's where my head is these days ~ preparing for the future so I can take a break!  



Sides and snacks for the week:

Note: I'm not going to be making as many desserts or snacks as I used to but here are three I hope to tackle before I hit the grind once again - one dessert, one dip and one side dish.  They are all from the same blog, a new one I found and am LOVING so far by Skinny Taste

(1) Low Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

(2) Chick Pea and Roasted Pepper Dip

(3) Cauliflower Fritters



I know that once my new job starts, I may need to take more time for my family.  We may be eating more simple salads and sandwiches in the week.  But that's okay.  As long as we're all happy, healthy and have near-full bellies, that's all that matters!  I'll still learn, laugh and cook whenever I can! 


How was your Easter?  What good things have you eaten over the past week?

A Vacation, A New Job, Easter And Preparing For It All!

Although this is a blog about food and my experiences of learning, laughing and cooking in the kitchen, I should let you know about some changes that are on the horizon for me.  I have a few personal things happening that will affect my life and reflect the direction of this site.

First, I'm going on vacation next week!  HOORAY!  It will be the first trip I take without my daughter.  I'm mostly excited but a little nervous too.  I know Vivian will be in good hands with her grandparents who have kindly agreed to watch her and housesit for us while we're on the Pacific Coastline.  I've just had a rather hectic time writing down instructions, preparing lists and thinking of everything that could happen or need to be explained during my absence.  The fridge and freezer is stocked full of ready-made meals that can be pulled out and heated for them.  I've sent my parents three separate word documents already with details on where they can eat out (if they chose to do that), what they can do to entertain a three-year old and how they can manage the diva's schedule.  (They've successfully raised two kids, including myself, I know.  But since they live in another state and only see us every few months, they don't know our usual routine). 

I'll be spending time in San Diego and Orange County, California.  I'll be visiting with an amazing friend who I can't wait to see!  I'll be taking my first ever train ride!  I have a lot to be thrilled about and I am really looking forward to the time away! 

In other BIG NEWS - I'm returning to the outside workforce!   Provided all the initial screenings and paperwork goes smoothly, I'm starting a new job in May!  I don't want to use the phrase, "I'm going back to work," since I've clearly been working my tail off as a stay at home mom for the past year and a half.   It has been a wonderful experience spending time with my daughter and taking a break from the same work routine all the time.  We've gotten closer and we sure appreciate each other better now.  I've had a lot of fun playing tourist in my community too and spending time with friends and fellow moms.   I also wrote a cookbook which you may remember?  :-)  So I can't say that I've been the typical, often boring "stay at home" mom who sat around for over a year.  Quite the contrary actually! 

Yet I feel the time has come for me to enter into a new phase in my life and career.  I have been very selectively job hunting for the past several months - only looking at places where I really thought I'd fit into or applying for jobs that I feel reflect my personality and culture. 

Recently a phone call from a place I admire then turned into a job interview.... Then not long after that, a job offer was made to me that I happily accepted!  A few of the details are still being worked out but all looks good for me to begin in early May.  I am thrilled at the opportunity presented before me and can't wait to see where it leads me next.  I've enrolled my daughter in a preschool/ day care program that looks amazing, somewhere that I believe (and hope) she will be happy until she starts school.  My girl is so smart and loves being around other children so I think it will be a great move for her, after the initial transition of course. 

So there is lots happening in my life right now!  Big changes that are on the way but things I hope (and trust) will be even better for my family!  :-) 

What will all these changes mean for this Learn, Laugh, Cook blog?  Well, probably not a lot will change here, except that I may be posting a little less and visiting your sites a little less once my new employment begins.  I still plan to keep up with my meal plan and post that here. 

I will need to be organized now, more than ever, with returning to work outside the home!  I'll still be making new dishes and desserts but my creativity may be more limited to weekends instead of the middle of the week. 

Only time will tell how things will really play out.  I only know that I'm looking forward to the new opportunity and the new direction that my life will go!  However, I will happily accept any good wishes, thoughts and prayers that you'd like to send my way in the meantime - just good vibes to help us get through the beginning changes and issues that may arise as we switch to a new schedule. 

I'll still be around and I will continue to share funny, educational culinary stories and more, whenever I can!  Thank you for being with me on this journey and for reading this site!  I created it for me but I sure do love sharing my stories with others!

Now that I'm done blabbing, I want to wish you a Happy Easter! 

May you have a great upcoming holiday and coming days!  I'll be back in over a week to post a recap of my vacation and what I'm doing to help make my life easier when I start the new job.  I already have a lot of prepwork and pre-cooking ideas that should save me time and money in the kitchen!  I look forward to sharing those insights with you! 

Eat well and Stay fabulous!