I like it, I really, really like it!

This recipe was something I wasn't going to write about.  Main reason--I didn't think it tasted especially good.  It was just "okay" to me when I first tried it.  That all changed however the day after I made this Coconut Lime chicken breast.  I don't know,  I guess the flavors were able to meld even more the next day and hence, so much tastier and definitely something to write home about!

This recipe incorporates some of my favorite ingredients, coconut milk, garlic, and ginger into a marinade that you soak the chicken breasts in overnight.  I added some freshly chopped chili for an extra kick, and also a dash of turmeric.  The recipe calls for chicken with skin-on but I used skinless and they still turned out fine.  I didn't have any cilantro for garnish so I used some fresh basil instead.
Very easy to prepare and another way to cook up that "boring" chicken breast you may have tucked away in your freezer.

Coconut Lime Chicken:
(from Nutrioulicious)

Ingredients

• 2 packed tablespoons grated lime zest
• ¼ cup lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened, light coconut milk
• 4 bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin on
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large glass bowl, combine lime zest and juice, ginger, garlic, sugar, cumin, curry powder, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in coconut milk until mixture is smooth. Submerge chicken breast halves in marinade, making sure the marinade gets under the skin; cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 12 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and fit with a wire rack. Remove chicken from marinade and shake to remove excess. Arrange in a single layer on rack, skin side up. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.

Sashimi for breakfast

I was lucky enough to be the recipient of some freshly caught Yellow Fin Tuna last night.  My friend's hubby went fishing off the San Diego coast and caught some over the weekend.

Yellow Fin Tuna

Thinking how I was going to prepare it, and at my friend's suggestion, I decided to just eat it as I would sashimi...raw.  So for breakfast this morning I made a stir-fry of beet greens and leaves, chopped up celery, a little bacon, and tossed in some sweet fresh peach.
I topped all this off with some avocado and the tuna sashimi.  Delicious!

Attempting the Poached Egg

For the past two days I've been trying to perfect the poached egg.  I Googled "poached egg recipe" and of course, there were a lot of them.  I settled on the most straightforward (and shortest), explanation on how to prepare the poached egg (and not to mess it up).  Well, I think I was successful.  Sure there are much prettier poached eggs out there but I'm pretty happy with the one I made for this morning's breakfast.  I sprinkled a tiny bit of chili pepper over the egg, and ate it with a low carb tortilla. What do you think?


The following technique for poached eggs is the one I used and is taken from the site, Simply Recipes :

• Fresh eggs
• 1 to 2 teaspoons vinegar (rice vinegar works well) (optional)

Equipment needed

• Shallow saucepan with cover
• Slotted spoon

METHOD

1 First bring water in a saucepan to almost boiling. If the water is already boiling, lower the heat until it is no longer boiling. At this point, you can add one or two teaspoons of vinegar to the water, if you want. The vinegar will help the egg whites to congeal more easily. 


2 Working with the eggs one by one, crack an egg into a small cup, then place the cup near the surface of the hot water and gently drop the egg into the water. With a spoon, nudge the eggwhites closer to their yolks. This will help the egg whites hold together.


3 Turn off the heat. Cover. Let sit for 4 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked.

4 Lift eggs out of pan with a slotted spoon.


One trick to make the eggs stay somewhat contained is to take a ring from a mason jar and place it in the pan. Drop the egg over the mason jar ring and let it settle in the ring, then turn off the heat and cover.

Breakfast of Champions

Oh, how could I resist a chocolate bar donut? The answer is, I cannot.  Especially a freshly baked one, still warm and soft in the middle. Drool.

This was one of my breakfast items for this last day of  a very long work week.

So, what was the other?  This lovely, delicate, not-so-sweet-but-oh-so-good strawberry and custard filled croissant, dusted with powdered sugar.

Fridays never tasted so good!

What is your sweet indulgence on this Friday?

A few treasures

One of my favorite past times is scouring thrift stores and yard sales so please allow me to share some of the fun things I've found over the years. 

This cute dish set was something I bought at a nearby thrift store. I use the plate and bowl almost every day...makes me feel like a kid again!  Unfortunately, I broke the cup after pouring hot water in it. My bad.

This one is an old A&W Root beer mug.  I cannot recall where I found it but I can tell you it's quite heavy!

and this is a pretty vintage piece from Fire King which I bought in the mountain town of Wrightwood, CA last year during their annual Memorial Day city-wide yard sale:

Some vintage trays I've collected,

and this plate reminded me of something my mom had from the 1970's:

Do you like to go to second hand stores and yard sales?  If so, what do you enjoy looking for and what are some of your favorite finds?

No June Gloom Here

Not in the least, especially when you bake a batch of these Sunshine Cupcakes!   This is a revisit of an old recipe I found on the back of my Swan Downs Cake Flour box.  I first baked these deliciously moist cupcakes, actually called 1-2-3-4 Cake, 5 years ago and I remember how they put a big smile on my face back then.  Nothing's changed as these cupcakes still make the gloomiest of June days happy and bright.  Enjoy!

Sunshine Cupcakes (aka, Swan Downs’ 1-2-3-4 Cupcakes): (when halved, makes 12 regular sized cupcakes)
Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and flavorings, beating after each addition until smooth. Baking: Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans, using about 2-1/3 cups batter in each pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks

Watching My Garden Grow

I never really thought of myself as a "gardener".  No, not me, the person who cannot remember to water the hibiscus shrubs that were planted two years ago, or who kills pretty much every potted herb I pick up at the farmer's market.  But, this year would be different, I told myself.  I was determined to start my own vegetable garden and with the help of my sister-in-law and friends who are experienced gardeners, I did it!

Yes, it's still a work in progress but it's fun "work" and it brings me lots of joy.

Let's take a stroll, shall we?



Raised garden bed

Sesame

Hibiscus

Green Bell Peppers

Oregano, green onions, Celebrity tomatoes

Red onions

Kale and Lettuce