Kitchen Inspiration: Tongs, Peanut Butter & Chocolate

Tall Kitchen Cupboards got you feeling short?

Instead of dragging over a chair try grabbing your kitchen tongs. Works like a charm for grabbing those hard to reach items off the top shelf.

Wondering how I discovered this little trick? Not sure exactly but whoa was I on a roll with good ideas. Once I grabbed the peanut butter off the top shelf I decided to try a little experiment. I melted a handful of chocolate chips with a big scoop of peanut butter in the microwave for 30ish seconds - amazingly tasty, especially if you have a few pretzels to dip into the concoction. I was kind of thinking of doing a detox but now I am not so sure.

Honesty Confession #1

Currently, I go to church for free childcare. Someone else plays and loves on my adorable wild child and I get to sit, listen, sleep (try not to do this last one) for 90 minutes without anyone touching me, whining, demanding food or needing me to change their diaper.

Super Yummy

Searching for the most yummy fool proof recipes?

Here are a few of my favorites:

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-and-Black-Bean-Salad-12245

Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Flank-Steak-with-Rosemary-731

White Chicken Chili (recipe from Lolita, my grandpa's fiance)

White Chili from Lolita serves 4 to 6

2 Chicken breasts, raw, cut into ½” cubes

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Sauté the above ingredients until the chicken is not pink

Add:

2-15 oz. cans of great northern white beans

(rinse and drain the beans first)

1 can chicken broth (14 oz)

2 - 4oz cans of chopped green chilies

(less is you don’t want it too spicy)

1 t. salt

1 t. cumin

1 t. dried oregano

½ t. pepper

¼ t. cayenne pepper

Cook, uncovered for 30 minutes on simmer

Remove from heat and add:

1 cup sour cream

½ cup whipping cream

WOW. I have followers (and no it isn't my mom). Maybe blogging isn't that hard. Today's blog topic. Free Stuff.

Free MUSIC:
Did you know that you get 3 free music downloads a week from Freegal Music with your Seattle Library Card. http://www.freegalmusic.com/users/sdlogin
SERIOUS! Plug in your library card and pin number and rock out. Warning: This could be a new time waster. I spent 30 minutes trying to decide what songs to download. Now I realize that a not all my followers live in Seattle. Solutions: move to Seattle or check with your local library to see they have available to you.

2nd Try

10 months have past and I am ready to give this blog thing another go.

10 minutes have past and I am still sitting here trying to decide what to blog about.

Here is my attempt at providing some useful information for all of you (the millions of who will soon be addicted to my blog)

Favorite New Place:

Mosaic Coffee House (behind Dicks drive in on 45th in Wallingford). Why because they have caffeine and a kids playroom so I can drink my coffee while my little one runs around making a mess in someone else space.

http://www.mosaiccoffeehouse.org/