Tempting Tuesday: Simply Delicious Site

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

In case any of you have forgotten, it's Tempting Tuesday on Lizzisays! Soooo, here is the most tempting thing I found so far this week. In a way it's sad how much of a visual person I am. I love food, and this picture makes me want to weep. I can taste the bacon crust and the delicious tender chicken...*Ahem* Okay, I am back from my daydream. I didn't just come to tempt you with thoughts of chicken, but also with the desire to cook something up yourself.


Perhaps you too are a visual person. If you are, then this site I found is just for you! It is called Visual Recipes and it's basically exactly what it appears to be (from the name.) You get recipes and the step by step instructions with pictures! Is it obvious that this concept excites me? I did a couple recipes like that on here, and now you can find a really good selection too. So, what are you waiting for? I can't believe you're still reading my ramblings! I hope you enjoyed this Tempting Tuesday!


Elisabeth Arona

How to live a healthy life without killing yourself...

Okay...Let's start at the beginning. I am trying to go vegetarian for a few weeks. If you knew how much I need to eat meat, you would understand, but you don't so you don't :-( Today I had flatbread, so I decided to make a pizza with the things I had in the house. I think the pictures are self-explanatory so just go with it and have fun!

I didn't have tomato paste, but what good is a challenge if it's not challenging?

Ripe tomatoes straight from the garden my dad tends diligently like his own children :-)

Mmmm, the finished product after popping it in the oven to cook. It was actually really good! What have you made when your kitchen was mostly empty?

Elisabeth Arona

Cuban rice recipe

Last night I made Cuban rice (a variation) for dinner for the very first time, and it was a such a huge success that I decided to put the recipe up here. Now, I have to tell you I'm a very vague cook, so bear with me as I don't give exact measurements most of the time. This is why I can't bake by the way, because when you bake a cake everything must be exact and that's not my way. Whew so lets get to it.

You will need these ingredients:

Canned black beans

Brown rice preferably (but you can use white)

Pineapple chunks (preferably fresh, but I used canned)

Fresh jalapeño peppers--definitely must be fresh

Sausage or ham

Onion

Garlic

Oil

Even though the original recipe called for ham, I used sausage. First cook the rice, it's best if it's been cooked and has cooled by the time you start. Pour oil in the pan, and chop up your onion (I used only one) and sausage (I used a package and a half) and jalapeño (I used four because I love hot food) into the oil. Let them sauté and soften up then add in your rice. The longer you let the jalapeños cook, the less spicy they'll be. When you're ready, add in the rice, turn the heat down low here because the rice likes to stick and you may have to add a little oil. I cooked my black beans in a separate pot (about two cans) because they wouldn't fit in with the rice without spilling over when I stirred it.You're going to want to season the rice mixture in whichever way you choose--I used some seasoning salt and crushed fresh garlic. Add your pineapple (I used one can) just long enough for it to get nice and warm...And now that the rice mixture is nice and steamy, pour it into a big bowl and add in your black beans (which are seasoned too I hope--get the ones on the latino food aisle they taste best) and you're ready to eat. The pineapple adds a great little sweetness to an otherwise salty spicy dish. I made enough to feed seven people who gorged themselves in such a way that they had to take a walk after dinner lol. Here's what the bowl looked like when we were almost done eating :-) Make enough for leftovers! 

<3 Elisabeth

Southern Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes

First of all, if you're in the south you can possibly go outside and pick a tomato, or run down to the vegetable, if you're not, you can possibly get a green tomato in the store or at a farmers market. If you want the tomatoes to be crispier (and less soft on the inside) get one that really green, if you want one with a crust but soft on the inside, go for a tomato starting to turn pink.
You will need:
A tomato
Enough flour to batter it in (a few tablespoons)
Salt and pepper/seasoning salt/preferred seasoning
Oil to fry them in

First, season the slices of tomato on both sides, then dip them in the flour until its covered, then give it a gentle shake (to get rid of excess) and place them in the pan of hot oil.

They'll look like this at first...

Almost done...

Let's EAT!

So far everyone I've gotten to try these have loved them (providing they actually liked tomatoes in the first place.) Hopefully if you've never had them you'll become addicted to this summer treat just as I have.

Elisabeth Arona