Smoothies

I know it seems silly for me to post this, but some people really DON'T know how to make a smoothie (trust me, I actually KNOW some of those people). I have several variations that I like to make depending on the purpose.

You need a liquid. I've tried several different juices, vanilla soy milk, vanilla RICE milk and regular milk (well...Lactaid...heheheh). You need a thickening agent. I've used yogurt (plain, vanilla and fruit flavored), silken tofu (for the protein factor - don't knock it...I lost a gang of weight after baby #1 using this stuff) and ice cream. You need FRUIT - because what's a smoothie without fruit? Eww...the thought alone scares me!! HAHAHAH!!

Here's my personal favorite...

Ingredients:

6-8 ounces of orange juice
1 cup of vanilla yogurt
1 medium sized banana
3-4 frozen strawberries (because they aren't always in season)
Ice cubes (maybe a handful)

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Directions:

Toss everything in a blender and turn the damn thing on!!

See how easy that is? HAHAHAHAHAA! Sometimes I make them for my kids after dinner. If I make it for myself, it's usually a meal replacement - but then I'm using tofu for that instead of yogurt. If using tofu, add a sweetener like honey or Splenda...otherwise it'll be bland and have a chalky taste.

Enjoy!

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Wicked Buffalo Wings

Just in time for the Super Bowl festivities that are getting ready to take place!! Over the weekend I had some of the BEST buffalo wings I've EVER had...never mind that they were served to us via ROOM SERVICE and we only got 6 wings for $10 (plus 7.75% tax, $2.00 delivery and 18 % gratuity) - that's roughly $2.50 EACH - they were till the best I've ever had.

I came home from my weekend getaway inspired!!

Ingredients:

3lbs. chicken wings (with tips cut off and separated)
1/2 cup of margarine
3/4 cup of your favorite hot sauce (separated) - I used Louisiana Wildly Wicked Wing Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

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Directions:

Now, some people prefer to deep fry their wings and dip them in flour before doing so...but I like to cook healthy when I can - so I baked my wings. Preheat the oven to 425. Line two cookie sheets with foil and coat foil with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine wings with about 1/4 cup of sauce, salt and pepper...mix well and let sit for about 10 minutes before cooking.



Bake wings for 15 minutes on each side. While the wings are baking, in a large skillet melt 1/2 cup (or one stick) of margarine and pour in the remaining sauce. With a wire whisk, mix well until it starts to thicken. Once the chicken is done cooking, place the wings inside the skillet and toss them to coat evenly. Allow the wings to simmer in the sauce. The longer you allow them to simmer, the spicier they will be. During the last minute or so, drizzle honey over the wings and toss.



I served them for dinner with a large salad and everyone LOVED them! I'm glad because I had never made buffalo wings before! HAHAHAHA!!!

If you plan on making more than 3lbs of chicken wings, double the sauce recipe! Good luck...and as usual, ENJOY!!

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Menu Plan Monday - Week of January 5

I know I've been behind on posting my menus. The truth is I haven't been sticking to my menus and haven't really been planning with the holidays and all that. But now that the holidays have moved past us (and left us BROKE), let's get back to it!!

Korean BBQ Shortribs
Kimbap (Korean sushi)
Steamed White Rice

Meatloaf
Rice and Gravy (being half Chinese, we're ALWAYS eating rice!)
Tuna Casserole (which I've been TRYING to make for about 3 weeks now)
Won Ton Soup
Green Salad (with every meal as usual)

Enjoy!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I am soooo lame. The holidays had me wound up and busy! I didn't have time to blog, let alone sit still long enough to have a complete thought!

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday! I plan on posting my new recipes THIS WEEK!! Stay tuned!

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