baked oatmeal

Have you ever heard of baked oatmeal?
If you have, you are ahead of the game.
But.
If you have and haven't tried it, you are a ....
Hmm.
How do I put this nicely?
A simpleton?
A dunderling?
Either way, you need to try this.
In a major way.

Baked Oatmeal
Serves 4-6.
from Cooking for Seven. 
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

3/4 - 1 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon, optional

Preheat oven to 350*. Place the butter in a square (9x9 or 8x8-inch) baking dish and place in the oven to melt. Make sure to keep an eye on the butter, or it will burn!

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, maple sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, eggs, and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well, making sure all of the oats are moistened.

Remove the pan with the butter from the oven. Pour the oats mixture into the pan and stir, mixing until most of the butter in incorporated, but leaving some unmixed at the edges & bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, if using.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, about 30 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

garlic encrusted tilapia

I hate boring.
And tilapia, to me, has no taste.
Sooooo, we have to add it :)

Garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes.
Breadcrumbs to add crunch.
Salt and pepper.
Everything you've already got in your pantry.
Easy.

Garlic Encrusted Tilapia
Makes 8-10 small filets, serves about 4.
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if you like it spicy)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
8-10 small tilapia filets, rinsed and dried
Canola or olive oil, for drizzling

Combine garlic, all spices and breadcrumbs in a small bowl.

Drizzle a foil lined sheet pan with the oil and lay the filets on it.

Drizzle with a bit more oil and press the spice mixture on the top to form a crust.

Broil until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.

Remove to plate and enjoy while hot!

easy! mini chocolate raspberry pies

Easiest recipe ever.

Perfect for the busy holiday season.

And perfect for cocktail parties.

And did I mention it was the easiest recipe ever?

And people will never know.

Perfect.

Mini Chocolate Raspberry Pies

Makes a gazillion.

Dark chocolate instant pudding mix
Whole milk (however much the box says)
1 cup heavy cream
Pie crust, homemade or store bought
Raspberries

No recipe needed...
Make the pudding according to the box's directions and chill until set.

Whip the cream and fold in gently.

While the pudding is chilling, cut 2-3" circles out of the pie dough and press into a mini muffin tin.  Poke the dough with the tines of a fork and bake at 350* for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.  Set aside to cool.
Pipe the pudding mixture into the mini pie shells.

Put a raspberry on top and enjoy!

gd likes

have I ever told you how much I like bandaids??

.green sandwich bags

pretty curtain pull-backs

soooo...what do you like?

miami's fruit and spice park!

A little while ago, when we were in South Florida for my dad's conference, we decided to head down south of Miami to the Fruit and Spice Park.  We didn't know what to expect but we ended up having a great day, touring and walking around.  

The park is a 37-acre subtropical botanical paradise nestled in the heart of the historic Redland community about 35 miles south of Miami.  It boasts more than 500 varieties of rare fruits, herbs, spices and nuts from around the world including 80 varieties of bananas, 70 varieties of bamboo, 40 varieties of grapes, 50 varieties of mangoes, 15 varieties of jackfruit trees and numerous other exotic edibles.  The park has an herb and vegetable garden, banana groves, and an amazing African Baobab tree orchard. Visitors are allowed to sample fallen fruit and the Welcome Center's tasting table has a great selection of seasonal harvest.  They even let us take clippings and seedlings to plant! 


We had a great day and I hope you enjoy our trip, through the pictures :)

the ylang ylang blossom...what they make Chanel No. 5 out of!

a gorgeous citrus tree

persimmon tree

....can't eat the persimmons until you have a frost! 

bamboo grove

horseradish tree...wasn't spicy but packed full of protein.  they plant these in impoverished countries like haiti!

horseradish tree pods and seeds....we got to take some home to plant!

garlic tree....strong!

giant taro grove

the three toed sloth only eats this kind of fruit!  

the huge African baobob trees...they can get so big that 50 people can circle it!

the seeds are used for carving

the largest fruit on earth!  the jackfruit and tree 

bananas!

wild pineapple

starfruit

some variety of mango

tiny bananas :)

the tasting table

ginger fruit....you rub your hands on it and it deodorizes your hands :)

tastes like pineapple!

mmmm....

A delicious tour!  If you are ever in the area, you should definitely check it out!