Earring Bowl

Valentine's Day is coming up, spring will soon be in the air, and there will be birthdays, parties, gatherings and more that require a cool gift...

Check out this earring bowl from Uncommon Goods.  It's really pretty, will hold other jewelry, and has holes around the sides for your earrings!

Besides that, every time you use it, it reminds you that you're beautiful!

Sopes

Tonite my friend ordered an avocado salad that included sopes.  I looked it up, and sopes is a spanish word for little boats and I found a great recipe to share on how to make them!

A favorite Mexican snack, sopes ("little boats") are traditionally made from corn masa and are the purview of street cooks, who deftly pat the dough and form it into little rounds that are baked on a griddle. In this contemporary version, the sopes are made from a blend of corn masa and potatoes, producing an invitingly soft texture. The sope bases can be cooked on the griddle several hours ahead; cover them and let stand at room temperature. Finish the frying just before you want to fill and serve these crisped delicacies.

Ingredients

• 2 russet potatoes, about 8 oz. total,   peeled and cut into large pieces
• Salt, to taste, plus 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup fresh smooth-ground corn masa for   tortillas, or 1 cup powdered masa harina   mixed with 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, plus more as   needed (optional)
• 3/4 cup fresh salsa, such as red chili-tomatillo   salsa
• 2 generous cups loosely packed torn herb   leaves, such as watercress, arugula, mizuna   and/or basil
• About 1 cup crumbled goat cheese (chèvre),   ricotta salata or Mexican queso añejo
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the potatoes with water to cover by 2 inches and season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and let cool for 15 minutes. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill into a mixing bowl. Discard all but 1 cup of the potatoes and return the 1 cup to the bowl. Knead in the masa and the 3/4 tsp. salt to form a soft dough, similar to a soft cookie dough.

Heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Divide the dough into 18 pieces, roll into balls and transfer to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.

One at a time, shape the balls into disks about 1/4 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches wide. Using your thumb and index finger, pinch up the edge of the dough to create an upstanding border, about 1/2 inch high, all the way around the disk, forming the sope ("little boat"). Transfer the sope, flat side down, to the heated griddle and cook just to set the bottom, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, continue shaping and then cooking the remaining portions of dough. As you remove each one from the griddle, prick the bottom without penetrating the sope and transfer to a plate. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Preheat an oven to 175°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set in the oven. Stir the balsamic vinegar into the salsa and set out the herbs and goat cheese. 

In a deep-fry pan or heavy fry pan over medium heat, pour in oil to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. (If you don't have a thermometer, dip the side of a sope into the oil—if it sizzles vigorously, the oil is ready.) Fry the sopes a few at a time until they are a rich golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain them upside down on the paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

When all the sopes are done, arrange them on a serving platter. Spoon about 1/2 Tbs. of the salsa into each one, top with a tuft of the herbs and sprinkle generously with the cheese. Serve immediately.

Glass Teapot on a Stand

I'm learning to rest...and part of that means slowing down to breathe...and perhaps sipping some tea!  Check out this cool teapot from Uncommon Goods, and the herbal tea kit, too!  Maybe if it sits on the counter on this cute stand, it will lure us to stop and sit a while....

Chorizo Hominy Soup

Soup tastes great on a cold night, and this chorizo-hominy soup is oh, so good - from Everyday with Rachael Ray!

You will need:

2 T olive oil
6 oz. chorizo sausage finely chopped
2 coarsely chopped carrots
2 coarsely chopped celery ribs
2 smashed cloves garlic
1 T cumin
1 32-oz chicken broth
1 29-oz can white hominy, rinsed
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
4 corn tortillas warmed

ln large saucepan, heat olive oil over med high heat, then add chorizo, carrots, celery and garlic - cook til veggies are slightly softened, about five min.  Add the cumin, cook and stir for about 3 min.  Stir in the broth and hominy and simmer for 20 min until veggies are tender.  Top with cilantro and serve with tortillas!

Modular Chic

Modular storage in the kitchen is the new thing, and these pieces from World Market are affordable and so cute, however many you choose to combine!  

Fondue for Two

I love fondue, and this cute set from Uncommon Goods looks like a great idea for Valentine's Day coming up in a couple weeks!  It got great reviews!

Lemon Pepper Wings

I love lemon pepper wings at Wing Stop, and my sister shared with me her recipe for lemon pepper wings to make at home - they are a winner!

One large pkg chicken wings
lemon juice
olive oil
fresh minced garlic
lemon pepper
onion powder - quite a bit
chili powder - dash
salt

Sorry, no exact measurements!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, lemon pepper, onion powder, chili powder and salt together in a bowl (taste it to see if you have it right!)

Place the wings on a baking sheet and baste them with the mixture.

Bake about 20 minutes, turn them and baste again.

Bake another 20-25 minutes - until browned and done.

Serve with Ranch dressing!