Super Snacks for the Super Bowl: Giant Party Sandwich

I'm a child of the 80's.  Part of that weird little in-between generation that is on the tail end or just past Gen-X and before the millennials came along.  We grew up alongside technology- I was both closely acquainted with the rotary phone and the owner of a pager (ha!) followed by that classic Nokia cell phone in high school.  My childhood memories are full of scratch-and-sniff stickers, Jell-O Pudding Pops, and Smurfs.

Oh..and The Cosby Show.

Despite the connotations of the name "Cosby" these days,  I loved that show growing up in the 80's.  I grew up with Rudy, thought Theo was kind of cute, and believed that Denise was just the coolest.

It was right up there with The Golden Girls for me.  :-)

Quick and Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza

When Allrecipes asked some of it's Allstars to come up with new recipes using the Panasonic Countertop Induction Oven they gave us a few requirements, two of which were that the recipe had to have no more than 5 ingredients and be done- start to finish- within 30 minutes.

Now, there are a lot of fun things you can do with the CIO but staying within those guidelines really allowed us to highlight just how wonderful it is for quick and easy meals.

I went with pizza because, well, I love pizza.

Aaaaallll kinds of pizza.

What's not to love, right?

White pizza...veggie pizza..Hawaiian pizza (pile on the pineapple please!), froufrou pizzas with fancy toppings...thick crust, thin crust, in between crust...

Quick and Easy Caprese Chicken

When I took my fun trip to Des Moines for Allrecipes in September we were given the chance to watch an episode of Allrecipes' Dinner Spinner TV show before it aired on TV (the episode we saw featured my friend and fellow Allstar Angela, you should check her out at Dancing With My Father and Salt et Lux - she is one incredibly talented lady!).  One of the things that caught my eye right off the bat when we were watching that first episode was that the contestants were using a kitchen appliance I'd never seen before- the Panasonic Countertop Induction Oven.

 I was intrigued.

Ok, so this thing is crazy guys.  It combines direct induction and instant double-infrared heating.

Science, guys.  I had to Google it.

So according to Wikipedia, "Induction cooking heats a cooking vessel by magnetic induction, instead of by thermal conduction from a flame, or an electrical heating element. Because inductive heating directly heats the vessel, very rapid increases in temperature can be achieved."

Also according to another article I found, double-infrared heating means that it uses "dual quartz and ceramic elements so it heats up fast."

Sausage Breakfast Crescent Rolls

I know I just said yesterday that I was doing the low carb thing again.

I am.

In fact, that's the reason I found myself with extra breakfast sausage in the fridge that I didn't want to eat and didn't want to waste.

A couple of nights ago after a busy day of popcorn making and poor meal planning my husband and I decided to do breakfast for dinner.  We made up a big batch of thick cut bacon and breakfast sausage and he made me an omelet that would make most people weak in the knees.

Sadly, I'd take a scramble loaded with veggies over a heavy meat-loaded omelet any day of the week.  That's just me.

I just couldn't eat one more bite of breakfast meats and I spent the next two days staring at the leftovers and trying to figure out what I was going to do with them before I had to toss them.  My husband had moved on to other foods and neither of us really wanted to finish them off.

Tex-Mex Migas Go Low Carb

Every time I get off of a low carb diet I kick myself.

I would never endorse one diet or another but I can tell you that for me, personally, it works.

Well.

When I stop watching my carb intake it's never long before I regret my decision and I kick myself for ever stopping.  Once I hit my low carb stride it's easy for me to keep it up, it's just finding that stride that is so frustrating.

I want all the foods.

All of them.

That first week or so of low carb I get a little hangry.  I think it's even more difficult for me then a lot of people because I'm quite content not eating meat at all most of the time.  I don't get excited about a steak or a thick pork chop or whatever like most people do and until I get in the swing of things I get pretty frustrated.

I found myself craving migas pretty hardcore a few days ago and I just couldn't get the craving out of my mind.  Eggs, peppers, onions, jalapeños...oh, and tortilla chips.  All served on warm tortillas- personally I like nice corn tortillas best, but that's kind of beside the point.

Migas are heaven on a plate.  A Tex-Mex meal that I could eat any time of day or night.

I didn't just want them, I needed them.

Crescent Pizza Rolls and Much Needed Kiddo Time

Guys, it's been such a wonderful Christmas break.

My shop has been on vacation for two weeks.

Two weeks.

That just doesn't happen.  But I've got to tell you...I needed the breather.

I needed to slow down and enjoy my kids.

I needed to tickle them and cuddle with them and watch Christmas movies with them.

It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day.

The frustrations of being pulled in a million directions at all times and trying to do it all well.

I have enjoyed every last second with my kids.

Haha just kidding.  Not every last second, I'm not quite that much of a super mom.  I try...and I fail.

But I did enjoy almost every second with my babies.  They're getting so big so quickly these days and I honestly try to savor every minute.

It's been a great couple of weeks.  :-)