7 layer dip

Most people have had 7 layer dip but too many people just buy it at the store, but it is so much better homemade! It is soo easy to make and is always loved whenever I take it to any event. So when you go to a bbq this summer this would be a great addition to any party.

Ingredients

• 1 can refried beans
• 8 oz container of light sour cream
• taco seasoning packet
• 1 avocado
• 2 cups of shreaded cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato (diced)
• small can of minced/sliced olives
• 1/2 lime

Directions

1. Spread the can of refried beans on the bottom of a 8x8 pyrex or dish
2. In a small bowl mash up the avocado with the juice from 1/2 lime
3. Spread the avocado on top of the refried beans
4. Mix the the sour cream with 2-3 tablespoons of the taco seasoning in a bowl. (use less sour cream if you don't want that much)
5. Spread this mix on top of the avocado
6. Sprinkle shredded cheese on the top of avocado
7. Top with diced tomatoes and minced olives
8. Enjoy with tortilla chips

-If you like jalapenos that would be good diced up on top too!

Oba!!!

For my big 3-0, Bri and my mom took me to Oba for dinner. If you haven't been to Oba yet it is a great restaurant located in Portland's Pearl District. It has everything I look for in a good restaurant; great service, awesome food and lots of atmosphere. For Bri and I it is the type of restaurant we would only go on special occasions because it is not what I consider cheap but it is worth the money (entrees range from $19-$40).

So, now you are probably wondering what kind of food is served there? Well the food they have is what they call Nuevo Latino. Nuevo Latino is food influenced by the cultures/countries of the Carribbean, Cuba, South/Central America and interpreted in a way that reflects the tastes of people in the NW. I truly feel that any kind of eater can find a dish here they would love.

I had freshly caught halibut with a poblano pepper sauce served with fingerling potatoes, and veggies

My mom had the 10 ounce prime rib with mashed potatoes, asparagus with corn salsa.

Other items I recommend are their blood-orange margaritas, they are awesome! So if you want to go to a unique restaurant give Oba a try!

My Luv for Laughing Cow

Today when I was eatting lunch I started thinking about how much I love these laughing cow creamy cheese wedges. If you haven't had them before they are so tasty and low on calories. One wedge is only 35 calories and is a great substitute for cream cheese. For lunch today I spread it on a whole wheat tortilla with some cranberry sauce and turkey. It would also be good for breakfast
spread on a bagel with some fresh cut tomatoes. Some grocery stores charge an arm and a leg for this cheese, I have seen it at Safeway for over five dollars. The best price I have found for it is at Winco, where ususally I can get it for around $1.75. If you don't have a Winco in your area, it is also in bulk at Costco or Trader Joes. So, if you haven't tried this healthy cheese before, I highly recommend it!

Thanksgivng in April!!!

Every year as a Christmas gift from UPS Brian gets a turkey. A weird gift some may think but over the last five years we have looked forward to that bird. Brian has been mainly support staff in the kitchen but over the years he has loved getting new recipes so we can perfect our turkey. Recently he was down in California with his family and his Aunt Angie suggested a recipe she uses, with trepidation I agreed to try it. Not that I didn't trust her but it required me to put away my beloved turkey bag and try a new method.

So we invited over a group of friends for our "Thanksgiving in April". Everyone contributed a new dish that they wanted to try out and it was a great evening with wonderful food!

So back to the turkey. I had a stressful start since the recipe requires you to baste the turkey every 1/2 hour for 2 1/2 hours but in the end it was totally worth it. This was by far the best turkey we have ever done and it will remain the recipe we use! Thank you everyone for contributing such wonderful dishes and thanks to Aunt Angie for the suggestion!!!

Perfect Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper
• 1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
• cheese cloth

Directions

1. Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups of water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let the brine cool completely.
2. Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; rinse the turkey throughly inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in the lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of the cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover the breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
4. Place turkey; breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wings under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with your stuffing. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into the bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly.
6. Discard cheesecloth, rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

Let the blogging begin...

I have been wanting to do a blog on all I love and know about food, wine and restaurants. Today is the day I finally made it happen. Most people who know me, know how much I love food but not many people probably realize how obsessed I am with this form of expression. It is not rare for Brian to come home to find me on the couch watching food network with piles of cookbooks and magazines all around me. My motto is "If we have to eat, we might as well eat good!" So come share my adventures in cooking....and eating!