Eyes On The Good Life

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Semi-Homemade Lemon Cupcakes with Lemony Cream Cheese Icing

Sometimes I like to start with a cake mix for cakes and cupcakes that are easy to whip up AND taste delicious. For this recipe, I start with a Duncan Hines Lemon cake mix, add flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, water, and lemon extract then I fill them with a store-bought lemon curd and top with a delicious homemade cream cheese icing that is brightened up with both fresh squeezed lemon juice and…

Focaccia Files Part III: Gluten Free Focaccia

The thing about gluten free baking is, well, the grittiness and density. Of course, there are things you can do to minimize both of these, like beating your batter longer than you would with traditional flour, or whipping egg whites until they are stiff, and folding them into a batter to create a lighter texture. And of course, adding xanthan gum to the GF flour. But still, after all this, there…

The Best Parts of 2020

So Long, Farewell!As I said Good Riddance to the past year, I paused to think about the good things that happened in 2020.  It wasn’t all bad, was it?  Were there good parts that I’m not thinking about? What was I grateful for?  It’s been so easy to slip into negative mind space given everything that we, as a global community, and we as a nation divided, have been through.  In addition to all of…

Mahi Fish Taco Rice Bowls with Cilantro Lime Slaw

I absolutely love fish tacos, but I’m not a fan of tilapia, so mahi mahi is my go-to for these fish taco bowls. If you prefer, serve it up in warm corn tortillas instead.

Mahi Fish Taco Rice Bowls

For the fish:

2 Mahi filets, skinned and de-boned 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 1 teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup gluten free flour  I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free…

When I saw the Smoked Tuna at Trader Joe’s, I knew it would be good. The first package, I just ate. All of it. Right out of the package. The second time I bought it, I thought I should get a little more creative, so what better way to eat sesame crusted smoke tuna than as a sushi roll. I’ve made sushi rolls several times before, and while it isn’t hard, I wanted to go for something super easy, so…

Asian Beef Rice Noodle Bowls

I absolutely love Asian-inspired cooking. I don’t claim to be an expert or proficient in any one cuisine, but I love the flavors that are common across the various regional cuisines (sesame, soy sauce, ginger) and the way it is so easy to mix and match your favorite veggies and proteins to create a healthy, quick meal.

For these bowls, I used thinly shaved beef from Trader Joe’s, however it…

Lemon Couscous Cucumber Salad

Looking for a quick, easy, flavorful summer side dish or salad to go with chicken, fish, or beef? This light salad with a lemon vinaigrette is a perfect accompaniment to just about anything you throw on the grill, and can be packed up for a picnic. The main ingredient, Israeli couscous, is a good pantry staple, since it cooks up quickly, is very versatile, and can be used in both warm side dishes…

Focaccia Files Part II: Tomato Basil Focaccia

Ever since I made the Peach Focaccia, I’ve wanted to make it again, but switching it up with a savory version using tomatoes instead of peaches. I followed the New York Times recipe, swapping out the peaches, sugar, and thyme with cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil. It turned out great! Everyone agreed it was very tasty, in fact it was hard to stop eating it.

I used Nature Sweet…

NY Times Peach Focaccia with Thyme

This focaccia recipe is so good!  The bread itself is really good, so it very well may become my go-to focaccia recipe, even without the peaches.  It would be very tasty by itself, with some fresh parmigiana cheese, or tomatoes with fresh basil, or peppers, or arugula and prosciutto…so many possibilities!

Summer Peaches and Garden Fresh Thyme make this Focaccia extra good!

I have an abundance of…

Simple and Delicious Beet Salad with Arugula and Goat Cheese

This only took a few minutes to whip up and was a big hit with my husband.  Arugla has a natural peppery flavor, so a liberal rub of salt on the leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil is really the only dressing you will need.  The goat cheese adds a nice tangy creaminess, as well.  I bought pre-cooked packaged beets from the produce section to save time, but of course you can roast, peel, and cool…

If you have a bumper crop of yellow summer squash, this is a great way to use up for of them.  And even if you don’t, squash are plentiful at the grocery stores and farmers markets in the summer.

The simplicity of the salad means it is not only easy to prepare, but it goes with just about everything.  Serve it with whatever you’re grilling!

Yellow Summer Squash Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

2…

I haven’t tried to re-create that dish yet, but I have made stir fry dishes and curries, chicken satay and fresh rolls and peanut sauce, and of course Pad Thai – the dish that seems to be the most popular at Thai eateries in America.

As with most Asian-inspired dishes, it is so easy to customize them to your particular likes and dietary needs.  Vegetarian?  Well, skip the meat and use tofu or extra veggies!  Don’t eat eggs?  Skip them, they aren’t mandatory.  Like it spicier?  Add some chili flakes or chili sauce.  Hate cilantro?  Try some Thai basil.  The bottom line is, make it how you like it. Below is my recipe.  My husband doesn’t do spicy and doesn’t like red bell peppers, so his bowl didn’t have those in it.  That’s the beauty of this dish:  you can please everyone.  For the picky kiddos, maybe it’s just the noodles and sauce! This makes about 2-3 servings, so increase accordingly for additional servings.

Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp

Sauce 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1/4 cup rice vinegar juice from 1/2 a lime 1/4 cup brown sugar

Pad Thai 14 oz Pad Thai rice noodles 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced 8 shrimp, cleaned and de-veined 1 tablespoon minced garlic clove 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root 1/2 cup sliced red pepper 1 cup bean sprouts 2 eggs, beaten 1 green onion, sliced crushed peanuts cilantro limes red chili flakes chili sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside.  Prepare noodles according to package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside.  Heat oil in a large pan and cook the chicken, garlic, and ginger over medium-high heat until cooked through.  Push the chicken to one side of the pan, and add the beaten eggs, scrambling until done.  Mix the eggs into the chicken, then add the red peppers, bean sprouts, and noodles.  Whisk the sauce again to ensure it is mixed and pour it over the noodles and chicken.  Toss the ingredients to mix everything together.  If using shrimp, you can throw them in now and cook for about 2-3 minutes until they are no longer pink (shrimp cooks really fast, so do not cook it with the chicken or it will get over done and tough).  Sprinkle with sliced green onion.

Using a tongs or pasta claw, move to serving bowls and top with crushed peanuts, cilantro, lime slices, and red chili flakes or chili sauce if desired.

Zucchini, Tomato, & Goat Cheese Frittata

This frittata is a super easy and yummy way to impress your weekend guests.  The goat cheese adds a nice tanginess and goes perfectly with the cherry tomatoes.  I served this with some grilled chicken sausage and fruit for a nice weekend brunch.  Be sure to use an oven safe skillet (a cast iron works best).

Zucchini, Tomato & Goat Cheese Frittata

8 eggs, well beaten Salt and pepper to taste 1…

I made two desserts for the weekend, my No Bake Peanut Butter Piewhich you will find on my blog here, and then I also made Brown Eyed Baker’s Twinkie Bundt Cake.  I’m here to tell you it is so good!  However make no mistake, this is a decadent dessert with all the fat and sugar and dairy and flour!

I followed the recipe exactly with a very minor modification:  in addition to the tablespoon of vanilla extract, I also added a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract and a 1/4 teaspoon of butter extract.  These two flavorings combine for a really good flavor that will remind you of a bakery cake.

I copied the recipe below with my additions of the extracts, or you can find the original recipe on Brown Eyed Baker’s site.

Twinkie Bundt Cake

The Cake

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon butter extract

2 cups granulated sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs (at room temperature)

4 egg yolks (at room temperature)

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

The Cream Filling

7.5 ounce jar marshmallow crème

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Make the Cake: 1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, vanilla, almond, and butter extracts on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until evenly mixed, about 1 minute. With the machine still running, slowly pour in the oil and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately mix in the flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 additions each, ending with the buttermilk. Mix on low speed just until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain. Turn off the mixer and gently fold the batter several times by hand with a spatula to ensure everything is incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours.

Make the Cream Filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the marshmallow crème, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip or spoon it into a large resealable plastic bag with a bottom corner snipped off.

Fill and Assemble the Cake: While the cake is still in the pan, use a paring knife or an apple corer to make 6 or 7 deep, evenly spaced holes in the bottom of the cake, each about ¾ of an inch in diameter, being careful to cut no more than halfway through to the top of the cake. Discard (or eat!) any cake scraps. Using your fingertips, gently forge a horizontal tunnel through the cake that connects the vertical holes.

Insert the tip of the pastry or plastic bag into each hole and squeeze in some of the filling, tilting the bag back and forth as you work to encourage the filling to make its way into the horizontal tunnel. When the cake is filled, use a spatula to scrape away any excess filling from the bottom of the cake.

Quickly and carefully turn the cake onto a platter. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container (or covered tightly with plastic wrap) at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Great things about bowl meals:  first, you get to combine a bunch of yummy flavors together in a bowl, and you can customize your bowl to your individual tastes.  I used Just a Taste’s recipe for Easy Beef Bulgogi; you can check out her original post on her blog, or I copied it below for you.  The only thing I did different was to make a sauce out of the marinade, and added some shredded carrots and sliced green onions, as well as some black sesame seeds which I sprinkled on the eggs.

Beef Bulgogi Bowls

1/2 cup soy sauce (or tamari if gluten free)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 Tablespoons chili garlic sauce or Gochujang Chili Sauce, or more to taste

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 Tablespoons minced ginger

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

1 1/2 pounds ribeye or top sirloin, cut into thin slices

1 teaspoon corn or tapioca starch dissolved in 3 teaspoons water

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cups cooked rice

4 fried eggs

1 cup kimchi

1/2 English cucumber, cut into ribbons

1/2 carrot, shredded

1 green onion, thinly sliced

black sesame seeds, if desired

cilantro for garnish

Make the marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, chili sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and shallots in a small bowl.  Be sure to whisk until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.  Place the sliced beef and marinade in a 1 gallon zip top bag or an airtight container and place in the refrigerator to marinate a minimum of 2 hours, ideally 4 (or over night).

Remove from the refrigerator and separate the meat from the marinade, placing the meat slices on a paper towel lined plate and allow to dry for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.  Carefully dump the marinade into a small saucepan and heat to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes.  Reduce heat.  Slowly whisk the starch water into the sauce and allow to simmer until thickened.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the beef strips, tossing to brown all sides for approximately 5 minutes.

When ready to serve, fry 1 egg for each serving.  Stir 1-2 tablespoons of the thickened and cooked marinade into the meat, then assemble the bowls by placing a scoop of rice in the bowl, topped with the cooked beef strips, a fried egg, a scoop of kimchee, and some cucumber ribbons , carrot shreds, and green onion.  If desired, sprinkle black sesame seeds on the eggs and garnish with cilantro.

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish made with breaded chicken, mushrooms, and a marsala wine sauce reduction that can be served with pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes.  Not to be confused with Indian chicken tikka masala which is chicken in a spiced curry sauce, this is a rich, mellow comfort-food type of dish.

Breaded chicken cutlets don’t work well in the crockpot because the breading…