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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Moving...

Not my physical home, but JenMarie's Cafe has moved.

Please visit me at www.jenmariescafe.com

I'm really excited about this move. Right now, this site will remain as is for reference on my older posts, I'm not sure if I'll figure out how to move the info over. Hopefully, I will get them moved and this site will automatically redirect.

For now, please give me some linky love and click on the link and add it to your favorites bar.

You know you want to...

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Flower Beds Finished!

I never thought that our front porch project, that we started last year, would take so long to totally finish....

The fireman had built these flower beds with timber a week or more ago and we've been picking out plants, digging up dirt, adding soil, laying landscape fabric, planting plants and mulching....

Here's where we have the plants lined up where they should go. I like the boulder at the beginning of the bed. Look at that mess!
Well, the fireman did most of this. I did some planting....

Monday, May 21, 2012

Garlic Kale Chips

I was pretty hesitant about how good Kale Chips could be. I had heard about them from Shutterbean and they sounded interesting, but I was a little hesitant.
Okay, a lot hesitant. It sounded healthy and all, but um, ew.

Then, my friend Jana said she was going to try them, and I was excited cause I could see if they were any good or not. Cause she's a good judge of yummy foods.

She liked them and then it still took me a couple of months or so to get around to buying some and another week yet to actually cook them.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Planting Flower Gardens

The kids only have through half of next week before they're out of school. I still can't get over how close summer is.

The fireman and I have been busy working on our flower gardens. I know, the plan was to do the fence next, but we got ahold of a garden tiller and didn't want to lose the chance to use it for free. Also, part of my Mother's Day gifts were all these pretty flowers.

So, the above planter is one of our pretty porch plants. I just plant annuals in these. That way I can change it up and add some pretty splashes of color each year. Gives me something to mess with.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Buffalo Chicken Breasts

I really wanted to call this recipe Hot Breasts, but I thought that might be bad for the search engine...

You know, like Hot Wings...but with chicken breasts?
I was trying to make a healthier version of Hot Wings, but I still wanted a little crunch, so I did do a quick flour and fried in a little oil. Not deep fried, not seriously encrusted. You could if you wanted to, but this is just a little bit healthier. Alternately, you could grill or panfry without any crust at all.

Next, wing sauce. What makes up wing sauce? It's hot sauce, plus butter. That's pretty much it. Hooter's uses more butter for their mild sauce, so their Hot is actually less fat. Follow?

Friday, May 11, 2012

Rhubarb Crisp

You know how at Halloween, it's like incredibly important that you buy candy corn? Cause you just can't get it any day of the year.

It's a once a year opportunity.

Rhubarb is like that.
You can't got the the freezer section and buy frozen rhubarb. That'd be weird. But also awesome. 

What is it about rhubarb that makes it so wonderful? I think it's cause it's tart, like cherries, but since you only get it during the Spring/Summer it kinda makes it more special.

I do try to bag up some chopped rhubarb in my freezer so I don't have to wait another 9 months until I get some of this yumminess again.

And now, my friends, rhubarb season is back. Let's welcome it in with my favorite rhubarb recipe!

I love this recipe for two reasons. Firstly, it doesn't have strawberries or anything else in it. It's all about the rhubarb and man does it shine. Secondly, the crunchy topping is sweet and has some serious crunch. The filling is ooey gooey and warm, sweet and tart. What could be better?

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Velvet Chocolate Pudding

I really wish I could spoon some of this into your mouth.

I don't think you'd believe me otherwise.

This pudding is rich and decadent and super duper chocolatey and actually, shockingly very low carb...

I want to eat this pudding every night. And luckily, since it's quick to throw together, I could...

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Enchilada Pie

When I was a kid, I didn't like Mexican food, which doesn't make sense now. Now, it's one of my favorite things to eat. Between that and Italian, I could live on weeks filled with spaghetti and chimichanga's.

For Cinco de Mayo, I made a large portion of Chimichanga's and this enchilada pie. Normally, I make enchilada's the real way, where you fry the enchilada's dipped in the red sauce. It's messy. VERY messy. So, I thought I'd try something different.

Monday, May 07, 2012

Roasted Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)

I love trying new recipes with the fireman. It's fun and something we can do together. And he's crazy when he cooks, just so you know...
Sometimes things get thrown...

This one involves beans, baked until they're crispy and crunchy and then seasoned with whatever you want.

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Fried Cabbage & Zucchini

 This is another one of the fireman's dishes. He made this for us last night with my Pork Roast and Mashed Turnips.

My poor fireman has been at my beck and call lately. Ever since my foot surgery, I've been not cooking as often. He always cooks about 50% of the time anyway, but for a good two weeks there, he was the only one cooking/cleaning/getting kids ready for school/homework. I don't even remember some of the normal life things that I'm sure happened but he took care of.

But the biggest?

He did my laundry....

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake

I know this sounds soooo weird, but I'll tell you what.

The fireman said this is one of the best chocolate cake's he's ever had. It did not last long in the house.

It's so moist and delicious.

It's total craziness. It's so good you can't stay out of it. I literally ate half the batch the first night. Then, my parents came over and between them and the fireman and I, we polished it off.