Archive for May, 2010

Making Whoopie (Pies) for Lupus: World Lupus Day

Monday, May 10th, 2010

I want you to meet a very special person I have not had the opportunity to bake with and/or featured on the blog yet.  Here is a picture of my dear Marshmallow (or Sherri) and her crispy Porkchop (you may know her as me.)

Sherri and I graduated from the same high school in Colorado Springs in 2003 and were familiar with each other, but didn’t have much more of a relationship than an occasional hello.  When I moved to Philadelphia, my best friend and I talked about my lack of friends in the area and my best friend mentioned she thought Sherri went to Temple.  I added Sherri on facebook and sent her what could only be described as a desparate plea to hang out with me.  She accepted.  Since last year, Sherri has been the single most comforting person to me.  I don’t really touch on what I feel like when I am homesick, but Sherri is basically my blanket during the times I need her most.  Nothing says home like a conversation with this ladybird.  If she wasn’t around, I don’t know what I would do.

She is my personal hero.  Why?  Let’s see, she’s younger than me, she donates her time and money to great organizations, she has a huge appreciation for the restaurant Honey’s, she is goregeous, she plays and coaches hockey, and she has the biggest heart of anyone I know.  And on top of it all, I often have to remind myself that Sher-mallow has lupus.  She works full-time, has an active social life, and still plays hockey.

Since May 10 is World Lupus Day and living in Philadelphia was a catalyst for Sherri and my friendship, I decided to bake some purple, PA-based treats– Whoopie Pies.  Since these did not come out as well as I hoped, I’m not going to post the recipe.  They were too firm and cookie like to be true whoopie pies.

Additionally, World Lupus Day is all about spreading awareness and I can’t think of a better way than showcasing one of my best friends and the toughest lady I know.  This is what you should know about lupus:

1.  It is an auto-immune disease, unrelated to AIDS.  Basically it’s opposite AIDS (I hope no one finds that offensive), it’s not contagious and the immune system is overactive rather than underactive.  It can be hereditary though.

2.  Lupus can affect any organ in the body.

3.  Over five million people are diagnosed with lupus; 90% of them are women.

4.  There is no cure, only symptom management.

5.  Lupus sucks.

So, now that you’ve read a little about Lupus and how much it sucks, I would love if you could help people like Sherri.  On May 16, you can join us (Team Sherrishine) at Atlantic City in the Walk for Lupus (http://tinyurl.com/39zaz6x) or donate (http://tinyurl.com/3394zqy) or even do both.

Finally, I am going to admit that this is a completely selfish post on my part.  Lupus is a serious disease that causes Sher to lose energy quickly and sometimes prevents her from hanging out with me.  I hate it a lot and I want it to stop.  So, help me out a little and throw a couple extra dollars towards the walk.  It would mean more than you could ever know to Sherri and especially me.

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Cayenne Chili Rubbed Chicken Tostada with Avocado Salsa

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Happy Cinqo de Mayo!  You don’t have to read my blog and/or twitter much to know, I eat a lot of Mexican food.  I don’t know when it started, but I’ve always had a craving for some refried beans, a little cheese, and red onions.  When I went to Colorado Springs over the weekend, I was at one of my favorite taco stands every other day, munching on delicious flour tortillas.  Now, I’m back at home, thinking up food concoctions.

When I make food, I have an easily distracted mind.  I generally need to have a few notes scribbled down to keep me going, especially on Post-Its.  I love Post-Its and i have a pretty nice system:

Though this is an easy recipe, it has a few elements, so it might seems a little complicated.  The good part is each element can easily be paired with other food to make a completely different Mexican meal.

Chicken Tostada Ingredients:
Developed from Martha Stewart’s Simply Recipes
(serves two – takes about twenty minutes)

Four small flour tortillas
Refried beans
Cayenne Chili Rubbed Chicken
Avacado Salsa

Refried Beans
One clove of garlic, minced
One can of black or pinto beans, drained
Two teaspoons of chili powder
One teaspoon of cumin
A few pinches of salt and pepper
Half a red onion, chopped

Start by making the refried beans.  Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a saucepan.  Add garlic and heat for about a minute.  Add the beans.  Stir and smash the beans.  Let cook for a few minutes then give another stir and keep smashing.  Continue until desired consistency and add seasoning and red onion.  After about ten minutes, lower heat until ready to serve.

Cayenne Chili Rubbed Chicken
One chicken breast (about three ounces)
Two teaspoons of chili powder
One teaspoon of cayenne (if you want spicier go ahead)
Olive oil

Rub chicken down with the chili powder and cayenne.  Heat pan and add olive oil.  Add chicken.  Cook for about three minutes on each side or until cooked all the way through, slightly blackened.  Let rest for a couple minutes then slice.

Avacado Salsa
1/2 red onion, chopped
avacado, cut into medium sized chunks
2 T of lime

Combine lime and onion.  At the last minute, fold in avocado.  Serve.

Assembling the Tostada

Heat the flour tortillas about fifteen seconds on each side in a clean sauce pan.  Put a layer of beans, another warm tortilla, then a layer of beans.  Top with a few slices of chicken, some cheese and the avocado salsa.

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