[recipe] Creamy Grape Dessert

This, my friends, is a tasty one.  I was surprised by how much I loved it, considering the fact that any dessert I make usually involves chocolate and at least a cup of butter.

(Butter.   Mmm.)

But this has the next best thing: cream cheese.  Not too much, so don't be put off if you aren't a cream cheese fan.  Or a plain yogurt fan.  Trust me, it all works together.

Creamy Grape Dessert   
from here
servings: 8


2 lbs seedless grapes (red were half the price of green....so you can guess what I used)
8 oz plain yogurt
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

Cut grapes into halves.  In a bowl, mix yogurt, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  Stir in grapes and then spoon into a large serving dish.

Mix together brown sugar and chopped nuts.  Sprinkle on top of grape mixture.  Chill until ready to serve.

[recipe] Chicken and Broccoli Salad

(note: while i enjoy cooking, i'm not so good at the whole "measure stuff" and "follow the recipe" aspects of it.  you've been warned.)


Chicken and Broccoli Salad
serves:  meh...2-4.  depends on who you're serving.


1 chicken breast, poached                                                              
1 small head of broccoli, florets only                                                            
2ish TBS mayonnaise (the real stuff.  with all the fat.)                  
a couple hearty squirts of dijon mustard
pinch of salt
dried cranberries


Shred chicken breast into small bowl.

In a food processor, chop broccoli finely.  Add to shredded chicken.  Mix in mayonnaise, mustard, and a bit of salt.  Top with dried cranberries and serve as a sandwich, wrap, or on top of spinach or greens.


optional additions: walnuts, almonds, celery, grapes, apples...whatever you want.

I had this for lunch today.  Sometimes simple is good.  REALLY good.

hugs, friends.  may this week be better than the last.

Pizza Night

is every week.  Because I do the cooking and I make the rules.

Last week, Silas and I had a little competition.  A "hey I think we're out of mozzarella cheese and possibly pizza sauce so make your own pizza from whatever you can find and we'll see whose is better" kind of competition.

The contenders:

Silas' pizza: black beans, chicken, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, onions, and pepperjack cheese with a sour cream/salsa sauce for the base

He declined to wear my apron.

My pizza: prosciutto, spinach, tomatoes, and sharp white cheddar atop an olive oil/garlic/parmesan-smeared crust

The end result:

Tasty tasty.  A far cry from my usual (pepperoni and green olive with LOTS OF SAUCE AND MOUNTAINS OF CHEESE).  

And look how sweet.

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*You may have noticed that my Christmas lights are still up.  Stop judging me.  I can't bear to take them down because our apartment seems so dark and lonely without them.

Stop what you're doing and go make

this t-shirt necklace from i believe in unicorns

and these amazing chocolate ganache-covered cupcakes from the pioneer woman.

They will brighten your day.

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On a different note, a few of my sweet friends are having babies and have asked me about cloth diapers. I was planning to do a post on them anyway, since we've been using them for over a year now and I want to share what I know for anyone who is interested.

That being said, if any of you have specific questions you'd like me to address, let me know.  I'm hoping to get the post up sometime this week.  I'm still not sure if I'm going to do a big long one or break it up into a mini-series of sorts.  Depends on how long-winded I get, I suppose.

Judging from the "little note" above, it might end up being a few posts.   :)