Presley's Pantry

I love the crunch of crispy potatoes especially when used as a topper on a piece of alaskan cod.  This is one of the recipes I developed for a new e-book that I had the pleasure of co-creating with my pal Ericka Sanchez from Nibbles and Feasts. We teamed up with Idaho Potatoes to bring a delicious latin inspired Spring menu to life. Waste no time reading this post when you could be looking at our E-book! You will find this recipe along with 9 other in the book! Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market. The recipe and opinions are 100% my own. 

There is no other way to describe this drink other than “Mmmmm, that’s good.” Those were the first words out of my fiances mouth as I poured him a tall sip. Let me rewind a little and tell you the back story. It starts with Muscat grapes. Have you ever tried a Muscat grape? The Muscat Grape is a pink seedless grape, with a very sweet and rich flavor. These grapes come all the way from Chile and range in color from light green to deeply blushed with pink (the ripest and best), with a softer succulent texture. Basically they are a dreamy grape that need to be adored. The tricky part is they are only available for a short time at Whole Foods Market in my lovely California, from now thru late mid-April. Okay, with those facts in mind I know that I am only able to appreciate their beautiful-ness for a short period of time. SO, the other day I was at Whole Foods Market buying some mangos and a pile of cheese when I spotted the muscat grapes. I made a serious bee-line for them and started to stock up. My fiance says “What? Why are you buying so many grapes?” I come back at him with “Well my Tia Brilla is in town and what if she wants grapes, and maybe we can freeze some and have as a healthy late night snack, and they taste great in salads, and I’ve been wanting to make agua de uvas.” He shook his head, and gave me a look like I was CRAZY! Until he tried them himself of course. Isn’t it always like that? I definitely threw some in the freezer, add a few to a salad I made over the weekend, served my Tia Brilla some during her visit, and made a big jug of agua de uvas y sandía. YUM! I highly suggest you stock up now, before it’s way too late.

Ingredients for grape and watermelon water:

• 2 – pounds muscat grapes (seedless) (stem removed)
• 8 – cups of chopped up watermelon (peeling removed)
• 6 – cups water
• 1/2 – cup sugar
• 2 – limes (juiced)

Directions:

1. Place grapes in blender with 1 cup water. You may have to do this step several times depending on the size of your blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour grape blend through sieve and allow all liquid to pass through and fall into a pitcher. This step will collect all the skin from the grapes. You may have to scrape the inside of the sieve with a spoon to allow any remaining liquid to pass through. 
4. Next blend all the watermelon. Again add a cup of water to the blender and this time add in the sugar. Blend till smooth.
5. Pour watermelon blend through the sieve and allow it to fall into the same pitcher as the grape blend.
6. Add in remaining water and lime juice. Mix to combine.
7. Chill in fridge until super cold.
8. Serve and enjoy!

 Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mama Francesca Cheese. However all opinions and the recipe are 100% my own.

I think I have confessed here on my blog before that my family and I split ways when it comes to Italian food. For some reason they need to be coaxed into eating it. I have decided to stop this crazy nonsense of me sacrificing the flavors I love for them to be happy, when in reality they absolutely love it. Instead I am going full force ahead and serving everyday meals laced with Italian flavors. For instance, I have been serving bubbly cheesy garlic bread fresh out of the oven with our dinners at night, and NO ONE can resist it, especially me. I can’t just say it is the inviting warmth of the hot bread, I have to give credit to the incredible parmesan cheese I’ve been using: Mama Francesca. The premium cheese has really taken a front and center spot in my home since discovering it at Walmart a few weeks ago. Did I mention the price point can’t be beat for a cheese of this caliber? It taste great and is being used at least twice a week, not only by me but by my fiance too (and he’s a tough sell.) I have even managed to work the lovely Mama Francesca parmesan into my homemade salad dressings. Okay, it’s  become a permanent fixture on my grocery list and I don’t foresee it coming down. When you find something this good, you just can’t imagine living without it.

I’m really looking forward to the new Mama Francesca “The Tereztto” which will be  launching in Wal-Mart on 4/21/2014! Another way for me to keep making my meals feel more Italian!

Ingredients:

• 1 – loaf french bread
• 3 – tablespoons butter (room temperature)
• 2 – tablespoons mayo
• 3 – tablespoons Mama Francesca Parmesan cheese
• 2 – tablespoons minced garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Take loaf of french bread and slice it down the middle (creating to long slices of bread.) 
3. Place butter, mayo, parmesan cheese, and minced garlic in a bowl.  Mix to combine.
4. Evenly spread butter/parm mixture on each slice of bread.
5. Place slices of bread on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
7. Then place under the broiler for 3 minutes or until golden brown. 
8. Cut and enjoy with a hearty meal.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Knowledge Universe. However all opinions and the recipe are 100% my own.

It’s really an amazing gift being a Mom. I know we hear all these stories about being a parent before having children of our own and don’t really know how to gage it all. The truth is no book or movie or prior love could have prepared me for the flood of unconditional love I have for my own child, and that’s the easy part.

What get’s hard is trying to make sure all his needs are met, and met right. I want to feed him nutritious meals, give him the tools he needs to make solid decisions in the future, and make sure he is active to maintain good health. Those three tasks seem to carry the weight of the world if you think of them in the big picture frame. Instead of getting completely overwhelmed trying to do it all perfectly everyday. We (my fiance and I) take it one step at a time. These goals are not only put in place for him, but for all of us. We want to be around many years to play, guide our son through life, and enjoy all the invaluable moments life has to offer.

Recently I wrote a post about these goals and how I have teamed up with Knowledge Universe. Knowledge Universe is this great company that cares for 0ver 160,000 kids everday and have teamed up with Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a healthier America (PHA) to help battle child obesity. The goal is to help families make little simple changes  that could lead to a healthier lifestyle. That’s obtainable. Right?

Knowledge Universe which is the parent brand to KinderCare is celebrating their new Grow Happy campaign for better health at a April 15th Open House at all of their community-based child care and early education centers. Stop by for a tour and get free registration when you enroll! Offer good April 13, 2014 through April 20, 2014. Find a center near you here

Updates On Goals:

FOOD: We have definitely cut back in the sugar area. Since making this goal I have reduced our usually dessert making to one time a week (instead of 3 to 4 times a week). I have opted to give my son yogurt in place of ice cream or all natural fruit bars (that I make myself) as a way to reduce sugar. We have been able to stick to eating more vegetarian meals, and I have been eating more salads. My son is still working on coming around to liking salad, but it doesn’t mean I’m giving up. I have been trying different types of salads, the only one I have been successful with has been a delicious “Coconut Peanut Mango” salad (recipe coming to my blog soon), I’m guessing because it’s mainly made of fruit.

BODY: My son is enjoying his swimming lessons, and he is almost summer ready. He has been to a few swimming parties in the last couple of weeks and is already showing his cousins the new stuff he has learned. I have been consistent in walking, dancing and pilates 3 times a week. We have been making time to spend more time at the park too. I have even started doing the hula hoop in my living room. For some reason my family thinks it’s the funniest thing in the world to watch me hula hoop, I don’t mind looking like a complete clown for a good laughing session. My clothes is already starting to fit me better. 🙂 Now to just keep it up!

 MIND: We have definitely been cooking together more often, and that is something I really enjoy. We also incorporated reading circle, this is something my son likes that he does at school so we figured we could do it here at home too. As far as games are concerned we moved to my son’s iPad instead of the conventional board game and have been battling each other in racing games or spelling games. I love this part of our learning together bond.

If you read my blog, then you know how much I adore my grandfather. He has made such a huge impact on my everyday character, and who I am in general. Without him as a role model, I don’t think I would have the joie de vie attitude mixed with I don’t care what people say or think about me…. I’m just happy. It is his love for family and survival that has molded my disposition and  sunny outlook on life.

Recently my grandfather had a doctor’s appointment for no reason other then he goes to the Dr. every few months because he’ll be 90 years old soon and we have to keep a close eye on our favorite guy. As usual the doctor gave him shining results and said he is healthy as can be. Lucky me! The only thing the Dr. did say is he should slow down and hold back a little on his sugar intake. What? Right before Easter? He didn’t say he couldn’t have sugar, he just said it shouldn’t be so often. Well here’s the thing, my beautiful old grandpa just loves a tall glass of juice in the morning, and I can’t deprive him of that.

The other day I was at Walmart and found a juice in the frozen section made by Old Orchard. What caught my attention was the fact that it read clear as day “No sugar added.” That already was better than the sugar loaded juice my grandpa drinks in the morning. I reached for a can of Old Orchard to investigate it further, and to my delight it has  no artificial flavors and no preservatives. Each 8-oz glass equals two servings of fruit and contains 120% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C. Thumbs up! Plus it ONLY cost $1.47 at Walmart– say what? And my grandfather gets to still have his juice in the morning…. Love it! I brought a few plastic cans of juice home and put them to the test. We found a winner. Grandpa liked the natural sweetness from the juice and I liked serving him something his Dr. wouldn’t frown upon. I love my Grandpa, god bless his soon to be 90 year old soul. The whole family will raise a glass with him.

That’s pretty. I always have a desire to make or eat a trifle, but until recently I did not own a trifle bowl. I needed to correct that fast……

My fiance took it upon himself to start looking up places for me to buy a trifle bowl.  Every place was either online with shipping or out of the way, then he checked Walmart, not only is it close by but it was priced so nicely ($6. 97) I went out and bought it straight away.

As my grubby hands placed my new trifle bowl in the cart, I said to my son “We can’t leave here with out buying ingredients to fill this beautiful vessel to the rim.” I then asked “Do you want to make an Easter Trifle? We can decorate it with the new blue raspberry peeps, and a chocolate bunny.” My son looked at me and said excitedly “Can we get jellybeans too?” Me, being a pleased new owner of a trifle bowl, I said “Of course we can!” Then we ran like little kids do across Walmart to the Easter candy section and picked out our prized treats. The blue raspberry peeps didn’t make it all the way home, my son had to have them in the car, luckily I bought an extra pack of regular blue peeps.

Ingredients for Easter lemon cake trifle:

• 1 – 6 ounce box of strawberry jello mix
• 1 1/2 – cups boiling hot water
• 1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 – box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake mix (bake according to box instructions. Use egg, water, and vegetable oil)
• 1 – box pink bunny peeps
• 1 – large container cool whip
• 1 – box of blue raspberry peeps / or blue peeps
• 1 – bag Starburst jellybeans
• 1 – Lindt chocolate bunny

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl add in jello mix and hot boiling water. Mix with a fork or whisk until all jello is dissolved.
2. Pour sweetened condensed milk into jello mixture. Mix to combine.
3. Pour creamy jello mixture into the bottom on the trifle bowl. 
4. Place in fridge.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
6. Mix cake batter according to box (add in egg, water and oil) and bake. 
7. Allow cake to cool. Remove from pan and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes. 
8. Remove trifle bowl from fridge and start building your trifle. By alternating between the cubed cake and a bunny peep. 
9. Then fill the entire center with cake cubes. 
10. Spread a nice thick layer of cool whip on top of cake.
11. Then place another layer of cake on top of the cool whip. 
12. Top with another layer of cool whip filling the trifle to the rim.
13. Then decorate the top with blue raspberry peeps, jellybeans, and a chocolate bunny.
14. Place back in the fridge till ready to eat.
15. Enjoy!

I woke up to some great news this morning. Walmart released a statement letting the world know that they will now carry a new awesome organic line called Wild Oats in their stores. Can you believe the world’s largest retailer is bringing an organic line to the people at a 25% cheaper price point (compared to other organic lines?)  I love it. This just means more people will be able to eat organic, or people who wanted to eat organic in the past but couldn’t afford it might be able to now. Heck, this organic line may even reach a new demographic of people who had never even considered eating organic, and might go that route now, teaching the country to eat better and live better. This is seriously a beautiful thing and makes me so proud to see my beloved Walmart taking steps everyday to make the organic world more readily available to people.

• Wild Oats Marketplace Organic™, which adheres to USDA guidelines for organic certification and includes everything from canned vegetables to a full range of spices such as paprika, curry powder and ground cinnamon.
• Walmart will carry a broad variety of Wild Oats Marketplace Organic™ categories – from salsa and pasta sauce to quinoa and chicken broth.

I am headed to Walmart now to buy Wild Oats Marketplace Organic™ products and put them to good use. Seeing that round  USDA seal for organic certification is pure joy.