Presley's Pantry

I never walk places alone…. But Saturday night had me feeling brave. I was at the Dodger game with my family and naturally instagraming and tweeting my where abouts, when I got a text from a friend saying she was at the stadium as well and wanted to say “Hi.”  I couldn’t pull any of my family members from their glued seats to accompany me to walk over and meet my friend.  I thought “I’ll just go by myself, it’ll be a little adventure.”  I popped a piece of Trident Layers Wild Strawberry + Tangy Citrus chewing gum in my mouth and dashed up the stairs to the top of the field area, found the nearest stairwell and the next thing you know I was doing the seventh inning stretch with my oldest girlfriend.  It felt good to recite “take me out to the ball game” at the top of my lungs, and even better to do it in fond company.  It’s in those minutes that you feel connected and full of life.  We kissed goodbye and promised to see eachother soon.  As I walked back to my seat to meet my family, I was so high on the winning energy of the stadium and on having a moment to be silly alone…. I burst into song singing out loud not caring who could hear or who was witnessing my strut.  I pretended to be John Travolta in  “Saturday Night Fever”  singing  “You can tell by the way I use my walk I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk.”  I guess you could say I was feeling sassy.  I guess you could say it was the gum chewing and living in the moment.

I dare you to do the same, take a path you wouldn’t normally take and see what unfolds. These people here on the subway are living it up “All Night Long.”

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign by Latina Mom Bloggers and Trident.  However all opinions expressed are solely my own. 

“Stop acting like a hungry little monkey”, those words came spilling out of my mouth faster than I could catch them.  I didn’t say it in a mean way,  I just said it as a matter of fact.  You see my friend Karla was over and I had just come from buying a bunch of fruit to curb this Bionico craving that had been hankering at the back of my tongue for the last couple of days. When I mentioned in passing I was going to start working on a dish of bionico, she turned into a hyper, nagging, relentless little infected blister.  Saying to me every other minute “Are you going to make that bionico?”, “What time are you going to make the bionico?”, “How much bionico are you going to make?”,  “Can I take some home?”  I felt like her energy turned into a nervous twitch and if she could scratch the side of her ribcage and make ooooh and ahhhh sounds she would.  Don’t get me wrong, I understand the power of the bionico, but she was acting straight out grubby. I started to feel uneasy and wanted to protect and hover over my now sacred bionico…. thats when I just blurted it out,  “Stop acting like a hungry little monkey.” Her eyes grew wide, I don’t know if she was embarrassed or if she was just stunned by the reality of my words. It was too late, the truth was on the table.  I tried to glaze over what had just happened by abruptly shifting gears with a long,  sincere explanation of how September is National Organics Month, and Whole Foods Market is celebrating with an abundance of fresh, organic grapes in stores all month long.  This eased the blow, then I whipped up a big bowl of  bionico and forced myself to share half with her.

Ingredients for Bionico: 

1 1/2- cups organic red grapes (sliced in half)

1/2 – cup organic green grapes (sliced in half)

2 – sliced bananas

1 1/2 – cups peeled and chopped mango

1 1/2 – cups watermelon (cubed)

1 – cup green apple (cubed)

1 – cup pineapple (cubed)

1 – cup strawberries (sliced)

1/2 – cup sugar

3/4 – cup sour cream

1/2 – cup raisins

1/2 – cup chopped almonds

Mix all fruit in a big bowl.

Then in a small bowl mix sugar, and sour cream together until smooth. Then pour over mixed fruit and mix well.

Serve in a serving bowl and sprinkle with raisins and almonds. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, but the recipe and opinions are my own. 

It’s National Guacamole Day, and my house is stocked with bowls of tortilla strips and guacamole.  The man in my house usually watches football on Sundays and with that habit comes snacking.  I say stocked because each room in the house has a T.V. blaring the latest touchdown, and right next to the remote control is a bowl of guacamole and chips.  Easy to grab and even more delicious to savor.  Of course I made my own guacamole and tortilla strips… click here for the recipe, after all it is National Guacamole Day and we should all be celebrating.  While I was smashing my Avocados from Mexico, making a big creamy batch of guacamole, I remembered all the folks I had interviewed while I was in NYC for BlogHer12.  Each one of them talked about guacamole as if it were a patron saint.  I saw fireworks in their eyes at the mere mention of guacamole.  People of all walks of life LOVE the green stuff known as guacamole.  People just love green stuff in general I guess, but guacamole is up there.

Here, take a look for yourself,  I had the pleasure of working on this sweet video with my fellow Abuelita Avocado Ambassadors.

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post on behalf of Avocados from Mexico and Latina Bloggers Connect.  The recipe and opinions are my own!  Yes, and without a doubt #ILoveAvocados #AmoLosAguacates

 I still am not sure how I will celebrate Mexican Independence Day this year…. I know there will be a grito contest down the street from me, but I may have had enough of my own gritos with my webisode for a little while. Maybe I’ll invite a few friends over for a plato of Chef Aquiles Chavez’s Avocado Enfrijoladas. Chef Aquiles Chavez is considered one of the best chefs in Mexico, he is the host of Aquilísimo, The Touch of Achilles, and Achilles in Houston…. 3 of the Most Watched cooking shows in Mexico, and also seen in the U.S. on the Utilísima Network. Now I have to see what all the fuss is about…. I guess it’s settled, I will be having this delectable dish for Fiestas Patrias. 🙂

Ingredients for Avocado Enfrijoladas:

Recipe by: Chef Aquiles Chavez

Serves: 4

1 – tablespoon olive oil
3/4 – cup white onion, chopped
1 – chile de arbol
1  – cup chicken broth
3 – ripe Avocados from Mexico, halved, pitted and peeled
1 cup Queso Fresco, cut into ¼-inch cubes (or soft feta cheese if you prefer)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups cooked black beans with everything and broth or 1 can of black beans (15.5 ounces), drained and rinsed
8 corn tortillas
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 ripe avocado from Mexico, halved, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional for garnish

Preparation:

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add ¼ cup of onion and chile de arbol, mixing constantly until the onion is golden brown (about 5 minutes). Add the chicken broth and when it boils, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mash the avocado. Then add the diced cheese, the remaining onion, cilantro, serrano chile, salt and pepper and mix lightly.

Heat a griddle or heavy skillet, and add a tortilla. Heat the tortillas for 30 to 60 seconds per side. Place the tortilla in an area with enough space to fill the 8 enfrijoladas. Fill the center of the tortilla with avocado ⅓ cup mixed and roll the tortilla. Repeat steps 8 times or until the end of the avocado mixture.

Take the chicken broth mixture, remove the chile de arbol. Then, pass the chicken broth and beans to a blender and blend until you reach a creamy consistency. Transfer the bean mixture to the pan to a boil (about 5 minutes). Separate ½ cup bean sauce and divide the rest among 4 plates. Place 2 rolls on sauce on each plate and sprinkle with remaining bean sauce. Serve with cubes of avocado, onion, shredded cheese and cilantro, if desired.
Serve immediately

This is a picture of Lisa Quinones-Fontanez and her beautiful son Norrin.  I was asked by Yahoo! recently to nominate a woman that shines…. There are many woman I know who shine, but Lisa’s story and what she represents is one that needs more of a voice right now:

Lisa has touched my heart time and time again.  I read her blog Autism Wonderland as if it’s my personal bible. She is a woman warrior fighting for her autistic son’s rights on a daily basis.  She has been recognized by Babble as one of the top 30 Autism Blogs, and is a regular contributor to Parents magazine.  Unlike many bloggers who use blogging as an outlet to escape into their own private internet world, Lisa delves into her reality and brings wisdom and hope to parents who are going through the same diagnosis with their child. If it wasn’t for her blog, I would have NEVER known the signs to look for in an Autistic child…. She is a huge inspiration to many parents who are  lost in the autism fog trying to find answers and fearful of what the future holds for our vulnerable delicate autistic children.  She is not only changing her son Norrin’s life, she is helping hundreds of parents  take the right steps to help change the lives of their children too.  She is a modern day hero who wears her heart and emotions on her sleeve, and in her darkest moments she is still strong enough to share her own fears with the world.  Lisa is currently looking to build the 1st school in the Bronx for autistic children.

Please click on the this link to help Lisa win The Yahoo! Women Who Shine contest… That money will help her build her school and in turn help many autistic children in need of service and therapy! Good Luck Lisa,  you have my vote! To find out more about Yahoo Women who shire… click here.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this blog post while participating in the Social Moms blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read  more posts on this topic, Click here.

Welcome to September, National Potato Month and Latino Heritage Month.  I am a proud Latina who loves to eat papas and found this to be the perfect time to have my celebratory hat on for this Picadillo recipe.  It is a dish my family has cherished for years and now I am proudly sharing it with you. Watch the video for a quick how to, and if you like what you see….. subscribe to my You Tube channel by clicking here.

Ingredients for Picadillo:

3 – anaheim chiles

2 – huerito chiles

3 – Idaho Potatoes

2 – medium sized tomatoes

1 – yellow onion

2 – pounds ground beef (70/30)

1 – teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt

1/2 – teaspoon ground cumin

1 – teaspoon black pepper

a pinch of oregano

4 – garlic cloves

1 – cup beef broth

Char chiles on a comal (grill) until skin is completely burned. Then place in a ziplock bag to soften in their own moisture for about 30 minutes. Remove from bag and peel charred skin completely off. Then slice and chop chile. Set to the side

Peel, chop into big cubes, and boil Idaho Potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and set to the side.

In a large frying pan over a medium high flame add 2 tablespoons of oil and allow to get hot for about 3 minutes. Then add in boiled potatoes and fry until crisp and golden brown for about 10 minutes. Once your potatoes are nice and crisp add in your chopped chiles, chopped tomato and onion. Let all the veggies get to know each other by cooking them for about 5 to 7 minutes. Set to the side.

In a different large frying pan over a medium high flame cook ground beef. Make sure to break up the beef into small pieces…. then add in the spice with Lawry, cumin, black pepper, oregano, and garlic. Cook until all ground beef is brown. If there is an excess of oil in the pan, now would be the time to drain most of it. Then add in potato mixture and beef broth. Cover pan with lid and lower flame to a simmer. Let picadillo simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot with a corn or flour tortilla and let your meat and potato dreams come true.

Thank you with my entire heart and gratitude to my amazing crew! I Love you guys.

Directors:  Mando Lopez and James Ford

Director of Photography:  Tony Molina

Producer:  Lacey Reilly

 Editor:  James Ford

Set Design:  Mando Lopez

Still photos and camera assistant :  Max Azpiazu

On-set morale booster: Kristen Warren

Sound:  Evan Kendra

Equipment: Paul Hopkins

Opening Music: Anger Bros

Musicians: Andrea Bulletti and Mando Lopez

Vocals: Nicole Presley

Music Engineer: Manny Nieto

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Idaho Potato Commission. The recipe and opinions are my own. 

I don’t usually drive an hour and a half out of my way in the dead of heat to visit a high school cafeteria. That’s exactly what I did last month when  I was invited to come to Arlington High School in Riverside. The Riverside school district is being labeled “The New Heros of School Lunch Cafeterias.” What does that mean exactly? I was so curious myself and had to find out.

On July 1, 2012 new standards governing the nutrition level of food served in the United States schools went into effect under the 2010 Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act.  This is where Rodney Tyler comes in, Rodney is the Director of Nutrition Services, Riverside Unified School District ( They are the 15th largest school district in California).

This man had a vision and wanted to change the way kids were eating in his district by presenting them with healthy food options, and at the same time get the district out of the 3.1 million dollar deficit it was in. He incorporated salad bars in his schools, he started buying produce (veggies and fruit) from local farmers, put a ban on foods coming out of a can in his cafeterias… fresh was the new motto, and then he hired Chef Ryan Douglas from a nearby university to come and create and oversee all the food. This was a completely different approach. People snickered and told him his plan of healthy eating would not and could not work, but Rodney just kept his goals insight of making a better lunch meal and changing the perception of school foodservice. One of the first things he incorporated to entice his students to come and eat in the cafeteria was start daily bar-b-que. He had big grills built and to this day fires up the grills about 30 minutes before the students are released for lunch. This gets the students excited about coming out to eat. It tempts them for a good 30 minutes with the aroma of bar-b-que by smelling up the campus and makes them feel like there is a celebration going on in the cafeteria. When that bell rings, the students are met with grilled bar-b-que chicken and cheeseburgers fresh off the grill (pictured at the top). Can you imagine?

Then he realized if his district was ever going to overcome child obesity they would need to address a few issues. He noticed that many of the students were unable to identify fruit in it’s natural form, but could tell you the name of canned fruits once they were chopped up. With this being a serious problem in his eyes, he decided to not only tour local farms with students but start buying local produce for the pupils to eat everyday.

When he hired Chef Ryan Douglas he asked the chef to introduce food items you wouldn’t traditionally find in a school. Ryan took that to heart and stated preparing salads and fruit platters right away. Ryan also just finshed filming a 6 episode series for the WIC program where he is teaching parents to feed their families at home on a tight budget, but still make it healthy and simple.

Yes. The Riverside School district are the New Heros of the lunch cafeteria, not only did they manage to break all the rules and introduce an awesome healthy menu to their students…. but they were also able to prove to those who thought serving healthy food and climbing out of debt at the same time couldn’t be done…. they went from a 3.1 million dollars deficit in 2002 to paying it off and now sit in 2012 with a 5.7 million dollar reserve! Raise your fork to healthy eating and Riverside!!!!!

Photos taken by: Nicole Presley