Presley's Pantry

A few months ago I was having a really difficult time getting my 3 year old son Max to lay down and go to sleep at night.  I use to allow him to take these ridiculously long naps during the day because I knew he wasn’t getting enough sleep during the hours of darkness.  I was extra worried about his routine of broken sleep because I realized he was starting school and would need to be alert and functioning in order to learn.  That’s when the wires in my brain sparked and I said “No more long naps.”  From that point on I started skipping on the nap entirely or just allowed a 30 minute nap and started putting him in bed by 7pm with a warm cup of milk and a full belly.  This method worked so well for me, I still can’t believe it.  Max now sleeps 12 solid hours!  When before the most he would sleep was around 8 to 9 hours total.  That warm glass of milk is like a magic lullaby that has worked wonders for my son, and in turn,  he’s made such an incredible progress at school.

If you watch Telemundo or Univision you’ll see the cutest California Milk Board spot called “Ya es hora de ir a la cama” between 7p.m. and 9p.m. nightly, as a reminder to parents and children…. It’s Bedtime.  I love the spot so much, I just have to post it here for you all to see!

After I swooned over this spot, I could only hope my son’s nighttime REM sleep is as calming, animated, and imaginative.

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

I usually ride the craving wave of what my body wants to eat, and 50% of the time it yearns for salad. Sometimes as a main meal and sometimes as a side. Now the same can’t be said for my son, and I’m having a difficult time introducing salad into his diet. I keep trying and looking for new ways to make this introduction a lifelong habit of his. I want to teach him young to eat healthy. Do I mix more red ingredients in the salad? Should I start with just lettuce? What if I cut all the vegetables up into cute shapes? I tell you it’s been a struggle. Long story short, I was absolutely thrilled when I heard Whole Foods Market (Southern Pacific Region- Southern California, Hawaii, Arizona, and Las Vegas) are donating $$$$$ to help put in salad bars at local schools. My son’s school doesn’t have a salad bar, but if they did this would help with my salad training efforts, not just for my boy but for kids all over the district. Sign me up… What do I have to do? On Sunday Sept. 9th, 2012 Whole Foods Market will donate $1.00 for every pound of food purchased from the salad bar and hot food bars to move salad bars into local schools through The Whole Kids Foundation.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, but is a cause I truly stand behind and am proud to be a part of. 

I’m officially in the “smaller servings” phase of my life.  Even though I’ve thrown in the towel on fitting into a bikini this summer, the holidays are right around the corner, and I still want to fit into my pants with a little wiggle room.  All along I refuse to give up cake, can’t do it, won’t happen…. here’s my solution….Mini Bundt Banana Almond Poppy Seed Cakes…. smaller but loaded with so much flavor. These little cakes are the best alternative to satisfying my sweet cravings , and being able to keep my girlish figure. 🙂

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for Mini Bundt Almond Poppy Seed Cakes:

3 – cups ultragrain flour

2 – cups powdered sugar

3/4 – cup almond meal (ground almonds)

2 – teaspoons of baking powder

1/3 – cup poppy seeds

2 1/2 – Dole Ripe bananas (smashed)

1 – cup vegetable oil

3 – eggs

1/2 – cup buttermilk

1 – teaspoon almond extract

Ingredients for glaze:

3/4  – cup powered sugar (sifted)

2 – tablespoons of coconut milk

garnish with chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

In a large bowl add flour, powdered sugar, almond meal, baking powder, and poppy seeds.

In a small bowl add bananas (smashed), vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk and almond extract. Mix well.

Then add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer until well combined.

Spray a mini bundt pan with a non-stick baking spray. Then pour a heaping 1/3 cup of batter into each 2 1/2 -inch bundt mold. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes in pan then invert onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.

Now for the glaze…. whisk powered sugar and coconut milk together until creamy smooth. Drizzle over top of cakes then garnish with chopped almonds.

ENJOY!

Spicy is one of the preferred flavors in my library of taste, I reach for it and crave it more often than not. This is not a trait I was born with, but a preference I developed. Spice comes to me in an assortment of ways, and pickling happens to be a tradition both sides of my family have enjoyed for years. My Great Grandma Presley use to make her own pickles, and my Grandfather Sandoval always ate a pickled guero chile with his sandwich. My pickling recipe is a mish mash of many flavors pulled from my upbringing and travels rolled into one.  I used onions and veggies for this pickling and added a Red Savina Habanero Pepper from Melissa’s Produce to bring on the heat. Now my sandwiches, and veggie burgers…. will be complete.

Ingredients for Spicy Pickled Onions and Veggies:

1 – Red Savina Habanero Pepper (even a half of one will bring heat)

2 – cloves of garlic (smashed)

3 – 1 inch cubes of watermelon

2 – radish (sliced)

1 – carrot (sliced)

1 – red onion (sliced)

1/2 – teaspoon coriander seeds

1/4 – teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 – teaspoon oregano

1/4 – teaspoon black pepper

1/2 – teaspoon salt

1 – 8.5 oz bottle of Red Wine Vinegar

a large jar.

See video for instruction.

Store in fridge for 2 days minimum before eating.

Video shot with my iPhone by: Mando Lopez

I was one of the lucky few that was able to preview portions of the new Disney movie “Wreck-It Ralph.”  I came away feeling thrilled by the magic of the studio and completely inspired by the picture.  I wrote my preview of the film and made a Sugar Rush (which is one of the video games in the movie) inspired cake…. you can find my recap over at SpanglishBaby by clicking here.  Check it out.

I went to The Taste last year.  An event put on by The Los Angeles Times, and it proved to be one of the best culinary experiences of the year.  I had the opportunity to taste a little bit of Los Angeles’ best cuisine spread out over 3 days.  Click here for the recap of my time last year.  This year will be no different.  The finest of the finest restaurants will be invited to showcase some good eats, there will be cooking demo’s with some of our favorite chefs (Nancy Silverton, Ricardo Zarate, Kris Yenbamroong, and Ludovic “Ludo” Lefebvre), and a steady flow of spirits, beers, and wines.  The 2012 version of The Taste is going to take place all in one location…. Paramount Studios.  Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of Labor Day weekend will belong to Los Angeles and The Taste.  I wait for this year’s event with great anticipation and my elastic stretch pants ready to expand.  If you don’t have tickets yet….. Click here to buy your tickets now.

A pic of me last year about to chomp on a slice of gorgeous bread topped with burrata, grilled grapes, olive oil, salt and a little basil leaf.  I about fainted from the happiness this dish brought me, but decided it would suit me to stay alert so I could continue savoring the deliciousness of The Taste.

For more information about The Taste click here.

See you all there.

Those gorgeous New Mexico Hatch Chiles are once again in season from NOW to mid September.  My friends over at Melissa’s Produce sent me a bunch of hot and mild chiles to roast and use for savory spicy dishes. I couldn’t be satisfied with hatch chiles as a seasonal treat so I decided to preserve them for an all year round indulgence. Check out my cool video below to see how.

Drool worthy Hatch Chile Corn Bread Strata….. Click here.

Want to learn to roast Hatch chiles… Click over to Shockingly Delicious.

Photo and video shot with my iPhone taken by: Mando Lopez