I love Tacos!!

I love tacos!! Not only is that a true statement but it's also the name of a new restaurant on pines blvd and 178 street. This restaurant brought back so many memories for me, not because I've been there before but because growing up my stepfather loved to find little Mexican mom and pop restaurants and try them out. Unfortunately, he's no longer here to try them out with us, but I know he would have loved this one. For drinks they have your regular stuff but they also have orchata and jarritos, which are traditional Hispanic drinks. My mom had the orchata and loved it. Next was appetizer. We order the queso fundido, which is a big bowl of melted cheese topped with ground beef and served with tortillas. If you like cheese, this is the way to go. We also got to try their nachos, which were loaded with onions, tomatoes, beans, ground beef, cheese sauce, and crumbled cheese on top. Now the only reason why we got these was because the hubby ordered a steak and they had run out of steaks so the chef sent us the nachos, and we were glad we got to try them because they were very good. I ordered the wet burrito for my entree and my husband ordered a grilled chicken with sauteed onions which came with a side of rice beans and a side taco. The food tasted authentic and fresh and definitely not like a chain restaurant. I can't wait to go back and try some of their other dishes. The service was great, as you can see they even sent over free food for not having an entree that wasn't even on their menu, and we didn't make a big stink about it or anything, but besides the free food, they were very attentive and always coming around making sure we had everything we needed. And if you are wondering about prices, don't worry they are very reasonable, we spent about $50 for 4 people with appetizers, entrees, and dessert. 

Monkey Joe's

A new Monkey Joe's opened up about 10 minutes away from us. For those of you who don't know what it is, check it out: Monkey Joes. Little Man and I were excited to join some friends there for a playdate, and hoped it was going to be a good time. We've been to a couple of bounce house places, and I'm sad to say this is my least favorite one. First reason is price value. I was charged $5 for baby girl, seriously she doesn't do much of anything but sit there, and little man was $8, which is reasonable. My problem was most bounce house places don't charge for 2 and under, but Monkey Joe's do. Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper. They do have a lot of staff watching the children and making sure nothing happens, so that was a plus. Besides bounce houses, they also have arcades, which in general I wish all bounce house facilities didn't have, but I know that is how they make their money.

**************Edited on Jul 24*************************************************
So after writing this blog last night, I wrote to Monkey Joe's as well and pretty much told them what happened and I got a response back! Here is what it said:

Ms. Plana,

I am extremely saddened to hear about your experience at Monkey Joe's.  Under two year olds are a little tricky, since some are more adventurous than others. The rule of thumb is, if they are going to play, then it's $5.  That's exactly what should've of been expressed  to you when you walked in. Could you please let me know what day and approximately what time you were there to address this matter appropriately? Also, I would like to send you your admission fee back, so if you could please let me know where to mail it. If you have any other children over 2, I would like to also send you a frequent user card, which is good for ten free visits. Again, I apologize for the experience you encountered and assure it will be taken care of immediately.
Sincerely,
Michelle Wehn

Owner/operator

So wohoo to good customer service! I guess we will be going back and trying it out.

I'm going to do it...

Everyday I wake up and I tell myself today is the day to start eating right and working out. I have been saying that since my 6 weeks of recuperation after baby girl was born were up and now she is 7 months old. Last night though as I watched "Bunheads," I chose that I would get on my ballet shoes and follow whatever routine came up on the show. That would be my first workout. I also decided to do 50 crunches, 20 leg lifts, and some stretching exercises. I know its nothing impressive, but hey its a start right? This morning I woke up and it was really the day to start eating better. I definitely wasn't perfect, but my dinner did consist of a salad with carrots and tomatoes and light dressing and a very thin slice of meatloaf.
Anyways the reason why I need to take control of what I eat is mainly for my health. We had, or I should say, I had a hard time getting pregnant because of Polycystic Ovaries (PCOS) and I had to be on metformin to regulate my insulin. If you don't know about PCOS, one way it effects your body is by causing insulin intolerance. Therefore, I need to stay away from sweets and carbs, but of course those are the two food groups I love the most, I mean who doesn't? I really don't want to be on metformin though for the rest of my life, so its time to take control. Now what "diet" plan will I follow? Really a little bit of everything because I don't want it to be a diet, I want it to be a habit and a way I will eat and cook from now on.

Here are some guide lines I will be following:

• I really loved Weight Watcher's when we did it before little man was born, so I'll use some of their recipes.
• The Primal diet helps to keep away the bad foods for me and get me active
• Raw Eating to helps us stay away from processed foods

Hopefully we are headed down the right track. Wish us luck!!

Live, Laugh, Love

If there is one motto I live to live by its Live, Laugh, Love. Anyone that knows me will probably tell you that I am a person that loves to live, laugh a lot, and love with my whole heart. I think it is very important for people to be able to be content with their lives. I wasn't always content with mine and there are still days that I stray a little, but for 99% of the time I'm content. The turning point was a Bible study that I was a part of. It really opened my eyes to the wonders that the Lord has provided me with. I see people around me that live their life so miserably and complain about everything and anything, and I just pray that one day they will give their lives over to Him and be able to see that the situations they complain about aren't as bad as they make it seem.
If you ever think your life is horrible, think of the little boy that is sleeping under a bridge with no food in his belly, or the person that is on their death bed, or a million in one possibilities that can be worse than yours. Be content with what God provides for you because everything happens for a reason and we never know what that reason is. It's better to have a positive attitude towards life than a negative one. So remember Live, Laugh, and Love!

Recipe Round-up

Chicken Alfredo Roll-up
9 lasagna noodles
2 ½ cups alfredo sauce
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and pour ½ cup alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil 8-10 cups water in a large pan, cook lasagne noodles until al dente. Now this is the important part! Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, lay out each noodle individually and blot dry with a paper towel. Spread about 2 Tbs. alfredo sauce over each noodle. (if there is too much sauce you will have a big mess on your hands!) Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it out evenly over each noodle. Add approx. 3 Tbs. cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You will need to lift the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling. Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam-side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted on top.


Sweet Pulled Pork 

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs. vinegar
4 Tbs. soy sauce
3 lbs. pork butt

Wrap the pork butt completely in foil. Put in the slow cooker and pour ½ cup water around pork. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove from crock pot and drain juice and water. Shred pork, removing excess fat, with two forks.Meanwhile mix ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce until blended. Return shredded pork to crock pot and pour sauce mixture over pork roast and cook on low for an additional 1-2 hours.  


Shrimp and Chorizo
(This is the original recipe: I modify it by using kielbasa and omitting jalapeno pepper)
2 links cured chorizo sausage (about 3 oz)
1 large Spanish onion (rinsed)
1 fresh jalapeño pepper (optional, rinsed)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3/4 lb large peeled/deveined shrimp (thawed, if needed)
1/4 teaspoon paprika

 Cut chorizo in half lengthwise; then slice thinly. Remove ends and peel from onion; cut onion in half and slice thinly (about 2 cups). Cut jalapeño pepper in half (remove seeds); chop pepper finely.sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add chorizo, onions, jalapeño, and garlic; cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often, or until onions begin to soften. Add shrimp (wash hands) and paprika; cook 3–4 minutes, stirring often, or just until shrimp are opaque and curl slightly. Serve immediately.

Savory Garlic Marinated Steaks

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring 1 pinch cayenne pepper 2 (1/2 pound) rib-eye steaks

	In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper.
	Place steaks in a shallow glass dish with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
	Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat.
	Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Discard leftover marinade.

 

 

In the summer time...

Its the summer!!! YEY and BOO!! It is so hot in South FL, but as long as we are in the shade or in the water, we are A-OKAY. We have been keeping busy by going to the park and the pool and anything indoors.

Our favorite park is Miramar Regional. It has lots of shade and a lot for the kids to do. They have swings, slides, rock climbing, and lots of sand to play with.

There is also a pool and water park in the entrance. Not sure of the cost though, but the park area is free.

Let me introduce you to little man and baby girl! This is them at the park! They really love each other and I hope it stays that way!

Shells galore

I think one of the hubby's favorite dishes that I make is stuffed shells. I hadn't made it in awhile and being that Father's day is around the corner, I decided to treat him to an extra special dinner. and boy were they worth it, the hubby, little man, and I gobbled them up. And be proud of me because I actually took pictures, thanks to my new iphone!! Here is my recipe:

Ingredients for shells:
box of jumbo shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lb of ground turkey
1/2 an onion
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon parsley
dash of salt
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
 


Pink Sauce recipe:
1 can tomato sauce
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
2 tablespoons minced garlic

 You will need to have three pots on at once, one will be to boil the pasta, another to cook the meat, and the last one to cook the sauce. For the pasta, follow directions on the box.

In frying pan at medium-hot heat, heat olive oil, when the oil is hot, put in the onion.
Place ground beef in pan with all the seasonings and cook until well browned. Allow meat to cool, then add cheeses and eggs.

In a sauce pot on low heat, place all of the ingredients for the sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When the meat is cooked, place in bowl to cool off.  Also when the pasta is ready, drain the water, and allow about 10 minutes to cool. When the pasta is cooled, scoop in meat mixture into the shells, until finished. In a 13x9 pan fill the bottom with sauce, then add a layer of shells. Add sauce on top and if desired add some mozzarella cheese too. Put as many layers as needed. Bake for 30 minutes.