Thai Inspired Minced Pork

I learnt this easy to make and full of flavor Thai dish from the lovely Kimberly when she did a guest post for me a week ago, its basically the same recipe, not as pretty as hers :-) the only changes I made was to add a little lemongrass and plum sauce (I didn't have sweet soy) we all enjoyed this and it was my first time cooking with minced pork. 

Bloggers: Guard Your Page Rank

Hi all I really had this on my heart today and wanted to share this information on what page rank is, how to check it, why its important and why money for text links may not be a good idea. Just my personal thoughts, what are yours .............

Mocha Spice Biscotti

I made this biscotti the other day was easy to make and had a wonderful seasonal taste in fact I took some to our adopted American families house for thanksgiving. I made biscotti over a year ago for the first time, and was reminded after chatting with my brothers friend on the chow and chatter facebook page about it.  As he mentioned he was going to make it from the chow and chatter recipe app!, he even told me he had made the Colombian style chicken for his girlfriend what a thrill to hear of the app being used. 

Its always so much fun to re visit recipes and make them better (this one will be on a future update for sure, and I am thinking about a pumpkin version!)

Crepes with Nutella and Orange

Pancakes or crepes make the best breakfast living in America fostered my love for pancakes at this mealtime.  I love to make them thin more like the French or Brits, they bring back memories of my Dad making them for us as kids and showing us how to flip them, or walking in the streets of Paris with a warm nutella one on a winters day.

How to Make: Baking Cup Turkey

My first craft post just for fun! - love to you all and feel free to sent craft links my way great to know with toddler 

love Rebecca

Happy Thanksgiving

Beef and Vegetable Soup

 

This soup is rather special if I do say myself, because I made my own stock!, for the first time. It was easy and cost effective. I found a big bag of beef bones at my local butcher for just $3 made it the day before and voila a tasty soup was born :-) The soup was inspired by both Mely's blog - Mexico in my Kitchen (she recently did a guest post) and Deb's blog Kahakai Kitchen 

Next time after making the stock I will make it a clear soup but the dietitian in me couldn't discard the veggies in it so blended it. 

So don't throw your Turkey bones away this thanksgiving - make stock!

African Music to Make You Smile

Just for fun I thought I would share some music from Africa, when I am feeling low this kind of music uplifts me, love it when Jasmine was a small baby and colicky would dance with her to this and it soothed her. There is a wonderful music company called Putumayo that does CD's from around the World, I have a few it introduces us to musicians we may never have heard of :-)

Enjoy :-)

Custom Tiles by Renee

I am going to start a series on Chow and Chatter featuring wonderful crafts, baked goods, talents and items for sale by fellow bloggers or anyone really. I for one now really understand how hard it is to make something your proud of (my recipe app) and try and get the word out. Also why not share great items especially with the holidays coming for gifts to all the lovely readers of chow and chatter. Up first are these wonderful custom tiles by Renee, they are beautiful aren't they drop me a line if you want me to mention something :-)

Kudos Kitchen By Renee  - Hand Painted Custom Tiles (Biography)

Not long ago I ran a small but successful decorated cookie business for approximately 5 years before deciding to close my cookie doors.  During the end of my cookie career I began experimenting with food coloring as “paint” on my royally iced cookie canvases.

In my mind, many of my painted cookies looked liked decorative “tiles” with the only exception being that they would ultimately be eaten (go figure).  Although many people would comment that my cookies “looked too pretty eat”, in the end they always were and the art was only a delightful, yet distant, memory. 

In July of 2010, I decided to follow my heart and true passion for paints and brushes and began painting actual ceramic tiles that people could use as functional items (such as trivets and coasters) as well as unique and personal décor items that could proudly be displayed in homes or offices.

By emailing me a photo or giving detailed information, anything can be designed and hand painted on a custom tile.  From recreating a blog header, button, badge or logo to reproducing a family classic recipe or a beloved family member, ideas can be realized and come to life through my painter’s palette in my Kudos Kitchen.

Client contact and interaction is key to producing a one of a kind tile that will thrill and delight.  Because of this fact, I do not have a specific website that is used for ordering.  Ordering can only be done through emailing me directly.  I do however have a blog where clients can go to view my past works in my “portfolio pages” and also a section called “Kitchen Table” where I talk about the process of painting specific designs and where I also show step by step photos of my work.

Email me:    info@kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

Blog:    http://kudoskitchenbyrenee.blogspot.com

Chocolate and Raisin Cupcakes

I made these super simple cupcakes the other day, remember I am not a very good baker :-) and got a couple of simple gel cake decorating pens for our little one to decorate them afterwards. 

Hubby and I like simple cakes without the butter or heavy frosting but your welcome to Jazz them up a little!

Schedule 5 minutes for you!

Guest Post: Pork Pad Kra Pao with Fried Egg

It is with great pleasure to introduce you to Kimberly from Kimbas Kitchen, she is such a sweetie an amazing cook and shares my love of cooking recipes from around the globe. You will enjoy her blog, great photos and lovely personality. Her guest post rocks, easy to make and super tasty. I am on the hunt for minced pork now to make this next week!

Chow and Chatter App: First Review

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2010/11/chow-chatter-offers-cuisines-world/

I am thrilled that appadvice.com agreed to review my app today out of hundreds of requests see the link below and please retweet I really really appreciate it . The app has sold in 6 countries so far.Also if you have downloaded please leave a review on itunes I need so many to get a rating. Sorry if you think I am annoying, please let me know honestly if I am! just want to get the word out ;-)

I hope it sells so I can break even and save money to get hubby a cool birthday pressie next year its a big one. I also want to add more recipes in future and keep making the app better and better :-)

I also want to say if anyone has anything they want to share an etsy store, a cookbook something they are proud of would love to help you and spread the word. We are all part of an amazing community if there is anyway I can help budding Entrepreneurs I would love to :-)

I can add a post to Chow and Chatter, tweet, link to facebook or have you on my radio show :-)

Lots of love and Hugs 

Salvadorian Chicken

On our way back to the airport in Florida last week we drove past a Salvadorian restaurant we stopped turned around and went inside. It didn't look like much a small restaurant but as lunchtime came around it sure filled up. I had a chicken dish in a tomato sauce with tortilla and plantains, I asked the girl how it was cooked. I returned home shopped and the next day re created the dish while I still had the taste in my mouth :-), its easy to make and super tasty. I am so happy to add another countries food to my repertoire and definitely will be adding this recipe to the first chow and chatter recipe app update :-)

Sausage and White Bean Stew

I made this stew recently after seeing it in the New York times, I have been wanting to combine sausage and beans after seeing Lauren's Causoulet on Healthy Delicious and the same week ordering it at The Print Works Bistro in Greensboro. So when I saw this recipe I was thrilled its an easy way to make a fun stew and the use of the tomato paste and fresh herbs eliminates the need for stock often high in salt. He he that's the dietitian talking!, enjoy a great dish for fall :-)

Rebecca's thoughts on Blogging

I just made a short clip on my views on blogging feel free to watch and comment below I feel it will be an awesome discussion!

Also heres the link to I Love Flavor Me after our chat today :-)

Smoked Salmon Fried Rice

This is a wonderful recipe for fried rice, I adore smoked salmon and it pairs so well with Asian seasonings and adds something special to fried rice. Also it uses ingredients we all have on hand and can be made in no time :-)

South Florida Food Adventures

We just returned from a few days in South Florida, we have been to this area a few times, especially at this time of year. Visited Miami and Fort Lauderdale so this time we decided to check out West Palm Beach area. It was a fun trip we were blessed with the weather and had some amazing food. Wanted to write a quick post to share some tips in case your ever in the area :-)

Hearty Greek Lentils

I made this wonderful lentil dish last week, easy to make and super nutritious rich in iron, protein and fiber. I learnt this recipe from a Greek friend at university in fact most of my best recipes are learnt from friends and family as I nag them to teach me!!

Favorite Social Media Tweets from #FNCE

Twitter is indeed a gift this afternoon my fellow RD's are in Boston at our National Meeting #FNCE (food and nutrition expo on twitter) and they were tweeting the best social media tips, I just had to cut and paste my favorites in a post. Even if you are not a dietitian we can all learn something.

Be sure to follow #FNCE for great nutrition and health tips, cutting edge research and connect with great folks :-) 

and for social media tips follow @SocialMediaRDs 

I couldn't be there this year but one of the speakers is mentioning me and my recipe app :-) 

maybe next year I can attend and tweet live from the event :-) 

Best Rebecca

Introducing the Chow and Chatter Recipe app!!!

Carrot and Date Halwa and Big News!!

I decided to try making halwa today for hubby as traditionally sweets are eaten on Diwali and we don't have any Indian sweet shops near by. I used the recipe on Cooking for all Seasons, its a wonderful Indian food blog and I just knew Shrivalli would have a good recipe, she was the lovely food blogger I had the pleasure of meeting in Chennai. It was easy to make and delicious :-)

Pasta La Bella Cook Style

This recipe was given to me by the most lovely Bridgett of La Bella Cook It was after a twitter conversation when I had first started using it and I remember being so touched that she took the time to email a recipe. This is why I love the food blogging community it is filled with wonderful and talented folks and I learn how to be a better cook along the way and make friends :-)

Also tomorrow is a big day for me I am giving a talk on social media to local dietitians. Its all through blogging I have learnt about social media and I hope I can share ideas with others in my profession to better reach out to the community and help folks. At the same time building business and inspiring folks to think outside the box and be entrepreneurs - wish me luck!

Guest Post : From Mexico in My Kitchen

It is with great pleasure to introduce you to the sweet Mely she is a Mexican living in the US and writes a wonderful food and culture blog Mexico in My Kitchen I love the tales of her Grandmas house and asked for a guest post :-) so enjoy folks


 Plantain with milk

A simple breakfast recipe that brings back good memories from the days I visited my grandma’s country farm. She had a large piece of land designated for banana trees.That area was so huge that, as a kid it was our special place to play "hide and seek" games.  But that kind of banana growing in her farm is not easily found here in the United States. Surprisingly I found it few days ago while I was shopping for groceries in a Asian Market place with the name of “Burro Banana” (Donkey Banana). Even though it looks a lot like the ones my Grandma had in her farm, it didn’t taste same. So I decided to find out more about these particular type of bananas.

What happened next is that I discovered a whole world of information on more than 1,200 varieties of bananas, full  of Vitamin c, Potassium and even fiber, just to list a few of their virtues! I guess Grandma knew best what to feed her growing grandchildren. Just a roasted banana served with some fresh milk and that’s it!  In those good old days there was no need to "open a box" or a "bottle" for breakfast. The cow and the banana trees where right there across the kitchen patio. Nowadays and once in a while a plain plantain is good enough for me to do the trick back to Grandma’s kitchen. And I am glad to know that there are still women in my country feeding this healty vegetable for breakfast to their kids.  No chemicals, fillers or artificial flavors added!

To cook this you do not need your measuring cups.

Plantain with milk

 1 Plantain bananas and Burro Bananas, pick one.

Place the banana in a hot skillet and roast, turn to roast evenly. It is ok if it rips. You can make a small slit to the peel before roasting if you prefer to let steam out thru it. This can also be done under your broiler. Or during your next barbecue, placing the bananas in top of the grill and have it as a dessert.

After a few minutes it will look like this and now it is ready to serve in a small bowl with some warm milk and topped with ground cinnamon. Look at all the caramel dripping from the banana.

And if you enjoy pumpkins, this is another way you can eat it. Baked pumpkin with warm milk and a teaspoon of brown sugar.  These 2 dishes were common for breakfast or as a light dinner growing up at Grandma’s house. Now use your imagination and add the toppings of your choice.


Provecho!

Beautiful Autumn

I thought I would just share some beautiful Autumn/fall pictures from around Winston Salem, the changing leaves always bring a smile to my face hope they do you as well :-)