NEW BLOG

Hey guys,
  So I've hit the limit on my free Blogger account, so Ginger Snaps has been continued  on another site, here's the link! http://bakegingersnaps.wordpress.com/ Keep reading and cooking!
                           --Katie

Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce and Steak Fries

The other day I decided to make dinner for my whole family and bf.  I was inspired by the Taste of Little Italy when I tried chimichurri sauce for the first time at the Argentinean restaurant in SD, it was delicious and served with skirt steak.  Well I didn't have steak so I did pork loin, and it was also delicious!  So if you're feeling like a Gaucho for a night, try this seriously easy sauce!

What You'll Need:


Sauce:

• 1ish cup lightly packed chopped fresh parsley 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves 
• 2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Fries:

4 medium potatoes

1-2 tbs olive oil

salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (to taste)

For the sauce simply put all the ingredients into a food processor and chop until finely minced. SO EASY

For the pork I salted mine and grilled it until it was nice a browned.

The fries are a little more complicated, first wash them well! and cut them into thick wedges.

Be sure to soak them for a little while in luke warm water to get the starch off and pat dry.

Then season with olive oil and the spices.

SPRAY YOUR BAKING SHEET, then place the potatoes in a single layer.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 mins, then flip over. and bake for 10 more minutes.  they may stick a bit.

They'll be crispy and brown, hopefully

ENJOY!

Happy Dead Week! So to reward my hours of studious library time I decided to treat myself to some ahi for dinner.  I've never made ahi so this was a bit of an experiment, and it was delicious! So Enjoy!

What You'll Need:
Ahi Steak
Butter
1 Lemon
seasoning
olive oil
foil


First preheat that oven!! 450 degrees should do it.

Then slice your lemon into poker chip sized rounds.


Then put your foil into a glass baking sheet and place the lemons on the foil.


Next, put your thawed salmon in a bowl and lightly coat with olive oil and seasonings.

Place that sucker on the lemons!


Put pats of butter (the thinner the pat the thinner your waist) and top with more seasoning.

Bundle it all up and bake for 15 mins. 

Remove it from the oven and open the foil a bit, then bake again for 10-15 more minutes.

For medium rare it should still be quite purple.

I like to pour the lemon from the foil over the fish because ahi is a little drier than most fish.

Then ENJOY!

Chocolate Fudge White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

So, as usual when I visit Chris or vice versa, I baked him a treat.  This time I made up a cookie and tweaked a close enough recipe.  The original can be found here: http://backtothecuttingboard.com/dessert/light-and-chewy-chocolate-cookies/.  But mine were white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts instead of peanut butter.  They were super tasty and not as fattening as some other cookies out there.  So eat up!  *sorry my pictures suck!*

What You'll Need:

• 5 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 large egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 uncooked regular oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or regular flour)
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts

1. First, Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

2. Beat together butter, sugar, cocoa, egg and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, stir together oats, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

4. Add oat mixture to butter mixture, stirring just until blended.

Chop the macadamia nuts up a bit into reasonable sized pieces.

5. 
6. 
   
7. Fold in white chocolate chips and nuts.

6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheet lined with foil. Gently press them down before you place them in the oven.

7. Bake 9 minutes or until centers are almost done. Remove from oven and cool on pan 1 minute. 

8. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

9. Enjoy! yes they look a little unappetizing, but they are soo good!

Fresh Mexican Salad and Homemade Tortilla Chips

It was pointed out to me recently that I have been neglecting my blog, so here comes another post! My dinner tonight was going to be tacos but i felt like something lighter, so here's my latest invention: The Mexican Fiesta Bowl!

Here's What You'll Need:

2 Ears of Fresh Corn (you can use less but I LOVE corn)

1 Can Black Beans

1 Chicken Tenderloin, thawed

1 Roma Tomato

1 Avocado

Spices

Vinaigrette

3 Whole Wheat Tortillas

First start you water boiling for your corn and preheat the oven to 350.

While those are getting ready, shuck your corn and cut up your tortillas into 6ths to form large triangles.

Next cube your avocado and tomato.

When the waters ready boil the corn until its bright yellow.

When the ovens heated bake the tortillas for 5 mins then flip for 5 more, or less depending on how brown you want them.

Strain the Black Beans.

When the corn's done, you need to let it cool.

While it cools, cook your chicken, I just used some seasoning and cooked it on the stove top.

Let the chicken sit for a bit while you cut the corn off the cob.

Mix the tomato, avocado, corn, and chicken.

Add as much dressing as you like, I used Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar.

Next add a few big spoonfuls of the black beans and mix everything up.

Now you can sit back and enjoy!

Fast Easy Healthy Breakfast: PB Fruit Toast

Good Morning Everyone!  Looking for some yummy healthy breakfast inspiration? Well, look no further!  This toast is packed with delicious fruit, protein heavy pb, and whole grain yumminess!  Its nutty and sweet and fresh and filling! So let's get started!  Oh and I matched it with some steamy green tea :)

Here's what you'll need:
Toast (wholewheat)
1 Banana
4-5 Strawberries
2 Pbs Peanut Butter

First spread the pb on the warm toast.


Then top with the fruit.

Its that easy!!

Now Eat Up!

Spring Rolls: Just in Time for March

     Hey all, so a few of my friends and I got together last week to make delicious home-made Spring Rolls and they turned out so great!! super super yummy! They are pretty easy but there's a lot of prep, this is definitely something you do for an occasion or if you've got lots of time on your hands. Well, lets get started!

What You'll Need:
2-3 Large Carrots
1-2 Zucchini
Rice Paper Sheets
Rice Noodles
Chicken or Beef
Shrimp
Lettuce
Approximate guesses for sauces:
Soy Sauce 
Chili Sauce
Fish Sauce
Peanut Butter
Hoisin Sauce
Limes
Garlic, minced
Ginger, minced
Peanuts




First, julienne your carrots and zucchini, I used a mandoline which made it  a lot easier!

Then cut your chicken as thin as possible and cook in a skillet with minimal oil.


Then cook your shrimp, its done when they turn from grey to pink in the boiling water, and strain!

Then soften your noodles, boil water then remove from heat and put the noodles in for 10 mins

Then make the sauces, I didn't actually do this part, my friend Michael did, so I'm not entirely sure of what went in which sauce, but we had a fish and soy one and a Thai peanut one, there are lots of recipes online so unfortunately I have to refer you there..

fish sauce

peanut sauce

For the lettuce just tear it into small manageable pieces, or keep it in its rounded shape and make lettuce wraps :)


Anyway, once you have everything set up you can start wrapping, this is great for small dinner parties like ours because people can make their own :)

So, to soften the wrapping paper, have a plate of water, and feed the paper through, it wont feel soft at first but as you load it up it will soften.

so the best layering we found was lettuce, then meat of choice, then noodles, then veggies.


Wrap it up like a burrito, and dip in the sauces.

SO GOOD, enjoy!