Stack-A-Plant

I was trying to think of something light to make for dinner the other night and the same old same old chicken, broccoli and brown rice just wasn't doin it for us. I absolutely love caprese salads so i thought i might add a little extra to it. I have never ever cooked with eggplant before and it wasnt half bad... Ty called this new creation "Stack-A-Plant".

Ingredients:
1-2 large heirloom tomatoes
fresh mozzarella cheese
bunch of fresh basil leaves
1 small eggplant, about same diameter as your tomatoes
little olive oil and balsamic

Panco bread crumbs
1 large egg

Breaded Eggplant:

1. Slice eggplant in 1 1/2 inch slices. Dip in egg and then in panco on both sides. Place in Fry pan with a little olive oil and brown on both sides for a few minutes. I let them dry on a paper towel.

2. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella and stack all together. the mozzarella on top of the crispy warm eggplant was really nice together. Stack as high and as much as you like. I drizzled balsamic vinegar over top :) very yummy!

Plow to Porch Organics

My wonderful friend Sarah introduced me to an extraordinary service called Plow to Porch Organics. You have a choice of once a week or once every 2 weeks to have a wonderful basket of organic local produced delivered right to your door step! This week we got our very first shipment and boy was i surprised!Included in the box was:
*1 pint strawberries
*1.5 lbs white peaches
*1 lb sweet valentine plums
*2 avocados
*1 bunch green leaf lettuce (HUGE bunch)
*1 lb Cherokee heirloom tomatoes
*1 bunch sweet carrots with tops
*1.5lbs green zucchini
*1.5 lbs red potatoes
Everything was sooo beautiful and I was totally motivated to try some new things and figure out was to cook with the the others. It isn't too pricey and yes... i could just drive to the produce stand and purchase it myself but this is way more fun! check it out! Oh and they also include a recipe that uses some of the fruits or veggies they delivered! Ill try to make the one from this delivery and post it soon :)

Trinity 2010!

It has been a long standing tradition in the Perkins family to have an annual camping trip up at Trinity Lake. I had only heard stories about this wonderful place and all the fun they would have. I couldn't wait to be part of such a special tradition.
Tyson and I started our adventure early Wednesday morning, driving up the coast.... it was all fun and games till it was about 100 degrees and we were surrounded by nothing but dirt farms. I knew the end was in sight. A few hours later we hit Redding, Ca and then Trinity lake was at our fingertips. When we arrived, the whole Perkins gang was already there, tents up and everything! Everyone was down enjoying the beautiful lake so we started to unload our camping loot.
Tyson's family rented a ski boat for a few days, which was a superbly brilliant idea.... we got to go inter-tubing, wake boarding, water skiing, and just crusin around the lake. The weather was very warm and dry.... highs around 102 and lows at night in the 50's. Our evenings consisted of game playing, dinner making and chatting, along with plenty of laughs and smores! After 8 days of camping, we came home with a ton of new memories and cant wait to continue the tradition next year!!! Thank you Perkins for letting me be a part of such a wonderful trip and AMAZING family! I <3 you guys!

The sunset at the lake


Lots of game playing!


Dylan and Kayda, match made in heaven!


We still love each other even when we are tubing :)


Tyson and Wyatt and their intense tubing!


Ty's one of many fish he caught!


A beautiful hike


Family photo


There was even snow on the hike! Kayda loved it!


Fishing... a secret lake we found all to ourselves


Jeannie and her fishing gear :)


Mount Shasta


Group photo, sorry about the glare. We each have our camping essentials!

From left to right-
Tyson: bike and grill
Jeannie: coffee pot
Me: marshmallows
Dylan:Beer and rake
Jasmine: wood and beer
Sabin: shovel
Wyatt: walking/wizard staff
Donny: potted pine tree

Shrimp-Salad Pitas

So Ty and I are on a healthy eating/ healthy living kick. We are trying to get in shape and getting used to not eating all that crap that is oh sooo tempting. This is a new recipe I found in "Food Network Magazine". It is really easy to make and pretty tasty as Ty said so himself!

Shrimp-salad Pitas
serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved crosswise
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp hot paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup 2% Greek Yogurt
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 Kirby cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 lemon
4 whole wheat pitas
8 Bibb lettuce leaves

1. Preheat the broiler. Soak the chopped onion in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the shrimp.
2. Toss the shrimp with the olive oil, paprika, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper to taste on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and broil until the shrimp are opaque, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Wash and dry the baking sheet.
3. Drain the onion and add to the shrimp along with the yogurt, carrot, cucumber, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Grate in 1 tsp lemon zest and squeeze in about half of the lemon juice.
4. Lay the pitas on the baking sheet and toast under the broiler. Cut the pitas in half and fill with the lettuce and shrimp salad.