Fortune Friday

I think the little piece of paper inside a fortune cookie is a treasure.  And I save them, always.  I've been doing for years now.  It's like something a little kid would do.  Every time I got a new fortune, I would just throw it in my purse.  Eventually when I got business cards, I collected them all from the depths,  and now they live in the back of my BC case.  So last week Kam and I had Chinese and it struck me...I need to utilize my collection of fortunes.  I have so many, that if I only post one a week, I can keep this going for quite a while.  I have one special one that is my favorite.  I'll be sure and tell when its up.  Now I must share why I love fortunes so much.  You may already do this or have heard of it...but at the end of your fortune you have to add "in bed."  But only if your 18 or older.  Its so silly, I love it.

I like this new friday post.  Now I have an excuse to go eat asian food more.  Yay me!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Any time is a good time...

FOR FISH TACOS!!!  On my top five list.  Forever.  And...I have found the secret for rich, ultra yummy, have to eat just one more.  I am serious about my fish tacos.  I have even mastered knowing when or when to not order them at a restaurant.  Would you like to know the secret?  I am not a fried food kind of girl.  Every once in a while I will have fries, but thats about it.  So, I have been through the fried fish taco over and over again, and been disappointed every time I'm brought that grease soaked little fishy slapped on a perfectly good corn tortilla. So, if you're with me on that one, if the menu has a description of how the taco is assembled, order away.  If it is just called fish tacos, with no description, stay away.  I have to be honest here, when I go to a new place, I always scan the menu first for fish tacos.  I love them.  Love them with me.


What you'll need:


For the fish:
1 pound white fish (like cod or halibut.  We found Pollock at one of our local grocery spots.  I was skeptical, thought it was going to be overly fishy, but to my surprise, it was wonderful)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons butter (Secret ingredient.  DO NOT SKIP!)


For the Avocado Bean Goop (Named by Kameron):
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 avocados diced (picture tip for dicing below, if you don't already have a technique)
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup corn (defrosted if frozen)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Juice from one smaller lime
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons abodo sauce.  (Refer to Mexican Inspired Meal for what I use)


8-10 corn tortillas (if you are a flour person, go for flour, just be sure to get the small ones)
1/3 wheel Cotija cheese crumbles (or any white cheese)
1/4 head green cabbage sliced thin or shredded 


First make your Avocado Bean Goop first.  Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.  Place in fridge while you prep the fish to allow the flavors to blend.


Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in a pan over medium heat and saute onions.  Once onions are translucent, add remaining butter and melt.  Add fish fillets.  Don't worry about chunking the fish before hand, you can do this easily once fish is cooked through, it's also a good indicator that your fish is done.  Sprinkle top of fish with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Allow to cook until you can see the fish begin to whiten around the edges, about 4 minutes.  Flip.  Allow to cook for another 4 minutes.  In the thickest part of the fish, press with your utensil.  If the fish easily flakes into chucks, it's done.  If it doesn't want to break apart very easily, allow to cook for a few more minutes.  Once done, it should flake easily.  Break fish up into bite sized pieces and fold into excesses juices in the pan.  


Warm your tortillas.  I tried something new by boiling water in my steamer.  Then placing the tortillas in the steamer pan, turning off the heat and letting them steam for about 2 minutes.  Then removed them from the pan, wrapped them in a slightly damn paper towel, and then inside of a kitchen hand towel to keep them warm.  Worked pretty well.  I'm always trying to perfect my tortilla serving styles.

My washer and dryer are in my kitchen, bonus counter space...

Pile fish, avocado bean goop, cheese and cabbage into a tortilla and get messy.  Don't be modest, lick your fingers.  Because it's that good.  Enjoy!

Photo Stories - Episode 2

Firsts & Seconds 

I love this Picture.  It brings back so many memories for me, even of things that it doesn't even represent.  This was taken from one of those shuttle boats that take you into port from a cruise ship.  I have never been to Italy, but it just reminds me of something you would find there, the sail boats, the bright colors, homes built into the hill sides.  But, we were in California.  This is Catalina Island.  

Kameron and I had been together almost 2 years when I took this.  It was our first big vacation together.  We were living in Friday Harbor at the time, and the busy summer season had just ended.  So after a long summer of tourist pleasing, we decided it was our turn.  We left Friday Harbor early one morning in Sept and had 3 days to make it to LA, driving, where we had a 4 day cruise booked.  It was my second time on a cruise and Kam's first.  We left from LA and traveled all night to Catalina, where we spent a full day before we had to be back to the ship. It was both of our first times visiting the little island, and we hadn't done too much research on the city, so it was a surprise waking up to the beautiful little town.  We planned a snorkeling excursion for that afternoon. I had been snorkeling a few times as a kid, but it had been years, and Kam had never been before (another first).  We both love swimming and fish so there was no way we were skipping this.  After the snokeling, we had lunch at a little Mexican restaurant that looked over the marina, did a little walking about and shopping, then returned to the ship. Good day.

After Catalina, the cruise continued on to Ensenada Mexico.  Which happened to be Kam's first time in Mexico.  After that, it was one more full day at sea, then back to LA.  The next day after the cruise we spent the day at Disneyland.  Then drove to San Diego for a couple of days.  After San Diego, we traveled up to San Francisco for 2 more days, then headed up the coast for a scenic drive home, which was my first time driving up the California Coast and seeing the giant Redwoods.  It was one of those vacations that was packed full of fun filled adventures, but it was also one that you almost needed a vacation from your vacation.  I have so many wonderful photos from that trip I was hard to choose just one...but I had came across this picture today while looking for something else and was taken back.  Is there anyone who wouldn't want to be floating on on one of those boats right now, sipping a fruity drink and soaking in the sun shine and sea air after this spring we are having.  I needed a little sunshine, even if its only in my memory.  I hope this story takes you back to a vacation that you loved.  Enjoy the rest of your day!

Sweet Potato Dog Treats

So I was leaving the grocery store the other day and noticed a little dog to do freebie in with the little nickel and apartment finders.  So I snagged it.  It had mostly adds for local pet stores, but had a few goodies in there.  Like restaurants that have pet friendly patios, not that we could ever take extra friendly to a place like that, but there was a few animal treat recipes in there.  And the one for dogs couldn't have been any simpler.

What you'll need:
One puppy
A bucket of patience
2 or 3 fat sweet potatoes
Parchment paper

Get your puppy and mix it with your bucket of patience for about 1 1/2 to 2 years, maybe longer depending on the breed.  Once your puppy is well combined, place whole sweet potatoes in oven at 350 degrees and back for 30 minutes.  Remove from over and allow to cool.  (You can skip this step if you want, but if you have ever tried to slice sweet potatoes, then you'd know how hard those things are.  This step really helps).  Slice into about 1/4 inch thick slices.  Lay on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 3 hours turning once half way.  Allow to cool, and store in fridge.

Get one of these...

have some patience... 

and it will become this. So make it some treats!

I thought I would be able to get some good shots of Dex eating his treat.  Riiight.  This was the best one I got.  Dex wasn't too worried about holding still and giving me a good angle. 

Dexter is a terd, and can be a weirdo about taking treats.  He tires to pretend like he doesn't want them, until you act like you're not going to give it to him, then he wants it.  But I barely offered him one of these chewy slabs before he snatched it.  The recipe said that they were a rawhide substitute, ha, hardly.  It was gone in about 30 seconds.  He really loved it, and its a lot better for him that those flavorless compressed dirt bone shaped things that we usually give him.   Your dog will Enjoy!

Lost without the D

For anyone who has known me for a significant amount of time, you would know that new people really struggle with my name.  I don't know what it is.  For some reason, because the generic version of my name has a letter D (ie Brenda), when you replace that letter with an extra N...the entire english language is thrown off.  I have heard every pronunciation of the name Brenna that you could ever dream of.  Breanna, Bernna, Brionna, Breenna, Donna, Bertha once, etc.  I will never forget 5th grade.  My teacher was an ass, so maybe when they assigned the class list that year someone played a sick joke on him.  There was me, a Brenda, Brianna, 3 Ryans, and a Bryan.  So, to make a point to this, upon checking the mail this afternoon I found this: and just started laughing....

The fact that they have my last name listed under Kam's is no big deal, even though I know specifically that they have my actual last lame.  But that is a doozie of a spelling for Brenna.  Ohhhh, thats good.

Chili Rellenos

Ok, yes I know that there are two ways to make Chili Rellenos.  Well three I suppose.  And I have done 2 of the three.  I don't really like the dipped and fried version, so I have never made those.  But I have roasted my own peppers, peeled the skins, stuffed, egged and baked.  And let me be the first to tell you, store bought peppers cut open and lay flat like lasagna noodles tastes just as wonderful, and is 3/4 less work!  If you really really care about presentation, maybe don't use this recipe, but if all you're looking for is a yummy dinner, then go for it.  It's all in the type of cheese you use anyway!

What you'll need:

1 28oz can whole green chilies (It might be a 26 or 30 oz can.  Its the Large one.  I threw the label away and I'm not going to go digging in my garbage full of egg shells to find out for sure.  I will update next time I buy one.)
1 1/2 cup Cotija mexican cheese crumbled (Must have!! It's with all the round wheels of mexican cheese at any grocery store)
1 cup cheddar or mexican style cheese shredded
12 eggs
1 teaspoon flour + 1 tablespoon water
A few shakes hot sauce (optional, I used Green Tabasco)
Tin foil

Preheat over to 350. Spray or grease a 9x13 baking dish.  Open and drain liquid from chilies.  Slide your kitchen scissors or a sharp knife up one side of a chili along the fold or crease keeping the two halves intact.  There will be some seeds still in the pepper, just rinse off.  Lay pepper in dish.  Continue until bottom of dish is covered in peppers.  Should be about half of the can. Sprinkle evenly with cheeses.  Lay another layer of peppers over top of cheese.  You may have one or two peppers left over, lay them in the gaps, or throw them away.  Crack eggs into a bowl.  Add hot sauce.  Mix your flour with water so its a thick liquid, no clumps.  Add too eggs.  Whisk eggs until well scrambled.  Pour over peppers.  Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 5-10 or until egg is cooked in the center.  Cut into squares and serve with mexican rice or whatever you'd like.  Here is my recipe for mexican rice if your interested.

This dish, like I said, isn't fancy, but its yummy.  And sometimes thats all that matters.  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  Enjoy!

Stinky Love

Have a spot in your bathroom that needs a little something.  Here is a silly little picture if you'd like.  I needed something, so I whipped this little baby out, then I thought, why not share it with everyone else!

Click either picture to download.  As usual the size is 8x10.

I added some scrabble letters.  They are sprinkled all over my house.  My scrabble game is so screwed!