Tag Archives: food

Salmon & Corn and Black Bean Salsa

By Chris | Published July 26, 2011

salmon with corn and black bean salsa from diliberto photo and design

I love lunch time, its my opportunity to get a little creative and cook whatever I want. Dinners are restricted by Bill’s dislikes (seafood, spinach, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, asparagus, squash, sweet potatoes, basically all my favorite things). He always says I’m welcome to cook whatever I like, which is very sweet, but I really enjoy cooking for him so I keep dinner within his realm of ‘likes’ with a few thing snuck in here and there. (insert sinister laugh)

Salmon With Corn and Black Bean Salsa from diliberto photo and design

Lunch time, lunch time is my time. And so today I made Salmon with Corn and Black Bean Salsa. The corn and Black Bean Salsa is a staple, we eat it on everything. The salmon was for me. So I needed a side, which was going to be tomato and cucumber salad with the salsa, but my cucumber was bad so the tomatoes had to go it alone.

salmon With Corn and Black Bean Salsa from diliberto photo and design

I cooked the salmon in a cast iron skillet with a bit of melted butter and salt and pepper on low-med heat (our stove is old, low doesn’t really exist) for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Salmon cooks REALLY fast, so be careful.

salmon With Corn and Black Bean Salsa from diliberto photo and design

I had pre-made the Corn and Black Bean Salsa (recipe below) it doesn’t take much time at all, and it lasts for about a week in the refigerator. I prefer it the second or third day cause everything is all marinated and harmonized by that point. I just spooned the salsa over the salmon and my tomatoes. I added a little drizzle of olive oil and balsalmic vinegar as well as salt and pepper to the tomatoes and tah-dah lunch is served!

salmon With Corn and Black Bean Salsa from diliberto photo and design

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

1 Small Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 Can Corn
1 Can Black Beans
1 Bunch Cilantro
2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Cup Lime Juice
Drizzle of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Table Spoons Garlic

Chop your onion and bell pepper to be about the same size as the corn and the beans. If you want to make it even more colorful do half a green bell pepper and half a red bell pepper. Drain and rinse the beans and corn. Rinsing the beans is a must! Chop your cilantro. Add everything together in a large mixing bowl. You’re welcome to get creative with it too, add some jalapeno or serrano peppers. Chopped up avocado is also delicious. Feel free to use fresh corn, or grilled corn is good too. I always add extra garlic cause I love the stuff. I eat this on salads, nachos, tacos, sauteed with egg whites, pretty much on anything. Enjoy!

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The Photography Chronicles ~ 24

By Chris | Published April 18, 2011

Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my face. This is a Philadelphia Roll from Jannies in Philadelphia, PA, yeah thats how I roll. BAAAAHHH HAHAHA! But really, delicious. Try it if you’re ever there.

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The Photography Chronicles ~ 24

By Chris | Published March 27, 2011

In the years after college I and whatever roommate I had at the time would throw a misfit thanksgiving. Anyone who didn’t have family in the area, or a place to go was invited over to eat with us and bring whatever traditional dish they have at their family thanksgiving. It was always a crazy fun time and I kind of miss these types of thanksgivings.

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The Photography Chronicles ~ 19

By Chris | Published March 25, 2011

This is the cake I made for Bill’s 25th Birthday. Nothing special really…chocolate on chocolate. I found this picture recently and it just made me really happy. I mean what else can cake do but make you happy?

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Holiday Cookies Pizzelle

By Chris | Published December 30, 2010

Pizzelle remind me of family and of the holidays. Over two years ago my dad found a Pizzelle iron at an estate sale and gifted it to me with the mandate that I make pizzelle every christmas until the end of time (I kid, I kid). This was the first Christmas since he gave it to me that I was actually able to get it out of storage and create delicious cookies.

Its said that most pizzelle makers were handed down through the generations and branded the pizzella with the family crest. Ours isn’t quite that awesome, but it made some really great pizzelle.

You can eat them on their own, they are usually on the crunchier side, and they are flavored with anise, vanilla, or lemon zest. I’ve also seen recipes for chocolate and mint chocolate ones…which I will most certainly have to try. The batter is very easy to make, its base is created with flour, eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil. I found a basic recipe and added my own flare: anise, vanilla, and honey. I’m pretty sure once you get the basic batter done you could add whatever you like. They’re similar to making waffle cones, somewhat pliable when they first come off the iron. I rolled them over the handle of my pizza cutter and made cannoli shells (which we ate on Christmas eve).

They are also quite delicious served with chocolate gelato, strawberry reduction sauce, and fresh blackberries. YUM!

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Thanksgiving and In-laws

By Chris | Published December 28, 2010

This was our first Thanksgiving in our new house, the first time the inlaws came to visit, and the first time for Sam to have Thanksgiving with us. It was a fun time, but I was completely exhausted afterwards and had to take a day to rest.

James, my father-in-law helped peel apples for apple pie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made two apple pies, one with crumble crust and one with regular crust. The pie dough is my Grandmother’s recipe, and it turns out perfectly every time (maybe I’ll share it…hmm).

I like the pre-Thanksgiving meal appetizers almost as much as the meal. I am under the conviction that Thanksgiving dinner should be enjoyed at…dinner time…so 6pm is when we eat. But, through out the day we snack on deviled eggs…

Crab, Sundried Tomatoes, and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms…

And for breakfast we eat homemade chocolate Amish Friendship bread and my mom’s Banana Bread.

And we take pictures with the giant corn…this became a tradition during my first Thanksgiving after college. I bought the giant corn mostly because it was ridiculous and we all took pictures with it, so thats what we do every year.

And then, after the pre-meal, and the real meal…we all take naps…This is my husband Bill with his mom. I think this is precious. :)

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The Photography Chronicles ~ 5

By Chris | Published November 30, 2010

My dad is so great, he poses with all kinds of crazy wild life. This is from a few years back at one of our crawfish boils. Yes I eat crawfish. No I do not suck the heads. I really love this photo. I think I’ll title it “Moments Before Execution”. I love the water droplet on his claw. I love how it reminds me of summer, and crawfish boils, and the lake and spending time with my dad. I always help him purge the crawfish. You have to soak them in a solution of water and salt, which makes them poop and puke all the gross junk out. You do this several times, rinsing in between. It’s quite a process really. But its fun, and it makes me smile.

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A Costume Birthday

By Chris | Published October 24, 2010

I love parties. They’re a ton of work and afterwards I’m always insanely exhausted, but I love them. My awesome husband turned 27 yesterday and that was a good reason for a party. We decided back in August…maybe July…that it should most definitely be a costume party.

I’m a huge fan of The Tom Kat Studio’s blog and she did this amazing black, green, and purple themed party design which became my inspiration for the evening. Bill and I debated for a few months about what to be for the party. We decided that he would be Zeus and I would be Zeus’s wife Hera which meant Togas, which is awesome. The menu was Taco soup with an array of toppings, queso, tex-mex salsa, mini caramel apples, and our good friend Stacy made Bill’s favorite german chocolate cake.

Mom came over to help with the food. My day started at 5am and I cleaned, went shopping, picked up the cake, made food, cleaned more, decorated, wrapped my husband in a toga, wrapped myself in a toga and then partied.

I made the wall flowers based on a tutorial over at the Made blog. She’s a new blogger who I’m following, awesome tutorials and she sews which has inspired me to break out my sewing machine (mom and I made pillows!).

I had the idea for mini caramel apples without knowing if mini apples even exist. They do, in fact! The table cloth was just some material I picked up from Hobby Lobby for a few bucks a yard.

Good Eats, Sweet Treats; there was a mix on the table. Taco soup was the main food, it consists of ground turkey, a whole lot of beans and a few other things. Its insanely easy to make and very inexpensive. I should post that recipe…maybe. :) You can doctor it up with all kinds of toppings. I like fritos, cheese, green onions and a dollop of sour cream. There were jalepenos, and corn and bean salsa, tortilla chips, and chile con queso as well.

Here’s Bill’s cake made by the AWESOME Stacy! I designed it and she brought my design to life in cake. She’s so talented. The spider was to go with the costume/halloween theme. It says Happy Birthday in his web, all Charolette’s Web style. His birthday hat matches the colors, and on his back…

…is the Philadelphia Phillies logo. :) Everyone’s costumes were SO awesome.

Bella and Edward Cullen showed up. (Bella…aka…Kristen is actually pregnant, and their last name is really Cullen, very appropriate!)

Brian and his wife Cherb came as his parents, which is way more funny than any of my readers will be able to appreciate.

Antoine Dodson showed up as well. If you don’t get this reference you need to check out this guy here, then someone remade the video into a song here. He’s now been in People Magazine and I’ve heard he’s gotten some TV/Movie offers or something.

My Step-Dad (on the left) and Mom (on the right) came as hippies, but gender’s reversed. Mad props to my Step-Dad for wearing a skirt and a bra stuffed with socks. Very impressive. :)

Here’s me and the birthday boy! I made his head wreath thing with a head band and glittery holly leaves from a Christmas floral pick from hobby lobby. I’d say we looked pretty awesome! Many more people came in costumes but I didn’t get pictures of everyone. We had a blast!

I wasn’t sure where to put the candles (the top layer was a “plate” of white chocolate), so this is what we did.

Happy Birthday to the best husband ever! I love you!!

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Bits O’ Weekend ~ Five

By Chris | Published June 14, 2010

I haven’t done one of these in a while, and these were not actually from last weekend (im lame I know) but it was a sweet weekend so i thought I’d share. =)

I made home made meat balls. SO FREAKIN’ GOOD.

And Eggplant Lasagna. Its something I sort of made up. I took my Lasagna recipe and subbed the noodles for very thin slices of eggplant breaded like traditional eggplant parm. Its pretty good.

I L-O-V-E trying new things, especially food. Chris…meet Dim Sum. I did like it. AWESOME.

This is my lovely friend Ann who married one of my childhood friends. I’m really glad she did because she’s so great. She introduced me to Dim Sum. I am in like with Dim Sum. (I took pictures of her family here.)

These are some sort of soft bun roll things. The texture reminded me of the dumplings in my mom’s beef stew. I guess cause they are steamed. They have some sort of semi-sweet meat in them. Very good.

These are lotus leaf wrapped rice/meat/deliciousness pouches.

And my little brother turned 21.

The card I bought him had a kitten on it and said, “For A Special Girl Like You”. HA

He’s a chef and I love talking food with him. The discussion of the evening was if you could would you try human meat. Think about it.

Later this happened. Meet Josh. He usually isn’t this scary.

The end. =)

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Burger King has Changed

By Chris | Published May 19, 2010

To be completely honest and horribly truthful I really enjoy fast food, but I am a fast food snob. I really only enjoy Jack in the Box, Chick-Fil-A, and Taco Cabana. I also am a fan of Taco Bell, less snobby, more thrifty, still you can’t beat their cheesy bean and rice burritos. Your typical fast food, Mc Donalds, Burger King, etc. I’m not so much a fan. If I’ve eaten there it was because it was not up to me.

The last time I remember entering a Burger King I think I was probably ten years old, everything was sticky and had a slight layer of grease. I remember the bathrooms being wet all over, for no real reason and there was never any toilet paper or soap. The play areas always smelled like diapers. Burger King was a scary place. But I do remember as a child, I enjoyed their chicken sandwiches that were long, on a sesame seed roll and served with nothing but lettuce and mayo. My husband swore that Burger King no longer carried them and so, I had no reason to go into one until last weekend.

After youth Bill, and several of the youth leaders and students decided Burger King was the place to go for a late night dinner. I did not object because usually I’m pretty easy going and even if I don’t particularly care for a place I’ll still go the company is way more important of a factor to me. To my surprise, wonder, and amazement this Burger King looked like no other I had ever seen. The youth students were a little confused as to why I was taking pictures, I just said that I had to blog about it.

The counter was my first wow moment. Ok so first of all, sweet flooring, can I please use this in my house? The menus were TV screens that showed moving pictures of the burgers all juicy and steamy. I loved the 3D piece of Iron Man breaking through a ceiling tile. Not an inch of feel of weird greasy covering. Insert major awe.

To the right of the counter is this very cool mural, “my BK spring cypress”. Man they’ve got themselves some fantastic designers. This is Emma, the awesome model in the shot.


The wall says “Forged in the whopper flame” is there anything more epic?

The seating is also mega fantastic. I could stay in that place for hours. AND they have wifi?

Coolest chairs ever. Period. I want them in my house. Adam is pretty fierce here.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear? ORIGINAL CHICKEN SANDWICH! My husband was wrong! Double you, are, oh, en, gee! Wrong.

And I’m pretty sure it was better than I remember it being.

So high five to Burger King they not only have stepped up their ads, funniest things ever, but their restaurants look awesome too. Thanks, and I’ll be back.

NOTE: If you are reading this post on facebook, you may not be seeing all of the images. Please visit the blog at diliberto.wordpress.com. Thanks, you’re awesome!

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