Time for a Pantry-Raid

I don't normally do this but when you're broke, you're bored, and you're hungry - it just sort of happens. There will be no pictures in this post because, frankly, photographing this sandwich was the last thing on my mind.

This is the best chicken salad I've ever had and I LOVE chicken salad. Heaven between two toasted slices of bread, I tell ya'! Here it goes:

1/2 can of fully cooked chopped chicken (yes, like the tuna - wait, you could do tuna if you'd rather. I guess I know what tomorrow's lunch is going to be!)
1/2 diced apple (picked a big, juicy red one for this!)
1 handful of chopped pecans
1 handful of Craisins (in lieu of grapes, which I did not have)
Bit of salt
Bit of pepper
1 glop of mayo (yes, glob. It's a unit of measurement here in the south)

Toast your bread if you prefer and eat it up. It's amazing. And if I had any tomatoes on hand, I'd have sliced them up and thrown them on my sandwich to, but alas! I did not have fresh tomatoes.

ANNNND if you've got leftover chicken salad, use the rest of that apple, slice it up, and use it as a spoon to finish everything off. So. stinking. good. 

Strawberry Orange Summer Cupcakes

I'm running out of ideas for summer deserts so I've put a spin on an old favorite. Add strawberry and citrus (lime, lemon, orange!) to any cupcake and it's generally going to work in your favor! And further, my creative side (she also has a sweet-tooth) has to go and dump chocolate chips somewhere in the mix. But I'll get to that.

As with the last recipe, I chose a mini-cake pan rather than cupcakes only because it was there. It was handy. What do you want from me? Ahem...grease and flour as you would - any pan you see fit!

On to actual ingredients, I used a boxed strawberry cake mix, a bit of orange oil (you can find this in the cake or craft section of your grocery store) a whipped cream cheese icing, and chocolate chips. (I've even found sugar-free chocolate chips to work in most cakes, as they're not too sweet but still provide that chocolate kick, too!) And then of course, combine accordingly with the directions on the box. Here's the orange oil I speak of. A cap-full will work but keep tasting, remember some of it will cook off in the oven.

Fill 'err up! My batter made out to be the perfect amount to make eight little mini-cakes so that's what I used.

After they've popped out and cooled, frost them with whatever you'd like. I chose the cream-cheese because it's unobtrusive, doesn't taste too heavy, and it works well with chocolate, strawberry, and orange flavors. If this all seems like overkill to you, you're probably right. I'm simply a mad-woman with a wooden spoon....

*Cackles and runs away*

Buzz Issues: 01 The Perfect Dessert

  A Legend

Okay, maybe it's not a "legend"

I'm a coffee and tea lush. (New to tea but love it so!) About 10 p.m. is when I get my sugar-kick and I'm tearing the kitchen apart for sweets that won't keep me up all night. This cup of coffee does it for 150 calories and not a lot of sugar. Good news is that you can use decaf at night and regular in the mornings. Lovely part of the day for me when I allow myself to indulge a bit.
 
Alright, ingredients I use - can be swapped, substituted, or otherwise ignored! Your choice!

Half/Half - optional, 20 calories
Chai Latte Mix - optional, 30 calories
Sweetener - optional, none
Fat-Free Milk - optional, approx. 10 calories
Whipped Topping, Light - optional, approx. 30 calories
Sugar-Free Caramel Topping - optional, 45 calories
Decaf/Regular coffee - I'm not counting the calories for this one. You can't make me.

Okay, it sounds like a lot but this is my desert, ya'll. And it's yummy. But everything can be changed or whatever. It's your cup of coffee and this one is mine. Just brew your 8oz. cup of coffee (or 6oz. and I would half this entire recipe). Add everything in, I like to before I even get coffee in the cup. Now, the whipped topping and caramel go on top because once they meld together, they smell and taste amazing. So for less than 150 calories, you've got a yummy cup of coffee for desert or a wake-me-up, or whatever.

 Also, these cool little International Latte mix-ins are great for spicing up a bland black cup of coffee for 60 calories/2 teaspoons or so. Not bad and they're pre-sweetened and delicious on their own. I love the Chai! Without it though, this recipe would have been great still. Enjoy and let me know if you give it a go!

(I'm sorry - but doesn't that look amazing?)