tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42509691833139222162023-11-16T06:54:54.236-05:00All in Good FoodMy journey through the world of food.Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-47277213294209060802013-12-10T13:22:00.001-05:002013-12-17T15:44:48.688-05:00BETTER MADE DECEMBER CONTESTHey everybody yeah I know I haven't been on for a while and I hope to change <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">that soon. I've been trying out a lot of recipes and think I'll have a lot to post up for the new year. In the mean time I want to let you know about a contest that's going on for the month of December from the Better Made Snack Company in Detroit, Michigan.</span><br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI13azJ5nFeBhdrzdNKDcFMqvnfK46Npl8EQp5QSJ5HCvrLqcW7xgreWyOFYoMX8Fhe1JaCzNoYfunmNZhE6Hce2n9Lqr78AJNU1ONjl2vNMnmegmxwUHvvAHaRX6A-MYjwYXnE_DVWow/s640/blogger-image--1318764240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI13azJ5nFeBhdrzdNKDcFMqvnfK46Npl8EQp5QSJ5HCvrLqcW7xgreWyOFYoMX8Fhe1JaCzNoYfunmNZhE6Hce2n9Lqr78AJNU1ONjl2vNMnmegmxwUHvvAHaRX6A-MYjwYXnE_DVWow/s640/blogger-image--1318764240.jpg"></a></div><br><br>
I grew up eating their chips and popcorn and while I've been away from the area I've missed them a lot. If you're from the area you will know what I mean if you're not you should try some. They can be ordered on line.<br>
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Anyhow they have a cool contest going on right now where you can win a little souvenir from the company. If you are interested go to this link and enter http://bettermadesnackfoods.com/dec-contest . And if you would like to try some of their snack go here http://www.bmchips.com<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB02UshfZPCnJqwhxwuGz2NofjQIycM2v3-Iw6Dq0Ye2Pr5rQ48Eo2QVSt17354xXBWOtbSl_DvMsMrif1UMhSP4WauOj8CTUP8GzJFfN6JnR2WmnlDply3QZTimfBst9h7vDRFX0TK_M/s640/blogger-image-322853502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB02UshfZPCnJqwhxwuGz2NofjQIycM2v3-Iw6Dq0Ye2Pr5rQ48Eo2QVSt17354xXBWOtbSl_DvMsMrif1UMhSP4WauOj8CTUP8GzJFfN6JnR2WmnlDply3QZTimfBst9h7vDRFX0TK_M/s640/blogger-image-322853502.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">look forward to seeing you all with some new posts in 2014.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Update December 17, 2013: Received an email yesterday saying I was one of the winners for the contest. This is awesome and part of my Hometown Pride. Hopefully I can win one of the contests with the chips or popcorn as the prize, lol. But for now I'm happy with what I've won so far. Thanks, Better Made.</span></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-23768141352472140492012-01-15T19:02:00.002-05:002012-01-15T19:11:35.962-05:00Simple Stir Fry with CouscousThis was my lunch for today. Something very simple but different from what I have been having lately. Ingredients are chicken breast, bacon, broccoli, walnuts and couscous. I also mixed in soy sauce and a little miso paste for flavor. Also in the bento I made a mix of Fuji apple chunks, raspberries and pecans. Quick, easy and tasty.<br /><br />Not only does this work well as a hot meal…..<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsFFVfNXtvsCPGq4V9_jFJ4EaS2yOjsF8VvPiSPYBqB_oHZpYqvdOqnIfg1j93EwiyMNaK-Dar38DBKiwum26w70Ut27w7tnDPd8k5yktJP6JvcFShKxMqDRsbDM1Cx4FQKuPfcDTYl4/s1600/Couscous+with+Stir+Fry.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsFFVfNXtvsCPGq4V9_jFJ4EaS2yOjsF8VvPiSPYBqB_oHZpYqvdOqnIfg1j93EwiyMNaK-Dar38DBKiwum26w70Ut27w7tnDPd8k5yktJP6JvcFShKxMqDRsbDM1Cx4FQKuPfcDTYl4/s320/Couscous+with+Stir+Fry.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698014421663532370" /></a><br />But it also works well at room temperature in a bento…..<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-uqz7dAtllj2dpaCLSwS6pLMH39GDKNwjow1MIHrZ4rTIBXnMByxfFoX3EDz-74yzFRgrHYBpCh4cK-m_kFXr1-0-66Z7zR0XFdvAEgDAt8KjFNu_sNXC6RsIPqrmiut9FSHSHLlCn4/s1600/Couscous+with+Stir+Fry+Bento+resized.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-uqz7dAtllj2dpaCLSwS6pLMH39GDKNwjow1MIHrZ4rTIBXnMByxfFoX3EDz-74yzFRgrHYBpCh4cK-m_kFXr1-0-66Z7zR0XFdvAEgDAt8KjFNu_sNXC6RsIPqrmiut9FSHSHLlCn4/s320/Couscous+with+Stir+Fry+Bento+resized.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698014423947498146" /></a><br />I’ll take you through the step by step on how I made this in a later post.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by.<br /><br />Itadaki masuMarisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-63131786043703499972012-01-13T07:32:00.000-05:002012-01-13T07:33:51.821-05:00I’m BackHi everyone long time no see. I’m sorry to have been away for so long. You see I work for a very popular museum in the retail department. I began working there the summer of 2010. Within 3 months of being hired I was being trained to run one of the small stores within the complex. That training set me up for my bigger elevation in 2011 when I was given the responsibility of running a specified store to accompany the traveling exhibit on display at the museum. After that I was asked to do the same for the next traveling exhibit that arrived. You may ask well why are you tell us all of this, well this is the reason I was not blogging for so long. Sometimes life gets busier than expected and some things have to be sacrificed for the time.<br /><br />Needless to say I am trying to get back into the swing of things and get back to blogging. I did continue to make bentos for my lunches every day although I just did not have the time in the mornings to always take pictures of them. The ones I did I will post up soon in my next blog post. With that said I want to let you know there are some exciting changes that are coming in my life that is going to give me the opportunity to explore more with my cooking and food exploration but I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet.<br /><br />I want to thank all the people who continued to follow my blog even when there was no new content for them to read, but I am back now and hope to have more for you in the near future. Please stay with me and thanks for your support.Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-54652601199643345402011-05-21T08:53:00.000-04:002011-05-21T08:59:52.614-04:00Slow Cookers/Crock Pots Yes or NoI use my slow cooker quite often so I was wondering how often others are using one and why? Here are just a few questions regarding slow cooker/crock pot use to help me gage how popular and versatile this appliance is. If you would like to participate please answer the questions in the comment section and thanks for your help.<br /><br />Q: Do you own a slower cooker?<br /><br />Q: If you own a slow cooker, how often to you use it?<br /><br />Q: What have you cooked in it?<br /><br />Q: What have you cooked in your slower cooker that did not turn out the way you expected?<br /><br />Q: What do you like/dislike about cooking in a slow cooker?Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-85306770556701764742011-05-14T06:40:00.001-04:002011-05-14T06:47:11.410-04:00When Life gives you lemons…….I wasn’t sure how I was going to start this post or what I was going to write for that matter so it took me a few days to gain my composure so that I could get the right words to paper. This post is created just to inform my loyal readers as to a development that has risen in my food blogging world. Back in March of this year I was reading one of the blogs I follow under my quilting blog and the writer was talking about using Google alerts to track possible uses or misuses of your blog posts. Now I had done searches before on the internet concerning my blog and hadn’t found any misuses of my posts or recipes so when I used Google alerts I didn’t expect to find anything.<br /><br />As my readers know I’m not a trained chef, I am just someone who loves cooking and loves food in general. So my recipes are simple dishes I mostly created to help me overcome having a very small budget for groceries and very little time to cook hence the name of my blog All in Good Food a play on the term all in good fun because I like having fun with my food; cooking, eating, displaying, photographing; all the joys of a foodie.<br /><br />Well here is the news readers! What I found out was that a large appliance company who I will not name in this post has taken my blog’s name. They claimed they researched the name and purchased the domain name in January of 2010, however if you have been with me from the beginning you know that I created this blog in 2009 and have been posing to it ever since then. As a matter of fact I not only have this blog here on Blogger but one of the same name on Live Journal. I created them both in my early days on blogging because I was new to blogging and wasn’t sure which company offered the best service for what I needed. So although I began posing to only one of my blogs on a regular basis I still have the two blogs.<br /><br />I did contact this company at that time to inform them of the fact that my blog already was using the name All in Good Food but it wasn’t until recently that they replied to my email stating that they did research on the name and purchased the domain name back in January 2010. This company claims they did research on the name but I am the one how has the twitter name allingoodfood42, a fan page on Facebook under the name All In Good Food, a flickr account under allingoodfood42, a gmail account under allingoodfood @ gmail.com. Apparently they did not research to see if anyone was already using the name. Which is a sad commentary on the fact that big companies don’t get that fact that the food blogging world is large and should be acknowledged.<br /><br />I know that my posts recently have been sporadic for various reasons but I take pride in my blog and do not want to post anything that was not worthy of being posted. If I didn’t feel the recipe I came up with or the pictures I took were ready for posting I did not post them. With that said I am here to let you know I will not be changing my blog name. The REAL All in Good Food is right here on this blog from an everyday foodie and home cook just like you.<br /><br />I do have to say that I will from now on go out of my way to not buy any products from the company I mentioned above, however that is my choice that is why I will not mention the companies name. I am not here to slander anyone, I am just here to defend and hold on to my passion that I have and am working hard on. Although I do have the dream of attending a highly rated cooking school in the near future it is to hone my skills and not to become a professional.<br /><br />I hope that you will continue to read my blog and support me as you have in the past.<br /><br />With all my love and thanks,<br /><br />MarisaMarisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-69292066874272822982011-04-15T09:46:00.003-04:002011-04-16T10:33:23.978-04:00Back to work Bento<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rneVMoMjisRFSm6HIE5WbaQCctF0_y6KfTaHVsBd-z-HRwu6vfGSg80Ejy2O3Nhfh4MV-Ymz0l8fv3GkU8L4ZYS1fu1dVOyJSe1F9q_c0JnkR0NZhdAFjmg1z6dNa17iwdksg4FJ6F0/s1600/Back+to+work.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595806718269421586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rneVMoMjisRFSm6HIE5WbaQCctF0_y6KfTaHVsBd-z-HRwu6vfGSg80Ejy2O3Nhfh4MV-Ymz0l8fv3GkU8L4ZYS1fu1dVOyJSe1F9q_c0JnkR0NZhdAFjmg1z6dNa17iwdksg4FJ6F0/s320/Back+to+work.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hi everyone, well it’s back to work time. After being off for three months it’s good to get back although while I was off I was not idle. I caught up on a lot of my sewing/quilting and had loads of fun.<br /><br />Well since today’s shift is a short one, only 4 hours I kept my bento very simple. I also cheated a bit and purchased a Lunchable that was created for field trips. This one included bread, turkey, cheese and mayo packet to make a sandwich as well as an apple sauce cup, small bag of cookies, small bottle of water with a Kool Aid Singles packet. I thought they were very nice with the sandwich and drink included but I did modify it. I took the whole thing apart and just kept the sandwich and drink part.<br /><br />The sandwich is turkey and cheese and I added lettuce and it came with a packet of light mayonnaise which is hiding under the sandwich. I will put the mayo on when break time comes. Also in the kit there is this mini bottle of water, so cute, and a Kool Aid Singles packet but I decided to make some peach tea instead. I added some trail mix and a fruit snack pouch, which I will probably eat on my ride home.<br /><br />Yeah I know it’s not as balanced as I would like but I’m trying to get back into the “bento” swing of things. I haven’t made bentos on a regular basis while I was off. So stay tuned for more to come.<br /><br />Hope everyone has a wonderful day.<br /><br />Till the next bento.<br /><br />Itadaki masuMarisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-29251458827522226142011-02-27T05:14:00.004-05:002011-02-27T06:00:33.394-05:00Getting Healthy: Let's Start By Being Real Because It Needs to Be Said<em>Note: I know this post is very long but I ask that you please take the time to read it through fully so that you can understand me and my journey better.</em><br /><br />Ok I said I was going to be honest with these posts about my weight loss and I am. About three years ago I lost my job and subsequently had to change my way of thinking. As I look back I think it was a good thing that happened and possible saved my life. I worked for a health insurance company and ironically the longer I worked there the more weight I gained. I can honestly say it was from the sedimentary atmosphere (I sat at a deck all day), the stress (I had to make a certain production and accuracy amount for my work), the food (my department was always having potlucks for peoples birthdays and the such and the café food wasn’t the healthiest), and taking all of that with me when I left work everyday.<br /><br />Without making excuses I would say that the time between 2001-2007 was a very highly stressful time for me. In 2001 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer just before she retired from the same company I was working for. She went on to do fine until early 2005 when the cancer came back and ultimately she passed away in December of 2005.<br /><br />In 2003 I bought a home at the same time my parents sold my childhood home and moved down to Georgia. I don’t think I was really financially ready to buy the house and subsequently lost it in 2005.<br /><br />In 2004 my daughter entered her first year in high school. The year started out on the wrong foot. Because of the many school closings in the area she ended up starting school 3 weeks late. Starting out like that in your first year is not good and very stressful. Ultimately she began having anxiety attacks and after hearing about my mother’s cancer relapse she began cutting. In 2005 I began home schooling her for the last three years of high school.<br /><br />In 2005 I moved out of my home and into an apartment which I can honestly say I loved living in and we stayed there for two years and moved out when our lease was up in 2007. However even though we loved that apartment we still did many things to escape the pain and sadness we had bottled up from prior years.<br /><br />As well as working in the high stress job, dealing with my mother’s death, and my daughters emotional state I’m not sure how I got out of it with no severe health issues. I guess at the time I was in denial. Yes I went to the doctor for regular check ups but because I did not have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or any signs of cancer I thought I was ok. When I looked in the mirror I knew I wasn’t an ideal weight but I did not see myself actually how I was. I can honestly say by 2007 I was weighing 245-250lbs.<br /><br />You may be asking well what was your lifestyle like? How were your eating habits. Didn’t you exercise? Well in answer to those questions. My eating habits were awful. I ate a lot of processed foods, fast food and there was a 7-11 right next door to my apartment complex. So you can imagine. Pretty much I would come home from work so tired from being stressed out I would collapse after pulling out some processed food or stopping on the way home for fast food for dinner. I did not begin exercising until the spring of 2007 when we began walking at a park near our apartment, which I enjoyed and wish I could still go there.<br /><br />2007 was the turning point in my life. In July I lost my job. Yeah losing my job is not the best thing in the world but it was the best thing to happen to me. The day I came home and told my daughter it was like the sun began shining again after a long stormy darkness. I could actually see a bright future for us.<br /><br />In August of 2007 I spent a month in San Francisco training to be an English Language Instructor and completed the course on my 40th birthday. Just before leaving I knew I needed to get myself prepared for all the walking I would need to do in San Francisco so I began walking every morning as well as my walking in the park and was up to walking about 3-4 miles a day combined. I felt the changesin my body happening and was feeling good.<br /><br />When I got back home I enrolled in on-line college courses, graduated and received my bachelors degree in 2009 and subsequently began my first blog All In Good Food. I will explain what has been going on with me/us in the past 3 ½ years more in depth in another post because I believe it deserves particular attention to the details in an attempt to maybe help others that are most surely in the same or similar situation.<br /><br />I must say I began All In Good Food as a result of embracing my love for food and learning how to cook healthy tasty and convenient food. Because during that time I had long periods with no job I had to come up with inventive recipes that I could cook on a very restricted budget. That is were a lot of my recipes on the blog came from.<br /><br />So when I say that losing my job back in 2007 saved my life I truly mean it. I believe that it forced me to make long needed lifestyle changes that put me onto the path to a healthy, happier life.<br /><br />Please join me for my next post.<br /><br />P.S.<br /><br />I have to tell you that my daughter is doing very well and has developed into a well adjusted young woman. She is 20 years old now and got married last year to a wonderful young man who is in the navy and under deployment at this time. She has a dream of being a musician and has her own blog called Journey To Vaudeville. She is also my partner in the company we are in the process of starting. So she is doing very well.<br /><br />You can email me at <a href="mailto:allingoodfood@gmail.com">allingoodfood@gmail.com</a>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-17730150227087566182011-02-26T08:56:00.005-05:002011-02-27T05:59:26.850-05:00Getting Healthy: The Beginning is NowHello everyone it is time for me to get very real here. If you follow my Blog, twitter or Facebook then you know I have never posted a picture of myself, well I take that back I did post one from Thanksgiving after my daughter and I put up our Christmas tree this past year but that is it. There is a reason I haven’t put up any pictures and that is my weight. Don’t get me wrong my self-esteem is not low it’s just my body is unhealthy and there are factors in my health history that warrant me making this change more aggressively now. So I will be honest here about whats going on in my life, my weight loss, my exercise, my set backs and my triumphs all without excuses.<br /><br />Current Stats<br /><br />Sex: Female<br />Age: 43 (will be 44 this year)<br />Weight: 198.8<br />Height: 5’3”<br />Illnesses: Asthma (currently under control)<br />Health History: Breast Cancer (Mom), Upper Respiratory issues (Paternal Side of family)<br /><br />My Weight Goal: 130lbs That means I will need to loose about 70lbs (roughly) (at my current weight it would be 68.8lbs)<br /><br />I am asking all of my foodie friends for food or recipe suggestions and to keep me very honest about my food choices. All I ask is please be nice about it, berating someone will get you nor me anywhere and I will not post any comments that are negative or belittling. I will try not to be annoying on this journey but I ask for your patience and understanding. With that said the journey has begun.<br /><br />Update: You can email me at <a href="mailto:allingoodfood@gmail.com">allingoodfood@gmail.com</a>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-13480186030669984962011-02-06T08:13:00.005-05:002011-02-06T08:21:12.517-05:00Just a Little Appetizer: Chicken and Broccoli Mini TacosHi I just wanted to share with you a little appetizer I whipped up yesterday.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFC0V3jy1fhu_pYpqVwiAItLkLuBl5NT4dSG3bUGVTq5h3nKFXD20V2rzF8ZjBxKK2C_Zy5hB60wBdgKjvWVApxiu9r5aDQbFsKynbdxk4LcnQgBvFenABSnwYUOZCss3r8xuRbYbHhw/s1600/Mini+Chicken+and+Broccoli+Tacos.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570565218540363858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFC0V3jy1fhu_pYpqVwiAItLkLuBl5NT4dSG3bUGVTq5h3nKFXD20V2rzF8ZjBxKK2C_Zy5hB60wBdgKjvWVApxiu9r5aDQbFsKynbdxk4LcnQgBvFenABSnwYUOZCss3r8xuRbYbHhw/s320/Mini+Chicken+and+Broccoli+Tacos.jpg" /></a><br />I was looking for something light and filling to eat for lunch yesterday as I was in the middle of reorganizing my sewing area. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Although I have not written a post on it yet I have spent the last year working on making my own tortillas and through trial and error I have finally found the recipe balance I like. I know what you are thinking why go through all that trouble when you can just buy them in the store? Well I like to have the flexibility to make them any size I want and to add any flavor I want to them. You don’t get that with the store bought. As of yet I have not see them in the 4” rounds or in square shapes. I also have the ability to make chips any size and shape I want. That is the key right have the flexibility to have it the way you want it.<br /><br />Well I am not going to cover making the tortilla dough in this post. This post is for the appetizers I made from them. I will have another post and link to the tortilla recipe and preparation. So here we go.<br /><br />This recipe is very simple and easy. You can even have things pre-made and set aside to assemble and heat up later. This is perfect for those busy days or for an after school snack for the kids. As I have been working a lot with my sewing lately I needed another quick and easy go-to recipe.<br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br />1 chicken breast (cut into thin slices)<br />10 large broccoli florets<br />Cheese of any variety you like (shredded or sauce)<br />Home made tortillas<br />Yellow mustard<br /><br /><br />1. Make tortilla dough, following what ever recipe you are comfortable with, and roll, press and/or cut to desired size.<br /><br />2. Pan sear the chicken piece.<br /><br />3. Once chicken is fully cooked. Add taco seasoning of choice to taste and a small amount (I didn’t measure the amount but I would say around 3 tablespoons) of chicken stock or water to the pan. Note adding the liquid helps to coat the chicken better with the taco seasoning.<br /><br />4. In the same pan add about a tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Don’t clean the pan between cooking the chicken and broccoli so that the broccoli can get some of the flavor from the taco seasoning. Once butter is melted sauté the broccoli. Note I use frozen broccoli and let it thaw out in the pan when it is cooking to retain it’s color and flavor.<br /><br />5. Once broccoli is cooked remove it from the pan to a cutting board and let cool enough to handle. Cut into slices.<br /><br />6. Then assemble. Lay down your tortilla, cover with cheese, add broccoli slices, then the chicken.<br /><br />Note: Sorry I don’t have step-by-step photos. A lot of the time when I try out a new recipe I forget to take photos of the steps. So the next time I make it I will remember to take the photos and update the post.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOBTdaXAcNvqB1KcwB7H0JiyIMc75epDwP2-EFgHW3sZLW3XgL5Ra_kqqehsg9HHv0nons7fzMHxA7VekaMTaXxfIfcc03vn-0uzCU89v7myu-Nc9oUKn7mBi0PZo6XPGyT4-bdu9O9M/s1600/Single+Mini+Chicken+and+Broccoli+Taco.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570565215137066850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOBTdaXAcNvqB1KcwB7H0JiyIMc75epDwP2-EFgHW3sZLW3XgL5Ra_kqqehsg9HHv0nons7fzMHxA7VekaMTaXxfIfcc03vn-0uzCU89v7myu-Nc9oUKn7mBi0PZo6XPGyT4-bdu9O9M/s320/Single+Mini+Chicken+and+Broccoli+Taco.jpg" /></a><br />I hope you will try these out and let me know what you think and if you tried anything different ingredients. These are designed to be very flexible to taste.<br /><br />So until next time, Itadaki masu!<br /><br /><div></div></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-65904314005790465492011-01-27T01:08:00.004-05:002011-01-27T01:12:30.149-05:00Bento #26<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1wbVaaE0ysn0Fmt6ylKKT01NP_mWv4sA7p9Pz6jTh4kaVgOnI6z668nWSMz3x_FZI7VVpRs0-A-oC20b3k-xH1wDTMgFADFtPCAMsV1VrYPtqkwFAdIj1jt-SC3FtKLQVPP-BQ_uFAg/s1600/IMG_3251+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566743799125981938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1wbVaaE0ysn0Fmt6ylKKT01NP_mWv4sA7p9Pz6jTh4kaVgOnI6z668nWSMz3x_FZI7VVpRs0-A-oC20b3k-xH1wDTMgFADFtPCAMsV1VrYPtqkwFAdIj1jt-SC3FtKLQVPP-BQ_uFAg/s320/IMG_3251+redone.jpg" /></a><br />Rice with shredded carrots, mini turkey burgers, tamagoyaki, grapes.<br /><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-85849392223332092722011-01-23T08:57:00.003-05:002011-01-23T09:01:09.536-05:00Bento #25: Back to basics bentoSometimes I feel you have to go back to the beginning to regain what you feel you lost. Lately my friend rice has not been coming out right and I could not figure out why. Then I realized to began to suffer the fatal flaw that happens to some cooks and that is complacency. Most of the time when I cook I don’t measure I cook by taste but there are times when measuring is needed and/or required to get the taste right every time. So what I had been doing was not measuring when I cooked my rice I would just eyeball the amount of rice and the water that went into my rice cooker. Well this past week I went back to my old ways and measured out my rice and my water and the result was my perfect fried rice. <br /><br />Being a free spirit when cooking is good at times but when it comes to basics keep it by the book so to speak. <br /><br />Here is my bento from Friday. Fried rice, sautéed broccoli with cheese sauce, and turkey patties. Can’t get more basic than that. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAc1gqjGENcP3kRfB-WeqDXmaVmNnWJNCbQTFaoTUcK88adAkmEoE24RJFf_l2eo-069NR8cszPJ1ozE-_HznTYaIo5VHi8hIRZ5Iv3IwRQet4kxkxof1OnSV1nD6zkCDKl1CvJutK4g/s1600/IMG_3277+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565380460836947874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAc1gqjGENcP3kRfB-WeqDXmaVmNnWJNCbQTFaoTUcK88adAkmEoE24RJFf_l2eo-069NR8cszPJ1ozE-_HznTYaIo5VHi8hIRZ5Iv3IwRQet4kxkxof1OnSV1nD6zkCDKl1CvJutK4g/s320/IMG_3277+redone.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-38985182451407702142010-12-31T21:43:00.003-05:002010-12-31T21:50:03.443-05:00New Years Eve 2010Every year like everyone else I take time to say good bye to one year and hello to the next. Usually this comes with good food good drinks and my family. So here are some photos of this years goodies. Enjoy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrtpvURzho32KEGChzHfq9C0EwPrdcp8ZZaGIlcg9IMzP_s8MqZR4iZR5aCk8-jgzZWcopOzN8zINZSLF7oV5gZDz9oG2ogzEcXc4Ff10dpzlNuLfyDqbfUmeO1iA41mjx7jHhMUo3Fs/s1600/NYE+2010+Eats.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557043162512675570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrtpvURzho32KEGChzHfq9C0EwPrdcp8ZZaGIlcg9IMzP_s8MqZR4iZR5aCk8-jgzZWcopOzN8zINZSLF7oV5gZDz9oG2ogzEcXc4Ff10dpzlNuLfyDqbfUmeO1iA41mjx7jHhMUo3Fs/s320/NYE+2010+Eats.jpg" /></a> New Years Eve 2010 Goodies<br /><br />Corned Beef and Swiss bites (of course on rye with mustard), Grapes, Carrots sticks with dip, Nachos with cheese, Chex Mix (a classic), Special Fruit Punch, St. Julian Sparkling Cider (for later toast)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtWDaP2RHpyxHQk30k98zf8JQcO7LxEXnPX2UPpKViYJxKuzl1S56agQNpcUuNXDOynThSyHU-J3Y_4BOVTW4yzUhvehVu77z90MdX9DUF1A1_CJA3RLiaLJ22SU48_8o8QiusBSQRfU/s1600/Corned+Beef+and+Swiss+Bites.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557043149008162146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtWDaP2RHpyxHQk30k98zf8JQcO7LxEXnPX2UPpKViYJxKuzl1S56agQNpcUuNXDOynThSyHU-J3Y_4BOVTW4yzUhvehVu77z90MdX9DUF1A1_CJA3RLiaLJ22SU48_8o8QiusBSQRfU/s320/Corned+Beef+and+Swiss+Bites.jpg" /></a>Corned Beef and Swiss Bites </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNag0W0DenLMclHwci4ZATuH74DoXb2JgcUIc2RGMmf50AhYHn1ZFzHPpfNQgBKJS8RE8FOws6P7vv8t8e10fPd_AxvVs0VMDOfr9hB8YONcxkFulGB_hzx5QR-fkBPn-lUxet_hixpo/s1600/NYE+2010+Always+Alcohol+Free.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557043144299885986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNag0W0DenLMclHwci4ZATuH74DoXb2JgcUIc2RGMmf50AhYHn1ZFzHPpfNQgBKJS8RE8FOws6P7vv8t8e10fPd_AxvVs0VMDOfr9hB8YONcxkFulGB_hzx5QR-fkBPn-lUxet_hixpo/s320/NYE+2010+Always+Alcohol+Free.jpg" /></a>Always Alcohol Free Celebrating<br />St. Julian Sparkling Apple Cider<br /><br />I hope that your New Year's Eve celebration is fun and safe. See you in 2011<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-53155898534874875212010-11-21T08:44:00.003-05:002010-11-21T08:46:40.136-05:00Bento #24<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcksffllLBU4T45-RkqrMwqbiu6DmpxtiDOGGrin74qvLuXrbfHqr5hcjdaNopdkcdIg-U62bFTGfukU1YPH3WjJxkHQc_V0ip5uZ7QJBvC8WB2Dca9tnXJ1Pj9ACBioVKh6qwrD-_Quw/s1600/IMG_2942+redone.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcksffllLBU4T45-RkqrMwqbiu6DmpxtiDOGGrin74qvLuXrbfHqr5hcjdaNopdkcdIg-U62bFTGfukU1YPH3WjJxkHQc_V0ip5uZ7QJBvC8WB2Dca9tnXJ1Pj9ACBioVKh6qwrD-_Quw/s320/IMG_2942+redone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541998612187785970" /></a><br />This was lunch from Friday. Although it was very tasty I over cooked the egg noodles. I don’t seem to have a lot of progress with egg noodles. It’s always a hit or miss thing for me. Sometimes they come out perfect then others they are soggy and taste like paste. Oh well I’ll keep trying at it.<br /><br />Ok let’s begin with the bottom part because that has the meal where as the top part has dessert/snack. The bottom part has salisbury steak that has been chopped into smaller pieces, the egg noodles mentioned above with brown gravy and sautéed broccoli. <br /><br />Now the top part is filled with a bunch of grapes and a Rice Krispies Treats® that I cut in half and spread peanut butter on it. I then cut it in small bights. I think peanut butter on Rice Krispies Treats® is my now obsession but I will try Nutella next.<br /><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-32207959681233350122010-11-17T01:03:00.001-05:002010-11-17T01:06:08.961-05:00AllThingsForSale.com Bento Gear Giveaway at BentobloggyNow I am always up for a good giveaway and this one is a great one for any of my fellow bentoist out there. As I was going through the list of blogs I follow I came across the new post from Emily at <a href="http://bentobloggy.blogspot.com/2010/11/allthingsforsale-bento-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Bentobloggy+%28Bentobloggy%29">Bentobloggy</a>. She is having a giveaway of a wonderful bento set from <a href="http://www.allthingsforsale.com/index.php?aff=bentobloggy">AllThingsForSale.com</a>. When she talked about the selection being great and the prices being very reasonable she wasn’t kidding. I went over there to check them out myself and have already made a mental list of things I want to buy. It is nice that they are here in the states and that your items don’t take forever to get to you. I have already bookmarked them myself under my bento accessories.<br /><br />So if you are interested in entering this give away head over to <a href="http://bentobloggy.blogspot.com/2010/11/allthingsforsale-bento-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Bentobloggy+%28Bentobloggy%29">Bentobloggy</a> and while you are there check out her bentos I think you’ll like them.Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-89851823229986431292010-11-16T15:34:00.003-05:002010-11-16T15:44:29.715-05:00Update: Project Herb GardenSo in my last post I had a picture of the herb packets that I had. I also told you that I was in the process of deciding what herb(s) I wanted to start with. Well I have been doing research on the internet and reading books to help me in my process (I will list them at the end of this post). I found one source that said to start by looking at the herbs and spices you already use and go from there. So that is exactly where I am going to begin. If you are familiar with any of my recipe or bento posts you will know that I love dill and use it a lot.<br /><br />So I have decided that my first plant will be <a href="http://www.gardenguides.com/455-dill-anethum-graveolens.html">Dill (Anethum graveolens)</a>. I have been doing general research on dill and will begin doing specific research today. The seed packet I have is <a href="http://www.gardenguides.com/2671-dill-dukat-seeds-bulbs.html">Dukat Leafy Dill</a>. I’m not sure what the different varieties of dill are but as soon as I find out I will let you know.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym48iwSgMoH4nXSbregY9wFLJuQBodBtOx1FdM3ApxO1iOMMZ1EHJpGpWXA0BEseGkzeaDwBnkUFwQxyi5bcZeA4k0dOS-owr_wpVZwGsTqfLYPJOPC9x00eMu3dR6SltqyFTLfFwnSg/s1600/IMG_2867+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540249364856930258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym48iwSgMoH4nXSbregY9wFLJuQBodBtOx1FdM3ApxO1iOMMZ1EHJpGpWXA0BEseGkzeaDwBnkUFwQxyi5bcZeA4k0dOS-owr_wpVZwGsTqfLYPJOPC9x00eMu3dR6SltqyFTLfFwnSg/s320/IMG_2867+redone.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I know I may be starting this project at the wrong time as it is fall and I am in Michigan but this is for an indoor herb garden and I didn’t think it would matter. I’ve been looking at the layout of my kitchen to see where I can set up this herb garden because I will have to use a grow light because my kitchen has no windows and I have a cat and I don’t want him chewing on my herbs when I’m not looking. Maybe I will also grow him his own herbs so that he will leave mine alone.<br /><br />Well there is my update keep checking back to watch my progress.<br /><br />Till then, happy growing.<br /><br />My references so far:<br /><br /><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=-mJWkH1prqYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+garden+primer+by+barbara+damrosch&source=bl&ots=5ftCSur2wr&sig=-sK2KL1CuEFVQmZvH55-ZXxTsjg&hl=en&ei=O6fiTITdBMvLnge20LH1BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false">The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch </a>(Google books copy-read only) (Herbs Chapter 8-begin on page 383)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gardenguides.com/">GardenGuides.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/favorite%20herbs.html">Renee’s Garden</a> (The seed packets are from Renee’s Garden)Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-14254520372397348402010-11-15T08:30:00.003-05:002010-11-15T08:33:55.186-05:00Bento #23<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKIJhmbNv4ojBqkmHasGklvpW3fg_RemhuhX3Vcpn9ofspzHLZuiT2aLA1gzOm__06HX4feuTg2x019C1XsadjKFEnaBYp1VgsWM2DwqRAvszxL_c8EFN6X6Kp50vNTCtK_Cw9i6Pskg/s1600/IMG_2875+redone.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKIJhmbNv4ojBqkmHasGklvpW3fg_RemhuhX3Vcpn9ofspzHLZuiT2aLA1gzOm__06HX4feuTg2x019C1XsadjKFEnaBYp1VgsWM2DwqRAvszxL_c8EFN6X6Kp50vNTCtK_Cw9i6Pskg/s320/IMG_2875+redone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539768602876802786" /></a><br />I had to work yesterday and the weather was not the greatest here in Michigan. No we don’t have any snow yet but it was cold so I wanted a bento that was very filling. I meant to post this bento when I got home from work yesterday but was just too tired. I’ve been living in Michigan all my life but the cold air still wipes me out. <br /><br />This was yesterday’s lunch and I must say it was very delicious and filling. It is made up of 3 small yaki onigiri. I think I love yaki onigiri better than regular onigiri but I have been experimenting with different flavors so maybe I can come up with some that I can make my go to flavors. Growing up I always put salt, pepper and a lot of butter on my rice so plain non-seasoned rice or rice only season with salt does not appeal to me. I know that may seem like a very American attitude but I do try foods from all over and then adapt them to my own palate. I feel food is not stagnate it is ever changing and that should be ok. We should always remember traditional recipes or ways of cooking but we also have to remember that people’s tastes are diverse and should be respected. Ok I just ran off on a tangent I do apologize. <br /><br />Now back to the bento. I also had french cut green beans that were cooked in soy sauce. I first placed them in the microwave with a little soy sauce poured over them then I grilled them on my griddle with a small amount of butter. I was hoping I could come close to the taste I get when I sauté my broccoli but didn’t work this time. Next time I’ll try it in a skillet. I included a bunch of red grapes and that is what is in the top part of the bento.<br /><br />In the bottom part I have tamagoyaki made with dill and cheese. I am going to have to invest in a real tamagoyaki pan. Right now I make it on my griddle and it seems to come out fine but to be honest I have never eaten one made with an authentic pan in the traditional way. So a tamagoyaki pan goes on my wish list. Lastly I added cut up salisbury steak left over from dinner the night before and there we are. <br /><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-50868192276834734832010-11-11T09:57:00.004-05:002010-11-11T10:05:10.435-05:00Blogiversary & Herb Project Announcement<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yNIZ2xnnlQb13YgUotu6IZypI7U2k1Ow30PIBmFUP8rvAzVxsJmH1RriUhRe9gEYMeEWqkU6uPWCcoQVd_Uskzm4l5oXY6PcqgAQUCOWmXDGulN5-SRYCfSePkuEvjk2Ibpbn-P59xU/s1600/IMG_2675+blogiversary.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538306775981633122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yNIZ2xnnlQb13YgUotu6IZypI7U2k1Ow30PIBmFUP8rvAzVxsJmH1RriUhRe9gEYMeEWqkU6uPWCcoQVd_Uskzm4l5oXY6PcqgAQUCOWmXDGulN5-SRYCfSePkuEvjk2Ibpbn-P59xU/s320/IMG_2675+blogiversary.jpg" /></a><br />Today is my official blogiversary but there will be no bells and whistles going on here. Although I am happy to have made it through this past year and I have learned a lot in the process I don’t feel that this blog has lived up to its potential yet. All in Good Food will strive to do better in the coming year to fulfill the goals that I have set so stay with me and see the transformation and growth.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ee-ZUWbQSkOs7cGbLfiVLeFPhhs2XxieSHs8RNV0w_j3hMjOdKEte4E4JKf5ppFniLIxAnhN6-_ZiONZFT-XLRS4yL9GJibGao13PgjvN7eEmvVCIJp-JPXoN1FyXtbtO6WKFoOMPRQ/s1600/IMG_2866+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538306771933011970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ee-ZUWbQSkOs7cGbLfiVLeFPhhs2XxieSHs8RNV0w_j3hMjOdKEte4E4JKf5ppFniLIxAnhN6-_ZiONZFT-XLRS4yL9GJibGao13PgjvN7eEmvVCIJp-JPXoN1FyXtbtO6WKFoOMPRQ/s320/IMG_2866+redone.jpg" /></a><br />Now to the first project of the year for All in Goof Food and that is the Herb Project. What is the Herb project you might ask? Well I realized that I work so much better with goals and deadlines I have created this project to help me learn more about herbs and spice I may or may not be using in my recipes. I find that in my area I am hard pressed to find some of the herbs I need for cooking so I thought why not grow them myself. So is the birth of my Herb Project. I haven’t come up with a catchy name for it yet but I’ll be working on that.<br /><br />So here is the project. I will be researching, planning, planting, harvesting and creating recipes with the herbs I will be growing. As I have never grown herbs before I am researching what are the best herbs for me to grow and as I live in Michigan I will need to grow them indoors for now. I want to get some plants to start with but they will be hard to find at this time of the year. However I was recently given some seed packets so I will start with them. This project will take you through every step on my process, good, bad and ugly. I will be taking notes as closely as possible so that I may learn from my mistakes as well as my triumphs.<br /><br />So I ask you to stay with me on this journey and any advice from those who have grown herbs before are welcomed and encouraged, I just ask that you be respectful and positive, nastiness is not necessary or welcomed here at this blog. With that said I already have a plan in mind and will share that with you in the next post.<br /><br />Till then.<br /><br /><div></div></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-26078202449008884372010-11-08T06:25:00.003-05:002010-11-08T06:30:14.200-05:00Bento #22<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhhMvNANGuSt1pn4QmEHjAJR_kGs7qciMcrFTZpMdNtZ_N-1T2X1RaG0WPSR64j9d5GtdgKzbaaYivJG_vz8e-5RIzAUPXnQN-WClbge4UP2Sonvaf0N1xtg6Z_LdH_1kFZC19SJSHbY/s1600/IMG_2858+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537138832196095218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhhMvNANGuSt1pn4QmEHjAJR_kGs7qciMcrFTZpMdNtZ_N-1T2X1RaG0WPSR64j9d5GtdgKzbaaYivJG_vz8e-5RIzAUPXnQN-WClbge4UP2Sonvaf0N1xtg6Z_LdH_1kFZC19SJSHbY/s320/IMG_2858+redone.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div>When I take my bentos to work I try to keep them very simple and yesterday's was no exception. I made some of my homemade turkey chili the night before so I just cooked up some penne pasta and mixed it together. I love cheese on my chili and my pasta and chili so I put a bit of shredded cheese in the top along with some french cut green beans that were seasoned with soy sauce and black pepper. A very simple lunch.<br /><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-14915362077652840022010-11-07T06:20:00.001-05:002010-11-07T06:24:10.893-05:00Bento #21<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIVv249zhKGgpGv_5K_UxpoP05B7FrJJSSuuFOrWbvqEhJIn7H7MFdBAE1Eve4MDXQsWcxYIhn_KDaMhAKTEY7pfbecz7-Lxs09SlkEIVNybwU7tpfjriOaJ0auCVIrr2hx8vUCWyArU/s1600/IMG_2844+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536766693849169970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIVv249zhKGgpGv_5K_UxpoP05B7FrJJSSuuFOrWbvqEhJIn7H7MFdBAE1Eve4MDXQsWcxYIhn_KDaMhAKTEY7pfbecz7-Lxs09SlkEIVNybwU7tpfjriOaJ0auCVIrr2hx8vUCWyArU/s320/IMG_2844+redone.jpg" /></a><br />Here is another simple bento I had for my lunch yesterday. I took a steak filet and sliced it into thin slices and then I cut the slices into bit sized pieces and grilled them on my griddle. I cooked the egg noodles in brown gravy that was left over from the Salisbury steak we had for dinner Thursday night. I just added a little water and added the noodles and let them cook till they were soft. I then topped it with two small pieces of bacon that had been wrapped around the steak filet that I cooked along side of the steak. I also had butter sauté broccoli. I love my broccoli this way because I love the roasted taste.<br /><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-449616350783961902010-11-06T08:07:00.003-04:002010-11-06T08:11:06.584-04:00Bento #20This was the simple bento I had for lunch yesterday.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBklIRp32kLY1_zcsZ8sKhvzqsMPy4n3STSsWFpGpJYlUnycWXKxLM52EnBExfKUC5A2rfBAu4Z_zZKyNoTgoINu3dIijF50-_QmmiAJYYzGuQCUZXbQTJZEB3unmFzJul5fDQM51vW34/s1600/IMG_2832+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536407424957230338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBklIRp32kLY1_zcsZ8sKhvzqsMPy4n3STSsWFpGpJYlUnycWXKxLM52EnBExfKUC5A2rfBAu4Z_zZKyNoTgoINu3dIijF50-_QmmiAJYYzGuQCUZXbQTJZEB3unmFzJul5fDQM51vW34/s320/IMG_2832+redone.jpg" /></a> <div></div>This bento consists of simple white rice seasoned with butter, salt and pepper along with tamagoyaki made with dill and shredded cheese. No not your traditional tamagoyaki but the taste appeals to me. There is French cut green beans which I cooked with soy sauce for seasoning and two pieces of General Tso chicken from dinner the night before. As I said very simple but very tasty.<br /><br />So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-24954584821702476192010-11-06T07:28:00.003-04:002010-11-06T07:39:56.085-04:00Bento #18 and #19Here are a few bentos I managed to take a picture of after my computer crashed. Just thought I’d share them with you.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MRiP8j_jiiVo9btgARIXg2nWtSnN4Htk45v1OybI82LkplYjEJ_Oqpfwpl5b-NopGjv5VDI4EdTn2y9OCAu_wsj4TnU9CWPL99xBvTcCsYDtNXS8uvqbBod1lPXi-usxYJ_WprFE7s8/s1600/IMG_2353+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536398494681955842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MRiP8j_jiiVo9btgARIXg2nWtSnN4Htk45v1OybI82LkplYjEJ_Oqpfwpl5b-NopGjv5VDI4EdTn2y9OCAu_wsj4TnU9CWPL99xBvTcCsYDtNXS8uvqbBod1lPXi-usxYJ_WprFE7s8/s320/IMG_2353+redone.jpg" /></a> Bento #18 <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggciVs9U2Bcr_5P6Pnvrdesq7ID8l0m-_kfPR4w7MlKUxtOmfs0hWTp-w4bOW3po8_28OmdKnQWN9nlpa-hlIvbWGO32qp6BVUAzDVWFK2TzBXPSPA4na04_kEF3eWhj5Y5Ps2xPFAAgc/s1600/IMG_2361+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 277px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536398491315714450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggciVs9U2Bcr_5P6Pnvrdesq7ID8l0m-_kfPR4w7MlKUxtOmfs0hWTp-w4bOW3po8_28OmdKnQWN9nlpa-hlIvbWGO32qp6BVUAzDVWFK2TzBXPSPA4na04_kEF3eWhj5Y5Ps2xPFAAgc/s320/IMG_2361+redone.jpg" /></a> Bento #19<br /></p><div>So until my next bento, Itadaki masu!<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-45314193549825658822010-11-03T21:31:00.004-04:002010-11-03T21:58:23.289-04:00Wow How Time FliesAs I was trying to decide what my next post would be I looked up and realized that as of November 10th it will be 1 year since I began this blog. Wow how time flies. When I first began I wasn’t quite sure where to start, what to write about, or what was my culinary passion. I have to admit I floundered for a bit until I found a niche which was posting the bentos I had been already creating. But I thought to myself I don’t want to stop there so I began to post my experimental dishes and creations and that felt good.<br /><br />Cooking I have found has been an evolution of sorts. As I learned more about food and ingredients I became a better cook. When I was younger I dabbled a bit in cooking but other than pastry or dessert dishes I never pursued it seriously. Well now my time has come. No I don’t want to be the “Next Food Network Star” or work in a 3 or 4 star restaurant but I do want to cook the best food I can for me and my family.<br /><br />I think when I am passionate about something I get very focused and intense about it. That is sometimes a good thing and sometimes not. Cooking requires you to be very focused but flexible at the same time and the key to good cooking is finding that balance. So in this new year I have decided to pick 4 key things and focus my efforts on them.<br /><br />And they are first of all making balanced bentos. I have been creating bentos for about 3 years now and the process has helped me immensely in understanding portion control and balance in my meals. I have struggled a bit but with struggle comes progress. It also helps to have a strong bento community that I am involved with. I have learned about different foods, recipes, techniques (for aesthetics purposes) which is one of the keys to the appeal of bentos. I must also say this community is very supportive and helpful which is great.<br /><br />My next endeavor is in baking. As a young girl I wanted to be a pastry chef and make all those wonderful delights that most everyone loves, but I think I let fear stop me from pursuing that path but no more. At this point in my life I am not sure if I am up to going to a formal school to become a patisserie but this is the information age and I think I am good at understanding information that I find in books, TV shows and the internet. Don’t get me wrong I do want to go study under some good teachers but I feel that a more intimate and personal setting is for me. I have fallen in love with the Cooking Channel show Rachel Allen Bake. When I watch her I understand what she is telling me. Eventually I want to sign up for her cooking school and keep going from there.<br /><br />This new year of my blog I am also starting a 365 project. I decided I want to learn more about herbs so I am going to take in the next year and work on my 365 Herb Project. I will also be studying spices and their uses as well. As I want to give this project its fair turn I will wait to explain what I am doing in its own post.<br /><br />Lastly I will be focusing on my time management. Yes I know that this may not seem to be directly related to cooking but I assure you it is. Without time management foods can burn or not be cooked enough, pastries and desserts can become disasters and over all chaos in the kitchen will ensue. Ok that last bit was a bit over dramatic but as we all know we can never get time back once it is gone so we must use it wisely.<br /><br />Well that is the update to what is going on here at All in Good Food. As many of you know I had not been posting for sometime because my lovely computer decided it wanted to crash on me. So now that I finally have my new one I will take this opportunity to start a new. New year (blog year), new me. With the understanding I have gained from blogging and cooking I hope to have new and exciting posts for all of you to read. So here’s to a new year.<br /><br />乾杯 (Kanpai)Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-24168197270088425682010-10-20T13:13:00.004-04:002010-10-20T13:22:15.191-04:00I'm Finally BackHi Everyone,<br /><br />If you followed my blog with any regularity then you know that I have not posted anything new for a while. Back in July I had the unfortunate luck of having both my desk top and my lap top computers fail on me keeping me from being able to do anything. If you follow me on twitter you may have seen me tweet about this. It has been a frustrating 3 months but I finally have a new computer and will begin posting again soon.<br /><br />I thank you very much for your patience and your continued support. Talk to you soon.<br /><br />MarisaMarisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-24712274147393412262010-07-11T17:42:00.003-04:002010-07-11T17:50:45.323-04:00Contest and Review at A Pocket Full of Buttons for a Flirty ApronsOk so I was just sitting here today at my computer looking up recipes and surfing twitter and I came across a giveaway. Now I am always ready to enter giveaways to try and win so when I saw a tweet from someone I had just started following on twitter whose blog I had begun following the other day I decided to check it out. The giveaway is at <a href="http://apocketfullofbuttons.blogspot.com/">A Pocket Full of Buttons</a> for <a href="http://www.flirtyaprons.com/">Flirty Aprons</a> and it drew my interest.<br /><br />Now I must tell you I don’t normally wear an apron when I cook because I could never find one that fit me right or because it was not very stylish. However the aprons I saw at the Flirty Aprons website are so cute and stylish I couldn’t resist entering. Flirty Aprons also sales aprons for men and for children as well. As I am torn between two different aprons if I am lucky enough to win I will most certainly be buying the other. But go and check them out yourself.<br /><br />If you go right over to <a href="http://apocketfullofbuttons.blogspot.com/2010/07/flirty-apron-review-and-giveaway.html">A Pocket Full of Buttons-Flirty Apron Review and Giveaway</a> you can enter as well. The review of these aprons is very informative and seems very honest and that’s what caught my attention. Below are the two aprons I really liked. So go right over and check them out for yourself.<br /><br />The design is called Cherry Blossom<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8DvVeQ_xLmS1EKVu5HqwDYlIPfOkWHS4e3DDXbEBW7Ja5jai4K7HlFsZ3OdALNv1WFmDv9_9Cqz2zqzshXsyv86zJW1NchHUlrJQLSGIdyoio2fNFIgOrDtWT7S5e_jBaJywDU1jAEo/s1600/Flirty+Aprons+Cherry+Blossom+Apron+collage.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492767715096685458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8DvVeQ_xLmS1EKVu5HqwDYlIPfOkWHS4e3DDXbEBW7Ja5jai4K7HlFsZ3OdALNv1WFmDv9_9Cqz2zqzshXsyv86zJW1NchHUlrJQLSGIdyoio2fNFIgOrDtWT7S5e_jBaJywDU1jAEo/s320/Flirty+Aprons+Cherry+Blossom+Apron+collage.jpg" /></a> This design is called Chic Pink<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQB3S2lfsShoxov8Pdqd3jcnNoMeYas6pPQGrEZEonjpURZ5MW2SVNOWMy04UxotxokODF6pCOvyvB43cyfctkXfERPGZLHof0rBa1tdHzj0LUtfnqqOcB-PrebQSAGKcwzzSxbWl3lk/s1600/Flirty+Aprons+Chic+Pink+Apron+collage.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492767709645544530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQB3S2lfsShoxov8Pdqd3jcnNoMeYas6pPQGrEZEonjpURZ5MW2SVNOWMy04UxotxokODF6pCOvyvB43cyfctkXfERPGZLHof0rBa1tdHzj0LUtfnqqOcB-PrebQSAGKcwzzSxbWl3lk/s320/Flirty+Aprons+Chic+Pink+Apron+collage.jpg" /></a> Good luck to everyone who enters.<br /><br /><div><em>*Please note that all attached photos are the property of Flirty Aprons.*</em></div></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250969183313922216.post-38239736121884757722010-06-30T08:55:00.010-04:002010-06-30T09:44:51.829-04:00Getting Back to the Business of Writing<div align="justify">Ok it’s been over a month since I wrote my last post and yes I am well over due for a new one. I have been doing a lot of experimenting on recipes and taking a lot of pictures but did not feel I was ready to write up a post on the various recipes I’ve been working on. Weather it’s because I felt I wasn’t ready or I was not inspired enough to write I have to push past those feelings or I feel I will never write again. So here it goes.</div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIMSacxBG65TasnusIj50D2mntFUZMVY7jbxWEcnokCrNZIeTHmP5qjnxoS4I410EYj7KRn8gmcjxOGWLldHbb_E-Anu9LwwB8oCk7ZTT_yMEj5ptInydrMJ4YWKlP3GaXhtxaSwY2cg/s1600/IMG_2335+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488559310889210370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIMSacxBG65TasnusIj50D2mntFUZMVY7jbxWEcnokCrNZIeTHmP5qjnxoS4I410EYj7KRn8gmcjxOGWLldHbb_E-Anu9LwwB8oCk7ZTT_yMEj5ptInydrMJ4YWKlP3GaXhtxaSwY2cg/s320/IMG_2335+redone.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mini Ham and Cream Cheese Sammys made from rolls made from Grandma May’s roll recipe</span><br /><br />Lately I’ve ventured back to the passion I had when I was a teen which is baking but I have been exploring the world of homemade as apposed to semi-homemade and it all began with my Grandma Mary’s dinner roll recipe. Before I ventured into the world of food blogging I had a resurgence of a desire to really cook by learning as much as I could about ingredients, food production and how everything works together. I have had a desire to work more with locally grown foods and products. Although I love making things from scratch I do believe there is a place for pre-made products such as mixes and seasoning packets as much of my readers already know. I choose to embrace both aspects of the food world as I am not a food snob. There’s a place for everything and everything has its place.<br /><br />So this post will be the introduction to a new aspect of food exploration. I like to find out how versatile a recipe is and how many different ways I can change it and still keep it the same if you know what I mean. Just like Alton Brown feels about multi tasking utensils in the kitchen I feel the same with recipes. I know that not all recipes can be multi taskers but the ones that are will be used more in my kitchen than the others because they are more versatile. I am a simple cook although I am sure I can tackle a complex recipe with no problem. I love to explore the dishes that are from the home and then see if they can be changed in any way to accommodate different tastes or occasion. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGGFAql4-b2lgH5GT6JKjero9l7q9r2XVblaB3QzJOpRm_s3Jlc5uPizV3HXldzO_mQ-4_aMDEUlrUy6P5VzsqatKBK9YNITlNb5Pc80wRmWisAJp5xOL4sZn42mj7JS-7JsvdGJp2Tw/s1600/IMG_2125+redone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488559303805954114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGGFAql4-b2lgH5GT6JKjero9l7q9r2XVblaB3QzJOpRm_s3Jlc5uPizV3HXldzO_mQ-4_aMDEUlrUy6P5VzsqatKBK9YNITlNb5Pc80wRmWisAJp5xOL4sZn42mj7JS-7JsvdGJp2Tw/s320/IMG_2125+redone.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Chicken Pancakes made from using a basic home made pancake mix<br /></span><br />Most of us have had pancakes at one time or another and most use a prepackage pancake mix, as I used to myself but every since the first time I made pancakes from scratch I have not purchase any pancake mixes. With this simple recipe I was able to come up with my loaded chicken pancakes which I have been told look a lot like a fritter. This is what I am talking about when I say a versatile recipe. What else can I do with it? What other I direction can I take? Can this recipe be used as a substitute for a fancier recipe? Asking questions is my way of exploring the world of cooking and food.<br /><br />I hope you will stay with me as I post up my explorations.<br /><br /><div align="justify"><br /><br /></div></div>Marisa Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03348268211540980940noreply@blogger.com6