March's Playlist

Here are 31 songs, for the 31 days of March that stood out to me or came to mind throughout the month.  Instead of uploading a crap ton of videos to my blog and slowing down everything on my page, I have decided to create a playlist on my YouTube account and share the playlist so that you can watch it from start to finish.  As I like to go through and say something about each song I will instead write a track list and what made the song special for this month!  Enjoy!

1. Single-Natasha Bedingfield: I would say that the title speaks for itself but this song has been with me throughout many different times in my life.  To give me strength and hope in my single status.  The lyrics are the greatest as well.  Not snubbing love, but still able to find happiness in yourself.

2. Don't Panic-Coldplay:  I love this song.  Coldplay really fits into a great soundtrack of my life.  This song helps you to try to remember that everything is small stuff and the little things that matter, those are the BIG things.  And that "We live in a beautiful world"

3. I Don't Wanna-Aaliyah:  There is never a time that an Aaliyah song come on to this day that doesn't make me stop and pay attention.  This is one of my favs by here and when it came across my station, gave me a blast to the past in my mind.

4. Evacuee-Enya: Liam's bedtime Pandora station has always been Enya.  It helps to calm him down before going to bed.  My mother always listened to Enya a lot, and I can never hear Enya without thinking of her.  Plus it's beautiful Irish music :)

5. Already Taken-Trey Songz:  I do love Trey, especially older more mature in music Trey.  This song is so catchy and makes you want to get up and dance.  It is effective in making me feel like someday I can find a man that can be proud to be with me and not want to be with anyone else.

6. Home-Michael Buble':  I don't know how anyone could hear this song and not just love the slow music and Micheal's voice and the lyrics.  I have said it before and I will continue to say it.  I want someone to love me like Michael Buble' songs.  This one is one of his greatest.

7. Slow Dancing In A Burning Room-John Mayer: I have heard many people say that all John Mayer songs sound the same.  I guess that I always heard them differently.  I feel the emotion behind them.  I feel like he really puts his soul out there.  You can feel his pain, his joy, his desperation, his anger, his love, depending on the song.  This one definitely holds some of that desperation to hold on to something even after it is broken beyond repair.

 8. Breathe In-Frou Frou I just love Frou Frou.  I think that they are highly under-rated but luckily frequently used in movie to still showcase their awesomeness.  They always make me feel empowered as well.

9. Everything Zen-Bush: This is a great song for having a bad day to try to let it all out.

10.  Without Your Love-Ellie Goulding: I love Ellie, and this song is great!  To remind you that you can go forward on your own, and you don't need someone to go on with your life.

11. Enough of No Love-Keyshia Cole: I LOVE Keyshia's shoes in this video, but this song has always stuck with me and getting rid of something that no longer serves your best interest.

12. Need You Tonight-Amerie:  I love Amerie, and this song has some good older beats.

13. Say It Ain't So-Wheezer: This song is just straight awesomeness. 

14. Iris-Goo Goo Dolls: This song will always be one that I love.  The vocals, the isntruments, the lyrics...  Just a winning combination...

15.  Dangerous-Cascada: I love Cascada and this song is very poetic.

16.  Kiss From A Rose-Seal: No need for an explanation

17. Om Hraum Mitraya-Deva Premal: Meditative song of excellence

18.  Your Love Is King-Sade:  One of my all-time favorite singers and my gateway into Jazz.  And this song is just great!

19.  Everything I Do (I Do It For You)-Bryan Adams:  I grew up with this and it will always be one of my favorite love songs.  Plus it was on Robin Hood with Kevin Costner which was great!

20.  Big Girls Don't Cry-Fergie: This song will always remind me of California, and when you are having a bad day and everything feels like it is falling apart it is great to listen to this.

21. Shake Senora-Pitbull: I seriously love Pitbull's energy in his music!  This song always makes me want to get up and dance.

22. You Got Me-Colbie Calliat: I LOVE this song, it makes me want to meet someone and be in love again.  It gives me hope for the romantic future.  I want someone to make me feel this way.

23.  You & I-John Legend:  This is another great love song, and John is good at love ballads.  I love the lyrics

24.  Another Round (Remix)-Fat Joe: This song is a good newer hip hop song that I always enjoy to hear.  I love the original and the remix, but you get Mary J and Fabo on the remix

25.  Talk That Talk-Rihanna: I will always love Rihanna, she always makes you feel more powerful as a woman.  This song always makes me want to get up and do something

26.  Just A Kiss-Lady Antebellum: I know I know, country but I love this song. It has a really great message about not overdoing things and letting things unfold slowly and naturally in a relationship.  There is no need to rush things. 

27.  Juicy-BIG: Because it's Biggie that's why

28.  Spectrum-Florence & The Machine:  I can't have a playlist without Florence.  This song (like all of their songs) is just so powerful.  I always have to crank it!  "Say My Name, and Every Part of Me Illuminates"  You don't just come across lyrics like those

29. Hot Boyz-Missy: Oh the flashbacks, such a great song

30. New Slang-Shins:  You just want to go on a long drive and contemplate life when you hear this song. 

31. Eddie Vedder-Society: Excellent song....  great poetic lyrics and great message about our society. 

Caramel Filled Brownies

Having been a choice in the past it was great to finally get a chance to try this recipe out!  As with any other dessert I suck at having the patience to wait for things to set up, so my final brownie picture is more a delicious pile of warm goo than the picture perfect brownie square, after a night in the fridge it should be more picturesque!  I had never made brownies from scratch before so this was a fun adventure.  Pretty easy and delicious!  Thank you so much for your votes and in deciding on this dessert!  I couldn't have done this without you!  I hope you enjoy it!  As always, please feel free to submit any recipes you would like for me to cook next month and thank you for reading!

Ingredients:
Brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
12 oz. bittersweet Chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp Almond extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose Flour
1/2 tsp salt 
Caramel Filling:
11 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped
2/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil REALLY WELL, with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Heat, stirring occasionally, until all is completely melted and smooth.
Mix in sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well incorporated. Then add in flour and salt until just combined.
Spread about 1/3 of the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let the brownie layer cool for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, make the caramel filling by combining the caramel candies and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Keep stirring until melted and immediately spread the caramel mixture over the cooked brownie layer.
Pour the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer. Try to spread it evenly as it is pretty difficult to try to smooth it out evenly over the caramel layer.
Bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven and transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and serving. You’ll definitely want to wait for it because otherwise, your squares will be a complete gooey mess!

Melt the chocolate and the butter

Mix in the eggs, sugar and almond

Add the flour and salt

Mix it all together

Pour 1/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the foil

Cook for 20 minutes

Melt the caramel and the cream in a saucepan

Thoroughly mix it

Pour on top of the cooked brownies

Top with the remaining brownie batter

Cook for a final 20 minutes

Serve & Enjoy!

If you would like to view the previous winning desserts, click here:

February's Winner: Strawberry Lemonade Cake 

January's Winner: Black Forest Pavlova

December's Winner: Pumpkin Tiramisu

November's Winner: Caramelized Banana Pudding

October's Winner: Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

September's Winner: Apple Raspberry Crumble

Carne Asada: The Winning Dish!

I have to admit that this must be one of the easiest dishes that I made based on your votes.   Not to say that it takes away from being tasty in any way.  Having never made Carne Asada before, I never realized just how quick and easy it was.  The longest time is spent in marinating the dish, and the rest goes by very quickly!  Thank you so very much for your participation and your votes in deciding what I would cook for this month!  As my readers, you are my motivation for keeping this up every single day!   If you have any recipe suggestions, please feel free to share them with me and I can add them in to my monthly vote! 

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs flank or round steak
Marinade:
2 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
1 tsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)
1 Large handful of cilantro (cut thinly, stems included)
2 Limes worth of Juice
2 Tbsp White Vinegar
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 small Yellow Bell Pepper (Seeded & Chopped)

Corn or Flour Tortillas
1 Avocado (Peeled, cored & chopped)
Tomatoes
Salsa
Green Onions



Directions:
Combine all of above marinade ingredients and the steak in a large bowl and soak in the fridge for 1-4 hours. 
Preheat your grill (I just use my George Foreman Grill).  Remove the steak from the marinade. If you are cooking on a pan indoors, you may want to brush off excess marinade as the bits may burn and smoke on the hot pan.   Grill the pieces for a few minutes only, on each side, depending on how thin they are, until medium rare to well done, to your preference. You may need to work in batches. Remove the steak pieces to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

(Optional) Serve with warm tortillas (flour or corn). Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. Alternatively, you can warm tortillas in a microwave: heating just one or two at a time, place tortillas on a paper towel and microwave them for 15 to 20 seconds each on high.
Feel free to add whatever toppings you would like.  I listed which ingredients I added into it, but cook according to preference.  Serve & Enjoy!

Marinate the steak

Grill it to juicy perfection

Warm up your tortillas

Serve with toppings and enjoy!

 Here are the precious winners if you are interested in checking them out! 

February's Winner: Chicken Cordon Bleu

January's Winner: Sauteed Scallops

December's Winner: Pizza Pot Pies

November's Winner: Lasagna Stuffed Manicotti

October's Winner: Pumpkin Risotto

September's Winner: Burgundy Pork 

Choose My Menu: March Edition!

Thank you for taking the time to come get your vote in!  It's that time again where YOU as my reader get to make the decision for what I will cook.  In one week's time, the votes will be tallied and I will be forced to cook whatever you choose!  This decision is based solely on 4 main course and 4 dessert recipes that I have carefully selected to give you a range of choices.  After the choices are made I will cook my version of the selected recipe and provide step-by-step instructions along with photos!  To vote just comment your Number and letter choice.  If you are having any issues selecting a profile to comment under, just go ahead and choose the anonymous option and leave your name if you would like.  Thank you again for all of your wonderful support and your much needed participation in this blog!  Let the voting BEGIN!

Main Dish Choices

Option 1: Chicken Pasta with Thyme Mint Cream Sauce
I love recipes that are out of the norm and this one sounds delicious!

Original Recipe: Chicken Pasta with Thyme Mint Cream Sauce







Option 2: Carne Asada
I love choosing unique and difficult recipes that I wouldn't normally try, but sometimes you just need to take it back to the basics for something delicious.

Original Recipe: Carne Asada








Option 3: Cheese Tortellini with Spinach & Slow Roasted Tomatoes
After many requests I have promised to always provide a vegetarian choice.  As much as I love meat, there are so many amazing recipes that do not need it, such as this one.

Original Recipe: Cheese Tortellini with spinach & slow roasted tomatoes







Option 4: Herb & Citrus Roast Leg of Lamb
I had to bring back this previous succulent choice from a few months back.

Original Recipe: Herb Citrus Roast Leg of Lamb

Desserts

Option A: Gooey Crock Pot Monkey Bread
I have been saving this amazing recipe for months, and can't wait to try it out!

Original Recipe: Gooey Crockpot Monkey Bread











Option B: Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Cake with Raspberry Buttercream
OMG!  This looks and sounds so amazing that I couldn't resist. 

Original Recipe: Chocolate Marshmallow Cake with Raspberry Buttercream










Option C: Pistachio Pudding Cupcakes
How can you go wrong with this easy and delicious recipe?

Original Recipe: Pistachio Pudding Cupcakes









Option D: Caramel Filled Brownies
I just couldn't resist bringing this option back.  The delicious warm gooeyness....  Yum

Original Recipe: Caramel Filled Brownies








Now you have all of your choices!  So comment your Number and Letter choices to submit your votes!