1. Yeah, today is Wednesday not Tuesday. I get that. But yesterday I was BIIIZZEEE! Between Dr. Appoitments, Guitar Lessons, Weeding, and cooking dinner, there was just no time left in the day. Except, to lay in bed and watch one of my favorite movies, "Memoirs of a Geisha" for ohhh the 758th time! No Judgment!
2. I have this thing. I hate room temperature candy bars. Okay, candy bars containing chocolate. They taste better frozen to me. Plus, my husband always forgets I hide all the chocolate in the freezer which then leaves more for me! SCORE!
3. I do this to myself every time I want to bake cookies. I always forget to take out the butter ahead of time. You do this too, right? Please tell me you do...please...lie if you have too.
4. I heard my baby's heartbeat on Tuesday. It was a beautiful & perfect 160 BPM :) I love this little Kumquat so much already it's sickening. Why am I calling it a kumquat...because that is the size of fruit it is right now.
5. Josh worked at the food bank last week and I told him he could take like all of my canned soups in the pantry. I kind thought he would forget about it and I would walk out there and find a million canned soups. Nope, he took them all, but two cans. My faves: Broccoli Cheese and Tomato Soup. That's my guy, always looking out for me :) I didn't even know I had an extra can of broccoli cheese in the pantry.
6. Grace finished 2nd grade on Monday! I am so happy to be be done with school for the summer. A nice long break!
7. Movies I really don't care to see this summer: The Avengers, Men in Black 3, Battleship, Spiderman, Total Recall, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (that's just blasphemy people), Another G.I. Joe movie-Really? And last but not least, not hating kids...The Dark Knight Rises. Yeah, I'm just not one of those girls who cares about any of these movies. There were like 5 other movies I thought about including but thought it might be overkill and then you would all think that I have no life, no personality, and no taste. LOL!
8. I honestly think my husband would go see all of the above I mentioned, with possibly the exception of G.I. Joe, because let's face it, the first one really sucked too.
9. What movies do I want to see you ask? Well...Josh really really really is super super stoked about Prometheus. So I think if I tag along I might be able to score some popcorn out of him. And then we both want to see Snow White and the Huntsmen and I know I can get popcorn for that one. Okay, let's face it...I go to the movies for the popcorn. But really, how often do I go to the movies??? Like never.
10. Speaking of movies, lol, Josh and I watched "How to Steal a Million" with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O' Toole. Now answer me this...why don't they make movies like that anymore? Instead I have to hear about JLO promoting another stupid movie about people with commitment issues and crass humor. BTW- I think Brad Pitt and George Clooney should remake "The Sting" I would go see that! Want to know what movie I probably won't be seeing? "The Great Gatsby" that's what. It comes out like on Christmas and I'm due that week. So that sucks big time :( Not the baby part, just the fact that I will have to wait till video, er excuse me...dvd.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Homemade Marinara Sauce with Pasta
One of my favorite shows to watch is the Rachael Ray Show. My favorite episodes of hers are when the whole show consists of cooking and sharing stories. On a recent show, she had Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentis preparing some meals and sharing some of their stories. I'm a huge fan of Bobby and Giada. I record Giada's show every weekend, and Josh and I are hooked on Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction.
On this episode, Giada told the story of how she made her marinara sauce for the first time for her husband Todd. When I saw the ingredients, I was kind of in disbelief at first. The sauce recipe just seemed too simple.
A sauce containing, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, a whole onion, garlic, bay leaves and two cans of crushed tomatoes (not pictured). Really, that was it! Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it go for an hour! Seeing as I'm pregnant and some nights I'm not going to want to slave away over the stove for hours, this recipe was perfect for me!
So last night I made this for dinner. I really did not want to cook dinner at all! In fact, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch. But Josh has been faithfully doing all the cooking for the past few weeks and I felt he deserved a night off. By the time he got home, dinner was just about ready! While I fished out the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaves, Josh tossed the pasta with parmesan cheese and then he distributed the sauce while I got the garlic bread cut.
The neat thing about this recipe is that it's true Italian cooking. The carrots give the sauce sweetness, while the celery cuts the acidity of the canned tomatoes and the rest just flavors the sauce. The dinner was gobbled up by everyone. So, if you're looking to break away from some jarred marinara sauce that you buy already made at the store, try making this flavorful and easy sauce instead!
Homemade Marinara Sauce with Pasta
2 32-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 medium onion, peeled and left whole
2 stalks celery, cut in half
2 carrots, peeled and cut in half
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tso freshly ground black pepper
2 dried bay leaves
2-3 TB butter, at room temp
5 fresh basil leaves
1 pound fusilli or other small cut pasta (we used rotini)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
In a large pot, add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Tun off the heat; add the butter and fresh basil leaves.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and place in a large serving bowl. Toss with the parmesan cheese and marinara sauce, and serve.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Weekly Menu 5/28-6/3
Happy Memorial Day everyone! What are your plans for this holiday? My entire family was originally going to go to the beach, but we cancelled our plans and remade them for the Labor Day weekend instead. So now, we don't really have any plans, but we are going to grill some burgers here at our home. I think the plan is to continue to relax and enjoy some time as a family.
I got really inspired this week to put some fun new items on the menu this week. Some are Pinterest inspired and some are ones that Josh and I have thought up on our own. Speaking of Pinterest, I'm completely addicted to that site. Mainly, I use it to store a million recipes. But then there are my other folders that are filled with tons of really fun ideas. Have you brought to life any of your Pinterest finds and have they been successful? I know my sister had her husband make her this really cute herb jar collection with mason jars that are hung on the wall. It's so cute!!! BTW, are you following me on Pinterest yet? Hop on over and follow me and hopefully with my million a day repins, I can help inspire you to try new foods and find new crafts and what not for your own family.
I got really inspired this week to put some fun new items on the menu this week. Some are Pinterest inspired and some are ones that Josh and I have thought up on our own. Speaking of Pinterest, I'm completely addicted to that site. Mainly, I use it to store a million recipes. But then there are my other folders that are filled with tons of really fun ideas. Have you brought to life any of your Pinterest finds and have they been successful? I know my sister had her husband make her this really cute herb jar collection with mason jars that are hung on the wall. It's so cute!!! BTW, are you following me on Pinterest yet? Hop on over and follow me and hopefully with my million a day repins, I can help inspire you to try new foods and find new crafts and what not for your own family.
Monday
Our version of Red Robin's Bonzai Burger with homemade fries
Tuesday
Rigatoni with Ricotta and garlic bread
Wednesday
Taco Soup with cheese quesadillas
Thursday
Tuna Casserole and fruit salad
Friday
Sour Cream Noodle Bake with veggies
Saturday
Breakfast Night
Sunday
Homemade Pizza- Caprese
Desserts:
Devil's Food Cake Cookies
And we might be having a belated birthday party for Gracie this weekend for her and her girlfriends. I'm leaving it up to her if she wants me to make her a cake or cupcakes or buy something.
Cantaloupe Ice Cream-Maybe :)
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Memorial Day-Grilling Burgers Round-Up
One of our favorite ways to celebrate the holidays that place themselves over the summer is by grilling burgers. It's the all-american tradition right? This Memorial Day will be no different. Come Monday, we will be firing up the grill and cooking up some tasty burgers (not yet featured on the blog, but just wait...it will be here in time for the 4th) and cooking some of my tasty homemade fries.
Some of you may already have an idea of what your cooking on Monday. Some of you may not have a clue. And some of you might be feeling a little wishy-washy and uninspired about what to fix other than a basic cheeseburger or grilled hotdog, though there is nothing wrong with those two American classics. Sometimes, it is nice to step up the flavor a bit more and have some fun. So I've got a few burger posts here that definitely step up the flavor. Some border on the classic, while some of the other's have a bit more flair. But there is something for everybody...unless your vegetarian...and if that's the case, I'm sorry, but this is probably the wrong post for you, but you are still more than welcome to read on. :)
Some of you may already have an idea of what your cooking on Monday. Some of you may not have a clue. And some of you might be feeling a little wishy-washy and uninspired about what to fix other than a basic cheeseburger or grilled hotdog, though there is nothing wrong with those two American classics. Sometimes, it is nice to step up the flavor a bit more and have some fun. So I've got a few burger posts here that definitely step up the flavor. Some border on the classic, while some of the other's have a bit more flair. But there is something for everybody...unless your vegetarian...and if that's the case, I'm sorry, but this is probably the wrong post for you, but you are still more than welcome to read on. :)
(sorry for the poor lighting)
And there you have it. A fantastic burger line up guaranteed to make your neighbors come crawling from their houses and into your backyard. Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend everyone!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
Today it's wind and rain. I turned the heat back on in the house, and since that wasn't doing a good enough job of warming me up, the fireplace is on, too. I think the weather is confused, because to me, this doesn't seem like spring wind and rain. This feels like fall wind and rain. The rain I can deal with, because - being a native Oregonian - it's in my blood to become immune to rain. It happens. A lot! Which is why our grass is always greener than any other state! But what I don't care to deal with is the wind. The wind makes the rain feel colder and more harsh and carries awful side effects with it. For example, yesterday, the rain caused my satellite tv to act out. Today, it's blown over my trash can and is snapping my flowers off their delicate little stems in my hanging flower baskets that Josh just bought me. I'm none to happy about that. And if that's not enough, I feel as if the weather is causing me to be moody.
The nice thing about this weather, and this is the only nice thing I can think of right now, is that because it's so cold, windy, and wet, there is a need, a strong need, to feel comforted. What's more comforting than an oatmeal cookie. It may not be a flashy chocolate chip cookie with its intoxicating smell of cookie dough, but it's the kind of cookie you can curl up with on the couch with the fire roaring while you enjoy every bite (and you're not worrying about chocolate chips melting and staining your fingers, clothes or furniture). This here cookie, is the faithful backup cookie, but revamped! This oatmeal cookie has flavor bursting out of its oats!
It's moist, warm flavors just beckon to be enjoyed. So, today, that's what I'm going to do - sit back, and relax with a non-chocolatly, but equally flavorful oatmeal cookie.
Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
6 TB unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 TB Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. If you have a silpat, line your baking sheet with it, otherwise use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Combine in a small bowl, the oats, flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Measure in the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla, and beat. Add the oat mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto the lined baking sheets. Bake until the edges are golden, about 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes until set, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast Sticks
When we have fast food breakfast, my kids ask for a) mini pancakes from Jack in the Box or b) French Toast Sticks from Burger King - minus the maple syrup because I'm a control-freakin' mom who can't handle sticky messes, let alone sticky messes in my car! There was a time not so long ago when Jack in the Box served French Toast Sticks instead of the Mini Pancakes, and in my personal opinion, they were better than Burger King's, but they've been replaced with the minis, so Burger King it is.
I'm also the type of mom who really doesn't care for lunchtime. Most days, the girls get good ol' peanut butter and jelly. Nothing wrong with a classic, right? It's simple, easy, yummy, and hey...most days I'm too lazy to make anything more. So PB&J is what you get. Funny how my kids never get tired of it, though.
A few years ago, like 4-5 years ago, I was watching my favorite daytime talk show - Rachael Ray - and she made PB&J French Toast Sticks, inspired by Burger King! At the time, she was working on a new family-friendly cookbook, and I just fell in love with the recipe. I knew that my only kid at the time, Gracie, would just fall over backwards for this breakfast. So, I made it, and she did fall over backwards.
I made that recipe once or twice a month until my second daughter Eden came along...and then I kind of forgot about it until just recently. A few months back it hit me that I hadn't made this breakfast for the girls, but you know how it is - when you finally remember to make something and go ahead and make the plan to do it, something comes up or you are running behind and it just doesn't happen. It happens to us all, right? Well, we had just gotten back from our California road trip and we literally had nothing in the house. Josh had pretty much eaten the last of the cereal, and I wanted to save my eggs for possible dinners (since I didn't know when we were going to make it to the store). After rummaging around the kitchen, I remembered Rachael Ray and her PB&J French Toast Sticks and I have a Voila moment. So, I assembled everything - which took like five seconds - and soon enough breakfast was served.
Grace - the poor thing - didn't remember this breakfast because it's been so long since I've made it for her, but she quickly rediscovered how much she loved it, while Eden couldn't stop talking about how good it was. The girls kept thanking and thanking me for making them this yummy and fun breakfast. I couldn't believe how something so simple could make two kids so happy.
I love this breakfast because of how easy it is, but also because this is a breakfast or even a snack that will make anyone happy. Who doesn't love PB&J? You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter and whatever jelly you like. Make this over the weekend and I promise, your kids and your husband will proclaim your name through all the lands, hailing you as the best wife and mother of all! Take that, Snow White!
Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast Sticks
Source: Rachael Ray's Yum-O Cookbook or watch the video at the Rachael Ray Show
Ingredients:
8 slices whole-grain bread
4 TB peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
4 TB all-fruit spread, flavor or your choice
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 TB butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, warm
Directions:
Spread 4 slices of the bread with peanut butter and the other 4 with the jelly to make four peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla together in a bowl.
Place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add two TB of butter. When the butter is almost melted, dunk two of the sandwiches into the egg batter and let the excess drip off. Place in the pan. Fry the sandwiches until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Cut the french toast sandwiches into 4 sticks apiece and serve with warm maple syrup.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Tuesday's Tidings
1. I finally went back to the gym last night after not going for a few weeks. I didn't really work out at all on vacation unless you count the day we spent wandering around San Francisco. We spent some the riding the cable cars- with the whole jumping off and getting back on bit. But when we got done wandering around China Town, there weren't any Cable Cars to be found so we ended up walking nearly 2 miles (on top of all the other walking we had done) back to the bay to where we parked our car. During that journey, my feet swelled and I got a blister on the back of my heel because I was wearing flats that I had never worn in the heat, Eden lost a shoe, and Grace got a side ache from all of our walking. I still have the blister today. But all in all Josh figured we walked a total of 5 miles! Not bad for me- however, I went to the gym last night and though I did really well and didn't back pedal in my progress, my legs felt slightly rubbery and weak. Is that because I'm pregnant and I'm starting to get this little baby beer belly pooch or is it because I hadn't been to the gym consistently in 3 week?
2. Speaking of the whole pregnant thing, I find it hilarious that I'm 9 weeks pregnant and I'm already noticing a difference in the way my jeans fit. I do have maternity jeans waiting in the wings for me, but I refuse to bust them out till I'm officially out of the 1st trimester. And, I'm having to get creative with my tops too. Nothing to clingy for me...which kind of sucked, because all of my work out shirts are clingy and since I don't look pregnant right now...only like I ate way too many donuts over the weekend it was kind of a weird experience trying to decide what to wear since I own nothing too baggy. Looks like I get to go SHOPPING!
3. We bought a bag of cheetoe's while we were in L.A. I love Josh's grandparents to death, but their lunch time portions normally leave me starving, even when I'm not pregnant. So Josh bought Cheetoe's and then they came home with us, where they sat on the kitchen counter calling my name. The bag is gone now and I'm the only one that helped herself to them. Maybe it's not a bloated donut belly, but a cheetoe belly instead. Ew!
4. Last night was the series finale of House. It was a great ending to the series and now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Don Draper isn't a substitute for Gregory House...maybe if he had an english accent and piercing baby blue eyes...but he doesn't. All he offers are brown eyes that aren't nearly as gorgeous as my husbands and a hairy chest that makes me want to revert my eyes! Don Draper- Please you are many things, but leave the shirt ON!
5. When I was a kid, teenager, young adult- sleeping in was my favorite past time. Nowadays, I'm up by 7:30am...well, okay was up, that was before I got pregnant. Now...I sleep till 8 or 9am! I blame all the bathroom breaks I have to take in the middle of the night. Makes me sleepy.
6. So Josh has been really amazing at listening to me ramble on about my cravings. Saturday- I wanted a Bonzai Burger so bad. Now granted, when Josh and I go to Red Robin, I cannot eat a whole burger myself. Josh and I always split and get more fries, his with ranch and me with ketchup. Josh made us our own version of a Bonzai Burger this weekend and it was so so good. Dare I say, better than Red Robin?? We will definitely be making it again soon so we can share it with you all.
7. Yesterday I made broccoli cheese soup for lunch-out of a can! My mom used to make it for me when I was sick and would stay home from school. Now I wasn't sick yesterday, but my mom is camping in Tahoe and Broccoli Cheese Soup just sounded so good. So I made some and left the pot to clean for later. Well, Josh ended up having to clean the pot poor guy, and was complaining about how it smelled, how long it sat in the sink, and what the heck was it!
8. We plan on buying the girls a bunk bed soon. I have my eye on one at Ikea for a great price. So until then, we've taken the mattress from the crib that we had converted into a day bed for Edie and put it on the floor of Grace's room. You would think the girls had died and gone to heaven. All they do is laugh and play, and hang out in Grace's room. I barely see them anymore.
9. The rain is back in our area and it feels like fall to me. I had to turn the heat on this morning because I'm freezing! I hope it's warmer where you guys are at!
10. Who's watching the Next Food Network Star and loving it? Who are you voting for. I feel so guilty choosing a team I want to win because I like them all!
2. Speaking of the whole pregnant thing, I find it hilarious that I'm 9 weeks pregnant and I'm already noticing a difference in the way my jeans fit. I do have maternity jeans waiting in the wings for me, but I refuse to bust them out till I'm officially out of the 1st trimester. And, I'm having to get creative with my tops too. Nothing to clingy for me...which kind of sucked, because all of my work out shirts are clingy and since I don't look pregnant right now...only like I ate way too many donuts over the weekend it was kind of a weird experience trying to decide what to wear since I own nothing too baggy. Looks like I get to go SHOPPING!
3. We bought a bag of cheetoe's while we were in L.A. I love Josh's grandparents to death, but their lunch time portions normally leave me starving, even when I'm not pregnant. So Josh bought Cheetoe's and then they came home with us, where they sat on the kitchen counter calling my name. The bag is gone now and I'm the only one that helped herself to them. Maybe it's not a bloated donut belly, but a cheetoe belly instead. Ew!
4. Last night was the series finale of House. It was a great ending to the series and now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Don Draper isn't a substitute for Gregory House...maybe if he had an english accent and piercing baby blue eyes...but he doesn't. All he offers are brown eyes that aren't nearly as gorgeous as my husbands and a hairy chest that makes me want to revert my eyes! Don Draper- Please you are many things, but leave the shirt ON!
5. When I was a kid, teenager, young adult- sleeping in was my favorite past time. Nowadays, I'm up by 7:30am...well, okay was up, that was before I got pregnant. Now...I sleep till 8 or 9am! I blame all the bathroom breaks I have to take in the middle of the night. Makes me sleepy.
6. So Josh has been really amazing at listening to me ramble on about my cravings. Saturday- I wanted a Bonzai Burger so bad. Now granted, when Josh and I go to Red Robin, I cannot eat a whole burger myself. Josh and I always split and get more fries, his with ranch and me with ketchup. Josh made us our own version of a Bonzai Burger this weekend and it was so so good. Dare I say, better than Red Robin?? We will definitely be making it again soon so we can share it with you all.
7. Yesterday I made broccoli cheese soup for lunch-out of a can! My mom used to make it for me when I was sick and would stay home from school. Now I wasn't sick yesterday, but my mom is camping in Tahoe and Broccoli Cheese Soup just sounded so good. So I made some and left the pot to clean for later. Well, Josh ended up having to clean the pot poor guy, and was complaining about how it smelled, how long it sat in the sink, and what the heck was it!
8. We plan on buying the girls a bunk bed soon. I have my eye on one at Ikea for a great price. So until then, we've taken the mattress from the crib that we had converted into a day bed for Edie and put it on the floor of Grace's room. You would think the girls had died and gone to heaven. All they do is laugh and play, and hang out in Grace's room. I barely see them anymore.
9. The rain is back in our area and it feels like fall to me. I had to turn the heat on this morning because I'm freezing! I hope it's warmer where you guys are at!
10. Who's watching the Next Food Network Star and loving it? Who are you voting for. I feel so guilty choosing a team I want to win because I like them all!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Weekly Menu 5/21-5/27
Whew! I am so beat; and it's not just from being pregnant. However, I do believe that is a great enough excuse. We got back a week ago from our week long road trip to San Francisco and L.A. and that is a drive. We live in Oregon City and the farthest I ever gone by car to California is Redding...which also happens to be where the closest In-N-Out burger is to us! We had a really good time visiting some dear friends in San Fran and then driving on to visit Josh's grandparents in L.A. and then back to San Fran for one night and then back home.
San Francisco is gorgeous! When you first see the bridge, it really does take your breath away. It's such a thing of beauty. I was so bummed though that Josh and I hadn't thought in advance to book our tickets to Alcatraz because that was something I really wanted to do. But we did ride the Cable Car and walk all over the city with our friends who are great tour guides! Our friends live right outside of San Fran in this cute little town called Larkspur and it is so adorable. I can see why they moved there. The only downside to where they live is the 85 steps they have to climb up and down every time they leave their home.
We were warned that it was quite the climb and to try and pack as much of our belongings into as few as bags as possible. But no, I needed to have my huge suitcase and the girls had to have all their stuff-I'm really not sure how many trips it took Josh to get it all inside, but I'm sure it was a few, lol! We learned our lesson when we stayed with them again on our way home. I only brought two bags- one for my hair and makeup and the other filled with some clothes. Josh's legs were thanking me :)
We had a fabulous time staying with Jared and Karen (thanks again guys) and Karen is a fabulous cook- which thrilled me to death because the last thing I wanted to do was eat a lot of fast food. She made this delicious eggplant parm, cantaloupe ice cream (which I'm going to make now that I just bought my own ice cream maker over the weekend), cheese blintzes ( I now have the recipe for that and will be making next week), strawberry cream cheese crepes and if that's not all, she introduced us to Beer Can Chicken! O-M-G! So good. I'm not a fan of beer, but the chicken picks up a slight flavor from it and grilling the chicken on the bbq makes it incredibly moist. We will also be trying that one out soon!
In L.A. we did all the cooking for Josh's grandparents and entertained a lot of family one night which was a ton of fun! Okay, correction. I was at the stage in my pregnancy where I got nauseous fairly easy (still do) and I was exhausted from the trip. So Josh did all of the cooking while down there. I just ate it all...and I helped make the quinoa side dish we had when all of our family came over to celebrate Grace's 8th birthday. Unfortunately, due to my pregnancy, I couldn't eat much of the meal. It made me to sick. But I do know it is delicious because we've made it before and I didn't get sick then.
It was a fun trip. We drove through the California coastline which is gorgeous and LONG, and we even went to Hollywood and did the tourist thing. But, I am so glad to be home and it's taken me an entire week to basically recover from the craziness. BTW- my kids...were angels the entire time! Such good travelers, I was very impressed!
This week, everything is returning to normal. Awana is over for the year and actually all of our family is out of town, so Josh and I plan on taking advantage of this time and sleeping and doing nothing.
San Francisco is gorgeous! When you first see the bridge, it really does take your breath away. It's such a thing of beauty. I was so bummed though that Josh and I hadn't thought in advance to book our tickets to Alcatraz because that was something I really wanted to do. But we did ride the Cable Car and walk all over the city with our friends who are great tour guides! Our friends live right outside of San Fran in this cute little town called Larkspur and it is so adorable. I can see why they moved there. The only downside to where they live is the 85 steps they have to climb up and down every time they leave their home.
We were warned that it was quite the climb and to try and pack as much of our belongings into as few as bags as possible. But no, I needed to have my huge suitcase and the girls had to have all their stuff-I'm really not sure how many trips it took Josh to get it all inside, but I'm sure it was a few, lol! We learned our lesson when we stayed with them again on our way home. I only brought two bags- one for my hair and makeup and the other filled with some clothes. Josh's legs were thanking me :)
We had a fabulous time staying with Jared and Karen (thanks again guys) and Karen is a fabulous cook- which thrilled me to death because the last thing I wanted to do was eat a lot of fast food. She made this delicious eggplant parm, cantaloupe ice cream (which I'm going to make now that I just bought my own ice cream maker over the weekend), cheese blintzes ( I now have the recipe for that and will be making next week), strawberry cream cheese crepes and if that's not all, she introduced us to Beer Can Chicken! O-M-G! So good. I'm not a fan of beer, but the chicken picks up a slight flavor from it and grilling the chicken on the bbq makes it incredibly moist. We will also be trying that one out soon!
In L.A. we did all the cooking for Josh's grandparents and entertained a lot of family one night which was a ton of fun! Okay, correction. I was at the stage in my pregnancy where I got nauseous fairly easy (still do) and I was exhausted from the trip. So Josh did all of the cooking while down there. I just ate it all...and I helped make the quinoa side dish we had when all of our family came over to celebrate Grace's 8th birthday. Unfortunately, due to my pregnancy, I couldn't eat much of the meal. It made me to sick. But I do know it is delicious because we've made it before and I didn't get sick then.
It was a fun trip. We drove through the California coastline which is gorgeous and LONG, and we even went to Hollywood and did the tourist thing. But, I am so glad to be home and it's taken me an entire week to basically recover from the craziness. BTW- my kids...were angels the entire time! Such good travelers, I was very impressed!
This week, everything is returning to normal. Awana is over for the year and actually all of our family is out of town, so Josh and I plan on taking advantage of this time and sleeping and doing nothing.
Monday
Turkey and Bean Quesadillas
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuna Casserole with fruit salad
Thursday
Chicken Stir Fry
Friday
Breakfast night...I'm thinking pancakes with blackberries or blueberries
Saturday
Sunday
Homemade Pizza-Pesto, Ricotta, and Cherry Tomato Pizza
I do plan on making some desserts this week, but I haven't made any final decisions, mostly because my cravings change daily. So I'm having commitment issues at the moment. But I do promise that there will be cookies :)
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Something is baking in the oven!
Josh and I would love to introduce you to what we're cooking up next. Yes, we're having a baby! As one of my fellow blogger friends, Deborah from Taste and Tell who's also expecting commented on her own blog a week ago, there must be something in the food blogging world's water. We pregnant ladies are popping up all over the place!
I'm 8 1/2 weeks along and everything is looking great. I'm feeling pretty good, aside from getting tired easily and being nauseous off and on through out most days. And I'm already having food aversions, which means shrimp, avocado, and cilantro have so far been crossed off my list of things I can't stand to smell, eat, or look at. That sucks because we're fans of all of those things.
We're very excited about our new baby and I've already got my parents hoping it's a boy because there are five granddaughters on my side of the family, lol! Josh and I are over the moon and my girls are already so in love and are being extremely sweet and helpful to me. And since I'm pregnant that means I might start posting a lot of foods repeatedly that I'm craving. I'm sorry in advance. Actually, I'm not. Pregnancy cravings are the best!!!
Anyhoo, this mama is tired so I will see you all on my next post :)
Monday, May 7, 2012
Apple Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese Panini: Crazy Cooking Challenge
Crazy Cooking Challenge #8
Grilled Cheese
I feel like lately I have been spending a lot of time making meals that require...a lot of time. And I don't mind that. Spending two or three hours preparing a meal and then relishing the culinary triumph of flavor, texture and appearance is exhilarating. No problem there. Of course, sometimes, I spend two or three hours preparing a meal only to experience the agony of culinary defeat, but that's another story (I'm looking at you, grilled shrimp bruschetta). Regardless of the success or failure rate of one's more complex food-related undertakings, there are certainly days when I just want to whip something up in five minutes. And, of course, while that is all well and good, it's not very rewarding.
Sometimes it's nice to find middle ground - a meal in which the preparation is neither underwhelming or overwhelming, success is a guarantee, and the finished product is simple yet totally pleasing. Our recently discovered Apple Bacon Brie Panini is such a meal. This panino has an elegance to it, with the slightly melted brie adding sophistication (or so we imagine), the lightly toasted Italian loaf adding texture, and the apples and apple butter adding a subtle sweetness. I can guarantee you this: unless you have some sort of freakish aversion to one of the ingredients, you will very much enjoy, and even crave, this sandwich. It is quite fantastic.
There are a number of steps here, so we'll dispense with the usual rambling, sentimental, educational, preposterous, omnidirectional, trivial and occasionally humorous opening and move straight on into the cooking. I should also say that this meal is not perhaps as cost prohibitive as it may at first seem. The brie is a six or seven dollar item, to be sure, but you'll use only half of it, so plan two brie-related meals in the same month and you're down to about three dollars there. The Italian bread is quite cheap, and a staple in the Rief household. A jar of apple butter will last you a good long time, and the bacon is about three or four dollars, tops. So, ten dollars, perhaps, once you throw in the butter and the apples? Not too shabby.
Begin by getting all of your ingredients out. You'll be using many of them simultaneously, so there is no need to be going and fetching them all the time. You'll want to begin by frying up the bacon. Use applewood smoked bacon if you have it available. It's delicious, and it keeps the apple theme going! Cook it just to the point where it is done - no blackening or charring. While well done bacon is quite charming aside an over easy egg or atop hashbrowns, it has no place in this sandwich.
To achieve evenly cooked, just finished bacon, I recommend using a griddle, electric or traditional, as pictured. You'll want about two pieces for each panino you intend to make.
Next, slice up the actual apples themselves. I strongly recommend Gala, but any type of sweet apple should work well enough.
On to the brie. If you haven't worked with a whole round of brie before, it is quite marvelous. It has the oddest texture, and really ought to be cut with a cheese knife. If you have one, hats off to you. I don't.
It seems a shame to cut into this beautiful little presentation of cheese, but it actually gets better once you do. Who knew?
Go ahead and cut out a wedge of the cheese, and cut it into small slices. Don't worry too much about keeping the shape of the slices even - brie is bad about that, and it doesn't matter anyway.
Once the brie is all sliced up and ready to go, it's time for the apple butter. Apple butter has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and my parents used to take me to Denny's. Remember all of the different littles sample-size containers of different jams and jellies? There was an apple butter in there, and I remember being captivated by the creaminess and spice of the stuff. It is a little bit magical. I understand it can be made at home - a project for another time.
Go ahead and generously spread that apple butter on a slice of the Italian bread. Speaking of the bread, you can buy it whole or have the bakery slice it for you. While I enjoy very much buying whole loves of bread, I strongly recommend having the bakery slice this one. First of all, the bread is very soft and has a tendency to mush when you slice it yourself. Secondly, keeping the width of the slices uniform helps these sandwiches turn out just right, and let's face it - the nifty machine at the bakery is a bit more precise than we are. Sad but true.
Atop the bottom slice of the sandwich (that would be the one slathered in apple butter), place slices of apple until the bread is evenly covered.
Next, it's time to bring the bacon back to this party - lay a couple of slices on that apple goodness.
Apple butter, apples and applewood bacon. Yes, we're about maxed out on the apple quotient here, so we'll move on. To brie. Not a bad place to move on to. You may need to pull and spread the brie a bit with your hands to get relatively even coverage. Remember, it won't melt much.
It really depends on how your cheese slices came out. If they squished up a bit, you may need to spread them back out.
At this point, it's time for butter. Oh, and while you're at it, get that panini grill heated up. You're going to want it to be fully heated when you place these on the grilling surface.
Right, the butter. If you have softened butter - well, good for you, because this next part will be easy. If you don't...well, hopefully you're not following this in realtime the first time through, because you really ought to soften up some butter. Makes the spreading easier. Who knew? (turns out, pretty much everyone knew...except me, apparently...well, actually I knew, but forgot...does that count?) Spread a bit of butter on each side of the completed sandwich.
Now, prep your grill, and we're ready to go. A small bowl of olive oil and a basting brush are my tools of choice for panini grill preparation, and this recipe is no exception. Brush a bit of olive oil on the grilled surface, and everything will go...smoothly.
A couple of minutes per side is all it takes with the grill on high heat. You don't need to melt the brie or cook the apples, just soften them up a bit. In fact, you want the apples to retain a smidge of their signature crunch.
And then...voila! Cut in half and serve. Don't serve with apples - can you say overkill? Wine or sparking cider is good, along with something crunchy. Chips? A small, crisp salad? Looking at these pictures, I would probably garnish with something green next time.
I hope you enjoy this panino as much as my family did. The kids are crazy about it, as are my wife and I. We've made it a couple of times now, and I have a feeling it will become the default excuse for picking up a wheel of brie at the grocery store...
APPLE BACON BRIE
INGREDIENTS
(makes four panini)
Eight slices Italian bread
Two Gala apples, sliced, skin on
Four ounces brie cheese, sliced
Approximately eight tablespoons spiced apple butter
Two tablespoons butter, softened
Eight slices of thick-sliced applewood smoked bacon
One tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Fry bacon on griddle to just done. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Preheat panini grill to high. Spread two tablespoons of apple butter each on four slices of Italian bread. Cover same four slices of bread evenly with sliced apples. Top sliced applies with two pieces of bacon per bread slice. Cover bacon with sliced brie, roughly one ounce per bread slice. Top each with remaining slices of Italian bread, forming four sandwiches. Spread butter on both sides of each sandwich. Brush olive oil onto hot grill surface, and place panini on grill. Close grill and cook two minutes per side. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Mini Blackberry Cobblers
There are some things in life that are sacred; a marriage, your time at the gym or that hour where you sit down without interruptions to watch your soap opera, or this blackberry cobbler. Yes, this cobbler is sacred. Very Sacred! This cobbler recipe has been in my family for a long time. All I know, is that it was my Grandma Annie's and my mom doesn't know where grandma got the recipe from. I would like to think it's been handed down to each daughter through the years and thus therefore here it is in my hands, because I am my mother's daughter and now I'm bestowing you all with the honor of this recipe.
Actually, I got my mom's permission first for this and she said it was okay for me to share it.
I made these cute little cobblers this past Saturday for my parents. You see, they are celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary and Josh and I have started a tradition of making them dinner for their anniversary. I happen to love this new tradition because I love love love, cooking for my parents. Josh tends to the dinner, while I make dessert on these celebratory nights. We make such a good team. Last year I made my parents a pumpkin spice latte cheesecake for dessert. This year, blackberry cobbler. My mom was actually going to buy a cake (a champagne cake) for dessert and I told her that was silly and that I was going to make her blackberry cobbler. So she cancelled the cake order and I made cute little individual cobblers with some of the blackberries Grace and I picked last summer.
As a kid, my mom would make this a lot during the spring and summer; it was always one of my favorite desserts. She would make it ahead of time that way her oven was freed up for cooking dinner and then she would reheat it when it was time to serve dessert. It was always either paired with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. The first thing I would always do is break up all the pieces in my bowl and stir it around so that the ice cream or whipped cream turned that gorgeous berry purple color and then I would devour. This was always such a treat in our house. The crust was always my favorite part. Crunchy, yet a little soft and doughy too. The perfect combination!
Since we had made for dinner a light and fresh grilled flat bread pizza for dinner, this blackberry cobbler was the finishing touch on a wonderful evening spent celebrating my parents marriage. I know last year was their 25th which is a huge milestone...but in my opinion, in this day and age, any wedding anniversary is a milestone. I'm just so glad I had a small part in making their day a little bit more special.
Mini Blackberry Cobbler
Topping:
1 cup sifted flour
1 TB sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 TB crisco
1/3 cup milk
Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 TB flour
3 cups berries ( I used Blackberry)
1 TB butter-cold
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray ramekins with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour together. Add in berries and stir to coat. Scoop into greased ramekins and dot with bits of the butter.
In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in Crisco with a pastry cutter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add milk to make a soft dough.
Drop spoonfuls of the doughy crust on top of the buttered fruit. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Serve with homemade vanilla whipped cream.
Note** If you don't have ramekins, just serve in a baking dish. You might have to adjust the cooking time for a bit longer though.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday's Tidings
1. Monday's have a way of bringing out the worst in people. I think it's because it's that day that signals the beginning of the work week and that the fun and games of the weekend is behind us. It seems as though, my body decided to have a little fun and jump start my Monday early by giving me a very restless, non-sleeping kind of Sunday night. Today, I am tired, dog tired and my mood is everywhere! It would literally make you dizzy. I hope I can sleep tonight.
2. By this time next week, I'll be in California! We're going to be spending a night and a whole day in San Francisco. BTW- I just spelled San Francisco wrong. I spelled it San Fransisco and my spell checker is freaking out on me! This is not the first time this week I've spelled that word wrong. Personally, I like the way I spell it best.
3. This weekend I introduced Josh to Edward Scissor (Yes, I just spelled Scissor wrong too and it just took me 2 minutes to figure out the right way to spell it.) Hands. Yes, my husband has gone his whole life without watching Johnny Depp play the practically mute ghostly freakish pale black spiky haired dude with scissors for hands. He thoroughly enjoyed it. Next, I'm going to make him watch Beetlejuice! I mean, if he's gonna make me sit through Mission Impossible 4 or whatever it's called, then he can watch some classic Tim Burton movies from the 80's, otherwise known as The Golden Years- Yes, I am a proud Child of the 80's...don't hate, just appreciate!
4. Speaking of the 80's...who remembers The Garbage Pail Kids?? What about The Hugga Bunch? Anyone? You are missing out, let me tell you!
5. You know what my favorite part of a muffin is? The Muffin Top! DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A MUFFIN TOP BAKING PAN!!!! I need it!
6. I have to get something off of my chest. I think the whole Jumpsuit/Romper epidemic is a travesty to the fashion world. I think that SOME...like a select few are cute in theory...but here is my dilemma. How the heck do you go to the bathroom in that thing?! Why would you want to take off your whole outfit and let it nearly drag the ground while you go to the bathroom?? Rompers and little Jumpsuits are cute on Babies and Toddlers. Not adults! Cannot wait until this trend leaves the stores...no, scratch that, THE WORLD!
7. No matter what anyone tells you, Salted Strawberries are not the same thing as Salted Cucumbers. It's just not good.
8. This summer is my 10 year reunion. How many of you went to your's? Or have you not had it yet. Would you go? I think Josh and I are going to go. It's pretty cheap and it falls on the day after our 9 yr anniversary. That's right, 9 years baby!!! I'm even going to see about renting a room in the hotel in Portland for the night. Could be fun right? We've never done that before :)
9. When I was in school, I loved painting my finger and toe nails. Now, I just look at it as a drudgery task type thing that takes to much time and takes to long to drive and something I just don't have the patience for. Who wants to treat me to a Mani/Pedi?
10.Happy May Day! Go bring flowers to someone special :)
2. By this time next week, I'll be in California! We're going to be spending a night and a whole day in San Francisco. BTW- I just spelled San Francisco wrong. I spelled it San Fransisco and my spell checker is freaking out on me! This is not the first time this week I've spelled that word wrong. Personally, I like the way I spell it best.
3. This weekend I introduced Josh to Edward Scissor (Yes, I just spelled Scissor wrong too and it just took me 2 minutes to figure out the right way to spell it.) Hands. Yes, my husband has gone his whole life without watching Johnny Depp play the practically mute ghostly freakish pale black spiky haired dude with scissors for hands. He thoroughly enjoyed it. Next, I'm going to make him watch Beetlejuice! I mean, if he's gonna make me sit through Mission Impossible 4 or whatever it's called, then he can watch some classic Tim Burton movies from the 80's, otherwise known as The Golden Years- Yes, I am a proud Child of the 80's...don't hate, just appreciate!
4. Speaking of the 80's...who remembers The Garbage Pail Kids?? What about The Hugga Bunch? Anyone? You are missing out, let me tell you!
5. You know what my favorite part of a muffin is? The Muffin Top! DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A MUFFIN TOP BAKING PAN!!!! I need it!
6. I have to get something off of my chest. I think the whole Jumpsuit/Romper epidemic is a travesty to the fashion world. I think that SOME...like a select few are cute in theory...but here is my dilemma. How the heck do you go to the bathroom in that thing?! Why would you want to take off your whole outfit and let it nearly drag the ground while you go to the bathroom?? Rompers and little Jumpsuits are cute on Babies and Toddlers. Not adults! Cannot wait until this trend leaves the stores...no, scratch that, THE WORLD!
7. No matter what anyone tells you, Salted Strawberries are not the same thing as Salted Cucumbers. It's just not good.
8. This summer is my 10 year reunion. How many of you went to your's? Or have you not had it yet. Would you go? I think Josh and I are going to go. It's pretty cheap and it falls on the day after our 9 yr anniversary. That's right, 9 years baby!!! I'm even going to see about renting a room in the hotel in Portland for the night. Could be fun right? We've never done that before :)
9. When I was in school, I loved painting my finger and toe nails. Now, I just look at it as a drudgery task type thing that takes to much time and takes to long to drive and something I just don't have the patience for. Who wants to treat me to a Mani/Pedi?
10.Happy May Day! Go bring flowers to someone special :)
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