Simple Kneads

Cozy.

2012-01-20T13:19:00.000-06:00

This.

Plus this.

Or this.

Equals bliss.

Or...if you are my son, this equals bliss.

What are your warm weather favorites?

Happy snow day!

Perusing the Pantry

2012-01-18T14:27:00.000-06:00

Hi friends.

I've been MIA since, oh, November. No apologies though. I've been taking some much-needed relaxation time away from my PC. I decided I'm no longer going to beat myself up if my posts are few and far between. Instead, I'll simply post when and if I feel like it.

This is such a breath of fresh air.

I'm not sure what it is about blogging, but so many people believe if they start a blog, they MUST post every day.

Myself included.

It's a bizarre feeling, having an unknown group of followers and feeling as though you are letting them down somehow...when in truth, they probably don't even notice. Really. As a blog reader, as well as a blog writer, I have a few sites I regularly peruse but I don't get agitated when someone doesn't blog daily. Thus I'm assuming nobody gives a hoot if my posts aren't regular.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway- I generally only post about desserty/carby concoctions and I'm sure, with it being the new year and all, people aren't missing my calorie-laden posts :) However, this one is no exception so I'm sorry in advance.

But it WILL allow you to use up any lingering sweets and sugary items leftover from the holidays! It's all about perspective, right?

So what's on the docket? Something you generally have had a million times, I'm sure. And likely have had it a million ways.

Death by chocolate trifle.

Yes. It's one of my favorites. Mainly because it's a cinch to make- just layering things in any given order, and I always have an array of yummy items I could throw together to make one version or another. The traditional DBCT uses a layering of brownie chunks, chocolate mousse, whipped cream, and toffee bits. But who likes to maintain tradition? I'm all about using what you have.

Instead of brownies, use chocolate chip cookies and butterscotch pudding with praline pecans.

Or ginger snaps with a pumpkin mousse and candied walnuts.

Or shortbread with lemon curd and raspberries.

Or homemade dark chocolate sea salted brownies with leftover French silk pie filling, homemade Southern Comfort whipped cream, and Snickers bar chunks.

Uh huh. That last version? That's the one seen below.

Use what'cha got, folks.

In this case, I had very fabulous items to work with.

It's all in the name of cleaning the pantry, right?

I'm sure you agree.

What are some of your pantry-clearing recipes?

Here's another one I featured a while back, Enchilada Casserole.

Make yourself the casserole, with a little trifle for dessert, and you can feel good about your resourcefulness.

Enjoy your pantry, you may be surprised at what you come up with.

A Little Southern Comfort

2011-11-23T15:28:00.000-06:00

Happy almost Turkey Day!

I can't believe my favorite holiday is nearly here. Just one more day, my friends. It's one of the few holidays that are entirely about food, family, and fellowship- three lovely things indeed. It is also one of the only holidays that commercialism hasn't overtaken...yet.

Let's hope it never gets to that point. Good grief.

Okay- this one'll be short because this girl has much to do before the big day but I just couldn't pass up sharing this one. I decided to embark on another endeavor with the lonely berry. This little crimson beauty is so versatile- and adds pizzazz to everything it encounters. I just love it. LOVE it, I tell you.

As if you couldn't tell.

So...the other day I came across THIS recipe and fell in love. I still had a bag of cranberries in my fridge and thought, well why not? And then I read down the recipe list and noticed that this little fine ingredient was included:

Uh-huh. I was sold.

Thus I went about making these lovely little things:

Mini cranberry pecan pies.

Delish I tell you. And incredibly easy.

Just crush some graham crackers, mix 'em with sugar and melted butter and press into a greased 12 cup muffin pan.

Then mix up some fresh cranberries, toasted pecans, light corn syrup, flour, Southern Comfort (mmmhmm), and cinnamon.

Fill up those graham cracker crusts

Bake 'em off at 350 for 25 minutes or so. Cool them before removing from pan.

*I did tweak the recipe at this point. After they're cooled, I mixed 1/2 cup of light corn syrup with 1/4 tsp maple flavoring, nuked 'em together for 20 seconds (just long enough to make the corn syrup loose) and brushed the glaze overtop each mini pie. This helps take the edge off the tartness a bit more and adds a further depth of flavor with the hint of maple.

They slide right out, easy. A slide just as easy down the hatchet.

How adorable (and decadent) do these look?

Mmm, delightful.

Go enjoy your holiday, will you?

And gear up for the abundance of holiday posts to come...

Happy eating!

The Lonely Berry

2011-11-14T14:34:00.000-06:00

I did a little dance yesterday when I stepped into the produce section of my local grocery store.

Not literally, but you know, in my heart.

My favorite berry, THE best of it's kind in my opinion, was perched smack between the oranges and grapefruits (don't ask me why- it isn't of the citrus variety, but possibly because it pairs so well with 'em).

The Cranberry.

Oh yes, the lonely berry. The one that only comes out once a year in canned form (while maintaining it's canned form, mind you, after you suction it out of it's sorry said-can and plop it on a plate or into a bowl). The obligatory canned glop that sits on the table for few to partake in- because, let's be honest, not many people actually partake.

I mean, who would want to? The stuff looks like bright crimson gelatinous goo that's been sitting far too long in it's canned state for anyone to really enjoy, let alone crave. Plus, it's so jacked up with sugar that you can hardly discern the real cranberry tang of it's original form.

No- I don't blame those averse to the canned variety. However the real stuff? THAT is what I love. Whole berry cranberry sauce. Made yourself, at home, with a bit of orange juice, zest, and ginger. Oh yes. This is what I long for.

And it's so. darn. easy to make. Really. I mean, yes, it's much easier to open a can and suck out goo with a spoon- but really, trust me on this- the made-yourself kind is better.

Much better.

Many people, not just myself, actually love these little guys. So much that the great state of Wisconsin has devoted an entire festival to them. And I actually know a faithful family that has attended for years (yes, Hoards, I'm referring to you!). In addition, the cranberry has it's own institute- fully devoted to seeking research on the many health benefits of this little fruit.

Speaking of health benefits, the little guy is stocked with good-for-you perks. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs) that can prevent certain bacteria, including E. coli, from sticking urinary tract wall and thus preventing infection. The cranberry may also inhibit bacteria associated with gum disease AND stomach ulcers. In addition, cranberries contain large amounts of antioxidants and other nutrients that may help protect against heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Joe Vinson, a doctor and research chemist at the University of Scranton, states,

Cranberries [contain] the most antioxidant phenols compared to 19 other commonly eaten fruits. Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants and should be eaten more often.

(Source: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/healthresearch.htm)

Well thanks, Joe- I'll take your word for it!

So let's, shall we?

My favorite cranberry concoction is a simple whole berry sauce. You can spoon this stuff onto your turkey, sure, but you can also put it atop ice cream, slathered on your morning muffin or toast (my fav way to eat it), or mixed in Greek yogurt. Your choice! The possibilities are endless.

Gingery Orange Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
- 1/2 C water
- 1/2 C freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 C sugar
- 4 C fresh cranberries or one 12oz package fresh or frozen
- Zest of one orange
- 1 tsp ground ginger or freshly grated

Instructions:
- Bring water, orange juice, and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crush some with a potato masher, if desired (I like some crushed, some whole). Mix in zest and ginger, stir to combine. Pour sauce into a bowl, cover, and cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate once cooled (or freeze/can in individual containers). Makes 2 1/4 cups.

How lovely are these colors?

Gorgeous, I tell you.

Once the liquid is boiling, add those crimson beauties.

Boil together at a reduced heat for 10 min.

Slowly reducing...

Mix in your zest and ginger

Stir it all together and let cool completely.

Then portion it into your choice jars/containers

And enjoy for months to come :)

What's your favorite way to eat cranberries?

I urge you to try 'em on more than just the seasonal bird.

They deserve far more recognition than the once-a-year obligatory placement on the dinner table.

Trust me.

Stewing at Home

2011-11-09T09:38:00.002-06:00

Whew. It's hot in here. Literally- I think my oven and range have been on since mid-October creating all sorts of autumny concoctions.

Remember my recent post?

Baking has increased a hundredfold around these parts and isn't appearing to ease up. All by choice, of course. I have an affinity for baked goods and their subsequent aromas. While I adore cooking, it isn't my forte- nor do I like it as well as baking. Sugary, buttery, chocolatey, yeasty, carby...those are my specialties.

Cooking, though, is a must. As a wife and mother it's really inevitable. Thus I've made it my goal to attempt most things and try my hand at an array of intimidating tasks. One I haven't tried? Roasting a bird. It terrifies me. However this weekend I purchased a 13lb turkey and plan to go about teaching myself how to roast that sucker sometime in the next few weeks.
I'll keep you posted on how THAT goes. {Shaking in my boots}.

I also want to become better at grilling. I'm not bad at it- it's simply not one of my favorite things to do, nor do I feel I have the ample knowledge required to know when a piece of meat is cooked to a specified "doneness". Someday. Maybe next summer.

However baking I can do. And HAVE been doing.

These have been perpetually been on my counter lately:

Yes. Butter and eggs. We've gone through way too many batches of 'em. I should really just buy a cow and some chickens.

It's in the 10 year plan.

That, and a greenhouse. And a garden. And more counterspace. And a convection oven with an induction range and a porcelain farmhouse sink, and distressed wood floors, and all stainless steel/cast iron cookware, and a walk-in pantry, and a butcher block as a kitchen island, and a gig as Ina's sous chef... well, a girl can dream, right? :)

Moving on.

Anyway- this has also been the state of my counters lately:

Putting that butter n' eggs to good use I made some chocolate chip cookies for my cousin and his girlfriend who were so sweet to come babysit for us the other night. Date nights have become rare around these parts. We treat them like gold (date nights and sitters!).

Also baked up four dozen rolls for meal swap this month.

Rolls, along with Bacon Lentil Stew.

Mmm, stew. Hold that thought!

In addition, we were invited by a sweet college friend of mine to dine at their house Saturday evening. So, of course not being able to come empty-handed, a French silk pie was a must. I made two. Because if one is good, two is better, right?

We ended up taking the second to our bi-monthly small group gathering Sunday evening.

Then, my friends, today I made something I've been craving for weeks.

It's a must during the winter months. A MUST, I tell you. I mean, what's chilly weather without some hearty beef stew? Really, I don't think there is such a thing. The two go hand-in-hand. In fact, at least three of my blogger friends have posted on beef stew this week so I'm pretty certain it isn't just me. We foodies (and non-foodies alike) just know it's about that time.

It's been. that. time. in my stomach for weeks and I simply haven't gotten around to making it but then I saw a recipe in Gina and Pat Neely's cookbook and knew I had to partake. Then I read THIS book, a very broody English generational tale with ample amounts of romanticism, mystery, and intrigue. At one point in the story the main character is entertained by a British countryman and his daughter. While discussing the mystery of an ill-fated family they partake in beef stew for supper. I had visions of sitting in an ivy-laden little cottage on the moors, sipping tea and eating stew while the rain pattered outside. That was it. Done and done. I had to make it.

Thus, this weekend we picked up our 100 lbs of beef from a locker a few hours away (did I mention we bought a portion of cow this year- yes, THAT'S a story in itself). The minute that beef entered my house I knew it was meant to become my coveted stew.

So enough preamble already.

Hearty Beef Stew

Ingredients:

- 3lbs trimmed boneless beef chuck, cubed
- salt & pepper
- 6 T butter
- 3 T all-purpose flour
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1/4 C tomato paste
- 3 C dry red wine
- Two 14oz cans beef broth (or 3 C homemade)
- 1 T brown sugar
- 1.5lbs baby red-skinned potatoes, quartered
- One 10oz package baby carrots
- 1lb fresh cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (optional- Mr. K isn't a fan)
- Two cans dark red kidney beans (optional- I like the added fiber)
- 3 T whole-grain mustard
- 3 T chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Place the meat in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Melt 4 T of the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, toss the meat with the flour; add to the pot, and brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate.

2. Melt the remaining 2 T butter in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and then the red wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and sugar, then the browned beef. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, 1.5 hours, until the beef is very tender.

3. Add the potatoes and carrots, and simmer, uncovered, until the veggies are tender, about 25 minutes. Add the mushrooms, beans, mustard, and parsley; simmer until the mushrooms are tender, another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (though if you are using regular sodium beef broth, you may not need to add salt- commercial broths are generally very salty).

Sorry, no step-by-step pics a la Pioneer Woman.

I've decided those take way too much time. No idea how she does it!

I chose to double the recipe and thus needed a hefty stock pot (seen below).

Half of the stew went to a couple of dear friends who just had a sweet baby girl. Hope they enjoyed it!

Like Rachael Ray always says, "I wish they'd just invent smell-o-vision!"

The aroma of this stuff is to. die. for. I'm convinced it's the red wine.

Plus, you can pour yourself a glass while it cooks.

Bonus!

Pour a heaping bowl of stew over some multigrain egg noodles (or eat it plain),

with some homemade bread,

and you have yourself a fabulously filling fall meal.

Yes, this is exactly what I needed this week.

Now I'll go continue on in my broody English novel,

all the while envisioning myself on the moors.

Cheers and happy stewing...

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T14:45:00.000-05:00

This one will be short and sweet (ha! pun intended) but just want to say Happy Halloween and enjoy a cookie or two, on me.

Well, if you lived nearby you could.

Our family always finds occasion to make sugar cookies and this was one of 'em.

I love to break out the cookie cutters- there are so many cute ones to choose from, especially around this time of year.

How cute are these?

Or these?

Oh, whoops, how did those get in there? :)

Have a great day, be safe, and enjoy the autumn weather!

Just call me Betty...

2011-10-27T14:57:00.000-05:00

Crocker, that is ;)

I've been baking like cuh-razy. Not sure why. Cold weather perhaps? Something about fall gets me in the mood to break out my oven mitts. Not that they were ever dormant...but this time of year just beckons for standing in front of a warm oven and filling the home with aromas of bread, cinnamon, roasts, pies, and the like.

Don't you agree?

For example. Today. JUST today, my seasonal baking fetish led me to produce these:

Yeah. Two loaves of bread, a pan of cinnamon rolls, a 9x13 Pyrex dish of monster bars, and three dozen pumpkin gingersnap cookies.

And don't get me started on tonight's supper (quiche with homemade pie crust and the aforementioned cinnamon rolls...we love our breakfast-for-dinner nights!).

So yes, baking is in full swing around these parts.

In addition to the above items procured today, this week I also made another pan of monster bars for a friend, another three dozen pumpkin gingersnap cookies (those things are, ahem, addicting), brownies...for...umm, my husband (not me, oh no, I had no part in those...), a bazillion frosted Halloween sugar cookies (stay tuned for that post!), and THE most adorable button peanut butter cookies.

Button peanut butter cookies?

Yes, another Pinterest endeavor- the inspiration came from Bakerella's Coraline Cookies. They are adorable. A-dorable. Mine were made for a sweet little boy's birthday party I'm attending this weekend. I will post photos later of the actual gathering- his mama is a decorating goddess- this party is bound to be crazy-cute. The button cookies are a part of the theme, of which is entirely focused around classic children's books.

The button cookies allude to Corduroy, a sweet book if there ever was one. Please tell me you know of it. If not, for shame. Go check it out! It's lovely. And precious. All children should be aware of it's value. It makes a bibliophile cringe when classic children's books are abandoned for things like Nintendo gaming systems and crass cartoons/comics/etc. Such a waste.

Anyway.

Back to baking.

These cookies are cute as can be. And SO easy to make. Really.

Like I mentioned above, the original idea came from Pinterest- that place is a mine field of inspiration. The blogger who created these adorable cookies didn't have a partiality to any peanut butter cookie recipe. In fact, I think she used a bagged mix- which you can totally do to save time. However because peanut butter cookies are ridiculously easy to make and generally all the ingredients are found in the cupboard, I decided to make my own and went with my Grandma's famous pb cookie recipe. I've loved it for years; it's one of my very favorite items at our family Christmas gatherings.

Make up your choice peanut butter cookie dough and roll into little, 1" balls.

Place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake according to recipe instructions.

They come out looking like this:

Find yourself a soda bottle cap, like this:

Immediately after cookies leave the oven,

press flat side of the cap slightly into each cookie,

forming an indentation.

Then grab a straw, or in my case- a chopstick.

Whatever you have lying around that can produce a small hole.

Puncture four little holes in each indentation to create a cute button-esque cookie.

How CUTE are these?

I mean, really.

Go ahead and make yourself a good three dozen, while you're at it.

I did.

Obviously.

I'm considering dipping them in white and dark chocolate next time

and possibly weaving twizzlers pull n' peel through the button holes for maximum button-like cuteness.

What Betty-like creations have you made lately?

Any favorite baked goods this time of year?

I have many.

Be prepared!

Lunch Today: Takeout and an Autumn Treat

2011-10-20T15:07:00.001-05:00

Onto lunch post #2, for today's installment I decided to highlight not a leftover or a sandwich, but takeout.

Our family rarely eats out, let alone for quickie meals. If we go out, it's usually once/month and we tend to hit local restaurants we love. Our favorite is Red's Alehouse. Their food is fabulous and they have quite the brewery fare as well- very yum and reasonably priced. It's often our Sunday-for-lunch go to.

However that's a different post altogether.

This morning I happened to be getting a few groceries at my local co-op and wandered by their grab-n-go section. Normally I avoid this area because everything always looks so darn good and I generally can't hold myself back. Today I didn't have the fight in me to turn away. I was not in the mood for leftovers and haven't made bread this week yet (thus a sandwich was a no-go) so opted to treat myself to whatever looked good.

Hmm, do I want the curried tofu w/quinoa? No. The fresh mozzarella n' tomato caprese? Mmm, no. The basil pesto pasta salad with artichokes? Not really. Then I noticed the brown rice edamame salad with roasted red pepper, green onion, sesame oil, and chili paste. Ooooh, that sounds enticing. I grabbed it and made my way over to the single-serving smoked goods section.

The co-op's smoked meat-selection is phenomenal. They boast a variety of choices but today the smoked chicken breast looked fab so I grabbed it (though almost, ALMOST opted for the smoked turkey leg, just to feel carnivorous and caveman-like).

Happy with my lunch, I purchased my items and made my way home.

Voila, lunch is served (love when I don't have to do the preparing!):

And I generally can't have a meal without some greenery involved:

A simple spinach salad with broccoli, cauliflower, and basalmic vinaigrette,

along with my delicious grab n' go. Perfect.

So good.

After eating, I played with my boys a while then put 'em down for naps. During naptime I always scan Pinterest and food blogs to see what else trips my trigger. I noticed a recipe on one of my boards from yesterday's perusing, Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies. Somehow I couldn't get 'em out of my brain. I scanned the ingredient list and, shock and awe, I had all the necessary items.

A-baking-I-shall-go.

I made them, of course.

Wow. These things may have just surpassed my family's recipe.

That's not an easy feat.

Plus, I like knowing there's produce in my dessert.

Makes me feel better about partaking in a ~~half dozen~~ few of these bad boys :)

They're small. Don't think about it.

What's your favorite grab and go-to item/s?

Have you tried Pinterest yet?

Have a favorite fall treat?

As always, eager to hear.

What's in a name?

2011-10-18T10:37:00.001-05:00

Every once in a while I find a recipe in a magazine or elsewhere that intrigues me.

Generally it is something I wouldn't normally try, or just plain sounds interesting and unlike anything I normally create. Recently while looking through Cooking Light, one of the many food mags I subscribe to, I noticed one that seemed quirky.

For our family, anyway.

However it had relatively few ingredients, all of which I had on hand, and could be made simply. I like that combo.

I decided to try it. Though it's one of those recipes I believe could use a more worthy title. The name of the recipe itself sounds, well, gross.

Ham Bread Pudding.

Yeah. Does that sounds disgusting to anyone else? Maybe it's just me. I'm normally very anti-bread pudding. It's mushy and goopy and often has bloated raisins somewhere inside. NOT my dessert item of choice. Yet the photo of this savory (not sweet) "pudding" revealed a very tasty-looking dish. I decided to forgive the recipe's name-founder and give it a shot. It deserved a chance.

I'm glad I did.

This stuff is amazing. SO amazing. Like, melt-in-your-mouth incredible. No goop, no mush, perfect blend of savory ham, green onion, and hearty multi-grain bread- not to mention it's nicely portioned out in individual ramekins.

I love ramekins. Does anyone else? I have a bit of infatuation with them. Shh, don't tell.

Anyway.

This was a great find, loved by both my husband and two year old son (not a frequent occurrence these days) and nicely re-heated as a leftover meal. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. Let's get started, shall we?

Savory Ham n' Cheddar Bread Pudding

Ingredients
-8 oz multigrain bread with seeds, cut in 3/4" cubes (it's VERY important that this is good bread, very grainy & seedy. Please, please, do not use commercial white or wheat bread- if you do, your final product will. be. mush.!).
-cooking spray
- 3/4 Cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/4 Cup chopped green onions, divided
- 3/4 Cup milk
- 1/4 Cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 oz ham steak, minced
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3 large egg whites
- 4 tsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Place bread cubes on a sheet pan; coat with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted, turning once. Remove from oven; cool.
3. Combine bread, 1/2 cup cheese, 3 Tbsp onions, and the next 5 ingredients (through egg yolks) in a large bowl. Place egg whites in a small bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). Gently fold egg whites into bread mixture.
4. Spoon about 1 cup bread mixture into each of 4 (7oz) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Divide the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and green onions evenly among the ramekins. Bake at 375 for 20 min or until lightly browned. Top each serving with 1 tsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. Serve it up alongside some veggies and you're good to go!

Cube up your hearty, grainy bread:

I adore grainy bread. Adore it.

Get all your ingredients ready, cooking-show style.

Did you know the French call this "mise en place"?

Your fact bite for the day :)

Chop up your ham.

I again used Beeler's Farm ham steak.

I love that place. Pork from a few miles down the road.

Nothin' beats that!

Mix up all your ingredients in a bowl.

Portion the mixture out into your adorable ramekins.

I love ramekins.

Even the name is cute.

Okay, I'm done.

Top with cheese and more green onion.

Doesn't that look good?

It's not even baked off yet.

Wait for it...

Ahhh there she is.

Perfect with a side of garden fresh green beans and a big ol' sweet potato w/butter and a touch of maple syrup.

Trust me on this one, folks.

It's an incredibly satisfying, tasty meal.

The stick-to-yer-ribs kind.

I'm glad I didn't judge the dish by the name.

What a sad loss that would have been.

Though I think they should pay me to name their dishes...

Just a thought.

Cooking Light, are you out there?

I'm available for hire.

My First Pinterest Endeavor...

2011-10-16T14:35:00.002-05:00

****UPDATE**** After eating it I found the original recipe (from Pinterest) to be far too sweet for my taste. Next time I will cut down the sugar to 1/4 cup. With the Hershey's bar, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips it was just. too. much. I like sugar but not to the extent that it kills my tastebuds! I'd also maybe swap out the chocolate chips or the Hershey's Cookies n' Creme bar for a dark chocolate variety to make it slightly less overpowering. But you be the judge...

For those of you who haven't yet discovered Pinterest, well, you might want to look into it. It's an ingenius cataloging system of epic proportions. You can "pin" just about anything from wool socks to poems to exotic animals- anything that interests you, really. Many use it for DIY inspiration, kids activity ideas, and my personal fav- recipes.

The day I dove head first into my pinning frenzy I think I tagged about 30 recipes. Then I went back and deleted about 20. Then I added another 30. I can't seem to find a middle ground :)

The majority of my pins? Sugar-laden items. Somehow I always find myself "pinning" late at night when my chocolate cravings seem at their peak. Bad. Idea.

Thus, I have about a bazillion desserts I'd like to try but hadn't yet found the time to test 'em out.

Until today.

I made the first dessert I ever pinned this afternoon and OH. MY. I can't wait to eat it. That's right, I haven't actually tried it yet. Apparently when you make something for a group function it's customary to actually WAIT until that function takes place to eat it. Who made that rule anyway?

I don't like it.

Oh well, I will just wait and DROOL until then.

What did I make?

This bad boy:

Cookies n' Creme Brownie Bar Pie.

Uh-huh. Drooling yet?

I want it NOW. But alas, I will wait. I guess.

I'll let you know how it tastes.

What about you?

Have you made any Pinterest recipes yet?

I feel this new social network is the start of something fabulous...

Cure for the Common Cold

2011-10-14T13:38:00.002-05:00

Some days you just need a good old fashioned meal. Something soul-warming, heating your insides slowly while you savor each bite.

I had one of those days today.

I'm fighting off a small head-cold and nothing sounded better than, well, what else?

Chicken noodle soup. But the hearty kind. I'm not an all-broth-no-substance kind of girl. I need chunky, stewy, thick, stick-to-your ribs soup. Or, as Rachael Ray likes to say, "stoup".

I've made many-a-chix noodle concoction over the years, some thicker than others. Our family favorite is an almost gravy-like stew poured over flaky, buttery biscuits (this one is perfect for a post-hiking meal in the mountains). However I wanted this version to be a little more soup-like, able to be sopped up with a few good slices of wholesome grainy bread.

A few weeks ago, while perusing the shelves at my local library I wandered over to the discard shelf. I often scan it, nabbing whatever seems enticing, and that particular day I found a steal. Gina and Pat Neely's first cookbook, "Down Home with the Neelys". If you've never seen Gina and Pat's show on the Food Network, it's pretty hilarious. They are a sweet, loveable southern couple who like to give on-air smooches and genuinely have a heart for the food they make. My kind of people. Thus, finding their cookbook on a lowly library discard shelf was akin to discovering a diamond in the rough.

And so it was.

There are a ton of great recipes in that thing. Many of them are southern-inspired and about half include BBQ sauce (their homemade recipe of which I HAVE to make soon) but don't let that dissuade you, each one sounds delish. I've tried a few in the past week but the one I'm about to share is by far my fav.

Their recipe for Mama Jean's Chicken Noodle Soup.

After suffering for a good week with this nasty cold, I decided it was time to try it. So I did.

And OH I'm glad for it. It's the perfect balance of stewy and brothy, light enough to have an extra helping of bread on the side but filling and satisfying. It's now at the top of my list. However, I did change a few things (I usually do, ha). First, to make it a bit richer, I added 1/3 cup of heavy cream. I like my soup creamy. I also didn't have the full amount of frozen peas so I threw in some frozen lima beans as well to make up for it. Nobody noticed. I like limas. Don't discriminate.

Second, I didn't feel like making up the chicken first so I decided to buy a pre-baked rotisserie chicken from my local co-op. Those things are SO flavorful and a cinch to pick up while shopping (and entirely prepared at that!). And they are just pretty.

See?

I shredded it up and, voila! Chicken's done.

Refer to the recipe link above for all the steps and ingredients.

There aren't many- which makes this stuff even more fabulous-

it's simple, easily prepared, and chalk-full of flavor.

And yummy to look at.

And even yummier to eat.

Dish up a bowl for each of your family members...

And make LOTS extra to freeze for later,

I do this with nearly every recipe now that I have a deep-freeze.

Now that my cold is gone, I'm going to make this stuff more often.

And give due credit to its immune-boosting powers.

Try it, you'll be glad you did.

Breakfast for Dinner. Or Lunch.

2011-10-13T14:52:00.002-05:00

A few nights ago we had our weekly "breakfast for dinner". Breakfast is my husband's favorite meal and easy-peezy to whip up quickly. I love it because if there are leftovers I can have 'em for breakfast the next morning! Or lunch, which is what I did today.

What did we have this week?

Quiche, my friends. I've highlighted my recipe in the past. This quiche is extremely easy to make, and ingredients can be swapped out for a variety of different choices. Normally we go with the crab/spinach/Parmesan recipe, however, this week we differed from the norm.

I had some leftover Beeler's ham and Nasonville Dairy sharp cheddar cheese (remember my sandwich the other day?) so decided to use 'em up- perfect ingredients for quiche.

Thus, our supper was born.

I used the same recipe I normally do, swapping out the crab for ham and the Parmesan for cheddar. Instead of spinach I used broccoli. Also, going with the new challenge I've set upon myself (to not used processed/pre-packaged items as much as I can help it), I decided to make my own pie crust, rather than buy the Pillsbury variety- which you can totally still do! No pressure, seriously. However, I've realized pie crust is pretty darn easy to create, especially when you use Ina's version. Also- you can make a bunch, freeze it in individual portions, and have crust ready whenev! It's pretty sweet.

Ta-da. Breakfast for dinner. Here's how it goes (follow the link above for exact portions of ingredients).

Get your pie crust ready

Mine's not pretty-looking. I'm going for taste at this point.

Someday I'll channel my inner-Martha and tackle pretty pie crust.

Until then, this will have to suffice.

Dump on your cheese.

Add your protein choice.

Then comes the greenery.

Next dump on your milk/egg mixture

Make sure to shield the crust to prevent over-browning.

I like to use one of these but if you don't have one, you can always use tinfoil.

Bake at 400 for 45 min or so, until center is slightly jiggly, but not overly so.

Take the quiche out and top with a little more cheese, place back in oven 5-10 min longer to melt, then remove.

Let the quiche sit on the counter for about 10 min to set.

Isn't she lovely?

Serve her up with some whole grain toast n' butter and a side salad, if you wish.

Perfectly delightful, easy meal.

And now you don't even have to make breakfast the next morning.

Bonus!

What's your favorite B4D?

Livin' La Vida Locavore.

2011-10-11T15:41:00.008-05:00

I'm a reader. For all those who know me, that's a BIT of an understatement.

I devour words. Yes, that's more like it. I read everything. Articles, newspapers, magazines, blog posts, fiction/non-fiction books upon books upon books (even chick-lit, yeah I go there and, gasp, like it).

I read it all.

Normally I tend to prefer fiction, there is nothing like diving headfirst into other worlds- worlds more romantic than stark fact, truth, black and white, realism, bleh. I tend to like wordy Brit lit (think Austen, Dickens, etc) and dark, ominous plots n' settings (think Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights). I'm broody. But I also enjoy uplifting, go-get-'em books and everything in between.

I normally hate investigative journalism.

Hate. It. I will partake if someone forces me with duct tape and an uzi (or an "F" grade...I had many college profs who thrived on endless fact drones who made their money off undecipherable citations...), but normally I will never, NEVER go near anything close to it.

I don't like fear-mongers. I dislike when someone spews facts at me in order to stir up terror or worry. Because, well, I am a worrier and, darn it, if I don't have to worry I ain't gonna. There's enough to worry about in this world, especially as a mother of two darling little boys. No, I will not take an optional side of worry, thankyouverymuch.

However.

When it comes to food, I devour (not literally) every piece of info I possibly can. Why? Because I eat food. It affects me. I want to know about it. If it's going into my body, become- literally- a part of me, I feel I should have some knowledge of what that substance is and how it might benefit or hurt me.

I want to know what's in my food. Every. Single. Molecule. Where did those ingredients come from? How did they get here? How were they grown/raised? What sort of effort was involved in the whole process? Who am I supporting by purchasing it?

Yeah. I want to know it all.

I'm inspired by people like Rick Bayless, Alice Waters, Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, and now....Barbara Kingsolver.

Google 'em, you'll be glad you did.

Barbara, whom you may know from such famous novels as The Poisonwood Bible, The Prodigal Summer, and The Bean Trees, recently published her own personal memoir, this book:

Entitled Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Kingsolver and husband Steve, along with their two daughters decided to spend one full year living entirely off what they could grow themselves on their Viginia farm, and/or what could be purchased from local growers within a nearby radius. If the food wasn't from those parts, or out of season, they didn't eat it.

Period.

Inspiring much? Yeah. Talk about rough. It doesn't sound SO bad until you actually read what they had to give up. It really makes you think twice about how far food goes to get to your plate and the ridiculous means by which we go about getting the food we crave.

But most of us, myself included, often don't dwell on our food origins. We grab that box of chicken broth from the soup section, or that ground beef from the meat counter, or those strawberries (in January!) from the produce section, and not even THINK about how they got there. It's a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. We don't want to know and ignorance is bliss. Or we just don't care.
But man- if we knew how those chickens or that cow lived (or was slaughtered, or what they were fed) to give us our broth and beef, would we think differently? Or if we realized how many pesticides/herbicides were involved (and fuel use/costs) to get those strawberries all the way from who knows where, in the middle of winter, to our flourescent-lit fruit section- would we think differently??

Some yes, many maybe, most no. People don't care.

Or do they?

I do! I do! Pick me! :)

I care. As we all should. It just doesn't seem natural or wise to have no involvement or understanding of the foods we consume every single day. We are nutty to assume that if it says "all-natural" or "organic" or "whole-grain" or "full of fiber!" or whatever other assurances marketers use, that it's "good" for us.

Are we really that clueless? I sure hope not. Check yourself though- have you ever bought something just because it says "double-fiber!!" or "all-natural!" or "no high-fructose corn syrup!". I have. OFTEN. But I don't really think what that means or whether the methods of actually producing the good were worthy of entering my body.

It's scary when many other countries' (France, Britain for example) national food administrations don't allow 70% or so of the chemicals and modified food products in their foods that we here in the USA do. Why does our FDA allow these products while other nations ban them? Because we have a very corporate-friendly government who is very much on the side of big business, huge profit margins, and, well, cheap and easy mass-production- at the expense of it's inhabitants. But let's not have that discussion, shall we? I could go on for hours and I already type too much!

This is something I'm very much passionate about and I feel many are simply in the dark. But Barbara shares it all with poise and matter-of-fact prose. She isn't fear-mongering, she doesn't incite fear or place blame, she simply tells it like it is and encourages others to learn more. Her book is a healthy (literally) mix of investigative unveiling, gardening tips, knowledge of plants and seeds, and nutritional information about various vegetables and fruits. It's a page-turner in ways many other informative books are not. She isn't a fact drone, spewing statistics at the reader, but a passionate advocate on the side of farmers, locavores, and those interested in supporting folks a little closer to home. It's a refreshing read. And GET THIS- Are you ready? Really, are you prepared? [Moment of silence]...my husband is reading it. And likes it.

[Shockwaves]

Yeah. He's even laughed out loud a few times. And he is a man who has a strong affinity for Little Debbie products- cakes that have a phenomenal shelf life, almost disturbingly so. He's getting something out of the book and is becoming more interested in the whys and hows of our nation's food. If he can do it, anybody can.

Does this mean I'm going to give up all indulgences in the form of who-knows-what's-in-it? No way. Starbucks white mocha syrup is my crack. Did I say that out loud? We all have to have something that can't be justified! I may or may not have had wasted ample amounts of gas to drive MILES out of my way just to indulge in a grande-iced coffee-no classic syrup- sub 2.5-pumps white mocha-light ice-in a personal cup. Well, at least I had my own cup...I saved some plastic anyway :) Also- sometimes you just have to eat and not. think. about what's in the food. Velveeta anyone? Nothing beats the pasturized processed cheese product (something about that label seems incredibly eerie) in dips, soups, and sauces. Yeah, I just went there.

However after reading the book I've made a pledge to ban processed food from my diet, as much as I can help it. I've vowed to use as many seasonal, local products as possible. I've decided to do all my gift-buying this year on Etsy, or make them myself- not only to support in-nation artisans but also to cut down on fuel costs and support of big-corporations (and save money!). Unfortunately, though, my husband is convinced our son needs a Tonka truck that I'm SURE is made in China so we'll have to fail in some areas, I suppose :)

This is my way of making a difference, of being just a drop in the bucket of a necessary change.

What do you think? Do you consider the deets of your eats? Where your products originate? What's YOUR crack? Ha.

Share!

What's For Lunch?

2011-10-10T13:48:00.004-05:00

For a while now I've wanted to do a simple daily post.

Nothing fancy, nothing wordy- just a simple photo and explanation of, well, my lunch.

Why? Because I always wonder what people eat for their midday meal. I mean, don't you? Okay, don't answer that. If you're a foodie, like myself, you often have meals on the brain and I find lunch to be my favorite. It's casual and versatile. Often you have to be creative-especially if you have kids and don't want to eat grilled cheese every. single. day. But even grilled sandwiches can be a blank slate of creativity.

I not only wonder what SAHMs have for lunch (since really, we generally either have too much time to think about it, or not enough time to actually create a wholesome one...you know how it goes), I also wonder about businessmen, nurses, teachers, construction workers- what do THEY eat? Especially when many of those either pack a lunch or eat out. Particularly if they pack a lunch- what's within the brown bag?

It's kind of like sneaking a look at what's in people's carts at grocery stores. I've often wondered if checkers and baggers size everyone up by what's going in the plastic sacks. It's interesting, and anyway- how else would you spend your time pulling long hours putting food in bags? I'd totally create stories in my mind about where the people live, how they eat, what jobs they have, what goes in their kids lunches, what sorts of gatherings they have, etc.

I'd totally love that job. Not gonna lie.

In fact, I actually worked at Starbucks last year for the summer and loved it. Why? Because you can tell a lot by a) What people order b) How passionate people are about their favorite beverages/foods and c) How RUDE people can be to service workers.

But let's dwell on the former two, shall we? :)

Anyhow- I love to know people's food passions/obsessions/idiosyncracies. You can tell a lot about a person by what they consume.

Thus back to my lunch.

I love lunch. It forces me to be creative with what's on hand. Also, these days with two little people underfoot, don't have a lot of time to make up something special so it has to be what I have in the fridge or freezer- often leftovers, a sandwich of some sort, or something that can be zapped.

THANK YOU to whoever invented the microwave- that thing is a Godsend.

So...what was on the menu today?

This beautiful thing:

A delightful ham and cheddar sandwich.

I'll break it down for you.

-The bread is hearty 7-grain sandwich bread from my local co-op
-Also from the co-op is the AMAZING delicious Beeler Farm's uncured (local) ham, sharp cheddar cheese from Nasonville Dairy in nearby Wisconsin, organic spinach, and stone-ground mustard.
-Tomatoes from my mother-in-law's garden and red onion from my local farmer's market.

Simple. Easy. Delish.

I also had a side of green grapes. And, you know, one of these:

For all my "healthy" and "locavore" endeavors I have to indulge in one multinational corporate vice. Sbux iced coffee with white mocha syrup. It's utterly divine. And SO necessary to keep up with energetic kiddos. There, I have a weakness- are you surprised? Don't be, I have many! :)

That's my lunch for today. What's yours??

Seriously, share. Even if it's just PB n' J, I'm the weirdo who wants to know :)

Why hello there.

2011-09-26T15:38:00.005-05:00

Dearly beloved readers,

We are gathered here today to renew our vows. Or rather, I will renew mine to you, though I'm sure at this point you have committed cyber-adultery and left me for another, more faithful blogger.

That's okay, I wont judge. Okay, maybe I will a little. But I am fully ready to accept you back, open-armed.

If you will trust me, that is.

I vow to be more consistent in my posting endeavors, I do.
I aim to post at least once weekly, I do.
I will make no further guarantees, except to say that I love you all, I do.
And I will most certainly partake in enticing you to eat delicious, wholesome food again, I will.

Though I'm sure you all haven't starved without me.
I have been starved without your affection.

Where have I been all this time? Well, I suppose I have good reason for my absence.

I was giving birth to this adorable thing:

Yeah. He's lovely. He's handsome. He's gorgeous. I will accept any flattery on behalf of his cuteness...because it's all true.

Biased much? Ha.

Anyway- I do apologize for not writing, though I've been a bit detained. AND, to be quite honest, I (gasp) haven't been cooking that much. No, no, I haven't been living off boxed, pre-packaged, preservative-laden chemicals and HFCS :) I've had incredible friends and family who have been so generously stocking my deep-freeze for the past 6 weeks and it. has. been. wonderful. Here is what my freezer looks like:

I'm kidding. Mine isn't in any way THAT organized. I borrowed this photo off of Pinterest (which I LOVE, can I get an "amen"?!) from THIS blogger, who has great freezer meals, by the way.

To be real with y'all, I have actually enjoyed taking a little hiatus from daily slaving over the stove and writing about it. However, I have reached a point where I am ready to return.

And I plan to make a triumphant entry.

I have begun to miss my pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. I started small this past weekend making a bit of homemade hummus for a family gathering and guess what? My blender began smoking and decided it was going to meet it's maker (which happens to be Hamilton Beach- an awful brand, if you ask me). Triumphant entry? Not so much...

However right before the blender decided to breathe it's last, it graced me with the most delicious fall drink. This yummy concoction:

A pumpkin pie smoothie.

Yes, sounds a bit strange but think of it as a homemade pumpkin spice frappuccino. Yea. Eat your heart out Starbucks. And I saved $5 making it at home. Bonus!

How's it done? Well let me share.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Ingredients & Instructions:

Puree in blender:
-1 cup your choice milk (I actually like vanilla soy in this case)
-1 medium banana, diced
- 8 oz container greek yogurt (optional- but adds creaminess)*
-1/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
-3 tsp honey or agave nectar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract*
-1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1/2 cup ice (or more depending on your desired thickness)

*If you don't have greek yogurt, you can substitute an 8oz container any brand vanilla yogurt but omit the vanilla extract

Once pureed, pour in a glass, top with a dollop or ten of whipped cream with a little more pumpkin pie spice on top and sip through a straw. Mmm. Like I said- you save $5 and can easily make it whenever you like! In fact, I think I will partake in one now (while using a sweet friend's blender, on loan at the moment- ha).

See you SOON. I promise. I will not forsake you again.

Peas + Pesto = Perfect Pair

2011-07-19T12:54:00.000-05:00

I love this season- everything is new, fresh, and vibrant. Around this time (mid to late July) the local farmer's markets begin showing the bounty of summer's crop. My favorite items are always the fresh heirloom tomatoes, dark leafy greens, and of course, corn. The corn this year, however, has been slow-in-coming due to our crazy midwest weather so we'll have to wait a bit longer to partake.

But greenery and tomatoes abound.

These items make my lunches incredibly tasty. For instance, a nice blend of butter lettuce, spinach, and romaine with lima beans, heirloom tomatoes, green olives, feta cheese, and a basalmic vinaigrette.

Yep.

Paired perfectly with this little recipe I found in Ladies' Home Journal.

Pesto and pea ravioli with fresh shaved Parmesan and lemon zest.

So fresh. So flavorful.

So perfectly delightful for a summer lunch.

The entire recipe relies on pre-packaged ingredients so is quite simple and quick to create.

I'm sure you could make your own ravioli and shell your own peas, but, well, have fun doing THAT for hours!

I'd much rather have something fast and equally yummy on a summer day :)

Though the recipe calls for hazelnuts I left 'em out- didn't have any lying around! Plus the pesto already has pine nuts so no need to add more nuttiness. I chose to use Rising Moon Organics spinach and cheese ravioli, prepared pesto I found at my local grocery store, frozen peas, zested lemon, and actually happened to have some fresh Parm in my fridge so shaved a bit on top.

There's nothing more fabulous than fresh cheese.

Really.

You'll never go back to pre-packaged shredded ho-hum variety once you partake in the real-deal!

However I need to really eat my words because the minute I say something like that I'm leaving a dirty little secret in the closet. One that entails my pregnancy indulgences and store runs for things such as this:

Yes, this was actually my entire purchase the other night.

Betty makes a good boxed brownie mix, and when adding fudge and chocolate chips to the batter while proceeding to slightly undercook the brownies (on purpose), you get an ooey-gooey, oh-so-amazingly bad for you treat. Topped with ice cream- there's nothing more ridiculously rich. Yeah.

I don't eat well all the time, folks.

And contrary to what some might believe, I actually maintain a semi-consistent sugar high.

This is me, being real.

Happy summer indulgences!

A Day for Fathers

2011-06-29T14:36:00.001-05:00

So I realize Father's Day was a few weeks ago but I am a little delayed in my posting- and why not have another day of celebrating the amazing Daddy of my kiddos? I think it's entirely justified.

We had a wonderful Father's Day- complete with all the fun things fathers need and love.

The day began with crab quiche.

While this may sound frou-frou and girlie- it is NOT.

Don't mistake yourselves. My man is not girly, nor frou-frou.

He is extremely meat-and-potatoes (we will get to this later).

However when it comes to quiche- he is smitten.

And, of course, no weekend morning is complete without freshly made cinnamon rolls.

All boys love these treats! At least mine do.

He is thrilled. Can't you tell?

Then, off to the park!

With a little plane-riding thrown in for fun:

No park visit is complete without some ball-chucking and chasing.

We are THOSE parents who make our kid wear neon-hued clothing so that we don't lose him.

Yes, that's us.

A little silly time is required, of course.

And, you know, reality.

And GIFTS! Though I am selfishly benefitting from this one :)

These, however, are all his. He wont share.

And, of course- his choice supper.

I refuse to ever make this on a normal day because it just goes against everything I believe in.

But he likes it, LOVES it, rather- and since it's his day, what the hey?

I decided to go for it.

Though I may or may not have made myself a different meal.

Do you know what the poultry-like substance is in this photo?

Take a guess, I dare you.

It's soft. It's gushy. It's processed. It comes in a box, frozen.

Any guesses?

I'll leave it to you to ponder.

And yes- my husband tops his mashed potatoes with corn.

And salivates at the corn juice that spills to the side. He adores it.

To each his own!

Lastly. We had these:

OH MY.

These were divine.

What are they, you ask?

Cheesecake bars.

Yeah.

My husband adores cheesecake- however I, gasp, am not a huge fan.

It's not that I dislike it- it just isn't my first choice in sugary, calorie-laden treats.

For me, it has to be chocolatey. Or ice creamy.

Cheesecake always seems too heavy and rich for my palette.

These however were absolutely light, flavorful, and creamy with a hint of lemon.

Perfect for my tastebuds and his alike.

And the best thing about them? SUPER easy.

No longer will I ever fuss with a springform pan, attempting to bake the cake just right so that the top doesn't crack.

No- this was brilliant. And not lacking in anything.

Recipe? Recipe??!

HERE she is.

I actually nabbed it from Cooking Light magazine, the July 2011 issue. However their version involved swirling in a fresh cherry sauce (which would have been tasty) but Mr. K has an aversion to all things fruit-saucey and prefers his cheesecake plain-jane style. SO, I omitted the sauce. I also added the zest of one lemon to the filling- it provides a fabulous fresh taste.

In addition, I swapped out their shortbread crust for a graham cracker version. I'm not much of a shortbread person and prefer the traditional cheesecake graham cracker crust. So I went against the grain and switched it up.

HERE is a good graham cracker crust recipe.

For a 9x13 pan I doubled the crust recipe, baked it off, let it cool, then topped it with the Cooking Light cheesecake filling- also doubling this recipe, (with my choice of added lemon zest and devoid of the swirled cherry sauce), baked it again according to the CL directions, then let it cool. After completely cool I placed it in the fridge until serving time.

SO easy. So tasty. Perfect end to a Father-filled day!

And while I'm still highlighting my man, here are some more of my favorite recent Daddy-shots:

I kinda love this guy :)

And while we are on the subject of Dads, here's mine!

He's fabulous cook, gave me lots of inspiration :)

Here he is making our family's famous spaghetti sauce:

Which is, of course, accompanied by homemade meatballs.

Of which, you must wear the apron while making.

It's a given.

He rocks the apron.

These thangs are ridiculously tasty. And so good the next day on a sub.

Oh man. Maybe this will be the next blog feature.

Or maybe I'll keep it in the family.

Only time will tell.

Happy Dad's day to all you Father's out there!

You are dearly appreciated and loved.

Summer Days...

2011-05-27T16:26:00.000-05:00

SUMMER!!!

Okay, so I realize it isn't June 21 yet but once the temp is consistently above 70 and my A/C turns on, summer becomes official in this household. So what do I do when the season makes its inevitable mark on my life?

I make these.

And visit this.

And grow these.

And crave this.

Yeah.

Rhubarb.

Now I realize rhubarb is one of those veggies nobody really cares for unless LOADED with sugar, kinda like zucchini or pumpkin-- but man-oh-man, once it's doused in it's perfect sweet soulmate, summer is ON.

A friend blessed me with a ginormous supply of the ruby-hued stalks and I decided to partake in another favorite Ina dish, Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (or betty or crumble, whatever your naming preference is).

Oh dear, look at her beauty

topped with butter, sugar, and oats- the trio of delight.

Eek, bad lighting- but you get the idea.

Mmmm, much better.

Baked off with a whollop of homemade vanilla ice cream to finish.

Not a dollop, folks, a "whollop" is the man-sized portion.

Or pregnant lady size, if you will.

It's my little slice of summer.

What is YOUR ideal summer dish?

By all means partake, enjoy, and share!

Breakfast Mash-up

2011-04-18T15:29:00.002-05:00

There are many oddities in the current food world. Chefs are throwing things together that normally, well, wouldn't be thought of as a pairing. For example, chicken and waffles- have you heard of this craze? It's apparently a southern thing, I guess. I'd never heard of it before a friend introduced me. But whatever, to each his own! I'm not one to judge.

If you crave it, eat it. Who cares what others think?

One of the current hot-pairings is adding bacon to all things sweet. A while ago, I highlighted my new favorite indulgence, Vosges' Dark Chocolate Bacon Bar. Yeah. It's insane. The full-flavor and body of dark chocolate with the added hint of salty applewood-smoked bacon.

Like I said, insane. Insanely GOOD.

Another thing folks are doing these days is including bacon WITHIN their breakfast foods, instead of alongside. I've seen recipes for choc chip pancakes with bits of chopped bacon in the batter, bacon-infused maple syrup, and bacon cinnamon rolls.

Huh? Bacon cinnamon rolls? Sounds a little quirky, eh?

Well not to this girl. A friend clued me into THIS recipe and the idea got me thinking, "This could be good. This could be very, very, very good." As in, we-may-never-go-back-to-the-original good.

Yes, that good.

And so...I tried 'em. And so...well, they were simply heavenly.

Even Mr. K (a man who is the "don't even think about messing with my breakfast food" type) raved and groaned and oohed and aaahed over 'em.

That takes a LOT, folks. You just don't know this guy. He's quite stuck in the mud when it comes to comfort foods. But this one chipped away at him. He may turn around yet. I keep trying, anyway.

So anyway- you CAN make the above recipe, just click on the link. However, with my insistence on all things homemade, I just couldn't do the Grands cinnamon rolls and pre-packaged frosting. No thanks. I had to make my own. But, again, to each his own- you are more than welcome to do what you prefer.

BUT. If you are willing to delve into the task at hand and forge ahead to the homemade frontier, go ahead and make your own! I will be along the road cheering you on with a painted game-face and big foam finger.

You CAN do it! You CAN go from these:

To these:

Let me inspire you. I'm here to inspire, my friends. Just do it.

Here's how...

The recipe calls for 3 parts: The cinnamon rolls themselves, the bacon, and the maple-frosting. Once all are ready to go- you create your masterpiece. Okie dokie?

Homemade Bacon Cinnamon Rolls w/Maple Frosting:

1/4 cup warm water
1 package (2.25 tsp) active dry yeast
1 Tbsp honey or agave nectar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2.5-3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
one package your choice maple-flavored bacon

For Maple Frosting:
1 lb powdered sugar (or more)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup melted butter
dash salt
1/2 Tbsp maple flavoring

-Combine the yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, and honey in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand-mixer and let stand until the yeast is dissolved and foamy, about 5 minutes. Mix in next 6 ingredients (through salt) by hand or at low speed (using paddle attachment) until blended.

-Gradually stir in half of the 3 cups flour in 1/2 cup increments, pausing to check the dough after each addition. Once half the flour (so 1.5 cups) is added, turn mixer off and switch to dough hook attachment. Continue adding the rest of the flour slowly over a period of 10 minutes, allowing the dough to incorporate itself. After 10 minutes the dough should be slightly sticky, but not overly so.

-Take out of mixer and place in well-oiled large bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a slightly warm place until double, about 1.5 hours.

-Near the end of the initial rising process you will get your bacon ready. Fry up about 10-12 pieces of maple-flavored bacon- but NOT fully. Pull the bacon out of the pain while it's still pliable and soft, it should NOT be crispy. This allows you to roll it into the cinnamon rolls- the bacon will finish cooking in the oven. Drain the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and finish the cinnamon roll process.

-Once the dough has doubled, punch down and take out of the bowl. Place dough on a well-floured surface (the dough will be oily and sticky). Generously sprinkle flour over top and roll out into a 9x15 inch rectangle (it'll be about 1/2 inch thick). Spread the melted butter over the rectangle, sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Then, starting with the long end, roll upward (away from you) to form a long tube. Seal edges.

-Cut the tube into about 10-12 one inch thick cinnamon rolls. Once all the rolls are cut, proceed to take one of the cut rolls and roll it back out so it's a long dough strip (at this point you are copying verbatim the linked recipe above). Grab one piece of the bacon and place on the dough strip; roll it back up with the bacon inside. Proceed doing this for each of the rolls. Once all the rolls have bacon inside, place into two greased cake pans or one large 9x13 dish. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise until double, about 30-40 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Make maple frosting by simply mixing the ingredients above, adding more or less powdered sugar to make the consistency you prefer. If you accidently add too much powdered sugar and it's too thick, thin it out with a little more milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.

-When double, bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes until tops are golden. Frost with maple frosting while still warm and EAT while groaning and oohing and aahing.

-Sidenote: I think next time I will try to fry up the bacon, chop it up, then sprinkle it on top of the cinnamon and brown sugar. When you take a bite of these, the entire strip of bacon comes out- I'd rather have little pieces in each bite. Live and learn!

You will never go back.

Bacon is the big thing in breakfast mash-ups.

What comes next? Any other ideas for a bacon-infused sweet item?

I'm open to suggestions...

Meal Swap

2011-04-12T15:03:00.003-05:00

So I briefly mentioned in my last post that the pulled pork and buns were my contribution to a monthly meal swap I'm involved in. I'm sure most of you have heard of something like it but the idea is brilliant.

Positively brilliant.

If you have no clue what I'm talking about, let me explain.

The first Thursday of every month a group of moms I know (and you certainly don't have to be a "mom" to participate in something like this!) get together to trade meals with one another. Basically the premise is this:

You, as a participant, make four 8x8 Gladware reusable tupperware dishes (oven-safe) full of one specific meal. All you have to do is take a recipe for anything in a 9x13 pan and double it- or make a bit 'ol batch of your favorite soup/stew and split it into four containers. Or you can do what I did and quadruple a huge batch of something entirely different and fill four Gladware dishes.

I always like to be a little different :)

Anyway- once you've prepared your meal and split it into four containers, you write the recipe on four index cards and attach them to the top of each dish. Then, you all email each other to share what you are bringing (so each person can make a "wish list" of sorts). Upon arrival to the host's home that month, you all place your dishes in piles on the table. The host writes numbers on pieces of paper, 1 through however many people you have participating (we had 12 this time). Each person draws a number. Number 1 goes first and chooses ONE of the dishes they'd like, #2 goes next and so forth. Once you reach the top number, you go back down the list, so in our case, #12 got to pick two times in a row, then #11 went, on back down the list. Then you start at #1 again and repeat the process. By the end, everyone should have four entirely new meals to take home!

Told you it was brilliant.

I don't know who thought this thing up, but it's the perfect way to have four new meals to try without the fuss and hassle of making as many meals yourself.

Did I mention this idea is brilliant? If I haven't already, that is.

So here's what I did this month, if you happened to forget already.

I first quadrupled my normal recipes for spicy pulled pork and hamburger buns, 12 pounds worth of meat and 32 buns total to be exact.

Once all was done cooking, baking, and cooling, I placed the meat in four oven-safe Gladware containers.

Then packaged the buns into four large ziploc bags, 8 buns per bag.

Make sure the buns are cool though- you don't want condensation accumulating in those things. It makes for soggy-ness and festering bacteria. Ew. Nobody wants that.

Then, off to the swap! It was fabulous.

And I came home with these four fun meals (in no particular order):

#1- Chipotle Chicken Pasta

(a take off the Diablo Chicken dish at Carlos O'Kelley's)

#2- Lasagna

(always a fav 'round these parts!)

#3- Lite Chicken n' Broccoli Alfredo

(a fav of Mr. K)

#4- Chicken Tetrazzini

(Sorry for the dismal lighting- it was late in the evening!)

Some other dishes there (that I didn't nab in time) were:

Stuffed shells, zuppa toscana (an italian soup), upside down pizza bake, vegetarian enchiladas, five cheese penne, and brown sugar chicken (a stir-fry dish).

All fantastic-sounding.

Yum, looking forward to four easy evenings in my near future!

I suggest you get yourself one of these Meal Swap things.

It's the way to go.

Did I mention the idea is brilliant?

Sidenote: Because most of the moms in my group have, at most, two children who are younger than 3 years of age- the 8x8 containers are enough to feed our current family size. However, if you have older (or more) children and 8x8 wont cut it, I suggest forming a swap with other moms like yourself and filling four 9x12 oven-safe Gladware pans with a specific meal of your choice (and having the other moms do the same)- then you all will have four full-size meals for your full-size families! You can tweak this idea any way you want! Just let me know what you did...I don't like to be left out of a good idea :)

Spicy Pulled Pork with Homemade Buns

2011-04-07T18:50:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the lack of a catchy title but I figured meat and carbs would get your attention.

Am I right? Well, you're here anyway.

Sorry I haven't been around these parts for a while...but I've resigned myself to the fact that,

1. I have been busy (as usual)
2. I have a two year old and another on the way--life can be decidedly chaotic (and only getting more so)
3. I haven't been cooking much...or rather, we've been having the same meals over and over (sorry Mr. K) because I've been in a please-let-winter-end slump and have resisted cooking any more stews, soups, pot roasts, etc. Winter must end sometime, right?

Right???

Well, my friends, winter has been quickly dying 'round these parts. This week the midwestern highs have been in the low 60s! Thanks be to God above. We are now entering spring for real. And I've been motivated.

Motivated for what, you might ask?

Well really, whenever warm weather abouds what does anyone yearn for? Good ol' BBQ. That's right. The smell of it, the mere idea of getting out on your deck and taking in the heat (albeit the heat from the coals/gas/whatever, it is still HEAT), it's what we long for.

However, much to my dismay we do not own a grill.

Yeah.

No grill. So I have had to smell other people's lovely smoky aromas wafting from every other porch, except mine. Why don't we have one? A few reasons. One, we have a small deck- not even large enough for two people to sit on let alone a large cooking contraption. Two, we have no room in our garage to store one either. Third, grilling intimidates me.

There, I said it.

Scoff all you want. Laugh if you will. However, I think there is at least one thing most cooks would say intimidates them. And to be honest, I see myself as more of a baker and less of a cook. Most cooks would say yeast intimidates them- but yeast and I are best buds.

We get along well.

Grills and I? Not in the slightest. I admire people like Bobby Flay but grilling is just not my forte. Another thing that intimidates me? Roasting birds. Never done it, haven't even entertained the thought- it terrifies me to no end. So now you know two slightly embarrassing things about this wannabe cook.

Anyway- that's another issue for another day.

Since I don't have a grill and don't have the slightest idea how to master grilling perfection, I tend to roast my meat in the crockpot (low and slow), make a sauce of some sort, shred the meat, then add the sauce an hour before eating to let the flavors marry. It's my BBQ method. Don't judge.

Last week, while perusing Pioneer Woman's site, I saw a recipe that caught my eye and revived my spirits.

It screamed, spring! BBQ! Make me now!

And so I did. And here you go.

The recipe? Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork. I had a few cans of DP in my fridge, and all the other ingredients so decided, why not? I'll give it a whirl.

Now, since I gave you the link you can very well meander on over to her site and make it yourself but let me just give you a few (okay, a lot of) tidbits on what I did- because I generally don't follow recipes exactly. I like to make 'em a bit leaner, and add some extras.

First, I used a crockpot rather than a dutch oven. I didn't want to heat up my whole house. Basically did all the same things but just put my pot on high for 4 hours, then on low for 2. Same thing. Easy breezy.

Second, I only had Diet Dr. Pepper, so that's what I used. If you don't have either- use Coke! Or Diet Coke! Or heck, use root beer for crying out loud. Just as long as it's cola-based, you'll be fine.

Third, I chopped my onions finely and sauteed them first (rather than just throwing raw wedges in the bottom)...I like the flavor better and I don't like big chunks of things floating around. I have consistency issues.

Fourth, PW has you dump in the whole jar of chipotle in adobo sauce. I did this. However she never says what to do with the peppers at the end- but I vote discard them! Those things are super spicy. And again, I don't like big chunks of things floating around. It's something I'm working on. Is there a self-help hotline for cooking issues?

Fifth, I used pork loin roast, not shoulder or pork butt. Pork loin is leaner- less fat to skim off. And again, less chunks floating around. [Shudder]. Sorry, I'll stop.

Sixth, at the end she just has you shred the meat, then put it back into the loads of broth. I don't like fishing through liquid to get to my meat. Instead, I removed 3 cups of broth and placed it in a medium saucepan, then dumped the rest- I'm sure you could save it for something but I didn't have the energy. To the stove sauce I added a few things to make it less overpoweringly spicy and a bit sweeter. You can add whatever you like but some things I chose were: a 1/2 C ketchup, 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce, 1/3 C maple syrup, 1/3 C brown sugar, and a Tablespoon of dijon mustard. I mixed all the above into the broth, boiled 'em together for about 10 min, then dumped the broth mixture back into the crockpot with the shredded meat. Let the whole thing mingle for another half hour and voila- it's done (and leaner, less spicy, more flavorful, less chunks-floating-to-be-removed).

Piece of cake. And delicious. Mr. K now votes this as our top pulled pork recipe (we have a few others) and tonight, I'm taking it to my monthly meal swap. I hope everyone feels the same way about it as we do! We'll see.

Here are a few shots of the meat:

Low and slow, baby.

I know, there are things floating. I'm trying not to notice.

Once it's falling off the bone, shred it up.

Then dump it back in the crockpot and make the stove sauce from the 3 cups reserved broth. Add whatever else floats your boat, then return the sauce to the crockpot.

And that would be all...but PW just threw her meat on some tortillas-which is fine and would be incredibly tasty. But we like us some carbs around here.

AND me being a baker at heart, I couldn't just go out and (gasp) buy some hamburger buns. No, no. That is not how we roll in this house.

I had to make 'em, of course.

So I did. And here you go.

Again, I know some of you cooks generally don't do yeast and that's fine. But if I am willing to try my hand at barbeque (and I have, and continue to make feeble attempts) then you cannot just give up on yeast. It's perfectly easy once you get the hang of it...don't let a few unrisen loaves keep you down. No pun intended.

And hamburger buns are simple. Seriously. If you have a basic bread recipe down, these are a walk in the park.

So...first, take my basic whole wheat bread recipe. Make the bread according to the instructions, however when it comes time to shape the dough (after the first rise), you are simply going to shape it into buns instead of bread.

Easy right?

Right.

Let's do it.

Break off pieces a little larger than a golfball and round it into a roll shape.

Flatten the ball with a rolling pin, making a 1/2" thick circle, whatever size you like your buns.

Some like 'em big, some small.

I don't judge- they are your buns :)

Place flattened rounds on a greased cookie sheet, cover with greased plastic wrap.

Let rise until double, about 30 min or more.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the buns have doubled in size, remove the wrap and place in oven for 12-15 minutes. Keep a watch on them so they don't get too brown (check the bottoms).

Take 'em out, and let cool.

Butter the tops, if you wish- it makes 'em nice and soft.

I wish, so I do.

Aren't they lovely?

Mmm, soft buns. :)

Slice the buns and top with your meat.

Pleasure on a plate.

And I didn't even have to break out a grill.

Mmm.

Now go enjoy yourself some buns.

And slow roasted meat.

And, perhaps, warmer weather.

I think I shall.

Sunday looks like...

2011-02-27T17:02:00.001-06:00

This.

And this.

It's the smell of freshly baked bread.

A little slathering of butter.

A fine crumb and a sweet family to share it with.

Who needs sugar-laden, pre-packaged goods?

Not this family.

Pantry Meal

2011-02-25T09:17:00.002-06:00

I'm baaack. This has got to be some kind of record for me, three posts in a row. I'm on fire. That, or I've been painfully cooped up in my house due to inclement midwest weather.

I'm going with the former.

Today's showcase is a mainstay in our home. It's easy. It's versatile. It's foolproof. It's tasty...am I missing anything? Really, you can't go wrong with this one. I've made it a million different ways, with different fillings/meats/carbs- like I said, not easy to mess up. And it's three meals, made out of one set of ingredients. What beats that?

I'm sure you've heard of this dish in one form or another and maybe you already make a version yourself. Either way- it's a picture perfect meal of something you likely already have on hand and ya just didn't know it.

So what is this mystery dish?

Mexican Lasagna.

Or, I've also heard it called enchilada casserole, Mexican casserole, enchilada lasagna, layered tortilla casserole, again- the names are endless thus painting a perfect picture of the versatility this dish has.

How is it made? Well, don't get irritated, but I really don't even have a recipe for it. It's that easy. Basically it's a lot of can opening, chopping, dumping, and layering. That's really all the effort required.

I almost don't even want to put a recipe up for fear you may look at it and say "Oh, I don't have black beans, I can't make it!" (use pinto! use cannellini! use whatever you have!), or "oh, I don't have shredded chicken" (use ground beef, ground turkey, shredded pork, or, gasp, don't use meat at all! It has enough beans to provide the protein element- we often make it devoid of any meat/poultry). Or maybe you'll say, "I don't have a packet of taco seasoning" (so what! make your own mix and taste as you go- some ideas include cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper- just pull out your inner Martha!).

So- you are excuseless.

Really all you need are the following (seems like a lot but you'll be surprised at what you likely already have on hand):

-two medium-sized cans of mexican-style diced tomatoes (with green chiles). Or if you don't have these, regular diced canned tomatoes will do- but the chiles add Mexican flare
-two cans of beans, I like to use black or pinto, or refried, or a mix of a couple of the above.
-a pound of your choice shredded or ground meat, cooked (or none at all!)
-two packages shredded cheese (use whatever floats your boat)
- a packet of taco seasoning (or create your own mix)
- one large diced onion and three minced garlic cloves (or 1 tsp garlic powder if you don't have fresh)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or non-fat plain yogurt, what I like to use- tastes exactly the same)
- 15 oz container light ricotta cheese (totally optional but I'll explain why I like it in a sec)
- 1 egg (only use if you use the ricotta method)
-chopped cilantro (if you choose- it's optional)
- one package lasagna noodles (or flour tortillas- whatever you have!)
- a bit of canola oil
- salt and pepper
- small jar of your favorite salsa

How does it work?

Well, if you've ever made lasagna you are already a pro. That's all it is, Mexican-style lasagna. I like to take a basic lasagna recipe and then tweak it to include all of the above. Here's my method/what I do:

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x13 pan or dish, spread 1/3 cup of salsa all over the bottom (prevents stickage); boil the lasagna noodles until a tad undercooked. Not al dente, a little less cooked than that even. Drain and set aside. You also should have already pre-cooked your meat/poultry ahead of time. I like to get four bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, place them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 min. You can do this before prepping the lasagna or earlier in the day. Either is fine. You will NOT need all four of the breasts' meat. You will only need two, so will have the other two for whatever you choose. I like to shred all the meat at once, add half to the lasagna and freeze the other half for later. The nice thing about this meal is it actually makes three meals in one. You'll see later.

2. In a large, somewhat deep saucepan, saute the onion in the oil until tender. Add the garlic and saute just a min longer. Add the two cans of tomatoes, beans, and cooked meat. If the mixture seems super thick, add a 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine. Add taco seasoning. Stir again. Turn heat to low.

3. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1/2 cup your choice shredded cheese, sour cream, egg, chopped cilantro (however much you like), salt and pepper. Mix to combine all.

4. Now get ready to do some layering. In your 9x13, place a layer of noodles (or tortillas)- I like to cut mine up to fit well but you can do whatever. Top the noodles with enough of the meat mixture to cover the noodles (not too much! you will end up having a lot of sauce leftover and that's our plan here- don't stray from it!). Top the meat layer with one half of the ricotta cheese mix. Top that with a good dose of shredded cheese. Repeat all, beginning with noodle layer, then meat, then ricotta, then shredded cheese. Top with a third layer of noodles, salsa (not meat sauce!), and more shredded cheese.

5. Bake, covered with tinfoil, for 40 minutes. When timer is up, take foil off and bake 10 minutes longer so cheese gets nice and melty. Take out of oven and let sit 10 minutes to set up- this is important! Don't cut before it's set. You don't want it to runneth...it's not pretty.

There she is. Perfect every time. This photo obviously shows the dish not yet baked. I forgot to take a "final" shot. Forgive me.

Now, a few things. You will have a LOT of meat mixture leftover. That's perfect, my friends, because this will transform into another meal- use the mix in tacos, wraps, quesadillas, over rice/baked potato, as a base for chili, or some other thing of your choosing. You have now made two meals in one. Pour the meat mix in a tupperware, freeze & save for another meal. Dinner #2 done.

In addition to Dinner #1 (The Mexican lasagna) and Dinner #2 (the leftover meat mixture for later use) you will also have Dinner option #3, the leftover chicken. Use the leftover two shredded breasts for something else creative, such as a chicken salad, in a stew or soup, or stir fry. The possibilities are endless.

Another thing to add

I said I would tell you why I like ricotta. In traditional lasagna, you make the dish this way (meat sauce in a saucepan, ricotta mix in a separate bowl). The ricotta & egg mix helps to bind the the layers and make the whole dish less runny. Cottage cheese will work as a substitute but it still doesn't quite do the trick. If you choose, you don't have to make the cheese mixture in a separate bowl, you can leave out the ricotta/egg, and mix the shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salt and pepper (to taste) right into the meat mixture. That works too but make sure to omit the egg. Though, to be honest, my experience and method above works best to make a perfectly un-runny, easily sliced dish. Go for the ricotta.

There you have it, my friends, three meals in one with stuff you likely already have under your roof. How brilliant is that? It makes my "making do" days a whole lot easier, that's for sure!

Enjoy your weekend!

"Making Do" Week Continued...

2011-02-24T13:37:00.009-06:00

I have to admit, this whole "suriviving with what I've got" is really becoming quite fun.

But I have a little confession to make.

I still make weekly runs for fresh produce and dairy. Because, well, if I went for even a day without veggies I might just hurt something and if Mr. K went for a millisecond without milk- he might leave me.

Just kidding. Kind of.

Some of my mainstays (things I purchase weekly) are: Skim milk (husband), whole milk (son), soy milk (for me and our family smoothies), plain non-fat Greek yogurt, berries, spinach, broccoli, red onion, and one other salad veggie that trips my trigger. These are my core veggies- I couldn't live without spinach, broccoli, and red onion. I. just. couldn't.

I buy these exact items weekly. Not gonna lie. Though all of the above (pending I don't have leftovers of one from the week before) usually only totals about $15-20.  So $20 at the store/week is pretty darn good, I think! My goal is to do three weeks of $20 runs and then my one big week to re-stock (which honestly usually totals around $100 or a touch more depending on what we need. However our family saves a fair amount by only eating out once/week max, and not eating much meat (you will notice that many of the dishes on this blog are actually meatless- though I don't generally point this out because we don't consider it a big deal!).

We are NOT vegetarians. At all. Not a lick.

But we try to limit our intake in order to save a bit of money and eat healthier.  Again, being honest, this is by my choice- my husband would eat steak and potatoes every night if he could. But he doesn't complain at our daily fare- because, again, I don't make it a big deal and the dishes I do make are hearty and filling- mimicking the "meat" element. I utilize things like fish, beans, and cheese (we do a lot of bean stews, cheese/veggie pizza, eggs, fish, etc).   Another great way to "add meaty flavor" while not actually spending much is to include crumbled, good (think smoked applewood) bacon into the meatless dish.  You spend a touch more for the higher quality stuff but a little goes a LONG way, thus allowing you to use it in many dishes. When we do eat meat, it's something shredded or ground (generally chicken or turkey sausage) that can go far in a dish, as an accent to the meal rather than the main thing while allowing veggies to take center stage. Examples? Stir frys, soups, stews, casseroles, pasta dishes, quiche, etc. It saves the waistline and the wallet!

So, back to my continued week of "making do". I have a great one to highlight sometime in the next few days but for today I'm simply going to share my lunch fridge creation.

After scanning the paltry remnants of many random leftovers I found a few things that seemed to work.
I had:  1/2 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup cannellini beans, and 1/3 cup chopped roasted chicken- all would work well together, so I pulled those out.  Because I always, I repeat, always need some sort of veggie to make me happy, I created a salad out of my weekly produce, which today included: fresh salad greens, slivered red onion, blueberries, cucumber, sliced white buttom mushrooms, and light basalmic vinaigrette.

Yep, that should do it.

But what to make of the chicken, beans, and rice? Easy. I also have a lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper (all of the former make a perfect "drizzle", frozen peas, a tablespoon of capers, and some shredded parmesan. Voila- a meal is made. And I didn't even heat up the rice & chicken dish. It was perfect mixed up, straight from the fridge.

Meal in a flash, my friends. Here she is:

I couldn't function without veggies. They are my lifeline.

Pay no attention to the smudgy glass dish.

Boo for non-effective dishwasher detergent.

Satisfying. Healthy. Easy as pie.

A little fridge creation always brightens my spirits!

And saves a penny or two.

a little of this and that

2011-02-21T13:32:00.001-06:00

It is Monday. And the start of "make-do week" in this household. What does this mean exactly? Well, it being the end of the month with my grocery budget gone, I always see what I can create from the things I have- which is actually quite a fun activity.

I'm easily pleased.

Lunches are most enjoyable because I have only myself (and the tyke) to worry about and thus can be a little more creative. My love for these things has really helped get rid of a lot of random leftovers in my fridge:

Have you discovered them? I do believe I've mentioned them a time or two in the past. You can get 'em at any major grocery store these days. They are simply wraps (though not tough like tortillas, these are softer and tastier). They come in a variety of different flavors- my favorite is the multigrain but you can choose what you like. Check 'em out here.

I not only like them for their texture and flavor- but also because they are low in calories (only 100-120 depending on which kind you get) they have loads of protein and fiber to boot. A perfect package.

I've been known to grab whatever is lying around in my fridge and wrap it up in a Flatout. Ideas include but are not limited to: leftover meatloaf, eggs/black beans/salsa/guacamole, turkey/spinach/dijon/provolone, chicken/artichokes/sun dried tomatoes, etc. They are incredibly versatile.

Today- I had a hankering for egg salad and just so happened to hard boil some eggs last night so I thought, why not? It was the perfect opp to use one of the wraps. In my fridge I also had some spinach and leftover cabbage slaw so I threw 'em on the wrap first:

Then, after mixing up the egg salad (mine is simply 6 chopped hardboiled eggs, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt, some celery salt, pepper, a tablespoon of whole grain mustard, a tsp dry mustard, a dash of cayenne pepper, and some finely chopped celery), I realized I had a jar of these suckers chilling in my pantry:

My lovely Aunt Susie's divine clove-infused sweet pickles. Mmmmmm.

Don't they look positively delectable?

They are absolutely wonderful in egg salad. Thus, I chopped a few up and threw 'em into the mix. They add lovely color and a hint of sweetness that was otherwise lacking. BTW: sorry the photo below is sideways, it is my one peeve with Blogger- sometimes the photos don't do what I'd like them to.

Blogger- are you out there???

Fix this please. Thanks.

Throw the egg salad on top of the greenery and cabbage.

And, if you're like me, nothing is complete without a nice dose of cheese.

Good cheese, that is.

Like this:

So top it off with a bit of Havarti with dill (or whatever you have).

Yes, that should do it.

Wrap it all up, slice in half, and enjoy.

Now...what will tomorrow's meal hold?
Only time (and leftovers) will tell.

Happy February-in-closing!

Beans...the magical fruit.

2011-02-16T14:40:00.005-06:00

So, last week I embarked upon my own little blogging challenge (aren't there an array of "challenges" in the blogosphere right now??). I've seen challenges in an array of different areas but this one deals with recipes and the infamous "cookbook" storage.

Yes, I am a lover of cookbooks. Really I am a lover of books in every form. I just like 'em around. Honestly, if I hadn't married or had kids I would have been perfectly peachy to be surrounded by my book family. Yes, they are my family. No side comments.

I like to smell them, flip through their pages (you will never see this girl with a "Nook" or "Kindle" or any such thing- though those things are perfectly fine I just can't bring myself to partake). No, I enjoy books' timeless ability to please and seduce, to engross and indulge, to mystify and intrigue.

And why not add cookbooks to this pasttime? I don't see anything wrong with it. Especially now that cookbooks are beginning to include fancy photos, personal anecdotes, and backstory to the recipes themselves. Yes, cookbooks are becoming quite "readable" and not merely manuals to follow.

As a foodie, I've begun to collect them wherever I go: at library book sales, garage sales, travel destinations, and secondhand stores. For some reason they call to me. Beckon me. They long to become a part of my family. Kind of like when animal-lovers go to a pet store to pick up dog food and come home with three more pets? Yeah, like that. You know what I mean. Don't hide. This is a corporate support group, we are all friends.

Just say it after me: "My name is _____ and I am a _____ addict." It's okay, we understand.

But back to the premise. Wow. See? You wouldn't indulge in this blog if it weren't for my tangents...we all love reading something! Or maybe you are just irritated with me. Don't answer that.

Anyway. Thus my love for cookbooks, and my love for a particular food-maven (Ina Garten) has led me to select one of my favorite culinary anthologies (The Barefoot Contessa at Home) and try to make as many recipes as I can out of it, pending the chosen selection are suitable for my family's tastes, time, resources, and budget. This week's recipe is certainly easy on the budget.

Last week I highlighted Ina's delightful Banana Bran Muffins, which have become a mainstay at my morning meal, mainly because a) they are tasty with a dollop of peanut butter and b) I am growing a baby and thus my digestive system needs some major help most days. Don't dwell on the latter to much.

I beg you.

This week, I am showcasing another tried-and-true recipe, one that you might be turned off by at first simply for it's lack of carnivorous appeal- but oh does it fully satisfy. Fully. You will not even miss the meat. However if you just. plain. need. it. you can certainly add some bits of cooked ham, chicken, or even beef (not ground- I'd go with beef chunks). But truly- it is hearty enough for even the manliest of men. My husband laps it up. And he is a very meat-and-potatoes kind of man. In fact, he defines the term. But not here- this is perfect all it's own.

The loot? This stuff:

Lentils. Particularly in stew-form. So really, more like this:

Yeah. Now don't immediately close your browser. Seriously. There have been many-a-lentil stews done wrong and this is not one of them. It has full flavor, lacks in nothing, and gets better as it sits (so leftovers are a MUST). It's delightful with homemade bread, or our choice, chapati (always a must with beany-stews 'round these parts), and will fill you up without additional sides to prepare. It's that good.

Again- this blog exists to make you attempt new things, and show you how UN-intimidating foods truly are. TRY IT. You will be blown away by the flavor.

Here she is:

Ina's Lentil Stew

2 tsp olive oil
2 C large-diced yellow onions (2 onions)
2 C large-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 C dry lentils (please don't use canned)
2 C chicken stock (if you are vegetarian, feel free to substitute vegetable broth!)
2 tsp curry powder (don't leave this out!)
2 tsp dried (or fresh), crushed thyme leaves
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a medium to large pot (not stockpot). Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils.

2. To the pot add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth, curry, thyme, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Check occasionally to be sure the liquid is still simmering.

3. Remove from heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, season to taste, and serve hot with some fresh bread to lap it up!

Truly, you cannot go wrong with this hearty dish. It is the perfect chilly winter warming meal. Or, honestly, I've had it cold- I don't discriminate. The longer those flavors mingle in your fridge or freezer, the merrier they taste the second, third, and twentieth time around. It. just. gets. better. Make sure you have a good chunky piece of bread to soak up all that beautiful broth.

It's lovely.

So long for now until next week's recipe (or maybe this week?)...only time will tell!

Ina and Abbie?

2011-02-09T10:10:00.003-06:00

Okay so...my title doesn't flow like Julie and Julia.

Has anyone seen the above movie/read the book? If not, don't read the book, it's awful, the movie is much better. "Julie" is a little too vocal in political/sexual/and colorful language preferences in the written version- turned me off completely while reading but the movie is quite clean and endearing. And I just love Meryl Streep. She can do no wrong.

Which brings me to my title. Again.

Ina Garten, too, can do no wrong. She cannot.

Noticing that ~~I love her~~ I own at least three of her cookbooks I've decided to try to "work my way through" each of them (or at least one) a la Julie & Julia. Again, if you haven't seen the movie or read the book the premise deals with a typical modern blogger (Julie) who decides to blog and cook her way through Julia Child's two volumes of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She has some major failures and successes- all of which contribute to the meat of her story. I liked the idea itself and, like most people, I own far too many cookbooks that seem to gather more dust than wear n' tear. So rather than let them grow yellow and musty, I've decided I'm going to put them to good use.

Thus the decision: I am going to work my way through one of Ina's culinary anthologies. Quite honestly- the reason I chose Ina is because:

a) She's a goddess.
b) I have never encountered a bad recipe of hers...they all turn out perfect. Every. Time.
c) She uses all fresh, easy-to-find ingredients except some of her odd-flavored liquors- but really, she makes me want to buy them simply because she knows her stuff and anything she says I will do. Yes. I am THAT person. Don't deny it- you are too. If you know and like her, that is.
d) Did I mention she's a goddess?

Okay.

So...I think I will choose Barefoot Contessa at Home:

Reason being? I have a few tried and true recipes in here I return to constantly. Therefore I know it's good- but was that really a question? I may skip over a couple of recipes if they are incredibly impractical (warm duck salad? Pretty sure I'm not going to make duck...just keepin' it real), or I know there is no way on this side of heaven my husband would eat it (Summer borscht? Otherwise known as beet soup- yeah, not gonna happen under this roof!) or I simply don't have the kitchen utensils needed (anything grilled- unfortunately we have a defective grill, I suppose I could always invest in a grill pan. Hmm.). But I'm going to try as many as I can. However I may tweak a recipe to make it a touch healthier or to accomodate what I have on hand. But Ina wouldn't disagree- it's what all real chefs do. You have to be flex!

So why choose Ina?

Because, like I said- Ina is my go-to chef. She can do no wrong. She isn't classically trained and yet she has more practical gastronomic knowledge than others who have made a life of cooking. She is honest about her failures and simple in execution. I adore her.

Can you tell?

So yes. This is my new feat. It may only be one or two recipes a week, tops. But I will attempt it.

So here we go. My first recipe is one I've perfected. I've made these constantly over the past few weeks due to the dismal side effects of pregnancy- it does nasty things to your digestive system. I will refrain from sharing more. Trust me, you don't want to know.

Anyway. Here she is!

Banana Bran Muffins

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home)

Ingredients:

2 cups unprocessed wheat bran
2 cups buttermilk, shaken
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar or other sweetener (these muffins are not super sweet so if you like them sweeter, add a bit more sugar, honey, or agave nectar- I'm not a too-sweet person!)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce*
4 extra-large eggs, at room temp
1/2 cup mild molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
2.5 cups whole wheat flour*
1/3 cup wheat germ*
1/3 cup ground flaxseed*
1.5 tsp cinnamon*
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups mashed banana (2 bananas)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)

*These are all items I added/changed to make 'em a bit healthier! You can certainly use the original recipe and leave them out! Click on the above link to find the original recipe.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or simply spray the wells.

2. Combine the bran and buttermilk and set aside. Cream the butter, applesauce, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until fully combined. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape the bowl and then add the molasses and vanilla. Add the bran/buttermilk mixture and combine.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flaxseed meal, and wheat germ. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and mix just until combined. Don't overmix!

4. Fold in (with a spatula) the bananas, raisins, and nuts.

5. With an ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill the muffin cups to 3/4 full and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans or on wire rack.

I like to cut mine in half and slather with peanut butter and honey. SO tasty and satisfying!

They have this incredible ability to keep ya movin'.

Yeah.

Sorry, I'm done.

Diamond in the Rough

2011-01-29T15:27:00.001-06:00

Now how many of you would put Brussels sprouts on your "never, never, never in a million years" list?

Shame on you. Don't be a hater. These forlorn cabbages have been mistreated and abused for years. Abandoned and left in the far corners of the freezer- only to be used in times of severe famine and under desperate measures.

What a sorry life they've had.

For their many years of ridicule and scorn they have been pining away, waiting for someone to realize their full potential- to recognize them for what they are.

Diamonds in the rough.

Yessir. These bad boys have become my. favorite. veggie. Not kidding. Not even a smidge.

They have pushed aside broccoli and spinach (my other two toppies) and oddly became my new love. In the kitchen, that is. For all those of you who have had the mistreated, misused, misinterpreted version I apologize on behalf of all Brussels sprouts everywhere.

You don't know what you're missin'.

Quite frankly, if you've had a nasty sprout it is likely because you did not have it the proper way: fresh (not canned), slowly roasted (not overcooked), and sprinkled with cheese.

Did the cheese part spark your fancy? Because, I mean really, anything with a good dose of cheese can't be bad right? That's what gives children the incentive to eat the second most dreaded greenery, broccoli.

But only a dab'll do ya. If the Brussels sprout is cooked properly, you only need a light sprinkling of cheese, preferably freshly grated Parmesan, to make it shine.

So let's get started redeeming these suckers, shall we?

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
-1 to 1.5 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- ground pepper (to your liking)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut off the ends of the sprouts and pull off dead or yellowed outer leaves. Cut sprouts in half. Place discarded ends & leaves in one bowl and halved sprouts in another. Dump the discarded pieces in the garbage. Mix halved sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper in their bowl, stir to combine.
3. Place sprouts halved side up on a greased cookie sheet and roast 35-40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside (take a taste test why dont ya??).
4. During the last 5 minutes, take sprouts out of oven and sprinkle Parmesan over top, and a pinch more salt if needed. Place back in oven for remaining 5 minutes.
5. Take out and serve- YUM YUM YUM.

Here they are, cut and ready (I put them on a pan first to make them look nicer for your viewing pleasure but you will simply put them in a bowl to mix with oil, salt, and pepper. It's all about presentation here folks.

Who could hate these cuties? Adorable, I tell you.

Get your oil and either sprinkle it right onto the pan or mix them together in a bowl, your choice.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Gorgeousness.

Bake at 400 for 40ish minutes- taking out just before serving to sprinkle with Parmesan. Place back in oven to let the cheese melt a bit. Take out again and serve it up.

Mmmmm.

Now really. This is perfection on the plate and in the tummy. Greenery doesn't get any better than this.

I triple dog dare you to try it. You will be forever sorry you didn't discover their magnificence sooner. But no worries, you can always make up for lost time.

And pssst, for the record, even my 21 month old son devours these.

Just sayin'.

My New Toy...

2011-01-22T15:36:00.014-06:00

Santa was very good to me this year. Or rather, my husband was. I didn't ask for anything but was blessed with more than I could have asked for- all things that will be put to good use in the kitchen! Mr. K knows me well.

The loot?

Pyrex glass measuring cups- in multiple sizes.

A new glass 9x13 Pyrex dish with a carrying case

Some decaf Cafe Verona

Lindt's Chile Dark Chocolate Bar

A new Cuisinart coffee maker

And.....dun-dun-dun-dah!

A pristine Cuisinart 1.5 quart frozen yogurt and ice cream machine!

Ahh, yes. Isn't she lovely?

As some of you may not know- I am currently 11 weeks pregnant with our second sweet little one. Thus the decaf Verona (no caffeine for this gal) and the homemade ice cream maker. My cravings have been quite random- but ice cream usually tops the list (along with pineapple, limes, and Taco Bell. Yeah.).

So this little contraption was the perfect accompaniment to my current state. Perfect.

Thus to break it in and test it out- I made, of course, the original favorite: vanilla bean ice cream.

It was the perfect first test run- and it turned out beautifully. Was it the cook or the machine? We will never know...but as easy as it was I'm going with the machine. All I did was stir, watch, wait, then dump. It's quite the change from the old-school cranking ice cream makers that involved copious amounts of rock salt and lots of arm muscle. This beauty fits on your countertop and involves nothing but some dumping and the flick of a switch. Amazing.

Thank you, Cuisinart. Or rather, the engineer who designed it.

Vanilla Bean Custard-style Ice Cream

(courtesy of the Cuisinart manual)

Ingredients:

- 2 cups whole milk (or 2% if you want to lighten up- I wouldn't use skim though)

- 2 cups heavy cream (or half and half if you want to make it lighter)

- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided

- pinch salt

- 1 whole vanilla bean, halved and the seeds scraped (but save them!)

- 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract

(note: because there are so few ingredients make sure that you use only the very best of everything! It will make the ice cream taste incredible)

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, whisk together the milk, cream, half of the sugar, salt, and the scraped vanilla bean (including both the seeds and pod). Bring the mixture just to a boil.

2. While the milk/cream mixture is heating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl. Using hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat until mixture is pale and thick.

3. One the milk/cream mixture has come to a slight boil, whisk about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the yolk/sugar mixture. Add another 1/3 of the mixture, then return the combined mixture to the saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coars the back of the spoon. This mixture must NOT boil or the yolks with overcook- the process should only take a few minutes.

4. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer (discard the vanilla pod) and bring to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.

5. Turn on the ice cream maker; pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 20 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Serve or save in sealed containers:

Simply gaze upon her gloriousness:

Now please excuse me while I satisfy my afternoon craving for creamy, milky, vanilla-y goodness...

Resolutions Schmezolutions.

2010-12-28T15:46:00.001-06:00

Whew.

Now that the Christmas gatherings are over and the cookies are all (mostly) eaten, I now have time to sit down and take a breather. So what do I do? Share more delectable desserty recipes with you all.

That's right, I am feeding you more sugar folks. No worries, it isn't the new year yet. Just endulge a bit longer, why don't ya?

I knew you'd agree. Or maybe you don't. Ah well, I'm sharing anyway.

I am about to divulge three of my time-tested, oft-made, no-fail, unanimously-loved sweet treats to you. Be ready. Are you? Okay then.

First up: Salted Nut Roll Bars.

These sweet n' salty bars are actually a family recipe, passed down through my father's side. My Aunt Phoebe makes these bad boys far better than I do. Somehow mine never look as good, or hold up as superbly, but they always taste just as fabulous. And I do believe that's all that matters. I also think she's holding some little prep secret that she refuses to share. I will get it out of her someday.

But alas, my friends, no worries! You CAN make these- it's super easy and like I said, they taste spectacular every time. And they taste much better than these drab things:

Yes. Please just refrain from buying the above product. SO not even worth it when compared to these bad boys.

Ingredients:

-1 package yellow cake mix
-1/3 cup butter, melted
-1 egg
-3 cups mini-marshmallows
-2/3 cup white corn syrup
-1/4 cup butter
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-One 10 oz package peanut butter chips (look like choc. chips only peanut butter)
-2 to 3 cups dry roasted peanuts

Instructions:

-Mix first three ingredients and pat into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
-Remove pan from oven and immediately cover with marshmallows. Place pan back in oven for 2-3 minutes or until marshmallow puffup. Remove and cool COMPLETELY.

-In a saucepan put the following: white corn syrup and 1/4 cup butter. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter chips. Stir until smooth. Pour over cooled marshmallows. Immediately cover with peanuts- press nuts slightly into peanut butter chip layer.

-Let sit at least 2 hours before cutting.

-Take a bite and savor the salty-sweet combo. Share them (or don't). Your choice. These also freeze well in an airtight container for up to one month.

Next up: Mock Peanut Buster Parfait

This is actually a dessert I sort of made up because I had a craving but didn't feel like driving to DQ. Yeah, I'm lazy sometimes. However not lazy enough to sit around and pine away. I made my own version of the original masterpiece and...well, I've now come to prefer my own! Take that, Dairy Queen. I can make a whole pan of the stuff for far less than it would cost me to drive there and purchase it...and have more for later. Shabam. Forget about this:

When instead you can create this:

It's really quite simple, and can be moulded to your own preferred tastes. I made this one with an Oreo crust but I think next time I will try pretzel for another salty layer. Don't let this recipe be the be-all, end-all for you. Feel free to tweak and change, add and subtract whatever you like. I love recipes like these because they have endless possibilities.

Ingredients:

-26 (one package) regular Oreos (or knock-off brand, I actually use Newman-O's).
-1/2 cup butter, melted
-half gallon (or more if you like it towering high, like myself) vanilla ice cream- I like Breyer's
-2.5 cups unsalted dry roasted peanuts
-two small jars, or one large, fudge ice cream topping (or make your own)
-one 9 oz container whipped topping (or make your own)

Instructions:

-Crush Oreos in a food processor or place in large ziploc bag and crush with a meat mallet until pulverized. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter, press into a 9x13 baking glass baking dish (I like glass because you can see the layers, feel free to use metal or ceramic!). Freeze 20 minutes. Take out ice cream and let soften on the counter.

-After pan has been in freezer 20 minutes, take it out and spread softened ice cream over top of the cookie layer. Place back in freezer for another 20 minutes.

-Spoon fudge sauce liberally over top of ice cream layer, reserving 1/3 cup. Top with 1.5 cups peanuts (press them into the fudge layer a bit). Place back in freezer for 20 minutes.

-Take pan out (yet again) and top with whipped topping. Sprinkle remaining nuts over top and drizzle remaining fudge sauce over top. Freeze again, tightly covered with tin foil or plastic wrap, until ready to serve (at least one hour).

- Enjoy the money you just saved NOT driving to DQ- and having plenty of leftovers to boot.

The two above treats are easy knock-offs of the originals. And- to be quite honest, they taste a heck of a lot better than the prepackaged, pre-made, pre-blah versions. Just take my word for it.

The final recipe is not my own (gasp). It is my close personal friend, Ina Garten's (Ha. I wish.).

Lastly: Ina's Lemon Yogurt Cake

Don't let the first two words fool you. Though this sounds "light" and "healthy"- it's extremely decadent and not overly good for you (which should be a stipulation for all desserts, I mean really- who wants to eat a "healthy" dessert?! Not me, no thanks). However this one will make you feel slightly better about indulging because it's made with a fair amount of yogurt, citrusy lemon zest, and canola oil- which is heart healthy. So there you go- justify it all you want! Just don't look at the sugar content. That will send you crashing back to earth.

However because I'm lazy...and because my fingers are tired of typing, I'm going to let you find the recipe for this one on your own via the link above. Sorry- but it's easier that way! Enjoy it though- it's a crowd pleaser. The density of each bite is to-die-for. The pop of lemony goodness refreshing and vibrant. The finger-licking frosting will leave you slurping at your digits for hours after. Ina knows her stuff.

Now go in peace, my friends. And don't let the year-end holidays leave you full and dissatisfied. Go ahead and have a few more treats on me and ring in the new year with flavor and pizzazz!

Here's to a succulent, flavorful, juicy, delightful 2011!

Happy New Year.

All I Want for Christmas....

2010-12-13T13:59:00.005-06:00

As I've grown older, my tastes have blossomed regarding Christmas gifts. No longer are the days where all I want is my two front teeth (that was second grade- and I did comically lose both right before Christmas). No, now I have refined my endeavors to include much more dignified, practical, inexpensive gifts.

Ha. If there is anything I am not- it is overly practical. That's my husband, and he does it well. One of us needs to bring the spice and pizzazz. I happily took over that role!

But I must say that Mr. K is loving, gracious, kind, and thoughful. Each gift fom him is carefully considered and planned. He isn't one to do things on a whim or get me something he know I wont use (that's the practicality coming in)- nor do I want something I wont use.

Now I am not entirely impractical. I will never buy a large, sprawling house (even if I had the money someday) because I don't want to furnish, clean, or heat/cool it. I am not big into fashion- I buy timeless items that will work as trends ebb and flow (and my absolute favorite go-to store is Target). I steer clear of wasteful spending (buying name-brand, going out to eat often, buying my son toys/candy/games that he will like for a second then forget about, etc).

That said, I am a gift-giver, I adore blessing others with little-somethings. And I love receiving personal, thoughtful gifts. You can always tell how much time/effort/thought someone put into your gift. Homemade are the best kind, second are those gifts that you know the other person will just adore. And you don't have to spend a ton of money.

But I am getting off-subject. Sort of. I've been known to do that.

The gifts below are on my list this year. And I must say- though I would use each of them, they are not entirely cheap or fully homemade. But they are ones that would fit me to-a-T. They are for the food-lover/baker/chef. Or the non-chef. Your pick.

Item #1: Ina Garten's new cookbook. Of course- I mean, is there anything else that would top my list?

Because, really- who wouldn't want to make these delectable delights?

Like her herbed ricotta bruschetta:

Or spicy turkey meatballs.

Or her cran-apple gingerbread cake?
I am not even a fruitcake person and this looks goooood.
It makes me want to change my ways.

And since I already know I am getting this...

(My husband was no-so-secretive in his shopping persuits)

A Cuisinart ice cream/frozen yogurt maker (in white, not red),

I must then partake in making Ina's espresso ice cream:

Yes, I must.

Or this intriguing flavor:

Vanilla-white-pepper ice cream. It sounds interesting.

Thus, I will need these vanilla bean pods in my stocking:

And perhaps this, just for kicks:

Mmmm, that should be a sufficient start to my ice-cream making

persuits. Now, for my addictions.

I actually bought myself one of these for my stocking but have since used it multiple times oops. I am saving the environment. Reusable cups are quite handy:

And this is always a stand-by, not-to-disappoint gift:

Cafe Verona, mmm. Smooth, non-acidic. Chocolatey.

Transports me to Italy, even for a second.

This another perfect stocking stuffer for this girl:

Anything Kashi brand. I love it. Fiber and protein.

And tasty. And satisfying.

When I don't have time to make this, I eat the above for breakfast.

It's an almost-perfect substitute.

Some more practical, cost-effective, "give-back" gifts include:

Tom's Shoes.

Buy one pair, donate a pair. Proceeds go towards helping children in developing nations have footwear of their own, all the while you get to wear these sweet duds as a remembrance of your support.

Snack Taxi snack bags.

My sis-in-law clued me in to these neat little things. Reusable, chic snack bags that are handmade and washable.

This books is fabulous for creating a home that is entirely homemade, full of traditions and rituals, a home that doesn't need added "things" to make it full of life and love. A great read!

Make your own Advent calendar. I'll feature mine soon, but this one is just as cute! You can put whatever you want on the backside of your cards. Fun family activities to do together, scripture to read, anything you like!

Buy this sweet water bottle and every penny of the purchase goes to buying one person clean water for life in Africa and elsewhere. It's a HUGE need in the world that most of us here in the U.S. have no concept of. Matt Damon heads up http://www.water.org/- check it out!

Or you can purchase various goods & necessities for people who have none. Things like sheep, goats, chickens, a water pump, clothing, medical supplies. All of varying prices. It's the perfect way to bless others while giving a bit of yourself.

What is on your list this year?

It can be practical or impractical, cheap or over the moon, homemade or store-bought. If I had everything on my dream list it would have included a trip to Italy to learn how to make pasta. Or to India to see where Mother Teresa served. Or France to perfect the art of baguette-making and eat artisan cheese. Or to South America to pick my own fair trade coffee beans with the locals and learn how to roast them. Or back to Africa to see all the friends we made and have a chapati-making party with them.

We can't have it all.

But we are allowed to dream...

Or bring dreams to others.

Fall Flavors

2010-11-16T10:56:00.010-06:00

How do you define "autumn"?

To some, it may be the smell of burning leaves, the first nip in the air, unearthing cable-knit sweaters and packing away the shorts. To others fall is defined by the flavors it summons. I am of the latter.

Apples, squash, pears, roasted chestnuts, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, hearty stews and the smell of cinnamon. Gingerbread, candy canes, caramel, baked ham, Brussels sprouts, chutneys, cranberry relish, and turkey roasting are soon-on-the-heels of the above.

It's my absolute favorite time of year. Absolute. Hands down. No-other-season-comes-close.

I adore autumn.

I long for the first days of winter. These chillier months cause us to seek the warmth of family, friends, food, and fellowship. The cold beckons us in, among the hearth, where alluring aromas waft from the kitchen.

If summer is about being outside, about partaking in succulent fresh fruit and grilled veggies, then fall and winter are defined by staying in, by the savory, deep, rich flavors that come from the earth. From the harvest.

During the summer I cook less, opting for quick meals that take little time to prepare so that we can get the most out of the warm weather. But when autumn sets in I am beckoned back into the kitchen, among my dutch ovens and cast iron skillets. The kitchen begs to be revisited, and I am ready.

This is it. We have entered the season. Welcome, fall-almost-winter. I've missed you.

To celebrate, I'm sharing two of my all-time favorite fall treats. Both are sweet-treats, but satisfying and light.

Enjoy, my friends!

Apple Praline Bread

This recipe is adapted from one I found here. I've added/changed a few things to make it a bit healthier.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 (8-oz.) container plain, non-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
1/2 cup applesauce or apple butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples (about 3/4 lb.)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes. Don't burn!

2. Beat yogurt and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

3. Stir together flour and next 5 ingredients. Add to yogurt mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped, untoasted pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or a touch longer until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. If you notice the top browning too quickly, shield with aluminum foil until finished baking. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

5. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour). Makes 1 loaf.

Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Here a few shots of the finished product:

The topping is quite sinful.

Don't. Think. About. It. People.

Really.

Just remember the wheat germ and flaxseed meal....

And yogurt.

All of which makes it somewhat better on the waistline.

Ha.

Next Up, Pumpkin Pudding!

Ingredients:

-2 Tbsp granulated sugar
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-3 Tbsp cornstarch
-1 1/2 cups half-and-half
-3 large egg yolks
-1 Tbsp salt
-1 Tbsp molasses
-1/2 cup boiling water
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (make sure it is pure pumpkin and not pie filling!)
-Your choice whipped cream

Instructions:

1. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add half-and-half, egg yolks, molasses, and salt; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. Add the water in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Stir in pumpkin puree; cook until very thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Pour into desired serving dishes, refrigerate until set. Makes 4 cups.

2. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and savor the flavor of autumnal bliss!

OR if you are fancy-schmancy and want to jazz up your pudding you can serve it in hollowed-out little pumpkins, a la Martha:

Or, you can create a lovely trifle. I have actually done this (not my photo) and it is absolutely divine. Just layer with crushed gingersnaps or cut up gingerbread, whipped cream, and/or your choice of nuts.

There you go, my friends.

Enjoy every moment of this flavorful season.

Excuse me while I go sip my caramel brulee latte and ponder

what I shall delight you with next...

Life Lately.

2010-10-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

My life as-of-late has been a little harried. To say the least.

That said, I have not cooked much (Mr. K can attest to this) and we have been surviving on [gasp] leftovers, mainly in the form of casseroles.

Now I hail from Iowa. Thus, I was born and raised on casseroles.

There is nothing wrong with them. Don't be a hater.

Whoever invented this brilliant idea was a genius. One pot meals are a Godsend. Yes. They. Are. Especially for the working Mama. Like myself. I recently scored a long-term subbing gig and have since been spending the majority of my days in a junior high classroom.

Pray for me.

It has been good but I can honestly say you couldn't PAY me to go back to my pre-pubescent, hormonal, everything-is-drama days. Oh Lord, why was middle-school created?

If someone could please inform me that would be fabulous. Please and thankyouverymuch.

But I digress.

Casseroles. And one-dish meals.

Lately I have been making the rounds with a few of my favorites. Dishes that freeze well and taste justasgood, if not better, the second time around.

What are these?

Well let me share.

1) Lasagna. One of the most popular "casseroles" around. I am of the Italian-turkey-sausage-is-the-only-way-to-go camp but you can use whatever ground meat you like. Or veggies. Or whatever.

2) Chicken Corn Chowder. Freezes beautifully, is mildly spicy and intensely flavorful. It's one of Mr. K's favs. Pair it with some good crusty bread and you have the perfect autumn meal.

3) Pulled pork. This stuff is incredibly versatile. If you make up a few pounds, you can use it for sandwiches, stews, quesadillas, on a BBQ pizza, the list is endless. It's definitely a go-to. Pair it with Rudy's BBQ Sauce and you have yourself a carnivorous feast.

4) Homemade pizza. I pre-freeze the dough in portion-size balls and take it out, letting it rise throughout the day while I'm gone. When I come home all I have to do is punch it down, roll it out, dress it up, and bake it!
The link will guide you to a friend's webpage- who featured my recipe a while back.

5) Meatloaf. This is SUCH a comfort food in our family. I like to pair it with some fresh, roasted brussels sprouts and some sort of potato (usually baked sweet potatoes or rosemary roasted fingerlings). My son loves it. Loves it, I tell you. And Mr. K has come around- he now asks for seconds. This is a big leap from previous years. He's a work-in-progress.

So yes. Those are my must-haves lately. Or rather, my quick-fixes.

What meals do you go-to when life gets crazy? And please don't tell me "takeout". Boo! I want to know what homemade meals you make in a flash.

Do share.

PS- I apologize for my lack-of-postage after the London trip. Unfortunately I was not able to hit up The Cheshire Cheese. I was quite depressed about it. I may-or-may-not have cried. Maybe. But I did visit many yummy a la carte eateries! I may feature one in particular in the near future :)

Merry Ol' London

2010-09-22T10:59:00.001-05:00

Wow. Haven't seen or heard from me in a while, have you? This summer has been particularly full of events and happenings. Recently I returned from a week in the wooded peaks of Colorado- an enjoyable time with family, hiking and eating loads of comfort food. It's always refreshing to return from a week in the mountains- my entire self feels rejuvenated and alive.

How does that happen? Must be the fresh mountain air.

Anyway- next stop on this girl's traveling list is London.

Yes, London.

I will be leaving in a few short hours for my first jaunt in this cosmopolitan city. I just realized I have never spent much time in a western, developed country that is not my own. I have been to China, all over eastern Africa, and Mexico- but these are developing nations (save China which is rapidly becoming a superpower, if not already).

That said, I am thrilled to go. More like, on-the-edge-of-my-seat giddy in anticipation. I have already mapped out my entire trip, printed off gobs of info, read the travel guides, read other collateral books (Oliver Twist, Persuasion, 84 Charing Cross Road, etc) and now I. am. ready.

However, being the foodie that I am, I cannot go to a place and NOT make a meal plan. With all of my world travels the very first thing I do is find a local hot-spot and eat like the natives do.

Which is why, of course, I had to find the quintessential English pub to dine in.

OF course.

I think I have found it in Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street. I mean, this place is a relic.

Check it out.

Samuel Johnson, Charles Dickens, Voltaire, and Thackaray all have sipped brews and eaten pub grub at this joint. This tavern has been situated in this very same location since 1538.

That's older than America, folks, by a few hundred years!

The place burned down during The Great Fire of 1666 but was rebuilt he very next year.

Here is a list, on the pub's wall, of all the monarchs who have reined during this

establishment's existence.

How incredible is that?!

I am such a sucker for historical hot spots.

Another place I hope to enjoy is the local chain Marks and Spencer.

It's a department store of sorts with a nice selection of food and wine.

It's a great place to pick up supplies for a picnic lunch in Hyde Park.

And it too, has historical relevance having been first opened for

business in 1884 by Michael Marks, a Polish Jew and Thomas Spencer,

a cashier from Yorkshire.

They began as a retail business specializing in clothing

but soon moved on to bigger and better (and greater, in my opinion) merchandise.

i.e. FOOD.

And me-oh-my, don't these look tasty?

Yes, I would like me one of those and one of those

and, OH!, how about one of those.

Yes, please.

There are also a few other places I plan to hit, such as the Wagamama

Noodle Cafe, an interesting-sounding place in itself, some good Thai

food (apparently they have a great deal of international hot spots),

afternoon tea at The Orangery in Kensington Palace or perhaps

in Bath when we attend the Jane Austen festival.

Oh, dear. I am a Brit-at-heart already.

Hopefully I return.

Mr. K will send out a search party if I don't.

I'll keep you posted.

See you in a few!

Light and Sweet

2010-08-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

[Note: wrote this post back in June but for some odd reason failed to publish! Ah well, here she is!]

Wow! It has been a few weeks, hasn't it? It's okay- I'm here. Don't be worrying 'bout me.

Just in case you were. Doubt it but thought I'd allow your mind to rest at ease anyway.

It's summer, things are a little more laid back. Enjoyable. Carefree.

I had a great weekend. Mr. K and I celebrated doubly- our anniversary and my birthday- with a three day staycation, sans-child, doing things that we just don't do much of these days.

Eating out,
watching movies,
long walks without the stroller,
more eating out.
You know, those kinds of things.

Due to the vast amounts of restaurant-consumption I have not been utilizing my own kitchen lately.

For shame, I know.

Oh but it's lovely not having to cook sometimes, wouldn't you agree?

Yes, indeed.

However. This little recipe brought my oven back to life.
I had a craving. A monstrumental craving for something deep and rich, yet light and sweet. Something that was healthy enough to make me not feel too badly about eating two large pieces in one sitting- but decadent enough to make my tastebuds swoon.

Yes, this is that thing.

And really, I suppose I had to use some beyond-their-prime bananas.
So, you know, naturally I chose to make something that would revive those suckers.

What is this thang?

It's Hummingbird Cake, my loves.

And it is mighty fine.

Hummingbird Cake:
Unsalted butter
parchment paper
2 1/4 C flour, divided (you can do part whole wheat, part white if you like- I did!)
1 C toasted pecan pieces
3 ripe bananas, finely chopped
1/2 C fresh pineapple, finely chopped
1/2 C shredded coconut (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C vegetable oil

Frosting:
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temp
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed, room temp
2 C powdered sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 8" cake pans, line with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment.

2. Toast pecans in oven by placing them on a cookie sheet and popping them in your preheated oven for 6-8 minutes- don't burn them! Toss bananas, pineapple, coconut, and a half cup flour in a small bowl.

3. Whisk remaining ingredients (2 1/4 C flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla in a stand-mixer (or with a handheld) on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in oil.

4. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, add banana mixture & nuts, then transfer batter to pans. Bake until firm and toothpick comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Cool 25 minutes then invert cakes onto rack to cool completely.

5. Make frosting. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy, gradually beat in butter until combined. Sift sugar over cheese and beat until smooth. Add zest and vanilla.

6. Frost and serve. Optional: you can toast extra pecans, or save some for placing on top and sides of cake, like I did! Makes it look purdier ;)

So...normally I show you all the ingredients in a neat little

group, all tidy and proper-like.

Not today.

This is the real deal.

Welcome to my (typical) beautiful mess:

Just keepin' it real, folks.

Line your buttered pans with parchment.
Butter and flour the parchment.
I feel like Ina every time I say "parchment".
This makes me tingle inside.
[tingle, tingle]

Toast your pecans.

There is nothing more heavenly than the smell of toasted nuts.

Except maybe onion and garlic sauteing.

Or granola baking in the oven.

Mmmmm, love it all.

Mix up your dry ingredients in a bowl.

Chop up those elderly bananas.

Mix 'em with a the coconut, pineapple, and a

bit of flour in a separate bowl.

Turn to your lovely KitchenAid

What would life BE like without my mixer?

Primitive.

Or basically akin to my entire African experience...

but that's another story, or twenty, for another day.

Mix up those eggs, sugar, and honey.

Mmmm, all good things begin with eggs and sugar.

I'm reminded of this little beauty.

Just made that one this week.

I won't divulge how much I've eaten so far.

After the eggs and sugars are well-mixed, add in

the dry ingredients, mix well, then incorporate

your bowl of fruit, flour, & coconut.

Lastly, add in the pecans.

Divide and pour the batter into your two prepared pans.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in

the center of each comes out clean.

Pull those bad boys out of the oven, let cool a bit, then invert

onto a rack to cool completely.

While they are cooling, make your frosting.

Sorry- no photos on frosting prep. Forgot! It happens.

Once the cakes are cool, grab your frosting and start

assembling the cake.

Top it all with more toasted pecans,

if you so desire.

I desired, therefore, I did.

Do as I do.

All the cool people are doing it.

Oh my.

Yes, yes indeed.

Light. Sweet. Desirable.

The perfect way to revive bananas.

The ideal way to spend a summer evening.

Or afternoon.

Or morning.

I promise I've NEVER had this for breakfast.

Ahem.

What? It has nuts...and fruit.

And eggs.

It's justified.

Penne Perfection

2010-07-30T13:59:00.000-05:00

Pasta and I are friends.

Best friends.

I have to admit, when the whole "no carb" craze hit I was horrified.
What? Pasta is bad for me? [shock and awe].

But..then I realized people are just ridiculous.

Pasta is an art form. Pasta is perfection. Pasta is...well...amazing.

If people want to give it up- that's their prerogative. But is isn't mine. I am of the "eat a small amount and savor every piece" than inhale-a-heaping-bowl-and-five-buttered-rolls-to-boot. I'm not willing to give up pasta, so I'll just have it in moderation and love. every. bite.

I mean, who could possibly fail to love the variety of shapes and textures?

You can even buy Bart Simpson pasta,

for cryin' out loud!

Who knew?

And don't get me started on the neverending

galaxy of carbilicious recipes at my fingertips...

literally.

I am forever indebted to the smart computer geniuses

who blessed me with the internet.

My stomach thanks you.

So anyway- pasta is amazing.

Now that we have stated the obvious let me share this insane recipe with you.

Insane, I tell you.

Pioneer Woman's Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta.

Yes.

That's the one.

Now let me tell you a few things about penne.

Penne is my favorite pasta to work with.

There are actually a couple varieties, the two most common being

Penne lisce (smooth):

And penne rigate (furrowed):

I prefer the latter for its shape and texture.

The tubular center enables it to hold sauce,

and the angular ends act as scoops.

Penne rigate's ridges hold in even more saucy goodness

and give a different textural sensation to the palate than lisce.

However many pasta die-hards prefer the lisce because it forces

the tongue to focus more on the components of the sauce than the pasta itself.

Me?

I'm all about the pasta.

But the sauce is nice too.

Anyway- back to the recipe.

Didn't know you would be getting a scientific analysis

of pasta shapes did you?

I'm all about surprises.

If you are super enthusiastic and interested in learning more

about pasta shapes, here is a great website.

I know there are some of you out there.

Don't hide.

Recipe! Recipe!

Sorry.

The actual PW recipe is provided in the link above.

But it you are too weary and cannot find the strength

to scroll that far up and click, here she is:

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Ingredients:

4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced*
1 pound Penne Rigate Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
½ sticks Butter
3 whole Lemons, Juiced
¾ cups Heavy Cream
¼ cups Half-and-half
1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

Instructions:

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 or 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-half. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

* I did NOT use grilled chicken, but rather just baked some chicken breasts in my oven, at 350 for 25 min, then sliced them up and threw 'em in!

YUM.

Lemony-fresh. Buttery. Creamy. Cheesy.

Who in the world could LIVE without pasta?

That would be sad life, indeed.

Oh penne rigate, thank you for making my life saucy.

And textured.

And...tubular?

Okay I'm done.

Ciao!

Because I adore her...

2010-07-23T17:04:00.002-05:00

Is there anyone you want to aspire to be?

Someone you dream and hope and yearn to become- and know that, even though you will not come close to being as great, as talented, as fabulous- you still have this insane desire to try? And though for some it is heroic, spiritual, political, or iconic figures- mine is none of these, necessarily.

For me, that someone is Ina Garten.

She is my hero. Heroine? Whatever.

I want to be her.

Is it weird that I sometimes ask my husband to pretend his name is Jeffrey and ask for chicken every Friday night? Or swoon over every little concoction I make for fake cameras? Or perm his hair into little gray ringlets and wear loafers?

Okay- so maybe I don't go that far. Ahem.

But really- I just love Ina. There is something about her that is simple, yet elegant; Parisian, but non-fussy. She is eloquent, but down-to-earth. She reminds me of a comforting great aunt whom you don't want to disappoint and who will always be there to teach, yet correct you.

I admire this type.

So anyway- I really don't have a whole lot to share or say, except that I have a fascination with all things Barefoot Contessa. These are my lovelies (they have top-seating on my bookshelf):

And really- I just want them all:

I mean- who wouldn't want to make stuff that

looks THIS AMAZING:

Like Ina's ultra creamy-and-buttery Mac n' Cheese:

Oh brunch, how I adore thee.

Especially when it involves Ina's Smoked Salmon Frittata:

And her absolutely insane Turkey Lasagna. Oh. me. oh. my.

Yes, please.

A Saturday morning treat: Banana and Sour Cream Pancakes.

Lemon yogurt cake, a go-to for many gatherings

I have found myself invited to:

Or this summery mixed berry cheesecake:

Or how about Ina's sinfully divine (oxymoron?) peanut butter

chocolate cupcakes that one blogger re-created:

So many delectable things to choose from.

And the thing I love? It's all simple & pure ingredients,

things you can find locally,

and relatively easy to prepare-

yet nothing in the recipe is pre-made, a la Sandra Lee.

Don't get me started on her.

I think the moment I fell in love with Ina was when

on one of her BC episodes she said, and-I-quote,

"I don't understand why some people create tablescapes,

what IS a tablescape anyway and who in the world

has time to coordinate dishes with placemats?!"

I about wet myself.

Okay- sorry- if you don't watch the Food Network

you probably have no clue what I'm talking about.

If you do- you are likely laughing just as hard as I did!

Anyway. Moving on.

This Sunday I plan to make Ina's Chicken Stew

with Biscuits- it seems like a very Sunday-esque

meal indeed. Comfort food. Lazy Sunday evening.

Maybe a dessert or heaping mound of rolls on-the-side.

Yes, this is definitely in the weekly meal plan:

(I love how this blogger made the biscuits into little

hearts- cutsie and clever!)

And OH, if I could sit upon this couch, Ina's couch, and discuss all

things culinary and French with her. I would peruse her bookshelves

and pick her brain about things like the origination of herbs de provence

and mirepoix- who decided the latter was a base for all sauces and soups?

And why does the dice of Frenchie veggies need to be uniform?

What purpose does this serve?

And what is your favorite Parisian bistro?

And how do you grow all those lovely flowers and veggies?

And why in the world did you work on foreign energy policy

at the White House- what made you shift to the culinary world?

And how do you form a recipe?

And, and, and....

I have so many questions.

Or if I could dine in her new kitchen.

Oh my- that would be my dream.

I would wander around the room in awe,

and touch each tool with fascination,

and probably drool on everything.

Sorry, Ina.

This is where I would stand,

watching her work.

Asking questions along the way

and tasting as we go.

I may-or-may-not have put little bowls of citrus

fruit in my own kitchen too...maybe.

Maybe.

I'll never tell.

And I may-or-may-not own reams of parchment paper,

just to say, "line the pan with parchment."

And I may-or-may-not have said little kitchy phrases while cooking

like, "How bad can that be?" or "Jeffrey just loves it!"

Possibly.

And for some reason I just want to blow up

this photo and stick it on my kitchen wall,

just to pretend like she's in the kitchen cooking with me,

sharing a good East Hampton story or telling me where

to find the freshest seafood:

Yes, I like Ina.

Is this creepy?

I promise, it's just a "like" thing.

Nothing more.

But, Ina, if you are reading-

I'm available for apprenticeship anytime.

Just sayin'.

A Brief Summer-y

2010-07-21T09:19:00.003-05:00

Oh well, hello.

Where have you been all my life?

It has been a while, sorry about that.

But. Well...Summer happened. You know how it is.

IT'S SUMMER. Thus we should all feel a little like this:

And partake in a little of this:

And bask in some of this:

And enjoy a little of this:

And to me, summer is about over-indulging,

like this:

And soaking in the beauty of nature:

And perhaps a little painting:

(By a serious amateur! No comments, please-and-thank-you)

And, of course, savoring summer's bountiful harvest:

Such as marinated tomatoes...

Veggie-laden pita with pesto and Parmesan...

Loaded berry French toast with slivered almonds...

Blueberry streusel pie from the local Farmer's Market...

Regarding summer delights,

there is a salad I delight in often during these

I-don't-feel-like-cooking months.

A constant stand-by that gets better as it sits,

and is incredibly versatile.

Enter, the White Bean and Tuna Salad.

This dish is traditionally Italian, though they prefer it quite minimal:

beans, tuna, onion, a little salt, pepper, and vinegar.

I, however, like to dress it up according to what

happens to be chilling out in my fridge.

White Bean and Tuna Salad

(adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian Cookbook)

2 (6oz) cans tuna, packed in olive oil

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 (15oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

6 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber, chopped

handful freshly grated Parmesan cheese

handful of parsley, finely chopped

Instructions:

Mix all in large bowl. Stir to combine. Chill one hour. Eat over rice or atop a crusty baguette, spread over lettuce greens, in a sandwich, as a side-dish, or simply out of the bowl itself. YUM and double yum. It's a meal in itself.

Now...excuse me while I go pour a cuppa sun-tea,

grab a magazine and some sun.

"Summer days are driftin' away..."

A Weekend to Remember...

2010-06-28T10:25:00.001-05:00

Wow! It has been a few weeks, hasn't it? It's okay- I'm here. Don't be a-worrying about me.

Just in case you were. Doubt it, but thought I'd ease your mind anyway.

Now that you are comforted, let me share a little of the fun I've been having.

I had a great weekend. Mr. K and I celebrated doubly- our anniversary and my birthday- with a three day staycation, sans-child, in our own home, doing things that we just don't do much of these days.

Things such as eating out, watching movies, long walks without the stroller, more eating out.

You know.

Due to the vast amounts of billage at restaurants I have not been utilizing my own kitchen lately.

For shame, I know.

Oh but it's lovely not having to cook sometimes, wouldn't you agree?

Yes, indeed.

So where did we dine?

Oh, my friends, let me tell you.

Friday evening, we partook in this divine little hole in the wall:

Mmmmm, pan-Asian.

I indulged in some a-mazing sushi.

Take 1: The California Roll:

Take 2: Unagi Roll

(BBQ Eel--be still my heart!)

Mr. K- who is a little squeamish about sea-creatures

on his plate, opted for the equally fabulous kung pao chicken:

Then came Saturday.

Lunch, to be exact.

Unfortunately I failed to bring my camera, but please

delight yourself in Charlotte's. It is a beautiful little

soup, salad, & sandwich place. All fresh ingredients.

Very good eats.

Then, Saturday supper.

OHHH, this place makes me tingle inside.

Atlas World Grill.

Mmm, hmm.

This place caters to all culinary styles and flavors.

Begin you meal, like I did, with the black bean soup:

It's creamy, smooth, and has a bit of kick to get you started.

Or opt for the bousin cheese with crostini and fig chutney:

Move on to the house salad,

a generous mix of arugula greens, toasted walnuts, granny smith

apples, crumbled feta, with a champagne vinaigrette.

Then dig in to the main fare.

Choose a special, perhaps their chicken tortellini

with grilled summer veggies:

If you are like Mr. K, you prefer a "manly" meal of

steak-and-potatoes:

Or perhaps you aren't the ritzy type. You just want good ol'

mac n'cheese:

'Cept this isn't like any mac you've ever had before. Oh no.

After you are full-to-bursting, you see the next table order

this:

The flourless chocolate cake with a warm, gooey center,

dusted with sugar, paired with a sweet mango sauce,

strawberries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and real whipped cream.

Yeah.

Whatever your tastebuds desire, these places are built

to suit.

So...when will you take your next foodie vacation?

I suggest Iowa City.