my happy little life

i heart holiday baking

thoroughly cream: 2/3 cup shortening, 3/4 cup sugar

cream in: 2 tsp. grated orange peel, 1/2 tsp.vanilla

beat in until fluffy: 1 egg

stir in: 4 tsp. milk

add: 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt

to finish: divide dough in half; chill for 1 hour or till cold. on lightly floured surface roll to 1/8 inch. cut in shapes and bake on greased cookie sheets at 375 for 7 minutes. they will look uncooked. cool slightly on baking sheets. put on racks and decorate in your pajamas while watching christmas movies with your cute family. enjoy!

this is my favorite salad dressing

i don't make it a lot because of the high sugar content but sometimes i just have to have it. it is so delicious over a bed of baby spinach, mushrooms, and crumbled bacon. and, of course, some strong italian cheeses. enjoy!

red onion and poppy seed dressing

slice a medium red onion and put in a jar.

mix 1 c. sugar, 1/4 c. white vinegar, 1/2 c. canola oil, 1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. dry mustard. pour over onion and close lid. (it will be very thick and may take some prodding).

refrigerate overnight. shake the jar to mix completely and toss with salad just before serving.

home canning recipe for

ingredients

4 1/2 pounds very ripe peaches (about 20 medium), washed, blanched, peeled/ pitted, and cut into slices

4 cups of sugar + 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

directions

puree peach slices in a food processor till they are pulpy (not liquid). combine peach pulp, sugar, and cinnamon in a large pot. cook until thickened, stirring frequently (approx. 30 minutes- will vary).
 
ladle hot peach butter into hot jars (follow proper canning procedures), remove air bubbles, adjust lids. process for 10 minutes (higher elevation 15) in a boiling water canner. yields about 5 pints.

warning/good thing, depending on your view of it: eating massive amounts of peach butter on costco's honey walnut wheat bread will result in a cleansing of the bowels.

i have so many other things i need to get done,

but ripe fruit waits for no man.

checked off: ketchup, peach/citrus marmalade, raspberry/blackberry jam. still need to do: peach slices, jalepeno salsa, tomatillo salsa, basil/tomato sauce, peach preserves, pesto.

i don't know what i'm doing, but i follow the instructions in the ball preserving book. except for i put about half the sugar it says to! do you have any good recipes or tips for me? (especially for salsa?)

ps- i find great happiness in the preserving process, much like how i feel while baking. who knew? another hobby. (just what i needed).

ETA!- ok HELP! i'm super scared now that i ruined the jam because of not putting enough sugar, as commenters mentioned. i did it to taste, and in truth probably added 2/3 of the required amount, and cooked it a little longer to the gelling point. so am i ok, or do i chuck it? and the low sugar pectin stuff- is it just an artificial sweetner? because i'd rather have sugar. is pectin a natural product? i've read i can make my own from apples, but then there are no recipes that take natural homemade pectin into account. argh!

berry good

you know how there's always a little extra smoothie in the blender after you pour your glass full? don't pour it down the drain! instead keep popsicle molds at the ready to fill with the leftover goodness.

(then get ready for happy smiles on a hot day).

"can you believe how good these are?"

to make a big batch at once of creamy fruit-sickles: blend equal parts fresh and/or frozen berries with plain yogurt (i love brown cow) and freeze.

yummmmmy!

well, where have i been?

photo credits: 1. summers, 2. tin, 3. IMG, 4. Tin

so duh, i just found out there's a whole flickr group dedicated to the muffin tin munchie idea. some of the images there aren't so inspiring to me- like putting m&m's and cheetos in the wells- i don't really need exciting presentation to get my daughter to eat m&m's, ya know? but there are also a ton of images of inspiring tin ideas full of fruits and veggies and good protein sources that look so fun to eat i think it just might work to get cate to try foods previously shunned (and maybe me too). thanks for the heads up, shawn! and look at one of her awesome tins- she made it even more fun for her little one to gobble up nutrient rich food by making pesto dip into "algae", lettuce into "seaweed", blackberries into "sea urchins" and pistachios into "oyster shells", to name a few. what a fun mom you are, shawn, i want to be like you!

a fab idea + a eat from the pantry week

this is a great idea from my friend jill the farmer (and inspiring photo by her, too). to keep your kids snacking healthy use a muffin tin and fill with good options. leave it out/ in the fridge all day for their grabbing pleasure!

as for dinners this week: i just did inventory to see what i had in the fridge as far as produce and perishables so i can use it all up along with staples from the pantry. i spent the budgeted grocery money on our fun holiday weekend, so i'm not grocery shopping this week. but we have plenty to eat. simple meals, including some breakfasts for dinner- my favorite and cheap! the menu:

monday: grilled cheese, caesar salad, baby carrots + dip

tuesday: cheesy eggs with salsa, apples, bran muffins

wednesday: rice and broccoli casserole*, canned pears

thursday: blueberry flax pancakes, banana smoothies

friday: whole wheat pasta + marinara sauce, garden salad

*rice + broccoli casserole (one of our oft made dinners): cook some brown rice and spread it in the bottom of a 9x13. steam lots of broccoli and spread it on top of the rice. mix in a bowl: one can cream of mushroom, a cup or two of mayo, some lemon juice, and salt and pepper. spread on top of broccoli. cover with shredded cheddar cheese. tear bread (stale is great) into bite size pieces and spread on top of the cheese. bake in a hot oven till cheese is bubbly. especially yummy for lunch the next day.

we try to eat whole foods...

but sometimes you just need a s'more night with friends! we had a great weekend, but it was sugar and crap food overload. no dessert for me for awhile.

+++++

this weeks menu:

monday: rotisserie chicken, caesar salad (using the baby romaine from our garden!), bread + butter

tuesday: baked manicotti*, broccoli, bread + butter

wednesday: white chicken chili*, broccoli cornbread

thursday: pesto pizza (using fresh basil from garden!)

friday: grilled veggie wraps with goat cheese

+++++

* both of these recipes were sent to me by jolanda, a reader, and i am super excited to try them. i'm copying them below! thanks to everyone for all the great recipes, they really got me inspired again, can't wait to test them all. happy dinners!

White Chicken Chili

I often throw everything here in the crockpot and just add the sour cream before we eat. If you find it too spicy, just reduce the cumin by half.

3 cans white kidney beans (540 ml or 19 oz. each), rinsed and drained
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 T. oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 c. cooked diced chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
2 med. onions, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (24 oz.) carton sour cream
Salt, to taste

Boil beans, garlic, broth, 1 onion. Simmer 15 minutes. Sauté the other onion in oil, then add remaining ingredients. Add to bean mixture. Simmer 1 hour. Serve with cheese.

Baked Manicotti

Tomato Sauce

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes (in juice)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes , optional

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I will use dried if I don’t have fresh)

Cheese Filling and Pasta

3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (see note above)

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

2 large eggs , lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (Use dried if you don’t have fresh)

16 no-boil lasagna noodles (Must use Barilla no boil brand, I find it at Wal-Mart)

1. For the sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Process 1 can tomatoes with their juice in food processor until coarsely chopped with 1/4-inch pieces visible, 3 or 4 pulses. Transfer tomatoes to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining can tomatoes.

2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil; adjust seasoning with salt.

3. For the cheese filling: Combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in medium bowl; set aside.

4. To assemble: Pour 1 inch boiling water in 13 by 9-inch broiler-safe baking dish, then add noodles 1 at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.

5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom 3/4 of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top 1/4 of noodle uncovered. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

6. Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Remove manicotti and adjust oven rack to highest position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Broil until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, and then serve.

a menu for summer in full swing

this week's good eats:

monday: cedar plank chicken, rice, asparagus, corn

tuesday:  ground beef tacos with guacamole on homemade wheat tortillas, honeydew melon + cantaloupe

wednesday: cranberry spinach salad, homemade honey wheat bread + butter

thursday: open face tuna and celery sandwiches on leftover homemade wheat, fruit salsa + cinnamon chips

friday: california rolls from costco deli, iceberg + radish salad with citrus vinaigrette

i'm excited to try some new recipes this week, but other than that i'm feeling kind of uninspired. do you have any good dinner ideas to send me? i like high protein and a little carbs- mostly (all) complex/ lots of fruits and veggies. i need some more good meatless recipes, some crockpot recipes, some quick recipes, and some great salads, specifically. oh, and i can't do tofu/ very many soy products- they are packed with phytoestrogens that are problematic for those of us working on improving reproductive health. (it's true). so if you've got some recipes that fit the bill and you are willing to pass on, email them to me for next week's menu! i'll love u 4eva.

secondly, i have to tell you that i have been so good following my little running schedule my marathon-er friend gave me. and it feels so good. when i want to quit running on the treadmill i listen to justin timberlake and pretend i'm jessica biel and justin and i came for a morning workout before we start our day of lunching and shopping around hollywood and he's over lifting and i'm looking super hot on the treadmill and everyone is watching us so i'd be embarrased to stop. it totally works, don't judge.

(image from realsimple.com)

food for the third week in june

the menu:

monday: tuna, celery, and greens on spelt bread, apples + grapes, green smoothies

tuesday: quinoa salad, peaches

wednesday: whole wheat pasta, marinara, fresh mozz balls

thursday: cedar plank salmon, pineapple, simple salad

friday:  bbq veggie burgers, corn on the cob, watermelon

i totally didn't make even one dinner last week. my sister and lots of friends were in town for a wedding and we were so busy and always out. i cannot tell you how excited i am to get back to eating food at home that makes me feel good. this week i wanted a very simple, fresh menu to get things back on track! grant requested quinoa salad again!

i'm also going to happily enjoy the parfait pictured above this week. maybe every night. it just looks SO good!

food for the second week in june and i'm sick

_⁺⁺⁺⁺

a relaxed menu for this week:

monday: tuna and celery salad + greens on spelt bread, grapes + apple slices

tuesday: proper chicken caesar salad, corn on the cob

wednesday: scrambled eggs, spelt toast, citrus smoothies

thursday: whole wheat pizza dough topped with fresh mozzarella and veggies, simply dressed spinach

friday: stuffed peppers, chips and salsa

++++

i love jamie oliver! his show is one of grant and my favorites on the food network (yes, we love to watch cooking shows together in bed). his rad home food production is something we definitely aspire to. his latest episode on summer salads really inspired me this week. i can't wait to make his "proper" chicken salad.

and a few great keepers from last week: the salmon recipe was so so great. i have made salmon countless ways trying to get my family to like it. as of last monday, they now love it. i guess the secret was so much sweet stuff in the sauce that they couldn't even taste the fish! ha! whatever works. also, the black bean burritos? oh my gosh. but grant and i were wanting to use the filling as like a base for some carne asada and squeeze limes on it...we are going to try it like that next time. but it was fantastic. finally, the quinoa salad was really, really good. i didn't love the dressing so i left it off and instead just drizzled on a little evoo and the juice of half a lemon, then some s+p. grant and cate both were quite weary of it and then ended up chowing (see photo) because it was a party in our mouths. it wouldn't have been as good if the produce i used in it wasn't so perfectly ripe. instead of chicken we had grilled pineapple and cantaloupe slices on the side and the sweetness was a great compliment. three big winners!

it has been so motivating to cook every night as i think of my kitchen as a "test kitchen"- looking for winners that go into my recipe tin for good, it helps me not dread the dinner hour a lot. food makes me so happy!

and now i return to my death bed, as i am currently fighting off the worse case of strep throat i've ever had.

i'm miserable.

this week's menu

^{_{image from this beautiful blog, by her + her}}

^₊₊₊₊

^{_{food for the first week in june:}}

monday: cedar plank salmon, spinach salad, peaches

tuesday: black bean burritos, grilled pineapple

wednesday: flax pancakes + citrus blueberry sauce and green smoothies

thursday: grilled chicken, mexican quinoa salad

friday: fettuccine + artichokes + sun-dried toms

++++

we lucked out today- something happened to our friend's freezer and so we get to help her eat up their now unfrozen salmon tonight! cedar plank is the way to go. i'm still working on grant and cate loving salmon, but it's so full of the nutrients i (and they) need that i keep trying. fish is an acquired taste if you haven't been a big seafood person before, i think.

my dinners have been pretty carb-laden lately. i have found it's easiest to be really strict all day, and then have a fairly normal dinner with my family. then i actually enjoy the cooking. plus, i need to eat pancakes every now and again to stay happy.

i'm excited about the mexican quinoa salad (thanks leslie!) and the blog it comes from looks like a treasure trove of great nutritious recipes + links to more treasure troves. great find!

and finally, friday's dinner is a repeat from last week, because it was so bomb. i didn't really follow the recipe- i basically just sauteed onion, garlic, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes and lemon juice in good evoo; tossed it with spinach fettuccine and topped with lots of parm cheese. it was seriously one of the best pasta dishes i have ever eaten. can't wait to eat it again!

so that's it for this week, hope something there inspires!

one of my all time favorite pictures of her

^{_{cate eating cereal for dinner, 09.12.06}}

i'm afraid i must bore you with weekly menus starting now, at least for dinners. i think i can handle making good choices for my snacks and lunches in the moment now (and breakfast is eggs forever), but dinner will always need planning ahead for me. first, to make sure it's healthy, but also, sadly, to make sure it isn't cereal...as it often is. even though i love to cook i struggle with getting dinner on the table every night. it just gets to that tired time of day and if i don't have a recipe i'm excited about with all the ingredients on hand, i don't want to do it. so this is the best place for me to keep the recipes i want to try, all linked and neat, for me to refer back to all week. and hopefully, you can get some dinner inspiration in the process, too! this week's menu:

mon: bbq chicken + cabbage and carrot slaw + apples

tues: beef and quinoa meatballs + melted mozzarella on toasted spelt bread + sweet potato fries

wed: spinach fettuccine with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes

thurs: carne asada + homemade corn tortillas with limes and sour cream + iceberg, tomato, and avocado salad

fri: grilled mozzarella cheese sandwiches + peaches + honey glazed peas and carrots

******

shop update tuesday!

friday

thursday was a good day. very good. my favorite comment on yesterday's post was from lovely shawn, who said: "If I didn't know better, I'd wonder if you maybe had a cocktail with your eggs today..." i know, right? i was laughing as i was typing yesterday, just giddy. i think i just feel so great! so i'm hyper and happy! let's keep this UP!

friday's happy food

breakfast: eggs on the run...

snack: protein bar in my purse, i'll be at cate's school.

lunch: spinach, chicken, and parmesean salad (2)

snack: strawberry + banana smoothie (2)

dinner: date night, order LOTS of veggies! (need 4)

dessert: a sweet peach! (1)

and i hope you have a sweet peach of a weekend!

thursday

ok, wednesday was awesome except for one small thing: i decided that a lemon bar would be a better dessert than plain strawberries. the problem was i ran to the store at night before i had had my dessert and the bakery smelled sooo good. oh well. it gave me a headache and i went to bed. whatev. other than that i ate exactly from the menu, and i was really full all day, and have been everyday. what i like about that is, the scale has been showing me a pound lighter every morning. how do ya like that? and i've been feeling so not bloated and have been very regular. how do ya like that? i know, you don't. but it's true and a very important part of life. anyway, here's the menu for the greatest of all days: the beginning of another wonderful summer of so you think you can dance. holler!

thursday's dancing food

breakfast: fried egg on spelt toast

snack: green smoothie (pear + spinach) (2)

lunch: nie's arugula, strawberry, cucumber salad (3)

snack: ants on a log (1)

dinner: frozen veggie lasagna and leftover salad (3)

dessert: hmmmm, to be determined. any ideas?

and now, my feelings about eggs: i think they are perfect. when i eat them for breakfast i am satisfied and full for the whole morning. when i don't, i am craving food in about an hour. i am not a vegetarian or a vegan, so that is why i feel that way. also, i need a high protein low carb diet to feel good, so that is why else i feel this way. i love oatmeal and am truly jealous of those that can down it every day without needing to lie down for the rest of the morning while they pass gas. consequently, i usually eat oatmeal once in a while for lunch when i'm alone. (am i saying too much today? i'm in a silly mood).

i do believe that if i am going to eat an animal's unfertilized egg, i don't want that animal to have been given gross things to eat or a ton of hormones to make her have more eggs. that makes me want to vomit and i have hormone issues (have i ever told you that?) and i don't want the chicken's hormone issues to exacerbate my hormone issues making some kind of weird bird/human hybrid of hormone issues. i eat a lot of eggs. so i buy veg-fed, free range, local organic eggs for a whopping .75 cents more or something. (less hormones = priceless). (i'm so over those commercials) (and i'm even more over the commercials that have different people from all walks of life smiling at the camera finishing each other's sentences slash holding signs that have written declarations on them). but i digress.

i am not a fanatic about these things, but i think it's worth it to get my milk at costco (rbst free), buy good eggs, and local, good produce. the produce issue is really one of taste for me. have you eaten an apple from walmart? it is super gross. it really doesn't even taste like a juicy sweet apple. it tastes like wax. then you end up throwing away produce that has gone bad because no one wants to eat a nasty not sweet orange or waxy grapes. that's what i call wasting money. i feel like if you spend a little more (really it's only a little) you can buy delicious fruit + veggies that your family actually eats and you waste no money = better. but that's just me.

i also really like the phrase in the word of wisdom to eat everything in its season. i'm not really interested in tomatoes picked halfway across the world when they're green and sprayed with chemicals on their travels to ripen before they hit the shelves. and they taste bad. again, just me. we all have vastly different views on all this, don't we? (i've decided i want to start ending more sentences in the british style of asking for confirmation for what was just said. i think it's a good thing to do).

again, i'm not a fanatic, and i'm not perfect. i love diet coke and mcdonalds. but i'm always working on it. that's why i make these goals. just do a little better every day. get over it quickly if you slip up. that's what i go for.

ok, back to eggs. the hurdle i had to get over with the daily consumption of eggs is, sometimes you don't feel like cooking something in the morning, do you? here's how i got over it: i just do it. have a designated egg pan, wipe the pan off after you cook them and leave it for the next day. when you cook eggs a lot you get super amazing and fast at it. in 2 minutes flat i can cook an egg in any variety to any doneness while helping cate get ready for school and while taking my vitamins and while buttering toast (yay for spelt bread!). that's easy enough, isn't it? plus i don't mind because i feel so much better when i start my day off with so much protein. in short (there was nothing short about this post, was there?):

eggs, i love you.

wednesday

tuesday = failure! not really. actually, hardly at all. because the good thing about reaching for the moon is that when you come up short you're still among the stars, or whatever that quote is. and really, that quote is a little over the top for this situation unless you consider eating nine fruit and vegetable servings the moon and five servings the stars. i do.

so anyway, have i ever mentioned that i have hormonal issues? (haha). well, tuesday was my crampiest yuckiest hormonalist day ever and at lunch time i said 'oh to h with it' and ate the world's largest quesadilla + a diet coke of similar sizing. then for my afternoon snack? cereal. all biiiig no-nos for my rather sensitive belly. and yes, i felt/feel bloated and drained and crappy. not worth it, so not worth it. but i pulled it back on track for dinner and skipped dessert, so all in all, i still had a solid five servings of fruits and vegetables, and actually not a ridiculous amount of calories. so, room for improvement but ok, right?

the triumph of the day was the discovery that spelt bread is delicious and simple to make! if you haven't been introduced to spelt, i'll sum up what it is: looks like wheat, but tastes sweeter and nuttier, is high in protein, and super nutrient dense. it grinds into flour just like wheat and is readily available. and the part that makes my heart sing? making bread with it only takes a couple ingredients and it's naturally lower in carbs. i'm sooooo happy about this! toast is back in my life!!! and this menu will definately be reflecting that. 

wednesday's gloriusness

breakfast: fried egg on spelt toast + grapefruit (1)

snack: blueberry + banana smoothie (2)

lunch: tuna with lots of celery on spelt bread + apple (2)

snack: mixed nuts + string cheese

dinner: grilled steak salad with mango salsa + avocado (3)

dessert: strawberries + whipped cream (1)

tomorrow, i talk eggs. (i'm a BIG fan).

tuesday

so monday went as planned, except one small change that was no big deal. i forgot we had somewhere to be around dinner time and we had to rush, so we picked up subs, and i loaded mine with veggies. so the salmon meal is on the menu again for tonight. other than that, monday was a success. when i was starting to feel like munching, there was no temptation- i just looked at what i planned to eat next. perfect!

someone asked for the recipe for the blueberry/banana smoothie from monday. it's just one small frozen banana, a large handful of frozen blueberries, and enough vanilla soy milk to get it the consistency you like.

and, let me tell you, if you haven't been much of a smoothie maker in your life, start blending! it's really tough to go wrong. experiment using different frozen and fresh fruits, soy milk or yogurt or juice, whatever. i also always add in a spoonful of ground flax- you can't taste it so might as well. i love a banana in smoothies for the sweetness and thickness it gives it, so i keep a ziploc bag of bananas in the freezer that were too brown to eat (peel and then freeze). i also keep frozen berries and various other fruit all the time, and i just mix and match. i love citrus fruit, and i always have them in the fridge. i like those with a frozen banana and a tiny bit of apple juice. yummmmmm! enough about that. onto another day with plenty of food on the menu- i don't do hungry.

tuesday's goodness:

breakfast: two scrambled eggs + cantaloupe and grapes (2)

snack: nie's watermelon berry smoothie (2)

lunch: zucchini pizza + romaine and carrot salad (2)

snack: apple slices + peanut butter (1)

dinner: salmon, asparagus, corn + homemade wheat bread (2)

dessert: one cup low sugar ice cream

oh, and...

monday

i have a goal: i want to eat at least nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. i am kicking off the nine habit this week, and will be writing my daily menus here in an effort to both plan ahead, and hold myself accountable. planning is key for me to eat healthfully. if i let myself make decisions in the moment of hunger, i will ALWAYS grab the cookie. i'm so weak. i also have to really plan ahead because what i eat has to be consistent with my lower carb and higher protein pcos eating life-style + family friendly + low cost. that's a lot to think about. so this week i'm going to take it day to day and plan it out right here. then  starting this next weekend, i will write out my menu for the following week on friday afternoon so i can shop for it saturday morning at the farmer's market (and i can't wait to use our own produce soon!). good plan, right? i hope i can follow through...

here's monday: 

breakfast:two scrambled eggs, salsa, and an orange.(1) 

snack: blueberry/banana/vanilla soy milk smoothie. (2)

lunch: hamburger patty and romaine and tomato salad. (2)

snack: carrots and peanut butter and almonds. (1)

dinner: salmon, asparagus, corn, homemade wheat bread. (2)

dessert: lots of strawberries and whipped cream. (1)

kiss me, i'm irish

we ate corned beef and cabbage with irish soda bread last night in preparation for the day of the irish. it was super delicious. i was chuckling while i cooked thinking about how my irish grandparents always had a plaque on their wall with this prayer on it: "may you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows your dead" ha! you've gotta love people with humor like that.

i told cate about st. patrick's day and ireland- she has a lot of irish ancestors through me. i was given the irish name kelly after my great grandparents' last name. i have always dreamed of going to ireland, (and scotland too- mccaleb), to research our family history, and to see the green grass in real life.

really, cate is also mexican, japanese, native american, swiss, and a lot more- a true american- so we actually have a lot of family history travelling to do, but i really love the romantic beauty of ireland, and have always been drawn to that part of the world. plus i really love corned beef.

the best part of dinner was the irish soda bread- it was so so good, and it's really easy to make. (so is corned beef if you've never tried it). corned beef is cheap meat, a head of cabbage is less than 50 cents, and i bet you have all the ingredients for the bread in your cupboard. you should make this meal tonight!

my happy plans for this evening include knitting and watching two favorite movies: far and away followed by tristan and isolde.

have a happy st. patrick's day. here's an irish blessing from us to you...

may the light always find you on a dreary day.
when you need to be home, may you find your way.
may you always have courage to take a chance
and never find frogs in your underpants.

la la lemon bars

i have a serious problem with lemon bars. i make them, like, never, because of it. but little sis called for mom's recipe yesterday and just reading it to her made me have to have them. and so, less than 24 hours later...this is all that remains. i had help, but still... just despicable. i would like you all to get fat, too. and so i am sharing the recipe for my mom's perfect lemon bars:

crust: cream together 1 cup butter or marg and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. add and mix well 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 cups flour. pat into a greased 9 x 13. bake at 350 for about 18 minutes. meanwhile make filling.

mix together and then pour over hot crust: 4 slightly beaten eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and grated rind of one lemon. bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. when done, sprinkle with powdered sugar. cut when cool. eat the whole pan while watching 30 rock.

surely you do this too...

is my family alone in loving green onions dipped in salt on the side of a sandwich? cause grant says he's never seen anyone else do it in his life. but if you had these green onions from my garden with a pile of salt to pat them in before taking a little nibble, i bet you'd think you'd died and gone to heaven. not to mention the blt with the most delicious homegrown heirloom tomatoes all salt and peppered up. i don't often eat white bread, but i was in the mood for something special. mmm. just the next in the long line of my lunch obsessions.

planning halloween

it's time to plan my annual halloween dinner. this year i decided i'm going all out. last night i pulled out all my martha octobers, halloween special issues, and fall kids magazines. (yes, i am that devoted of a fan. i have near complete archives of all martha publications, including 2 copies of all the babys, a working copy and a stay nice copy.) here's what martha ideas caught my eye and will guide me for this year's festivities:

1. the invitations. so clever, i love it. but let's be honest, will i get around to making them, or just send an evite? i'm hoping i'll make them...we'll see.

2. the decor: outdoor and indoor. of course the indoor will get done. i have next to no budget for things like this, so i love looks that involve things like lots of shreded fabric... i can do that! the outdoor? i never seem to get around to decorating outside, mostly because i think most people get way out of control and carnivalish and i don't want to participate in that. but i would really love to have this spooky graveyard going on, or these awesome scare crows. maybe i'll enlist grant for those projects. here are great pumpkin carving templates.

3. the table setting. empty jars, chessecloth, candles. meets the 3 requirements: cheap, simple, scary. of course, i do love the second table setting too, and i think it would be just as simple. not sure which to use!

4. the menu. it's the same every year: rustic roasted chicken, potatoes, bread, and vegetables with sparkling cider to drink. the particular recipes can change or be potlucked out. i will probably purchase the chicken from costco, make outback steakhouse style baked potatoes, homemade sourdough bread, roasted asparagus or green beans.. and this year i think i will add this delicious looking macaroni gratin:

 

5. the dessert: haunted house cake! recipe found here. it's labor intensive, but sooo worth it, i think. also i think some cinnamon doughnuts and cocoa will be necessary! i can't wait to try and put this cake together. and i can't wait for halloween, the coziest evening of the year!

6. oh, i almost forgot: the entertainment. truthfully, i never plan any because we have such lively and fun friends and the conversation is enough. but in the background i think i will have this playing (i can't handle real scary movies):

happy halloween!

a new happy day. feeling better. here's a great recipe.

4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
1 head broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into bite-size florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup whole milk
coarse salt and ground pepper

in a large pot, cook bacon over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. increase heat to medium. cook onion, stirring, until it begins to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. 

add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. add broth and potato; bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer; cook until potato is tender, about 10 minutes. add broccoli, corn, thyme, and milk. cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. season with salt and pepper. serve topped with bacon.

leave the bacon out and sautee the onions in a little butter to make it vegetarian (and use veg stock). i also used frozen broccoli with no problem. serve with warm sourdough bread, mmm, heaven. seriously my mouth is watering remembering it. as an added bonus it was really fast to make.

recipe from everyday food, my favorite dinner inspiration magazine. while the pictures are always lovely, and i learn so much from the articles, i have to admit that sometimes the recipes in it aren’t delicious. it mostly is inspiring because it makes me feel like making dinner! this recipe, however, was a total winner and definitely will be added to our cool weather rotation. i made it sunday night and am already wanting to have it again. the family gobbled it up, and grant happily took leftovers to work the next day. give it a try!

is your garden producing zucchinis like it's going out of style?

 

cause mine is! i've found some great recipes that i keep turning to to use up all that zucchini that grant brings in to me daily. i really love to bake treats with it. my favorite? zucchini brownies. i don't frost them, they don't need it. they are so moist it's unbelievable. another dessert winner is zucchini cobbler. with some vanilla bean ice cream? off. the. hook. and finally, a favorite that's a wee bit healthier than the first two recipes: whole wheat zucchini bread. i love the warm cinnamony taste. it's so moist and dense, i've made it quite a bit and it doesn't last long. try these out, you'll love them. i just love allrecipes!

breakfast

 

starting my day happy.

yummy

the herb garden has been especially prolific, so i decided to take a big bunch of our basil and make some fresh pesto sauce. paired with the macaroni grill rosemary bread i make in the bread machine, and a salad from the garden, and it was one of the best dinners i've ever had! i thought i had better share these recipes! i'm a big allrecipes fan. whenever i need a recipe, i don't mess with the low rated stuff. i search for the five-star-rated-by-a-gagillion-users variety and the food usually turns out super good. if we love it, i take it out of my online recipe box, print it up and put it in my tried and true recipe tin that houses my family's best. between the old and new i am slowly building up an arsenal of homerun recipes. here's a couple i highly recommend...

 

pesto sauce... mix together in food processor: 3 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 and 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, 3 cloves of garlic, 1/3 cup shreded parmesan cheese. while it's processing slowly pour in 1 cup exta virgin olive oil. add coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste (it needs quite a bit).

store in a jar. it's pretty strong. we like it strong but you can warm/ dilute it with more evoo to your desired thickness when you're ready to eat. use it as a pizza sauce too. mmmmmm. to go with it i like some yummy bread. and if you haven't had the rosemary bread from macaroni grill you haven't lived. i found a recipe online for my bread machine (i heart my bread machine) that, to me, tastes just the same and is a little slice of heaven.

rosemary bread: put the ingredients in your machine in the order your instruction manuel says. or, put it in however you want, like me. but it always says that at the beginning or the recipes so i guess i better say it! select the white bread cycle. i don't know if it works the same in the oven, but you could try. and for sure have olive oil and good balsamic vinegar ready to dip it in.

1 cup water

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

my sister taught me something that has made my salads waaay better: after slicing up tomatoes, cucs, avocado, whatever, season them before adding to the salad. so sprinkle the pile of chopped goodness with coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper completely before adding to the lettuce. it makes such a difference in flavor!

and finally, crack open a diet coke, fight over whose turn it is to bless the food, and enjoy a delicious meal with your family.

i'm hosting thanksgiving and here's what i'm making...

classic menu: butter rubbed turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, greenbean casserole, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, cranberry sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, rhodes rolls, ginger ale, pumpkin and dutch apple pies. [hors d'oeuvres out all day: kohler's cheese balls, summer sausage and gourmet crackers]. the tried and true recipes (trust me these are all fabulous) most the way my mom made it:

turkey: wash and dry the turkey, salt the inside and then stuff. (stuffing: 1 pkg. mrs. cubbisons corn meal stuffing, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped celery, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper- 2 tbsp. butter and 1 cup water . add a little at a time to the stuffing mixture. add one slightly beaten egg). rub butter on the dry turkey in between the skin and the meat, completely covering. wrap whole turkey in foil, les then whole turkey. cook wrapped turkey at 400 degrees, approx. 30 minutes per pound. baste often.

mashed potatoes: my friend ashley showed me the value of adding cream cheese, butter, and sour cream lots of salt and pepper to the boiled potatoes and then putting them in a casserole dish and browning the top of the potatoes in the oven. heaven. it's only once a year, you have to go all out.

traditional green bean casserole recipe from french's onions can.

sweet potato casserole (you will never have a better one): mix together 4 1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 teas. vanilla, 2 beaten eggs. spread into greased 9x13 casserole dish. in a small bowl mix together 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup flour. mix in 1/3 cup butter until crumbly and stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture. bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

creamed corn (unbelievable): i already posted this recipe here.

cranberry sauce (homemade is a must): mix 1/2 pound fresh cranberries, 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 water, heat until the cranberries pop and chill completely before serving.

rhodes rolls and costco croissants (use leftovers for bread pudding a few days later).

pumpkin pie filling: 1 1/2 cups canned or mashed cooked pumpkin, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2  teas. salt, 1+ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoons cloves, 3 eggs slightly beaten, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1 6-ounce can evaporated milk; put into 9 inch unbaked pie crust- my recipe is secret ;). bake for 50 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

dutch apple filling: 5-7 pippen apples, pared and sliced. arrange 1/2 the apples in an unbaked 9 inch shell. sprinkle on top: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cloves, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. put remaining apples on top. then mix til crumbly and put on top: 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup four, 1/3 cup butter. bake in 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. make sure the apples are done or the pie will be dry.

i love thanksgiving. great food, family, relaxation, anticipation for the christmas holidays, gratitude. the best.

grant's favorite dinner

 

my grandma grew up on a farm in kansas and is one of the best cooks to ever walk the earth. farm girls are especially good at making anything that begins its life as a dough. i lived with my grandma for my first year of college in san luis obispo. she taught me some of her cooking tricks while we were roomies (and consequently i gained a freshman 40 instead of 15). she also tried to teach me to golf, but i was just so much better at the eating part, ha! one of the easiest and most delicious things she taught me to make was egg noodles to use in stroganoff or soup. (although they used to eat them over mashed potatoes in broth as a delicious carb overload great depression meal). it takes literally 20 minutes to make the best chicken noodle soup in the world. i use leftover costco rotissere chicken meat, stock, and veggies that i've sauteed in butter with onions, season with basil and oregono, s+p- let that simmer for 20 minutes while the noodles dry, and then throw in the noodles for 3-5 minutes and you're ready. grant asks for this constantly!

my grandma's egg noodles - in bowl stir together 2.5 cups flour and a dash of salt. and 2 beaten eggs, .5 cup milk and a pat of butter. knead together with hands for a few minutes and cover the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. roll it out on a floured surface and cut into strips or shapes, let air dry for as long as patience allows- 20 minutes for me, but i think it's supposed to be 2 hrs!

updates

update on my hermitism: i am in awe of the nice things you all said, and how many kindred spirits there are out there. and with that, i go back into seclusion. just kidding! my plans for the weekend include lots of emailing and checking out all of your blogs and getting to know you all a little better, as well as making some calls to california, and hanging out with a few girlfriends. "thanks ya'll" (said like britney spears- gross did you see her vma performance?) i am so grateful that so many of you "get" me, and i'm excited to call you my friends, talk to you soon.

update on my lunch routine obsession: i've said before that i eat the same thing for lunch every day, and it rotates only upon the shifting of the moons...a change has come. a delicious change. i recommend it whole heartedly. i use a greek pita as the crust (key), and any tomato sauce (homemade, jarred spagetti sauce, etc.), fresh mozzarella, chopped garlic (very, very important), and veggies (zuccini is a fave- tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, yum) sprinkle a little e.v.o.o. on top and cook at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes. coarse salt and pepper (you lika da peppa?) oh my.

update on my brother in law tyler, 26 year old stroke victim: i'm going to let the pictures do the talking. he is doing fantastic, and has started to pose again. he still has some "glitches" but his determination and work ethic are making miracles happen. look at his progress here!

update on my photography experiment: i have love love loved doing all the photo shoots this summer, they kept me busy, progressing, and feeling creative. this month i feel ready to get some lenses i've been wanting, and i'm bound and determined to learn photo shop (tara pakosta- can i fly to your house for a weekend intensive?). in the mean time, i have some family shoots lined up in idaho falls the last weekend of this month, if anyone else in the area is interested, email me, and i can fit you in too.

update on our infertility: grant has taken antibiotics for his skin for like, a long time, which we recently found out is toxic to sperm (why is this not the first thing they ask???). his meds were switched yesterday, and sperm count should be normal in about 90 days. i am taking advantage of the 90 days of no "waiting to see" stress by getting massages, exercising, taking prenatels, generally relaxing, and eating nutritiously so that i will be primed for conception!

update on why living in utah is cool: we are getting a steve and barry's. the list of stores that i have ordered to be built here is nearing completion. some are taking a little too long (trader joes i'm talking to you! h&m i'm getting sick of your defiance....)

update on the power of the force: it is still not to be underestimated.

lunch break

i savor the lunch hour. i love to sit down with something delicious and enjoy a little tv or magazine reading break while i eat (always, always with hopefully my first diet coke of the day). and i go in kicks. i'll eat the exact same thing for a week or two before switching it up. a few lunches have been honored to last for months. here is the current winner- spinach leaves (i love the organic prewashed box that costco carries), red seedless grapes, really strong blue cheese, a handful of nuts, and a splash of olive oil and basalmic vinegar. heaven.

thank you kindly

for all the veggie advice! we tried the spinach lasagna tonight and it was just delish! it was even yummy with whole wheat pasta, so i can't imagine how good it would be with regular pasta. i got so pumped with all your info. we are doing great eating more veg, and since we LOVE treats so much, and i LOVE to bake we have trouble keeping slim- so my other goal is to make our desserts fruit based rather than baking so much. last night i grilled peaches that were cut in half, open side down until they had the grill marks and then turned it up and put a dollap of cream cheese in the pit-hole and left it on the grill until it was melty. then drissled it with honey and sprinkled some grape nuts on top. OH MY GOSH. there is no picture because we devoured it so quickly. it was delissssshhhhh, you've gotta try it. and tonight we did the strawberries and angel food cake, always a fave. tomorrow i think i'll make some of nie nie's watermelon smoothies for dessert, YUM!!

on a more depressing note, have you seen how my hometown, south lake tahoe, is totally on fire? i am sad because it is such a beautiful place, and so many people lost their homes- people that i know- 260 was the last count and i'm pretty sure my high school burned down too, but i haven't seen that confirmed yet. another 500 homes have been evacuated. the flames never got closer than a mile or so to my house, thanks to wind blowing in the opposite direction. it's unknown how it started except that it was by a human. smokey the bear is not very happy today. this pic makes me cry.

five a day

did you know that you decrease your risk for cancer by 1/3 if you would just eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day? i'm totally up-ing my family's vegetable intake. we do great with fruit. we snack on strawberries, apples, citrus, grapes, bananas, summer watermelon, peaches, blah blah blah- but i admit, i am lazy to prepare the veggies. we get tomatoes here, some corn there, but not enough. i'm getting serious about it.

my resources? cuisine nie, martha's everyday food, and ummm, you...

so do you have a favorite veg, a great way to prepare them or sneak them into food, or the most delicious salad in the whole world? do you know a trick to perfect asparagus, or how long exactly to boil the artichokes? oh, i'd love a recipe for a great vegetable lasagna. please do share...i'd appreciate it!

you HAVE to try these recipes

ok, last night might have been the greatest food night of my life. nigella made spagetti carbonara last week and it reminded me of the way they made it at the italian restaurant i worked at all through high school. i had to try it and see if it was as good and oh my gosh it was. it's SUPER easy and quick. i always have to modify the recipes because they almost always call for alcohol that i don't have, and good ol' casserole and jello lovin utah grocery stores don't exactly stock gourmet ingredients. i have a hard time finding good basics like olive oil, vanilla, produce, etc. let alone non basics like creme fresch, panchetta, fresh nutmeg that the recipes so often call for. so here's my altered version of nigella's spagetti carbonara...

put on a big pot of water to boil one pound of spagetti...(martha says never use oil in the boiling water, ina says always...i don't put oil in, just lots of salt)

meanwhile...use your cooking scissors to cut into about 1" pieces a package of good thick cut bacon. cook until just crisp. drain about half the grease, but not all. leave in pan but take off heat.

meanwhile...in a small bowl whisk together 4 eggs, 3/4 cup fresh grated good parmesean cheese lots of fresh ground black pepper and 1/4 cup heavy cream. set aside.

when spagetti noodles are done (don't overcook!) toss them in the pan with the bacon and grease to coat over heat. then working fast turn off the heat and toss in the egg mixture. you have to do it fast so the eggs stay saucy, not scrambled. top with more pepper and a few dashes of nutmeg. YUUUUUUMMMMMMM. it is soooo good. at the restaurant i worked at you could order this with added shrimp, chicken, and mushrooms. but i prefer it the plain and simple way.

OK! then barefoot contessa made bread pudding using stale croissants, which i happened to have a lot of left over from thanksgiving, so i tried it......i think i visited heaven when i took a bite. holy cow. here's the recipe: ( i didn't use raisins, added some cinnamon, and used 6 crossaints, but halved the custard recipe and it was perfect.. that pressing down step is really important. and i made it in one of those deep, round casserole dishes so it was more the shape of a cake. also, it will be brown and bubbly when done, for me this was only 25 min. after removing the aluminum foil.)

3 extra-large whole eggs
8 extra-large egg yolks
5 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 croissants, preferably stale, sliced horizontally
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.

Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

just had to share. when you try new recipes it's real hit or miss, but these 2 were home runs. let me know how your's turn out!

a (very long) thanksgiving report

thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch. and it was delicious, if i do say so myself. i think the crowd favorite was the candied yams. took a chance and made a pecan topping instead of marshmellows, and it was soooooooooo good. if you want it, HERE is the recipe on allrecipes. my personal favorite, however, was the creamed corn. oh my gosh this recipe was SOOO good.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package whipped cream cheese
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup crushed buttery round crackers

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x8 inch casserole dish.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cream cheese, and dissolve the chicken bouillon. Mix in the corn. Season with pepper, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the cream. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese, and top with crackers.
3. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

i also decided to make the cranberry sauce, and i can't believe how much better it is than canned (if you like texture). just boil 3 cups cranberries, 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar. that's it! and chill. delicsh. also my friend ashley gave me the tip to use sour cream, butter, AND cream cheese in the potatoes, then after mashing/mixing put in the oven to make the top crusty. um, TO DIE FOR. and the turkey was great...but the credit for that goes to the fact that my dad was a meat cutter for  a million and a half years and can over see and make sure you make no mistakes and take it out at the exact right time, and carve it right. so no fear there. that sure takes stress off.

we have put up the tree (smells so good) and decorated the house for christmas. i am getting excited to put together gifts and cards. so....goodbye lovely fall.

oh goddesses of cooking..

allow me to channel you for just two days...i watch you and love you with all my food loving heart every day. be with me as i touch things called innards and try to understand recipes that use the word brine and call for homemade stock. oh sweet goddesses, you are so good and delicious day by day by day. for my smorgesbourge i will prepare three things i pray. to have a turkey that is moist. mashed potatoes that are flavorful and choice. and to have nigella's sexy cooking voice. day by day by day.

thank you goddess nigella, goddess ina, and supreme goodess of all martha, for your tutelage and wisdom. please don't fail me....signed, km

sweet teeth

grant drove home from texas so we made him a texas sheet cake, and i feel sick because it's all i've eaten for two days.........

     ...........but it is so freaking good. 

a sunday evening...

...dont you wish you were at our house tonight? yum yum peanut butter cookies. except for i ate like 26. that's the problem with baking, i love to bake, but then i eat it ALL. i started to make cate a dress tonight.  oooh it's gonna be so cute, hopefully i can finish it tomorrow to post. i have been finding so many cool blogs lately...craftsters that are so hip and love fabric. it's amazing and totally inspiring me to spend more time at the machine. i linked some of my faves over there to the right, and then they all have a million links, then they all have a million links, yes, just like that old shampoo commercial...only of crafty blogs!! where are all these people in real life? find me pleeeeeease!