I discovered recently that we weren't Christopher's first parents. It seems like he had another set of parents before us, that apparently had absolutely no rules at all!! Here are a few things we've learned about Christopher's *old parents* in the last couple of weeks:
"My old parents never make me eat supper before eating Halloween candy."
"My old parents have a big swing set at their house I used to play on."
"My old parents don't let me sit in time out."
"My old parents let me eat cookies for breakfast."
"My old parents let me stay up as late as I want."
They sound like some pretty cool people!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
No Turkey for you!
"Mommy?"
"Yes Bud."
"I need you to do something for me."
"OK ..."
"You need to make a chicken leg for Thanksgiving. We can't eat turkey. The turkey is my friend. We don't eat our friends."
The friend in question is a blow up turkey they have in the lobby at daycare; he has to give it a hug every time he walks by. I explained that we weren't going to have that particular turkey on Thanksgiving, but I'm not sure he is convinced.
Next I'm sure he'll want to boycott mashed potatoes since Mr. Potato head is also a close personal friend.
"Yes Bud."
"I need you to do something for me."
"OK ..."
"You need to make a chicken leg for Thanksgiving. We can't eat turkey. The turkey is my friend. We don't eat our friends."
The friend in question is a blow up turkey they have in the lobby at daycare; he has to give it a hug every time he walks by. I explained that we weren't going to have that particular turkey on Thanksgiving, but I'm not sure he is convinced.
Next I'm sure he'll want to boycott mashed potatoes since Mr. Potato head is also a close personal friend.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Happy Halloween!
We had Bob the Builder and a Witch this year. Bob had an unfortunate encounter with some asphalt at daycare this week, but I just told him it made him look like he was a hard worker. I am hoping it is gone by the time Christmas pictures get taken!.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Grilled Honey-Glazed Pork Chops
I'm not entirely sure what my deal is lately, but my meal planning has been non-existent. Food shopping has been hit or miss, and I've found myself quite a few times standing in front of the freezer at 5 PM, wondering what I can pull out and make. Pizza has been a common meal (that pizza place they built near us has been a blessing and a curse) but when someone says, "Pizza again!" you know you have a problem.
The weather was still fairly decent last week, so I decided I would find a quick recipe for the grill. These were quick - I made the glaze inside the house while the pork chops cooked on the grill. Cutting a slit in them will prevent them from curling up as they cook. I did skip the cayenne as I didn't want them to be too hot for the kids. Tasty!
Grilled Honey-Glazed Pork Chops
Cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through fat and connective tissue around outside of each chop. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper in bowl. Pat chops dry with paper towels and rub with sugar mixture.
The weather was still fairly decent last week, so I decided I would find a quick recipe for the grill. These were quick - I made the glaze inside the house while the pork chops cooked on the grill. Cutting a slit in them will prevent them from curling up as they cook. I did skip the cayenne as I didn't want them to be too hot for the kids. Tasty!
Grilled Honey-Glazed Pork Chops
Cook's Country Magazine
4 (10-ounce) bone-in pork rib or center-cut chops, about 1 inch thick, trimmed
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Whisk vinegar and cornstarch in small saucepan until no lumps remain. Stir in honey, mustard, thyme, and cayenne and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until glaze is reduced to 1/4 cup, 5 to 7 minutes.
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-low.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chops on cool part of grill and cook (covered if using gas) until meat registers 140 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Brush chops with glaze and grill, glazed side down, over hot part of grill until caramelized, about 1 minute. Repeat with second side of chops. Transfer chops to platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze. Serve.
Monday, October 29, 2012
My Faithful Canine Companion
We had to put Sophie to sleep a week ago at 11 years old. She had been battling cancer off and on since she was 3. Last June it came back and her too hard and it spread too fast. Rest in peace Sophie. You were a great dog and so good with the kids!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Caramel Brownies
We had a very busy weekend last weekend. Swim lessons, two Girl Scout activities (I was on ice skates for the first time in about 15 years!) and a work picnic. Lunch was provided at the picnic, we were asked to bring a dessert or an appetizer. Since I had no way to keep anything hot while we were running around, I opted for dessert.
I've somehow managed to get myself signed-up for so may different email newsletters, it is hard to keep track of them all, let alone remember which ones had recipes I wanted to try. Luckily Taste of Home sent me a newsletter on Thursday that had these Caramel Brownies in it. They looked good and they had some good reviews, so I figured they were worth a shot.
They were easy throw together and I enlisted some youngsters help in unwrapping all the caramels. They do sell caramel bits but they come in an 11 ounce package. Based on some of the reviews of the recipe, I put about 3/4 of the batter in the pan for the bottom layer. I did manage to swirl a little too much, as in some places I couldn't tell there was a separate layer of caramel. I did leave out the walnuts, but would substitute pecans the next time we make them, since I prefer them.
Note that sticking a toothpick in to test doneness really doesn't work all that well, since you'll probably end up sticking it in the caramel. I tested it at 35 minutes and left it in a little longer; I probably should have just taken them out then. I think they were slightly overdone but I still did receive compliments on them!
Caramel Brownies
Taste of Home
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, cocoa, oil, eggs and milk. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to egg mixture until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup walnuts.
Spoon two-thirds of the batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the caramels and condensed milk over low heat until caramels are melted. Pour over baked brownie layer. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
Drop remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over caramel layer; carefully swirl brownie batter with a knife. Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 dozen.
I've somehow managed to get myself signed-up for so may different email newsletters, it is hard to keep track of them all, let alone remember which ones had recipes I wanted to try. Luckily Taste of Home sent me a newsletter on Thursday that had these Caramel Brownies in it. They looked good and they had some good reviews, so I figured they were worth a shot.
They were easy throw together and I enlisted some youngsters help in unwrapping all the caramels. They do sell caramel bits but they come in an 11 ounce package. Based on some of the reviews of the recipe, I put about 3/4 of the batter in the pan for the bottom layer. I did manage to swirl a little too much, as in some places I couldn't tell there was a separate layer of caramel. I did leave out the walnuts, but would substitute pecans the next time we make them, since I prefer them.
Note that sticking a toothpick in to test doneness really doesn't work all that well, since you'll probably end up sticking it in the caramel. I tested it at 35 minutes and left it in a little longer; I probably should have just taken them out then. I think they were slightly overdone but I still did receive compliments on them!
Caramel Brownies
Taste of Home
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1/4 cup 2% milk
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Spoon two-thirds of the batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the caramels and condensed milk over low heat until caramels are melted. Pour over baked brownie layer. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
Drop remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over caramel layer; carefully swirl brownie batter with a knife. Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 dozen.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Honey Fest
Yesterday the kids and I headed out to Indian Creek Nature Center for the 14th annual Honey Fest. The kids were entranced by the honey bees at Hone Creek Acres last week, so I thought they'd like this.
It was a nice little place to bring the kids. Three dollars to get in for kids over 3 and they had a bunch of little activities for the kids to do. They had bees (of course) as well as information booths. They were also selling honey and baked goods made with honey. All in all it was a nice 2 hours outside with the kids, on a nice day.
It was a nice little place to bring the kids. Three dollars to get in for kids over 3 and they had a bunch of little activities for the kids to do. They had bees (of course) as well as information booths. They were also selling honey and baked goods made with honey. All in all it was a nice 2 hours outside with the kids, on a nice day.
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| Making paper |
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| Sack races |
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| Greeted by a giant bee |
Monday, September 10, 2012
Simple Chicken Marinade
We eat a lot of grilled chicken in the summer. A lot. It is quick, easy and nobody really complains as long as it seems like we aren't eating the same thing all the time. I'm not really sure where I got the recipe, I have been using it since I lived in Phoenix (which is at least 12 years!) and I've since transferred it from a worn magazine clipping to Mastercook.
This makes enough to marinate about 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken. I haven't tried it on the bone-in skin-on counterparts because it never seems that the marinade actually flavors the meat. Since the chicken breasts I buy alwayse seem to be fat on one end and thin on the other, I throw them in a gallon size bag and pound away with my beloved meat mallet (great stress reliever). Tonight we are having chicken fajitas, so I swapped out the lemon juice for lime and used a mexican seasoning blend.
Simple Chicken Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of your favorite seasoning blend (I use a bunch of different ones from Penzey's)
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt (if your seasoning is salt free)
Mix it all together and add the chicken in. I've marinated it while I was at work all day (close to 10 hours) with no change in texture. I'd be afraid to go overnight for fear the lemon juice would make the chicken too mushy.
This makes enough to marinate about 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken. I haven't tried it on the bone-in skin-on counterparts because it never seems that the marinade actually flavors the meat. Since the chicken breasts I buy alwayse seem to be fat on one end and thin on the other, I throw them in a gallon size bag and pound away with my beloved meat mallet (great stress reliever). Tonight we are having chicken fajitas, so I swapped out the lemon juice for lime and used a mexican seasoning blend.
Simple Chicken Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of your favorite seasoning blend (I use a bunch of different ones from Penzey's)
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt (if your seasoning is salt free)
Mix it all together and add the chicken in. I've marinated it while I was at work all day (close to 10 hours) with no change in texture. I'd be afraid to go overnight for fear the lemon juice would make the chicken too mushy.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Apple Picking
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| Pretty good haul |
It cooled off a lot over the ast 2 days (47 when I got up yesterday) so I figured it was time to go apple picking. Last year we went at the end of the month and it was a little late in the season.
Ever since Honey Creek Acres opened, we have headed over there since it it close. We've also gone to Wilson's Orchard in the past, but I prefer Honey Creek since it is smaller and more personable. The orchard was hit by a late frost I was told, so the apples were a little on the small side. That's OK though, as evident in the pictures below they are still tasty. I am afraid next year they will weigh Christopher before and after and charge me for the difference.
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| Some were even within their reach |
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| Apple #1 |
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| At the top of Hay Mountain |
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| Beautiful day |
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Is that like a Time Machine?
Interesting conversation in the car on the way home from work today.
"Hey mommy, you know that baby machine?"
"Um, baby machine?"
"Yeah, that machine I come from when I was very small. You remember?"
"Ah ... baby machine?"
"I was very small, you put me in and I come out a baby. You remember that?"
"Sure ..."
"Can we use it again?"
Um ...
"I need to be a baby again. I too big to go on the yellow slide and I like the yellow slide."
Whew.
"Hey mommy, you know that baby machine?"
"Um, baby machine?"
"Yeah, that machine I come from when I was very small. You remember?"
"Ah ... baby machine?"
"I was very small, you put me in and I come out a baby. You remember that?"
"Sure ..."
"Can we use it again?"
Um ...
"I need to be a baby again. I too big to go on the yellow slide and I like the yellow slide."
Whew.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Broken Lasagna With Zucchini-Tomato Sauce
The week before we went on vacation, back at the end of June, I dropped my laptop on the hardwood floor. Laptop was only two years old, landed right on the power supply plug, smashing it. Granted the laptop was giving me fits as it would just randomly shut down, but a new laptop really wasn't top of my list of things to buy.
David checked it out and declared it broke. Yeah, twisted metal was my first clue. Since then I've been using the old laptop that's about 6 years old. Twelve inch screen and the touch pad is broken, so I use a wireless mouse. Problem being I have to reboot every 20 - 30 minutes because the laptop stops recognizing the mouse is plugged in. Sweet. So I'm only on the laptop these days when absolutely necessary. Such a pain in the neck (she says, as she speed types in an effort to get this done in 20 minutes).
This recipe was the cover recipe on Food Network Magazine last month and I thought it was a good way to use up some of the shredded zucchini I had hanging out in the refrigerator (shredded and then lightly salted and placed in a colander for a couple of hours to get rid of some water). It also used up some fresh cherry tomatoes and chives I have growing in the garden (I love summer). I sauteed everything as the pasta was cooking.
Since the carnivore would turn his nose up at a meatless meal, I cut up 2 leftover grilled chicken breasts and added them in with the zucchini. I was in a hurry making it with my little helper, that I didn't realize it didn't call for garlic. Most definitely would add some chopped garlic in with the tomatoes next time. It didn't heat up the kitchen too much and it was literally done in 30 minutes. Love those kinds of meals!
Broken Lasagna With Zucchini-Tomato Sauce
Food Network Magazine
Kosher salt
2 large zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds), coarsely grated
12 ounces lasagna noodles (not no-boil), broken into bite-size pieces (I used bow-ties instead)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 cup whole, 1 cup halved)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 small bunch chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir vigorously to prevent it from sticking. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered and slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and lemon zest and cook, lightly crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the zucchini-tomato mixture to a large bowl. Add the pasta and cheese and toss. Stir in half of the chives and about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, adding more to loosen, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese and the remaining chives.
David checked it out and declared it broke. Yeah, twisted metal was my first clue. Since then I've been using the old laptop that's about 6 years old. Twelve inch screen and the touch pad is broken, so I use a wireless mouse. Problem being I have to reboot every 20 - 30 minutes because the laptop stops recognizing the mouse is plugged in. Sweet. So I'm only on the laptop these days when absolutely necessary. Such a pain in the neck (she says, as she speed types in an effort to get this done in 20 minutes).
This recipe was the cover recipe on Food Network Magazine last month and I thought it was a good way to use up some of the shredded zucchini I had hanging out in the refrigerator (shredded and then lightly salted and placed in a colander for a couple of hours to get rid of some water). It also used up some fresh cherry tomatoes and chives I have growing in the garden (I love summer). I sauteed everything as the pasta was cooking.
Since the carnivore would turn his nose up at a meatless meal, I cut up 2 leftover grilled chicken breasts and added them in with the zucchini. I was in a hurry making it with my little helper, that I didn't realize it didn't call for garlic. Most definitely would add some chopped garlic in with the tomatoes next time. It didn't heat up the kitchen too much and it was literally done in 30 minutes. Love those kinds of meals!
Broken Lasagna With Zucchini-Tomato Sauce
Food Network Magazine
Kosher salt
2 large zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds), coarsely grated
12 ounces lasagna noodles (not no-boil), broken into bite-size pieces (I used bow-ties instead)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 cup whole, 1 cup halved)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 small bunch chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir vigorously to prevent it from sticking. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered and slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and lemon zest and cook, lightly crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the zucchini-tomato mixture to a large bowl. Add the pasta and cheese and toss. Stir in half of the chives and about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, adding more to loosen, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese and the remaining chives.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Zucchini anyone?
Came back from vacation last week to find these beauties in the garden (the zucchini - not the kids). Too big to just slice and cook since the seeds will be big and bitter, so my my goal for this morning is to get them deseeded, shredded and drained. Zucchini bread anyone? Zucchini pancakes? Any other suggestions?
Friday, June 15, 2012
Triple Bean Salad
Summertime is here! One of my favorite times of the year, where I am looking for new grilling recipes as well as cold side salads to complement them.
I am working on rotating through my storage closet (the former owner's used it as a tanning bed room) and had several cans of beans that I wanted to use up. I found this recipe on the My Recipes website. It was a snap to put together and best of all it did not involve heating up the kitchen at all. I used a red onion instead of the green and I threw some feta cheese on the top. The kids liked it although they traded one's chickpeas for the other's black beans. I threw some grilled steak on the tops and had it for lunches during the week.
Triple Bean Salad
Cooking Light
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil, pepper, juice, and salt; pour over bean mixture, stirring to coat. Cover and chill.
I am working on rotating through my storage closet (the former owner's used it as a tanning bed room) and had several cans of beans that I wanted to use up. I found this recipe on the My Recipes website. It was a snap to put together and best of all it did not involve heating up the kitchen at all. I used a red onion instead of the green and I threw some feta cheese on the top. The kids liked it although they traded one's chickpeas for the other's black beans. I threw some grilled steak on the tops and had it for lunches during the week.
Triple Bean Salad
Cooking Light
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil, pepper, juice, and salt; pour over bean mixture, stirring to coat. Cover and chill.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Happy 3rd Birthday Christopher!
Happy Birthday Christopher! You're getting way too big too fast as well. Three years old already!!
This year Christopher wanted Mater on his cake. I thought that he would be easier to do than Belle was, but it was pretty humid yesterday. He was starting to melt before I could get him situated on the cake. I also didn't measure very well and he was headed for the edge. Doesn't matter though ... all that matters was the "WOW, look at my Mater cake! Thank you mommy, you're THE BEST." He was a little upset that I got a '3' candle rather than put individual candles on his cake. He wanted 'more fire' on the top!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Happy 6th Birthday Madeleine!
Happy Birthday baby girl! Hard to believe you are 6 years old!
The birthday cake choice for this year was Princess Belle. I tried to convince her that one of those cakes where you shove the doll into the top would be PERFECT. She wouldn't go for it. Princess Belle it was. Took a good chunk of my Friday to get it done (there was a bit of freezer time involved in between steps) but it wasn't too bad to do:
The birthday cake choice for this year was Princess Belle. I tried to convince her that one of those cakes where you shove the doll into the top would be PERFECT. She wouldn't go for it. Princess Belle it was. Took a good chunk of my Friday to get it done (there was a bit of freezer time involved in between steps) but it wasn't too bad to do:
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Trash Can Potatoes
Our entire yard is a hill, from the street, past the house and down into the woods. As a result, there is absolutely no flat land that I can turn into a garden, so I have to be creative when it comes to planting my vegetables.
Last year I decided I wanted to try and plant some potatoes. I bought some fabric like bags from Gardener's Supply. We planted the seed potatoes, the plants came up, sprouted flowers and the plants died like they were supposed to. Turned the bags upside down, eager to see all the potatoes we grew and ... nothing. Sorry, we found one potato. One.
This year I searched the web and found all sorts or articles and blog posts about growing potatoes in a trash can. Hmmm. Seemed easy enough. I went to Menard's and scoured the trash can aisle for the cheapest one I could find and bought quite a few bags of their 1.25 topsoil. We bought the seed potatoes from Theisen's.
David drilled holes in the bottom of each trash can for drainage. I put one bag of topsoil in each trash can and then spread the seed potatoes out. One trash can has Yukon Gold and the other has Kennebec:
I covered the potatoes with another bag of topsoil, spread between the two trash cans so they weren't buried so deep. As they started to grow, I put more top soil in, making sure to leave about 3 inches of the plants exposed:
It has been about two months, and the plants are now over the top of the trash cans. Both trash cans have been topped off with bags of top soil. It'll be interesting to see how many, if any, potatoes we get:
Last year I decided I wanted to try and plant some potatoes. I bought some fabric like bags from Gardener's Supply. We planted the seed potatoes, the plants came up, sprouted flowers and the plants died like they were supposed to. Turned the bags upside down, eager to see all the potatoes we grew and ... nothing. Sorry, we found one potato. One.
This year I searched the web and found all sorts or articles and blog posts about growing potatoes in a trash can. Hmmm. Seemed easy enough. I went to Menard's and scoured the trash can aisle for the cheapest one I could find and bought quite a few bags of their 1.25 topsoil. We bought the seed potatoes from Theisen's.
David drilled holes in the bottom of each trash can for drainage. I put one bag of topsoil in each trash can and then spread the seed potatoes out. One trash can has Yukon Gold and the other has Kennebec:
I covered the potatoes with another bag of topsoil, spread between the two trash cans so they weren't buried so deep. As they started to grow, I put more top soil in, making sure to leave about 3 inches of the plants exposed:
It has been about two months, and the plants are now over the top of the trash cans. Both trash cans have been topped off with bags of top soil. It'll be interesting to see how many, if any, potatoes we get:
Friday, May 18, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
100 Day Wellness Challenge: The Final Results
May 1 marked Day 100 of the challenge. I am 7 pounds lighter (my shoes feel looser - woo hoo!) and I logged 65 hours and 30 minutes of exercise over the course of the 100 days.
Overall my team was #18 out of 319 teams from my company's locations all over the United States. As a team, our average exercise time per member was 48 hours, so I was happy I was above the average. I think some of our team fizzled out after the halfway point though, since we started dropping every week in our rank since then.
An article that was published about a study in the UK stated that it takes 66 days for something to become a habit. I'm guessing that is the case as I've appeared to have bonded with my treadmill - I woke up at 6 AM yesterday morning and first thing I did was hop on for a 1/2 hour. Who am I? I feel stronger and I feel like I have more energy.
I just need to remember this feeling and I need to make sure I keep making time for ME in the midst of t-ball games, swim lessons and gymnastic classes. After all, if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy.
Overall my team was #18 out of 319 teams from my company's locations all over the United States. As a team, our average exercise time per member was 48 hours, so I was happy I was above the average. I think some of our team fizzled out after the halfway point though, since we started dropping every week in our rank since then.
An article that was published about a study in the UK stated that it takes 66 days for something to become a habit. I'm guessing that is the case as I've appeared to have bonded with my treadmill - I woke up at 6 AM yesterday morning and first thing I did was hop on for a 1/2 hour. Who am I? I feel stronger and I feel like I have more energy.
I just need to remember this feeling and I need to make sure I keep making time for ME in the midst of t-ball games, swim lessons and gymnastic classes. After all, if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Chicken Enchilada Bake with Salsa Cream Sauce
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
I've decided to make use of the 'To try' folder that I created within Mastercook. I figure that if I can make one recipe a week from there (or delete one that no longer sounds appetizing) then that should whittle that list right down. Problem is, there are 127 recipes stored on this laptop, an unknown number on the other, plus Pinterest, plus email ...
Madeleine was looking through the recipes with me and wanted to give this one a try. It's been on my list to try for a while but I didn't have the source noted. This was another one of those recipes that was a snap to put together (as long as you have cooked chicken) which is a must for a school night.
The kids holped me put this one together. I was in charge of the sauce, Madeleine was in charge of the chicken mixture and Christopher was the cheese spreader. I didn't even bother to try and find a papaya here and just had it with some sliced mango instead. I used spicier than normal salsa but mixing it with the sour cream cooled it down a bit. Much easier than rolling enchiladas, which always seem to split on me.
Chicken Enchilada Bake with Salsa Cream Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
10 whole corn tortillas -- cut into inch strips
2 cups cooked chicken -- shredded
15 ounces canned black beans -- rinsed and drained
6 whole green onions -- including some tender green tops
1 cup black olives -- sliced
6 ounces monterey jack cheese -- grated
Lime wedges
Papaya
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and blend. Whisk in stock, salt, and pepper and stir until mixture boils and is thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and salsa and mix well.
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with one third of the sauce. Scatter half of the tortilla strips on top. Next scatter the chicken, onions, olives, and half the cheese, and pour one third of the sauce over all. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges and papaya slices.
I've decided to make use of the 'To try' folder that I created within Mastercook. I figure that if I can make one recipe a week from there (or delete one that no longer sounds appetizing) then that should whittle that list right down. Problem is, there are 127 recipes stored on this laptop, an unknown number on the other, plus Pinterest, plus email ...
Madeleine was looking through the recipes with me and wanted to give this one a try. It's been on my list to try for a while but I didn't have the source noted. This was another one of those recipes that was a snap to put together (as long as you have cooked chicken) which is a must for a school night.
The kids holped me put this one together. I was in charge of the sauce, Madeleine was in charge of the chicken mixture and Christopher was the cheese spreader. I didn't even bother to try and find a papaya here and just had it with some sliced mango instead. I used spicier than normal salsa but mixing it with the sour cream cooled it down a bit. Much easier than rolling enchiladas, which always seem to split on me.
Chicken Enchilada Bake with Salsa Cream Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
10 whole corn tortillas -- cut into inch strips
2 cups cooked chicken -- shredded
15 ounces canned black beans -- rinsed and drained
6 whole green onions -- including some tender green tops
1 cup black olives -- sliced
6 ounces monterey jack cheese -- grated
Lime wedges
Papaya
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and blend. Whisk in stock, salt, and pepper and stir until mixture boils and is thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and salsa and mix well.
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with one third of the sauce. Scatter half of the tortilla strips on top. Next scatter the chicken, onions, olives, and half the cheese, and pour one third of the sauce over all. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges and papaya slices.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Easter Egg Hunt 2012
This past weekend we went down the the Amana Heritage Museum for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. A little bit chilly at 9 in the morning, but a fun time was had by all. This year between the 2 they had a half dozen of the Amana Easter Eggs in the baskets they found and only managed to smash 2! Progress.
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| Posing with the Easter Bunny |
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| Off and running to find their baskets |
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| Man down! |
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| Success (and I gave up trying to get him out of the bush) |
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms
The last few Saturday nights in our house have ended up being steak nights. They are easy to throw on the grill or under the broiler and I can have supper on the table in under an hour, even with my holpers. We also happen to have a gazillion steaks in the freezer and I am still on my mission to clear it out. I swear they are multiplying in there. Either that, or David is secretly buying more and stashing them in the freezer so he wins the bet - honestly, wouldn't put it past him.
I typically will just throw a couple of potatoes in the oven and saute some mushrooms to go with the steaks, but since we've had the exact same meal for the last 5 Saturdays or so, I figured I better change it up before the family started revolting.
This one caught my eye from the latest Cooking Light. I inadvertently picked up a 9 oz bag of spinach so there was some extra sauce. I also had to drain the mushroom after cooking them because they gave off a lot of water even after they were cooked. It was easy to put together and even Madeleine liked it. Someone else was too busy sitting in his booster seat with his arms crossed and bottom lip stuck out.
1 (10-ounce) package baby spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
2 1/2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese; stir until cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Add mushrooms and spinach to milk mixture, and toss gently to coat.
Serves 6 (serving size: 1/2 cup)
I typically will just throw a couple of potatoes in the oven and saute some mushrooms to go with the steaks, but since we've had the exact same meal for the last 5 Saturdays or so, I figured I better change it up before the family started revolting.
This one caught my eye from the latest Cooking Light. I inadvertently picked up a 9 oz bag of spinach so there was some extra sauce. I also had to drain the mushroom after cooking them because they gave off a lot of water even after they were cooked. It was easy to put together and even Madeleine liked it. Someone else was too busy sitting in his booster seat with his arms crossed and bottom lip stuck out.
Cooking Light, April 2012
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 (10-ounce) package baby spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
2 1/2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms; cook 6 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Remove mushrooms from pan. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese; stir until cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Add mushrooms and spinach to milk mixture, and toss gently to coat.
Serves 6 (serving size: 1/2 cup)
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Terrible 3's have hit ... and we are still 2
Look at this face:
It is the face of defiance.
Seriously.
The last month in our house has been absolutely horrible. I was getting too comfortable with the 2's. He really wasn't bad about getting into stuff, listened when you told him to do something and I got him potty trained over our Christmas break with no problems. Then February hits:
"You can't tell me what to do!"
"You not my boss."
"I don't like that."
"Don't talk to me."
The thing is, he is perfect at daycare. Listens to his teacher (I make GOOD choices mommy) and does what he is supposed to do. There was an incident this week where another little girl scratched and hit him and he did nothing. If Madeleine did that to him, she would have been tackled to the ground before she knew what hit her.
Ay. I know we have to be consistent with him and just ride this out. He's been sent to bed early every night for at least the last week and he just couldn't care less. He just gives me a hug and kiss every night and tells me, "I make good choices tomorrow mommy. I sorry." Melt my heart.
He knows just what buttons to push. I'm in trouble.
It is the face of defiance.
Seriously.
The last month in our house has been absolutely horrible. I was getting too comfortable with the 2's. He really wasn't bad about getting into stuff, listened when you told him to do something and I got him potty trained over our Christmas break with no problems. Then February hits:
"You can't tell me what to do!"
"You not my boss."
"I don't like that."
"Don't talk to me."
The thing is, he is perfect at daycare. Listens to his teacher (I make GOOD choices mommy) and does what he is supposed to do. There was an incident this week where another little girl scratched and hit him and he did nothing. If Madeleine did that to him, she would have been tackled to the ground before she knew what hit her.
Ay. I know we have to be consistent with him and just ride this out. He's been sent to bed early every night for at least the last week and he just couldn't care less. He just gives me a hug and kiss every night and tells me, "I make good choices tomorrow mommy. I sorry." Melt my heart.
He knows just what buttons to push. I'm in trouble.
Monday, March 19, 2012
100 Day Wellness Challenge: Halfway Point
Fifty days down, fifty to go. Well, it is actually 56 days down but we went up to the Dells for four days so I lost count.
Total % of weight lost: 3.26%
Total hours of exercise: 35 hours, 30 minutes
Not really thrilled about the low weight loss (but a pound gone is a pound gone) but I am quite happy I've managed to keep up with the exercise. Our team is #9 out of 309 teams for weight loss, so overall we are doing well. My goal is to do as well - if not better - than the first 50 days. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can ...
Total % of weight lost: 3.26%
Total hours of exercise: 35 hours, 30 minutes
Not really thrilled about the low weight loss (but a pound gone is a pound gone) but I am quite happy I've managed to keep up with the exercise. Our team is #9 out of 309 teams for weight loss, so overall we are doing well. My goal is to do as well - if not better - than the first 50 days. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can ...
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Dinner Disaster
Every so often I have a night where everything just bombs. Tonight was one of those nights. On the menu was Grilled Flank Steak with Garlic-Shallot-Rosemary Marinade from Cook's Illustrated magazine paired with Easy Parmesan "Risotto" from the Barefoot Contessa. Sounded good.
I scored and marinated the flank steak first thing this morning so it would have time to absorb the flavor. Recipe called for 6 cloves of garlic - couldn't taste a thing.
The risotto was a good idea, in theory. Typically risotto involves standing at the stove and stirring and stirring and stirring. This one was easy - stick the rice in heated homemade chicken stock and bake for 45 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese, a little more stock, butter and a cup of peas. Good thing I decided to check on it at 30 minutes. The rice was done, all the stock absorbed but it was gloppy. Perhaps the word 'easy' in the title should have been a clue.
Even David's attempt at cooking today bombed. He and Madeleine made brownies and doctored them up with a caramel filling, topped with pecans. Too bad that when he cut into them after supper he found that they weren't cooked in the middle.
Now I need a meal plan for the rest of the week!
I scored and marinated the flank steak first thing this morning so it would have time to absorb the flavor. Recipe called for 6 cloves of garlic - couldn't taste a thing.
The risotto was a good idea, in theory. Typically risotto involves standing at the stove and stirring and stirring and stirring. This one was easy - stick the rice in heated homemade chicken stock and bake for 45 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese, a little more stock, butter and a cup of peas. Good thing I decided to check on it at 30 minutes. The rice was done, all the stock absorbed but it was gloppy. Perhaps the word 'easy' in the title should have been a clue.
Even David's attempt at cooking today bombed. He and Madeleine made brownies and doctored them up with a caramel filling, topped with pecans. Too bad that when he cut into them after supper he found that they weren't cooked in the middle.
Now I need a meal plan for the rest of the week!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Easy Taco Chili
The title says it all - it really doesn't get any easier than this.
Winter seems to have finally arrived in Iowa. It is somewhere under 20 degrees and very windy. We, of course, chose to go out this afternoon to sell Girl Scout cookies in the neighborhood. We hit 5 houses, pulling our little red wagon loaded with cookies, and then came home to warm up in front of the fireplace. Soup or stew really sounds really good for supper and this one is a snap to put together.
This one is another slow cooker recipe that comes from my new favorite cookbook. The original recipe only called for one can of beans but we like beans in our chili (and we don't claim to be Texans) so I often put 2 or 3 cans in. The kids like the chili best when we have it over baked potatoes, topped with grated cheese, chopped green onions and a smidgen of sour cream.
Easy Taco Chili
Slow Cooker Revolution
2 cups onions -- chopped
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 whole garlic cloves -- minced
15 ounces canned black beans
16 ounces canned kidney beans
15 ounces tomato sauce
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 slice white bread
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 pound ground beef, 93%
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
Microwave onions, taco seasoning, tomato paste, oil and garlic in bowl, stirring occasionally until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
Stir beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juice) and sugar into slow cooker.
Mash bread and milk into a paste with a fork. Mix in ground beef and 1/4 teasponn black pepper using hands. Stir beef mixture into sow cooker, breaking up any large pieces. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6-8 hours on low.
Let chili settle for 5 minutes and then skim the fat off the top with a large spoon. Stir in corn and let it set until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Winter seems to have finally arrived in Iowa. It is somewhere under 20 degrees and very windy. We, of course, chose to go out this afternoon to sell Girl Scout cookies in the neighborhood. We hit 5 houses, pulling our little red wagon loaded with cookies, and then came home to warm up in front of the fireplace. Soup or stew really sounds really good for supper and this one is a snap to put together.
This one is another slow cooker recipe that comes from my new favorite cookbook. The original recipe only called for one can of beans but we like beans in our chili (and we don't claim to be Texans) so I often put 2 or 3 cans in. The kids like the chili best when we have it over baked potatoes, topped with grated cheese, chopped green onions and a smidgen of sour cream.
Easy Taco Chili
Slow Cooker Revolution
2 cups onions -- chopped
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 whole garlic cloves -- minced
15 ounces canned black beans
16 ounces canned kidney beans
15 ounces tomato sauce
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 slice white bread
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 pound ground beef, 93%
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
Microwave onions, taco seasoning, tomato paste, oil and garlic in bowl, stirring occasionally until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
Stir beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juice) and sugar into slow cooker.
Mash bread and milk into a paste with a fork. Mix in ground beef and 1/4 teasponn black pepper using hands. Stir beef mixture into sow cooker, breaking up any large pieces. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6-8 hours on low.
Let chili settle for 5 minutes and then skim the fat off the top with a large spoon. Stir in corn and let it set until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
BBQ Chicken Tenders
I've been leaning towards making quite a bit of spicy food lately so I thought I'd dig up something that was more appropriate for 2 and 5 year old palates. The kids always like to order chicken tenders when we go out (OK, they order them but then they eat what is on our plates) so I figured that would be a good start.
Growing up we had what my mom referred to as Italian Shake and Bake - dunk chicken breasts in a beaten egg, coat in good ole Progresso Italian bread crumbs and bake. I've made it several times for supper ( a go to quick meal) but I was looking for something a little different.
I found this recipe for BBQ Chicken Tenders off the Eating Well website (meaning it fits in with the 100 day challenge) and had everything already to make them. Personally, I hate cooking chicken tenders at home. They have that *thing* that runs through them that is tough. I just pulled boneless skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer and sliced them up the long way. I will say, I am not sure what the point is in dredging them in flour before dipping them in egg. I did half with flour and half without and didn't notice a difference other than the ones without we a lot less messy to make. Marinating them in the sauce gave them a nice BBQ flavor, even without the excess sauce.
BBQ Chicken Tenders
Eating Well Magazine
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray
Combine barbecue sauce, mustard and honey in a large bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce in a small bowl. Cut any large chicken tenders in half lengthwise, then add all the tenders to the large bowl with the remaining sauce; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour (mine marinated for 3). Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. Place the tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Generously coat both sides of each tender with cooking spray.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each tender over and continue baking until the outside is crisp and the tenders are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Serve with the reserved sauce for dipping.
Growing up we had what my mom referred to as Italian Shake and Bake - dunk chicken breasts in a beaten egg, coat in good ole Progresso Italian bread crumbs and bake. I've made it several times for supper ( a go to quick meal) but I was looking for something a little different.
I found this recipe for BBQ Chicken Tenders off the Eating Well website (meaning it fits in with the 100 day challenge) and had everything already to make them. Personally, I hate cooking chicken tenders at home. They have that *thing* that runs through them that is tough. I just pulled boneless skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer and sliced them up the long way. I will say, I am not sure what the point is in dredging them in flour before dipping them in egg. I did half with flour and half without and didn't notice a difference other than the ones without we a lot less messy to make. Marinating them in the sauce gave them a nice BBQ flavor, even without the excess sauce.
BBQ Chicken Tenders
Eating Well Magazine
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray
Combine barbecue sauce, mustard and honey in a large bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce in a small bowl. Cut any large chicken tenders in half lengthwise, then add all the tenders to the large bowl with the remaining sauce; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour (mine marinated for 3). Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. Place the tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Generously coat both sides of each tender with cooking spray.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each tender over and continue baking until the outside is crisp and the tenders are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Serve with the reserved sauce for dipping.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing
Somewhere along the way I've lost my desire to cook but am working on trying to get back into the swing of things. Two weeks into the challenge and I am only down a pound (although I HAVE been getting on the treadmill 5 days a week). I need to start planning meals.
I dug around in the freezer on Thursday night and pulled out a bunch of meat to turn into ... something. Kids were asking for meatloaf which was fine, but I was hoping for something a little different than mashed potatoes or oven fried, which have been the standard around here lately.
After looking around a bit I settled on a warm potato salad. It complemented the Diner Meatloaf Muffins well, with just a touch of sweetness from both the honey and the carmelized onions. Bonus, I finally got to use the bottle of sherry vinegar that I bought at Williams-Sonoma. David thought it needed more bacon, but then again he thinks everything could use extra bacon.
I dug around in the freezer on Thursday night and pulled out a bunch of meat to turn into ... something. Kids were asking for meatloaf which was fine, but I was hoping for something a little different than mashed potatoes or oven fried, which have been the standard around here lately.
After looking around a bit I settled on a warm potato salad. It complemented the Diner Meatloaf Muffins well, with just a touch of sweetness from both the honey and the carmelized onions. Bonus, I finally got to use the bottle of sherry vinegar that I bought at Williams-Sonoma. David thought it needed more bacon, but then again he thinks everything could use extra bacon.
Cooking Light
3 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 bacon slices (uncooked), chopped
2 cups diced Vidalia or other sweet onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring once. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds. Add onion mixture and bacon to potatoes; toss gently. Let stand 15 minutes.
Combine mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add mustard mixture and parsley to potato mixture; toss gently. Makes 8 servings
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring once. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds. Add onion mixture and bacon to potatoes; toss gently. Let stand 15 minutes.
Combine mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add mustard mixture and parsley to potato mixture; toss gently. Makes 8 servings
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Live Healthy America Challenge
The beginning of the new year always brings out the resolutions to eat healthy, lose weight and exercise more. I am no exception.
Every year, in order to receive a $25 credit per month for our health insurance, we need tojump through a few hoops complete a couple of activities. In addition to 'knowing our numbers' it usually involves some sort of challenge that extends over a couple of month time frame.
This year, my company teamed up with Live Healthy America for a 100 Day Challenge. Now while I don't know that this will count towards one of our activities, I figured I'd find a team and joined. I man, after all, it is only 100 days. I can do it for 100 days ...can't I?
So with visions of a free t-shirt and free magazine subscription dancing in my head, I nosed around to see if there were any teams forming in my area. I am on a team of nine and so far we are doing pretty well. Day 10 of the challenge and we are in 3rd place for the weight loss portion, with 2.29% of our body weight gone. Not too shabby. As for the activity portion, well, there must be some people who spend every waking moment out of work exercising, since there are teams with over 200 activity hours for the last 10 days.
Let's see what the next 90 days bring!
Every year, in order to receive a $25 credit per month for our health insurance, we need to
This year, my company teamed up with Live Healthy America for a 100 Day Challenge. Now while I don't know that this will count towards one of our activities, I figured I'd find a team and joined. I man, after all, it is only 100 days. I can do it for 100 days ...can't I?
So with visions of a free t-shirt and free magazine subscription dancing in my head, I nosed around to see if there were any teams forming in my area. I am on a team of nine and so far we are doing pretty well. Day 10 of the challenge and we are in 3rd place for the weight loss portion, with 2.29% of our body weight gone. Not too shabby. As for the activity portion, well, there must be some people who spend every waking moment out of work exercising, since there are teams with over 200 activity hours for the last 10 days.
Let's see what the next 90 days bring!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sloppy Joes
Perhaps one of the best purchases, or worst depending upon how you look at it, was a freezer for the garage. When we moved into our house we had a pathetic looking, very skinny, side by side refrigerator. The freezer side was so skinny, David had a hard time getting his beloved frozen pizzas to fit in there (single serving ones too). When we remodeled the kitchen, we went with a French door model with the freezer on the bottom. A step up but honestly, as someone who relies heavily on being able to pull meals out of the freezer for the weekdays, it still wasn't enough.
Enter the Freezerator. David had been coveting this thing from afar for years. It is actually listed as a garage appliance as it is made specifically for the garage. The top compartment can be either a refrigerator or a freezer and it boasts a heater so if you do use it as a refrigerator, the contents won't freeze during the Iowa winters. He finally went ahead and made the purchase when he heard that they were being discontinued. Best. Purchase. Ever.
I went through a spell this Fall where I really wasn't cooking anything. I was in a cooking funk. I'd go to the store, buy meat, end up not cooking in and into the freezer it would go. It got pretty bad around Christmas when I had to convert the top part of said freezer from a refrigerator, because I didn't have room to store my Christmas cookies. Part of my quest since the beginning of the year has been to cook exclusively from the freezer. All I've been buying from the grocery store is fresh fruit and vegetables and milk. It's actually been nice to have $40ish grocery bills for a family of 4!
I pulled a 3 pound package of ground beef out of the freezer on Friday. Honestly, I have no idea why I purchased a 3 pound package in the first place, but I do know that part of it will be used for a batch of Sloppy Joes. This is another recipe that come from the cookbook that helped my love my Slow Cooker, The Slow Cooker Revolution.
We really enjoyed this recipe. Making a panade out of the milk and bread really helps to keep the ground beef soft, especially since I lean towards leaner ground beef that what the recipe calls for. While there is some prep work involved, I love the fact that I can toss this in the crockpot for 6 - 8 hours and not be tied to the kitchen. Chop, brown, dump and then be free to referee the arguments all day. Or maybe catch up on my reading since I upped my Goodreads challenge this year.
Sloppy Joes
Yield: 12 1/2-cup servings
2 slices white bread
1/4 cup whole milk
2 pounds ground beef, 93%
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 small onions -- minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 whole garlic cloves -- minced
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Mash bread and milk into a paste in large bowl using a fork. Mix in ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper using hands.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic and chili powder and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in beef mixture, 1 pound at a time and cook, breaking up any large pieces until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
Stir remaining tomato sauce, ketchup, sugar and hot sauce into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 5 hours on high.
Let meat mixture settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from the surface using a large spoon. Break up any remaining large pieces of beef with spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture onto buns and serve.
Enter the Freezerator. David had been coveting this thing from afar for years. It is actually listed as a garage appliance as it is made specifically for the garage. The top compartment can be either a refrigerator or a freezer and it boasts a heater so if you do use it as a refrigerator, the contents won't freeze during the Iowa winters. He finally went ahead and made the purchase when he heard that they were being discontinued. Best. Purchase. Ever.
I went through a spell this Fall where I really wasn't cooking anything. I was in a cooking funk. I'd go to the store, buy meat, end up not cooking in and into the freezer it would go. It got pretty bad around Christmas when I had to convert the top part of said freezer from a refrigerator, because I didn't have room to store my Christmas cookies. Part of my quest since the beginning of the year has been to cook exclusively from the freezer. All I've been buying from the grocery store is fresh fruit and vegetables and milk. It's actually been nice to have $40ish grocery bills for a family of 4!
I pulled a 3 pound package of ground beef out of the freezer on Friday. Honestly, I have no idea why I purchased a 3 pound package in the first place, but I do know that part of it will be used for a batch of Sloppy Joes. This is another recipe that come from the cookbook that helped my love my Slow Cooker, The Slow Cooker Revolution.
We really enjoyed this recipe. Making a panade out of the milk and bread really helps to keep the ground beef soft, especially since I lean towards leaner ground beef that what the recipe calls for. While there is some prep work involved, I love the fact that I can toss this in the crockpot for 6 - 8 hours and not be tied to the kitchen. Chop, brown, dump and then be free to referee the arguments all day. Or maybe catch up on my reading since I upped my Goodreads challenge this year.
Sloppy Joes
Yield: 12 1/2-cup servings
2 slices white bread
1/4 cup whole milk
2 pounds ground beef, 93%
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 small onions -- minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 whole garlic cloves -- minced
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Mash bread and milk into a paste in large bowl using a fork. Mix in ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper using hands.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic and chili powder and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in beef mixture, 1 pound at a time and cook, breaking up any large pieces until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
Stir remaining tomato sauce, ketchup, sugar and hot sauce into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 5 hours on high.
Let meat mixture settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from the surface using a large spoon. Break up any remaining large pieces of beef with spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture onto buns and serve.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
French Onion Soup
I really do like the winter. Snow falling from the sky means 'stay home' days, fires roaring in the fireplace and soup! Here we are, January 10, and we've only had like 5 snowflakes fall to the ground. What is that all about? Never mind that we've had several days in the 50's lately. It's grilling weather not soup weather!
Now before anyone start throwing anything at me, I'm not asking for a blizzard that keeps us house bound for days. I'm just looking for a nice little snowstorm, a foot ought to do, just enough to keep us stuck at the house for a day.
One of my favorite soups to get when we go out to eat is French Onion Soup. I've tried a few different recipes before I settled on this on as my favorite. I've been making this recipe for at least 10 years now and I'm not entirely sure where it came from. It is very easy to throw together and it just involves stirring it periodically so the onions don't burn. I did learn that you can't make a double batch of this recipe as the onions with literally take all day to caramelize. I use my cast iron Dutch oven to make this and it doesn't take nearly as long to get the onions caramelized.
French Onion Soup
3 pounds yellow onions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pinch sugar
8 cups water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 whole baguette
8 ounces Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
Cut each onion into 1/8 inch slices (I make mine a little thicker so the onions don't all dissolve). Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once it has stopped foaming add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Toss to evenly coat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove cover, and cook stirring frequently until the onions begin to brown lightly, about 90 minutes longer. Stir every 5 minutes and add a couple tablespoons of water whenever the bottom of the pan crusts over with dark colored fond. Continue to cook as directed until the onions are an even dark walnut color, an additional 45 minutes longer.
Add the flour and stir for two minutes. Add 8 cups water and thyme to the onions and bring to a boil. Lower heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add white wine and simmer 10 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning adding salt as needed. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the upper middle position. Cut the baguette into 3/4 inch slices and arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake until the bread is dry, crisp and very lightly colored at the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove bread slices and set aside.
Heat broiler and place 6 heatproof bowls in a baking sheet. Fill each bowl with about 2 cups soup. Top each with two baguette slices and evenly distribute grated cheese over the bread. Broil until well browned and bubbly, about ten minutes. Cool for five minutes before serving.
Now before anyone start throwing anything at me, I'm not asking for a blizzard that keeps us house bound for days. I'm just looking for a nice little snowstorm, a foot ought to do, just enough to keep us stuck at the house for a day.
One of my favorite soups to get when we go out to eat is French Onion Soup. I've tried a few different recipes before I settled on this on as my favorite. I've been making this recipe for at least 10 years now and I'm not entirely sure where it came from. It is very easy to throw together and it just involves stirring it periodically so the onions don't burn. I did learn that you can't make a double batch of this recipe as the onions with literally take all day to caramelize. I use my cast iron Dutch oven to make this and it doesn't take nearly as long to get the onions caramelized.
French Onion Soup
3 pounds yellow onions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pinch sugar
8 cups water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 whole baguette
8 ounces Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
Cut each onion into 1/8 inch slices (I make mine a little thicker so the onions don't all dissolve). Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once it has stopped foaming add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Toss to evenly coat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove cover, and cook stirring frequently until the onions begin to brown lightly, about 90 minutes longer. Stir every 5 minutes and add a couple tablespoons of water whenever the bottom of the pan crusts over with dark colored fond. Continue to cook as directed until the onions are an even dark walnut color, an additional 45 minutes longer.
Add the flour and stir for two minutes. Add 8 cups water and thyme to the onions and bring to a boil. Lower heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add white wine and simmer 10 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning adding salt as needed. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the upper middle position. Cut the baguette into 3/4 inch slices and arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake until the bread is dry, crisp and very lightly colored at the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove bread slices and set aside.
Heat broiler and place 6 heatproof bowls in a baking sheet. Fill each bowl with about 2 cups soup. Top each with two baguette slices and evenly distribute grated cheese over the bread. Broil until well browned and bubbly, about ten minutes. Cool for five minutes before serving.
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