Monday, January 17, 2011
Approximately 28 days ...
... until pitchers and catchers repor for Spring Training. Football seaon is officially over for me! GO BO SOX!!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Cheesy Beef and Rice Casserole
There is a lot of football watching going on in our house this weekend. Yesterday we watched the Steelers win (eh) and at the moment I am waiting for da Bears to hurry up and win so the Patriot's game (the important one) can start. Although, honestly after the way Seatlle played last week I kind of hoped they would have shown up for the game today.
So the menu focus this weekend was quick and easy. Last night for supper I threw together the following recipe that I've had floating around in my 'to try' pile for years. I cooked everything up in the morning and just tossed it in the refrigerator and then put the casserole together right before I baked it. It took about a 1/2 hour for it to start bubbling. We had it with steamed broccoli (frozen that you just toss in the microwave) and a salad.
I did change it up a bit. I used brown rice in the base and regular sour cream as I hate the funky taste of the fat free. I added a can of black beans to the skillet with the ground beef and called it six servings instead 4.
GO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!
Cheesy Beef-and-Rice Casserole
Yield: 6 servings
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (15.5-ouce) can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cook first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Add water and next 6 ingredients (water through beans); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Combine the rice, sour cream, sliced green onions, and milk in a bowl. Spoon rice mixture into a baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 438 Calories; 12g Fat (29.5% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 387mg Sodium.
So the menu focus this weekend was quick and easy. Last night for supper I threw together the following recipe that I've had floating around in my 'to try' pile for years. I cooked everything up in the morning and just tossed it in the refrigerator and then put the casserole together right before I baked it. It took about a 1/2 hour for it to start bubbling. We had it with steamed broccoli (frozen that you just toss in the microwave) and a salad.
I did change it up a bit. I used brown rice in the base and regular sour cream as I hate the funky taste of the fat free. I added a can of black beans to the skillet with the ground beef and called it six servings instead 4.
GO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!
Cheesy Beef-and-Rice Casserole
Yield: 6 servings
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (15.5-ouce) can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cook first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Add water and next 6 ingredients (water through beans); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Combine the rice, sour cream, sliced green onions, and milk in a bowl. Spoon rice mixture into a baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 438 Calories; 12g Fat (29.5% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 387mg Sodium.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Turkey Chili
I am home from work today with Madeleine who has strep throat. I took her to the doctor after work yesterday for a cough that has been lingering for a week along with a gross nose that led me to believe she had a sinus infection. I was right on the sinus infection but was surprised when the strep test came back positive, since she never once complained about her throat and she hasn't had a fever.
Good little employee that I am, I logged on to work this morning to get a couple of hours in but I kept losing my connection, so I gave up for a while. I'm not having an issue with any other websites so I am taking the opportunity to do a little sale shopping (shhh, don't tell) and a blog update.
I made Pat Monahan's Turkey Chili (lead singer for Train) from the latest issue of Rachael Ray's magazine over the weekend. I haven't been able to eat ground turkey since I was pregnant with Madeleine, so I subbed in the same amount of boneless skinless turkey tenderloins that I cut into chunks. Three tablespoons of oregano scared me a bit so I decreased it to 2 and upped the amount of chili powder and I also cut the oil back a bit. By the time 2 hours were up, the turkey chunks had started to fall apart and the chili itself was a nice deep red. Yum. This went over well with the kids, although I did catch the little guy piling up the black beans on one side of his bowl. Maybe next time I'll use kidney beans instead.
Pat Monahan's Turkey Chili
Modified from Every Day with Rachael Ray
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
Three 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup dry red wine
4 bay leaves
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
In a large dutch oven, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Working in batches, add the turkey and cook until browned; transfer to a bowl.
Lower the heat to medium-high and add the remaining half tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the bell peppers, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano, chili powder, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black beans, wine and bay leaves. Stir in the turkey and 1 cup water, lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. To serve, top with the cheddar cheese.
Good little employee that I am, I logged on to work this morning to get a couple of hours in but I kept losing my connection, so I gave up for a while. I'm not having an issue with any other websites so I am taking the opportunity to do a little sale shopping (shhh, don't tell) and a blog update.
I made Pat Monahan's Turkey Chili (lead singer for Train) from the latest issue of Rachael Ray's magazine over the weekend. I haven't been able to eat ground turkey since I was pregnant with Madeleine, so I subbed in the same amount of boneless skinless turkey tenderloins that I cut into chunks. Three tablespoons of oregano scared me a bit so I decreased it to 2 and upped the amount of chili powder and I also cut the oil back a bit. By the time 2 hours were up, the turkey chunks had started to fall apart and the chili itself was a nice deep red. Yum. This went over well with the kids, although I did catch the little guy piling up the black beans on one side of his bowl. Maybe next time I'll use kidney beans instead.
Pat Monahan's Turkey Chili
Modified from Every Day with Rachael Ray
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
Three 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup dry red wine
4 bay leaves
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
In a large dutch oven, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Working in batches, add the turkey and cook until browned; transfer to a bowl.
Lower the heat to medium-high and add the remaining half tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the bell peppers, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano, chili powder, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black beans, wine and bay leaves. Stir in the turkey and 1 cup water, lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. To serve, top with the cheddar cheese.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Spinach with Garlic Vinaigrette
Here is another recipe from the latest issue of Cooking Light that we liked. I served it with the Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis I made the other night. This came together quickly; I was able to get it together during the 25 minutes it took the meat loaf to cook. Be warned though, if you are not a fan of garlic then this is not the vinaigrette for you! I was afraid to take the leftovers (which held up OK in the refrigerator for 2 days) to work as I didn't want to stink up my cube.
Spinach with Garlic Vinaigrette
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups baby spinach leaves (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add 6 cups spinach and red onion; toss to coat.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)
CALORIES 66 ; FAT 5.1g (sat 0.7g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 31mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.2g; SODIUM 147mg; PROTEIN 1.1g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 1.3mg
Spinach with Garlic Vinaigrette
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups baby spinach leaves (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add 6 cups spinach and red onion; toss to coat.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)
CALORIES 66 ; FAT 5.1g (sat 0.7g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 31mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.2g; SODIUM 147mg; PROTEIN 1.1g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 1.3mg
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
I'm working on those New Year's Goals I posted about!
My subscription to Cooking Light ran out last year and I did not subscribe again because I thought the magazine started to decline. Issue after issue was making its way into the box for Half Priced Books without even one recipe marked to try. Last weekend I decided to check out the magazine index online and see what the Jan/Feb issue looked like.
I'll say I was pleasantly surprised. There were a handful of recipes that looked pretty good and the Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis was one of them. Meat loaf in any form tends to disappear off of the kids plates although I'll admit to chopping the onions pretty finely in my food processor; Madeleine has decided lately that she doesn't like onions because one of her daycare friends doesn't like them. I'm sure she'll catch on pretty soon but until then the food processor is my friend.
These were good and we'll go into our meat loaf rotation. I did make sure that none of the diced cheese was showing so all of it wouldn't ooze out while cooking. Served this with some potato salad (courtesy of the HyVee deli) and a spinach salad.
Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 meat loaf)
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 425°.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.
While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.
Nutritional Information
Calories:256
Fat:11.6g (sat 5.7g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:28.5g
Carbohydrate:11.2g
Fiber:0.9g
Cholesterol:112mg
Iron:2.6mg
Sodium:620mg
Calcium:159mg
My subscription to Cooking Light ran out last year and I did not subscribe again because I thought the magazine started to decline. Issue after issue was making its way into the box for Half Priced Books without even one recipe marked to try. Last weekend I decided to check out the magazine index online and see what the Jan/Feb issue looked like.
I'll say I was pleasantly surprised. There were a handful of recipes that looked pretty good and the Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis was one of them. Meat loaf in any form tends to disappear off of the kids plates although I'll admit to chopping the onions pretty finely in my food processor; Madeleine has decided lately that she doesn't like onions because one of her daycare friends doesn't like them. I'm sure she'll catch on pretty soon but until then the food processor is my friend.
These were good and we'll go into our meat loaf rotation. I did make sure that none of the diced cheese was showing so all of it wouldn't ooze out while cooking. Served this with some potato salad (courtesy of the HyVee deli) and a spinach salad.
Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 meat loaf)
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 425°.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.
While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.
Nutritional Information
Calories:256
Fat:11.6g (sat 5.7g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:28.5g
Carbohydrate:11.2g
Fiber:0.9g
Cholesterol:112mg
Iron:2.6mg
Sodium:620mg
Calcium:159mg
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
It is THAT time of year. The new year has arrived which means, among other things, that parking will be hard to come by at your local gym. Until at least February ... that's about the time of year those pesky new exercisers tend to slide back into old habits .
Along with millions of other people, I took a look back at the last year and came up with a list of things I would like to achieve. I like to think of them in terms of 'goals' and not 'resolutions' though. A resolution is more of an intention where a goal requires me to make some sort of effort in order to achieve it. So, whether you are into making resolutions or goals, here is my list of goals for 2011:
1) I'll start with the one that is probably on the top of most people's lists: Lose weight. Specifically after stepping on the scale this morning I have decided I would like to be 25 pounds lighter than what I currently am. That would put me in the low-mid area of my height/weight range instead of in the mid-high area.
2) Get back to exercising regularly. I was plagued with back pain through most of 2010 and fell far off of the exercise wagon. Hopefully this goal will help me achieve the first one!
3) Get back into cooking. I have an abundance of cookbooks in my kitchen that have been neglected over the last couple of years. My goal is to cook at least 3 new recipes a month over the course of the year.
4) Swap one electronic device for another. I received a Kindle for Christmas as well as a gift card to use towards books. I used to love to read and often find myself logging on to the computer rather than picking up a book. It is my goal to read 25 new books this year AND since most classics are free to download, my goal is to read at least 5 classics.
5) Get financially organized. Top on my list is getting us on a budget so we can work towards paying off the home equity loan that we've had for a while. While I don't want to go all Dave Ramsey on our finances, I do think we can benefit from being a little more organized. I'd love to pay my car off this year but this is supposed to be a list of goals not dreams!
6) Find a hobby and work on honing the skill. Over the years I have tried many different things: knitting, crocheting, rug hooking and basket weaving (yes, basket weaving). I even picked up a cross stitch bookmark set (for a whole $2.50 on clearance) thinking it might be something I might like. I'd just like to be able to start and complete a project this year. Doesn't sound like too lofty of a goal ...
I could probably sit here for the next hour and come up with an even longer list of goals that I'd like to accomplish. Faced with too long of a list however, and I probably wouldn't even accomplish one. Although I do like to think I work better under pressure, the point of the list is not to stress myself out :)
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy 2011. I am off to work on Goal #4 while the little ones are still napping ... too late ... someone is peeking out their bedroom door looking at me. Sigh.
Along with millions of other people, I took a look back at the last year and came up with a list of things I would like to achieve. I like to think of them in terms of 'goals' and not 'resolutions' though. A resolution is more of an intention where a goal requires me to make some sort of effort in order to achieve it. So, whether you are into making resolutions or goals, here is my list of goals for 2011:
1) I'll start with the one that is probably on the top of most people's lists: Lose weight. Specifically after stepping on the scale this morning I have decided I would like to be 25 pounds lighter than what I currently am. That would put me in the low-mid area of my height/weight range instead of in the mid-high area.
2) Get back to exercising regularly. I was plagued with back pain through most of 2010 and fell far off of the exercise wagon. Hopefully this goal will help me achieve the first one!
3) Get back into cooking. I have an abundance of cookbooks in my kitchen that have been neglected over the last couple of years. My goal is to cook at least 3 new recipes a month over the course of the year.
4) Swap one electronic device for another. I received a Kindle for Christmas as well as a gift card to use towards books. I used to love to read and often find myself logging on to the computer rather than picking up a book. It is my goal to read 25 new books this year AND since most classics are free to download, my goal is to read at least 5 classics.
5) Get financially organized. Top on my list is getting us on a budget so we can work towards paying off the home equity loan that we've had for a while. While I don't want to go all Dave Ramsey on our finances, I do think we can benefit from being a little more organized. I'd love to pay my car off this year but this is supposed to be a list of goals not dreams!
6) Find a hobby and work on honing the skill. Over the years I have tried many different things: knitting, crocheting, rug hooking and basket weaving (yes, basket weaving). I even picked up a cross stitch bookmark set (for a whole $2.50 on clearance) thinking it might be something I might like. I'd just like to be able to start and complete a project this year. Doesn't sound like too lofty of a goal ...
I could probably sit here for the next hour and come up with an even longer list of goals that I'd like to accomplish. Faced with too long of a list however, and I probably wouldn't even accomplish one. Although I do like to think I work better under pressure, the point of the list is not to stress myself out :)
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy 2011. I am off to work on Goal #4 while the little ones are still napping ... too late ... someone is peeking out their bedroom door looking at me. Sigh.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
New Year .... New Look
I thought the blog was in need of a facelift.
I didn't much care for the all white, so I was playing with the templates and decided to try this one out for a bit. I like the dark background BUT I think this means I'll need to post more pictures in order to brighten it up a bit. All gray and white text is a bit blah.
I didn't much care for the all white, so I was playing with the templates and decided to try this one out for a bit. I like the dark background BUT I think this means I'll need to post more pictures in order to brighten it up a bit. All gray and white text is a bit blah.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Christmas Pictures 2010
I am under the illusion that if I pay someone to take pictures of my kids, they'll actually take better pictures than I. Afterall, I am paying for the. One wonders when I'll learn that is not the case, especially since I recently decided to upgrade from a basic point-and-shoot to a Canon EOS Rebel T2i. The picture quality is awesome. Love it so far.
Anyway, I dragged the kids out last Sunday in their Christmas finery to the local Picture People to have their picture taken. There were at least 15 people in the tiny store along with three huge strollers. Kids were screaming, you could tell there were several parents on the edge and it had to be 80 degrees in there. When it was our turn we were crammed in a room that was too small for the kids and I and the photographer. it was like they decided they needed to turn their storage closet (that was what the photographer told me it was used for the rest of the year) into a studio.
Thirty minutes, two tantrums and 15 minutes of endless pleading for someone to smile this is what we ended up with:
Really, do you have to keep kissing me?
Note the finger starting to come up as he begins to say the word "No":
Do I have to sit close to her?
May LOOK like a cute picture however, he had a death grip on her hair and this was seconds before the tears started flowing:
Anyway, I dragged the kids out last Sunday in their Christmas finery to the local Picture People to have their picture taken. There were at least 15 people in the tiny store along with three huge strollers. Kids were screaming, you could tell there were several parents on the edge and it had to be 80 degrees in there. When it was our turn we were crammed in a room that was too small for the kids and I and the photographer. it was like they decided they needed to turn their storage closet (that was what the photographer told me it was used for the rest of the year) into a studio.
Thirty minutes, two tantrums and 15 minutes of endless pleading for someone to smile this is what we ended up with:
Really, do you have to keep kissing me?
Sticking me in this train isn't going to make me smile:
Note the finger starting to come up as he begins to say the word "No":
Do I have to sit close to her?
May LOOK like a cute picture however, he had a death grip on her hair and this was seconds before the tears started flowing:
So now on to Plan B. Not sure what that is, but since Christmas is a mere two weeks away I better get busy snapping some pictures around the house. I really don't think I'm asking too much ... both kids looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. Maybe I'll just stick a Santa hat on Sophie and she can be our Christmas card this year. At least she sits still for the camera.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Symphony Brownies
Last night was my department's Holiday Party. The main course was provided but we needed to provide either a salad or a dessert. I wasn't feeling very creative in the salad category so opted instead to go with a deseert. Based off a Paula Deen recipe, these brownies always go over well when I take them places. They are also pretty simple to put together.
Symphony Brownies
2 brownie mixes that can be cooked in a 9x13 pan (I used Dunkin Hines)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I skipped since my candy bars had almonds)
3 4.5 ounce Hershey's Symphony Bars (I use the toffee and almond ones)
Preheat oven according to brownie mix. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix up one box of brownie mix following the recipe on the back of the box - I use the 'cake-like' recipe when I make these bars. Spread the batter in the pan. Lay the 3 chocolate bars side by side on top of the batter. Mix up the second brownie mix and pour on top of the chocolate bars. Bake for 40 minutes.
These will slice up a whole lot neater if you wait until they are completely cool. If you live in Iowa and it is winter time, stick 'em out on your back porch for a hour or two.
Symphony Brownies
2 brownie mixes that can be cooked in a 9x13 pan (I used Dunkin Hines)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I skipped since my candy bars had almonds)
3 4.5 ounce Hershey's Symphony Bars (I use the toffee and almond ones)
Preheat oven according to brownie mix. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix up one box of brownie mix following the recipe on the back of the box - I use the 'cake-like' recipe when I make these bars. Spread the batter in the pan. Lay the 3 chocolate bars side by side on top of the batter. Mix up the second brownie mix and pour on top of the chocolate bars. Bake for 40 minutes.
These will slice up a whole lot neater if you wait until they are completely cool. If you live in Iowa and it is winter time, stick 'em out on your back porch for a hour or two.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Dominick The Italian Christmas Donkey song
OK, I'll admit it. This one is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I remember my grandfather playing a record (yes, I said 'record') of all Italian Christmas songs. This was one of the only ones that was in English. C'mon, you have to admit it is kind of a catchy tune. :)
Monday, November 29, 2010
Turkey Stock
When the little guy looks at you, looks at the plate in front of him, points his finger at you and says 'NO' then it may be time to start thinking about ditching the Thanksgiving leftovers.
I opted to get a smaller turkey this year - a mere 16 pounds for the 4 of us. It was small enough to stick in a stockpot to brine (rather than dealing with the brining bags) but big enough that we had turkey for .... 8 meals.
Yesterday I took what was left of the turkey: the carcass, drumsticks and assorted skin and bones. Threw it in a pot with some water and vegetables, let it simmer and perfecto! Two big containers of stock in the refrigerator waiting to go into the freezer for a future meal or two of Turkey Noodle Soup. I think Madeleine got a little nervous when she walked into the kitchen - "Mommy it smells like you're cooking a turkey again. We aren't eating MORE turkey, are we?"
Turkey Stock
Leftover turkey carcass with a bunch of the good stuff still attached
2 onions, quartered
3 stalks celery
3 carrots, peeled
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Handful of parsley, chopped
salt
Break the turkey carcass in half and toss in a tall stockpot. Fill pot with water until carcass is almost fully submerged. Add the vegetables and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil, reducing the heat and let it simmer gently. I let it simmer for an hour and a half with the cover on and 30 minutes with the cover off so it would reduce a little.
Strain the stock into a bowl (or two) discarding all the solids. Let cool before placing in the refrigerator. I typically let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then skim off the top layer of fat before either using right away or freezing in quart sized containers. Careful when taking it out of the bowl. As you get to the bottom of the bowl, a lot of time some of the 'stuff' that passed through the strainer will have sunk. I typically use a ladle rather than pouring it right from the bowl to a pot or container.
I opted to get a smaller turkey this year - a mere 16 pounds for the 4 of us. It was small enough to stick in a stockpot to brine (rather than dealing with the brining bags) but big enough that we had turkey for .... 8 meals.
Yesterday I took what was left of the turkey: the carcass, drumsticks and assorted skin and bones. Threw it in a pot with some water and vegetables, let it simmer and perfecto! Two big containers of stock in the refrigerator waiting to go into the freezer for a future meal or two of Turkey Noodle Soup. I think Madeleine got a little nervous when she walked into the kitchen - "Mommy it smells like you're cooking a turkey again. We aren't eating MORE turkey, are we?"
Turkey Stock
Leftover turkey carcass with a bunch of the good stuff still attached
2 onions, quartered
3 stalks celery
3 carrots, peeled
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Handful of parsley, chopped
salt
Break the turkey carcass in half and toss in a tall stockpot. Fill pot with water until carcass is almost fully submerged. Add the vegetables and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil, reducing the heat and let it simmer gently. I let it simmer for an hour and a half with the cover on and 30 minutes with the cover off so it would reduce a little.
Strain the stock into a bowl (or two) discarding all the solids. Let cool before placing in the refrigerator. I typically let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then skim off the top layer of fat before either using right away or freezing in quart sized containers. Careful when taking it out of the bowl. As you get to the bottom of the bowl, a lot of time some of the 'stuff' that passed through the strainer will have sunk. I typically use a ladle rather than pouring it right from the bowl to a pot or container.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Happy Thanksgiving all!!! It's been a while since I've posted and I have no excuse other than just being busy. Taking a break at the moment while waiting for the turkey to cook and the football game to start (GO PATS!!) so I thought I'd post on of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes and pretty much the only way I'll eat sweet potatoes.
I am a huge fan of the Barefoot Contessa. She is one of the few I can stand to watch on Food Network these days and any of her recipes I have tried have been a success. This one is no exception. Simple to put together and the end result is oh so good not too sweet and just the right amount of spice. Here's hoping everyone is enjoying a wonderful dinner with their loved ones!
Smashed Sweet Potatoes
4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Scrub the potatoes, prick them several times with a knife or fork, and bake them for 1 hour or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish.
Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.
I am a huge fan of the Barefoot Contessa. She is one of the few I can stand to watch on Food Network these days and any of her recipes I have tried have been a success. This one is no exception. Simple to put together and the end result is oh so good not too sweet and just the right amount of spice. Here's hoping everyone is enjoying a wonderful dinner with their loved ones!
Smashed Sweet Potatoes
4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Scrub the potatoes, prick them several times with a knife or fork, and bake them for 1 hour or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish.
Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
L5/S Microdiscectemy
Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Isn't that how everyone would like to spend their Friday?
The sciatic nerve pain I was talking about in my last post came back with a vengeance (on my birthday, no less) the day after I started physical therapy. I spent the weekend in bed, since anytime I tried to stand I had a hot, burning pain traveling from the top of my leg to my ankle. Hmm, worse than before. Couldn't be a good sign.
Monday: a phone call to my doctor asking for pain meds and an order for an MRI. Tuesday I got in for the MRI (I now think I am claustrophic) and the results a few hours later showed a ruptured disc. The nice nurse at my doctor's office found a neurosurgeon that would see me on Wednesday and the next thing I knew I was being scheduled for surgery for Friday. Let me tell you, by the time Friday rolled around I was more than ready to have surgery, despite my apprehension about the whole thing. I liken it to having a baby - by the time Week 40 rolls around you are so big and tired and miserable you just want that baby OUT. But I digress.
Got to the hospital at 8 although my surgery wasn't until 11:30. They were 'ahead of schedule' so I actually went in about 11. One minute there is a pair of eyes asking me to take a deep breath, the next I am trying to figure out why my eyes won't open as I am listening to the nurse's recap of the previous mights Grey's Anatomy.
Surgery was a success. The doctor was able to remove the ruptured part of the disc from my spinal column and my leg is PAIN FREE. Cannot tell you how unbelievable it was to be in such pain and waking up to none. I am sure the drugs helped immensely but even as I hobble around today I am still expecting the pain in my leg and there is none.
My back is a different story though. Pretty sore where the 2-inch incision is and I am finding I can't sit at all. I was told to spend today walking a little bit around the house building up each day. I go back on Friday to have the staples removed (they even gave me a staple remover at the hospital to take with me - weird) and I am supposed to take it easy until then. No twisting, only sitting up for short periods of time and no lifting anything over 30 pounds.
I've already spent one week doing pretty much nothing and I don't know if I can handle another week of it. After playing Mr. Mom for a week, I am sure David doesn't think he can handle another week of me not being able to do anything either!!
The sciatic nerve pain I was talking about in my last post came back with a vengeance (on my birthday, no less) the day after I started physical therapy. I spent the weekend in bed, since anytime I tried to stand I had a hot, burning pain traveling from the top of my leg to my ankle. Hmm, worse than before. Couldn't be a good sign.
Monday: a phone call to my doctor asking for pain meds and an order for an MRI. Tuesday I got in for the MRI (I now think I am claustrophic) and the results a few hours later showed a ruptured disc. The nice nurse at my doctor's office found a neurosurgeon that would see me on Wednesday and the next thing I knew I was being scheduled for surgery for Friday. Let me tell you, by the time Friday rolled around I was more than ready to have surgery, despite my apprehension about the whole thing. I liken it to having a baby - by the time Week 40 rolls around you are so big and tired and miserable you just want that baby OUT. But I digress.
Got to the hospital at 8 although my surgery wasn't until 11:30. They were 'ahead of schedule' so I actually went in about 11. One minute there is a pair of eyes asking me to take a deep breath, the next I am trying to figure out why my eyes won't open as I am listening to the nurse's recap of the previous mights Grey's Anatomy.
Surgery was a success. The doctor was able to remove the ruptured part of the disc from my spinal column and my leg is PAIN FREE. Cannot tell you how unbelievable it was to be in such pain and waking up to none. I am sure the drugs helped immensely but even as I hobble around today I am still expecting the pain in my leg and there is none.
My back is a different story though. Pretty sore where the 2-inch incision is and I am finding I can't sit at all. I was told to spend today walking a little bit around the house building up each day. I go back on Friday to have the staples removed (they even gave me a staple remover at the hospital to take with me - weird) and I am supposed to take it easy until then. No twisting, only sitting up for short periods of time and no lifting anything over 30 pounds.
I've already spent one week doing pretty much nothing and I don't know if I can handle another week of it. After playing Mr. Mom for a week, I am sure David doesn't think he can handle another week of me not being able to do anything either!!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Just laying around ...
One would think that when you haven't been able to do anything but lie flat for a week, you might get some things accomplished - updating the checking account in Quicken, uploading the latest pictures to myphotoalbum for the grandparents or even updating the blog once or twice. It's been 8 days now ... I'm tired of our bank kicking me offline, can't find the camera (can't really look for it either) and well, here is my first post in a couple of weeks. WAH. OK, got the whining out. :)
I'm really not even sure what I did. I worked out in the garden one night, just picking vegetables and such. Woke up a little sore Friday morning and by Friday night I could hardly put weight on my left leg, it was hard to sit and it alternated between sharp pain and a burning sensation from the base of my back to my knee. Being a Saturday, I consulted Dr. Google which confirmed my though it was sciatica and was debating going to the walk-in clinic or not. A trip to the doctor on Monday got me some muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory and the instructions to lay on the heating pad, limited sitting and standing until I was feeling better - should be back to 'normal activities' by Friday I was told.
Fast forward to Friday and me attempting to get into my car to go to work. I couldn't sit in my car at all and couldn't put weight on my left leg without all the pain. My doctor was out of town and a trip to the walk-in clinic was useless "you need to call your doctor when she gets back from vacation so she can refer you to someone". Perfect ... can't sit, can't stand and I am supposed to wait 5 days just to get the number of a doctor to call??
Off to St. Luke's ER we went. If Leo Sternbach were still alive he'd be getting a thank you card from me. Seriously. Between the valium and the vicodin for pain I am at least able to navigate around the house (when I am not sleeping that is) and get things to eat and drink. ER doctor confirmed the sciatica but said at this point there isn't much they can do for it until the inflammation goes down ... in a month or so. A month.
I will say, David's not making too much fun of me anymore for having a well stocked freezer. If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have much of anything to eat. He's been the one getting meals together and taking care of the kids. He is also getting a taste of what it is like trying to put supper together while having someone climbing up your leg. Not so easy, is it?
It was a little easier to get out of bed this morning so I am hoping that means the inflammation is going down. I've had issues with my lower back before but never have had anything like this. Fingers crossed that some physical therapy is going to fix whatever the issue is!
On that note ... I feel another nap coming on.
I'm really not even sure what I did. I worked out in the garden one night, just picking vegetables and such. Woke up a little sore Friday morning and by Friday night I could hardly put weight on my left leg, it was hard to sit and it alternated between sharp pain and a burning sensation from the base of my back to my knee. Being a Saturday, I consulted Dr. Google which confirmed my though it was sciatica and was debating going to the walk-in clinic or not. A trip to the doctor on Monday got me some muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory and the instructions to lay on the heating pad, limited sitting and standing until I was feeling better - should be back to 'normal activities' by Friday I was told.
Fast forward to Friday and me attempting to get into my car to go to work. I couldn't sit in my car at all and couldn't put weight on my left leg without all the pain. My doctor was out of town and a trip to the walk-in clinic was useless "you need to call your doctor when she gets back from vacation so she can refer you to someone". Perfect ... can't sit, can't stand and I am supposed to wait 5 days just to get the number of a doctor to call??
Off to St. Luke's ER we went. If Leo Sternbach were still alive he'd be getting a thank you card from me. Seriously. Between the valium and the vicodin for pain I am at least able to navigate around the house (when I am not sleeping that is) and get things to eat and drink. ER doctor confirmed the sciatica but said at this point there isn't much they can do for it until the inflammation goes down ... in a month or so. A month.
I will say, David's not making too much fun of me anymore for having a well stocked freezer. If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have much of anything to eat. He's been the one getting meals together and taking care of the kids. He is also getting a taste of what it is like trying to put supper together while having someone climbing up your leg. Not so easy, is it?
It was a little easier to get out of bed this morning so I am hoping that means the inflammation is going down. I've had issues with my lower back before but never have had anything like this. Fingers crossed that some physical therapy is going to fix whatever the issue is!
On that note ... I feel another nap coming on.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
In years past, by late August, we have been buried under a ton of produce coming form our little garden. Not this year. Other than cucumbers (of which I have picked well over a hundred of regular and pickling combined) we haven’t had much of anything. Hasn’t been very hot and we’ve had way too much rain this year.
Faced with mounds of cucumbers, I had to find ways to use them up without making the family sick of them. Canning is out, as the whole process scares me and I fear poisoning the family if it isn’t done properly. So my focus is on refrigerator pickles. They’ll stay for a good month in the refrigerator so I don’t have to worry about eating them up within a week.
I found this recipe on Allrecipes and since we all like spicy I thought I’d give it a try. I had quart sized jars so instead of putting them in whole (plus I didn’t want to wait 10 days) I cut them into spears and stuffed them in 2 jars. I mixed up the brine and it filled both jars all the way up to the top, with 1/4 cup left over. Perfect.
I let them sit for a week in the refrigerator and we tried them this weekend. They were really good – slightly spicy and very garlicky with just a hint of sweetness. Probably could have used a touch more dill, but my dill plant died last month and I had to go to 3 different stores before I found any fresh.
2 cups water
1 3/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh dill weed
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 sprigs fresh dill weed
In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, water, vinegar, chopped dill, sugar, garlic, salt, pickling spice, dill seed, and red pepper flakes. Stir, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Remove the cucumbers to three 1 1/2 pint wide mouth jars, placing 4 cucumbers into each jar. Ladle in the liquid from the bowl to cover. Place a sprig of fresh dill into each jar, and seal with lids. Refrigerate for 10 days before eating. Use within 1 month.
Faced with mounds of cucumbers, I had to find ways to use them up without making the family sick of them. Canning is out, as the whole process scares me and I fear poisoning the family if it isn’t done properly. So my focus is on refrigerator pickles. They’ll stay for a good month in the refrigerator so I don’t have to worry about eating them up within a week.
I found this recipe on Allrecipes and since we all like spicy I thought I’d give it a try. I had quart sized jars so instead of putting them in whole (plus I didn’t want to wait 10 days) I cut them into spears and stuffed them in 2 jars. I mixed up the brine and it filled both jars all the way up to the top, with 1/4 cup left over. Perfect.
I let them sit for a week in the refrigerator and we tried them this weekend. They were really good – slightly spicy and very garlicky with just a hint of sweetness. Probably could have used a touch more dill, but my dill plant died last month and I had to go to 3 different stores before I found any fresh.
Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
12 three to four inch long pickling cucumbers2 cups water
1 3/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh dill weed
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 sprigs fresh dill weed
In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, water, vinegar, chopped dill, sugar, garlic, salt, pickling spice, dill seed, and red pepper flakes. Stir, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Remove the cucumbers to three 1 1/2 pint wide mouth jars, placing 4 cucumbers into each jar. Ladle in the liquid from the bowl to cover. Place a sprig of fresh dill into each jar, and seal with lids. Refrigerate for 10 days before eating. Use within 1 month.
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