*That* House

I think it is safe to say we are turning into *that* house in the neighborhood.  Wasn't so bad last year with the just pumpkins.

Then someone was online and decided we needed something else in the yard.  Personally, I think the face on the pumkin looks like the Grinch.

Black Bean Soup

In our house, this is known as a 'Maria recipe', as in, nobody but Maria will eat it.  I don't make as many of these kinds of recipes as I used to.

I like Panera's black bean soup, but the last couple of times I got it I thought that the cumin was very overpowering.  This recipe is also from Slow Cooker Revolution and it is as close to an 'open and dump' recipe as this cookbook gets.  Nothing too involved though.  I cut up the onions and garlic the night before so all I had to do was microwave and dump in the next morning. 

The original recipe called for a ham hock but I had a ham bone in the freezer from Easter (or maybe Christmas) and I figured I should use it before the next one gets tossed in. I used the new Chili 3000 spice mixture I got from Penzey's since I knew it had some more spice to it than regular chili powder.  I added more carrots and celery than what was called for and checked the beans after 9 hours of cooking - perfect!  Cookbook recommends serving with chopped red onion and sour cream.

Black Bean Soup
Yield: 11 1-cup servings

3 whole onions -- minced
6 whole garlic cloves -- minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 pound dried black beans
3 stalks celery -- minced
2 whole carrots -- minced
2 whole bay leaves
1 whole ham bones
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Microwave onions, garlic, oil and chili powder in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Stir water, broth, beans, celery, carrots and bay leaves into slow cooker. Nestle ham bone in. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Transfer ham bone to cutting board, let cool slightly and shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bone. Let soup settle for 5 minutes and then remove fat from the surface using a slotted spoon. Discard bay leaves.

Transfer 1 cup of beans to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Stir shredded ham and mashed beans back into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 223 Calories; 5g Fat; 13g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber

Apple Picking

Last weekend I took the kids apple picking to Honey Creek Acres, which is an orchard not too far from our house.  I had been there a couple of years ago on a preschool field trip but we really didn't have a chance to pick any apples so we could test them out.

It was a nice, warm sunny day.  We went around 11 o'clock and it wasn't too crowded.  I was concerned that there would not be a whole lot of apples left, but we were given one of those apple picker thingies so I could get the apples up at the top of the tree - being 6' tall does have some advantages.

Of course everyone had to have their own bucket although I somehow ended up carrying them all back as the kids were busy snacking on an apple.  We got a bit more than I had intended but they've been wanting one every night after supper.  I think some apple sauce is on the agenda for this week as well as some apple bread.

I think I can reach the apples, Mommy!

I did it!!

Someone else needed to give it a try.

He decided eating was better than picking.

Our haul.

Italian Meatball Soup

I am working hard these days to establish a harmonious relationship with my slow cooker.  In the past I have tried recipes that people have raved about, only to be disappointed in the watery, usually overcooked mess that awaited me.  It would just be so nice to have a nice, hot and GOOD meal waiting for me when I come home from work.

Cook's Illustrated is one of my favorite magazines.  I find the man himself to be a little pretentious, so I can't watch the episodes of America's Test Kitchen on the weekend.  I will freely admit that their dedication in trying 50 different lemon meringue pie recipes have saved me the trouble of trying to find what I think to be THE ultimate recipe.  Rarely have one of their recipes steered me wrong.

This year they came out with a first for them - a slow cooker cookbook titled Slow Cooker Revolution.  I admit it, I was sucked in by the title:  One Test Kitchen.  30 Slow Cookers.  200 Amazing Recipes.  I'm thinking if you have 30 slow cookers lined up to test out the same recipe, then perhaps I can put my trust in the results.

Madeleine is a fan of Italian Wedding Soup so when I saw the recipe in the book I decided to give it a try.  Now, I've tried the 'open a can and dump in' type recipes and have been disappointed in the past.  I was willing to throw a little more effort into it so the meal wouldn't get pushed to the back of the refrigerator and then eventually thrown out.  This recipe didn't take any less time to throw together than a normal soup recipe but the bonus was I was able to leave the house while it cooked.

The original recipe called for meatloaf mix and kale.  I used ground beef since it is easier to find and spinach instead of the kale to make it more kid friendly.  It really came out very good and I never would have guessed it came from a slow cooker.  Even better, both kids cleaned their bowls.  You can't beat that kind of recommendation!

Italian Meatball Soup
Slow Cooker Revolution

2 slices white bread
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef, 93%
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
3 tablespoons minced parsley
1 whole egg yolk
6 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 whole onion -- minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups chicken broth
5 ounces spinach leaf, whole -- chopped
6 ounces orzo

Mash bread and milk into paste in a large bowl using a fork. Mix in ground beef, Parmesan, parsley, egg yolk, 3 garlic cloves, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper using hands. Pinch off and roll into tablespoon sized meatballs (about 30 - 35 total).

Microwave meatballs on plate until fat renders and meatballs are firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour off fat and transfer meatballs to slow cooker.

Microwave onions, remaining garlic cloves, oil and red pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add broth, cover and cook until meatballs are tender, about 4-6 hours on low.

Let soup settle for 5 minutes and then remove fat from surface using a large spoon, Stir in orzo, cover and cook on high until tender, 20 - 30 minutes. Add spinach to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with additional Parmesan.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 229 Calories; 8g Fat (33.3% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

Turtle Cake

Yesterday was my birthday (boy they come around fast) and David disappeared with the kids on Saturday for about 4 hours and came back with a covered metal tin.  Didn't take long for the kids to tell me that it was a cake, the cake was for me and it was a Turtle Cake.  "Don't worry though, mommy.  It doesn't have any real turtles in it."  The kids didn't want to wait until yesterday to eat it (twist my arm) so we kicked off our celebration after supper.

Wow.  Talk about a rich cake.  Considering the chef (Paula Deen) I am not too surprised.  It was very good BUT it is one of those cakes that requires a big glass of ice cold milk to go along with it.  It is also a good cake for portion control because one little piece is more than enough.  Cake is best stored in the refrigerator so the caramel is easier to cut through.  I put it out on the counter for 10 minutes to soften up and it was too long.  This one is going into the files for another special occasion!

Turtle Cake
Paula Deen's Just Desserts

Cake:keeeCAKE:

1 18.25-ounce box German chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients to prepare)1 18.25-ounce box German chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients to prepare)

1 14-ounce package caramel candies1 14-ounce package caramel candies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

 1 6-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips1 6-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (they used pecans)they used wewejdsflskdjlsdj;lsadkjf;lksdjaf;lkjthey they 1 cup chopped nuts

Frosting:FROSTING:

3 tablespoons cocoa3 tablespoons cocoa

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 tablespoon light corn syrup1 tablespoon light corn syrup

2 cups confectioners' sugar2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Added To Shopping List!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2 inch pan.

Prepare cake according to directions on box. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Reserve other half. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. (Don't turn off oven.) Meanwhile, melt caramel candies with butter in a saucepan. When completely melted, remove from heat and stir in condensed milk until smooth. Let mixture cool completely. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Spread mixture over cooled cake. Pour remaining batter over mixture and return to oven for another 25 to 30 minutes.

While cake is baking, prepare frosting. Mix together cocoa, butter, milk, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring ingredients to a full rolling boil and allow to boil for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Using a hand held electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar and vanilla into cocoa mixture; beat until smooth. Pour icing over warm cake.

Operation Baking GALS

I am sure I was one of the millions of Americans who watched the remembrance ceremonies that were all over the television this morning.  There were so many moving tributes and I didn't catch them all (trying not to let the little people see what was on the TV) but one that really struck we was the one by Peter Negron, who was remembering his dad, a Port Authority project manager.  After watching for a few hours I turned off the TV and Madeleine and I got busy baking.

A year or so ago I saw an article in Taste of Home magazine for Operation Baking GALS (Give a Little Support).  I subscribed to their website and 'liked' them on Facebook so I'd receive their updates.  For almost a year I watched the announcement of new rounds starting up before signing up for one.  I think the upcoming anniversary was enough to give me the push I needed to do it.  The Iraq War started in March of 2003 (8 years ago!) and I figured it was about time I said 'thank you' to some of those serving overseas and away from their families.

Madeleine and I decided to keep it basic.  In addition to some Ocean Spray drink mixes and some deodorant, we decided to make good ole Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookies and some Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Bars.  The cinnamon chips can be seasonal, so when I see them I grab a couple of bags and toss them in the freezer.  I am a bit of a cinnamon freak.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips

3/4 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350°F.

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins (batter will be stiff). Drop by heaping teaspoons unto ungreased cookie sheet.  

Bake 10 to 12 minutes on until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 4 dozen.

BAR VARIATION: Spread batter into lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into bars. About 3 dozen bars.

I was disappointed that the 'large' flat rate shipping box I got from the post office wasn't very large.  Didn't give me much room to pack all the cookies and bars that we baked!  We get our share of deliveries to the house though (online shopping just may be another addiction of mine) so I just need to make sure I put some away before David flattens and burns them (David's addiction). Both kids know (and often state) that daddy isn't allowed to burn anymore without 'adult supervision'.  That is a story for another time!

First day of School

Today was a pretty big day in our house - it was Madeleine's first day of Kindergarten.  She has been alternating between being excited and being nervous.  More nervous the last week or so as many of her friends from daycare have been leaving.

So proud of her though.  She got up this morning, put on her new outfit and headed right down for breakfast.  She ate, we had time for pictures and then on the bus she went!  She claims to have had a good time but we'll see what happens when she has to get back on the bus Monday for the first full week!

All dressed up and ready to go!

Posing with her little brother

No My-nee!  Don't go!!

Excited to be home

"What did you do today Madeleine?"

"I don't remember Mommy"

Pittsburgh Zoo

I have always loved going to the zoo.  Not entirely sure why, but I do love walking around and seeing all the different animals.  When I was little, my mom would take me to the Stone Zoo quite often, which really was a pathetic little zoo but it was only a couple of towns over.  Now that the kids are getting older, I can indulge my love of the zoo enrich my children's lives by exposing them to animals from all around the world.  Up until this summer, Madeleine had been to the zoo in Denver, Minneapolis and St. Louis.  Not bad for a 5 year old.  Since we've only ever been to Pittsburgh in the winter, it is the first opportunity I've had to take them here.

We went the day before the 4th of July, right before the heat wave descended on most of the United States.  It was pretty warm when we went, but Nana bought them hats and fans at the first gift shop and they were happy campers.

We saw the typical lions and tigers ... the bears were being lazy and hiding indoors.  My favorite was the elephants.  I got some really nice shots:

We also got to hang out with a new friend named Victoria.

This guy had the right idea as it did get a little toasty:

"Big teef mommy!  Bite you!!"



All in all we had a good day.  We were able to cover the whole zoo in about 3 hours before it got really crowded and the heat kicked in.  It was a good start to a great vacation.  Next stop: Sesame Place.

Mashed Potaotes with Blue Cheese and Parsley

One thing I am very fortunate for is the fact I have 2 kids that are really not picky eaters.  Sure, given the choice they would claim they want to eat french fries all the time but they are very good about trying new things.

Madeleine's favorite salad dressing is blue cheese.  Kind of odd that 1)  she does eat a big ole plate of salad willingly and 2) it has to have blue cheese dressing on it.  The little guy is following right in her footsteps, and always has to make sure it is on the table in case he has something he needs to dip. 

This recipe is not for those that don't like blue cheese.  With a whole cup of crumbled blue cheese in there the flavor is pretty prominent.  These go great with grilled steaks and sauteed mushrooms.

Mashed Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Parsley
Cooking Light, January 2001

2  pounds  red potatoes -- cut into 2-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves -- peeled
1 cup  crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup  1% low-fat milk
2 tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potato mixture and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Mash to desired consistency.

Yield:  8 1/2-cup servings

Summer Vacation 2011

For the first time in a LONG time we actually went away someplace for longer than a weekend.  At the beginning of July we embarked on the Northeast Tour which took us east to PA and then over to Boston and even up into Maine.  We were gone for a glorious 17 days and there was no cooking, no cleaning and best of all no work involved!  We must have had a good time since I had 600+ pictures to go through and edit and I am only about halfway done.

We started off by spending 4 days outside of Pittsburgh where David is from.  We essentially relaxed at his parents house, went to the zoo and to a 4th of July party.  The weather was nice and the kids had the opportunity to spend a lot of time lounging by the little pool.

Striking a pose:

He needs to use his belly to shoot the water gun:

Resting from a hard afternoon of swimming:

Attempting to keep his post swim snack of Cheez-balls away from Gus:

I'm already plotting a course for a two week vacation for next summer.

Quinoa, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Chive-Infused Oil

I have been making the effort lately to clean up our eating.  Not that we eat bad, but we should probably be incorporating more whole grains into our diet.  David is against rice (really, rice?) and claims he doesn't like couscous (but eats pasta - can't figure that one out).  I've been seeing recipes for quinoa for a few years but never made the plunge.

Most of the recipes I've found online that appealed to me were salads.  Yeah, I'm not ready to form the stuff into a burger, for which I am sure my family is grateful.  I skimmed through the recipes I found and simply went with the one for which no trips to the grocery store were needed.

From what I've read online, if you didn't purchase pre-rinsed you needed to rinse it or else it could taste bitter from the coating left on it.  Since I purchased mine from a bulk bin I went ahead and rinsed it thoroughly and discovered in the process my mesh strainer wasn't as fine as I needed it to be.

This recipe was quick and easy to put together.  I made it after lunch so it would be nice and cold by suppertime.  I really liked the way the chive oil tasted and was happy to find another use for my overgrown chives plant.  I only made 1/2 the oil recipe and have enough to make this salad again.  I'm thinking it would be good for lunch with some grilled chicken or beef mixed in.

Quinoa, Corn and Tomato Salad with Chive-Infused Oil

Brightly colored flavored oil coats the quinoa grains and lends the salad fresh chive flavor. Refrigerate leftover oil to use as a dressing to drizzle over grilled fish or summer vegetables. Garnish with whole fresh chives, if desired.

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Chive-Infused Oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Combine quinoa, corn, tomatoes, and parsley in a medium bowl. Combine Chive-Infused Oil and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad; toss well to coat. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

Calories: 179

Calories from fat: 34%

Fat: 6.7g

Saturated fat: 0.7g

Monounsaturated fat: 4.1g

Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g

Protein: 5.2g

Carbohydrate: 26.1g

Fiber: 2.4g       

Chive-Infused Oil    

3/4 cup extravirgin olive oil
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a blender; pulse 6 times or until chives are very finely minced. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and discard solids. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 3/4 cup (serving size: 1 1/2 teaspoons)       

Calories: 63

Calories from fat: 100%

Fat: 7g

Saturated fat: 1g

Monounsaturated fat: 5.4g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g       

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes & Basil

It has been hot hot hot here and the last thing I want to be doing is heating up the house cooking.  I dug around the freezer and found a few salmon fillets and remembered the recipe I tried out last summer from Eating Well magazine at the height of tomato season. 

Well, we certainly aren't at the height of tomato season at my house (my plants are so pathetic this year) but my basil plant was in desperate need of a trim.  I dug out some cedar planks to soak (although I don't know why I bother since they always go up in flames) and the rest was a snap to put together.  The tomatoes came from the local farmer's market so they were grown locally by somebody - just not me.  As always I used extra garlic and they took about 15 minutes on the grill.  The *corn man* has returned to the 4-way stop by our house, so I soaked and threw a couple ears on the grill as well.  David complained at the lack of carbs but I told him if he wanted to HE could heat up the house making some sort of side dish.

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes and Basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 whole wild salmon fillet (also called a “side of salmon,” about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat grill to medium.

Mash minced garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife or a spoon until a paste forms. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil.

Check the salmon for pin bones and remove if necessary. Measure out a piece of heavy-duty foil (or use a double layer of regular foil) large enough for the salmon fillet. Coat the foil with cooking spray. Place the salmon skin-side down on the foil and spread the garlic mixture all over it. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup basil. Overlap tomato slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Transfer the salmon on the foil to the grill. Grill until the fish flakes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Use two large spatulas to slide the salmon from the foil to a serving platter. Serve the salmon sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup basil.


Per serving: 248 calories; 10 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 80 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 35 g protein; 1 g fiber; 367 mg sodium; 799 mg potassium.

Storm Damage

About 2 o'clock this morning a thunder storm started getting closer.  Thunder, lightening and then the pouring rain started.  I was laying there trying to fall asleep, when it suddenly seemed like we were in a wind tunnel of some sort.  Howling winds followed by a weird sucking sound and then all was quiet.  The power went off a little while later.

Fast forward to early morning.  Overslept a bit since the alarm didn't go off.  Trying to get everyone up, dressed and out of the house so they'd make it on time for breakfast at daycare.  I opened the front door and the kids went out and stopped.  Christopher piped up "Bye bye tree".  Pretty accurate assessment:

Thankfully the tree (or two, I can't really tell) was the worst of the damage.  The kids' blow up pool ended up halfway down the hill to the woods.  The trellis I have supporting my cucumbers was blown back and took some of the cucumbers with it.  The yard was littered with branches from all over the place. 

We have such great neighbors though - came home to find a couple of the kids on our street getting some of the branches in the woods.  David is out there now with the guy across the street, 'supervising' the cutting of the portion that is on the lawn.  I am hoping that we'll be able to keep the rest of the tree, but I guess we'll have to call in a *tree guy* and see what they suggest.

Strawberry Picking 2011

As we have the last 2 years, Madeleine and I took a day off during the week to head out strawberry picking.  We went up to Bagge Strawberries as we typically do one Friday late in June.  Due to the rainy and cool weather, it opened up a little later than it usually does.

The morning we went was nice and sunny and somewhat warm, but by the time we arrived in Independence it was only 63 degrees.  After a brief stop at the local Walmart up there to pick up a sweatshirt for Madeleine, we found ourselves on the back of a golf cart being taken out to the fields.  This year the plants were full of strawberries and they were bigger and sweeter than in years past.

We ended up picking just shy of 20 pounds of strawberries.  They were so sweet this year, that a good portion of them were just eaten as is.  We did make 3 batches of strawberry freezer jam though, so we can enjoy it through the year.

My enthusiastic helper (for the first batch at least):

Mashing away:

This is about 1/4 of the strawberries that we had picked:

Our smaller containers hold 1 cup, the slightly bigger one holds 2 and the last one holds a quart.  My babci (grandmother) had a recipe for raspberry bars using jam.  I am hoping that using strawberry jam will work just as well:

Our own strawberries did not do so well this year.  We had a berry or two that we could pick each day during June.  We came home from vacation to discover the deer trimmed them back for me - down to the ground.  They have already started to recover and are still putting out runners, so I am hoping it was all just cosmetic damage!!

Quad Cities Airshow

I've started the monumental task of going through all the pictures I've taken over the last month.  Considering that involves 2 weeks of vacation, there are quite a few to go through and edit.

I found some pictures I had forgot about on the camera.  A week or so before we left on vacation we trekked out to the Quad Cities to go to the Quad Cities Airshow.  It was HOT.  It was hotter than hot, but we had fun.

Here are some pictures I managed to take.  It was the first show of the season where the Blue Angels were back performing and it was quite good.  Enjoy!