My Delights!

My Road to a VBAC

2012-01-25T20:55:00.007-05:00

This post is about my pregnancy and birth of my second son, so a bit off topic from my normal posts. But it is truly one of my delights.

I’ve had several people ask me about some of the things I did to prepare for the birth of our second child. I had an unplanned c-section after 37 hours of labor with my first and wanted to do everything possible to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) this time around. One of the best things that helped me achieve this was finding the WISDOM Midwifery Practice at George Washington University hospital, with Whitney Pinger, Laura Emmons, Nora Fisher, and Marsha Stalcup. They supported me throughout my pregnancy both mentally and physically and told me the whole time that I should trust my body since it knows what to do. Some specific recommendations they gave me to maintain optimal health throughout my pregnancy and prepare for labor and delivery include the following:

I was on a very strict diet to achieve optimal nutrition and as Whitney says, “to grow an appropriately sized baby.” My first son was 8 lbs 4 oz when he was born, and usually second children are bigger than the first. Though not everything was in my control, the goal was to have a baby in the 7-7.5 lb range. My second son was 7 lbs 1 oz. Here are the WISDOM dietary guidelines. The hardest part for me was converting to all whole grains (no white bread, white flour, or white rice) and eliminating all refined sugars. I loved being able to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. I felt great during this pregnancy compared to my first (essentially no heartburn, no cravings, and wasn’t feeling ravenous all the time), and I give a lot of credit to the diet.
Whitney also kept emphasizing to drink lots and lots of water, and eat red grapes, the pith of oranges, and the membrane from the inside of hard boiled eggs (I didn’t eat eggs because of my oldest son’s allergies). If I remember correctly, these last recommendations help build a strong umbilical cord which should help decrease chances of heart rate decelerations during labor and contractions (I experienced decelerations a lot with my first labor).
I was told to exercise in fresh air for 30-60 minutes every day. This meant getting my heart rate up and breathing hard, not just strolling around the neighborhood. In addition to keeping me healthy, exercising was preparing me for labor.
I was told to rest when I was tired. This was sometimes hard to achieve, especially in the first trimester when I was tired all the time and was chasing after my then 18 month old. I made napping a priority and started tried to sleep most days when my son went down. Luckily, he’s a good napper and would usually sleep 3 hours a day, giving me a chance to also rest.
I was told to drink two glasses a day of red raspberry leaf tea from the beginning of my pregnancy to help tone my uterus and make the contractions more effective when they began and I think they mentioned it helps the uterus return to its original size more quickly postpartum (and prevent hemorrhaging). This is also something that’s recommended by other practices later in pregnancy as a natural induction method, so it could be contributing in that respect, as well. I bought organic red raspberry leaves off Amazon in bulk and had plenty for my entire pregnancy (and more still to go!). I was told to boil water and let the tea steep for 6 hours.
From my 36th week on, I was told to take 2 evening primrose oil pills 3 times each day to help soften the cervix. This is another frequently recommended method for helping induce labor naturally.
It was recommended that I take a childbirth class and have a doula for the birth. I had taken a Bradley Childbirth class with my first pregnancy, so I used that knowledge again for this pregnancy and birth. And we loved our doula, Mary Beth Harris, from the first birth, and luckily she was available for us to use again.

Beyond those things, I was told to trust that labor would begin, expect it to begin after my due date (meaning not to get anxious when I saw my due date pass), and trust that my body would do what it was intended to do. My first son was born at 41 weeks and 1 day. My second son was born at 38 weeks and 4 days. After being induced the first time, I had such a hard time believing that my body would go into labor, so much so that as we were driving to the hospital, I told my husband I couldn’t believe I was actually in labor (and my son was born less than 3 hours later).

I am thankful that Whitney Pinger began her practice at GWU hospital when she did and that she was accepting VBACs by the time I was pregnant. Without her, I believe it would have been an uphill battle to have a VBAC, but instead it was an amazing experience where I felt supported the entire 9 months of pregnancy, through and after the moment when Nora placed my son on my chest. After my delivery, when I saw or spoke to each of the midwives, they all congratulated me on the VBAC, and I could tell from their faces and voices that they were genuinely thrilled that I was able to achieve it.

Baby Doll Sling

2012-01-15T17:00:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking about making the little boy a sling of his own. Last week when he put his buddy in his shirt the whole way to the library and kept calling it his "shirt sack," I thought it was about time to follow through with my intentions. Here's a picture of the doll sling I made and the doll that will be a gift when the baby arrives. I used the pattern for a baby sling from Amanda Soule's Handmade Home, with the modified directions for making it kid sized. I didn't worry about reinforcing the seems the way the original directions stated since the doll's life won't be relying on them. With my serger, this came together in just about 30 minutes.

Homemade Baby Wrap

2012-01-10T16:52:00.004-05:00

I used my new serger and followed this tutorial to make a baby wrap. I serged together old t-shirts to make the long length of jersey fabric, which is why there are multiple colors. Now I just need to see if I'm doing the wrap part correctly. Here's the best picture I got on my own.

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

2011-12-30T16:59:00.004-05:00

This pasta dish from America's Test Kitchen was quick, easy, and tasted wonderful! You should definitely try it. It doesn't look like much in the picture, but it was fantastic. We followed the directions to get the nice creamy sauce that's intended, so make sure to get the right ingredients. Oh, we did use our regular H.T. Traders (Harris Teeter) brand whole wheat pasta since it is safe for egg allergies, and that didn't affect the recipe from what we could tell. Enjoy!

Vegetable Barley Soup

2011-12-22T14:17:00.004-05:00

We had Vegetable Barley Soup this week. This looks like the type of recipe I'd love and others in my house would tolerate. For some reason it is nearly the opposite. This is my second time making it, and I get remarks that it's flavorful and done well, but when I sit down to eat it, I'm dreading it. I can't even say what I don't like other than that maybe it isn't exciting? I even tried using chicken broth this time instead of just water, but I'm still not interested in it. I do wish as I were putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker that it would have more colors. It's a lot of white and beige with the particular veggies that go into it. So sadly I can't say this is great but I also can't say why. It does have decent flavor and the veggies are tender yet with a little crunch. If you end up trying it, let me know what you think.

Sausage and Tomato Baked Pasta

2011-12-18T21:33:00.002-05:00

I'm surprised I've never posted this baked pasta recipe considering how many times we've made it. It's a great meal for when it's time to go shopping and you're just left with pantry items (we almost always use dried basil for this reason). Also, it's great for adding in extra leftover veggies (chopped mushrooms, shredded carrots, etc.). Finally, this meal can easily be frozen, which I do after assembling and before baking. Normally I'll double the recipe and freeze half for another night when we have less time.

Cornbread and Jim's Famous Chili

2011-12-16T17:49:00.004-05:00

Last night we had a recipe that's been in the family for years. We made a chili recipe that was originally found on the back of a Premium Saltine Crackers box. I made it in the morning and stuck it in the slow cooker on low all day, but that isn't necessary. I served the chili with an egg free and delicious cornbread (I used regular skim milk instead of soy milk). Thanks to a friend for finding the cornbread recipe, trying it out, and passing it along to me.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-12-15T11:52:00.003-05:00

Another dinner from this week was Chicken Tortilla Soup. I used leftover rotisserie chicken this time though I have made it the way the directions say. Also, I used my frozen homemade chicken broth, frozen corn, and cooked fresh beans. At the end, we each added tortilla chips as we ate since we like them to be crunchy. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Cheesy Shells and Greens

2011-12-14T09:28:00.003-05:00

Last night's dinner was Cheesy Shells and Greens which was enjoyed by the whole family. It's a pretty quick meal other than taking stems off the spinach, but overall it's simple and well received. I've made it before but this time added in chopped leftover chicken since I had it. Also, I left out the mustard because of allergies. Enjoy!

Sausage, Spinach, and Feta Hand Pies

2011-11-15T20:27:00.009-05:00

I love this recipe for Sausage and Feta Hand Pies. We haven't made it in a awhile, and today's cooking extravaganza explained why. It took me a long time to do this by myself, and I mean a long time, really. Also, I made double (which meant double the chopping) and froze one set for when we don't have time to cook and want a good meal. As I kept on cooking, the little boy came to help, played with play dough, had lunch, played trains, read books, and then probably repeated each at least once. Here's what the bookshelf looked like when I finally finished.

My modifications on the recipe:

The pie crust was made with white whole wheat flour. I'm still waiting for someone to burst our bubble from finding this type of flour. We enjoy the flavor more than standard whole wheat but are supposedly getting the same nutrition. Anyone know something we don't?
A bunch of spinach was added to the filling just before adding the tomatoes to get even more good stuff into the pies.
The assembled pies were brushed with olive oil instead of egg for allergy reasons. The fennel seeds were left off for the same reason.

This isn't the healthiest recipe considering the quantity of butter in the pie crust and the Italian sausage, but the whole wheat and spinach additions at least try to get it a little bit back on track.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

2011-11-11T14:00:00.001-05:00

I've been battling with my slow cooker lately. It doesn't really like to cook...slowly... In one instance, I tried making a soup and put in a pork shoulder and black beans to cook on low for 8 hours. When I checked the meat after 3 hours, it was already tough. There has been repeated disappointment, and I keep hearing from so many people how much they love their slow cookers. I want to know this love. It is so much easier to prep dinner in the morning and set it out to cook when the little boy is still happy and chipper, instead of waiting until evening and hoping he'll be in a good enough mood to either help me or play on his own.

I kept thinking that I just didn't know how to work the slow cooker (and maybe that is part of the problem). But my mom loaned me hers for a short time, and it's amazing how many great meals I've gotten out of it already. Not a single failure yet, and I even cooked a pasta dish, which I previously thought would be impossible. Day 1 of testing out the slow cooker, I threw together this Lasagna and added chopped mushrooms and carrots to give it some more veggies. I also used a homemade marinara sauce I had in the freezer, and it was delicious.

I wish I had taken a picture of it, but here's a picture of toddler cooking when you turn your back for a moment (do not fear, the stove is not on).

Sun Ray Toy

2011-11-08T10:38:00.001-05:00

I celebrated a friend's soon-to-be daughter on Saturday and had been struggling on what to make her for her shower gift. I was looking for another fun item to add to what I already had, including some decorated burp clothes. I'm glad I kept waiting for inspiration, since on the Wednesday before, I saw a blog post on Made by Joel for a baby sun ray toy and was ready to dig through my fabric to make it. I couldn't help but make another for our next baby. Here's the silly little toy that I hope our babies will enjoy exploring and chewing on very soon.

Birthday Bag

2011-11-06T20:53:00.001-05:00

As we were waiting for the hurricane to hit in August, I sat down at the sewing machine and made two bags from one of my grandmother's old table clothes. The first was a birthday present for my mom, and the second was for me. Most of my sewing projects end up leaving the house, but I am happy I took the time before losing power to make a second bag. I've been using it for everything and love that it reminds me of my mom and grandmother each time. The pattern came from Amanda Soule's "Handmade Home." So far every idea or pattern that I've gotten from that book has brought joy to me or a family member.

In Flight Entertainment

2011-10-19T22:40:00.000-04:00

In August our family took a flight to Florida. Since the little boy is on the go all the time, I knew I should plan ahead with some in flight entertainment, toddler style, for the multiple hour flight. I've had a couple friends ask me for tips on keeping little ones entertained, so here are my ideas, but I'm sure there are plenty more things I haven't thought of.

Before flying, I try to let him walk around the terminal as much as possible to get some energy out. Also, depending on how you feel, you could board later on in the process to minimize sitting time. There's plenty to look at with all the planes, people, and luggage carts outside the window, so in-airport entertainment is easy.

When you get on the plane, make sure everything you need is within arm's reach. Keep your entertainment, food, and diapers under the seat in front of you so you can grab them easily. (Of course, make sure diapers are clean and dry to help keep a happy kid.) First off, I try to find entertaining things around us before pulling from my bag of tricks. There's a lot to look at just watching passengers board the plane and flight attendants get ready for departure. I've also found that the magazines they leave in your seat have quite a few dogs, airplanes, and other interesting things to search for throughout their pages. But a lot of our early entertainment is just talking about what's happening around us or out the window and answering the many questions that the little boy has about the unfamiliar environment.

I try to take advantage of walking the aisle when given the chance, since you aren't able to do that all the time. Also, a good game of peek-a-boo with an extra jacket or the magazine from your seat is great for getting a happy kid and wasting some time. As for the things I pack, here are some of the things I took along this time around.

I printed off some of these coloring pages from Made by Joel and some of these coloring pages from grandparents.com based on what I thought would be most entertaining. I stapled them together into a book and punched a hole in the upper left corner. Then I used yarn to tie on a red, a yellow, and a blue crayon to prevent little hands from tossing them all over the plane when he lost interest.
Since balls are a favorite toy, I made a pair of these yo-yo balls since they'd be better for keeping under control. I kept building up this pile of scrap fabric when working on projects and finally found a use for it when I made the yo-yo balls. It was a great stuffing for filling them up.
These fabric nesting dolls caught my attention as something that could be entertaining in flight. I made the largest one a rocket ship since that's been a recent interest. The little boy found additional uses for this toy such as placing the rocket ship on the arm rest of the seat and making it blast off with sound effects.
I made several sewing cards. I quickly sketched out items of interest and then had the little boy color them so he could participate. There was a rocket, Curious George, and an apple tree. After he finished coloring, I glued the picture onto cardboard. I trimmed it and punched holes around the edges. Then I tied yarn to one hole (with the other end secured with tape so it wouldn't fray) so it would be ready for sewing around the card. You could also use an old shoelace.
I made a little older version of these fleece play squares. I cut various shapes and sizes from different colored fleece and a larger white piece to be used as a canvas.
Last but not least, there's the food entertainment. I try to have a variety of easy to eat snacks ready to go - raisins, other dried fruit, fruit chips, crackers, chopped veggies, a banana, cheese cubes. Sometimes I use juice as a treat since we don't drink it normally. You can also ask for a cup and straw on the plane if you didn't bring your own.

My goal was to keep everything small and light weight. Even though I had several toys to grab when needed, they all fit into a small bag or could have been stuffed into the diaper bag. These toys have also become ones that I grab as I'm running out the door for a car trip or weekend away when I want quick toys to take with me.

Cooking Fun

2011-10-15T20:59:00.002-04:00

We have a new piece of furniture in our kitchen. Luckily there's enough room to move around it, but I was a little nervous at first to commit to adding such a big thing to an area of the house that gets a lot of use and traffic. The little boy received a Learning Tower for his birthday, and he was excited about it from the moment he laid his eyes on it. Now he likes to hang out in his tower as I cook, helping sometimes, or just snacking or hiding next to me. He can see so well, participate safely, and generally seems to love it so far. Even washing hands has become a lot easier! Here he is enjoying his new tower.

Train Bean Bag Toss

2011-10-14T13:01:00.004-04:00

The little boy had a small birthday party last weekend, and it was a train theme since he either wants to play baseball or play trains nearly every waking moment. I've been meaning to make him a bean bag game for some time since he enjoyed it at a Halloween party last year. We had a rainy day the week before the party, so we set out to work. Here's the toddler friendly train game (no scoring involved!). We even saw the little guys working together, as one would stand in the back and hand the bean bags back through the holes as they were tossed in.

I sketched the train onto the back of an old car seat box using Crews' "Freight Train" as a reference. Then the little boy helped me fill it in with construction paper. After tracing the edges and cutting a couple holes, it was ready to go. To complete the fun, I made several bean bags (some scrap fabric and dried beans for the inside) with stripes like a train engineer's hat.

Wedding Placemats

2011-10-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

I finally finished a much belated wedding gift for my friends in Boston (and that's an understatement - they've been married nearly a year and a half). Here are their recently delivered wedding placemats. Though I've been working on them since about the time my friends got married, this project should probably have taken only a couple weeks to complete, maybe a month, for the embroidery and assembly of all four. Nonetheless, better late than never! The delay just gave me more time to think about my friends as I designed and stitched them together.

Another Baby, Another Bunny

2011-10-01T22:27:00.000-04:00

My cousin's baby girl was born earlier this month which called for a new bunny. Here's take two of a project I posted about earlier in the summer. I'm happy that my supply of worn in jeans continues so that these friends are soft and ready for snuggling. Also, I had help from some little hands this time around which made it more special.

Children's Apron

2011-09-30T21:50:00.004-04:00

My little boy turns two next week, which calls for a special gift. He's been a big help in the kitchen lately, so I know he'll get excited to have his own apron. Usually I wait until after giving a gift to post it, but since he's not yet reading blogs, I decided it would be safe to share pictures of the apron fresh from the sewing table. After searching the internet, I found a children's apron pattern at Sew Liberated that comes with high reviews. Hopefully everyone else's trial and error will result in a great apron the first time around.

This apron only took a little over an evening to complete. I was excited to pull out some fabric I bought years ago for...something...and now I have a something to use it for. I'm looking forward to watching the little boy throw the apron over his head and set out to work next week (maybe in time to help make the cake for his party), but for now it's still pretty cute hanging on its own.

Here's a picture of the little boy's current cooking attire. He's standing proudly by a tester cake we made to see if I knew how to use the train pan before the main event. The picture was snapped just before his little hands reached up and grabbed the smoke stack to see if it tasted any good. Luckily he approved and now likes to request "happy birthday cake" at various times throughout the day.

Italian Pasta and Bean Soup

2011-08-10T15:16:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure what happened, but I've been picking winners lately. The recipes we've been trying have been really good. Maybe we were just extra hungry the past month. Even John's been telling me they're some of the best things I've made. Some are impromptu, some are from a recipe. Last night we had Italian Pasta and Bean Soup. It was delicious. Too bad the little boy wasn't as up for it. The only change I'd make to how we did the recipe this time is to use homemade chicken broth, but this time I did cook the beans fresh rather than use them from a can. Also, I chopped the spinach before throwing it in the soup to make it a little more appealing for the baby (didn't work, I guess), and I used a no egg pasta which limits my selection more than most people (threw it in cooked at the end so it wouldn't get soggy).

Of course my attempt to make this easy and use Woman's Day's link to the recipe isn't working since the link is broken (here's the cached page for now). I will try to get it up soon.

Homemade Popcorn

2011-06-29T22:36:00.003-04:00

I've been meaning to try this for awhile. Tonight I was in the mood for a slightly salty snack, but I was trying to keep it on the healthy side. I grabbed a brown lunch bag, put 1/4 C of popcorn kernels in it, folded it up, and put it in the microwave. Less than 2 minutes later, I had a nice warm bag of fresh popcorn (listen for the pops to be a couple seconds apart just like with the commercial bags). The best part is, you can add whatever toppings you like - plain, salty, sweet, spicy. Spray the popcorn lightly with cooking spray or a mist of cooking oil, then sprinkle with your favorite herbs, salt, sugar, whatever you like. Tonight I had a little bit of salt and cinnamon. I look forward to sharing this trick with the little boy.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

2011-06-25T05:23:00.001-04:00

These Oreo Cheesecake Cookies from Brown Eyed Baker are delicious! They melt in your mouth, and the original recipe is egg-free. A delicious recipe is even better when I don't have to make modifications on my own. I did double the recipe since it says it makes 1 dozen, only to end up with 3 dozen cookies, so I'd say the recipe makes about 18 cookies. The little boy enjoyed pretending to roll the dough in the cookie crumbs but mostly just ate the crumbs. We had fun making them and had a huge mess at the end. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Still excited about gdiapers after 20 months!

2011-06-13T10:44:00.005-04:00

Today I ordered a case of gdiapers biodegradable refills. I looked back at my last order, and it was December 27th! When I switched over to gcloth on a trial basis, I never thought we'd last 6 months on one case of the disposable gdiapers (and they aren't even all used yet). The disposables are saved for when we don't time laundry well and run out of cloth (or are being lazy), when we're on the road, or sometimes for the heavy wetting times of day. What's amazing about gdiapers is the ease of switching between cloth and disposable all in one system. I can't say how much we've loved gdiapers the last year, and they even have wonderful customer service. Extra bonus!

For cost comparison, we used to go through a case a month. That's $175 (cheapest I can find, usually would cost about $260) in savings, minus our initial investment of about $60 for gcloth (that was on the low side since I used credits from all the other diapers I bought and got some for free). Of course I'm not factoring in extra water usage, but none of these diapers go to the landfill, so that's additional savings. And even more, we rarely deal with diaper rash issues. Happy baby means happy me.

Some things that have made cloth diapering easier include a couple wet bags to keep in the diaper bag and bathroom and our homemade diaper sprayer. I am thankful for a cloth diapering friend who pointed out both these tips. I'm sure there are other great ideas out there. We're still learning but love how well cloth diapering has gone so far.

First Harvest

2011-06-09T18:55:00.006-04:00

The little boy reminded me a couple days ago when it was time to water the garden. When we went in the backyard, we found these. Yum! Looking forward to more soon.

Bunny Friend

2011-06-06T21:33:00.001-04:00

I loved this little guy from the moment he crawled out of his shell. I had to wrap him up quickly so that neither the little boy nor I would decide to keep him. He was even given a place of honor amongst the toys after a hug and a kiss. I used this pattern and especially enjoyed using a recycled pair of jeans so my bunny friend would be soft and ready for a baby's arms as soon as he was complete.

Growing Beans

2011-05-24T15:34:00.003-04:00

We've been experimenting in the garden again this year. The little boy helped plant beans and other things and likes to look and see how they're doing. The beans and flower mix seem to be doing the best of all. Water is not a cause for lack of growth since we've had more than enough of that. I still wish a little more sun would peak through in the backyard plot. We'll see how the herbs and other seeds we've planted in pots along the driveway turn out. That may be where we have our garden from now on.

Chai Tea

2011-05-23T13:48:00.001-04:00

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting Regina and Sudheer for dinner. Our church partners with them in their ministry in India. After dinner, they offered to make the group chai tea, and of course we accepted! Here's the recipe for a group of eight (one serving each).

Regina and Sudheer's Chai Tea

INGREDIENTS
4 mugs of water
4 mugs of milk (whole milk preferred)
8 tea bags (caffeinated tea preferred)
8+ TBSP sugar
about 3/4 TBSP finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp of cinnamon

METHOD

Add milk, water, tea bags, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon to pot.
Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for several minutes.
Taste, and add additional sugar if desired.
When you like how it tastes, turn the heat off. Remove the tea bags, and strain the liquid to remove the ginger solids.
Pour, serve, and enjoy!

Yield: about 8 servings

Chicken Fajitas

2011-05-22T19:08:00.001-04:00

Last week we enjoyed these chicken fajitas, and especially loved the homemade guacamole. I've had a hard time getting a good avocado in the past, but this time it was perfectly ripe. I do laugh when I read the directions and it says preparation time takes 20 minutes. I suppose I could buy pre-cut onion, peppers, tomatoes, chicken, and crushed garlic, but I try to make dinner inexpensively. So, it took me a bit longer to get the ingredients list prepped, and then perhaps it was 20 minutes to cook but definitely not 20 minutes total. This recipe got top ratings from my critics, so it will be returning to our menu.

Chicken Fajitas modified from "Allegry-free Cookbook"

INGREDIENTS
3 TBSP olive oil
1 red onion, halved and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 large green peppers, cut into strips
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 TBSP chopped fresh chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
few drops Tabasco (optional)
8 tortillas

METHOD

To make the guacamole, scoop the flesh of the avocado into a small bowl and mash with the chives. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Add a few drops of Tabasco, if desired.
Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes, and stir-fry until nearly tender, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the spices and herbs and season to taste.
Meanwhile, warm the tortillas on a covered plate over a pan of simmering water or wrapped in a damp towel and warmed briefly in the microwave.
To serve, divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, top each with a spoonful of guacamole, and roll up. You can also add a spoonful of sour cream or plain yogurt, grated cheddar cheese, or shredded lettuce, if desired.

Yield: about 4 servings

Working

2011-05-19T20:34:00.004-04:00

I'm working on a gift for a special baby boy born last Saturday. I'll post pictures after he receives it.

Latest Pizza Recipe

2011-05-16T13:34:00.001-04:00

We like to test out new pizza crust recipes, but I realized I haven't shared our latest go-to recipe. We've been using this one for over a year. It's the recipe we reach for when we just want to get it done right the first time and know we'll like the result. Also, I'll generally do two batches, leaving one to rise for dinner. I'll put the second batch into sealed containers after I divide it up and place it directly into the freezer. Then when I can't take time to make dough (though it doesn't feel like it takes very long now), I just have to remember to take it out of the freezer the morning of the day I want to use it.

Pizza Crust Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 C warm water (100-110 F)
1 1/2 TBSP honey
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
22 1/2 oz. bread flour
2 tsp salt

METHOD

Mix honey into water, then add yeast, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
Mix bread flour and salt in bowl of mixer.
Add yeast mixture to the flour and knead with the dough hook. Dough should pull away from sides of the bowl and still stick to the bottom slightly. If the dough is too sticky, add a small amount of flour.
Check the dough periodically, and do a windowpane test. When the dough stretches without breaking, stop kneading.
Divide dough into three equal portions, and gently work them into a ball. Spray three bowls with cooking spray, and add dough.
Cover each dough ball with a thin layer of cooking spray, then cover the bowl with a towel. Allow dough to rest in a warm place at least until double in size (about 45 minutes to an hour), but feel free to leave it on the counter all day.
Preheat oven to 550 F or as high as your oven will allow.
Gently work dough into a 14-15" circle.
Cover pizza with desired toppings, and brush crust with olive oil. Bake on stone until crust is golden brown (about 7 minutes).

Play Ball!

2011-05-13T21:12:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we picked up a couple items to make the little boy a new bat. He was given this great bat for his birthday, but he's still a bit too small to swing it well. We've been intending to find or make a lighter and smaller version for him for some time and finally did it.

We picked up a wooden dowel and some pipe insulation for a couple dollars. After tightly wrapping one layer of insulation around the dowel and securing it with duct tape, we put a second layer on the upper portion of the bat to leave a handle on the lower end and then wrapped the whole thing in duct tape. Even when we were just picking up the materials, the little boy was yelling, “Bat! Bat! Bat!” I'm not sure how he knew, but luckily our concerns that he wouldn't want to use the new, lighter bat were relieved. Now he's happily and comfortably playing ball...ALL DAY LONG!

Rainbow of Peppers

2011-05-10T13:51:00.007-04:00

We've enjoyed all colors of peppers the last couple weeks, either eating them raw as a snack before meals, on our pizza, or in other dishes (delicious fajitas recipe coming up soon). The little boy also enjoys requesting the peppers by color, usually asking for the orange or yellow ones but eating all that are on his plate. If only there were blue and purple peppers available, too. Just after I took this picture, he said a very happy, "Yum."

He got so excited about decorating the pizza that he placed his final pepper strips on it after it came out of the oven. Peppers must be a good pizza topping both cooked or raw.

Operation Rainy Day Entertainment

2011-05-09T14:14:00.000-04:00

In the middle of the winter when we kept getting snowstorms, I decided to brighten up the view in our kitchen with some kid crafts. We used some finger painted projects to make a mobile, and since the little boy likes to count, I used his paintings to make a counting wall with red and white circles. I had intended to add to the wall with more colors and shapes, but then things started to warm up, and we were outside most of the time. Last week we had a rainy day that required a full day of indoor entertainment. We started with some finger painting, then origami, before several long reads, and a long nap. Now the mobile has a mama made and a baby made butterfly joining the previously hanging ladybug and fish, and the counting wall has more colors and even a little frog hopping around. Looks like we'll need new windows to count beyond nine.

Egg Free Baking: Orange Cupcakes

2011-05-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

I wish I had a group of people to consult about egg free recipes. I always put so much trust in published recipes and get disappointed when they fail me. This recipe was half failure and half success. The original recipe calls for putting the batter in a 12 cup bundt pan. I was wanting to serve a small dessert to four people, so I followed all the directions except I put the batter in 4 mini bundt pans plus (luckily) five mini muffin pans. Based on my experience with "normal" recipes, this shouldn't have made a difference.

The mini bundt cakes never set. I cooked them for the suggested time and longer and longer until I gave up. The tops browned nicely, but the insides were a gooey mess. Thankfully, the five mini muffins came out beautifully, so I had the needed dessert.

The icing was my addition since the original recipe calls for putting an orange glaze over the cake, but I wanted them to be more festive with icing.

Mouthwatering Orange Cake modified from "Bakin' Without Eggs"

INGREDIENTS
1/2 C butter or margarine, room temperature
1 C sugar
1/2 C no-fat sour cream or yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP grated orange peel
1/4 C orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 C vegetable oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter mini muffin pans and dust with flour. Tap out excess flour.
In a large bowl, combine butter or margarine and sugar. Cream with a hand held mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes, until fluffy.
With mixer at same speed, beat sour cream or yogurt, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange peel, orange juice concentrate, and oil. Mix for another 3 minutes, until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean and tops are golden. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Yield: about 20 servings

Icing Recipe

Combine 4 oz. cream cheese (softened), 2 TBSP butter, 1 tsp orange juice, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and 2 C powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix all ingredients together with a hand mixer until smooth, adding a little bit of extra orange juice until reaching the desired consistency.

The Seven Last Words of Christ

2011-05-03T09:04:00.000-04:00

On Good Friday my church performed The Seven Last Words of Christ by Théodore Dubois. It was a joy to perform with so many great musicians, including soloists Susan Hagler, Bill Johnson, and Jose Sacin. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (It starts around the fourteen minute mark, so scroll ahead.)

Pieced Potholders

2011-05-02T12:31:00.000-04:00

Here's a set of potholders I made for my friend's bridal shower. I received several wonderful boxes of fabric scraps from my husband's grandmother a couple years ago and always love to find a good use for them. First you see all the pieces of one of the potholders laid out (pattern, backing piece, two inside pieces from towels, and the three front pieces).

Here are the two smaller potholders complete on the top, the larger one to the left pinned with the front pieces and inside towel layers sewn together, and the larger one to the right with a basting stitch ready to attach the bias tape.

Finally, here are the fronts and backs of all four completed potholders.

Belle Isle

2011-04-30T22:19:00.006-04:00

Tonight I returned from an overnight camping trip to Belle Isle for my friend's bachelorette party. Belle Isle is a peaceful place - beautiful water, good friends, a sunset, a campfire, delicious food, s'mores, birds chirping in the morning, and long hikes. Here's a peek at what we experienced together as we celebrated her marriage.

Banana-Cocoa Snack Cake

2011-04-29T12:49:00.000-04:00

My aunt made this delicious banana-cocoa snack cake while we were in New York several weeks ago. We were grateful for a dessert that we could eat, and it's free of all allergens that I can think of except gluten. This cake would be great for breakfast as it isn't overly sweet. I would have taken a picture of the whole thing, but it was eaten too quickly.

Homemade Bouquet

2011-04-28T09:46:00.004-04:00

We are back inside after a quick trip around the block for fresh air before the storms hit. We brought a little of the outdoors inside with us for a quick homemade bouquet (picked from our backyard). I am enjoying all the flowers surrounding us this season.

Frozen Baguette Dough

2011-04-27T23:01:00.000-04:00

I wanted to mention that I've had success cooking the frozen baguettes. When I'm making the bread fresh, after I finish all the rising and shaping and rising again, I pick which loaves will go into the oven and put them on a pan. I take the remaining loaves, put them on a pan, and place them in the freezer. After they're hard, I wrap them up and stick them in a freezer bag. When I want to bake the frozen loaf, I take it out the night before and put it in a couche on the counter to defrost overnight. In the morning, I heat up the oven normally to cook the baguette. The crust isn't quite as wonderful as being fully fresh, but it's very good and great considering how little work I had to do to get fresh bread in the morning! I'm curious if I could put the frozen baguette directly in the oven. I may try that at some point and report back.

Fried Rice

2011-04-26T14:05:00.008-04:00

We have several types of fried rice we make regularly, and here is one of the egg free versions. I thought fried rice always had eggs in it, but I guess most anything can be modified (reminds me of my egg free quiche...). This recipe is another great one for whatever leftover meat is laying around ready to use, or leave the meat out. You can also throw in veggies you have on hand. Though only peas are called for in the recipe, I added shredded carrots I had prepped and frozen over a month ago, as well as fresh chopped mushrooms. Lots of nutrition in every bite, and it's tasty, too! Remember to prep all ingredients before starting to cook, since the process goes quickly.

Fried Rice modified from "Bakin' Without Eggs"

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP grated ginger root
5 cups cold, cooked rice
2 cup frozen baby peas
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
5 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
6 TBSP chicken stock (use water if none available)
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp white pepper

METHOD

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion and garlic; stir-fry 4-5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
Add ginger, rice, and peas; stir-fry 3-4 minutes longer.
Add chicken; stir-fry until hot, about 3-5 minutes longer.
Stir in soy sauce, stock, thyme, and pepper. Stir-fry until rice absorbs the liquid and food is hot, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Baby Playmats

2011-04-17T20:29:00.000-04:00

It has been a season of babies for the women around me. I feel like I've spent a large part of 2011 either making meals for new moms or working on baby gifts. (For this reason I am behind on wedding gifts! It'll happen eventually.) I loved making two baby playmats for babies born in February and March. The original idea came from Handmade Home, but usually project instructions are more inspiration than a guide to what I end up doing.

I used soft baby blankets for the top's base layer, cut shapes out of patterned fabrics and appliquéd them on top, then added the ribbon fringe to the edges. The top, batting, and backing were sewn together with right sides facing each other, leaving a small opening to pull it all through to show the right sides. Then I stitched up the hole and quilted three concentric rectangles to finish the playmat. The idea is straight forward but all the applique pieces made the project take a bit longer than intended. It was fun, and I hope the babies enjoy the textures, colors, and shapes as they spend time on the floor.

Baby Shower Gift

2011-04-14T21:18:00.006-04:00

One of the gifts that made me repeatedly smile while I was a new mom was a set of burp clothes with fun fabric on them. Considering all the messes that bombard you at the beginning of parenthood, it's nice to be able to clean it up with a rag that's a little more fun than normal. I'm headed to a friend's baby shower this Saturday, so I decided to make a set of burp clothes for her. Hopefully these will give my friend as much joy as when I used my set.

Part two of the shower gift is a little newborn hat. I got the pattern from this blog post. I appliquéd a decoration on afterward based on what I hear is the theme of my friend's nursery. Both crafts were quick and easy, and I was able to complete them in two evenings.

BURP CLOTH INSTRUCTIONS
Materials: Cotton cloth diaper, fabric, pins, thread, and sewing machine

Prewash fabric and cloth diaper.
Measure fabric to fit on the center portion of the cloth diaper (about a third the size of the diaper) and add about a half inch for seam allowances. Check the measurements again, then cut the fabric.
Fold the edge of the fabric under as you pin it to the center of the burp cloth. The top of the cloth diaper will be covered, and you'll be looking at the right side of the fabric.
Sew along the edge of the fabric, backstitching at the beginning and end. That's it!

Taco Soup

2011-04-12T12:38:00.001-04:00

John's aunt made this recipe when we visited over Thanksgiving; I think it came from their church recipe book. I love having this recipe on hand. All the ingredients come from the pantry or freezer. I have the ingredients stocked up for when our fresh produce is gone and it's time to go shopping. Also, this was my first go-to recipe for the slow cooker. It made me a little less scared of trying new recipes after we had some recipes that were awful several years ago.

I make some changes to the recipe from what I wrote below. It makes it a little more involved but hopefully also a little healthier. The changes include: cooking dried beans instead of using canned (just guess at amounts, it's not exact); using frozen corn; and mixing my own taco seasoning and ranch dressing (see below). These changes help reduce sodium and other unnecessary ingredients that often come from canned goods. Also, instead of ground beef, feel free to leave the meat out or substitute leftover meat, such as chopped chicken, pork, or beef. Another reason why this recipe is so great is because you can do almost anything to it, and it still tastes great. If after adding all your ingredients, you want a little more liquid, add a couple cups of water. It will be full of flavor after it's done cooking.

Taco Soup from family in North Carolina

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 cans corn
2 cans rotel
2 cans hominy
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans navy beans
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 package taco seasoning mix

METHOD

After browning and draining the meat, put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
If desired, serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings

Taco Seasoning: Mix together 1/4 C oregano, 3 TBSP chile powder, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBSP onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 pinch ground cloves, 1 pinch ground cinnamon. Use a couple heaping tablespoons for the recipe above.

Ranch Dressing: This is less exact as I change what I throw in each time, but sprinkle in some variety of salt, black pepper, sugar, paprika, parsley, and dried onion as you feel led.

Whole Wheat Baguettes

2011-04-08T10:41:00.000-04:00

This round of baguettes was a little different. I changed so many components (some intentional and some not so much) that I'm not sure what made the differences. Here are the changes:

I made the biga the same way but it rested for half an hour on the counter before going in the refrigerator overnight. It was much less fermented looking compared to aging it two nights on the counter (understandable, since the refrigerator slows the process and it was a shorter time).
I used 300 g of whole wheat flour, so about a third of the total. For how much the baby loves the bread, I'm trying to get more nutrition in it. I'd like to use more in the future
I used unbleached all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. Oops! I think this made a big difference.
After mixing the flour and water in step one, I added a splash more of water (maybe 30 g) since it was very dry and not coming together. That did the trick to make the consistency what I wanted.
I more closely followed directions relative to times than I did last week which resulted in less rise time overall.
I made five loaves instead of four and put three of them in the freezer just before they would have gone in the oven. We'll see later how this works out when I defrost and bake them.

And now for the differences we noticed.

As I mentioned above, the dough was dry after combining all the ingredients, so I added a bit more water. My guess is that the whole wheat flour made this difference, but I don't have a lot of experience going back and forth between the two flours, so I'm not sure.
The crust was great when it came out of the oven, but even just a couple hours later it didn't hold its crunch.
The inside of the loaf didn't have the same holey texture as the last time. It was more like a regular store bought loaf of bread.

Next time, I will go back to the longer aging of the biga, stick with the same amount of whole wheat flour, and do my best to use bread flour. I may take a loaf out of the freezer tonight to defrost on the counter overnight and bake in the morning. Hopefully it works!

Here's a picture of the whole wheat baguettes in the couche for the final rise.

Broccoli and Beef

2011-04-05T09:00:00.001-04:00

Another dinner from last week was a Broccoli and Beef slow cooker meal over rice. I had to drastically alter the final cook time and temperature because of what was going on during the day. After adding the broccoli, I cooked on low for longer. This made the broccoli too soft for our taste. Also, we weren't thrilled with the flavors. I reduced the vinegar from the original and had to remove the sesame oil because of allergies, but it still didn't come out well. Next time I'll try different seasonings for the beef and get closer to the suggested cooking time and temp to help the texture.

Broccoli and Beef from "A Year of Slow Cooking"

INGREDIENTS
1/4 C soy sauce
2 TBSP white wine
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb thin beef, sliced thinly
1 bag thawed broccoli florets, about 1 lb (to add later)

METHOD

Add soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and red pepper to the slow cooker and mix well.
Add the beef and mix to coat.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the cut of meat. Thicker pieces will take longer to tenderize.
An hour before serving, add the bag of broccoli, cover and cook on high for another hour or so.
Stir gently to coat broccoli, and serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Vegetable Curry Slow Cooker Meal

2011-04-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

Last week we had several slow cooker meals which was wonderful! It gave us a chance to enjoy doing some other things later in the day instead of squeezing in dinner preparations. One night we had a Vegetable Curry Slow Cooker meal. It was good, but not quite as flavorful as when I had it at a friend's house, so I'll have to figure out what I should change. I left out the chili to make it more appealing for the baby, so perhaps that's where I went wrong. I served the meal over rice but the recipe calls for couscous, so use whichever you prefer.

Vegetable Curry Slow Cooker Meal from a friend (not sure of the original source)

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 C chopped onion
1 C sliced carrots
1 TBSP curry powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
3 C cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 C cubed peeled baking potato
1 C diced green bell pepper
1 C cut green beans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth
3 C fresh baby spinach
1 C light coconut milk

METHOD

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender.
Add curry powder, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chile; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in chickpeas and next 8 ingredients (through broth).
Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours or until vegetables are tender.
Add spinach and coconut milk; stir until spinach wilts.

Yield: 6 servings (1 1/3 C vegetable mixture)

Baguettes

2011-04-03T13:51:00.006-04:00

Last week I had a chance to make baguettes. I started with a biga on Monday and ended with four baguettes on Wednesday. The biga aged on the counter for two nights since I wasn't able to get to it sooner. I was surprised how easy it was to make these while looking after a toddler and having company over. The "drop hook fold" between rises was great for getting the job done quickly and easily. The bread was forgiving when I was late folding between rises. The only things that seemed to suffer were the photos. But at least we had delicious bread at the end of it all.

Four loaves were a bit much for our family to eat before they started getting hard, but instead of making a half portion next time, I'll try freezing a couple loaves when they're ready for the oven and see how they come out when I bake them later.

Here's the biga after kneading and ready to sit.

Here are the baguettes in my impromptu couche.

And the final product hot from the oven! This is how my family ruins their dinner.

French Onion Soup and Baps

2011-03-29T12:10:00.008-04:00

Last night we had French Onion Soup with our delicious baps. It was a flavorful and easy meal. Next time I'll add more water, maybe another 2-3 cups. There were a lot of onions for the amount of liquid, and we needed more servings. Also, the recipe called for canned beef broth. I try not to use canned broth and usually use water instead. Since there were so few ingredients, I felt I needed to add some seasoning (hence giving in to the bouillon cubes and adding some herbs), so I just sprinkled in a couple herbs that I thought would be good. For the baps, this time I made them with half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. They turned out great!

French Onion Soup from "A Year of Slow Cooking"

INGREDIENTS
3 TBSP butter
2 yellow onions, sliced into rings
5 C water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp each of oregano and thyme
1/2 TBSP granulated sugar
1/4 C cooking sherry
1/2 tsp kosher salt
slices of wheat bread
swiss cheese or gruyere cheese

METHOD

Heat your crockpot to high and add butter to start melting.
Add onions to crockpot; break up the slices with your fingers, and rub them around in the melted butter.
Add the water, bouillon, seasonings, sugar, salt, and sherry.
Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-12.
Before serving, broil sliced bread with cheese on top until melted and browned. Then place bread in soup and eat!

Yield: 4 servings

Blueberry Muffins

2011-03-28T14:15:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend we needed some entertainment, so I made muffins with the little boy. In addition to being allergy safe, it was fun to make these muffins egg free since it allowed him to taste as much as he wanted along the way. We had fun, and I think we'll be doing this a lot more together now that he loves to "dump" ingredients in the bowl, as he likes to say.

Joyce's Blueberry Muffins from "Bakin' Without Eggs"

INGREDIENTS
2 C plus 2 TBSP unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 C granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 C light cream or milk
1/2 C applesauce
1 C drained fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping
3 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP margarine or butter, room temperature
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease twelve muffin cups.
In a large bowl, combine 2 C flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lemon peel and juice, milk, and applesauce; with a wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined.
In a small bowl, toss blueberries with remaining 2 TBSP flour just to coat (this prevents them from sinking), then fold them into batter gently. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling half full. Set aside.
To Prepare Topping: In a separate small bowl, with a fork, stir sugar, margarine or butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg until crumbly. Spoon evenly on each muffin before baking.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm.

Yield: 12 servings

Pepperoni Portobello Pizzas

2010-11-12T14:01:00.004-05:00

Last night's meal was Pepperoni Portobello Pizzas with leftover bean soup from the night before. These were really quick and delicious, but I could have probably eaten three or four. Also, I couldn't find the mushrooms as cheap as I probably needed to for meeting the price per serving listed in the recipe. But it's still a good, healthy, quick meal for when you need one. Even the baby wanted more!

White-Bean Zucchini Soup

2010-11-11T10:41:00.002-05:00

Last night we had White-Bean Zucchini Soup, and it was a hit! The baby kept squealing for more, and John particularly enjoyed the slight crunch that the zucchini added. I also threw ingredients into the bread maker for cornbread which paired well with the soup. This is a very quick dinner, as long as you follow the directions (which I didn't do)!

To keep the ingredients fresh and be sure that I knew exactly what was in the soup, I made the beans by simmering them for three hours with a chopped onions, a couple strips of bacon, salt, and pepper. (As a bonus, I made a little extra so I can use the beans for a chili recipe in a couple days.) Also, instead of chicken broth, I used the liquid made from making the beans which was already well seasoned. Once the beans were done, it was easy to add everything else to the pot and call dinner done in time to let the baby play in the backyard while I raked some leaves before John got home. This could be a veggie meal if you use veggie broth and take out the bacon, but it was good just as it is!

Distractions and Changes

2010-11-10T10:23:00.000-05:00

A cute little kid has been occupying most of my time lately. We do eat dinner, and we even cook most nights (or have leftovers). In order to give myself the chance of updating our recipes more regularly, I will now link to the recipe I used and eliminate pictures unless I have extra time available. Sorry to make it less interesting, but it's the best chance to update this site. I'll try to note any changes I made in the text since I'm not writing out the full recipe with them.

We're also exploring the world of no eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seeds, and seafood. I think that's everything; it's hard to remember it all. Hopefully it'll be temporary, but those are the doctor's orders for now. Anyway, I enjoy chicken nuggets/tenders and fries on occasion, but since the pre-prepared versions have egg in them or are fried with things that include one of the above "bad" foods, I decided to try out making them myself last night.

The Chicken Nuggets and Sweet Fries worked out pretty well except everything could have been crispier. Next time I'll try a slightly higher temperature from the beginning instead of waiting until later in the baking process to increase it. Also, to maintain the desired "no egg" meal, I substituted a combination of mustard and honey instead of honey mustard which I now know has mayonnaise in it (bad food). Next time I'll use more to give the chicken better flavor.

My Little Ratatouille

2010-01-31T19:00:00.001-05:00

To prevent having Sammy think I'm referring to him as a rat, I've been calling him my little Ratatouille. But the real reason for the name was that it took me almost all of the meal preparation time to remember Remy's name! Nevertheless, my little Ratatouille was a star last night. He had a front row seat with Chefs Brewer, and he enjoyed nearly every moment of it. Rotating between the baby carrier and the bumbo seat, he was happy to watch the workings in the kitchen. Ratatouille and I manned ingredient retrieval duty, as well as food processor and snow pea trimming duty, to keep the little boy away from anything dangerous, while John took charge of all work involving exposed knives or fire.

Last night we all (since Sammy's help was essential) cooked Barbequed Pork Fried Rice and even prepped ingredients for a couple other meals this week! It was our first time cooking brown rice in the rice cooker. We've rarely had brown rice in the past, but I read that if you double the amount of water that you'd normally use for white rice, the rice cooker can also cook brown rice. We gave it a try, and it worked well. It just takes quite a bit more time for it to finish compared to how long white rice normally cooks.

We enjoyed the flavors in this meal. We were hesitant about adding ketchup to the mixture for the pork but did it anyway, and it helped with the BBQyness of the pork.

Barbecued Pork Fried Rice

2010-01-31T18:59:00.002-05:00

(adapted from Gourmet by way of Culinary in the Desert)

INGREDIENTS

Pork Loin:
1/4 C hoisin sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp ketchup
1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
16 oz center-cut boneless pork loin, trimmed

Seasoning Liquid:
3 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Vegetables and Rice:
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
3 medium leeks, halved and thinly sliced
8 oz snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine
5 cups brown rice, cooked and chilled

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare barbecued pork loin:

In a medium bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, and five-spiced powder. Add pork, turning to coat.
Place pork onto a small baking pan lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Place into the oven and bake until a meat thermometer registers 150 F to 155 F. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Cut pork into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare seasoning liquid: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

Prepare vegetables and rice:

In a large 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high.
Add leeks and ginger. Stir-fry until leeks begin to soften, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
Stir in snow peas. Add rice wine, and stir-fry until snow peas are crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add rice and pork. Cook, stirring frequently until thoroughly heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in seasoning liquid, tossing well to coat evenly.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Soup and Pasta

2010-01-22T20:24:00.001-05:00

It's been awhile since my last post. We've cooked real meals far less in the last year between buying a house, preparing for the baby to come, and now being with Sam in the evenings after work. Despite everything that's going on, we're doing what we can to resume more healthy eating.

To add to some leftover pasta, I decided to make Butternut Squash Soup so we'd have enough food for dinner. I got this recipe and the can of squash from my aunt. She made it while we were visiting in New York, and I really enjoyed it, so she sent me what I needed to make it at home. While Sam was taking a short nap, I was able to chop veggies, and then I finished off the rest of the recipe with him looking on in the sling. It was quick to come together and didn't require too much with two hands, so I was able to finish. I'd say this recipe is baby friendly and tasty, too!

Next time, I may blend the veggies in a food processor after cooking them. Also, I may reduce the half and half a little more and substitute with more milk to reduce the sweetness a tiny bit. This was my first attempt at making soup, and this was a great first recipe since it's so easy.

Butternut Squash Soup

2010-01-22T20:23:00.002-05:00

INGREDIENTS
14 oz. chicken stock
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. pepper
15 oz. can of butternut squash
1 C half and half
1 C skim milk

METHOD

In a large pot, add chicken stock, onion, carrots, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
Stir in butternut squash, half and half, and milk.
Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes and then serve.

Yield: 6 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

No Sauce Challenge

2010-01-21T21:02:00.004-05:00

I really enjoy eating pasta. Unfortunately, many times with pasta you also get tomato sauce, which doesn't agree with Sam's stomach. So, I've been having to figure out ways to be able to at pasta (and pizza, another favorite) without tomato sauce and still keep it interesting. Thursday night we were in need of a trip to the grocery store but also wanted to have a good meal (without tomato sauce). We found this White Cheese and Sausage Pasta recipe which did the trick to satisfy our stomachs with standard ingredients we have in our pantry, fridge, and freezer even when we don't really have any food around.

White Cheese and Sausage Pasta

2010-01-21T21:01:00.000-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS
1 lb Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
Cooking spray
2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 C skim milk
1 lb ziti, cooked and hot
3/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
Cook sausage until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and set aside. Wipe drippings from pan with a paper towel.
Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add flour, and stir with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook until thick (about 8 minutes), then remove from heat.
Combine sauce, sausage, pasta, Parmesan, and salt in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: 6 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Quick Strawberry Dessert

2009-07-02T09:07:00.004-04:00

I ran across this Strawberry Cobbler recipe at work and wanted to give it a try last night. I had strawberries and all the other ingredients. If I waited too long, the strawberries would end up in a smoothie, so I just jumped right into it when I got home! The preparation took no time at all, and while it baked in the oven for 30 minutes, I remembered to have a little dinner before filling up on dessert.

I've never made cobbler before, and I haven't eaten it much either. I was a little unsure about the cook time since I made it in three smaller pans instead of the 9" x 9" baking pan. Also, I used the toaster oven so I wouldn't heat up the kitchen, which brought the pans closer to the heating elements. After only 20 minutes, the tops were a nice golden brown. When I went to pull out the pans, the cobbler was jiggling more than I thought it should. So I covered it up with foil and let it finish out the full 30 minutes. Luckily, nothing burned and it was cooked through when it came out!

I happened to have some vanilla ice cream in the freezer to pair with the cobbler. With one scoop of ice cream and a helping of strawberry cobbler, I took my first taste...Simply Amazing! The almond and vanilla extracts wonderfully complemented the strawberries, and it all melded together ever so nicely. The strawberries didn't peek through the topping as much as I expected, but that didn't hurt the flavor one bit. And best of all, the recipe came together in no time at all. I used my hand mixer and only a couple bowls, so there was little to clean up at the end. I'll be using this cobbler for a quick dessert in the future.

Strawberry Cobbler

2009-07-02T09:06:00.003-04:00

(adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion by way of Culinary in the Desert)

INGREDIENTS
1 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C granulated sugar, divided
1/4 C milk
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C water
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 1/2 C fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs and 1 C granulated sugar.
Beat in milk and butter.
Add dry ingredients, and stir just until combined.
Scoop mixture into a 9" x 9" baking pan (or other 2-quart baking dish) coated with cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan, add remaining 1/2 C sugar, water, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extracts. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in strawberries to coat. Immediately pour hot mixture over the batter in the baking pan.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 9 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Baps!

2009-07-01T21:03:00.000-04:00

All day Thursday I wanted to make this Baps Scottish Breakfast Rolls Recipe, and luckily we had an evening at home so we could bake up a triple batch. We have made this recipe many times, including as a weekend snack and for last year's Christmas dinner. This is a versatile bread. Off the top of my head, I know I've had them straight out of the oven, with butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, jam, as a breakfast sandwich (sausage/bacon, egg, and cheese), as mini pizzas, as sandwiches with lunch meat and veggies, and as dinner rolls. There are many possibilities, and I'm sure I haven't figured them all out yet. I would love to hear how you decide to use these rolls. One of these times I'd like to see how they turn out with a split of all purpose and wheat flour.

I think this was the first recipe we tried from Barry Harmon's Artisan Bread Recipes site, and we keep coming back to it. His site includes pictures of each step which help you determine if you're on the right track as you're trying new recipes. The baps recipe is easy enough with only two rising periods. We never make just one batch, though, since we go through 10 of these rolls in no time at all. We use our mixer to get the dough together initially but usually end up taking it to the counter for a couple kneads by hand before setting it to rise the first time.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Baps Scottish Breakfast Rolls

2009-07-01T21:02:00.000-04:00

(adapted from Barry Harmon's Artisan Bread Baking)

INGREDIENTS
16 oz. all purpose flour
5 1/4 oz. warm water (100 - 110 F)
5 1/4 oz. warm milk (100 - 110 F)
1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
2 tsp salt

METHOD
Use extra flour for the counter and extra milk and flour for glazing the baps before putting them in the oven.

Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the bottom.
Mix the yeast and milk, then the water. Allow to sit about 5 minutes to let the yeast proof.
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix together to form a soft dough.
Knead the dough lightly in the bowl (I used a mixer). Form into a ball, then cover with clear film and leave to ferment for 1 hour in a warm place, or until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, grease two baking sheets, or line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and deflate it slightly.
Divide the dough into 10 pieces (approximately 2 3/4 oz.).
Knead each ball lightly. Using a rolling pin, shape each piece into a flat round (approximately 3 1/2 inches in diameter).
Transfer to the baking sheets, spaced well apart, and cover with oiled film.
Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Press each roll lightly in the center with three fingers to equalize the air bubbles.
Brush the top of each roll with milk, and dust with flour.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Dust with flour, and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Yield: 10 rolls

I discussed this recipe here.

Decorating Fun

2009-02-14T17:26:00.001-05:00

I have the coolest Grandma, for many reasons. But without knowing that I've wanted one for awhile, she gave me a cake decorating kit. This is the first time I've had a chance to use it and had fun from the first cupcake on through the last. Here's a picture of the fun I had. I'm already looking forward to the next time I use it.

Weekend Projects

2009-02-13T14:39:00.004-05:00

Last weekend a friend from work hosted an ornament making/general craft making party. Usually this party happens in November in time for Christmas, but it was delayed this year. I'm happy it was since I can't go in November when we're usually out of town for bike racing. Here's what I made in the couple hours I was there. I started with some designs on a ceramic heart. Then I spent quite a bit of time putting bits and pieces of colored clay into molds to make the decorations for this painted picture frame. Now all I need is an Easter picture to go inside.

Pie Time

2008-12-23T09:18:00.003-05:00

I don't think I've ever made pie before, at least not that I can remember. On Saturday, we made Junior's Toasted Coconut Custard Pie quickly, so we could take it with us to my Grandma's house. It was her birthday, and she's been dropping hints to my mom about a specific type of pie she liked in New York. Hopefully this will be close to what she's looking for, though we had to use a pre-made pie crust since we were short on time. We sampled a tiny piece before we left, and it was delicious. Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Junior's Toasted Coconut Custard Pie

2008-12-23T09:17:00.001-05:00

(adapted from Junior's Toasted Coconut Custard Pie, which is probably from Junior's)

INGREDIENTS
Pastry crust for single-crust pie
4 extra-large eggs
2/3 C granulated sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 C heavy cream
1 C whole milk
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C flaked coconut
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

METHOD

Heat the oven to 425 F and butter a 9-in deep-dish pie plate.
Mix and chill the pastry. Roll it out 1/8-in thick on a lightly floured surface and trim to a 15-inch circle. Transfer the pastry to the pie plate, leaving a 1 1/2-in overhang. Fold under the edge to stand up 1 in high and flute. Prick it all over with the tines of a fork. Place the unbaked shell in the freezer for 15 minutes.
To partially bake the shell before filling it, place a piece of foil in the center and weigh it down with pie weights, uncooked beans, or rice. Blind-bake the crust just until it begins to set, about 8 minutes; remove the foil and pie weights, and return the shell to the oven until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the crust from the oven to a cooling rack, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.
While the crust is baking, make the coconut custard filling. Using an electric mixer set on high, beat the eggs in a large bowl until thick and light yellow, about 5 minutes.
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl and beat this mixture into the eggs until thoroughly mixed. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium.
Add the cream, milk, and vanilla, and beat the filling until light and frothy, about 3 minutes more. Stir in 1 1/4 C of the coconut. Pour the filling into the partially baked crust, dot with the butter, and sprinkle with the nutmeg.
Bake the pie for 30 minutes; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 C of coconut, and continue baking the pie until the filling is golden, the coconut is toasty, and the filling jiggles only slightly in the center, about 20 to 30 minutes more. The pie is ready to come out of the oven when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the pie on a wire rack for 1 hour. Serve the pie at room temperature or refrigerate until it's cold. Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator.

Yield: 8 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Preview of Posts to Come

2008-12-16T06:38:00.003-05:00

Pork with Polenta and Broccoli Rabe

2008-12-12T23:13:00.015-05:00

We don't usually make meat with two side dishes, but that's what happened last night. We made Parmesan and Sage Crusted Pork, Creamy Polenta, and Broccoli Rabe with Garlic. Despite the meat being on its own, even I enjoyed it! The flavors were good, and the meat was thin. The side dishes were made with some random stuff we had that didn't have a purpose originally. The polenta was smooth and delicious. We scaled down the recipe a bit so we wouldn't have too many leftovers. Also, we haven't had broccoli rabe since earlier in the year, so we enjoyed its return.

Also, this is what we discovered tonight. Not great pictures, but you should be able to see the kittens. I've been wondering why water seemed to be coming out of the tree stand and making the sheet wet, but now I know!

For some reason, they like water that isn't in their bowls. Now that we've shut the toilets off from them, they've discovered another source.

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic

2008-12-12T23:05:00.005-05:00

(adapted from Sunset's Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Chiles (Rape Fritte))

INGREDIENTS
1 lb whole broccoli rabe
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved lengthwise, if large
~1/4 tsp sea salt

METHOD

Trim broccoli rabe, removing tough parts of stems and any stems with a hollow core. Split stems (or quarter them if large) so they'll cook at the same rate as the florets. Rinse well.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add broccoli rabe (you may have to add in batches, waiting until some cooks down) and cook until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Scoop out and set aside about 1/4 C cooking liquid, then drain broccoli rabe in a colander. Let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes, then squeeze gently to remove excess moisture.
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add broccoli rabe and 1/4 tsp salt, and toss to coat with oil. Increase heat to high and cook until broccoli rabe is heated through and flavorful, about 5 minutes (if it looks dry, moisten with some of the reserved cooking liquid). Season with salt to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Creamy Polenta

2008-12-12T23:01:00.006-05:00

(adapted from Southern Living's Creamy Polenta Recipe)

INGREDIENTS
7 C chicken broth
2 C polenta
1 (8 oz.) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

METHOD

Bring 6 C chicken broth to a light boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Slowly stir in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until polenta thickens. (Do not boil.)
Stir in cream cheese until blended. Stir in remaining chicken broth. Cover and keep warm.

Yield: 6 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Parmesan and Sage Crusted Pork Chops

2008-12-12T22:49:00.004-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Parmesan and Sage Crusted Pork Chops)

INGREDIENTS
1 C panko bread crumbs
1/4 C (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp honey Dijon mustard
2 large egg whites
4 (4 oz) boneless thin-cut pork loin chops, trimmed
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil

METHOD

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, sage, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Place flour in another shallow dish. Combine mustard and egg whites in another shallow dish, stirring with a whisk.
Working with one pork chop at a time, dredge pork in flour, shaking off excess. Dip pork into egg white mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat pork completely with breadcrumb mixture. Set aside. Repeat procedure with remaining pork, flour, egg white mixture, and breadcrumb mixture.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned and done.

Yield: 4 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Christmas Tree!

2008-12-10T21:29:00.002-05:00

It's Advent, and Christmas is not too far away! We picked up a tree on Saturday, and today I received my first ornament from one of the kids I teach on Wednesday nights. So, until we get a chance to decorate the tree completely, the lone ornament will have to do the trick. (You can see the baby tree to the side. I had time to decorate that one on Monday.)

Pasta and Veggies, Mostly

2008-12-09T21:47:00.011-05:00

I wouldn't have come up with the combination on my own, at least not the cauliflower, but this Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage was a good meal. For some reason we liked it even better as leftovers. The 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper scared me, so we took it down to a little more than a 1/4 tsp. The sliced garlic was very flavorful. I was hesitant since I thought it'd be too strong in bigger chunks, but it was nice. Also, based on some comments, we added broccoli to the original recipe, and I'm glad we did, since there wouldn't have been much color otherwise.

John made this one for us since I was busy writing a paper. He mentioned how he liked baking the veggies and sausage. It was a nice variation from our typical stir-fry.

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage

2008-12-09T21:46:00.001-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage)

INGREDIENTS
2 (4 oz) links mild Italian turkey sausage
3 C small cauliflower florets
2 C small broccoli florets 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, sliced
4 C uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 C (2 oz) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 450°.
Pierce sausage several times with a knife. Combine sausage, cauliflower, broccoli, and 1 Tbsp oil in a small roasting pan; toss. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp salt. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Add garlic to pan; toss. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp pasta cooking water. Combine pasta, reserved cooking water, remaining 1 Tbsp oil, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; toss. Add cauliflower mixture, sausage, and cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Yield: 4 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Biscuit Challenge

2008-11-30T22:38:00.010-05:00

This Thanksgiving I watched John's grandma make biscuits. John grew up on these biscuits and likes them better than any others. The problem is that John's grandma knows how to make the biscuits so well that she doesn't need to measure anything. She just knows how to do them the right way. So my challenge will be to try and duplicate them as closely as possible and figure out how we can have her great biscuits even when we're at home. I'm not sure I can come up with a recipe to meet the high standards, but I will do my best.

Cookie Marathon

2008-11-29T07:18:00.002-05:00

The first baking day of the Christmas cookie season resulted in a table full of over 26 dozen cookies and four different recipes. My friend and I started this tradition last year when she drove up for the weekend from North Carolina. Now she lives in town, and we can spread the baking over a couple weekends. We've tried some of the recipes before, and others were completely new. Luckily, they were all wonderful. Over the next week or so, I'll share the recipes and pictures from our efforts.

To start out the day, we made Coconut Marmalade Crescents. As we were shaping them and putting them on the cookie sheets, we were reminded of mini shrimp, though these cookies taste nothing like shrimp. The cookies are nice and soft, and the topping adds even more fun to their flavor, with a little crunch from the toasted coconut.

Coconut Marmalade Crescents

2008-11-29T07:17:00.002-05:00

(adapted from Land O Lakes's Coconut Marmalade Crescents by way of Culinary in the Desert)

INGREDIENTS
For the cookie:
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 tsp rum extract
1 C sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

For the glaze:
1 1/2 C confectioners' sugar
1/3 C orange marmalade
1 to 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
additional sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

METHOD
For the cookie:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Beat in rum extract.
Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in coconut. Cover dough and place into the refrigerator until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Shape dough into 1 1/4 " balls. Roll each ball into 2" long logs. Shape logs into a crescent shape (or another shape of your choosing) on baking sheets lined with parchment.
Place into the oven and bake until set and the edges are lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze:

In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar, marmalade and enough orange juice to make desired glaze consistency.
Frost cookies with glaze. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Yield: about 5 dozen

I discussed this recipe here.

Operation Christmas Child Project

2008-11-28T12:10:00.003-05:00

This month I introduced a mini project to the two Missions classes (kindergarten to fifth grade) at our church. We began studying about Ralph and Tammy Stocks and their work in Hungary with the Roma (Gypsies). To give the kids a way to physically act on what they're learning, they collected items to fill shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. The shoeboxes are sent to children around the world.

As an introductory activity to the project, we took time to paint paper to wrap the shoeboxes. With a table covered in white paper, sponges cut into Christmas shapes, and paint galore, the kids set to work. The younger children used the sponges to put candy canes, crosses, and stars on the paper. The older kids decorated the paper and wrote "Merry Christmas" and "Jesus." They particularly seemed to understand that they could touch someone's life when I showed them a slideshow of kids around the world receiving the boxes from previous years' donations. I had their full attention; they smiled and spoke of how happy the children looked as they received their gifts.

When it came time to pack up the boxes, I was worried we wouldn't have collected many items since there had only been two weeks notice. I was completely wrong, as the church and the children donated tables full of toys, books, and toiletries. We even had church members bring already stuffed boxes. In all, the kids collected and filled 31 shoeboxes! They even colored a picture of the nativity scene to include with their gift. It sounds like we'll hear where the boxes are delivered now that Operation Christmas Child has the option of including a barcode on the box to track its travels. This is a nice new feature so that the kids can get a follow-up to their efforts and look on a map to see where their gifts are delivered.

Black Bean Burgers

2008-11-26T06:45:00.001-05:00

Vegetarian type meals aren't always well received in our house, but I've been looking for some good recipes that we can add to our list of keepers. These Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Cucumber and Red Pepper Relish were a great alternative to the standard beef burger. Even better, they were enjoyed by all and approved for a return to our dinner table. We were missing some of the key ingredients (red pepper), but liked the recipe despite the alterations. I look forward to trying these burgers in their original form sometime soon.

Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Cucumber and Red Pepper Relish

2008-11-26T06:44:00.001-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Cucumber and Red Pepper Relish)

INGREDIENTS
Relish:
2/3 cup peeled and finely chopped cucumber
1/2 C red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 C red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp dill, finely chopped
1/8 tsp salt
Dash of ground red pepper

Burgers:
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 C dry breadcrumbs
1/4 C red onion, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1/4 C light mayonnaise
4 hamburger buns
dill sprigs (optional)

METHOD

To prepare relish, combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.
To prepare burgers, place beans in a large bowl; partially mash with a fork. Stir in breadcrumbs and next 5 ingredients (through egg). Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.
Heat pan to medium-high and coat with cooking spray. Cook patties for 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated.
Spread 1 Tbsp mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun. Top each with a patty, 1/4 C relish, and top half of bun. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

I discussed this recipe here.

Pizza Pizza

2008-11-25T06:44:00.000-05:00

When we returned from Long Island on Sunday night, we were in the mood for pizza. We used a variety of cheeses on each one, including mozzarella, some feta, and also leftover fontina cheese from our soup and sandwich night.

I would have taken pictures of all the varieties, but we kept eating them faster than I could snap the shots.

We're really enjoying this pizza crust for all topping varieties and even as leftovers. Next time we'd like to add a little honey with the yeast to see if we like it better.

Weekend Grilling

2008-11-21T10:19:00.003-05:00

Sunday night John suffered through the colder temperatures to make us Grilled Jerk-Marinated Pork Kebabs. I was particularly happy to have a good reason to get a pineapple; John even tried it and admitted it might be good. (It was deliciously sweet and juicy.)

The pork and vegetables both had great flavor, making the kebabs an enjoyable Sunday dinner. Also, you can see that the kittens were entertained by their first sight of fire, and then later by the huge moth that flew into the kitchen.

Grilled Jerk-Marinated Pork Kebabs

2008-11-21T10:18:00.002-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Grilled Jerk-Marinated Pork Kebabs)

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp jalapeño pepper, minced (about 1)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 cup (1-inch) pineapple pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 (12-inch) skewers

METHOD

Combine jalapeño and next 8 ingredients (through pork) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare grill.
Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Thread pork, tomatoes, pineapple, bell pepper, and onion alternately onto 8 (12-inch) wooden skewers. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 10 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle with salt.

Yield: 4 servings (2 kebabs)

I discussed this recipe here.

Eclatante

2008-11-18T18:00:00.005-05:00

On Thursday night we wandered over to the Lyceum for a concert by Eclatante, a flute and harp duo. The group features flutist Sharon Woster Pabon and harpist Melissa Tardiff Dvorak. This is the first time I've heard my teacher play a concert, so I was excited to attend. Also, it's fun to watch the harpist's feet while she plays - they remind me of the undertow beneath graceful ocean waves.

I enjoyed hearing the Bach piece live, but I think I most enjoyed the Rossini piece, which was variations on a familiar melody, though I can't recall the name of the melody. In between the pieces, we learned a little something about each one. I was interested to learn that the accompaniment part in the Bach Sonata in C Major may have been written by Bach's son, C. P. E. Bach. To support the theory that the piece may have been originally written for solo flute, this is the only one of Bach's sonatas where the flute plays continuously throughout the piece. Also, we learned that Piazzolla's Histoire du Tango chronicles the development of the tango.

Concert Program

Deux Preludes Romantiques: Tres lent, Allegro moderato by Marcel Tournier
Sonata in C Major: Andante and Presto, Allegro, Adagio, Minuet I and II by J. S. Bach
Andante con Variazioni for Flute and Harp by Gioachino Rossini
Serenade No. 10 for Flute and Harp: Larghetto, Allegro comodo, Andante grazioso, Andante cantabile, Allegretto, Scherzando, Adagietto, Vivo by Vincent Persichetti
Cafe 1930 from Histoire du tango by Astor Piazzolla
Sonata in A Major for Flute and Harp: Allegro, Andantino grazioso, Minuet I and II by Friedrich Wilhelm Rust
Le Carnaval de Venise Variations, Op. 14 by Paul A. Genin (1832 - 1903); Trans by Barbara Todd and Nathalie Teevin-Lebens

Violin Cross Stitch

2008-11-16T21:43:00.001-05:00

This is what I made for John's birthday. I've been working on it during my commute for the last couple months, and now it's framed and ready to hang!

Soup and Sandwiches

2008-11-14T16:09:00.005-05:00

I don't remember ever having split pea soup, but it seems to generate contorted faces when I ask people what they think of it. Despite its reputation, I was up for giving it a try, so I made this Shaker Split Pea Soup with grilled fontina sandwiches. We did have to allow time to simmer the soup, but otherwise, this meal required little preparation.

I made a bit more than the original recipe so we'd have enough for lunch the next day. Also, I put a little less water in because of the comments I read saying it was too watery. Though it may have been fine, I'd rather it be on the thicker side. I didn't mash the peas at all at the end of the simmer, since the soup was already a good consistency.

The sandwiches were made with fresh baguettes from Costco that we treat ourselves to on occasion and thin slices of fontina cheese. I mixed Dijon mustard with chopped green onions and put a thin layer on the inside of each slice. After lightly coating the sandwiches with cooking spray, I grilled them for a couple minutes on each side.

The soup and sandwiches were both very good. The soup had plenty of flavor and a good consistency. Maybe the bacon pieces could entice skeptics to give it a try.

Shaker Split Pea Soup

2008-11-14T16:08:00.007-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Shaker Split Pea Soup)

INGREDIENTS
4-5 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
2 1/4 C onion, finely chopped
7 1/4 C water
2 1/4 C green split peas
3/8 tsp dried thyme
3/8 tsp dried savory
3/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
thyme sprigs to top, if desired

METHOD

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Add water, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add peas, thyme, savory, pepper, and salt to pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour and 20 minutes.
If desired, mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings (about 3/4 cup)

I discussed this recipe here.

Biscotti Trial

2008-11-13T07:35:00.018-05:00

Cookie madness season officially began this Tuesday when I had Veteran's Day off from work. I tried out this Almond Ginger Biscotti recipe, and it was delicious. This was a trial for the coming Christmas baking season, and I learned a couple things for the next time around.

The dough was much stickier than I was expecting. As I was forming the logs and putting them on the baking sheet, I was worried I had messed up the ingredients and put in too much liquid. When I checked the recipe, I had only put in the 3 eggs and vanilla, so no error there. In the end, there was no reason to worry since the biscotti were great. But now I know to spend a bit more time making longer, narrower logs before sticking them in the oven. This will help the center of the loaves cook a bit more and get as golden as the edges. The slightly firmer loaf will then be easier to cut into without tearing out the almonds as much as I experienced in this trial run.

One helpful tip I read was to stand the biscotti up on the cookie sheet for the second round of baking. This allows both sides to crisp up at the same time, instead of requiring a flip halfway.

Overall, the trial was a success, only requiring a little tweaking for the next batch.

Almond Ginger Biscotti

2008-11-13T07:01:00.009-05:00

(adapted from Martha Stewart by way of Culinary in the Desert)

INGREDIENTS
2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 Tbsp lemon zest
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 C whole almonds
1/3 C crystallized ginger, chopped
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
granulated sugar to sprinkle on top, if desired

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Stir in almonds and ginger.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until the liquid has been absorbed.
Scoop the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until smooth. Evenly divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into logs about 1" high by 3" wide. Transfer logs to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and slightly flatten the logs with your palm. If desired, sprinkle granulated sugar lightly on the top of each log.
Bake until the logs are golden and the tops are firm when lightly pressed, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After 15 minutes, lightly spritz the logs with water, then let sit for another 5 minutes.
Use a serrated knife to cut the logs into roughly 1/2" thick diagonal slices. Place slices upright on the baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from teh oven and transfer slices to a wire rack to cool completely.

I discussed this recipe here.

Quick Dish from College

2008-11-11T11:39:00.011-05:00

John's dad sent this Jade Beef recipe with him to college, and we've been cooking it ever since we met. It's one of the recipes we grab when we need something fast. We generally keep the list of ingredients handy for busy weeknights. This was the second time we used the rice cooker. The rice was especially soft tonight, probably a result of the rice soaking in the water for a couple hours while we went to the store. I think the reason I like the rice cooker the most is that it frees up space on the stove top.

Jade Beef

2008-11-11T11:38:00.007-05:00

(adapted from Pat Tung's Cooking School)

INGREDIENTS
Marinate:
1 Tbsp cooking sherry
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1 Tbsp sesame oil (can also use peanut oil)

Dish:
3 medium to large green peppers, chopped
4 slices ginger root, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp corn starch in 4 Tbsp water
5 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce

METHOD

Combine sherry, soy sauce, sugar, corn starch, and sesame oil in medium bowl.
Cut beef across the grain in 1/8" strips, then cut to the size you want to eat. Place in marinate for 15 minutes to 24 hours.
Keep corn starch mixture close to stove. Heat wok to medium high to high, then add 4 Tbsp oil and swirl to coat sides. Let oil get hot until it starts to smoke, then put in 1/2 of meat and cook until not red. Remove and repeat with other half of meat. Add garlic and ginger at end to heat.
Remove meat from wok when done. Add 1-2 Tbsp oil and get hot. Add green peppers. Cook about 2 minutes, then add Hoisin sauce and cook 1 more minute.
Add meat to wok. Mix well. Add cornstarch mixture. Cook until liquid in bottom center thickens.
Serve over rice.

I discussed this recipe here.

Pancakes on the Road

2008-11-09T10:14:00.004-05:00

The hotel continental breakfast can range drastically depending on the specific location where we stay. This weekend the hotel did have a decent assortment of food and drinks available, but we had also planned to try out a breakfast of our own to see if it would be a good option in the future. Without a refrigerator or microwave, our options are limited. Though we frequently make Bisquick pancakes or oatmeal with sausage on weekend mornings we're home, we don't have anywhere to store milk, eggs, or meat on the road. Instead, we packed up a box of Aunt Jemima Original Complete pancake mix, which only requires the addition of water. Along with our handy electric griddle/waffle maker, we made a batch of pancakes in our hotel room, being careful not to set off the fire alarm. (It seemed particularly touchy last night when the smoke detector went off from the shower.) Though the pancakes aren't quite the same as what we normally have, they are a good option for breakfast on the road.

De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies

2008-11-08T23:59:00.008-05:00

Zagat came through once again with a good meal out during our cyclocross racing weekend travels. We stopped by De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies to pick up two pizzas on the way to the hotel. I think it's probably the closest we've had in the US to what we tasted in Italy (though still different). The pizzas are full of good flavor, are light on the cheese, and have great fresh ingredients. It all melds together well in your mouth, with much less grease than we usually find with take-out pizza.

We've been loving fresh basil on our pizzas, so the first pizza had pepperoni with basil. To have a little extra for tomorrow, we got a second small pizza with sausage. Then, when we were paying for the order, they threw an extra cheese pizza onto our stack of boxes. We always love free food, especially when it's good free food.

Also, the restaurant is so popular that the wait for our pizza order was an hour for us to walk out with it! I just wonder if the wait inside would have been longer or shorter. Luckily the hotel was close, and we could wait comfortably in anticipation. The pizzas are delicious, and they were a good start to the evening of catching up on some missed Friday Night Lights episodes.

Tomatoes, Chicken, and Ginger

2008-11-07T17:00:00.008-05:00

We tried out two newbies last night, a recipe and a kitchen appliance! We made Chicken with Tomato-Ginger Chutney and used the new rice cooker for the first time. For the chicken and chutney, other than chopping some initial ingredients, there was little effort involved. We mostly waited while the chicken cooked and the chutney simmered, with an occasional flip or stir. To keep the waiting time down, we cooked the chicken and chutney in separate pans at the same time. The chutney was a tasty addition to the chicken breasts and also added a bit of color to the plate.

The first run of the rice cooker was a success. We should have probably waited a bit longer before scooping the rice onto our plates, but it was late and we were impatient. We'll save the waiting for next time.

Chicken with Tomato-Ginger Chutney

2008-11-07T16:49:00.007-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Chicken with Tomato-Ginger Chutney)

INGREDIENTS
Chicken:
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Chutney:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 C onion, chopped (about 1 medium)
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 C plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 C fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground mustard
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp kosher salt

METHOD

To prepare chicken, place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 tsp kosher salt; dredge chicken in flour. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done and lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan with a paper towel.
To prepare chutney, heat 1 tsp olive oil in pan over medium-high heat; add onion, ginger, and garlic to pan. Cook 4 minutes or just until tender. Add tomato and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Uncover and cook 6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve chutney with chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/3 cup chutney)

I discussed this recipe here.

Trelumina Trio at Strathmore

2008-11-04T21:47:00.006-05:00

Last week we had a great evening out and went to hear the Trelumina Trio at Strathmore. My flute teacher, Sharon Woster Pabon, had told me about the performance since she knows the flutist, Alicia Kosack, from graduate school. The other members of the group include a bassoonist, Kimberly Buchar Kelley, and pianist, Rebecca Wilt. I had been looking forward to this performance since Sharon speaks so highly of Alicia's playing, and the concert was scheduled on one of our few free evenings!

When we arrived at the Mansion, we thought there may not be any seats left since they asked us if we were on the guest list. When we said we weren't, they told us that they were having a special evening where they invited members of the surrounding community to come hear a performance and that we would not have to pay for tickets. That was a great surprise after thinking we may not be able to hear the performance at all.

We wandered around the Mansion to see the displayed artwork and then went in to hear the trio. Looking at the program, we were nervous that the pieces may be a little too unusual for our taste, since some had names such as Doppler Effect. Despite our initial hesitations, we enjoyed the whole program, and in particular Eric Ewazen's Pastorale, one movement of his Ballade, Pastorale, and Dance. The piece was originally written for flute, french horn, and piano, but the group transcribed the piece for their instrumentation. We also learned that Doppler Effect was inspired by an experience the composer had while sitting at a street cafe in Italy and hearing the hustle and bustle of the city. It was fun to hear little tidbits of the history of the group, pieces, or composers and to sit so close to the performers as they played.

This is the first professional chamber group we've heard, and luckily it was a good first experience. Next Thursday we plan to go to Eclatante's performance at the Lyceum, the first I'll have been to for my teacher. I heard a couple measures of one piece as I walked up the stairs to my lesson, so I'm excited to hear the full thing next week.

Concert Program

Trio in F Major: Larghetto, Allegro by Gaetano Donizetti
Doppler Effect by Adrienne Albert
Mariko Suite: Pearls, In the Rain, Winter Doves, A Fisherman by Catherine McMichael
Oblivion, Primavera Portena by Astor Piazzolla
Pastorale, Dance by Eric Ewazen

Quick Pasta Dish

2008-11-03T18:25:00.002-05:00

Last night we didn't want to spend too much time on dinner since we had a list of other things to get done before the week started. This Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach dish came together quickly and without too much cleanup. We doubled the original recipe to have enough for lunch the next day, with the exception that we used slightly less prosciutto and a bit more Parmesan. The pasta was served with toasted garlic bread and cantaloupe. The garlic bread was made with Johnny's Garlic Spread, which my mom sends me since our Costco doesn't carry it. We enjoyed the meal and the quick cooking time, so I'll add it to our list of keepers.

Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach

2008-11-03T18:24:00.000-05:00

(adapted from Cooking Light's Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach)

INGREDIENTS

1 (20-oz) package fresh cheese tortellini (such as Bertolli)
3 Tbsp pine nuts

2 tsp olive oil

12 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 (12-oz) package fresh baby spinach

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced

3/4 - 1 C grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.
While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add nuts to pan; cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally. Add nuts to bowl.
Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach to pan; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constatly. Add spinach mixture, black pepper, and prosciutto to bowl. Toss well.
Add Parmesan to taste.

I discussed this recipe here.

14" Pizza Crust

2008-11-02T21:38:00.019-05:00

This is the current reigning pizza crust of the ones we've tried. (adapted from Cooking Light's Basic Pizza Dough)

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp yeast
3/4 C warm water (100-110 F)
(6.7 oz is the latest weight, but we're still tweaking it)
8.8 oz bread flour
3/4 tsp salt

METHOD

Allow yeast to dissolve in water for approximately five minutes.
Whisk flour and salt together in bowl of mixer.
Add yeast mixture to the bowl and knead with the dough hook for about five minutes. Dough should pull away from sides of the bowl and still stick to the bottom slightly. Check the dough periodically to make sure it is tacky to the touch. Add a small amount of flour if the dough is too sticky.
Spray a bowl with cooking spray, and add dough to bowl. Cover with a thin layer of cooking spray, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest in a warm place until double in size (about 45 minutes to an hour).
Preheat oven to 550 F or as high as your oven will allow.
Punch dough down, and make into 14" circle.
Cover pizza with desired ingredients, and brush crust with olive oil. Bake on stone until crust is golden brown (about 7 minutes).

I discussed this recipe here.