Day Out with Thomas the Train

Last month we took Luke down to Calera, AL to see Thomas in person. Luke loves trains, and he watches Thomas videos on Netflix and on my tablet.  He has two different Thomas and Friends track sets, and he says "Toot Toot" several times each day.

It was not a great day for it. It was a bit cool, and then it rained really hard. Luke was not in the best of moods, either. He was "that kid" that day.  You know, the one who has tantrum after tantrum and generally causes distress for everyone around him. Poor fella didn't have a real good night's sleep the night before. By the time we were scheduled to ride the train, he was exhausted. He almost fell asleep on the train.

He really enjoyed playing with the Thomas tracks that were set up for the kiddos. He wouldn't share his table with anyone, though.

Played putt putt golf for the first time. Was going fine at first, then Luke began taking balls from other children's greens. Then he started taking clubs. One of those kicking and screaming til we got him out of there moments.

Luke was scared of Sir Topham Hat.

Not to fond of the train "engineer" either.

We will have to return to the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum next year when Luke is older. I think he might enjoy it better then. I hear they have a nice Polar Express-themed outing around Christmas time.

Energy Bites

I was looking for something new for us to have at breakfast and for snacks that would give us some protein and whole grains, so I decided to give these energy bites a try.

They were a hit with Luke, and he even enjoyed helping me make them.

They are a mix of peanut butter, oats, honey, ground flax seed, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract.

Roll them into balls, coat with some extra oats, and then store them in the fridge.

You can find a recipe at Lil' Luna's blog. She used coconut flakes as well, but as a general rule, I don't do coconut.

DVD Case Turned Mask...or Something

From this

To this

In just a few seconds, he turned a boring ole DVD case into, well, something. Can't turn my back for any length of time. He was so funny, though. He was walking strangely, almost like stomping, and moving his head around funnily, and making weird noises. He hasn't displayed much make-believe behavior akin to what other kids his age are doing, but sometimes he becomes another character just by picking up a stick or, well, putting a DVD case on his head. He's always (almost) good for a laugh and squeezes.

Love this boy!!!

Good News: I Saved Money on My Groceries!

I am feeling quite proud of myself. I planned ahead and left the grocery store with a week's worth (maybe more) of groceries for about $110. I spend anywhere from $50-80 when I stop in "just to get a few things." I didn't just get food either. I got out of there with a large container of laundry detergent and two bottles of Seventh Generation all-purpose cleaner.

All it took was looking at the sale paper and buying mostly what was on sale this week. I know, why have I not done this before? Who knows? I am certainly doing it now, though. If $110 sounds like a lot to you, shut up. Just kidding. Actually, please tell me your secret.

I was so pleased with my savings at the grocery store that I refused to stop and pick up dinner on the way home (I was in a time crunch yesterday, so this would have been reasonable). We had grilled cheese sandwiches with canned tomato soup for dinner instead. Trying to clean out the food in the pantry also. I started organizing it on Saturday. I'll post about that later.

Adapted from a post I saw on Honest Toddler's Facebook page.

I hope to begin doing some proper meal planning very soon so that I am not so frazzled about what to fix and also so that I can save money and not wind up with so much food in the pantry that is not going to get eaten before it expires. There is no reason I should have a pantry completely full of food when I go to the store like twice a week! Got to stop the impulse buying.

I've started a Pinterest board for meal planning, house cleaning charts, etc... to help me get started. It only has 30 pins so far but it's a start. Don't you just love Pinterest? Next to shopping, it is the best way to feel accomplished with out really doing anything that constructive ;)

Pasta with Pecan and Broccoli Pesto

Pecan and Broccoli Pesto? Yes, and it was quite tasty!

Following all the Christmas food this week, I was craving Chinese food. Then I was sick of that tonight and wasn't feeling well enough to go grocery shopping, so I had to come up with something to make out of what we had available at home. I knew I was going to make some type of pasta dish, and I didn't have much meat available to use (I found out after I started cooking that we had bacon...I'll use that tomorrow).

We have lots of pecans right now, so that I was going to put those in there somehow, and we have lots of frozen broccoli. I had one lemon left, plenty of cheese, and some pasta.  I did my usual scanning over recipes online with some of these ingredients and came up with the pesto.  Since I didn't use a whole lot of broccoli, we weren't really able to tell it was there.  I roasted the pecans before adding them to the pesto mixture, and the nuttiness of the dish was divine and very filling.  Whole wheat pasta of some sort would have paired nicely, but I was all out of it.  The bucatini I used is like a thick spaghetti with a hole through the middle. It is the closest thing I've found to Pici, a traditional Tuscan pasta, while grocery shopping.

I had a few frozen shrimp left (pre-cooked...I should really pay more attention to labels these days), so I heated some butter in a pan and tossed the thawed, pre-cooked shrimp for a minute or so and served those with the pasta. The sweetness of the shrimp went nicely with the nutty pasta. This dish may seem a little complicated, but it came together rather quickly. My husband approved; however, my two-year-old son wouldn't even try it. He settled for Chef Boyardee. *sigh*


Ingredients:

Pecans (I used whole pecans...from my freezer)
Pasta of your choice (I used Bucatini...from Giada Laurentis' brand at Target)

Extra Virgin olive oil 

1-3 canned anchovies in oil (omit these if they totally gross you out, but I urge you to give them a try)
Red pepper flakes (as many to satisfy your desired heat level)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 cups broccoli florets (I used frozen)
1-2 tablespoons garlic, minced 
Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated (I used Pecorino, but I was torn as to which to use)

Juice from 1/2 to 1 whole lemon

Zest of one whole lemon


Directions:

1.  Place your pecans on a pan (I line mine with foil) and toast them in the oven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes on low heat (about 200-250 degrees F).

2.  Bring a pot of water to boil for your pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

3. While the pecans are toasting and the pasta is cooking, make the pesto.  Heat a few 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-large non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat.  Add the anchovies and stir until they break down into the oil.  Add red pepper flakes (I added just a tiny bit at this stage, because I served this to my two-year-old.  My husband and I topped off our pasta with an extra sprinkle or two right before we ate it), black pepper, and some salt and reduce heat to medium-low.  Add the garlic and the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes (longer if your broccoli is still frozen...I thawed mine first).

4. Zest your lemon and place the zest aside.  Using a blender, food processor, etc... blend the broccoli/garlic/anchovy mixture with 3/4 of your toasted pecans, juice of half the lemon, cheese and more olive oil as needed to aid the blending process.  Set the pesto aside.

5. Chop the remaining pecans into small pieces and set aside.

6. When the pasta is finished cooking, use a coffee cup or some other heat-safe container to scoop out some of the starchy cooking liquid. Set this aside and drain the pasta.

7. Heat the pan you cooked the broccoli mixture in to medium-low heat, and then add the pasta, pesto (as much as you think you need...I had some left over), some of the starchy pasta water, and a little more lemon juice. Mix well. 

8. Turn off the heat and add the lemon zest. Toss, and then taste to see if you need to add more salt or pepper. 

9.  Before serving, sprinkle the pasta with the reserved pecans you chopped (I like a little crunchiness to my dishes sometimes).

I served this with shrimp, but I think this would be lovely alongside some type of grilled while fish, such as Tilapia or Grouper.

I actually forgot to add the cheese to the pesto at first, and the pesto tasted pretty good without it.  So, this would make a nice vegan pasta dish as well.

Mango Smoothie

I had a little bit of a scare at my last doctor visit. Turns out I might not be doing as well healthwise/eating wise as I thought I was. My iron was really low and my blood sugar was really high. So, I thought I better go ahead and start watching my sugar intake and eating better overall. I'm hoping the sugar reading was incorrect. I'll find out for sure tomorrow when I go in for a more intensive test. As for the iron, I guess Baby Luke is really starting to grow and is taking more and more nutrients from me. I did feel him kicking a little higher on my belly early this morning.

At the beginning of my pregnancy, before the "morning" sickness got really bad, when I was just a little queasy first thing in the morning, I was making mango smoothies for breakfast. Yesterday I really wanted ice cream, but instead I made a mango smoothie. So yummy and it satisfied my ice cream craving and even gave me a little ice cream headache because I used frozen mango. Here's how I make it:

Mango Smoothie (serves one)

handful of frozen mango chunks

milk, 1/8-1/4 cup

plain yogurt, about 1/4 cup (I used 3 oz Greek low-fat yogurt)

1 pack Stevia, or you can use Splenda, some honey, or other sweetener of choice

drop of vanilla extract

ground flaxseed, about 1/2 tablespoon or so (great brain food for baby!)


Put mango and milk in a blender (I use a Magic Bullet for my smoothies) and puree/pulse until mixed a bit (you may have to add a little more milk depending on how frozen the mango is and how stubborn your blender is). Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Enjoy. Mine is usually a bit thick at first so I eat it with a spoon like ice cream and then slurp the rest as it melts.

Thin Mints in May

When I got pregnant I lost four whole pounds (unintentionally of course). Two months of boot camp and cutting out regular sodas could not even accomplish that last year.

The first few weeks of my pregnancy went well. I felt good, ate well, and even walked the dogs several times a week (often the only exercise I get). And I pretty much knew I was pregnant a week or two after conception, so I starting behaving as if I was just in case (no medicine, quitting the caffeine, trying to eat nutritiously, making sure not to skip the prenatal vitamin, etc...). I don't know if I am that in tune with my body or if my symptoms were just that obvious. The very sore and aching breasts were my first dead give away.

A few weeks later my whole body began changing and my whole relationship to food changed as well. I suddenly had no desire to eat...anything. There is still, as I type, a box of Girl Scout cookies (thin mints) on my coffee table. While an empty box still sitting around from February would be nothing out of the ordinary for me, a box that still has cookies in it is totally out of character. You know something is up when I don't even want cookies. As a comparison, the samoas, or whatever they are called now (out of p.c. reasons I guess), were eaten in all of two days before all of my bodily changes. Sweets don't usually linger in this house. Ask Lee. He knows he can't leave sweets around the house to save for later. There will be no later. They will be in my stomach. He can't leave cash around either, but that is a whole other matter.

I went from thinking about and wanting food during all waking hours to not even being able to enjoy watching Top Chef. Yes, just the sight of it bothered me at times. The smell really bothered me especially if it was meat. If Lee wanted to eat meat, he had to eat it for lunch while at work or cook it outside. One night he even took the toaster oven out on the front porch in order to cook some Italian sausage. He then ate his meal in the garage. I hear these pregnancy aversions sometimes linger long after the baby is born (even years). I may never want to eat Italian sausage again. It was never a favorite of mine anyway.

Although the loss of four pounds felt and looked great, it was worrisome. Even though I knew losing a few pounds in the first trimester was not going to be harmful (especially since I was a few pounds overweight from the onset), I couldn't help but worry. Would this last? Would I still not be able to eat entering my second trimester?

I am now in my second trimester, and I am happy to say that I am regaining my appetite. Things got worse before they got better, but they did get better. I have even regained those four pounds. I'm not ready to try any form of sausage yet, but I am adding more meat back into my diet. My insatiable sweet tooth seems to have returned as well. For maybe the first time in my life I will be able to enjoy Girl Scout cookies in May...and maybe June or July if I suddenly find some self-control.

I have not had any strange cravings yet (you know, like pickles and ice cream), but I still have about six more months to go. I'll keep you posted.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

I bought some canned pineapple the other day, and tonight I was determined to eat it with something. I had leftover tofu, rice, and half a red bell pepper in the fridge, so I searched the internet for sweet and sour tofu recipes.

I found and adapted this recipe from Eating Well.

I didn't have very high hopes for this dish, but I was pleasantly surprised. If you are looking for a replica to restaurant-style sweet and sour dishes, this is not it. However, I happily devoured a plateful. It was nice and satisfying but didn't leave me overly full and sluggish. And even better, it was quick and easy to make and helped me clear the fridge of leftovers.

After I started eating, I realized that I forgot one important ingredient in any sweet and sour dish--the sweet part. A lot of the recipes I found called for brown sugar, but it completely slipped my mind. I think the dish turned out sweet enough for my tastes. It picked up some sweetness from the pineapple juice and the corn syrup in the ketchup and pepper paste (pic below). If you like yours sweeter, feel free to add some brown sugar or other sweetener. Sweet and sour dishes usually don't have a lot of spicy heat added to them, but I wanted some kick to mine. If you don't want the heat, omit or limit the amount of pepper paste/sauce and the red pepper flakes. Since I added both, my dish came out pretty spicy.


My husband won't eat tofu, but he was envious of the great smells coming from the kitchen. I'll definitely make this again soon. Maybe I'll make it with shrimp so he can enjoy it as well. I need to increase my knowledge and skill when it comes to Asian cookery, especially Chinese, because short of going to PF Chang's, our options for really good Chinese are slim to none. Also, by eating it at home, I can control the ingredients and make sure it stays relatively healthy.




Sweet and Sour Tofu

1/2 tbs sesame oil

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

1 8-0z can pineapple chunks in juice

1/2-1 tbs white vinegar or rice wine vinegar

1/2-1 tbs ketchup

1-2 tsp soy sauce

1-1 1/2 tbs pepper sauce (I used Sunchang Gochujang, a Korean fermented red pepper paste)

1 cup extra-firm tofu, cubed

1/2-1 red and/or green bell pepper, roughly chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2-1 tsp cornstarch

1-2 tbs cold water

rice for serving (I used leftover jasmine rice)

Heat a medium-size nonstick pan over low heat and add the oil, garlic, and ginger.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the juice from the canned pineapple with the next four ingredients to make the sauce (if you are using sugar, whisk it in as well).

Increase heat of pan to medium-high and add the tofu, bell pepper, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes and then add the sauce. Stir to combine and heat until it starts to boil. Add the pineapple chunks. Mix cornstarch with cold water and add to the pan. Let the sauce return to a boil, stir, and then reduce heat. Heat for a couple of more minutes and then serve hot over rice (I added the rice directly to the mixture since I was using leftover rice and don't currently have a microwave).

Hazelnut-crusted Tilapia with Lemon Basil Cream Sauce and Italian-style Green Beans

The other night Lee and I went to Carrabba's with friends, and I ordered the Trout Nocciola...trout crusted in hazelnuts and served with a lemon and basil butter cream sauce. On the side, I had Italian-style green beans. It was delicious. Lee had spaghetti with Italian sausage, but he kept stealing bites of my trout, so I decided to attempt the dish at home the next day for dinner. I substituted tilapia for trout because it was less expensive. I'll go ahead and tell you that it was a success!

The most difficult and frustrating part of the meal was preparing the hazelnuts. I went ahead and popped open the wine to help get me through it. This was the first time I've cooked with hazelnuts, and I did not anticipate them being so much trouble. I love hazelnuts, so it was well worth it.



First, I had to shell the darn things. The only type of nutcracker I own is for pecans, and it wasn't up to the task, so I pulled out the meat pounder. It worked well. I wound up placing the nuts right onto the countertop, and if I hit them with just the right force and at a slight angle, they would open up leaving a beautiful intact hazelnut. Be prepared for a mess if you try this. Hazelnuts were flying everywhere. The dogs and the cat quite enjoyed it.

After shelling them, I had to remove the thin, paperlike skins. I saw online that toasting them in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F was the key, so that's what I did. This releases some of their oil and gives them a great flavor too. After they came out of the oven, I used a kitchen towel to rub off the skins. Most of them came off easily, while a few didn't budge. If there was just a tiny bit of skin on one, I just scraped it off using my nails under the towel.

I pulled out the meat pounder again to crush them. I placed a few hazelnuts in the towel to keep them from flying off and pounded away. After a few pounds, I placed the nuts on a wooden cutting board and just pressed firmly with the meat pounder to achieve a finer consistency. Whew!



The wine I chose for tonight was Orvieto Classico. Orvieto is located in Umbria, which is adjacent to Tuscany. It was located among the Pinot Grigios, which was what I initially had in mind, but I decided to try something new. It was alright, but I think I prefer Pinot Grigio.



After I got the hazelnuts ready, I started making the sauce. I'm pretty handy with sauces, so this was a snap. Here's what I did:



Lemon Basil Cream Sauce

2 tbs salted butter

1-1 1/2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbs vegetable stock (chicken stock or broth would work well also, I just had some leftover veggie stock handy)

1-1 1/2 tbs white wine

freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional...I add black pepper to everything)

1/2 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1-2 tsp lemon zest

1-2 tbs fresh basil leaves, torn

Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat till slightly golden brown. Add the lemon juice, vegetable stock, wine, black pepper and garlic and cook on medium-low for 10-15 minutes or until reduced by about half. Whisk in cream until combined and reduce heat. Add lemon zest and stir. Sauce will thicken somewhat after it starts to cool. If it isn't as thick as you would like, you can thicken it up by first mixing some cornstarch or arrowroot (my favorite sauce thickener) with cool water and adding it to the sauce. If you add a thickener, bring the sauce back to a boil, and then reduce it again.

Add the basil to the sauce right before serving or just place it on top of the sauce when you plate (that's what I did). Since I still had to cook the fish and green beans, I left the sauce on the lowest setting to keep it warm.

(Serves 2-4)

Hazelnut-Crusted Tilapia

2-3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2-3/4 cups toasted and crushed hazelnuts

1/2 cup panko (optional)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 egg white, whipped slightly

2 tilapia filets

1-2 roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips or chunks



Heat a medium-large size pan with lid on medium-high heat and add oil.

Dip fish into egg white and then into hazelnut/panko mixture, pressing so that it sticks. Place tomatoes into oil and stir. Add coated fish to pan and brown both sides. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Stir tomatoes and cover with lid. Cook for 5-10 minutes until fish is opaque throughout.

***I had to add additional oil to the pan, so next time I plan on adding some oil directly to the coated fish before placing in the pan.***

Serve fish hot covered with 1-2 tbs Lemon Basil Cream Sauce.

(Serves 2)



Italian-style Green Beans

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 handful thin, French-style green beans (I buy them prewashed in bags)

1-2 roma tomatoes, seeded and roughly sliced or chopped

1-2 cloves pickled garlic, thinly sliced (use regular garlic if you don't have pickled)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 tbs or so balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar such as red wine vinegar)

1-3 tbs water, depending on how tender you like your green beans

Heat oil in medium-sized pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add beans, tomatoes, garlic, and salt and pepper. Heat for 1-2 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add vinegar to deglaze pan and stir. Add water and cover with a lid, but leave it cracked just a bit so it steams. Cook until desired tenderness and serve hot or even at room temperature.

(Serves 2)

***I usually steam my green beans in the microwave, but we have been without one for several months. We are getting one built in over the stove, but it is requiring custom cabinetry, so it has become a much bigger project than anticipated. Heating up leftovers isn't as quick without one.***

This turned out to be a delicious meal worthy of serving to guests. The next time I make it I'm going to try to lighten it up a bit by omitting the cream and making a broth and wine-based sauce instead. I'll let you know how it goes.

A Quiet Holiday Dinner for Two

Once I knew Lee and I would be at home by ourselves on xmas, and that I would have to prepare dinner, I began thinking of more than what kind of food to put on the plate. Since it was the first xmas we were by ourselves in our own house, I began thinking about what plates to use, what tablecloth to use, and what I could use to create a centerpiece for the table. I became quite overwhelmed.

In the end, we wound up with a humble table for two. I gave up on ironing a tablecloth, but I did create a centerpiece out of a candle and some fake pine cones I had in my craft stash. It was nice dining with candlelight. It was nice eating at the table. We usually just eat our meals on trays in the living room while watching television (a bad habit I want to correct before having children).



I liked having the challenge of creating a meal out of what we had on hand. I would have enjoyed it more if I had been feeling better, though. I have a sinus infection and have been suffering from dizziness and nausea daily.

The challenge was not too tough, because we had plenty of food around the house. I decided to use some chicken thighs I had in the freezer, farro we brought back from Italy, and the last of the loaf of bread for a sweet bread pudding.

I had never eaten farro until we brought this bag back from Italy. We bought it in Montepulciano, Tuscany. It is quite heavy and held us up in customs a bit, but I really like the taste and texture. It has a nutty, earthy flavor and texture a bit like an al dente pasta. I opened the bag up earlier this year and made a farro risotto with dried porcini mushrooms. It came out tasting a little too earthy, but I knew I would like experimenting with the farro until it was all gone.



My thinking with the farro was that it could be mixed with vegetables, nuts, and even cheese to resemble a stuffing to go alongside the chicken (Note: stuffing is not something I have ever eaten during the holidays, either...we eat dressing down here in Alabama). I searched the internet for farro recipes keeping in mind that as far as vegetables (besides carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes) I had some zucchini and one green and one yellow bell pepper. I also had several nuts, including pistachios, almonds, and pecans. As for cheese, I had parmigiano reggiano, pecorino romano, and a little bit of shredded mozzarella.

My search turned up a recipe for Zucchini and Farro Gratin over at Closet Cooking. This is one of my favorite food blogs. Whenever I am craving something, I can usually find something delicious there. So Zucchini and Farro Gratin it was, with some cheese substitutions. The recipe called for parmigiano regiano and gruyere, so I used the parm and the other two cheeses I had available. I used regular bread crumbs instead of the panko he used. I had some panko, but I just wanted to use bread crumbs. I also didn't grate the zucchini but just diced it into small pieces. They provided a welcome crunch on the plate next to the soft chicken and vegetables I made.



I had a bottle of Chardonay, so I settled on cooking the chicken with wine, herbs, and butter...yum, butter. I don't use butter, especially real butter, that often. I added onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes as well. As for the herbs, I used fresh thyme, a little fresh rosemary, and some dried sage. The vegetables ended up being delicious. The chicken was good as well. It was a litte tougher than it should have been, because I added too much wine and water to the pan and had to cook it too long.



The chicken served with the gratin and the rest of the Chardonnay made for a good meal. It just wasn't real holiday fare. I still really want some dressing. The meal was a little one-note too. We usually like more contrast and kick to our meals. A fresh salad with fruit and soft cheese would have been a nice addition. But, we made do with what we had. I need to do this more often, because we spend way too much money on food, and a good bit of it never gets used.

For dessert, I made a Nutella bread pudding.



Needless to say, it was yummy. Anything Nutella is delicious. It is also really easy. I just cut up our leftover whole-wheat sandwich bread and toss it with one can of fat-free sweetened, condensed milk, 1/4 to 1/2 cup Nutella, one egg, and enough milk to make enough of the mixture to cover the bread. I bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, and voila, a delicious, comfortng, chocolate dessert.



After dinner we watched The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers until we got so sleepy we couldn't keep our eyes open. Not a terrible way to spend the evening. Oh, and Santa did bring me a step ladder and some chocolate. He also brought me two surprises--a cheese grater and a wine saver kit.

We woke up this morning to more snow. We ate leftover gratin and finished watching the movie. I have the unused chicken thighs marinating in the fridge for my first attempt at chicken tikki masala, one of the only Indian dishes Lee likes. Indian is one of my favorite cuisines.

Blackberry and Baby Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese

Blackberries are one of the highlights of summer for me. Sure they taste good, but they also remind me of my childhood. My dad's parents owned a farm, which is still in our family, and we would go there almost every weekend.

Every June my mother, my grandmother and I would pick blackberries from around the fishpond and off the fence that separated a field of cotton from a dirt road. I would sit in the kitchen nibbling on the fresh berries as the two of them made blackberry jelly, which they would then "put up" into numerous jars. I would wait in anticipation the rest of the afternoon for dinnertime to come around so I could eat some of my grandmother's blackberry cobbler. It is still the best blackberry cobbler I have ever tasted. It is one of the few recipes of my grandmother's that I have. My Aunt Jimmy gave me a copy of the recipe at my bridal shower along with a recipe cardholder. One of these days I'll attempt to make it.

I got some blackberries from the farmer's market Saturday and last night I tried something a little different...a spinach salad with blackberries...and it was delicious. Lee really liked it also.

Blackberry and Baby Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese

Baby spinach
Plain goat cheese
Fresh blackberries

For the dressing:
Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic glaze (optional)
Honey
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

I rarely measure when I whip up a salad dressing, especially when I make it up as I go along. I just eyeball it to make sure I have enough for the amount of salad I'm making.

The basic formula is the same, though. Mix your acid (in this case the balsamic vinegar) and seasonings. And then, as you whisk that mixture, slowly drizzle in the oil. You have vinaigrette. Don't be scared of it. Just get in the kitchen and bang together some dressing.

I really wanted a sweet dressing, which this was before I even added any honey because the balsamic glaze is on the sweet side. If you don't have balsamic glaze, just use more honey. I think the sweet balances nicely with the spinach. Overall the dish was nicely balanced. The slight sweet tanginess of the berries and the lush, creaminess of the goat cheese was perfect. Yum.


I had another salad with goat cheese and fruit a few weeks ago, and it was equally delicious. There will be a lot more fruit, salad greens, and goat cheese in my future. It is a great summertime combination.

I had some romaine lettuce from the farmer's market and a few dried apricots left from another cooking adventure. I couldn't look at the apricots without thinking of the peaches and creme fraiche I had during my 2007 visit to Chez Panisse. So that led me to apricots and the creamy goat cheese.

Apricot and Goat Cheese Salad

Romaine lettuce, chopped coarsely
Dried apricots (rehydrated in water for about 30 minutes) or fresh apricots
Fresh goat cheese

For the dressing:

Apricot preserves
Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard (just a little)
Red wine vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Rainy Day Spaghetti

I love a big plate of spaghetti on a cold rainy night. I made this sauce a couple of summers ago after my mother-n-law gave us a variety of peppers from her garden. I had some Ragu Traditional Recipe spaghetti sauce in the pantry, so I thought I'd see what it would taste like with peppers. I really didn't expect it to come out good, but it did. My husband loves it. See, it pays to play around in the kitchen. The sauce has never tasted as good as it did the first time. My mother-n-law's peppers were the key. Last night I played with it further by adding some mushrooms. I think I'll add them from now on. Here's the recipe:

Ragu with Peppers
1 pound ground beef
1/2-1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 med-large jalapeno pepper, diced
1 anaheim pepper, diced
8 oz button mushrooms, chopped coarsely (optional)
1/4-1/2 tbs red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper (3-4 turns of the grinder)
13-oz jar Traditional Recipe spaghetti sauce from Ragu

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from the pan, drain, and set aside.
2. Add olive oil to the pan. Then add garlic, onions, peppers, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the pan. You may need to reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring here and there, until onions are translucent.
3. Add beef back to the pan and stir. Add the spaghetti sauce, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

I serve mine over half whole-wheat and half regular spaghetti noodles and top it off with fresh parmesan cheese that I slice off with a vegetable peeler. The sauce tastes even better the next day.

How I Cut Peppers

I had to cut some peppers for dinner last night, so I thought I'd share with you how I do it. This method keeps my fingers from getting too "hot" and I don't have to fool with those pesky seeds. I cut Jalapenos and other small peppers this way also. Sorry some of my pictures are so small.

First, I cut off each end of the pepper.

Then, I cut off each section of the pepper leaving behind the core, seeds, and white membranes.

Then I cut each section into slices that are about 1/4-inch wide. It is easier on you and your knife if the inside of the pepper is facing up. It is harder to cut through the pepper skin-side first. Next I gather the slices into a bunch and cut. Voila, diced pepper.

I usually go back and cut off the good parts of the top and bottom of the pepper too (the petals of the flower).


I keep a produce bag or a mixing bowl next to my cutting board for my garbage (which I should be composting instead of just throwing away). I learned this from watching Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals while I was in college. Rachel taught me a lot about cooking back then. Right now I'm a little burned out on her. She has cooking shows, a magazine, cookbooks, and even her own talk show. Oh, and a line of pet food. One can even go out to Kohls and buy the official plastic Rachel Ray garbage bowl to put next to a Rachel Ray cutting board. I'm assuming she has her own cutting board. I don't think I've actually seen it.

Anyway, keeping the garbage bowl or bag on the counter keeps me from making such a mess and keeps me from having to go back and forth to the actual trash can.



Happy pepper cutting.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

After the muffins, I still had plenty of puree left, so I decided to make some soup. I had seen recipes for black bean and pumpkin soup in the past, so I finally decided to give it a try. We always have cans of black beans in the pantry. They are one of my favorite foods.

I didn't follow a recipe for this soup; instead, I looked at several recipes online and then concocted my own using what I had and what sounded good. I do this a lot. I have so many cookbooks and cooking magazines, but I rarely follow a recipe verbatim.

My soup was good. I've always been pretty good with soup. Here is the best recipe I can give you at the moment. Due to my pinch-of-this-pinch-of-that-method, the measurements are approximations.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 pat of butter (about 1/4-inch thick)
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2-1 tbs minced garlic
1-2 tbs canned chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, finely chopped
1-3 tsp ground cumin powder
1/4- 1/2 cup cooked ham, cubed (we had leftovers from Thanksgiving)
1/4 cup beer (whatever's in the fridge)
2 15-ounce cans black beans (I used the whole can...you can drain and rinse if you want)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1-1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 15-ounce can beef broth
15-30 ounces of water (I used my beef broth can to add enough water to make soup thinner)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sour cream for garnish, optional (I used fat-free sour cream)

1. Heat oil and butter in large soup pot (I used a 6-quart pot) over low heat. Add garlic and let sit for a few minutes to infuse garlic flavor in oil. Turn the heat up to medium, add onion, stir and saute until onion is translucent. Add chipotle peppers, cumin, and ham and stir.
2. Add beer to deglaze pan. Stir and scrape bottom of pot.
3. Add the next 6 ingredients, through salt and pepper, and stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer as long as you want (I usually let soups simmer at least 20 minutes).
4. Puree soup(I used my immersion blender), bring back to a boil, and simmer a few more minutes.
5. Serve warm topped with sour cream (optional).

Back to the Pumpkin

Well, my pumpkin pie cheesecake turned out ok. A little disappointing since I stayed up until 1 a.m. with it. I toasted my pumpkin seeds last night and they didn't turn out very good either. I think I may have let them sit out too long before toasting (48 hrs vs 24 hrs). I'll try them again next year. The photo was taken of the seeds before they were toasted or cleaned completely.

I had plenty of pumpkin puree left, so I tried to make muffins. Well, I thought I was going to make muffins, but the recipe was really for biscuits. It helps to look at the title. Just to let you know, baking is not my strongsuit. On top of that, I always add this or that or swap one type of ingredient for another. I eyeball my ingredients too. Yep, that looks like a teaspoon. If I was paying attention to the fact that I was supposed to be making biscuits, I would not have substituted half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. I would not have added ground flax seed either.

I continued on and luckily I had a set of unopened biscuit cutters that were bought for some unknown reason at some unknown time. I've never used any type of pastry cutter before. I actually need to purchase one of those pastry blenders I keep reading about in recipes. The two knives method isn't working so well.

The biscuits tasted good but were a bit tough. They were not fluffy or flaky like biscuits should be. And of course they were a bit grainy. The orange-honey butter that I put on them was very yummy, though. I feel sure that they would have been wonderful if I had followed the recipe, so here it is. I found it in my 2003 November issue of Cooking Light on page 176. I use whole nutmeg and grate it with a microplane. Freshly ground tastes much better and lasts longer than the alternative.

Pumpkin Biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Cooking spray

1/4 cup Orange-Honey Butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg), cut in chilled butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Combine buttermilk and pumpkin, add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees for 11 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with 1/4 cup Orange-Honey Butter. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 biscuit and 1 teaspoon butter).

Orange-Honey Butter

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Yield: 1 1/4 cups (serving size: 1 teaspoon).