Stuffing: For years I peeled, chopped and diced all the ingredients for my mother's stuffing. Apples, onions, celery, and carrots. So for the festive occasion of Thanksgiving I give thanks to whoever invented the conveniently already done frozen or fresh versions of these ingredients. I buy celery that is already in short sticks and baby carrots. These take mere minutes to chop as compared to peeling those larger carrots and pulling and disecting celery. I buy apples slices (I know this is not economical, but hey I'm supposed to be having family time...oh ya this happens for my apple crisp too. I just won't shop for a month). So then I let my progressive onion chopper go to town on the apples and onions. This year I discovered already diced onions...if they are there when I am shopping for Thanksgiving, I will be giving thanks for those too. I get out a bit of aggression and end up with a nice dice. I throw all this in the crockpot with cooked loose sausage, bread cubes, seasonings and broth. I used to saute the veggies first, but I haven't seen much flavor difference. In fact when the veggies are in the crockpot they really season the stuffing as they cook. Every few hours I check, add liquid, season etc. About an hour before dinner I add some pats of butter to melt into the concoction. This tastes exactly like the stuffing my moms made...or at least it does in my memory. Been way too long, but I am very happy with this product.
Did I mention that the crockpot keeps everything the perfect temperature too? Seriously I can not worry if someone is coming later, because I know everything will be just right still. It's also great because if we eat an early meal and do turkey day lunch, it's still hot and delicious at dinner.
11/09/2010
Crafting from Nature
Look: Yesterday I took the best walk. My husband had a flex day on Monday, so he did breakfast with the kids and I went for a walk. Usually I have to get up at 5:30 or 6:00 to sneak in my walks because he needs to be out the door before 8. So this was a very special treat. My neighborhood is the picture of fall right now. I was walking and found two huge gorgeous yellow leaves. They were thick and sort of leathery. I was thinking how much the kids would like to see these, so I decided to carry them with me. For the rest of the walk, I kept noticing vibrant trees and continued to gather leaves. By the time I reached my home I decided I would make leaf place mats with the kids
Learn: I learned after my last and only running injury that walking is awesome. Seriously, I may sound geeky yet again...but I never dread walking, I enjoy every minute of it and after it is finished, I'm always glad I did it. It is the kind of sport I can do in any weather too. Also I found out the kids enjoyed sorting and playing with the leaves. It was sort of educational for Gav with his colors. Chelsea began asking what kind of trees had these leaves. It was at this point I learned that I don't know any tree names. Is there an app for that?
We used contact paper to make these easy to wipe clean. I think it will be neat to use these at Thanksgiving as centerpieces.
Love: I love going for walks when it isn't dark out. The chilly weather was perfect for a brisk walk. It was even better that I found free stuff for an simple craft. The kids loving doing crafts and this will be one they can enjoy for many meals this month.
Learn: I learned after my last and only running injury that walking is awesome. Seriously, I may sound geeky yet again...but I never dread walking, I enjoy every minute of it and after it is finished, I'm always glad I did it. It is the kind of sport I can do in any weather too. Also I found out the kids enjoyed sorting and playing with the leaves. It was sort of educational for Gav with his colors. Chelsea began asking what kind of trees had these leaves. It was at this point I learned that I don't know any tree names. Is there an app for that?
We used contact paper to make these easy to wipe clean. I think it will be neat to use these at Thanksgiving as centerpieces.
Love: I love going for walks when it isn't dark out. The chilly weather was perfect for a brisk walk. It was even better that I found free stuff for an simple craft. The kids loving doing crafts and this will be one they can enjoy for many meals this month.
11/08/2010
Meal Planning Monday
We have a busy, busy week...so meal planning is on the agenda today. My two little cherubs decided to come down with a nasty cold yesterday, so it was mostly toast and juice all day...boring. Looking forward to the fun week ahead. There is a bit of a theme with my plans as they all use some sort of kitchen appliance. I've put them in bold so you can really see how crazy I am for my kitchen tools!!!
Monday : Breakfast for dinner: Making pancake popovers and bacon with a nice fruit salad. I may even attempt milk free hot chocolate as an extra treat for my little sickies. I was putting away my perfect brownie pan (yes I am addicted to gimmicky kitchen items) and saw my popover pancake puff pan that hasn't been used in a few months. I like to fill mine with jelly and pretend I'm eating DD jelly donuts.
Tuesday: Paninis: We have english muffins, pitas and wheat bread...so we'll each pick our fillings and make paninis. Hopefully there will be left over bacon, yum! I of course don't do paninis the old fashion way with a brick, I bought the panini maker. I will most likely grill up some vegetables on it before we do our sandwiches. I love putting the veggies in my sandwich and it flavors up the grill.
Wednesday: Crockpotting it: My husband has a class and won't be home for dinner. So I'm going to make a delicious soup just for me. I'll fish out the main things (chicken, beans, noodles, vegetables) for them and add fresh herbs for me. Yum. Again the kitchen appliance here is the crockpot. I can't live without my crockpot. I love throwing stuff in and letting it cook. There is no prep at the witching hour when my kids are crazy...dinner is already ready.
Thursday: I'm going out, wahoo....Girls Night shopping. So I am going to leave bento boxes for my husband and children. I always use tupperware...but I recently started following how these amazing moms make yummy meals in boxes. This will make it easy because if the kids are getting stir crazy, Chris can take them to the mall or a playground for dinner out!
Friday: We have a sitter for Friday night. I'll have to pinch myself...two nights out in a row is a rare treat. My niece is the best sitter around (so is her sister). I'll put homemade pizza dough into our bread maker so it is done in time for dinner. The kids will have a ball rolling it out, using cookie cutters to make shapes and adding sauce. Such a fun easy dinner and I even get to sneak in flax seed in the crust. Then I add extra veggies in the sauce when I use my food processor to liquefy my tomatoes.
Saturday: Probably do a "fake out, take out" this night. I stole that term from rachel ray and it just means making your favorite take out at home where you can be more cautiou and budget friendly with ingredients. I'll use my wok (sorry no pic) to whip up some Chinese. First we'll have wonton soup, then sweet and sour chicken stirfry. The kids don't go for the strong flavors so it will be leftovers for them. The hubs and I will most likely eat after bedtime. Add a fire in the fireplace and a great show and it's a date night at home.
Sunday: Chris's Chili. Chris took years perfecting his homemade chili recipe. A few weeks back I used my vidalia wizard chopper to chop all the vegetables for his recipe. We bought peppers, tomatoes and onions from the farmers market. Thinking ahead, I doubled the amount and froze half in my tupperware freezer mates. So I'll throw those into my handy, dandy crockpot along with ground beef, a bit of beer, tomato paste and some secret ingredients...Shhhh! And we'll eat it all day long....mmmmmm.
There are a few of my trusty appliances that were not mentioned and are probably feeling left out. I'd like to thank my popcorn maker, my blender and my kitchen aid for their loyalty and ability to make my life oh so much easier.
11/05/2010
Food Friday: Turkey Day ...Smashed Potatoes
I have amazing memories of Thanksgiving with my parents. Really wonderful meals...always served on our best china while wearing our finest Thanksgiving clothes, if you knew my mother this makes sense. My mom would wake up very early to begin. By the time 7 am rolled around there was already a bird in the oven and most sides were well under way and a beautifully set table. It became a tradition, once I was 21, to party like rock stars the night before the big day with my cousins, family and friends. Even on those morning my mother would bust into my room no later than 5 or 6 to ask for help getting everything done. I never understood why we had to get ready sooooooooo early. Why couldn't we start around noonish to prep?
For several years after my parents passed away I sort of refused to celebrate Thanksgiving or any other holiday for that matter. In fact, though I'd celebrate with friends here and there, it wasn't until a year or two after meeting Chris that I started back up with Thanksgiving. So truly for the better part of 30 plus years I didn't understand what went into the meal....then I had to host one...YIKES! I've been "doing" thanksgiving again for a few years now. I want a good end product, but want to spend most of the day with my family. I love the traditions of parades, sports and relaxing. So I thought for my Food Fridays in November I'd talk about how I make my Thanksgiving super duper unbelievably easy and mostly in crockpots. One dish a week or so. Here is how I do Turkey Day now...gobble, gobble!
Smashed Potatoes: To make the old favorite less time consuming, I found out that Yukon Gold potatoes don't need to be peeled (thank you Food Network). I clean them well the a day or two before. When turkey day arrives, I just plop them in the crockpot and bake em. After a few hours I get in there and smash them. When they are mostly smashed I add our version of butter and sour cream, along with a healthy dose of salt and pepper. I repeat smashing and a taste test about 30 minutes before dinner. If they need more seasoning, I go all Emeril on them. If they are dry, I add plain soy milk or chicken broth. Chris's family has said they enjoy the potatoes every year. Hopefully they aren't just being kind :)) EASY, isn't it?
For several years after my parents passed away I sort of refused to celebrate Thanksgiving or any other holiday for that matter. In fact, though I'd celebrate with friends here and there, it wasn't until a year or two after meeting Chris that I started back up with Thanksgiving. So truly for the better part of 30 plus years I didn't understand what went into the meal....then I had to host one...YIKES! I've been "doing" thanksgiving again for a few years now. I want a good end product, but want to spend most of the day with my family. I love the traditions of parades, sports and relaxing. So I thought for my Food Fridays in November I'd talk about how I make my Thanksgiving super duper unbelievably easy and mostly in crockpots. One dish a week or so. Here is how I do Turkey Day now...gobble, gobble!
Smashed Potatoes: To make the old favorite less time consuming, I found out that Yukon Gold potatoes don't need to be peeled (thank you Food Network). I clean them well the a day or two before. When turkey day arrives, I just plop them in the crockpot and bake em. After a few hours I get in there and smash them. When they are mostly smashed I add our version of butter and sour cream, along with a healthy dose of salt and pepper. I repeat smashing and a taste test about 30 minutes before dinner. If they need more seasoning, I go all Emeril on them. If they are dry, I add plain soy milk or chicken broth. Chris's family has said they enjoy the potatoes every year. Hopefully they aren't just being kind :)) EASY, isn't it?
11/03/2010
11/02/2010
Tried and True Tuesday...and an inspirational blog
First let me begin by sending you here...http://www.bentolunch.net/ We bring our food everywhere because of chelsea's allergies. This lady is amazing, a complete genius with bento boxed lunches and food prep. I dream of being her and she has inspired me to jazz up my lunches and meals. What a great thing for when they get to be school age! WOWSERS!
Okay so onto my Tuesday breakfast recipes. This our vegan pancake recipe. I make a double batch once a week, then we reheat them for another meal, make them into sandwiches, bring a few along as snacks and freeze remainder for busy mornings. I also usually have three large ziploc bags full of the dry ingredients for when I don't feel like mixing it all up. Here it is:
Okay so onto my Tuesday breakfast recipes. This our vegan pancake recipe. I make a double batch once a week, then we reheat them for another meal, make them into sandwiches, bring a few along as snacks and freeze remainder for busy mornings. I also usually have three large ziploc bags full of the dry ingredients for when I don't feel like mixing it all up. Here it is:
| 2 cups flour ( 1 wheat, one white) 4 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 2 Tbsp sugar (we've played with replacing sugar with honey and agave syrup too) |
| ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup applesauce 1½-2 cups water or soy or rice milk flax seed meal (optional) ½ cup pureed vegetable (optional: we like cauliflower or sweet potato) |
11/01/2010
Mommy's Magical Monday Makeover
I love my house, every square inch. May sound somewhat obnoxious to make that claim...but it took my husband and I nine very long months to find it. As a realtor now, I think "Sheesh, we were high maintenance couple!". We live a split level (split from side to side) with 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathroom. A few years after we moved, we tore down a wall and made our kitchen and dining room one big area that has a large doorway to the living room. Lately, I've been drooling over homes that have a family room attatched to the kitchen. I dream of cooking, really cooking...while the kids play. When I came home today from a morning out, I looked and realized the living area on the same floor as the kitchen and dining area could be that place....but we needed a mini makeover. I call it magical because I can see hours of cooking, sewing, reading, playing, crafting and relaxing time spent in this space. Enjoy the before (first) and after (last) shots of our living space. Not too much difference, but needed to hide toys!
So here is what I did. I found the least obnoxious child chairs we have and cozied them up to the coffee table, voila...the coffee table (which is also the train table) becomes a game spot and house area.
There was a small unused nook in my kitchen. I snagged one of their kitchen pieces and slid it in there. They have two kitchen pieces, so this will force them to share and still let us have the kitchen play space somewhere else too.
I love changing up my mantle with decorations to go with my mood or the season. I added some wooden boxed games, books under the gourds and two baskets of toys.
Two of my moms old chairs have cute little "dresses" or at least that is what I call them. I began stowing my running shoes under one when I didn't have a enough shoe cubby spcae for them . The other one was wasted space (ever seen that DIY show...i heart it) I pushed Gav's trucks and Chels's doll house and yet another activity for the kids is now in the living room.
Quickie...2 easy release hooks + empty hall wall space = dress up spot
Doing this gave me the afternoon to sew, read and cook. I feel like this should have dawned on me before. It has a certain times, but the kids never seem to clean up so I felt like the living room would end up being a wreck. That is never the first thing anyone wants to see upon arriving home. But now that the wee ones are two and three, they clean up more. With about 10 minutes of work I can remove all the toys for a party or gathering. Magical Makeover complete!
So here is what I did. I found the least obnoxious child chairs we have and cozied them up to the coffee table, voila...the coffee table (which is also the train table) becomes a game spot and house area.
There was a small unused nook in my kitchen. I snagged one of their kitchen pieces and slid it in there. They have two kitchen pieces, so this will force them to share and still let us have the kitchen play space somewhere else too.
I love changing up my mantle with decorations to go with my mood or the season. I added some wooden boxed games, books under the gourds and two baskets of toys.
Two of my moms old chairs have cute little "dresses" or at least that is what I call them. I began stowing my running shoes under one when I didn't have a enough shoe cubby spcae for them . The other one was wasted space (ever seen that DIY show...i heart it) I pushed Gav's trucks and Chels's doll house and yet another activity for the kids is now in the living room.
Doing this gave me the afternoon to sew, read and cook. I feel like this should have dawned on me before. It has a certain times, but the kids never seem to clean up so I felt like the living room would end up being a wreck. That is never the first thing anyone wants to see upon arriving home. But now that the wee ones are two and three, they clean up more. With about 10 minutes of work I can remove all the toys for a party or gathering. Magical Makeover complete!
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